cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insights into the pharmacology of depression

Clinical depression affects nearly 20 million Americans each year and has created a global market for antidepressants that, last year, exceeded $10 billion. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most commonly prescribed, despite questions about their efficacy, mechanism of action, and well-documented safety concerns in adolescents. The mechanisms that underlie both depression and the drugs used to treat this potentially debilitating condition remain unresolved. Now, new insights by Lee et al . link depressive symptoms in mice to the regulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) activity by the serotonin regulator protein S100A10 (p11). Lee et al . found that p11 binding increases cell surface localization of mGluR5 through a newly discovered interaction with its cytoplasmic tail. The authors then knocked out mGluR5 and p11 specifically in either glutamatergic (excitatory) or GABAergic (inhibitory) neurons. They found that mGluR5 and p11 play opposite roles in these distinct neuronal cell types; depression-like behaviors resulted from deletion of either mGluR5 or p11 in glutamatergic neurons, whereas antidepressant-like behaviors resulted from loss of either mGluR5 or p11 in GABAergic neurons. Most critically, p11 was required for the antidepressant-like effect of mGluR5 antagonism in GABAergic neurons. These findings suggest a new method by which mGluR5 antagonism could achieve antidepressant-like activity. The fast-acting effects of mGluR5 antagonists might reflect altered synaptic transmission at GABAergic inputs to glutamatergic neurons; this speedy mechanism is in contrast to SSRIs, which produce therapeutic effects only after chronic treatment for several weeks. Furthermore, it is worth noting that mGluR5 activity is also a therapeutic target for schizophrenia, fragile X syndrome, and levodopa-induced dyskinesias in Parkinson’s disease. The new work demonstrates that cell-type specificity may be critical when targeting mGluR5 activity for future therapeutics. K.-W. Lee et al ., Alteration by p11 of mGluR5 localization regulates depression-like behaviors. Mol. Psychiatry 10.1038/mp.2015.132 (2015). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/mp.2015.132
Recurrent Miller Fisher Syndrome

Investigators from University of Siena, Italy, describe 2 children with recurrent Miller Fisher syndrome.
Callosal Disconnection and Limb-Kinetic Apraxia (P06.073)

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to learn if a patient with a focal callosal lesion had a callosal disconnection limb kinetic apraxia (LKA). BACKGROUND: According to Liepmann, patients with limb kinetic apraxia have a loss of upper limb deftness-dexterity. Several studies have revealed in right handers that, whereas injury of the left hemisphere induces an ipsilesional LKA, injury to the right hemisphere does not induce an ipsilesional LKA. There are at least two possible means by which the left hemisphere may influence the deftness of the left hand, either by callosal connections or by ipsilesional corticospinal projections. DESIGN/METHODS: Careful clinical examination of a patient with a septum pellucidum cyst status post surgical intervention revealed a limb-kinetic and motor apraxia. RESULTS: This 57 year old right handed man had a memory impairment and upon brain imaging was found to have a septum pellucidum cyst, which was causing mild obstruction to the occipital and temporal horns. He underwent an endoscopic-assisted fenestration of the septum pellucidum. Postoperative imaging revealed a lesion of the mesial portion of his corpus callosum and assessment of praxis revealed he had both a limb-kinetic and ideomotor apraxia of his left but not his right hand. CONCLUSIONS: The observation that this man had a callosal disconnection limb-kinetic apraxia of his left hand suggest that in some people it is the left hemisphere9s premotor or motor cortex that provides information to the right hemisphere9s motor system about the programs needed to make deft movements. Supported by: In part by the State of Florida Memory Clinics. Disclosure: Dr. Acosta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bennett has nothing to disclose. Dr. Heilman has received personal compensation for activities with law firms as a consultant. Dr. Heilman has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Journal Watch.
Novel Cyclotron-Based Radiometal Production

Accomplishments: (1) Construction of prototype solution target for radiometal production; (2) Testing of prototype target for production of following isotopes: a. Zr-89. Investigation of Zr-89 production from Y-89 nitrate solution. i. Defined problems of gas evolution and salt precipitation. ii. Solved problem of precipitation by addition of nitric acid. iii. Solved gas evolution problem with addition of backpressure regulator and constant degassing of target during irradiations. iv. Investigated effects of Y-89 nitrate concentration and beam current. v. Published abstracts at SNM and ISRS meetings; (3) Design of 2nd generation radiometal solution target. a. Included reflux chamber and smaller target volume to conserve precious target materials. b. Included aluminum for prototype and tantalum for working model. c. Included greater varicosities for improved heat transfer; and, (4) Construction of 2nd generation radiometal solution target started.
A Tale of Two Alabamas

An essay review of Alabama in the Twentieth Century by Wayne Flynt. This review develops themes juxtaposing the persistent failure of Alabama's political, economic and education systems and the consistent examples of the state generating extraordinary accomplishment, both of which characterized Alabama's history throughout the twentieth century. The conclusion explores the signs indicating that Alabama has the potential to break free from negative aspects of its past and at the same time also may return to a twenty first century version of the worst features of the twentieth century and identifies reform of the 1901 Constitution as a key component for building a better future for all Alabamians. The conclusion also explores the uncomfortable questions posed by the unavoidable cost - the state's tendency to produce extraordinary, uncommon achievement out of the ashes will be significantly diminished - of successful reform and draws upon Flynt's observations and theological doctrines to answer these questions.
Understanding the Growth, Chemical Activity, and Cluster–Support Interactions for Pt–Re Bimetallic Clusters on TiO2(110)

The growth and chemical activity of Re, Pt, and Pt–Re bimetallic clusters supported on TiO2(110) have been studied. Pure Re clusters interact strongly with the titania support, resulting in the reduction of the titania surface, and the Re clusters also appear to be partially covered by TiOx at Re coverages as high as 13 ML. Bimetallic clusters can be grown from sequential deposition of Pt and Re in either order at high metal coverages (3.7 ML), where the number of initial nucleation sites is large; in contrast, at lower coverages (0.24 ML), pure Re clusters coexist with Pt–Re clusters for Re deposited on Pt due to the higher nucleation density of Re compared with Pt. The surface composition of the high coverage Pt on Re clusters is ∼100% Pt, but the Re on Pt clusters contain both Pt and Re at the surface after diffusion of some fraction of Re atoms in the bulk. The lower surface free energy of Pt compared to Re makes it thermodynamically favorable for Pt to remain at the surface when Pt is deposited on Re...
Some thinking on the developing strategy of machinery science

In this paper,according to the experience in education,research and products design,the writer summarized the following conclusions: modern machinery is developing towards of extreme manufacturing,integration,information and in the guidance of scientific development concept.Machinery science should research around the weaker links of the machinery product and according to the national requirement.One main content of developing strategy is the new methods,new theory and new technology which are being researched in the world.Product design methods directly affect the product total quality in the process of product research and development.We should intensify the integration of macroscopical research and microcosmic research so that we can have greater breakthrough in the design theory and method research.
UTILITY OF THE DIAMOND-FORRESTER CLASSIFICATION IN STRATIFYING ACUTE CHEST PAIN IN AN ACADEMIC CHEST PAIN CENTER

The Diamond-Forrester (DF) model has been used for 30 years to risk stratify acute chest pain in the ED and has been considered highly predictive of significant CAD. We used this model to triage acute chest pain patients for evaluation in a stand alone chest pain evaluation center (CPEC) and report
Adjuvants for peptide-based cancer vaccines

Cancer therapies based on T cells have shown impressive clinical benefit. In particular, immune checkpoint blockade therapies with anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 are causing dramatic tumor shrinkage and prolonged patient survival in a variety of cancers. However, many patients do not benefit, possibly due to insufficient spontaneous T cell reactivity against their tumors and/or lacking immune cell infiltration to tumor site. Such tumor-specific T cell responses could be induced through anti-cancer vaccination; but despite great success in animal models, only a few of many cancer vaccine trials have demonstrated robust clinical benefit. One reason for this difference may be the use of potent, effective vaccine adjuvants in animal models, vs. the use of safe, but very weak, vaccine adjuvants in clinical trials. As vaccine adjuvants dictate the type and magnitude of the T cell response after vaccination, it is critical to understand how they work to design safe, but also effective, cancer vaccines for clinical use. Here we discuss current insights into the mechanism of action and practical application of vaccine adjuvants, with a focus on peptide-based cancer vaccines.
China's Use of Military Force: Why the People's Army Fired on the People: Beijing, 1989

THE flowering of the student protest movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) in April 1989 and its bloody suppression by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) some two months later have been widely documented. The use of lethal force to crush a largely peaceful protest movement has been almost universally condemned. What is rarely discussed or understood, however, are the factors that led to the PLA opening fire with live ammunition on the citizenry of Beijing on June 3–4, 1989. This chapter charts the rise of the protest movement and the response of CCP leaders. The decision to impose martial law and orders to the PLA to intervene are examined. Next the genesis of the orders to use deadly force and the military response are examined. Finally, the factors leading to this violent outcome are assessed. Civil-Military Culture in Flux In 1989, China's civil-military culture was in a state of transition, particularly civil-military format. Specifically, critical to understanding the outcome of the crisis are the role of a small but enormously influential group of elderly communists and the relationship between the military and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). First, although China's aging paramount leader Deng Xiaoping insisted that the reins of power had been successfully handed over to a new, younger generation of leaders, the events of 1989 proved this had not yet occurred.
The Minority Report at Trent and the Vatican Councils: Dissenting Episcopal Voices as Positive Sources for Theological Reflection

This paper argues that the record of theological dissent at Trent and Vatican I are positive and fruitful sources of theological reflection on the sensus fidelium. Not only do these “minority” voices (minority in the literal sense of opposing a majority group or opinion) help us to accurately interpret the drafts and final documents of these councils, but these minority figures can sometimes preserve the sensus fidelium through their calls for various concessions from the majority. First, I revisit Trent's decree on Scripture (1546). Due to the interventions of two Italians (Nacchianti, the Bishop of Chioggia, and Bonuccio, the General of the Servites), the question of the relationship between scripture and tradition was left open – that is, the “two-source” partim-partim theory was not dogmatically enshrined. This was an important episode wherein a tiny minority gained a critical concession. I argue that this minority intervention bore fruit not only in a final Tridentine document that better echoed the faith of the ages, but also bore fruit centuries later at Vatican II in Dei verbum. Second, I argue that the minority at Vatican I protected the Church from extreme ultramontanism. This relatively large and intellectually powerful minority, many of them rooted in Gallicanism, played a key role in tempering a dogmatic proclamation that was further balanced and interpreted a century later in Lumen gentium and Christus Dominus. I conclude by suggesting theologians should look for ways in which the minority at Vatican II could serve future generations of Catholics in unforeseen ways.
Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Programs for Pediatric VAD Patients

The field of mechanical circulatory support for children has evolved dramatically over the last decade. This is in part attributable to the development of smaller ventricular assist devices (VADs) which has expanded the array of support strategies in pediatrics. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was originally the cornerstone of mechanical circulatory support for children. Its ease of implantation, wide accessibility, and applicability to all patient sizes made it the first-line choice for urgent cardiopulmonary support. However, ECMO has significant limitations related to its extracorporeal design (i.e., pump external to the body with cannula inserted either in peripheral vessels or centrally similar to cardiopulmonary bypass), its thrombogenic nature, need for aggressive anticoagulation, and secondary complications. These issues limit the duration of support to weeks, with an exponential rise in complications beyond that time. Additionally, ECMO cannulation prevents easy mobilization of patients. Many patients remain heavily sedated and ventilated for the duration of support, and as such, there is no way to engage patients in active physiotherapy or rehabilitation. The advent of pediatric VADs has changed the way we approach children on mechanical circulatory support. The first pediatric VAD to gain widespread global use was the Berlin Heart EXCOR® (Berlin Heart GmbH, Germany). This paracorporeal pulsatile-flow device can be used for right, left, or biventricular support. A variety of pump sizes are available to accommodate all sized children, infants to adolescent. The more secure central cannulation technique with externalization of the cannula through the upper abdominal wall allows patients to be woken up, extubated, fed, mobilized, reconditioned, and rehabilitated. While the Berlin Heart EXCOR® is vastly superior to ECMO in terms of survival to and after transplantation, it still has a high risk of stroke [1]. The largest multicenter prospective study on the Berlin Heart was conducted in North America for the Investigation Device Exemption (IDE) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) trial [1]. This study reported a 29% incidence of stroke despite standardized anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy. As such, a comprehensive approach to mitigating stroke risk and improving recovery post stroke through rehabilitation has evolved from the Berlin Heart experience.
The impact of membership in communal property associations on livelihoods in the Northern Province, South Africa

This paper investigates the impacts of Communal Property Associations on rural livelihoods in the Northern Province, South Africa. After a brief review of livelihoods and a short background to land reform in South Africa the paper details findings regarding the impact of land reform in the province. Quantitative and qualitative interviews were conducted from July 1999 until May 2000 and in January 2001 to identify and explain any change in livelihoods resulting from land transfer. Change in livelihoods as a result of land reform was found to be minimal largely due to general disorganization, farm size problems, lack of capital, lack of skills and labor, gender bias, and skewed age distribution.
Phenotypic responses to interspecies competition and commensalism in a naturally-derived microbial co-culture

The fundamental question of whether different microbial species will co-exist or compete in a given environment depends on context, composition and environmental constraints. Model microbial systems can yield some general principles related to this question. In this study we employed a naturally occurring co-culture composed of heterotrophic bacteria, Halomonas sp. HL-48 and Marinobacter sp. HL-58, to ask two fundamental scientific questions: 1) how do the phenotypes of two naturally co-existing species respond to partnership as compared to axenic growth? and 2) how do growth and molecular phenotypes of these species change with respect to competitive and commensal interactions? We hypothesized - and confirmed - that co-cultivation under glucose as the sole carbon source would result in competitive interactions. Similarly, when glucose was swapped with xylose, the interactions became commensal because Marinobacter HL-58 was supported by metabolites derived from Halomonas HL-48. Each species responded to partnership by changing both its growth and molecular phenotype as assayed via batch growth kinetics and global transcriptomics. These phenotypic responses depended on nutrient availability and so the environment ultimately controlled how they responded to each other. This simplified model community revealed that microbial interactions are context-specific and different environmental conditions dictate how interspecies partnerships will unfold.
Gospel Music: Cultural Artifact or Cross-Cultural Opportunity?

This chapter explores how the 30-year experience (1987–present) of the Gospel Ensemble at Ohio Northern University illuminates an approach to one of the most pressing challenges for university educators in a diversified American society: facilitating the interaction of people with varied perspectives and backgrounds within the context of an academic community. Originally an all-African American organization, the Ensemble has become multicultural, maintaining the roots of a distinct musical tradition while experimenting with ethnic identities and culture formation within a supportive campus arts organization. The legacy of the Ensemble demonstrates the value of innovative use of music in a liberal arts education to prepare students for openness and adaptability, both in their careers and in their broader engagement with a complex diverse world.
BlueTides simulation: establishing black hole−galaxy relations at high redshift

The scaling relations between the mass of supermassive black holes ($M_{\bullet}$) and host galaxy properties (stellar mass, $M_{\star}$, and velocity dispersion, $\sigma$), provide a link between the growth of black holes (BHs) and that of their hosts. Here we investigate if and how the BH-galaxy relations are established in the high-$z$ universe using \textsc{BlueTides}, a high-resolution large volume cosmological hydrodynamic simulation. We find the $M_{\bullet}-M_{\star}$ and $M_{\bullet}-\sigma$ relations at $z=8$: $\log_{10}(M_{\bullet}) = 8.25 + 1.10 \ \log_{10}(M_{\star}/10^{11}M_{\odot})$ and $\log_{10}(M_{\bullet}) = 8.35 + 5.31 \ \log_{10}(\sigma/200kms^{-1})$ at $z=8$, both fully consistent with the local measurements. The slope of the $M_{\bullet}-\sigma$ relation is slightly steeper for high star formation rate and $M_{\star}$ galaxies while it remains unchanged as a function of Eddington accretion rate onto the BH. The intrinsic scatter in $M_{\bullet}-\sigma$ relation in all cases ($\epsilon \sim 0.4$) is larger at these redshifts than inferred from observations and larger than in $M_{\bullet}-M_{\star}$ relation ($\epsilon \sim 0.14$). We find the gas-to-stellar ratio $f=M_{\rm gas}/M_{\star}$ in the host (which can be very high at these redshifts) to have the most significant impact setting the intrinsic scatter of $M_{\bullet}-\sigma$. The scatter is significantly reduced when galaxies with high gas fractions ($\epsilon = 0.28$ as $f<10$) are excluded (making the sample more comparable to low-$z$ galaxies); these systems have the largest star formation rates and black hole accretion rates, indicating that these fast-growing systems are still moving toward the relation at these high redshifts. Examining the evolution (from $z=10$ to 8) of high mass black holes in $M_{\bullet}-\sigma$ plane confirms this trend.
Pyramid, Lattice, Discus, Torus, Sphere

This chapter reviews several architectures that have a number of desirable characteristics when used for large networks of thousands or millions of processors. All combine large numbers of worker processors into densely packed networks with minimal diameters, good near-neighbor linkages, robust and usable redundancies, and rich possibilities for fault tolerance. The chapter explains the basic pyramid structure. The pyramid consists, roughly, of arrays of processors sandwiched between arrays of memory stores. The chapter presents some examples of attractive pyramids. The basic lattice is a very simple extension of the pyramid. There are several minor variants and major extensions that are worth examining. A discus is simply a slice of a lattice with more or less bulging centers and smoothed-over edges. A torus seems appropriate for programs that can be set up as pipelines that continue to iterate, so that they can be swirled continually through the torus.
Impact of Doppler Wind Analysis Weights on Three Dimensional Airflow and Diagnosed Precipitation in a Thunderstorm

ABSTRACT The air flow in convective storms and the processes that produce hydro-meteors of various kinds, are being studied intensively by meteorologists using Doppler radar observations. A variational analysis simultaneously imposes two kinematic boundary conditions and the mass continuity equation on Doppler velocities to derive the three-dimensional thunderstorm air motions. Variable adjustment weights control the relative degree of horizontal divergence adjustment at each level, which in turn changes the shape of the updraft profile. Diagnoses of precipitation and reflectivity fields within a thunderstorm, using these analyzed air motions in a three dimensional cloud model, demonstrate the sensitivity of retrieved thunderstorm variables to the choice of variational analysis weights and the resulting vertical velocity field.
How Do Waterpipe Smoking Establishments Attract Smokers? Implications for Policy.

Background: Given the unique social nature of waterpipe smoking, an important factor contributing to its popularity is the spread of waterpipe establishments. Objectives: With a focus on implicatio...
Exploring suppliers’ perceptions and approaches toward codes of conduct: behind the scenes at Indian apparel export firms

To address labour issues with apparel suppliers, many multinational enterprises adopted codes of conduct (CoC) policies. However, lack of contextualisation in CoC implementation has challenged thei...
Sex Differences in Statin Prescribing in Diabetic and Heart Disease Patients in FQHCs: A Comparison of the ATPIII and 2013 ACC/AHA Cholesterol Guidelines.

Purpose:The purpose of this study was to determine the difference in the rate of statin prescribing based on the Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III and 2013 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/Americ...
Abstract LB-234: Pre-surgical identification of diagnostic, prognostic and predictive DNA methylation-based markers in serum (liquid biopsy) of patients harboring gliomas

Central nervous system-related tumors release tumoral material into circulating blood and the cerebrospinal fluid (e.g. cell free DNA). The sampling of these biofluids, i.e. liquid biopsy (LB), may offer an opportunity for diagnosis, prognostication and response prediction in a constantly evolving and biologically and prognostically heterogeneous tumor, such as glioma, in real-time. In glioma-tumor tissue, genome-wide DNA methylation profiling has shown that epigenetic abnormalities play significant biological and clinical roles, making DNA methylome profiling attractive for LB application in these tumors. Thus far, studies of epigenetic LB (eLB) focused on targeted markers which have shown low sensitivity; however, this can be potentially circumvented by a comprehensive genome-wide CpG methylation profiling. Herein, we profiled the genome-wide CpG methylation landscape of matching serum/tissue from 22 patients who received surgical resection for a glioma diagnosis (15 IDH-mutant and 7 IDH-wildtype) and 4 who received surgical resection of the brain for a non-tumor brain related disease. We identified 199 glioma specific DNA methylation-serum based markers (Wilcoxon Rank Sum test, p-value Citation Format: Houtan Noushmehr, Thais S. Sabedot, Tathiane M. Malta, Kevin K. Nelson, James Snyder, Michael Wells, Maritza S. Mosella, Ana C. deCarvalho, Karam Asmaro, Lisa Scarpace, Adam M. Robin, Mark L. Rosenblum, Tom Mikkelsen, Jack Rock, Tobias Walbert, Ian Lee, Laila M. Poisson, Steven N. Kalkanis, Ana V. Castro. Pre-surgical identification of diagnostic, prognostic and predictive DNA methylation-based markers in serum (liquid biopsy) of patients harboring gliomas [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-234.
Unpacking the Emotions behind TripAdvisor Travel Reviews: The Case Study of Gatlinburg, Tennessee

This study investigated how tourists’ emotions about their travel experiences were presented through TripAdvisor travel reviews targeting Gatlinburg, Tennessee due to its historical and geographica...
Glass-boxing Computing: Notional Machines-Mediated Teaching and Learning with Electronic Textiles in an Introductory High School Classroom

In my dissertation study, I examine teaching and learning through the use of notional machines-pedagogical approaches to communicate runtime behavior of programs-in the context of high school students programming electronic textiles physical computing artifacts. My focus will be on: (1) teachers' notional machines, (2) development of students' understanding of programs and programmed systems, and (3) the relationship between teachers' notional machines and student understanding. This study will contribute to our understanding of how to support the diverse K-12 student population to better understand abstract computing concepts within physical computing classrooms.
Impact of Robotic Single and Dual Console Systems in the Training of Minimally Invasive Gynecology Surgery (MIGS) Fellows

Study Objective To evaluate fellow console time, surgical steps performed, and surgical takeovers between attending and fellow using a dual versus (vs) single console robotic systems. Design Quality improvement project evaluating use of dual consoles in robotic surgical education. Setting MIGS fellowship program in an academic institution's tertiary care center. Patients or Participants Two MIGS fellows and 5 subspecialty trained gynecologic surgeons. Interventions Variables were prospectively collected for 62 robotic surgeries and included: dual vs single console, trainee console time, trainee, attending, surgical takeovers, docking time, type of surgery, steps performed by trainee, complications, total case time, specimen weight and estimated blood loss. Demographic patient data were also collected. Variables were compared using the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test (continuous), and the Pearson Chi-square test (categorical). Measurements and Main Results Fellows spent more time at the console in dual console operations compared to single (56 vs. 36 min, P=0.002). There were 11 (31%) single console procedures where the fellow had no control compared to dual console where the fellow assumed control every time (P=0.001). Median number of surgical takeovers was higher in dual console operations (3 vs. 1, P Conclusion Dual console robotic training provide fellows the opportunity for more hands on experience and more interaction between the fellow and surgical attending, with an increased number of surgical takeovers. This opportunity presents itself at the cost of a longer case time but with similar complication rates. ned IUDs. Knowledge of the alignment of the IUD to the longitudinal axis of the uterus and the degree of embedment, or perforation, allows for employing the most appropriate technique. Although removal can often be achieved in the office, deeply embedded IUDs or IUD fragments may require the operating room setting for safe extraction.
Simulation of Negative Sequence Voltage Source Determination in Power Supply Systems

The article presents power quality issues in the power supply systems. It is shown that the quality of electrical energy in certain cases depends not only on the producers and suppliers of electricity, but also on the consumers. The occurrence of the deviations from the norm leads to the emergence of negative effects on electrical equipment of energy consumption organizations and electricity consumers thereby creating the conditions for the technological and electromagnetic damage occurrence, which are the reasons for the occurrence of losses and other negative consequences in case of violations of the electricity quality. The results of measurements of the voltage unbalance coefficients in negative sequences obtained by the authors of the article during electricity quality monitoring are presented. These results show that voltage unbalance in the negative sequence is present in the electrical networks with a voltage of 0.38 kV. It is shown on a computer model of a simple power supply system that the use of load currents and voltages can be used to identify the causes of asymmetry - different values of power (resistance) of a three-phase load or different values of the phase voltages of the supply network. The use of monitoring the resistance values in combination with the determination of the modulus and phase angle of the negative sequence voltage allows with the sufficient accuracy to determine the cause of the voltage unbalance.
Synthesis and in vitro pharmacological studies of new C(4) modified salvinorin A analogues

Abstract Salvinorin A, a compound isolated from the plant Salvia divinorum, is a potent and highly selective agonist for the κ opioid receptor. For exploration of its structure and activity relationships, further modifications, such as reduction at the C(4) position, have been studied and a series of salvinorin A derivatives were prepared. These C(4)-modified salvinorin A analogues were screened for binding and functional activities at the human κ-opioid receptor and several new full agonists have been identified.
Dorsoradial Capsulodesis for Stage I Trapeziometacarpal Joint Arthrosis.

Background:Thumb trapeziometacarpal (TM) joint arthrosis is a common cause of thumb pain, which adversely affects hand function. Early arthrosis is characterized by capsular laxity, painful pinch a...
Immune Inflammation Pathways as Therapeutic Targets to Reduce Lethal Prostate Cancer in African American Men.

Despite substantial improvements in cancer survival, not all population groups have benefitted equally from this progress. For prostate cancer, men of African descent in the United States and England continue to have about double the rate of fatal disease compared to other men. Studies suggest that when there is equal access to care, survival disparities are greatly diminished. However, notable differences exist in prostate tumor biology across population groups. Ancestral factors and disparate exposures can lead to altered tumor biology, resulting in a distinct disease etiology by population group. While equal care remains the key target to improve survival, additional efforts should be made to gain comprehensive knowledge of the tumor biology in prostate cancer patients of African descent. Such an approach may identify novel intervention strategies in the era of precision medicine. A growing body of evidence shows that inflammation and the immune response may play a distinct role in prostate cancer disparities. Low-grade chronic inflammation and an inflammatory tumor microenvironment are more prevalent in African American patients and have been associated with adverse outcomes. Thus, differences in activation of immune–inflammatory pathways between African American and European American men with prostate cancer may exist. These differences may influence the response to immune therapy which is consistent with recent observations. This review will discuss mechanisms by which inflammation may contribute to the disparate outcomes experienced by African American men with prostate cancer and how these immunogenic and inflammatory vulnerabilities could be exploited to improve their survival.
A single center retrospective study of daratumumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone as 2nd-line therapy in multiple myeloma.

Daratumumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone (DPd) is an FDA-approved 3rd or later line of therapy for myeloma. However, as there are limited published data on the efficacy of 2nd-line DPd, we conducted a retrospective analysis (n = 33). Herein, we report our center's data for 2nd-line DPd. Our patient population had a high amount of high risk cytogenetics (45.5%). The overall response rate (ORR) was 84.9% with a 1-year Progression Free Survival (PFS) of 37.7%. In standard risk myeloma (n = 18), the ORR was 88.9% and 1-year PFS was 61.1% (95% CI 42.3-88.3%). In high risk myeloma (45.5%, n = 15), the ORR was 80% with a 1-year PFS of 7.3% (95% CI 1.1-47.9%). This suggests that the efficacy of 2nd-line DPd in myeloma with high risk cytogenetics should be further investigated.
Utilizing Virtual Play to Help Adopted Children with Trauma

Thousands of children are adopted both domestically and internationally every year. Many come from institutional or foster care and suffer from complex trauma, abuse and neglect, which negatively affect their transition and attachment with their adoptive families [20] To help, social workers often use a counseling technique called play therapy to help children incapable of verbalizing and expressing themselves to communicate and work through difficult subjects using objects and toys [22]. The play therapy space is a hands-on, sensory-rich play environment with a wide variety of materials and activities for children to choose from, so design solutions focused on shifting play therapy into the virtual realm using advanced gaming technologies. Mythos is a video game where adopted children and children with trauma role play as a stuffed bear, who's lost their home and finds themselves on a journey of self-discovery. The game uses a variety of game-based learning techniques to accommodate children at different developmental levels. To ensure optimal outcomes, the game will be partnered with therapy and a physical stuffed bear. Preliminary reviews by a group of play therapists suggest the game has the potential to be a viable therapeutic tool for use with adopted children and children with trauma.
The role of heavy metals in thyroid cancer: A meta-analysis.

Abstract Introduction Metal ions are known to accumulate in the thyroid and some play an important role in the function and homeostatic mechanisms of the thyroid gland. Certain metal ions are known endocrine disruptors while others are classified to be carcinogenic. Although higher thyroid cancer incidences rates have been reported in regions with high metal levels in soil and drinking water, including volcanic regions, the effect of heavy metals on the thyroid is still poorly understood. To investigate the association between heavy metals and thyroid cancer, a comprehensive meta-analysis was performed to draw a more evidence-based conclusion for individual metal ions. Material and Methods Nineteen studies were included in this meta-analysis, of which 9 studies reported blood metal ion levels, 8 studies reported tissue metal ion levels and 2 studies reported blood and tissue metal ion levels. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was calculated between thyroid cancer patients group and a control group (benign thyroid patients group or healthy controls group) per study. Results A significant positive standardized mean difference (SMD) in manganese tissue levels between thyroid cancer patients and benign thyroid patients (SMD: 0.56 (95% CI: 0.16, 0.95)) and a significant negative SMD in cobalt blood levels between thyroid cancer patients and healthy controls (SMD: -2.03 (95% CI: -3.95, -0.10)) was found. No difference in levels of other metals in blood or thyroid tissue between thyroid cancer patients and non-thyroid cancer patients was noted. Discussion and Conclusion The present meta-analysis therefore demonstrates the urgent need for future studies, especially given the increasing exposure of the general population to various environmental pollutants, including metal ions, and the thyroid cancer burden worldwide.
Prospective validation of an automatic alignment tool to improve repeatability of left ventricular dyssynchrony measurement in serial gated myocardial perfusion SPECT studies

1134 Objectives An automatic alignment tool has been developed to reduce variability of left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony measurement in serial gated SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) studies due to inconsistent oblique reorientation and basal slice selection. The purpose of this study is to prospectively validate this tool. Methods Twenty-eight patients, who had serial gated SPECT MPI, were prospectively enrolled. For each patient, the two datasets were first processed blinded from each other by the same technologist in different weeks. These processed data were then re-aligned by the automatic tool, and manual side-by-side processing. All processing methods used standard iterative reconstruction and Butterworth filtering. The Emory Cardiac Toolbox was used to measure the LV dyssynchrony parameters - phase standard deviation (PSD) and phase histogram bandwidth (PHB). Results The automatic tool failed in one patient, who had a large, severe scar at the apex. In the remaining 27 patients, the mean difference and standard deviation of difference in the LV dyssynchrony parameters between the serial studies were calculated and are listed in the following table. The repeatability of these parameters after automatic alignment was significantly improved from blinded processing (p Conclusions The automatic alignment tool can be an alternative method to manual re-alignment to improve repeatability of LV dyssynchrony parameters in serial gated SPECT MPI. Research Support This study was supported in part by an NIH grant (1R01HL094438, PI: Ji Chen, PhD)
THE SOVIET METROPOLITAN HIERARCHY: REGIONALIZATION AND COMPARISON WITH THE UNITED STATES

The rapid growth of Soviet cities is converging toward a hierarchy similar to that of the United States. The numbers of aggregate populations of metropolitan centers by five size categories in the two countries are compared for growth and change from 1939 to 1976. Also, nine Soviet urban regions are identified, mapped, and correlated with comparable American groupings. Growth rates of Soviet metropolises are normalizing with less recent variation as compared to the 1939–59 period, a trend that parallels the one in the United States. Also, it appears that certain functions, such as administration and transportation, are stabilizing factors in urban growth. Governmental policies of investment in underdeveloped regions, balanced growth and diversification may be partially thwarted by five-year planning goals that have stimulated supragrowth in large cities of the South and East. However, it seems likely that increasing mobility, amenities and the expansion of consumer goods and services will produce a revers...
System Performance Evaluation: Methodologies and Applications

ADVANCES IN INTERNET NETWORK PERFORMANCE Rate Adapters with Bursty Arrivals and Rational Rate Reduction: Queueing Analysis Internet Traffic: Periodically, Tail Behavior and Performance Implications A Generalization of a TCP Model: Multiple Source-Destination Case with Arbitrary LAN as the Access Network ADVANCES IN ATM NETWORKS A Virtual Path Routing Algorithm for ATM Networks Based on the Equivalent Bandwidth Concept Link Capacity Sharing Between Guaranteed and Best Effort Services QoS Management with Delays and Cell Drops Fluid Analysis of TCP Connections over ABR VCs On the Exact Performance Analysis of Multicast Switches with Input Buffering Performance Evaluation of a Scene-Base Model for VBR MPEG Traffic TRAFFIC BASED SYSTEM AND NETWORK DESIGN Buffering vs. Smoothing for End-to-End QoS: Fundamental Issues and Comparison Analysis o f a Time Division Multiplexing Method with Priorities Web Traffic Modeling and Performance Comparison between HTTP1.0 and HTTP1.1 Average Bandwidth and Delay for Reliable Multicast Time-Slot Allocation in Wireless TDMA Maintaining Connectivity for Mobile Computing Applications in Cellular Systems with Multiple Traffic Classes and Mixed Platform Types A Parallel Branch-and-Cut Algorithm for Capacitated Network Design Problems A Unified Approach to the Analysis of Large-Scale Teletraffic Models MRE: A Robust Method of Inference for Finite Capacity Queues ADVANCES IN SYSTEM PERFORMANCE METHODOLOGIES PniQ-A Concept for Performability Evaluation Performance Analysis of Multi-Class Data Transfer Elements in Soft Real-Time Systems using Semaphore Queues Hybrid Analysis of Non-Markovian Stochastic Petri Nets A Performance Model for SPADES Specifications Analysis of Commercial Workload on SMP Multiprocessors SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY Bayesian Belief Networks for Safety Assessment of Computer-Based Systems Software Performance Validation Strategies Performance Validation at Early Stages of Software Development Impact of Workload Models in Evaluating the Performance of Distributed Web-Server Systems Validation in the European Air Traffic Management Programme (EATMP)
An automated post-allocation translator for parallel dynamic system simulation

The authors describe the post-allocation translator developed at the University of Alabama to transform allocation and modeling data into the source-level files necessary to execute parallel dynamic simulations within a multi-transputer-based computer architecture. Parallel multiple-instruction-multiple-data (MIMD) processing of large-scale dynamic system simulations can provide levels of performance which are not obtainable within purely sequential environments. A need exists for the creation of an environment which supports the easy amalgamation of parallel methods with the problem to be simulated. Ongoing research is described of the development of such an environment which automatically translates a simulation represented in a generic form into a parallel representation based on the selected parallel simulation methodology. An initial evaluation of the translator is discussed. >
Performance analysis of LA codes in LAS-CDMA

With the development of the third generation mobile communications, LAS-CDMA (large area synchronized code division multiple access) has been accepted in 2000 as a proposal in 3GPP2 (see http://www.3gpp2.org, 2000). Although its simulation has very attractive properties, we have been unable to find a strict theoretical analysis for its codes' properties. LAS-CDMA codes include LA codes, LS codes and combined LA and LS codes - LAS codes. We present a theoretical analysis of LA code properties. We not only extract and analyze the mathematical formula of LA primary codes and polarization inversion, but also give the proof of many results which were only found in simulation before.
Holography and Fourier Optics

We begin this chapter by using simple arguments to describe holography and to treat such important aspects of holography as image position, resolution and change of wavelength. Under the general heading of Optical Processing, we include the Abbe theory of the microscope, spatial filtering, phase-contrast microscopy and matched filtering; in short, what is often called Fourier-transform optics.
HIV/AIDS: The Impact on Poverty and Inequality

Using available data on the distribution of HIV/AIDS prevalence across population groups for four sub-Saharan African countries and transposing this information to household income and expenditure surveys, we simulate the impact of HIV/AIDS on poverty and inequality. We find that the epidemic lowers average income and increases poverty, and that the jump in poverty is larger than expected from the fall in average income. This disproportionate increase in poverty reflects the large share of the population living on the threshold of poverty and the higher HIV prevalence rates in those segments of the population.
Identification of defect levels in CdTe/CdS solar cells using deep level transient spectroscopy

Defect levels in CdTe/CdS have been characterized using correlation deep level transient spectroscopy. The devices studied were processed under various conditions in an effort to identify defect levels and correlate their presence to key processes and impurities. Process variations included the CdCl/sub 2/ treatment, as this process is very common to most CdTe technologies, and the back contact. The back contact often relies on the use of copper, an impurity known to be critical for the formation of effective back contacts, but which has also been associated with device degradation in CdTe solar cells. Several hole and electron traps were identified and are presented in this paper.
An experimental exploration of the impact of multi-level packet loss on network intrusion detection

In this paper we consider the problem of packet loss as it applies to network intrusion detection. We explore the research question: is the impact of packet loss on network intrusion detection performance sufficiently regular to allow a formula to be developed that will predict the effect? We constructed 2 experimental environments to allow us to measure the impact of packet loss. We graphed the packet loss rate against the alert loss rate. We used nonlinear regression analysis to produce a formula with R squared and adjusted R squared values close enough to 1 for us to answer our research question in the affirmative.
Antagonistic and agonistic effects of quinazoline tyrosine kinase inhibitors on mutant EGF receptor function

A mutated form of the EGF receptor (EGFRvIII), resulting from deletion of exons 2-7, is an oncogenic protein that is expressed in multiple human tumors. This mutation induces ligand-independent activation of the EGFR tyrosine kinase and thereby can initiate unregulated cell growth and tumorigenesis. Thus, inhibition of the kinase activity of EGFRvIII is a potential means of suppressing its oncogenic properties. Certain tyrosine kinase inhibitors (tyrphostins) specifically inhibit the wild-type EGFR and thereby inhibit tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that the quinazoline tyrphostins AG 1478 and AG 1517 can suppress morphologic transformation of cell lines by EGFRvIII. Quinazolines were found to inhibit receptor autophosphorylation and signaling through MAP kinase, but had minimal effects on association of EGFRvIII with Grb2/SOS. Low concentrations of quinazoline also increased receptor dimerization and phosphotyrosine content. This was associated with increases in colony formation in soft agar and increased invasion through matrigel for AG 1478. Thus, both AG 1478 and AG 1517 can inhibit multiple EGFRvIII signaling pathways, but at low concentrations AG 1478 can enhance colony formation, presumably related to augmented homodimerization of the receptor and activation of downstream signaling.