cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
When the Therapist Says Goodbye

AbstractTherapist–initiated termination poses several unique problems for both the group and the therapist. This paper describes the termination process from the point of view of this therapist’s experience in planning the termination of her group therapy practice. The reactions of other analysts to her decision to retire and the group processes and individual patient’s reactions in this long–term psychoanalytic therapy group are described in detail. The author follows the group process and her own inner processes in the final six months of the group. The importance of the working through of the termination phase of therapy is supported by the experiences that were shared by the group and the therapist.
Modeling the Coordinated Movements of the Head and Hand Using Differential Inverse Kinematics

Hand reach movements for manual work, vehicle operation, and manipulation of controls are planned and guided by visual images actively captured through eye and head movements. It is hypothesized that reach movements are based on the coordination of multiple subsystems that pursue the individual goals of visual gaze and manual reach. In the present study, shared control coordination was simulated in reach movements modeled using differential inverse kinematics. An 8-DOF model represented the torso-neck-head link (visual subsystem), and a 9-DOF model represented the torsoupper limb link (manual subsystem), respectively. Joint angles were predicted in the velocity domain via a pseudo-inverse Jacobian that weighted each link for its contribution to the movement. A secondary objective function was introduced to enable both subsystems to achieve the corresponding movement goals in a coordinated manner by manipulating redundant degrees of freedom. Simulated motions were compared to motion recordings from ten subjects performing right-hand reaches in a seated posture. Joint angles were predicted with and without the contribution of the coordination function, and model accuracy was determined using the RMS error and differences in end posture angles. The results indicated that prediction accuracy was generally better when the coordination function was included. This improvement was more pronounced for low and eccentric targets, as they required greater contribution of the joints shared by both visual and manual subsystems.
Sulfide derivatives of cysteine. II. Some sulfonamide derivatives of cysteine and methionine.

Seven new sulfide derivatives of cysteine have been prepared. In addition sulfonamides of cysteine, L-3-mercapto-N-sulfanilylalanine, and methionine, DL-N-sulfanilylmethionine, among others, have also been prepared. Except for L-3-[(3′-hydroxy-4′-carboxyphenyl)-carbamylmethylthio]-alanine (compound 2), which was slightly effective against a Klebsiella pneumoniae infection in Swiss mice, all other compounds rested for various activities showed a lack of physiological effectiveness.
On the Use of Information Sharing in Wireless Networks

In this paper, we argue that network performance can be improved when nodes explicitly exchange protocol information with each other. We present a vision of network society for next generation wireless networks that entails such social networking. We begin by describing our cognitive social network (CosNet) system architecture that enables network nodes to effectively gather, analyze, compact, repositorize, and exchange network experience information. We also describe a host of technical issues that need to be addressed for successful realization of a network society, including the management of control overhead, protecting user privacy, vulnerability to selfish and malicious attacks, and scalability concerns. We demonstrate the utility of our approach by studying CosNet inspired modifications of the IEEE 802.11 MAC algorithm that we call CosMAC, respectively. Simulation results show that CosMAC outperforms the throughput of 802.11 MAC in single-hop wireless LAN scenarios. CosMAC also appears to result in a fairer allocation, recorded by 10-15% improvement in Jain's fairness index.
School counselors and student self-injury.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the experience, knowledge, and needs of school counselors in relation to students' self-injurious behaviors. Methods: One thousand members of the American School Counselor Association were randomly selected to receive a questionnaire on the study of self-injury. Four hundred forty-three school counselors returned usable questionnaires. Results: Most (81%) reported working with a self-injurer during their career, and 51% reported working with a self-injurer during the 2002-2003 school year. Findings suggest that counselors feel they are the appropriate person to work with students who self-injure but need more training to identify self-injurers and refer them to appropriate resources outside of the school. Counselors identified a number of barriers to successfully working with students who self-injure, such as lack of training, lack of cooperation with school personnel, and lack of policy on school injury. Conclusions: The authors suggest a model where the school counselor acts as a liaison to ensure the coordination of education about self-injury for students, parents, and school staff and as a conduit to refer students to therapists in the community. Language: en
Distinguishing between linear and exponential cell growth during the division cycle: Single-cell studies, cell-culture studies, and the object of cell-cycle research

Two approaches to understanding growth during the cell cycle are single-cell studies, where growth during the cell cycle of a single cell is measured, and cell-culture studies, where growth during the cell cycle of a large number of cells as an aggregate is analyzed. Mitchison has proposed that single-cell studies, because they show variations in cell growth patterns, are more suitable for understanding cell growth during the cell cycle, and should be preferred over culture studies. Specifically, Mitchison argues that one can glean the cellular growth pattern by microscopically observing single cells during the division cycle. In contrast to Mitchison's viewpoint, it is argued here that the biological laws underlying cell growth are not to be found in single-cell studies. The cellular growth law can and should be understood by studying cells as an aggregate. The purpose or objective of cell cycle analysis is presented and discussed. These ideas are applied to the controversy between proponents of linear growth as a possible growth pattern during the cell cycle and the proponents of exponential growth during the cell cycle. Differential (pulse) and integral (single cell) experiments are compared with regard to cell cycle analysis and it is concluded that pulse-labeling approaches are preferred over microscopic examination of cell growth for distinguishing between linear and exponential growth patterns. Even more to the point, aggregate experiments are to be preferred to single-cell studies. The logical consistency of exponential growth – integrating and accounting for biochemistry, cell biology, and rigorous experimental analysis – leads to the conclusion that proposals of linear growth are the result of experimental perturbations and measurement limitations. It is proposed that the universal pattern of cell growth during the cell cycle is exponential.
The effect of repulsive interactions on Bose-Einstein condensation

One-dimensional Bose gases that interact via a repulsive two-body interaction and show Bose-Einstein condensation at the free level are studied. It is shown that the introduction of this interaction, however small, destroys the condensate. It is also shown that the free energy of an interacting Bose gas does not depend on the boundary conditions(including attractive boundary conditions) in the van der Waals limit.
A study on neural networks for short-term load forecasting

A study is made on the application of the artificial neural network (ANN) method to forecast the short-term load for a large power system. The load has two distinct patterns: weekday and weekend-day patterns. The weekend-day pattern include Saturday, Sunday, and Monday loads. Three different ANN models are proposed, including two feedforward neural networks and one recurrent neural network. Inputs to the ANN are past loads and the output is the predicted load for a given day. The standard deviation and percent error of each model are compared. >
“I Am Wholly Your Own”: Liturgical Piety and Community among the Nuns of Helfta

When William James long ago characterized the God of the thirteenth-century Cistercian cloister of Helfta, in Saxony, as “full of partiality for his individual favorites,” he might have illustrated his claim with any number of passages from three of the surviving works composed by the nuns of Helfta, the Book of Special Grace, associated with Mechtild of Hackeborn (1241–ca. 1298/99), the Herald of Divine Love, associated with Gertrude of Helfta (1256–ca. 1301/02), and the Spiritual Exercises, written by Gertrude. James drew his readers' attention to the following account from the Herald: Suffering from a headache, she [Gertrude] sought, for the glory of God, to relieve herself by holding certain odoriferous substances in her mouth, when the Lord appeared to her to lean over towards her lovingly, and to find comfort himself in these odors. After having gently breathed them in, He arose, and said with a gratified air to the Saints, as if contented with what he had done: “See the new present which my betrothed has given Me!”
Taxes and death: The rise and demise of an American law firm

Misconduct by lawyers in law firms is often attributed to pressures from increasing competition for legal services. Modern firms do face fierce competitive pressures. We can gain more subtle insights, however, by focusing on the specific markets in which particular firms operate and how forms of influence in law firms interact with common patterns of behavior in organizations. This chapter draws on this approach to analyze the experience of Jenkens & Gilchrist, a national law firm that had to close its doors in 2007 because of tax shelter work that triggered civil lawsuits and government investigations.
Simulation of a Mature Mesoscale Convective System Using a Nonlinear Balance Model

Abstract The authors have made a number of calculations with a nonlinear balance model to test the hypothesis that the mesoscale lifting observed in the mature phase of a mesoscale convective system (MCS) can be explained as a moist, quasi-balanced process. A potential vorticity distribution like that seen in a mature MCS is produced by imposing a heat source of realistic size and magnitude for 40 ks (approximately 11 h) on a sheared environment that is slightly stable to moist slantwise convection. The subsequent evolution of the system for another 40 ks is then computed assuming that updrafts ascend moist adiabatically. Diabatic cooling comes from the evaporation of precipitation failing out of updraft regions. Mass fluxes and rainfall rates in the second half of the simulation compare well with observed values. Energetically, the system simulated becomes more and more like a small, moist baroclinic disturbance with time. Latent heat release in the mesoscale updraft is essential to the simulated MCS's e...
Wavelet-based surrogate time series for multiscale simulation of heterogeneous catalysis

Abstract We propose a wavelet-based scheme that encodes the essential dynamics of discrete microscale surface reactions in a form that can be coupled with continuum macroscale flow simulations with high computational efficiency. This makes it possible to simulate the dynamic behavior of reactor-scale heterogeneous catalysis without requiring detailed concurrent simulations at both the surface and continuum scales using different models. Our scheme is based on the application of wavelet-based surrogate time series that encodes the essential temporal and/or spatial fine-scale dynamics at the catalyst surface. The encoded dynamics are then used to generate statistically equivalent, randomized surrogate time series, which can be linked to the continuum scale simulation. We illustrate an application of this approach using two different kinetic Monte Carlo simulations with different characteristic behaviors typical for heterogeneous chemical reactions.
Effect of Cytokines on ICAM Expression and T Cell Adhesion to Cerebrovascular Endothelial Cells

The transvascular migration of lymphocytes and other leukocytes from blood to peripheral tissues is preceded by adherence of these cells to endothelial cells (EC) lining the vasculature. These adhesive interactions utilize specific molecules (e.g., integrins) on the surfaces of leukocytes and EC. In many cases, the expression of these molecules has been linked to organ-specific homing of lymphocytes (1). Many central nervous system (CNS) disorders such as experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are characterized by the increased infiltration of peripheral blood leukocytes into the CNS. The enhanced adhesive interactions between leukocytes and cerebrovascular EC, which constitute the blood-brain barrier (BBB), may be a mechanism partially responsible for the enhanced transmigration of the BBB observed in these disorders. For example, various adhesion molecules have been indicated to play a role in the pathogenesis of EAE and MS (2, 3).
A multi-scale, physics engine-based simulation of cellular migration

This research paper describes the design and prototyping of a simulation tool that provides a platform for studying how behavior of proteins in the cell membrane influences macro-level, emergent behaviors of cells. Whereas most current simulation tools model cells as homogeneous objects, this new tool is designed to modularly represent the cell's complex morphology and the varying distribution of proteins across the membrane. The simulation tool uses a physics engine to manage motion and collisions between objects. It also represents dynamic fluid environments, experimental surfaces, attachment bonds and interactions between the dynamically changing cell surface proteins. The prototype tool is described along with proposals for its use and further development.
The Influence of Vasoactive Amines on Interferon Production in Mice

SummaryThe ability of mice to produce virus-induced interferon was impaired by 25-μg doses of epinephrine and enhanced by 2.5-μg doses. Endotoxin-induced interferon production was also impaired by epinephrine. The impairment was not mediated via the adrenal glands or the spleen, but was prevented by an alpha adrenergic blocking agent. Norepinephrine induced a response similar to that seen with epinephrine. Histamine impaired the production of virusinduced but not of endotoxin-induced interferon.
Korea as a conserver society

In the Spring 2012 Issue of Social Business Emeritus Professor Stan Shapiro revisited the pioneering work of the Canadian Conserver Society Project with which Dr Jim Dator had been involved. Ten years before, in 2002, Shapiro had also published a lengthy evaluation of this project in the Journal of Business Administration and Policy Analysis, in which he emphasized the renewed necessity of a Conserver Society for the twenty-first Century. He again stressed numerous ways businesses can make money in a Conserver Society. He compared the work of the Conserver Society with the recommendations of the World Business Council on Sustainable Development Report, “Sustainable Production and Consumption: A Business Perspective” (Geneva, Switzerland, April 1996), further reinforcing the point that businesses now should embrace and not run from the Conserver Society perspective.
Anti-γ Globulin Antibodies After Open Heart Surgery

Sera obtained from one hundred patients before and after open heart surgery and concomitant transfusion were tested for anti-γ globulin, antileukocyte, and antiplatelet antibodies. The sera of 34 patients contained anti-γ globulin antibodies of one or another variety for the first time after the operation. Of eight additional patients who were seropositive before the operation, seven developed anti-γ globulin antibodies of different specificity postoperatively. Gm-specific antibodies were detected after the operation in 14 patients, Gm antibodies of unknown specificity in nine, and anti-antibodies in 18. The anti-antibodies were of the Andressen type in 17 cases and of the Milgrom type in one. Leukoagglutinins were detected postoperatively in 33 patients, and platelet antibodies in three. Possible explanations for the high incidence of anti-γ globulin antibodies found in this study include (1) the transfusion of many units of blood during a single surgical procedure, (2) an increase in the antigenicity of the gamma globulins due to aggregation or to changes in molecular configuration during extracorporeal circulation, and (3) an optimal interval between antigenic stimulation and collection of blood for testing.
Childhood Sweet Syndrome

Pediatric Sweet syndrome (acute neutrophilic dermatosis) is a rare dermatosis in children characterized by painful papules or nodules and a dense neutrophilic infiltrate in the dermis on histopathology. To date, there are less than 100 cases reported in the literature. Because of the rarity of this disease, controversies in its pathogenesis, classification, clinical presentations, and treatment exist. These controversies are discussed in this chapter.
Investigating mechanisms of genome maintenance through protein and chromatin interactions

I humans, RECQ1 is the most abundant of the five helicases (RECQ1, BLM, WRN, RECQL4, and RECQ5β) belonging to the RecQ family associated with rare genetic diseases of premature aging and cancer predisposition. Our earlier work has revealed a unique requirement of RECQ1 for genome stability maintenance. However, the mechanisms by which RECQ1 executes its functions in genome maintenance have remained largely elusive. My lab is utilizing an unbiased proteomic approach to identify novel protein interactions of RECQ1. We have discovered a direct interaction of RECQ1 with PARP-1 and characterized its functional implications in cellular response to oxidative stress. Moreover, we have identified that RECQ1 physically interacts and modulates the activity of Ku70/80 proteins which are part of DNA-PK complex for the repair of DNA double strand breaks. PARP-1 and DNA-PK are molecular targets for anti-cancer. Our results demonstrating RECQ1’s ability to modulate the activities of PARP-1 and Ku70/80 of DNA-PK complex suggest chemotherapeutic potential of RECQ1. RECQ1 is uniquely important for the proliferation of cancer cells. We have used quantitative chromatin immune-precipitation to show that replication stress induces specific enrichment of RECQ1 at common fragile sites FRA3B and FRA16D where replication forks have stalled following aphidicolin treatment. Fragile loci are fork stalling sites that occur naturally in genome and often coincide with chromosomal breakpoints in tumors. Current efforts are directed towards identifying what functional sub-modules of repair machinery are associated with RECQ1 at specific genomic loci and how it participates in dynamic response to challenges under genotoxic stress. Sudha Sharma, J Data Mining Genomics Proteomics 2013, 4:5 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2153-0602.S1.002
Joint effects of resources and amphibians on pond ecosystems.

Primary production can be controlled through bottom–up (e.g., resources) or top–down (e.g., predators) constraints. Two key bottom–up resources in small aquatic systems are light and nutrients, and forest canopy cover heavily influences these factors, whereas amphibian and invertebrate colonizers exert top–down pressure as grazers and predators. We designed our experiment to specifically manipulate two different top–down and bottom–up factors. We manipulated resources by altering light (low/high) and nutrient (low/high) availability; omnivores with the presence/absence of southern leopard frog tadpoles (Lithobates sphenocephalus); and predators with the presence/absence of spotted salamander larvae (Ambystoma maculatum) in a full-factorial experiment conducted over 14 weeks. We observed that both bottom–up and top–down effects were important in predicting lower trophic level biomass. We found a significant top–down effect of salamanders on Daphnia, but tadpoles had the strongest overall effect on the food web, influencing phytoplankton (+), periphyton (−), and chironomids (−). None of our models were good predictors of phytoplankton biomass, but both shading and nutrient availability relatively equally boosted periphyton biomass. We also found large temporal differences in food-web dynamics. Our results underscore the need for more information into how ecosystem functioning could be altered by land use, amphibian extirpation, and climate change.
Hypertensive Encephalopathy, Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome, and Eclampsia

Despite the efforts made to improve public health over the past decades, hypertension continues to affect a third of US adults older than 20 years of age. Since the 1970s, better strategies targeting cardiovascular risk factors have resulted in declining stroke incidence and mortality for all ages and races. However, the high prevalence of hypertension in selected groups is associated with increasing incidence of hypertensive emergencies. Therefore, greater effort to control this disease is still needed (Go et al. Circulation 127(1):143–52, 2013; Polgreen et al. Hypertension 65(5):1002–7, 2015). Close monitoring of blood pressure and effective treatment when elevated can prevent permanent disability from neurological emergencies such as hypertensive encephalopathy, intracranial hemorrhage, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, and eclampsia related to pregnancy-induced hypertension.
Montaigne on Greatness

This chapter and the next interrogate the highest ideal of both authors, denoted by the term “greatness.” Far from simply being an advocate of “easygoing humanism,” Montaigne is fascinated by greatness. Montaigne generally rejects what he calls “eminent greatness” in favor “greatness without a name.” Such greatness turns out to be a democratized ideal of greatness. Even though Montaigne rejects the “great man idea of greatness,” he does not dispense with the need for particular examples of greatness. Accordingly, this chapter reflects on the way in which Montaigne presents his reader with models as diverse as Cato, Socrates, and Epaminondas. Though such exempla are important, Montaigne ultimately holds that the highest greatness cannot consist in the imitation of others. On the contrary, it requires an extraordinary degree of truthfulness about oneself, along with a concerted effort to live in fidelity to what Montaigne calls one’s “master form.”
A simplified combustion model integrated with a particle growth dynamic model for top-lit updraft cookstoves

Abstract Solid fuel stoves are used by over a third of the world's population for cooking and space heating. Efforts are being made to develop cookstoves with higher combustion and thermal efficiencies, but these efforts lack support of numerical models for predicting emissions that can be used in the design process. This work presents a simplified steady-state model to simulate combustion in a top-lit updraft (TLUD) cookstove integrated with a model for particle growth dynamics. The model incorporates the effects of cookstove operating parameters, specifically primary and secondary air fluxes and their temperatures and fuel composition (moisture, char, and volatile content) on various emissions and thermal characteristics of the cookstove, such as emission factors (EF), emission rates (ER), and size distribution of particulate matter. The results demonstrated that EF and ER do not necessarily follow the same trends, and therefore a lower EF might lead to a higher personal exposure. This raises serious concern over the high reliance on EFs as a metric to assess the performance of cookstoves. Emissions trends obtained from the model matched with the trends reported in previous studies. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that a small variation in the cookstove operating parameters or fuel properties drastically changes emission.
Linkage disequilibrium connects genetic records of relatives typed with disjoint genomic marker sets

In familial searching in forensic genetics, a query DNA profile is tested against a database to determine whether it represents a relative of a database entrant. We examine the potential for using linkage disequilibrium to identify pairs of profiles as belonging to relatives when the query and database rely on nonoverlapping genetic markers. Considering data on individuals genotyped with both microsatellites used in forensic applications and genome-wide SNPs, we find that ~30-32% of parent-offspring pairs and ~35-36% of sib pairs can be identified from the SNPs of one member of the pair and the microsatellites of the other. The method suggests the possibility of performing familial searches of microsatellite databases using query SNP profiles, or vice versa. It also reveals that privacy concerns arising from computations across multiple databases that share no genetic markers in common entail risks not only for database entrants, but for their close relatives as well.
Recent Developments, New Trends

Activation of the carboxyl group in the form of acid chlorides was E. Fischer’s principal approach to the formation of the peptide bond (cf. p. 3). However, after the general acceptance of urethane-type amine-protecting groups the method was seldom applied and then mainly for the coupling of amino acids protected by the phthalyl or by the p-toluenesulfonyl group, because in the preparation of acid chlorides acidsensitive protecting groups were adversly affected. Introduction of the 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) group, which is base sensitive but quite resistant to acids, revived interest in the acid chloride method.
Abstract 432: MCUB Regulates Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter Channel Gating and Modulates Bioenergetics and Cell Death

The mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) is a high-capacity, inward-rectifying channel in the inner mitochondrial membrane and is required for mitochondrial Ca 2+ ( m Ca 2+ ) uptake. m Ca 2+ signaling regulates bioenergetics and activates the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) which are cellular processes implicated in cardiac pathophysiology warranting further research into the molecular regulation of the MCU. Recently, a MCU gene paralog, MCUB , was identified as a possible component of the channel. To investigate MCUB’s contribution to uniporter regulation we created a MCUB -/- HeLa cell line using CRISPR-Cas9n. Here, we report that loss of MCUB increased m Ca 2+ transient amplitude after IP3R stimulation (52% vs. con) suggesting MCUB negatively regulates m Ca 2+ uptake. Mitoplast patch-clamping confirmed that loss of MCUB increases MCU current density, suggesting MCUb modulates channel capacitance. Permeabilized MCUB -/- and WT cells exposed to various levels of Ca 2+ (0.5-20μM) revealed that MCUB -/- cells exhibited m Ca 2+ uptake at lower Ca 2+ concentrations than controls, suggesting MCUB contributes to channel gating. In m Ca 2+ retention capacity experiments MCUB -/- cells required ~30% less bath Ca 2+ to induce depolarization, suggesting a predisposition to m Ca 2+ overload. Next, we generated a cardiac-specific, tamoxifen-inducible MCUB overexpression mouse model ( MCUB -Tg). Cardiomyocytes isolated from MCUB -Tg hearts exhibited decreased m Ca 2+ uptake at low-Ca 2+ (59% vs. con) and isolated mitochondria exhibited a reduction in Ca 2+ -induced swelling (37% vs. con), suggesting a resistance to permeability transition. MCUB -Tg mice displayed a significant impairment in isoproterenol-induced contractile reserve and this correlated with a loss of isoproterenol-mediated activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase. In summary, our results suggest that MCUB limits m Ca 2+ uptake by altering channel-gating and thereby regulates bioenergetics and MPTP opening.
Understanding and Predicting Student Retention and Attrition in IT Undergraduates

In this paper, we investigate if there is a relationship between IT student type variables and financial aid variables and the likelihood of student graduation as well as the length of time IT students who graduate spend in school. Our results show that while student type and financial aid variables are correlated with the likelihood of IT students' graduation, these variables alone may not be very good in predicting graduation.
Reconfigurable software defined radio development platform: faculty poster abstract

In the past few decades, the field of wireless communication has seen unparalleled growth. For university laboratories, keeping up with the latest technology and ensuring that their students acquire the necessary hands-on experience can be increasingly difficult. To make this task easier, we present a Software Defined Radio (SDR) platform that can be used as a learning tool for engineering and computing students. This tool was designed as part of the Summer Speech Academy work at the University of New Hampshire in Manchester.
Education and Licensure Requirements for Automated Motor Vehicles

This paper addresses the need for an effective method of educating automated vehicle operators and a collaboration between industry, government, and professional organizations to create licensure programs. Research was compiled on current laws regarding licensure to operate automated motor vehicles, consumer knowledge of automated vehicles, and methods of training. There was found to be a lack of legislation regarding licensure, as well as a failure to provide educational programs for consumers. Licensure legislation, in combination with proper training for each level of autonomy, is considered necessary in order to protect against crashes and improper or unsafe operation of automated motor vehicles. To address this, the paper outlines a driver education program for operators of automated vehicles. A method of visually identifying the level of automation within the vehicle is also presented. The SAE J3016 standard is used throughout to reference levels of vehicle autonomy.
Hepatocellular Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1 Suppresses Alcohol-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Formation by Inhibition of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase

Alcohol is a well-established risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the mechanisms by which alcohol promotes liver cancer are not well understood. Studies suggest that ethanol may enhance tumor progression by increasing hepatocyte proliferation and through alcohol-induced liver inflammation. Protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) is the main enzyme responsible for cellular arginine methylation. Asymmetric dimethyl arginine, produced by PRMT1, is a potent inhibitor of nitric oxide synthases. PRMT1 is implicated in the development of several types of tumors and cardiovascular disease. Our previous work has shown that PRMT1 in the liver regulates hepatocyte proliferation and oxidative stress and protects from alcohol-induced liver injury. However, its role in HCC development remains controversial. In this study, we found that hepatocyte-specific PRMT1-knockout mice develop an increased number of tumors in an N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) alcohol model of liver tumorigenesis in mice. This effect was specific to the alcohol-related component because wild-type and knockout mice developed similar tumor numbers in the DEN model without the addition of alcohol. We found that in the presence of alcohol, the increase in tumor number was associated with increased proliferation in liver and tumor, increased WNT/β-catenin signaling, and increased inflammation. We hypothesized that increased inflammation was due to increased oxidative and nitrosative stress in knockout mice. By blocking excess nitric oxide production using an inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, we reduced hepatocyte death and inflammation in the liver and prevented the increase in WNT/β-catenin signaling, proliferation, and tumor number in livers of knockout mice. Conclusion: PRMT1 is an important protection factor from alcohol-induced liver injury, inflammation, and HCC development.
Impact of insurance type and timing of Medicaid enrollment on survival among adolescents and young adults with cancer

Background Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with public or no insurance experience later stage at diagnosis and worse overall survival compared with those with private insurance. However, prior studies have not distinguished the survival impact of continuous Medicaid coverage prior to diagnosis compared with gaining Medicaid coverage at diagnosis. Methods We linked a cohort of AYAs aged 15-39 who were diagnosed with 13 common cancers from 2005 to 2014 in the California Cancer Registry with California Medicaid enrollment files to ascertain Medicaid enrollment, with other insurance determined from registry data. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to evaluate the impact of insurance on survival, adjusting for clinical and demographic characteristics. Results Among 62 218 AYAs, over 65% had private/military insurance, 10% received Medicaid at diagnosis, 13.2% had continuous Medicaid, 4.1% had discontinuous Medicaid, 1.7% had other public insurance, 3% were uninsured, and 2.6% had unknown insurance. Compared with those with private/military insurance, individuals with Medicaid insurance had significantly worse survival regardless of when coverage began (received Medicaid at diagnosis: hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.51 [1.42-1.61]; continuously Medicaid insured: 1.42 [1.33-1.52]; discontinuous Medicaid: 1.64 [1.49, 1.80]). Analyses of those with Medicaid insurance only demonstrated slightly worse cancer-specific survival among those with discontinuous Medicaid or enrollment at diagnosis compared with those with continuous enrollment, but results were not significant stratified by cancer site. Conclusions and relevance AYAs with Medicaid insurance experience worse cancer-specific survival compared with those with private/military insurance, yet continuous enrollment demonstrates slight survival improvements, providing potential opportunities for future policy intervention.
Biologically Inspired Mechanisms for Adversarial Robustness

A convolutional neural network strongly robust to adversarial perturbations at reasonable computational and performance cost has not yet been demonstrated. The primate visual ventral stream seems to be robust to small perturbations in visual stimuli but the underlying mechanisms that give rise to this robust perception are not understood. In this work, we investigate the role of two biologically plausible mechanisms in adversarial robustness. We demonstrate that the non-uniform sampling performed by the primate retina and the presence of multiple receptive fields with a range of receptive field sizes at each eccentricity improve the robustness of neural networks to small adversarial perturbations. We verify that these two mechanisms do not suffer from gradient obfuscation and study their contribution to adversarial robustness through ablation studies.
Reconstruction after Mohs Surgery for Digit Melanoma: Description of Techniques and Postoperative Limb Function

Introduction Mohs surgery and reconstruction has enabled tissue-preserving resection of cutaneous malignancies. The goal of our case series evaluation is to present reconstructive techniques and functional outcomes in patients undergoing digit-sparing treatment for primary melanoma. Materials and Methods A chart review was performed to identify consecutive patients undergoing Mohs surgery and reconstruction for melanoma of the digits. Quality of life (QOL) survey was performed to assess function after the procedure. Results Thirty-two patients (13 hand, 19 foot, Age: 65.03 +/–17.78 years) who were undergoing Mohs surgery were identified. No recurrence was identified with an average follow-up of 16.1 months (1–95 months). The average defect size was 5.79 +/–4.54 cm﻿﻿2. Reconstruction was performed 0–4 days after resection. The most common techniques included full-thickness skin graft (FTSG) (N = 7), collagen matrix + FTSG (N = 4), and volar advancement flap (N = 7). The reconstructive technique choice appears correlated with defect size (p = 0.0125). Neuro-QOL upper extremity survey results showed a difference that approached statistical significance between patients who underwent digit-sparing treatment (n = 7) versus direct to amputation controls (n = 5) (p = 0.072). No survey differences between digit-sparing treatment (n = 10) and amputation (n = 8) were identified in the lower extremity (p = 0.61). Conclusion Our results show digit-sparing treatment can confirm clear surgical margins and a trend toward improvement in upper extremity function compared with immediate amputation.
Analyzing discontinuities in longitudinal count data: A multilevel generalized linear mixed model.

Numerous tutorial publications are available to researchers seeking the procedures needed to analyze longitudinal count response variable data. However, most of the available tutorial publications have drawbacks that limit their usefulness to applied researchers, and to the best of our knowledge, very few publications make both the sample data and the data analysis syntax scripts available to readers to allow an interactive replication of analyses. The purpose of this article is to provide readers a systematic tutorial for analyzing longitudinal count data that involves a discontinuity, or an intervening event that alters the count change trajectory, using multilevel generalized linear mixed models. The longitudinal count data analysis model options and their assumptions, how the linear model equations for each can be used to correctly specify and analyze each model using Mplus or R, how to select the best-fitting longitudinal count model, and how to interpret and present results, are all described. The example data, analysis syntax scripts, and additional files are all available to readers as online supplemental materials. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Adverse Effect of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Human Neutrophil Function

Marijuana smoking has been reported to produce a variety of effects on the immune system of man. In 1974, Nahas et al. first described the defect in lympho-proliferative response to alloantigens in chronic marijuana smokers (1). Since then, numerous investigators have pursued studies involving the effects of various cannabinoids from marijuana, including the major psychoactive component, ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), found in the blood of marijuana smokers. We and others have previously documented that THC impairs lymphocyte responsiveness to mitogens (1–5), alters alveolar macrophage morphology, function, and mobility (6–8), decreases NK activity (9,10) and IFN production (11). However, the effect of cannabinoids on PMN is little known. One report cites the impairment of phagocytosis in PMN of marijuana smokers (12), but no studies to date exist on the direct effect of THC on PMN in vitro. As we have described earlier, PMN provide an effective mechanism against Candida albicans growth, and constitute a key defense system against opportunistic fungal infection (13,15). The likelihood exists that marijuana usage might adversely affect some of the immune mechanisms necessary for control of C. albicans. This could then provide an environment for further immune suppression by HIV in high risk individuals, leading to spread of opportunistic infections. Therefore, there is a need to begin to explore in depth the little-known effect of THC on human PMN and to investigate the effect of THC on defense against an opportunistic microbial agent such as C. albicans.
Feature-based quality classification for ultrasonic welding of carbon fiber reinforced polymer through Bayesian regularized neural network

Abstract Ultrasonic welding is a well-known process for joining thermoplastics and has recently been introduced for joining carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite materials in the automotive industry. As a new joining method for CFRP materials, an understanding of the impact of the welding process on weld attributes and joint performance such as lap-shear strength is needed, as are methods to effectively classify weld quality. This paper investigates the relationship between joint performance and weld energy in ultrasonic welding of injection molded thin short-fiber CFRP sheets. Weld quality classes for training a generalized algorithm are determined from welded joint lap-shear strength and the microstructure of the weld zone. A simple and efficient method for feature selection is proposed to screen the most significant features for predicting from multiple weld quality classes. Several feature selection and weld quality classification methods were compared. A Bayesian Regularized Neural Network (BRNN) was found to be more accurate and robust when classifying weld quality in ultrasonic composite welding than the previously proposed methods of support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbors (kNN), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA).
Utilizing Consumer Perception of Edamame to Guide New Variety Development

Consumption of edamame (vegetable soybeans) has increased significantly in the U.S. over the last 20 years. Although market demand has been increasing, most edamame is still imported from Asian countries. A team of multistate plant-breeding programs in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast U.S. has focused on developing new breeding lines that grow well in the U.S. and deliver what domestic growers, processors and consumers need and expect from their edamame. In our study, sensory evaluation was used to identify edamame genotypes and sensory attributes preferred by consumers to support breeding selection criteria. In the first year (reported as our “screening study”), twenty edamame genotypes were grown in three locations: Newport, AR, and Blacksburg and Painter, VA. In the second year (reported as our “validation study”), ten edamame genotypes selected after our screening study were grown in Blacksburg and Painter, VA, Portageville, MO, and Stoneville, MS. In both years of research, untrained participants (adults; vegetable consumers not allergic to soy; N ≥ 50) used a traditional 9-point acceptability (hedonic) scale (1 = ‘dislike extremely’; 9 = ‘like extremely’) to evaluate overall-liking, aroma, appearance, taste, and texture, and a 5-point scale (1 = ‘not sweet’, 5 = ‘extremely sweet’) to evaluate sweetness intensity. Next, participants used a check-all-that-apply (CATA) list of selected sensory terms to describe the sensory characteristics of each edamame sample. Overall acceptability of edamame genotypes was significantly different among all genotypes (p < 0.05). Samples described as ‘bitter’, ‘sour’ (flavor) or ‘starchy’ (texture) were associated with lower acceptability scores while ‘salty’ and ‘sweet’ (flavor) were correlated with higher acceptability. Sensory data from the screening study were used to select the best genotypes by use of a defined decision process based on the consumer data. The validation study tested the selection decisions and further supported the genotype choices. Sensory evaluation is a powerful tool to direct breeders to improve market acceptability and develop new edamame genotypes. Both screening and validation studies illustrate the significant role of consumer sensory data in support of genotypes targeted for domestic (U.S.) production.
Can Approaching Anxiety Like a Habit Lead to Novel Treatments

Anxiety disorders make up the most prevalent class of mental illnesses. Given the growing prevalence of anxiety in the United States and beyond, there is an urgent clinical need to develop nonpharmacologic treatments that effectively treat and reduce its core symptoms (eg, worry). A leading theory posits that although worrying may be unpleasant, the immediate emotions that are avoided by concentrating on worry are often perceived as more aversive (eg, fear, anger, grief). From a mechanistic perspective, worry is thought to be learned and reinforced in a similar manner to other types of positively and negatively reinforced behaviors: habits. Mindfulness training, a practice that brings awareness to cognitive, affective, and physiological experiences, when delivered in-person via programs such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing anxiety, but is difficult to scale in this manner. In this review, we explore novel approaches to using mindfulness training to specifically target the theoretical mechanisms underlying the perpetuation of anxiety (eg, worry as a habit), and the emergence of mobile health platforms (eg, digital therapeutics) as potential vehicles for remote delivery of treatment.
Evaluation of condensed distillers' solubles as an energy source for finishing cattle

Etude de la valeur energetique des sous-produits de distillation (SPD) de grains de cereale fermentes, utilises comme supplementation a l'alimentation du betail. Etude de l'influence de la methode d'alimentation sur le comportement alimentaire (temps passe au repas, a boire, a ruminer et au repos) et sur la valeur nutritive, en proposant a des bouvillons un aliment de base, +1°) eau ad libidum (EAL), ou, +2°) EAL+SPD, ou, +3°) EAL+SPD dans l'aliment de base, ou, +4°) SPD humide
TRANSITION METAL CYANOCARBON DERIVATIVES. IV. REACTIONS OF (1-CHLORO-2,2-DICYANOVINYL)PENTACARBONYLMANGANESE WITH TRIVALENT PHOSPHORUS AND RELATED LIGANDS

Reactions of (NC)2CC(Cl)Mn(CO)5 with trivalent phosphorus ligands or t-butyl isocyanide in boiling benzene do not result in the formation of dicyanovinylidene complexes but instead in the substitution of two CO groups to give the corresponding fac-(NC)2CC(Cl)Mn(CO)3L2 derivatives (L = (RO)3P (R = CH3 and C2H5) and (CH3)3CNC or L2 = (C6H5)2PCH2CH2PR′2 (R = C6H5, (CH3)2N and CH3O)). The ditertiary phosphine (CH3)2PCH2CH2P(CH3)2 reacts with (NC)2CC(Cl)Mn(CO)5 even at room temperature with loss of the cyanocarbon residue to give fac-[(CH3)2PCH2CH2P(CH3)2]Mn(CO)3Cl. Reactions of NaRe(CO)5 with Cl2CC(CN)2 gives the expected (NC)2CC(Cl)Re(CO)5 but only in mediocre yield (~11%).
Predator control of ecosystem nutrient dynamics

Predators are predominantly valued for their ability to control prey, as indicators of high levels of biodiversity and as tourism attractions. This view, however, is incomplete because it does not acknowledge that predators may play a significant role in the delivery of critical life-support services such as ecosystem nutrient cycling. New research is beginning to show that predator effects on nutrient cycling are ubiquitous. These effects emerge from direct nutrient excretion, egestion or translocation within and across ecosystem boundaries after prey consumption, and from indirect effects mediated by predator interactions with prey. Depending on their behavioural ecology, predators can create heterogeneous or homogeneous nutrient distributions across natural landscapes. Because predator species are disproportionately vulnerable to elimination from ecosystems, we stand to lose much more from their disappearance than their simple charismatic attractiveness.
Modeling and Analysis of a High- Torque, Hydrostatic Actuator for Robotic Applications

The goal of this research is to develop a robot actuator capable of producing and controlling large output torques. Because of friction and backlash, it is difficult to control large output torques if they are obtained from an electric motor through a gear train. If no gearing is used, it is possible to accurately control torque output, but large torques are not possible unless heavy direct-drive motors and high-powered current amplifiers are used. In this paper, we describe a pressure-controlled hydrostatic transmission which can be used as an alternative to a gear train. It uses a fixed-displacement hydraulic pump and rotary actuator to eliminate problems due to backlash, and enables large output forces or torques of an actuator to be accurately measured and controlled. An analog control system is used to achieve a desired force output, and a digital compensator is used to obtain position control. Modeling, simulations, and experiments are presented to describe the system and its capabilities.