cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract B06: A SOX9+ bile duct progenitor as a cell of origin of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent form of liver cancer and its associated mortality is increasing. Most HCC patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease, which is not eligible for curative surgery and for which efficient drugs remain elusive. Consequently, the prognosis of these patients is particularly poor, begging for a revolution in our therapeutic approach of the disease. Our in-depth understanding of HCC etiology suggests that patients at risk could be regularly screened for the early detection and treatment of nascent neoplastic lesions. This strategy requires a detailed knowledge of the early events that initiate HCC since their nature shapes the features of the developing lesions. However, the identity of cells that can serve as a cell of origin for HCC as well as the molecular events that transform them remain unknown, hampering the development of an early-intervention strategy. To address this important gap in our knowledge, we have taken advantage of a tractable model of HCC initiated upon Rb family loss of function, which is an almost universal event in cancer and particularly in HCC. The Cre/Lox-mediated inactivation of Rb family genes in distinct liver cell populations (cholangiocytes, hepatocytes, and various populations of bipotential and committed progenitors) reveals that most tested cell types, while displaying aberrant cell cycle activity, are resistant to transformation upon Rb pathway alteration. However, Rb family inactivation in Sox9-expressing bile duct progenitor cells initiates HCC that recapitulates the human disease. Interestingly, these committed cholangiocyte progenitors rapidly lose their canonical markers to adopt markers that are specific of the hepatocyte lineage, suggesting that Rb gene family inactivation potentiates their cellular plasticity. Importantly, analysis of human HCC array reveals that expansion of Sox9-expressing cells is a common feature of premalignant lesions and early-stage HCC. Despite its almost universal alteration in cancer, our mouse genetic approach demonstrates that only rare cell populations are susceptible to transformation upon Rb pathway inactivation. In addition, our data show that a cholangiocyte-restricted progenitor population can serve as the cell of origin for a hepatocyte-based type of cancer. This model will enable us to deconstruct the molecular mechanisms that initiate and drive early HCC development and ultimately allow us to shift the clinical management of the disease towards its early steps. Citation Format: Patrick Viatour. A SOX9+ bile duct progenitor as a cell of origin of hepatocellular carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Modeling Cancer in Mice: Technology, Biology, and Beyond; 2017 Sep 24-27; Orlando, Florida. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B06.
Parallelizing a real-time physics engine using transactional memory

The simulation of the dynamics and kinematics of solid bodies is an important problem in a wide variety of fields in computing ranging from animation and interactive environments to scientific simulations. While rigid body simulation has a significant amount of potential parallelism, efficiently synchronizing irregular accesses to the large amount of mutable shared data in such programs remains a hurdle. There has been a significant amount of interest in transactional memory systems for their potential to alleviate some of the problems associated with fine-grained locking and more broadly for writing correct and efficient parallel programs. While results so far are promising, the effectiveness of TM systems has so far been predominantly evaluated on small benchmarks and kernels. In this paper we present our experiences in parallelizing ODE, a realtime physics engine that is widely used in commercial and open source games. Rigid body simulation in ODE consists of two main phases that are amenable to effective coarse-grained parallelization and which are also suitable for using transactions to orchestrate shared data synchronization. We found ODE to be a good candidate for applying parallelism and transactions to - it is a large real world application, there is a large amount of potential parallelism, it exhibits irregular access patterns and the amount of contention may vary at runtime. We present an experimental evaluation of our implementation of the parallel transactional ODE engine that shows speedups of up to 1.27x relative to the sequential version.
Carrier Scattering in Solids

This chapter illustrates the application of time-dependent perturbation theory to transport physics. It uses this theory to derive Fermi’s Golden Rule which provides a useful prescription to calculate the rate with which an electron scatters as it travels through a solid and interacts with various entities such as impurities and phonons. These rates appear in the BTE and are first mentioned in Chap. 2, but derived here. In order to make the student comfortable in applying Fermi’s Golden Rule to various problems, the scattering rate of an electron interacting with nonpolar acoustic phonons is derived in three-, two- and one-dimensional systems as a function of the electron’s kinetic energy. Such exercises are extremely instructive and reveal important physics associated with carrier interactions with the environment in both bulk and quantum-confined systems. Once students master the technique of calculating the scattering rate due to any one type of interaction, they should be able to calculate the rate associated with any other type of interaction since the basic principle is the same. A few advanced topics such as phonon confinement and phonon bottleneck effects are also discussed.
The Design of Morality

Morality, like many other complex things in the natural world, can look designed. The moralities that we see humans practicing today are largely designed, designed by humans. Morality did not originate in human design, however; it is not some original invention of ours but a creation of unguided natural evolution. However, by learning how to modify our conduct with our large brains, we now can manipulate what nature created. Morality would not have gradually emerged, grown more sophisticated, and become universally used and redesigned, unless it served some evolutionary purpose for our species. In this functional sense, morality looks designed even though no designer was ever involved. However, ancestors of humans and our species, Homo sapiens, have been gradually modifying moralities using some intelligence but little self-awareness, and more recently, we have been self-consciously and deliberately redesigning our moralities. An account of how humans use and redesign morality should harmonize with an account of how morality gradually came into existence from simpler protomoral modes of conduct. However, this account must not reduce morality to behaviors too simple to be moral nor introduce morality as an abrupt leap above much simpler kinds of behavior. The more complex forms of cooperative social interaction involving non-zero-sum games and indirect reciprocity are the modes of interaction which can supply the continuities required for the gradual biocultural emergence of morality. An analysis of the indirect reciprocity prisoner’s dilemma game, a computer program invented by the author which models large numbers of players utilizing a variety of strategies, suggests how genuinely moral conduct could gradually emerge from the protomoral components of niceness and fairness.
Hemodynamic Measurements and Clinical Monitoring

The fluid-filled catheter-manometer system (CMS) continues to be the most common approach to invasive monitoring of pulsatile blood pressure (BP) waveforms in cardiac chambers and major vessels of the circulation. This is because of the long, well-established, and improved catheterization techniques, in combination with angiographic imaging modalities in the clinical catheterization laboratories. The catheter system has the added advantage of the ease of injecting radiopaque dyes for visualization of the vasculature, as well as administering therapeutical drugs. Balloon catheter for angioplasty applications and local intravascular drug delivery have also become popular. More recent multi-functional catheters include thermodilution, as well as the addition of electrodes for either atrial or ventricular pacing capabilities. These technological advances have promoted the popularity of interventional cardiology.
Freshmen's use of library electronic resources and self-efficacy

To encourage students' use of the library, and in particular of its electronic resources, we need to understand what factors encourage students to seek out information in the library setting. Research has shown that self-efficacy influences academic achievement. This paper looks at the role self-efficacy plays in their search for information and use of the library's electronic resources, by surveying a class of freshmen at Baruch College. Their library and computer use were analyzed and correlated with their self-efficacy scores. Through statistical analysis, we found that use of the library correlated to the students' use of the library's electronic resources. We also found out that students who express an interest in learning about the library's electronic resources will be more likely to have higher self-efficacy.
Domain-Specific Tradecraft

Setting the stage to challenge students throughout their educational career is paramount. Project-based learning and teaching allow educators to enable students to think, learn, reflect, and act upon their own prescribed course of actions. This type of education recognizes that this method teaching and learning is relative and dynamic to the context of the situation. There is no set problem set or definitive answer. This method of teaching more closely resembles what occurs beyond academic institutions and paced an onus on the individual student and student teams. Only through this blended student teacher methodology will the process and results of new ideas and novel innovations be discoverable.
New scoring system in assessment of Hoffa’s fat pad synovitis: A comparative study with established scoring systems

New scoring system in assessment of Hoffa’s fat pad synovitis: A comparative study with established scoring systems
Calculators for Women: When Identity Appeals Provoke Backlash

From “Chick Beer” to “Dryer sheets for Men,” identity-based labeling is frequently deployed to appeal to people who hold the targeted identity. However, five studies demonstrate that identity appeals can backfire, alienating the very individuals they aim to attract. We begin by demonstrating backlash against identity appeals in the field during the 2016 presidential election (Study 1) and in the lab (Study 2). This (in)effectiveness of identity appeals is driven by categorization threat—feeling unwillingly reduced to a single identity—which is induced when a) the identity deployed is that of a typically marginalized group (Studies 3-4) and b) the appeal evokes a stereotype about that identity (Study 5). Ironically, identity appeals often drive identity-holders away from options they would have preferred in the absence of that appeal.
Administration of nerve growth factor-β to heifers with a pre-ovulatory follicle enhanced luteal formation and function and promoted LH release

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the effects of bovine nerve growth factor-β (NGF) on pre-ovulatory follicle vascular area, LH release, ovulation, and luteal function when administered systemically to heifers. Post-pubertal Holstein heifers (n = 12) received an intravaginal progesterone-releasing device (CIDR) and GnRH agonist (100 μg IM). The CIDR was removed 5 d later, and heifers were given dinoprost (25 mg IM) at CIDR removal and 24 h later, followed by a second dose of GnRH agonist 48 h later. Heifers were randomly assigned to treatments using a cross-over design. For example, heifers assigned to NGF (250 μg reconstituted in 12 mL PBS IM) in replicate 1 were assigned to control (12 mL PBS IM) in replicate 2. Transrectal ultrasonography was performed before treatment and repeated every 4 h up to 32 h to determine the pre-ovulatory follicle diameter, vascular area, and ovulation. Serum samples were obtained to assess LH concentrations during the periovulatory period and every 2 d post-ovulation for measuring progesterone concentrations. A subset of heifers had luteal biopsies performed on days 9 (n = 6 per treatment) and 14 (n = 6 per treatment) post-ovulation to count luteal cell numbers and measure relative mRNA abundance for steroidogenic and angiogenic enzymes and LH receptor. Treatment with NGF increased pre-ovulatory follicle diameter (P = 0.02) and serum LH concentrations (P = 0.03) but did not affect time to ovulation (P = 0.42). Heifers treated with NGF had increased serum progesterone concentrations in the subsequent luteal phase (P = 0.03), but no change in vascular area of the follicle (P = 0.16) or CL (P = 0.20). Heifers treated with NGF had a greater number of small luteal cells (P
Identifying Patients at Greatest Risk of Mortality due to COVID-19: A New England Perspective.

Author(s): Smith, Aaron A.; Fridling, Jeremy; Ibrahim, Danyal; Porter Jr., Paul S. | Abstract: Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly since December 2019, resulting in a pandemic that has, as of May 24, 2020, yielded over 5.3 million confirmed cases and over 340,000 deaths.1 As businesses move to safely reopen and frontline healthcare workers (HCW) continue to face this crisis, it is essential that health officials know who in the population is at the greatest risk of mortality if hospitalized and, therefore, has the greatest need to protect themselves from being infected. We examined the factors that increase the risk of mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients.Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study including confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to the four Trinity Health of New England hospitals (THONE) in Connecticut and Massachusetts who either died or were discharged between March 1–April 22, 2020. Demographics, comorbidities, and outcomes of care were extracted from the electronic health record. A model of in-hospital mortality was made using a generalized linear model with binomial distribution and log link.Results: The analysis included 346 patients: 229 discharged and 117 deceased. The likelihood of in-hospital mortality was increased for patients who were aged 60 or older (relative risk [RR] = 2.873; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.733-4.764; p = l0.001), had diabetes (RR = 1.432; 95% CI,1.068-1.921; p = 0.016), or had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (RR = 1.410; 95% CI, 1.058-1.878; p = 0.019). Hyperlipidemia had a protective effect, reducing the likelihood of mortality (odds ratio = 0.745; 95% CI, 0.568-0.975; p = 0.032). Sensitivity and specificity of the model were 51.4% and 88.4%, respectively.Conclusions: Being age 60 or older or having a history of diabetes or COPD are the most useful risk factors associated with mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. As states ease stay-at-home orders, risk factors of severe disease can be used to identify those more likely to have worse outcomes if infected and hospitalized and, therefore, who in particular should continue to follow public health guidelines for avoiding infection: stay home if possible; practice physical distancing; and wear a facemask.
Diffusion in Information-Seeking Networks: Testing the Interaction of Network Hierarchy and Fluidity with Agent-Based Modeling

People need information to cope with the demands of life, yet, questions remain about the way social structures facilitate the spread of new information. This study applies agent-based modeling (AB...
Abnormal Levels of Metal Micronutrients and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Perspective Review.

The aim of the present review is to summarize the prevalence of abnormal levels of various metal micronutrients including copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using hair, nail and serum samples. A correlation of selected abnormal metal ions with known neurodevelopmental processes using Gene Ontology (GO) term was also conducted. Data included in this review are derived from ASD clinical studies performed globally. Metal ion disparity data is also analyzed and discussed based on gender (Male/ Female) to establish any gender dependent correlation. Finally, a rational perspective and possible path to better understand the role of metal micronutrients in ASD is suggested.
Learning Chinese Mandarin characters in an English-speaking country: The development of a child’s symbolic mind

This qualitative research explores the development of the symbolic mind in children through learning Chinese Mandarin characters. Navigated through the lens of relational developmental system metatheory and guided by Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, findings present the analysis of the developmental processes in children’s recognition of symbols and use of known symbols to make and share meaning. This study also offers an explanation of the effect of changes in the sociocultural environment on children's symbolic development. Further, cultural differences toward symbolic representation are discussed with the recommendation of focusing on recognition followed by writing when learning Chinese Mandarin characters.
A Naturalistic Inquiry Into Digital Game-Based Learning in Stem Classes From the Instructors’ Perspective

Researchers have recognized the lack of systematic investigation on the integration of digital games into the classroom. In this study, a semi-structured interview is used to gain insights from four instructors into their teaching practices of integrating the Variant game into STEM classes. Thematic analysis is used to generate codes, define themes, and produce the reports in this study. The findings of the study indicate that the successful integration of digital games into the classroom expects instructors to be aware that educational digital games are designed for learning purposes and to modify teaching methods as needed before the implementation. In addition, instructors should facilitate a game-based learning process during the implementation and evaluate the implementation process for future improvement. The authors suggest that instructors’ deep understanding of the relationship between content, teaching, and the game is a critical factor that contributes to effective game-based learning.
Septic Shock

Purpose Many patients with sepsis require surgery for their management, often on an urgent or emergency basis. Anaesthetists are commonly required to manage patients with sepsis and septic shock in the operating room, post anaesthesia recovery area, and the intensive care unit. Since little has been wntten in the Anaesthesia literature on sepsis and septic shock, a review of this topic was considered appropriate.
Mechanisms and Review of Clinical Evidence of Variations in Relative Biological Effectiveness in Proton Therapy

Proton therapy is increasingly being used as a radiation therapy modality. There is uncertainty about the biological effectiveness of protons relative to photon therapies as it depends on several physical and biological parameters. Radiation oncology currently applies a constant and generic value for the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of 1.1, which was chosen conservatively to ensure tumor coverage. The use of a constant value has been challenged particularly when considering normal tissue constraints. Potential variations in RBE have been assessed in several published reviews but have mostly focused on data from clonogenic cell survival experiments with unclear relevance for clinical proton therapy. The goal of this review is to put in vitro findings in relation to clinical observations. Relevant in vivo pathways determining RBE for tumors and normal tissues are outlined, including not only damage to tumor cells and parenchyma but also vascular damage and immune response. Furthermore, the current clinical evidence of varying RBE is reviewed. The assessment can serve as guidance for treatment planning, personalized dose prescriptions, and outcome analysis.
Bank Technology: Productivity and Employment

The impact of technology investment on bank production and employment is examined. Using a new bank-level technology spending dataset from 2000-2017, we estimate the parameters of a firm-level production function correcting for endogenous input choices. We document that technology input on average contributes about 12.85% to the increase in value-added output. We then show that the bank employment and tasks are positively correlated with their lagged technology spending in the cross-section, supporting the task-based framework of Acemoglu and Restrepo (2018). These results indicate that technology capital is highly productive and technology adoption generally lead to more employment at the firm-level.
Investigating the Effect of Reinforcement Bridging on the Elastic Fracture Energy of Concrete

Failure of structures may be analyzed based on strength criterion or fracture mechanics criterion. Strength criterion deals with material resistance beyond the critical conditions such as yield, and ultimate strength. In fracture mechanics the critical condition is defined by toughness which can be stress intensity factor (K) or fracture energy (G). This study explores the critical point during loading up to the limit of elasticity based on linear elastic fracture mechanics – LEFM. However, nonlinearity frequently appears due to the existence of a relatively large fracture process zone – FPZ located at the crack-tip. The assumption of LEFM in quasi – brittle material such as concrete is therefore limited to large size structures only. The well known approach to obtain the fracture energy Gf for infinite large structures is size effect law – SEL. Gf is defined as the specific energy, i. e. energy per unit crack plane area. This is elastic energy which is linear. The objective of this study is to answer one question: Does reinforcement work only during composite action between the reinforcement with concrete or does it work before?. A research was conducted following the principles of work-of-fracture – WOR using the RILEM Specification Test Method. Three-point-bend beam specimens were made of normal concrete, subjected to monotonic load P, until they failed. P–u relationship prevails the real work. The elastic fracture energy based on WOR that is \(G {R \over F}_{-el}\) was found by divided the area under P–u curve of elastic range with ligament. The result is, \(G {R \over F}_{-el}\) equal to 397.87 N/m for beam A1 (bending failure l/h=5.5), 133.6 N/m for beam B1 (shear failure, l/h=5.0). 101.93 N/m for beam B2 (shear failure, l/h=5.0), 153.75 N/m for beam B3 (shear failure, l/h=5.0). The greater value \(G {R \over F}_{-el}\) comparing to Gf indictes that reinforcement roles in increasing elastic fracture energy, not only in plastic fracture energy.
The Dementia Syndrome in Consultation Psychiatry

Patients with dementia suffer from an acquired impairment of cognitive function. The consequences of dementing disorders are often nothing less than tragic. A large percentage of such patients suffer a downward spiralling course into cognitive oblivion despite the most diligent efforts of the medical profession. The demented patient is not the only one touched by the affliction, since the patient’s family faces the burden of caring for a loved one whose quality of life has been all but obliterated. As such, treating the demented patient is probably one of the most frustrating tasks encountered by the psychiatric consultant. Nonetheless, timely intervention by the psychiatrist is often of great palliative value and can soften the blow to both the patient and the family. If this were not the case, there would be, perhaps, little point to this chapter.
Zn2+ regulation of ornithine transcarbamoylase. I. Mechanism of action.

Ornithine transcarbamoylase catalyzes the formation of l-citrulline from carbamoyl phosphate and l-ornithine. The anabolic enzyme from Escherichia coli is composed of three identical subunits and resembles, in both primary and quaternary structures, the catalytic unit of aspartate transcarbamoylase. However, ornithine transcarbamoylase has no regulatory subunits. Although this enzyme does not bind its substrates co-operatively, fluorescence spectroscopic experiments show that zinc adds allosterically to the free enzyme. The metal binding process is dictated by deprotonation of an enzymic group with a pKa < 7. The saturation binding curve of the metal ion is sigmoidal and yields a Hill coefficient of 1.6 at pH 8.5 and 25 °C. In the absence of substrates, zinc further promotes a slow enzyme isomerization, which occurs with a first-order rate constant of 7 min−1; thus, the metal is a slow, tight-binding inhibitor. The isomerized enzyme is inactive and contains three zinc ions. When the enzyme is first bound with carbamoyl phosphate, steady-state kinetic assays reveal that zinc again binds co-operatively to the binary enzyme complex, with a Hill coefficient of 1.5, but the metal ion now behaves simply as a classical, reversible inhibitor; it is competitive against l-ornithine, non-competitive against carbamoyl phosphate, and induces no enzyme isomerization. However, as a result of the competition between zinc and l-ornithine for the same site on the enzyme, the l-ornithine saturation curve becomes sigmoidal. Displacement of the allosteric zinc from the enzyme by l-ornithine is the cause of co-operative addition of this substrate. The combined results suggest that zinc regulates ornithine transcarbamoylase via two routes: (1) as an allosteric cofactor of the substrate-bound enzyme in mediating site-site interactions; and (2) as a slow, tight-binding inhibitor of the free enzyme in inducing inactivation. The concentration of zinc that is effective for action is in the micromolar range. The finding that E. coli ornithine transcarbamoylase can be induced to express co-operativity in binding its substrates has recently been confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis experiments. When the active site residue Arg106 is altered to a glycine, the resultant mutant enzyme exhibits both homotropic and heterotropic interactions towards its substrates. In view of the quaternary structure of holoenzyme aspartate transcarbamoylase, the “silent” co-operativity of ornithine transcarbamoylase is of particular interest in the study of evolution of complex, regulatory proteins.
Aesthetics and Ethics

This article discusses the recent revival of the inclusion of an aesthetic dimension into ethics. Research suggests that the practice and study of ethics and ethical decision making is enhanced by including dimensions of the human condition, emotional, aesthetic, physical, in addition to rational cognitive processes. Keywords: beauty; nobility; humanity; sensibility; decision analysis; ethical decision making
Shock and Resuscitation

In 1872, Gross referred to shock as the “manifestation of the rude unhinging of the machinery of life.”1 We now know that shock, at its most fundamental level, represents the clinical syndrome arising as a result of inadequate tissue perfusion. The discrepancy between substrate delivery and the cellular substrate requirement leads to cellular metabolic dysfunction. Inadequate oxygen delivery is implicated as the principal defect in shock states. The clinical manifestations of shock are caused by end-organ dysfunction secondary to impaired perfusion and the body’s sympathetic and neuroendocrine response to an insufficient cellular supply/demand ratio for oxygen.
A Theory of Bending Waves with Applications to Disk Galaxies

A theory of bending waves is surveyed which provides an explanation for the required amplification of the warp in the Milky Way. It also provides for self-generated warps in isolated external galaxies. The shape of observed warps and partly their existence in isolated galaxies are indicative of substantial spheroidal components. The theory also provides a plausible explanation for the bending of the inner disk (< 2 kpc) of the Milky Way.
Anatomy and physiology of the upper airway in obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea, a common disease, is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness as well as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The cause is complex, involving many interacting factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease. It is important to understand the anatomy and physiology of the upper airway, particularly what determines its stability and collapsibility.
The orientation of health professional students towards the care of older adults: the case of podiatry

Although podiatrists treat a large number of older adults, few studies have examined podiatry students' attitudes to treating them. Using data from a nationally representative random sample of podiatry students (n = 528), a theoretical model was tested that examined the impact on the level of expected satisfaction from treating older adults in terms of: students' perceptions of the effectiveness of podiatry for treating older adults (i.e. the belief that the students can have a meaningful impact on the health outcomes); the extent to which students enter podiatry for intrinsic rewards; the amount of exposure to instruction on geriatric health issues students receive in podiatry school; and the amount of clinical contact students have with older adult patients. Consistent with the hypothesized model, the findings indicated that respondents who believe that podiatrists can have a meaningful impact on the health outcomes of older adults reported a higher level of expected satisfaction with treating them. In addition, intrinsic motivation exhibited a positive indirect effect on satisfaction via its direct effect on perceptions of the effectiveness of treating older adults.
Compliance with opioid treatment guidelines for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) in primary care at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC).

Objective The primary objective of this study was to measure prescribing compliance with the Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense treatment guidelines for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) in the primary care setting. We also determined the proportion of subjects who demonstrated aberrant drug-related behaviors (ADRBs) and the patient characteristics associated with them. Design This is a retrospective chart review. Setting Primary care setting in Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Subjects All patients with CNCP between the ages of 18 and 87 years who received opioid prescriptions for 3 or more consecutive months during a 1-year period (July 2009 to August 2010) were eligible for inclusion. A random sample of 800 patients was selected using pharmacy prescription database. Chi-square test was utilized to analyze associations between ADRB and patient characteristics. Results About half the patients in our sample had a signed opioid pain care agreement (OPCA), and at least one urine drug test (UDT) was obtained. UDT was positive for an illicit drug/unreported opioid in 19.5% of the patients, and negative for the prescribed drug in 25.2% of the sample. About 10% of the sample population had morphine equivalent dose equal to or greater than 200 mg/day. ADRBs were identified in 22.9% of the patients. Younger age, psychiatric comorbidities, history of substance abuse, and high opioid dose were associated with high risk of ADRB, but the presence of OPCA lowered the risk of ADRB. Conclusion This article studied the prescribing practices of opioids in a primary care setting and can be used to enhance provider education regarding chronic pain guidelines.
Not by metadata alone: the use of diverse forms of knowledge to locate data for reuse

An important set of challenges for eScience initiatives and digital libraries concern the need to provide scientists with the ability to access data from multiple sources. This paper argues that an analysis of scientists` reuse of data prior to the advent of eScience can illuminate the requirements and design of digital libraries and cyberinfrastructure. As part of a larger study on data sharing and reuse, I investigated the processes by which ecologists locate data that were initially collected by others. Ecological data are unusually complex and present daunting problems of interpretation and analysis that must be considered in the design of cyberinfrastructure. The ecologists that I interviewed found ways to overcome many of these difficulties. One part of my results shows that ecologists use formal and informal knowledge that they have gained through disciplinary training and through their own data-gathering experiences to help them overcome hurdles related to finding, acquiring, and validating data collected by others. A second part of my findings reveals that ecologists rely on formal notions of scientific practice that emphasize objectivity to justify the methods they use to collect data for reuse. I discuss the implications of these findings for digital libraries and eScience initiatives.
Effect of Carbon-4 and Carbon-5 Volatile Fatty Acids on Growth of Mixed Rumen Bacteria In Vitro

Mixed ruminal bacteria (400 mg cells/liter) were incubated in artificial media containing ammonia, sodium carbonate, macrominerals, vitamins, sulfide, microminerals, acetate, propionate, and butyrate. When mixed carbohydrates (equal parts glucose, maltose, sucrose, cellobiose, and soluble starch) were added at 155 mg/liter per h for 10 h, average bacterial growth rate was slow, and dry weight yield was greater than 23%. Additions of isobutyrate, valerate, isovalerate, and 2 methylbutyrate had little influence on synthesis of bacterial dry weight, deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, or carbohydrate. When a timothy hay inoculum was used, isovalerate and 2 methyl-butyrate increased protein synthesis by 11.2 and 16.4%, but isobutyrate and valerate alone were without effect. All four acids combined increased bacterial protein by 18.7%. Responses with an inoculum of 60% concentrate and mixed hay were smaller and not statistically different from control incubations. Low concentrations of Trypticase (less than 250 mg/liter) improved efficiency of microbial protein synthesis from organic matter, but more was associated with decreased efficiency and utilization of extracellular ammonia.
A computational model of attentional learning in a cognitive agent

Abstract Biologically inspired cognitive architectures should faithfully model the high-level modules and processes of cognitive neuroscience. Also, they are expected to contribute to the BICA “challenge of creating a real-life computational equivalent of the human mind”. One important component of the mind is attention and attentional learning. In this paper, we describe conceptual and computational model of attention and attentional learning for intelligent software agents in the context of the broad-based biologically inspired cognitive architecture, LIDA. In LIDA attention is defined as the process of bringing content to consciousness. Implementing Global Workspace Theory, the mechanism of consciousness consists of a continuing sequence of broadcasts of the most salient current contents to all of cognition. We argue that the term attention describes the selection of conscious contents and should be distinguished from mechanism of consciousness itself. Attentional learning, the learning of to what to attend, has been relatively little studied by memory researchers. Here we describe a mechanism for attentional learning using the LIDA architecture. A basic implementation of such an attentional learning mechanism in a LIDA-based agent is presented. The agent performs a psychological attention experiment and produces results comparable to human subjects. The agent’s contribution in determining internal parameters for the LIDA architecture is also described. Our model of attentional learning distinguishes different aspects of selectionist and instructionalist learning. Attentional learning has not received its deserved attention in cognitive architecture research. This work represents a first step toward implementing the full range of cognitive faculties associated with attention and attentional learning in the LIDA cognitive architecture.
The Potential Role of Natriuretic Peptide–Guided Management for Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure

There are >1 million hospitalizations for heart failure (HF) in the United States annually. After discharge, 25% of these patients are rehospitalized within 30 days, and 30% are dead within 1 year. To date, all trials in patients with acute HF (AHF) have failed to improve post-discharge outcomes. There remains a need for an effective objective risk stratification strategy that is capable of reliably identifying patients at heightened risk for readmission and informing discharge decision making. Natriuretic peptide (NP) levels during and after AHF hospitalization can provide valuable information regarding congestion status and chronic remodeling stress. The lack of sensitivity and inter-rater reliability of physical examination, and failure to achieve dry weight in many patients before discharge, renders the use of NP to guide therapy to prevent readmission an attractive option. NP levels can be used across the spectrum of AHF care settings, ranging from the emergency department and inpatient stay to post-discharge follow-up and chronic management. This review summarizes available data and provides an expert opinion on the potential role of NPs to reduce HF readmissions.
Cryptic Structural Hybridity as a Probable Cause of Sterility in Intervarietal Hybrids of Cultivated Rice, Oryza saliva L.

Chromosome behavior in meiosis I was studied in six partially sterile hybrids between varieties of cultivated rice. Diakinesis and metaphase were normal in the sterile hybrids, with no evidence of translocations or absence of pairing to account for the sterility. In two of the hybrids chromosome bridges without fragments occurred at anaphase and telophase in a low but regular frequency. It was concluded that such bridges may be the result of delayed terminalization of chiasmata in pairs of chromosomes which are structurally different at some point. Although rice is not well suited to a study of pachytene and detailed analysis of chromosome pairing was not possible, figures which appeared to be chromosome loops typical of inversions were found in five of the seven hybrids. It was concluded that some evidence of structural differentiation in the parental chromosomes existed and that partial sterility in intervarietal hybrids of cultivated rice is probably due primarily to cryptic structural hybridity, possibly arising from included inversions.
Flory Theory of the Folding of Designed RNA Molecules

We construct a Flory theory for the folding of RNA molecules that have a designed, linear ground state.
Indentation of a half‐space with a rigid indentor

In this work the problem of indentation of a half-space by a spherical rigid indentor is investigated using the finite element method. A system of constitutive equations applicable to elasto-plastic materials subjected to large deformations is used to determine the deformations and stresses for the contact problems. These equations represent the simplest generalization for the large-deformation conditions of the classical theory of plasticity of metals based on the von Mises yield condition and the associated flow rule. The material formulation of the kinematical and dynamical relations will be used. These equations combine the kinematic and the isotropic strain-hardening models. The results obtained from this work are compared with existing solutions for this problem that are confined to small strains and elastic, ideal-plastic materials.
Forum on biogeography: introduction

The process of unifying biogeography has had its many champions. Originally, in pre-evolutionary Europe, biogeography was unified by the common aim of uncovering the centre of origin, a concept derived from biblical texts. Organisms either were created in the places they were found or they moved there from elsewhere (Buffon, 1766; Sclater, 1858). Whether or not the organisms evolved was not an issue in biogeography. Organisms had a centre of origin (either by creation or evolution) from which they moved, thus forming the strange distribution patterns both in living and fossil species. The advent of Darwinian evolutionary theory, a process (natural selection) proposed to explain biogeographical distribution, was seen to be a unifying theme. Organisms had one centre of origin. Ernst Haeckel, who was deeply influenced by Darwin’s work, proposed a centre of origin for mankind. At first he believed it was the lost island of Lemuria, sunk off the coast of Pakistan. In a later revision he moved it to present day Afghanistan
Discovery of novel, non-peptide HIV-1 protease inhibitors by pharmacophore searching

Fifteen novel non-peptide HIV-1 protease inhibitors were identified by flexible 3D database pharmacophore searching of the NCI DIS 3D database. The pharmacophore query used in the search was derived directly from the X-ray determined structures of protease/inhibitor complexes. These 15 inhibitors, belonging to nine different chemical classes, are promising leads for further development. The two best inhibitors found, NSC 32180, a "dimer" of 4-hydroxycoumarin, and NSC 117027, a "tetramer" of 2-hydroxy quinone, had ID50 values of 0.32 and 0.75 microM for HIV-1 protease inhibition, respectively, and two other inhibitors had ID50 values close to 1 microM. Among the potent inhibitors, NSC 158393 not only demonstrated activity against HIV-1 protease (ID50 1.7 microM) but also exhibited promising antiviral activity in HIV-1-infected CEM-SS cells (EC50 = 11.5 microM). Validation of the pharmacophore used in the search was accomplished by conformational analysis. The binding modes of the most potent inhibitor found in our studies, NSC 32180, were predicted employing docking and molecular dynamics techniques.
Theory of elastic and phonon softening in ionic molecular solids. Application to alkali cyanides

We have carried out a theoretical study of the effect of coupling between rotational and translational degrees of freedom first proposed by Michel and Naudts on the elastic constants and phonon frequencies of ionic molecular solids. We have applied our theory to the high-temperature plastic phase of alkali cyanides NaCN, KCN, and RbCN. We find that the competition between short-range repulsion and the interaction of the electric quadrupole moment of the C${\mathrm{N}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ ion with the fluctuating electric field gradient strongly influences the elastic softening and ferroelastic instabilities in these systems. The effect of direct intermolecular interaction and anharmonicity is found to be significant in some cases. The ferroelastic transition temperatures for the above three compounds are found to be 337.5, 190, and 179 K which compare favorably with the experimental values 255.4, 156, and 130 K if we note the mean-field nature of our theory. Within our model we can understand the qualitative differences between the cyanides and the superoxides, a similar class of compounds showing drastically different ferroelastic behavior. Our calculations provide a microscopic justification for the use of certain phenomenological parameters by Strauch et al. in their calculation of phonon frequencies in NaCN and KCN at 300 K.
Statistical Theory of Fission Chains and Generalized Poisson Neutron Counting Distributions

The neutron counting probability distribution for a multiplying medium was shown by Hage and Cifarelli to be a generalized Poisson distribution that depends on the fission chain number distribution...
Linear-quadratic-Gaussian with loop-transfer recovery methodology for an unmanned aircraft

The linear-quadratic-Gaussian with loop-transfer-recovery methodology is considered for flight control design. Several advantages of this method, as well as some precautions that practicing designers should consider during application, have been highlighted. A roll attitude control system is designed for an unmanned aircraft using this methodology. It is demonstrated that this methodology is transparent in addressing such issues as uncertainty descriptions, stability robustness, trade-offs between robustness and available actuator power, bandwith limitations, and prefilter design.
Effects of Noise on Hearing

FEW WOULD DENY THAT WE LIVE IN A NOISY WORLD. NOISE, whether a result of air traffic, crowded urban streets, personal stereos, or high-powered machinery, rifles, and shotguns, is one of America’s most widespread nuisances. Excessive noise disrupts sleep, produces stress, impairs communication, and, in high enough doses, causes significant noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Although roughly 25% of all Americans ages 65 and older suffer hearing loss, hearing loss is not part of the natural aging process. Much hearing loss in older Americans is due to preventable, noiseinduced wear and tear on the auditory system.
QCD and random matrices

Abstract Quantum chromodynamics (QCD), which describes the strong interactions, is a very complicated theory. However, QCD can also be viewed as a complex system which can be analyzed by statistical methods. Here, we review some of the applications of random matrix theory in QCD. We discuss exact results which have been tested in lattice simulations, the analog of the Thouless energy in QCD, and schematic models for QCD at nonzero temperature and density.
Large spin-phonon coupling and magnetically induced phonon anisotropy in Sr M O 3 perovskites ( M = V ,Cr,Mn,Fe,Co)

First-principles calculations reveal large zone-center spin-phonon coupling and magnetically-driven phonon anisotropy in cubic perovskites Sr$M$O${}_{3}$ ($M=\text{V}$,Cr,Mn,Fe,Co). In particular, the frequency and splitting of the polar Slater mode is found to depend strongly upon magnetic ordering. The coupling is parameterized in a crystal-structure-dependent Heisenberg model, and its main features seen to arise from the Goodenough-Kanamori rules. This coupling can be expected to produce distinct low-energy alternative phases, resulting in a rich variety of coupled magnetic, structural, and electronic phase transitions driven by temperature, stress, electric field, and cation substitution.
Photobleaching of disodium fluorescein in water

Photobleaching of disodium fluorescein dissolved in water is experimentally investigated using laser induced fluorescence (LIF). It is demonstrated that significant photobleaching occurs on the millisecond time scale, resulting in a large decrease in the fluorescence signal emanating from a constant concentration sample. The importance of avoiding photobleaching when using LIF with disodium fluorescein for concentration measurements in water flow experiments is demonstrated. A half-life for photobleaching is introduced and measured for disodium fluorescein and is shown to be a more appropriate measure than the traditional ‘bleaching quantum efficiency’. It is demonstrated that the photobleaching of disodium fluorescein is at least partially reversible.
FNO2: improving calculated structures at the second-order Møller—Plesset level of theory

Abstract In a recent study of FNO2, it was found that the second-order Moller—Plesset (MP2) level of theory significantly overestimated the NF bond length, the geometrical parameter most sensitive to the effects of basis set and electron correlation. We obtain more accurate structures using Pople split-valence rather than Dunning—Huzinaga basis sets, a result explained by the compactness of the Pople basis sets. However, the use of Pople basis sets does not overcome the deficiencies of the MP2 method for determining the structure and force field of FNO2.