cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 2706:KRT16germline mutation associated with familial syndrome of tylosis with esophageal cancer (TOC)

Tylosis (palmoplantar keratoderma) with esophageal cancer (TOC) also known as Howel-Evans syndrome has been associated with pathogenic mutations in RHBDF2. A potential TOC family was referred for clinical evaluation at the Family Cancer Assessment Clinic (FCAC) at Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah. Multiple relatives of the proband had hyperkeratosis on the areas of skin associated with pressure and friction, especially the feet, as well as oral leukoplakia. The proband’s father, paternal aunt, paternal grandfather, and paternal great grandfather had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Clinical testing was unable to identify a germline mutation in RHBDFR2 that explained the observed phenotype and inheritance pattern. As part of Heritage 1K Project (University of Utah), Pediatric & Adult Cancer Section, we performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) on 5 family members, 4 that were affected with the hyperkeratosis, and 1 unaffected family member, to identify other potential genetic causes for the observed TOC phenotype. We prioritized variants via VAAST (Variant Annotation, Analysis and Search Tool). Reducing our genes of interest to those involved in palmoplantar keratoderma with PHEVOR (Phenotype Driven Variant Ontological Re-ranking Tool), we identified a pathogenic mutation: KRT16 c.379C>T p.Arg127Cys. This mutation is reported in a large palmoplantar keratoderma family (without esophageal cancer) and is listed as pathogenic in Clinvar (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/clinvar). KRT16 c.379C>T p.Arg127Cys was present in each of the affected family members, but not in the unaffected relative. Our analysis is the first of its kind to suggest carriers of pathogenic variants in KRT16 are at-risk for esophageal cancer, and may benefit from esophageal surveillance. Additionally, patients presenting with a family history of esophageal cancer should be considered for germline testing for KRT16 mutations along with RHBDF2 mutations. Citation Format: Erin L. Young, Lance Pflieger, Luke Maese, Trent Fowler, Kinley Garfield, N. Jewel Samadder, Bella Johnson, Clinton C. Mason, Barry Moore, Shawn Ryanearson, Mark Yandell, Wendy Kohlmann, Joshua D. Schiffman. KRT16 germline mutation associated with familial syndrome of tylosis with esophageal cancer (TOC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2706. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2706
Aspects of Lexical Access: Evidence from Aphasia

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the aspects of lexical access. The study of aphasia has made significant contributions to the understanding of the organization of the lexicon. The contributions have come in several forms and have concerned many aspects of the lexical processing system. At the most general level, the selective deficit or sparing of the semantic, the grammatical, or the phonological (or orthographic) properties of words has been used to inform theories of the architecture of the lexical system. The analysis of aphasic language patterns has also been used to support more specific claims about the processing structure and the organization of the lexical system. The analysis of aphasic language patterns has also been used to support more specific claims about the processing structure and the organization of the lexical system. Modality-specific naming deficits have also been observed for output modalities. There are many reports of patients who are more impaired in producing the spoken than the written name of an object or vice versa. The chapter illustrates a specific phenomenon from the performance of brain-damaged patients to shed light on several issues of current interest in lexical processing.
The Transition From Weak to Strong Diffuse Radar Bistatic Scattering From Rough Ocean Surface

Many of the currently used models of scattering from a rough ocean surface are designed for the regime of strong diffuse scattering that takes place at large Rayleigh parameter $\it R_{a}$ . Using them for the case of weak, or even moderate diffuse scattering that is characterized by $\it R_{a} \lesssim 1$ would lead to an incorrect result. At the same time, for practical applications, it is important to describe the transition from partially coherent scattering to completely noncoherent, strong diffuse scattering in terms of the bistatic radar cross section $\sigma _{0}$ . This situation may occur for scattering of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals or other signals of opportunity from a rough ocean surface under weak winds, or from ice. In this paper, we obtain an expression for $\sigma _{0}$ for the case of weak-to-moderate diffuse scattering using a formulation based on the small slope approximation of the first order. For a reasonable range of $\it R_{a}$ , calculations can be quickly performed using standard desktop computers. We demonstrate results of such calculations for bistatic radar scattering for $L$ -band at low-to-moderate $\it R_{a}$ and its transition to $\sigma _{0}$ at large values of $\it R_{a}$ .
Subgrouping Autism Based on Symptom Severity Leads to Differences in the Degree of Convergence between Core Feature Domains.

Existing models of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) disagree as to whether the core features should be conceptualized as convergent (related) or divergent (unrelated), and the few previous studies addressing this question have found conflicting results. We examined standardized parent ratings of symptoms from three domains (social, communication, repetitive behaviors) in large samples of typically developing children, children with ASD, and ASD subgroups. Our results suggest that the most evidence for divergence lies in typically developing children and lower severity ASD cases, while more evidence for convergence is found in a subset of cases with more severe impairment on any core feature. These results highlight the importance of subgrouping ASD given the degree of phenotypic heterogeneity present across the autism spectrum.
Hamlet, Judge of Denmark in a Time “Out of Joint”

Kietzman argues that Hamlet views the rotten world of Denmark through the prism of the biblical book of Judges, the only book he names when calling Polonius Jephthah. Kietzman shows how key narrative images from Judges—Jephthah’s vow (male use of women), Jael’s murder of Sisera (Gertrude’s “murder” of Old Hamlet), and Gideon’s skeptical response to the call to deliver Israel (Hamlet’s call to deliver Denmark from idolatry) provide the poetic nuclei that make up the deep fantasy of Shakespeare’s play. Hamlet moves toward reforming the corrupt monarchy through the lateral covenants he makes with Horatio (as Julia Lupton argues), but even more importantly, with the players and the theater audience. These relationships provide the framework that finally enables him to take revenge in a morally responsible way.
Evaluation and Significance of Mortise Instability in Supination External Rotation Fibula Fractures: A Review Article:

Evaluation and management of ankle fractures has progressed in parallel to an evolving understanding of ankle stability. While stability of the mortise had historically been attributed to the later...
Scoping review of interventions supporting self-management of life tasks for youth with high functioning ASD

Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have poor post-secondary outcomes, including those with high-functioning ASD (HFASD), who do not have intellectual disability. Special education services f...
Proceedings of the ACM SIGCOMM 2008 conference on Data communication

It is our great pleasure to welcome you to Seattle, Washington for SIGCOMM 2008, the flagship conference of the ACM SIG on Data Communications! With great enthusiasm and pride we have put together for you a rich and varied technical program that includes thirty six full-length papers that will be presented over three days; a keynote talk by the SIGCOMM Award winner, Don Towsley; the announcement of the SIGCOMM Test-of-Time Award; five one-day workshops that range from emerging communities (MobiArch, NetEcon, NSDR) to new forums on programmable routers and online social networks (PRESTO, WOSN); tutorials on the NetFPGA platform and spectral algorithms, and a unique session with 33 posters and 20 demonstrations that highlight promising early-stage research. It's a packed program, full of intellectually stimulating forums, each of which has the potential of leading to new important discoveries and breakthroughs. We are very excited about introducing several new "firsts" at SIGCOMM 2008. We have expanded the poster session to include demonstrations. We have worked with the SIG to launch a SIGCOMM Best Paper award. We have modified the traditional Student Dinner to a Dinner with Students event, opening it up to anyone who desires to join the students for an informal dinner. We are videotaping all presentations professionally and will make them available to the community, and we are providing a "go green" registration option to allow attendees to opt out of printed proceedings and get a CDROM that contains all the conference proceedings. SIGCOMM 2008 is located in the heart of Seattle, a vibrant, bustling urban city set in the midst of beautiful natural surroundings. We encourage you to take-in the sights and sounds of our beautiful region and to get you started we invite you to attend our Welcome Reception at the Olympic Sculpture Park, which provides a spectacular view of Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains. Our banquet will be held aboard a spacious modern cruise ship giving you a view of Seattle from the water and a closer view of the Sound.
Management of cloacal exstrophy.

The exstrophy complex represents a spectrum of congenital abnormalities that includes the following conditions: epispadias, classic bladder exstrophy, and cloacal exstrophy. These three deformations comprise a continuum with epispadias representing the least severe, classic bladder exstrophy the most common, and cloacal exstrophy the most severe. Cloacal exstrophy is extremely rare, occurring in approximately 1 in every 200,000 to 400,000 live births (Ziegler et al, 1986). Although primarily a ventral abdominal wall defect, cloacal exstrophy is associated with varying degrees of abnormalities in the genitourinary tract, bowel, spine, and lower extremities. Until recently, most children with cloacal exstrophy did not survive infancy because of the complex multiple system abnormalities resulting in fluid and nutritional defects. In 1960, Rickham reported the first survivor with cloacal exstrophy (Rickham, 1960). Primarily due to advances in perinatal care and total parenteral nutrition, survival is now feasible in greater than 90% of patients born with cloacal exstrophy. Thus, the focus is now directed at quality of life issues in these complex patients.
How China is Impacting Business-State Relations in Africa: The Cases of Angola and Nigeria

In recent years, Chinese telecommunications companies, with the assistance of Chinese financial institutions and diplomatic backing, have successfully secured contracts to build infrastructure and wire Africa for the 21st century. The practical implications for economic development are important. But also important are the theoretical implications: what, for instance, is the relevance of such South-South linkages for how we think about globalization and the state, in particular government-business relations? Our paper begins by considering China’s broader foreign economic policy agenda in Africa. What role does this play in the headway that Chinese telecommunications companies have made across African markets? What does this mean for market players from other countries (both African and non-African)? Importantly, what impact does China’s growing presence have on the relationship between state-building and market-building in traditionally weak states across the continent? To answer these questions, we take our study to the sector-level to investigate the growing presence of Chinese telecommunications equipment makers and service providers in Africa’s telecommunication markets, namely, those in Nigeria and Angola.
Model Reduction in Linear Parameter-Varying Models using Autoencoder Neural Networks

This paper presents a method for model reduction of systems represented by linear parameter-varying (LPV) models seeking to reduce the scheduling variables space by employing autoencoder (AE) neural networks. The reduction of scheduling variables results in an exponential decrease in computational complexity for gain-scheduled LPV controller synthesis. Autoencoders rely on minimizing regularized sparse least-squares cost function that seeks to fit scheduling variables reproduced from the new lower-dimensional variables to the original measurements. This way, unlike other unsupervised nonlinear reduction methods, AEs do not require separately solving for a pre-image in the original scheduling space. Moreover, unlike principal component analysis (PCA), AEs can employ nonlinear encoding, and are thus suitable for LPV models. When needed, AEs can add multiple layers for encoding and decoding, thus enabling deep learning methods for the purpose of model reduction. A case study of a mechanical system is considered and results are compared with linear dimensionality reduction techniques. The reduced model is used for $\mathcal{H}_{\infty}$ LPV controller synthesis and results are compared.
Ulcers and Temperature Changes

A comparison of the number of duodenal ulcer cases admitted to the Philadelphia General Hospital over a 5-year period with the temperature-change curve over the same period shows close agreement, indicating that hemorrhages from duodenal ulcers may be brought on by marked variations in temperature and the stress that such variations put on the body as it is forced to adjust. This suggests that a warm climate with relatively little daily and seasonal change in temperature would afford the most suitable residence for those prone to suffer from duodenal ulcers.
Cost-utility analysis of smoking cessation to prevent operative complications following elective abdominal colon surgery.

Abstract Background Smoking is a known risk factor for postoperative complications after colectomy. Using the perspective of the provider, this study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the pharmacologic interventions for smoking cessation. Methods A decision tree model was constructed to represent a provider's decision to provide either bupropion, nicotine replacement therapy, varenicline, or no cessation therapy to all patients presenting for elective colectomy. Incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) was the primary outcome. Results The base case analysis suggests that bupropion is cost-effective with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of approximately $75,000 per QALY. Sensitivity analyses established ranges for which each medication might be cost-effective and dominant compared to offering no cessation therapy. Conclusions From a provider perspective, offering bupropion for smoking cessation to patients scheduled for elective colon resection is cost-effective. Furthermore, these results provide benchmarks to inform providers about whether targeted, short-term smoking cessation therapies represent good value in colectomies.
Learning By Doing: The Long-Term Impact of Experiential Learning Programs on Student Success

As the advisers for the Model United Nations and Judicial Internship programs at our university, we have witnessed first-hand the benefits of simulations and experiential learning. Specifically, st...
A Path to Mitigating SNS Ad Avoidance: Tailoring Messages to Individual Personality Traits

AbstractConsumers generally pay little attention to ads on social networking sites (SNSs) in parallel with the rise of SNS advertising. In fact, consumers’ adoption of varied strategies, such as ad...
Early growth in expressive communication and behavior problems: Differential relations by ethnicity

Abstract The current study examined the association between early growth in expressive communication from 18 months (1.5 years: M = 1.59 years, SD = 0.08 years) to 36 months (3 years: M = 3.01 years, SD = 0.05) and internalizing and externalizing problems at 84 months (8 years: M = 7.79 years, SD = 0.31) and the differences in this association by ethnicity. We hypothesized that lower rates of early expressive communication growth from 18 to 36 months would be associated with more behavior problems in childhood, and that this association would be stronger for African American than European American children. The sample included 206 full-term healthy African American and European American children from the Durham Child Health and Development Study. Parents reported family demographics and children’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors via questionnaires, while children completed language assessments in the laboratory. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed a significant interaction between growth in expressive communication and ethnicity for internalizing but not externalizing behavior, such that lower rates of expressive language growth were associated with increased internalizing behavior among African American children, but not among their European American peers. These findings suggest that the well-being of children from marginalized ethnic backgrounds may be disproportionately affected by reduced rates of language development, and that the provision of educational or clinical services for African American children in particular should consider the link between language skills and social and emotional well-being.
Estradiol levels are elevated in older men with diffuse cutaneous SSc and are associated with decreased survival

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a female-predominant disease, characterized by excessive extracellular matrix deposition (ECM) with dermal and internal organ fibrosis. Considering the sex-based disparity in disease incidence, estradiol (E2), an estrogen form with pro-fibrotic effects, may play a role in SSc. We reported that post-menopausal women with diffuse cutaneous (dc)SSc have higher serum E2 levels compared to similar aged, healthy controls. Since males with SSc tend to have more severe disease, we examined serum E2 in dcSSc males in relation to disease characteristics and survival. We measured serum E2 in 83 dcSSc men > 50 years old from the University of Pittsburgh Scleroderma Center and similar aged healthy controls. Using statistical modeling, we examined the associations between serum E2, internal organ involvement, autoantibody profiles, and survival. Male dcSSc patients had significantly higher serum E2 levels compared to healthy males and similar aged dcSSc post-menopausal women. Male dcSSc patients with high serum E2 had significantly more heart involvement, a trend for higher skin thickness progression rate, and worse survival. Using Cox regression modeling, increased serum E2 levels in anti-Scl-70 antibody-positive dcSSc males were associated with an increased risk of death. dcSSc males > 50 years old have higher levels of serum E2 compared to healthy controls and dcSSc post-menopausal women. Elevated serum E2 levels in dcSSc males are associated with heart involvement, trend to progression of dermal fibrosis, and, if anti-Scl-70 antibody positive, worse survival. Our study expands on previous work implicating E2 in dermal fibrosis in SSc and associates E2 levels with internal organ involvement and survival. These data suggest a role for estrogen imbalance in dcSSc.
Think Your Artificial Intelligence Software Is Fair? Think Again

Today, machine-learning software is used to help make decisions that affect people's lives. Some people believe that the application of such software results in fairer decisions because, unlike humans, machine-learning software generates models that are not biased. Think again. Machine-learning software is also biased, sometimes in similar ways to humans, often in different ways. While fair model- assisted decision making involves more than the application of unbiased models-consideration of application context, specifics of the decisions being made, resolution of conflicting stakeholder viewpoints, and so forth-mitigating bias from machine-learning software is important and possible but difficult and too often ignored.
The Triumph of Deficits: Supply-Side Economics, Institutional Constraints and the Political Articulation of Fiscal Crisis

This article explores the institutional conditions of possibility for the political articulation of fiscal crisis. Drawing on an ethnographic case study of the 2012 Kansas tax cuts, I argue that th...
Spatial Non-stationarity in Opioid Prescribing Rates: Evidence from Older Medicare Part D Beneficiaries

Previous research that examined spatial patterns of opioid prescribing rates and factors associated with them has mainly relied on a global modeling perspective, overlooking the potential spatial non-stationarity embedded in these associations. In this study, we investigate whether there are spatially non-stationary associations between opioid prescribing rates and key characteristics of older Medicare Part D beneficiaries and their prescribers using several data sources from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. All measures are aggregated to the ZIP code-level and a total sample size of 18,126 ZIP codes is included in the analyses. Our descriptive results from geographically weighted regression and the Monte Carlo significance test suggest that most of the associations between the characteristics of beneficiaries and prescribers and opioid prescribing rates are spatially non-stationary. Our findings not only challenge the conventional analytic approach by highlighting the importance of a local modeling perspective in opioid prescribing research, but also offer nuanced insight into how opioid prescribing rates are related to possible determinants across space.
Multi-site structural damage identification using a multi-label classification scheme of machine learning

Abstract This study proposes a new method to locate multi-site structural damage using a data-driven multi-label classification (MLC) method. Differing from the multiclass classification (MCC) scheme that sets each damage case as a category, the MLC method denotes each damage case with multiple labels, with each label indicating the occurrence of damage at a certain location. The MLC method considers the physical correlation between damage cases sharing damage locations which is neglected in the MCC method. This paper uses the instance differentiation algorithm to implement MLC. Damage identification results using numerical and experimental data indicate that the MLC can identify multi-site damage with good accuracy, even for damage cases that are not covered by the training dataset. Through comparison, it is demonstrated that the MLC method outperforms the MCC and binary classification methods for multi-site damage identification. Moreover, MLC preserves generality when tested on unobserved multi-site damage cases.
A Volatile Dialane Complex from Ring Expansion of an N-Heterocyclic Carbene and Its Use in the Thermal Atomic Layer Deposition of Aluminum Metal Films

Treatment of the stable N-heterocyclic carbene 1,3-di-tert-butylimidazolin-2-ylidene with 2 equiv of AlH3(NMe3) afforded the structurally unusual ring-expanded dialane complex 1 in 72% yield after ...
Reversible Chelation and η5-Pyrrolyl Coordination in a [Cp*Ir]2+ Fragment

We describe the first structurally characterized η5-bound pyrrolyl complex of iridium. The replacement of chloride in Cp*Ir(3,5-tBu2-PyrPy)Cl (1) (PyrPy– = 2,2′-pyridylpyrrolide) with triflate yiel...
Fault Diagnosis of an Active Suspension Control System

: In recent years, hydraulic systems are used more and more in advanced automotive application fields such as active suspension control. These systems affect the handling, ride and safety of the vehicle to a large extent. At the same time faults occurring to the system would undoubtedly compromise the safety of the passengers. Due to this fact the operation of the system should be monitored together with a fault detection and failsafe strategy. In order to fulfill this task, model-based approaches are gaining more and more grounds for the fault diagnosis purposes which rely on a mathematical description of the system. These approaches bring the advantages of not requiring additional sensors which would increase the cost and decrease the reliability of the overall system. In this contribution a model-based fault detection applied on a vehicle control system is presented which rely on simple mathematical descriptions of the system and which yields a robust fault detection and isolation of faults against disturbances or model uncertainties affecting the system.
Hemopoietic Histocompatibility (Hh-1) Antigens: Polymorphism and Mapping

“Hybrid resistance” to grafts of parental strain bone marrow cells (BMC) by irradiated H-2 heterozygous Fl hybrid mice suggested that Hh-1 antigens were inherited recessively. H-2 homozygosity is required for optimal immunogenicity of BMC grafts. H-2 b /H-2 d lymphoma cells are Hh-1 null but variants which do not express H-2D d do express Hh-1 b . This suggests that trans-acting genes at or near H-2D down-regulate the expression of Hh-1 antigens. NK cells mediate BMC graft rejection and immune response-like genes control the ability to reject BMC grafts in an Hh-1 determinant-specific manner. We have used a panel of recipient mice which reject certain strain BMC grafts in order to determine the Hh-1 phenotype of new strains of mice to be tested. When non-recombinant H-2 types of independent origin were studied, six patterns of expression of four different Hh-1 determinants were detected. The extremely limited degree of polymorphism compared to H-2 is interesting because NK cells do not rearrange immunoglobulin or T cell receptor genes and are expected to possess a paucity of receptor diversity. The great majority of more than 60 intra-H-2 recombinant strain mice had Hh-1 alleles predicted by H-2D or L. However, of the many H-2S/D recombinants, two strains expressed Hh-1 alleles which did not correlate with L. A unique D d /L b recombinant, B10.RQDB, expresses the Hh-1 phenotype which is characteristic of the d haplotype, indicating that Hh-1 maps to the left of H-2L. Since the Lb is the only b haplotype class I molecule at H-2DL, Hh-1 b cannot be a class I gene. In another strain, H-2S is predictive of Hh-1. Even more interesting are several strains which express Hh-1 phenotypes different from both donor strains which generated the recombinant. We believe that these strains represent intra-Hh-1 recombinants; furthermore, intra- Hh-1 crossover events are not rare. Recombinants involving H-2 f indicate that the structural genes for Hh-1 f are linked to H-2 and appear to map to the left of the regulatory genes (possibly centromeric of E β ). Other intra-Hh-1 recombinants indicate that the structural genes of most haplotypes map just to the left of the regulatory genes in the S/D interval of H-2.
Navigating TRAP Laws, Protesters, and Police Presence at a Midwestern Abortion Clinic in the United States: A Case Study

Patient-level outcomes are frequently the focus of research on restrictive abortion laws, and qualitative literature examining the experiences of volunteers and non-physicians is sparse. To better understand how TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Provider) laws and abortion restrictions affect abortion clinic operations in the United States, I conducted a case study of 11 non-physician staff and volunteers at an abortion clinic in a low-income, Midwestern city. Findings include participants negotiating troublesome and costly TRAP laws, specifically the process of obtaining a transfer agreement with a local hospital in order to stay open. Study participants felt safe at the clinic due to their relationship with local police. Lastly, participants commented on a recent increase in protester presence, but acknowledged that other clinics experience even worse harassment. I conclude that non-physician experiences should be included when we are examining the impact of TRAP laws and abortion restrictions if we are to provide a more nuanced understanding of the complexities of abortion work. These interviews provide qualitative data on the experiential evidence of the impact of TRAP laws and abortion restrictions which are the consequence of various Supreme Court decisions over the past several decades.
Protocol for a process evaluation of Family Planning Elevated: a statewide initiative to improve contraceptive access in Utah (USA).

Introduction Many individuals in the USA do not have access to the contraceptive methods they desire. Contraceptive initiatives have emerged at the state and national levels to remove barriers to access, and many initiatives have reported success. Other initiatives may want to build on or replicate that success, but data are scarce on the details of how and why certain interventions work. This paper describes the protocol for the planned process evaluation of Family Planning Elevated (FPE), a statewide contraceptive initiative in Utah. Methods FPE will conduct a process evaluation during the planning and implementation phases of the programme. The process evaluation will document (1) the community, state and national contexts in which the programme is implemented, (2) how FPE is implemented and (3) the mechanism by which FPE creates impact. We will collect qualitative data via interviews with FPE staff, providers and staff participating in the programme, and key stakeholders and policy-makers throughout the state. The team process evaluator will record FPE decision making and implementation activities by taking field notes during weekly FPE meetings. Quantitatively, we will collect monthly data reports from FPE-participating clinics, analytics reports from the media campaign and survey results from patients in FPE-participating clinics. The findings of the process evaluation will allow other contraceptive initiatives to learn from FPE’s efforts and replicate successful components of the programme. Ethics and dissemination The study received approval from the University of Utah’s Institutional Review Board. Findings from the process evaluation and outcome evaluation will be published, shared with other contraceptive initiatives and presented at conferences. Trial registration number NCT03877757.
A comparison of speech intelligibility and subjective quality with hearing-aid processing in older adults with hearing loss.

This study characterised the relationship between speech intelligibility and quality in listeners with hearing loss for a range of hearing-aid processing settings and acoustic conditions.Binaural s...
A Fractured International Response to CRISPR-Enabled Gene Editing of Agricultural Products

In 2015, Science Magazine named CRISPR gene editing technology its “Breakthrough of the Year,” and for good reason. CRISPR represents a transformative advance in the ability of biotechnologists to edit genes and genomes in both humans and nonhuman organisms. This article begins with a discussion of recent advances in gene editing, including the development of CRISPR and other sequence-specific nucleases (SSNs), and how this new technology compares to other techniques for genetically modifying agricultural plants such as selective breeding, induced random mutagenesis, and, more recently, the use of recombinant technology to produce transgenic plants. It then turns to the complex and dynamic regulatory framework for genetically modified plants as it exists in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere in the world, and how the various regulatory regimes are responding to recent advances in biotechnology, and in particular gene editing. The U.S. and many other nations appear to be moving in the direction of less regulation for the products of gene editing compared to transgenic crops produced using earlier technologies, while the European Union (EU) on the other hand has indicated that it will subject the products of gene editing to the same burdensome regulatory regime that has to date constrained the development and utilization of GE crops in Europe.
Visceral Adipose Tissue Volumetrics Inform Odds of Treatment Response and Risk of Subsequent Surgery in IBD Patients Starting Antitumor Necrosis Factor Therapy.

BACKGROUND Data describing the effect of obesity on antitumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) treatment response are inconsistent. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is a superior marker of adiposity to body mass index. However, its effect on treatment response is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the effect of VAT on anti-TNF treatment response. METHODS Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients starting anti-TNF agents between January 1, 2009, and July 31, 2019, were included. 3-dimensional measurements of VAT volume and visceral fat index (visceral:subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio; VFI) were obtained from computed tomography (CT) scans. Subjects were categorized by predefined volume cutoffs (<1500cm3, 1500-2999cm3, ≥3000cm3) and VFI (<0.33, 0.33-0.66, ≥0.67). Primary outcomes included a composite treatment response end point at 6 and 12 months. Secondary outcomes were surgery at 6 and 12 months. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS The final cohort included 176 patients. No significant differences in treatment response at 6 months was observed. At 12 months, compared with volume <1500cm3, patients with volume 1500-2999cm3 had higher odds of response (aOR, 3.52; 95% CI, 1.16-10.71; P = .023), whereas volume ≥3000cm3 did not. Compared with VFI<0.33, VFI ≥0.67 had higher odds of surgery at 6 (aOR, 48.22; 95% CI, 4.73-491.57; P = .023) and 12 months (aOR, 20.94; 95% CI, 3.14-139.67; P = .004). Post hoc analysis suggested VAT may affect drug pharmacokinetics. CONCLUSIONS We found VAT volume is associated with anti-TNF treatment response in a nondose dependent manner, and VFI may inform risk of surgery after anti-TNF initiation. If confirmed by prospective studies, VAT volumetrics are potentially useful biomarkers to inform IBD treatment decisions.
New and Emerging Technology in Cardiovascular Therapeutics

The last decade has seen the introduction of a number of important technological innovations in the management of advanced cardiovascular disease. These include transcatheter aortic valve replacement systems, a transcatheter mitral valve repair device, a left atrial appendage occluder device, coronary bioresorbable vascular scaffolds, leadless fully implantable pacemaker systems, wireless implantable pulmonary artery pressure monitors, transcatheter left ventricular assist pumping devices, drug-coated balloons, and robotic percutaneous coronary intervention devices. With the exception of drug coated balloon platforms, all have been utilized in our institution for patients from South Dakota and neighboring states. The objective of this study is to briefly describe these innovative devices, summarize the evidence for their benefit, and offer helpful pearls for the primary care providers who are key members of the care team for these patients.
Intrinsic spatial chirp of subcycle terahertz pulsed beams

We present an analysis of spatial chirp in subcycle pulsed beams corroborated by spatiotemporal electro-optic sampling measurements of terahertz radiation. Modeling the subcycle pulsed beam as a superposition of monochromatic Gaussian beams, free-space propagation is shown to directly lead to lateral spatial chirp with the spectrum on-axis substantially bluer than the overall energy spectrum. The two-transverse $+$ one-temporal dimensional profile of terahertz subcycle pulsed beams from organic crystals DSTMS and OH1 are measured and compared with observed spatiospectral correlations consistent with the model.
Control of Machines with Non-Linear Low Velocity Friction: A Dimensional Analysis

Machines at low velocity exhibit stick-slip motion. This phenomena is of particular importance in force control of robot manipulators because much of the force correcting action can occur in the low velocity regime of stick-slip. Experimental work has mapped out the structure of Stribeck friction, a non-linear low-velocity friction effect that contributes to and perhaps dominates stick-slip. In this paper I explore the implications of Stribeck friction for feedback control, in particular, for a system with Stribeck friction the following are examined: • The minimum velocity below which stick-slip will occur; • Accuracy of sensing required to eliminate stick-slip by feedback control; • The jerk size during stick-slip motion; • Mechanical attributes that will affect Stribeck friction.
Platelet-activating factor-stimulated hepatic glycogenolysis is not mediated through cyclooxygenase-derived metabolites of arachidonic acid.

Abstract Platelet-activating factor (1-O-hexadecyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (AGEPC)) is a potent lipid mediator which stimulates hepatic glycogenolysis, causes hepatic vasoconstriction, and stimulates the production of cyclooxygenase-derived metabolites of arachidonic acid, primarily prostaglandin (PG) D2 in the perfused liver. Following infusion of platelet-activating factor (1 nM) in the perfused rat liver the production of PGD2, measured in the effluent perfusate, increased 4-fold after only 2 min. Infusion of the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, ibuprofen (50 microM), abolished the stimulated production of PGD2 and thromboxane B2 in response to AGEPC without significantly affecting the hepatic glycogenolytic or vasoconstrictive responses to AGEPC. Contrary to previous reports, these observations do not support the suggestion that cyclooxygenase-derived metabolites mediate directly either the glycogenolytic or the vasoactive effects of AGEPC in the perfused rat liver.
Complexes of polypyrazolyborate ligands

Abstract Compounds of the type LMo(CO) 2 C 7 H 7 , with L = B(C 3 N 2 H 3 ) 4 , HB(C 3 N 2 H 3 ) 3 , HB(3,5-Me 2 C 3 N 2 H 2 ) 3 and H 2 B(3,5-C 3 N 2 H 2 ) 2 , have been shown to react with Fe(CO) 5 to yield Fe(CO) 3 adducts. Both the starting compounds and the adducts are fluxional, exhibiting single proton NMR lines for the C 7 H 7 rings. All Available evidence is consistent with the belief that each of the starting compounds contains a trihapto -cycloheptatrienyl ring and that the adducts are formed by binding of the Fe(CO) 3 group to the butadiene portions of the C 7 H 7 rings. The retention of fluxional character after attachment of the Fe(CO) 3 groups means that these pairs of molecules are similar to the pair ( h 5 -C 5 H 5 )Mo(CO) 2 ( h 3 -C 7 H 7 ) and ( h 5 -C 5 H 5 )Mo(CO) 2 (C 7 H 7 )Fe(CO) 3 . The latter was, heretofore, the only example of a fluxional molecule in which two independent metal-containing moieties are simultaneously attached to the same polyene or polyenyl ring.
Prisoner’s Dilemma — Recollections and Observations

Two prisoners accused of the same crime are kept in separate cells. Only a confession by one or both can lead to conviction. If neither confesses, they can be convicted of a lesser offense, incurring a penalty of one month in prison. If both plead guilty of the major crime, both receive a reduced sentence, five years. If one confesses and the other does not, the first goes free (for having turned State’s evidence), while the other receives the full sentence, ten years in prison. Under the circumstances is it rational to admit guilt or to deny it?
P63 differentiates subtypes of nonsmall cell carcinomas of lung in cytologic samples: implications in treatment selection.

BACKGROUND: Bevacizumab in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel improves overall response and survival in patients with advanced or recurrent nonsmall cell lung carcinoma. However, this drug is not recommended in patients with squamous cell carcinoma or neoplasms with a dominant squamous component. Therefore, identification of squamous cell differentiation has therapeutic implications. In many instances, cytology is the diagnostic tool of choice; however, routine cytomorphology is limited in classification of nonsmall cell carcinomas into squamous and nonsquamous subtypes. The aim of this study was to identify the value of p63 immunocytochemical analysis in this distinction. METHODS: Review of cytology records identified 51 consecutive pulmonary specimens (16 fine needle aspiration samples, 15 washes, 12 brushes, and 8 lavages) with the diagnosis of nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (9 carcinomas with squamous differentiation and 42 carcinomas without squamous differentiation). Histologically, they all proved to be nonsmall cell carcinomas, 26 with squamous differentiation and 25 without squamous differentiation. p63 immunocytochemical stain was performed on archival alcohol-fixed Papanicolaou-stained cytology slides using standard immunocytochemical methods. RESULTS: Twenty-three (88 %) of the 26 histologically proven squamous cell carcinomas were positive for p63 on cytologic smears. By using p63 immunocytochemistry, the authors detected 14 carcinomas with squamous differentiation not identified by cytomorphology. Smears from all histologically proven carcinomas with squamous differentiation were positive for p63. Sensitivity of cytology for the detection of nonsmall cell carcinoma of lung with squamous differentiation increased from 35% to 88% using p63 immunocytochemistry (P = .001; McNemar test). The squamous component in 4 carcinomas was detected only in cytologic and not in corresponding histologic samples when subsequent p63 immunostaining was performed. CONCLUSIONS: The authors concluded that p63 is a useful marker for the detection of nonsmall cell carcinomas of lung with squamous differentiation when used in cytologic pulmonary samples. p63 immunocytochemistry significantly increases the sensitivity for the identification of lung neoplasms with squamous differentiation from 35% to 88% (P = .001). Therefore, p63 immunocytochemistry may be used in pulmonary cytologic samples of nonsmall cell carcinomas to identify squamous differentiation and to improve therapeutic selection of patients with lung cancer. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Instruments Used for Compositional Exploration

We will now describe some of the accomplished orbital and surface experiments and the instrumentation used for the compositional analysis of the moon and planets. Devices such as the alpha-back scatter instrument, the surface gamma-gamma density measurement, and the remote orbital gamma ray spectroscopy experiment have been successfully flown. Others, such as the Luna 12 (Lunar X-rays and cosmic ray background experiment), have achieved modest success meeting their objectives only in a limited way.
Application of root locus technique to the model for pacemaker control of venous oxygen saturation level

Summary form only given. A pacemaker-cardiovascular system sets a reference venous oxygen saturation level as the input and cardiovascular venous oxygen saturation as the output. The error drives the pacemaker with gain to regulate the heart rate. Cardiac output is obtained as a function of heart rate and the work load (using the Frank-Starling mechanism). The oxygen supplied by the blood is consumed due to normal activity and performance of the work load. The net oxygen saturation in the venous blood gives the system output. In the forward-loop of the model, the term (1/cardiac output) was linearized using a Taylor-series expansion, about the steady-state level. An average time delay (=82.5/cardiac output) was also calculated on the basis of the steady-state heart rate. The closed-loop pole locations can be obtained from the open-loop transfer function using the root-locus technique. A root locus program which allows for a time delay in the forward loop was used to plot the closed-loop pole locations of the linearized pacemaker-cardiovascular system as a function of controller gain. >
Progress in Fabric Filter Technology for Utility Applications

The use of fabric filtration for controlling particulate emissions from power generating plants has proven effective, both technically and economically. In most installations, the collection efficiency of these systems ismuch better than is required by law. Recent developments have centered on improvements in methods for removing collected ash (dustcake) from filter bags, applications in integrated emissions control systems, and studies leading toward a better understanding of the fundamental processes involved.
Primary and Bacterial Secondary Production in a Southwestern Reservoir

Abstract Rates of primary and bacterial secondary production in Lake Arlington, Texas, were determined. The lake is a warm (annual temperature range, 7 to 32°C), shallow, monomictic reservoir with limited macrophyte development in the littoral zone. Samples were collected from six depths within the photic zone from a site located over the deepest portion of the lake. Primary production and bacterial production were calculated from NaH14CO3 and [methyl-3H]thymidine incorporation, respectively. Peak instantaneous production ranged between 14.8 and 220.5 μg of C liter−1 h−1. There were two distinct periods of high rates of production. From May through July, production near the metalimnion exceeded 100 μg of C liter−1 h−1. During holomixis, production throughout the water column was in excess of 100 μg of C liter−1 h−1 and above 150 μg of C liter−1 h−1 near the surface. Annual areal primary production was 588 g of C m−2. Bacterial production was markedly seasonal. Growth rates during late fall through spring were typically around 0.002 h−1, and production rates were typically 5 μg of C liter−1 h−1. Growth rates were higher during warmer parts of the year and reached 0.03 h−1 by August. The maximum instantaneous rate of bacterial production was approximately 45 μg of C liter−1 h−1. Annual areal bacterial production was 125 g of C m−2. Temporal and spatial distributions of bacterial numbers and activities coincided with temporal and spatial distributions of primary production. Areal primary and bacterial secondary production were highly correlated (r = 0.77, n = 15, P < 0.002).
Is topologically simple simple

In this note we determine when topological simplicity of a subsemigroup implies its simplicity. A measure theoretic approach is used. The main result is: In a locally compact completely simple semigroup whose maximal subgroups are compact, every subsemigroup which is either locally compact or of non-empty interior is completely simple. As a corollary, we have: In a compact semigroup, any topologically simple subsemigroup which is either locally compact or of non-empty interior is simple.