cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Novel MET/TIE2/VEGFR2 inhibitor altiratinib inhibits tumor growth and invasiveness in bevacizumab-resistant glioblastoma mouse models

Background Glioblastoma highly expresses the proto-oncogene MET in the setting of resistance to bevacizumab. MET engagement by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) results in receptor dimerization and autophosphorylation mediating tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Evasive revascularization and the recruitment of TIE2-expressing macrophages (TEMs) are also triggered by anti-VEGF therapy. Methods We investigated the activity of altiratinib (a novel balanced inhibitor of MET/TIE2/VEGFR2) against human glioblastoma stem cell lines in vitro and in vivo using xenograft mouse models. The biological activity of altiratinib was assessed in vitro by testing the expression of HGF-stimulated MET phosphorylation as well as cell viability after altiratinib treatment. Tumor volume, stem cell and mesenchymal marker levels, microvessel density, and TIE2-expressing monocyte infiltration were evaluated in vivo following treatment with a control, bevacizumab alone, bevacizumab combined with altiratinib, or altiratinib alone. Results In vitro, HGF-stimulated MET phosphorylation was completely suppressed by altiratinib in GSC17 and GSC267, and altiratinib markedly inhibited cell viability in several glioblastoma stem cell lines. More importantly, in multiple xenograft mouse models, altiratinib combined with bevacizumab dramatically reduced tumor volume, invasiveness, mesenchymal marker expression, microvessel density, and TIE2-expressing monocyte infiltration compared with bevacizumab alone. Furthermore, in the GSC17 xenograft model, altiratinib combined with bevacizumab significantly prolonged survival compared with bevacizumab alone. Conclusions Together, these data suggest that altiratinib may suppress tumor growth, invasiveness, angiogenesis, and myeloid cell infiltration in glioblastoma. Thus, altiratinib administered alone or in combination with bevacizumab may overcome resistance to bevacizumab and prolong survival in patients with glioblastoma.
"I Get to Give Back to the Community That Put Me Where I Am": Examining the Experiences and Perspectives of Puerto Rican Teachers in Western New York.

To increase teacher diversity, a number of states have strategically invested in Grow Your Own (GYO) programs that recruit, support, and prepare underrepresented youth to teach in urban schools. Drawing from a mujerista lens, this qualitative research examines the experiences and perspectives of two homegrown Puerto Rican teachers in Western New York. The findings demonstrate how access to multiple opportunities and support networks positively shape their pathway into teaching. However, although a GYO program played an influential role, existing barriers undermine the systemic development of underrepresented youth for careers in urban education. Recommendations for research and practice are discussed.
The Atomic Marshall Plan: Atoms for Peace, British diplomacy and civil nuclear power

AbstractBritish policy towards President Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace speech was characterised by ambiguity. The world's third nuclear power, Britain sought to re-establish nuclear cooperation with the United States. Multilateral nuclear diplomacy was of secondary importance. This position is exemplified in Britain's conflicting attitude to the International Atomic Energy Agency which oscillated from warm enthusiasm to qualified rejection before settling on a policy of grudging acceptance. The paper focusses on British reactions to Eisenhower's proposal and shows that the fate of the agency was secondary to the ultimate aim of restoring the nuclear relationship with Washington which was realised in 1954 resulting in a British volte-face concerning the agency's future.
A New Exploration on the Relations between Emperor and Literature——Study on Long Wen-ling's "Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty and the Literature of West Han Dynasty"

Long Wen-ling's new work "Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty and the Literature of West Han Dynasty" explores Emperor Wu's influence over the literature of the West Han Dynasty in his different life periods from the angles of special reader and special author's influence on literature,which exposes the general rules and reasons why emperor could influence literature,and paves the way for further research on such subjects for the academia.
Use value of the 16-slice spiral CT in the diagnosis of children with congenital heart disease

Objective To investigate the value of the 16-slice spiral CT in the diagnosis of children with congenital heart disease.Methods 72 cases of congenital heart disease were collected from August 2010 to September 2012 in our hospital,all the patients were checked with PHILIPS Brilliance Philips 16-slice CT and the results were analyzed with statistical methods.Results(1) There were 191 cardiovascular malformations in the study.The detection rate of MSCT,UCG had significant difference(P 0.05).(2)There were 49 heart malformations.The detection rate of MSCT and UCG had no significant difference(P 0.05).(3) There were 142 large blood vessels outside the heart and great vessels joints and heart deformity,the detection rate of MSCT and UCG had a significant difference(P 0.05).Conclusion The value of the 16-slice spiral CT in the diagnosis of Children with congenital heart disease is very important,with UCG joint use of the accuracy of the preoperative diagnosis of children with congenital heart disease has been significantly improved in clinical application.
ER-DCOPs: A Framework for Distributed Constraint Optimization with Uncertainty in Constraint Utilities

Distributed Constraint Optimization Problems (DCOPs) have been used to model a number of multi-agent coordination problems. In DCOPs, agents are assumed to have complete information about the utility of their possible actions. However, in many real-world applications, such utilities are stochastic due to the presence of exogenous events that are beyond the direct control of the agents. This paper addresses this issue by extending the standard DCOP model to Expected Regret DCOP (ER-DCOP) for DCOP applications with uncertainty in constraint utilities. Different from other approaches, ER-DCOPs aim at minimizing the overall expected regret of the problem. The paper proposes the ER-DPOP algorithm for solving ER-DCOPs, which is complete and requires a linear number of messages with respect to the number of agents in the problem. We further present two implementations of ER-DPOP---GPU- and ASP-based implementations---that orthogonally exploit the problem structure and present their evaluations on random networks and power network problems.
Computer-Designed Nano-Fibrous Scaffolds

Nano-fibrous scaffolding mimics aspects of the extracellular matrix to improve cell function and tissue formation. Although several methods exist to fabricate nano-fibrous scaffolds, the combination of phase separation with reverse solid freeform fabrication (SFF) allows for scaffolds with features at three different orders of magnitude to be formed, which is not easily achieved with other nano-fiber fabrication methods. This technique allows for the external shape and internal pore structure to be precisely controlled in an easily repeatable manner, while the nano-fibrous wall architecture facilitates cellular attachment, proliferation, and differentiation of the cells. In this chapter, we examine the fabrication of computer-designed nano-fibrous scaffolds utilizing thermally induced phase separation and reverse SFF, and the benefits of such scaffolds over more traditional tissue engineering scaffolds on cellular function and tissue regeneration.
Current concepts in the perinatal diagnosis and management of hydronephrosis.

SUMMARY Perinatal urology has become a significant facet of pediatric urologic practice. This article reviews the approaches to the diagnosis of prenatal hydronephrosis and its typical sonographic appearances in relation to the underlying pathology. A review of the outcomes of prenatal uropathology serves as a basis on which to interpret reports of prenatal intervention for hydronephrosis. A critical review of the experience of prenatal intervention is conditionally supportive of its benefits, but this view must be tempered by a recognition of the inherent risk to the mother and fetus. Included within this view is a recognition that not all hydronephrosis is caused by obstruction. More specific prognostic indicators of renal and pulmonary functional reserve are critically needed to permit appropriate patient selection. This must be coupled with more rigorous assessment of outcomes and complete reporting of the results. Continued basic and clinical research is important in developing these data. A management strategy for hydronephrosis in the prenatal and postnatal periods is presented, based on the goal of permitting maximal renal as well as pulmonary development in utero and in the newborn period.
Urban Renewal and Redevelopment

Over sixty years have passed since the Housing Act of 1949 began a quarter-century of federal urban renewal programs in cities across the United States. Many neighborhoods were transformed by urban redevelopment projects in those years as the urban fabric was dramatically transformed, and many residents lost both their homes and their communities through urban renewal projects, often in devastating fashion. Keywords: African American; city; community
Adam Smith as a Scottish Philosopher

Was Adam Smith a Scottish philosopher? The question seems an odd one. He was a philosopher and he was Scottish. What more could we need to know, in order to arrive at the simple answer ‘yes?’ And in any case, why does it matter? On reflection, however, neither the question nor the answer seems so simple, and both are more consequential than might be thought at first. Consider the case of David Hume. Hume was Scottish, and Hume was a philosopher, but at one time he was regularly excluded from the canon of ‘Scottish philosophy.’ The reason is not hard to find. For a century or more Scottish philosophy was especially identified with Thomas Reid, the founding figure of the Scottish School of Common Sense, a school that arose from sustained opposition to Hume. In The Scottish Philosophy of Common Sense Selwyn Grave writes: The philosophy of Common Sense became ‘the Scottish philosophy’ and schooled several generations of Scotsmen ... Its history in Scotland began at Aberdeen with Thomas Reid’s teaching at King’s College and his papers to the Aberdeen Philosophical Society.... The society, important both for the origin and expansion of the philosophy of Common Sense, was formed in 1758 and during its early years gravitated in a distant orbit round Hume ... Reid’s Inquiry into the Human Mind on the Principles of Common Sense, based on his papers to the Aberdeen Philosophical Society was published in 1764 ... The philosophy of Common Sense arose as an ‘answer’ to Hume. (Grave, 1961, pp. 1–4)
Multigenerational Broadband Collision-Induced Dissociation of Precursor Ions in a Linear Quadrupole Ion Trap.

A method of fragmenting ions over a wide range of m/z values while balancing energy deposition into the precursor ion and available product ion mass range is demonstrated. In the method, which we refer to as “multigenerational collision-induced dissociation”, the radiofrequency (rf) amplitude is first increased to bring the lowest m/z of the precursor ion of interest to just below the boundary of the Mathieu stability diagram (q = 0.908). A supplementary AC signal at a fixed Mathieu q in the range 0.2–0.35 (chosen to balance precursor ion potential well depth with available product ion mass range) is then used for ion excitation as the rf amplitude is scanned downward, thus fragmenting the precursor ion population from high to low m/z. The method is shown to generate high intensities of product ions compared with other broadband CID methods while retaining low mass ions during the fragmentation step, resulting in extensive fragment ion coverage for various components of complex mixtures. Because ions are fragmented from high to low m/z, space charge effects are minimized and multiple discrete generations of product ions are produced, thereby giving rise to “multigenerational” product ion mass spectra.
Evolving Surgical Interventions in the Treatment of Glaucoma.

ABSTRACTInterventions in the treatment of mild to moderate glaucoma have evolved to include a group of procedures collectively named “Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS).” These procedures are less invasive than traditional filtering surgery and setons and offer the benefit of an improved side-effect profile. A review of current published literature has shown that these procedures offer lower intraocular pressure, decrease reliance on topical medications, have no negative effect on refractive outcomes, and can be safely done following failed tube surgery.
Treatment of Amblyopia and Amblyopia Risk Factors Based on Current Evidence

ABSTRACTPurpose: Amblyopia is a leading cause of low vision and warrants timely management during childhood. We performed a literature review of the management of amblyopia and potential risk factors for amblyopia. Methods: Literature review of the management of amblyopia and risk factors for amblyopia. Results: Common amblyopia risk factors include anisometropic or high refractive error, strabismus, cataract, and ptosis. Often a conservative approach with spectacles is enough to prevent amblyopia. However, surgery may be necessary to clear the visual axis or align the eyes. Conclusion: Amblyopia risk factors should be managed early. Though amblyopia treatment is more likely to be successful at a younger age, those who are older but treatment-naive may still respond to treatment. Promoting binocular or dichoptic experiences may be the future direction of amblyopia management.
Approach to the Sampling of the Lung

The decision of who, how, and when to sample the lung to establish a diagnosis is complicated. The factors that figure into that decision along with their relative merits are discussed in this chapter. How to process biopsies optimally is discussed.
Hypothermia for Acute Ischemic Stroke

The use of hypothermia as a medical therapy has been used and tested for centuries. In the modern era, its use in neurological diseases has attained significant interest and potential benefit has been found in a number of areas, particularly cerebral ischemia. In the setting of global cerebral ischemia, clinical benefit has been observed and so it seems that this may be the case in focal cerebral ischemia as well. This chapter reveals the current state of the evidence.
Abstract IA17: Application of PDX models to pancreas cancer research

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most deadly cancers. Very few therapeutics advanced have been achieved in this disease. Over the last few years, several studies have started to elucidate the molecular biology of PDAC including the genomic landscape of the disease, the importance of the stroma and the immunesuppressive environment characteristic of PDAC. One important development in translational research in PDAC is the availability of preclinical models of the disease. This includes genetically engineered mouse models of cancer, patient derived xenografts (aka Avatar models) and organoids. These models are becoming useful for drug screening, biomarker development and personalize medicine. Using Avatar models we identified Nab-paclitaxel as an effective agent in pancreas cancer in contrast to paclitaxel that does not result antitumor effects. We also showed that Nab-paclitaxel disrupts PDAC stroma, an observation, however, has not been confirmed by others. In addition, studies in mouse models revealed the lack of predictability of SPARC expression for clinical outcome. More recently, we have identified demcizumab and palbociclib as potentially effective agents in PDX models as the basis for their clinical development. PDX models have also de potential to be used as a platform for personalizes cancer treatment. In this regard, we are now conducting the AVATAR clinical trial in which patients with advanced cancer are randomized to receive either a conventional treatment or a treatment based on integrating genomic data with AVATAR mouse mode development. Citation Format: Manuel Hidalgo. Application of PDX models to pancreas cancer research. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Patient-Derived Cancer Models: Present and Future Applications from Basic Science to the Clinic; Feb 11-14, 2016; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2016;22(16_Suppl):Abstract nr IA17.
Obstetric care in women with genetic disorders.

The management of pregnant women who are themselves affected with genetic diseases is an increasingly relevant and important issue. Improvements in early diagnosis and management of genetic disease, as well as advances in assisted reproductive technology have impacted pregnancy rates in a cohort of women who may not have otherwise been able to conceive. A multidisciplinary approach is key to the management of pregnant women with complex health conditions, including genetic diseases. Pertinent issues should be addressed in the preconception, antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum periods to optimize maternal and fetal health. Additionally, counseling regarding risk of inheritance in offspring and options for prenatal diagnosis should be reviewed if available. This reviews aims to help provide background and insight into the management strategies for various commonly encountered and complex genetic conditions in the setting of pregnancy
An Updated Overview of the Gender-Specific Response to Infection

Abstract Gender-specific differences in infection and the immune response can be seen as early as birth. With a few notable exceptions, in infections where a gender difference exists, being female offers an immune advantage. There are many possible explanations for this sexual dimorphism: the actions of sex hormones on the immune response or the pathogen, immunomodulatory genes on the X chromosome, and sex-related differences such as risk-taking and/or compliance with medications are all potential contributing factors. To date, much of the scientific evidence points to the differences induced by sex hormones, specifically by testosterone and estrogen, and their effects on the immune system. Despite a plethora of research chronicling the relationship between sex hormones and gender differences in infection in hosts, few studies have been done looking at the effect of sex hormones on the pathogens themselves. In addition, very few molecular mechanisms have been well elucidated detailing how specifically sex hormones alter the immune response during an infection.
A comprehensive review of smart grid related standards and protocols

The emergence of the smart grid has led to the development of a diverse set of standards and protocols for achieving interoperability among smart devices. These smart grid related standards and protocols cover a wide variety of power system components and functionalities. In this paper, a comprehensive review of commonly used standards and protocols in the smart grid environment is provided, ranging from those related to the enterprise, control center and wide area monitoring, distributed generation, substation, demand response, metering, electric vehicles and cyber security.
Tandem thiotepa with autologous hematopoietic cell rescue in patients with recurrent, refractory, or poor prognosis solid tumor malignancies.

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and tolerability of tandem courses of high-dose thiotepa with autologous hematopoietic cell rescue (AHCR) in patients with recurrent, refractory solid tumors who were ineligible for a single course of high-dose therapy due to greater than minimal residual disease. Patients with decreased hearing or poor renal function were eligible. Procedure Thiotepa was administered intravenously at a dose of 200 mg/m2 /day (6.67 mg/kg/day) daily for 3 days followed by AHCR. A second course of thiotepa was given 4 weeks later provided blood counts recovered sufficiently without evidence of tumor progression. Results Fifty-eight patients received 96 courses. Thirty-eight (65%) patients received two courses of therapy. Twenty-seven courses (28%) were administered completely in the outpatient setting. A toxic mortality rate of 3.4% was observed. Five of 26 patients with medulloblastoma were alive at a median of 35 months, whereas 21 patients died at a median of 11.7 months. Four of five patients with central nervous system germ cell tumors (CNS GCT) were alive 68-103 months following AHCR. Conclusions Two cycles of high-dose thiotepa with AHCR were well tolerated even in these heavily pretreated patients. This therapy may provide prolonged survival in patients with recurrent malignant brain tumors, particularly medulloblastoma and CNS GCT.
Pre-Experiment Planning for Designed Experiments: Graphical Methods

This paper presents graphical methods for deciding on experiment goals, selecting and identifying variables, and specifying a model. These steps are often overlooked in the literature, where the appropriate variables and model are assumed to be given. T..
Bilingually traversing the US/Mexico "wall" via a classroom telecollaborative exchange: Translanguaging online with the Functional Approach to Code-switching Electronically (FACE)

This study proposes to make the concept of translanguaging online accessible for teachers who wish to connect their classrooms with students in other countries via telecollaboration projects. I explore the role of instructed code-switching, as a strategic and intentional translanguaging strategy, for developing learners’ symbolic competence and in promoting the kind of communication in transnational telecollaboration projects that leads to positive bilingual identity and language development. The majority of telecollaboration projects reported in the literature describe projects at the university language classroom setting and the varied dysfunctions that may lead to “failed communication” (O’Dowd & Ritter, 2013) or “missed communication” (Ware, 2005). In contrast, the study within describes the successful impact of a pedagogical intervention, the Functional Approach to Code-switching Electronically (FACE) (Author, 2014), that fostered intercultural understanding among public high school students in an American Government class in the Southwestern United States and students in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) class in the Central Pacific Coast of Mexico. Findings demonstrate how teachers can adopt translanguaging practices in their classrooms by instructing the purposeful use of code-switching for facilitating the development of students’ L2, content acquisition, symbolic competence, and positive identities as bilinguals. In doing so, students are given the strategies needed to successfully play within the power games situated across semi-anonymous online borders, walls, and contact zones (Vinall, 2010). DOI:10.2458/azu_itet_v5i2_przymus
Video Review Process: Enhancing Impact and Resident/Faculty Satisfaction.

Introduction Although video review (VR) is a common component of family medicine (FM) resident education, levels of faculty and resident satisfaction and the perceived impact of the VR process are unknown. Our FM residency program made several changes to our VR process, including a new feedback form highlighting strengths and areas for growth, a post-VR email to the resident including a tip sheet on an identified skill, and follow-up shadowing by a behavioral health clinician to increase VR impact and reinforce skill development. Methods FM residency faculty (n=11) and residents (n=34) completed an anonymous 20-item online survey. The survey was administered twice, first at baseline and then 9 months after the changes were instituted. Survey questions targeted the preceding 9 months and assessed satisfaction with VRs and perceived value and impact of the VR process. Results At baseline, both faculty and residents reported low levels of satisfaction and perceived impact and value of the VR process. Among both residents and faculty, significant improvements emerged in ratings of satisfaction and perceived value of the VR process. At postsurvey, significantly more residents reported feeling equipped with specific tips on how to improve their communication skills after VR than at baseline. Conclusion Our evaluation documented significant improvements in satisfaction and perceived value in our VR process following the changes in our procedures. Future research could develop measures to assess communication skills that are more sensitive to change, thereby strengthening this line of research by supplementing self-report data with more objective observational data.
Short communication: Relationships among temperature-humidity index with rectal, udder surface, and vaginal temperatures in lactating dairy cows experiencing heat stress

The objective of this study was to evaluate relationships between measurements of temperature-humidity index (THI) and rectal, vaginal, and udder surface temperatures in lactating cows exposed to heat stress (HS). In experiment 1, 12 multiparous and 8 primiparous Holstein cows experienced a THI ranging from 69 to 76 at 2000 to 1000 h and THI from 74 to 82 at 1000 to 2000 h (peaked at 82 from 1400 to 1800 h). Cows were exposed to HS 10 h daily for 21 d. Measurements of rectal temperature (RT) and udder surface temperature were collected at 1000 and 1500 h (±30 min). Vaginal temperature was monitored every 10 min using digital loggers, averaged over 1 h, and paired with corresponding rectal and udder surface temperature data. In experiment 2, 12 multiparous Holstein cows experienced a THI ranging from 60 to 76 at 2000 to 1000 h and THI from 69 to 83 at 1000 to 2000 h (peaked at 83 from 1600 and 1900 h), eliciting 10 h/d of HS for 7 d. Rectal and udder surface temperatures were analyzed at 0700 and 1500 h (±30 min). Vaginal temperature was recorded and analyzed as indicated in experiment 1. Afternoon THI showed weak correlations with surface temperature (r = 0.19, n = 420 in experiment 1; r = 0.23, n = 84 in experiment 2), weak to moderate correlations with RT (r = 0.34, n = 366 in experiment 1; r = 0.26, n = 84 in experiment 2), and moderate correlations with vaginal temperature (r = 0.34, n = 175 in experiment 1; r = 0.35, n = 40 in experiment 2). Moreover, vaginal temperature increased 0.10 and 0.22°C per unit of THI (R2 = 0.15 in experiment 1; R2 = 0.40 in experiment 2). Afternoon vaginal temperature strongly correlated with RT (r = 0.69, n = 131 in experiment 1; r = 0.63, n = 37 in experiment 2) and explained 57 (experiment 1) and 68% (experiment 2) of variation in RT. Surface temperature showed moderate to strong correlations with RT (r = 0.57, n = 84) and vaginal temperature (r = 0.74, n = 37) in experiment 2. In conclusion, THI showed a weak to moderate relationship with core body temperatures and explained the increase in rectal and vaginal temperatures experienced by HS cows. Compared with rectal temperature, vaginal temperature showed stronger relationships with THI and can be used to determine thermal load. Udder surface temperature showed a moderate to strong relationship with core body temperature, and this relationship may support the use of surface temperature data to manage thermal load in HS cows.
Functional and Taxonomic Probes for Bacteria in the Nitrogen Cycle

The contrasting physiology and phylogeny of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria require different methods for detection and quantification in the environment. rRNA probes are appropriate for nitrifiers. Denitrifiers are more diverse; the conserved enzymology of denitrification provides a functional approach for probes. Although quantification is still rudimentary, comparison among immunofluorescence enumeration, PCR amplification and quantitative hybridization allow an assessment of genotype vs phenotype abundances. Nitrifiers are a very small fraction of the total bacterial population, but a few serotypes and rRNA groups are ubiquitous in natural waters. The denitrification genotype is apparently abundant, but individual denitrifying strains are present in very low numbers.
Introduction to Cold Hydrogen Masers

Over ten years ago several laboratories started new programs to cool hydrogen atom gas to very low temperatures. The primary motivation was to produce the Bose-Einstein condensation of a weakly interacting gas.1 At about the same time it was realized2 that cold hydrogen atom gas would offer some advantages for hydrogen maser frequency standards. The principal advantage is that the spin exchange collision cross section, which limits the line Q and power radiated in conventional masers, decreases substantially at low temperatures. Other advantages include decreased thermal noise and the possibilities of improved magnetic shielding and improved cavity Q and stability. It is also hoped that the molecular solid or liquid helium surfaces used to store hydrogen at low temperatures can be made to be uniform and stable and so produce reproducible, stable wall shifts.
A parallel implementation of K-means clustering on GPUs

Graphics Processing Units (GPU) have recently been the subject of attention in research as an efficient coprocessor for implementing many classes of highly parallel applications. The GPUs design is engineered for graphics applications, where many independent SIMD workloads are simultaneously dispatched to processing elements. While parallelism has been explored in the context of traditional CPU threads and SIMD processing elements, the principles involved in dividing the steps of a parallel algorithm for execution on GPU architectures remains a significant challenge. In this paper, we introduce a first step towards building an efficient GPU-based parallel implementation of a commonly used clustering algorithm called K-Means on an NVIDIA G80 PCI express graphics board using the CUDA processing extensions. Clustering algorithms are important for search, data mining, spam and intrusion detection applications. Modern desktop machines commonly include desktop search software that can be greatly enhanced by these advances, while low-power machines such as laptops can reduce power consumption by utilizing the video chip for these clustering and indexing operations. Our preliminary results show over a 13x performance improvement compared to a baseline 3 GHz Intel Pentium(R) based PC running the same algorithm with an average spec G80 graphics card, the NVIDIA 8600GT. The low cost of these video cards (less than $100 market price as of 2008), and the high performance gains suggest that our approach is both practical and economical for common applications.
Statement of Professor Orin Kerr, 2017 Report of the Ad Hoc Committee to Review the Criminal Justice Act

On October 4, 2018, the 2017 Report of the Ad Hoc Committee to Review the Criminal Justice Act was made available to the public. Although the Report was unanimous in many respects, Professor Kerr authored a separate statement disagreeing in part with the recommendations of the Committee. This is his separate statement.
A Comprehensive Informative Metric for Summarizing HPC System Status

It remains a major challenge to effectively summarize and visualize in a comprehensive form the status of a complex computer system, such as the Titan supercomputer at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF). In the ongoing research highlighted in this poster, we present system information entropy (SIE), a newly developed system metric that leverages the powers of traditional machine learning techniques and information theory. By compressing the multi-variant multi-dimensional event information recorded during the operation of the targeted system into a single time series of SIE, we demonstrate that the historical system status can be sensitively summarized in form of SIE and visualized concisely and comprehensively.
Sensitivity analysis of the utility maximisation problem with respect to model perturbations

We consider the expected utility maximisation problem and its response to small changes in the market price of risk in a continuous semimartingale setting. Assuming that the preferences of a rational economic agent are modelled by a general utility function, we obtain a second-order expansion of the value function, a first-order approximation of the terminal wealth, and we construct trading strategies that match the indirect utility function up to the second order. The method, which is presented in an abstract version, relies on a simultaneous expansion with respect to both the state variable and the parameter, and convex duality in the direction of the state variable only (as there is no convexity with respect to the parameter). If a risk-tolerance wealth process exists, using it as numeraire and under an appropriate change of measure, we reduce the approximation problem to a Kunita–Watanabe decomposition.
Academic Library Middle Managers as Leaders: In Their Own Words

AbstractThe experience of academic library middle managers is largely unexamined in the LIS literature, even though middle managers oftentimes function as change agents, succession planners, and pr...
Chapter 89 – Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) includes a diverse group of hereditary disorders of the lower motor neuron. The most common form, accounting for 95% of SMA, is a proximal predominant autosomal recessive disease caused by homozygous loss of the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene and retention of varying copy number of the SMN2 gene. The combined effects lead to reduced SMN protein levels that are insufficient for normal motor neuron function. SMN-related SMA can be divided into subtypes based on age of onset and maximal motor milestones, and subtype severity correlates with SMN2 gene copy number. Diagnostic confirmation is obtained using genetic testing for homozygous deletion or mutation of the SMN1 gene. Currently treatment is limited to supportive care. Therapeutic development aimed at restoring SMN has been the most successful, and currently gene therapy to replace SMN1 and antisense oligonucleotide therapy to increase SMN production from SMN2 show the most promise.
Hoogsteen base pairs increase the susceptibility of double-stranded DNA to cytotoxic damage

As the Watson-Crick faces of nucleobases are protected in double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), it is commonly assumed that deleterious alkylation damage to the Watson-Crick faces of nucleobases predominantly occurs when DNA becomes single-stranded during replication and transcription. However, damage to the Watson-Crick faces of nucleobases has been reported in dsDNA in vitro through mechanisms that are not understood. In addition, the extent of protection from methylation damage conferred by dsDNA relative to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) has not been quantified. Watson-Crick base-pairs in dsDNA exist in dynamic equilibrium with Hoogsteen base-pairs that expose the Watson-Crick faces of purine nucleobases to solvent. Whether this can influence the damage susceptibility of dsDNA remains unknown. Using dot-blot and primer extension assays, we measured the susceptibility of adenine-N1 to methylation by dimethyl sulfate (DMS) when in an A-T Watson-Crick versus Hoogsteen conformation. Relative to unpaired adenines in a bulge, Watson-Crick A-T base-pairs in dsDNA only conferred ~130-fold protection against adenine-N1 methylation and this protection was reduced to ~40-fold for A(syn)-T Hoogsteen base-pairs embedded in a DNA-drug complex. Our results indicate that Watson-Crick faces of nucleobases are accessible to alkylating agents in canonical dsDNA and that Hoogsteen base-pairs increase this accessibility. Given the higher abundance of dsDNA relative to ssDNA, these results suggest that dsDNA could be a substantial source of cytotoxic damage. The work establishes DMS probing as a method for characterizing A(syn)-T Hoogsteen base pairs in vitro andlays the foundation for a sequencing approach to map A(syn)-T Hoogsteen and unpaired adenines genome-wide in vivo.
Reconstruction of 3D Microstructures from 2D Images via Transfer Learning

Abstract Computational analysis, modeling, and prediction of many phenomena in materials require a three-dimensional (3D) microstructure sample that embodies the salient features of the material system under study. Since acquiring 3D microstructural images is expensive and time-consuming, an alternative approach is to extrapolate a 2D image (aka exemplar) into a virtual 3D sample and thereafter use the 3D image in the analyses and design. In this paper, we introduce an efficient and novel approach based on transfer learning to accomplish this extrapolation-based reconstruction for a wide range of microstructures including alloys, porous media, and polycrystalline. We cast the reconstruction task as an optimization problem where a random 3D image is iteratively refined to match its microstructural features to those of the exemplar. VGG19, a pre-trained deep convolutional neural network, constitutes the backbone of this optimization where it is used to obtain the microstructural features and construct the objective function. By augmenting the architecture of VGG19 with a permutation operator, we enable it to take 3D images as inputs and generate a collection of 2D features that approximate an underlying 3D feature map. We demonstrate the applications of our approach with nine examples on various microstructure samples and image types (grayscale, binary, and RGB). As measured by independent statistical metrics, our approach ensures the statistical equivalency between the 3D reconstructed samples and the corresponding 2D exemplar quite well.
Chlorinated Byproduct Formation during the Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Process at Magnéli Phase Ti4O7 Electrodes.

This research investigated chlorinated byproduct formation at Ti4O7 anodes. Resorcinol was used as a model organic compound representative of reactive phenolic groups in natural organic matter and ...
The Bloody Business of Christian Conversion

This chapter investigates the paradoxical relation that Nanping Christians cultivate with blood. While all local Christians set dietary rules and drink the blood of Christ on a regular basis, the Gospel Church, the Christian Assembly, the True Jesus Church, and the Adventist Church banish all consumption of animal blood. Thus, this chapter explores the history and growing popularity of this Protestant blood taboo as well as the ways the blood of Christ is produced and consumed in Nanping. Elaborating on the Chinese socio-cultural significance of blood, I argue that Christian actors are not setting these practices up to set their religious community apart but to point out the peculiar presence of their God. Borrowing from theories on visual art, I show how these rituals do not create impervious social boundaries between different religious groups but reveal the Christian face in a language that is audible for all.
MAPK-induced miR-29 targets MAFG and suppresses melanoma progression

The tumor suppressive miR-29 family of microRNAs is encoded by two clusters, miR-29b1~a and miR-29b2~c, and is regulated by several oncogenic and tumor suppressive stimuli. Here we investigated whether oncogenic MAPK hyperactivation regulates miR-29 abundance and how this signaling axis impacts melanoma development. Using mouse embryonic fibroblasts and human melanocytes, we found that oncogenic MAPK signaling stimulates p53-independent and p53-dependent transcription of pri-miR-29b1~a and pri-miR-29b2~c, respectively. Expression analyses revealed that while pri-miR-29a~b1 remains elevated, pri-miR-29b2~c levels decrease during melanoma progression. Using a rapid mouse modeling platform, we showed that inactivation of miR-29 in vivo accelerates the development of frank melanomas and decreases overall survival. We identified MAFG as a relevant miR-29 target that has oncogenic potential in melanocytes and is required for growth of melanoma cells. Our findings suggest that MAPK-driven miR-29 induction constitutes a tumor suppressive barrier by targeting MAFG, which is overcome by attenuation of miR-29b2~c expression.
The Liability of Performing Orthognathic Surgery

Study Design:This is a retrospective case series using the Thomson Reuters Westlaw Edge database, an online subscription-based database of over 40,000 state and federal records.Objective:There is g...
The sagittal curvature of the spine can be a leading cause of scoliosis in pediatric spine

The etiology of the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) remains unknown. Variations in the sagittal profile of the spine between the early stage scoliotic and non-scoliotic pediatric patients have been shown. However, no quantitative study has shown the link between the sagittal profile and 3D deformity of the spine. 126 right thoracic scoliosis with spinal and 3D reconstructions were included. A 2D finite element model was developed for each of the sagittal curve types without any deformity in the frontal or axial planes. Physiological loadings were determined from the literature and were applied in the finite element model. The 3D deformation patterns of the models were compared to the 3D spinal patterns of the AIS with the same sagittal type. A significant correlation was found between the 3D deformity of the scoliotic curves and the numerical finite element simulation of the corresponding sagittal profile as determined by pattern correlation, p<0.001. The sagittal curve deformation patterns corresponded to the spinal deformities in the patients with the same sagittal curvature. Finite element models of the spines, representing different sagittal types in 126 AIS patients showed that deformation pattern of the sagittal types changes as a function of the spine curvature and associates with the patterns of 3D spinal deformity in AIS patients with the same sagittal curves. This finding provided evidence that the sagittal curve of the spine can determine the deformity patterns in AIS.
How Consumers Respond to Food Safety Crisis: A Study of Peanut Butter and Egg Recalls on Consumer Behavior

In 2009, salmonellosis was found in peanut processed by the Peanut Corporation of America, resulting in 714 cases of severe food poisoning from ingesting contaminated peanut butter. In 2010, over 1900 people were hospitalized due to salmonella outbreak from eggs produced in two Iowa farms. Using a modified regression discontinuity design, this paper examines how consumers responded to these two recent and acute national food safety crises, and whether consumers’ responses correlate with their socioeconomic statuses. The regression results show that while the sale of peanut butter suffered a statistically significant decrease at 13.7% in the second week after the recall announcement, the sale in eggs was not significantly affected. The socioeconomic statuses of consumers did not play a determining factor in their purchasing behaviors in either case. This finding implies that national food recalls have mixed effect on preventing consumers from purchasing potentially contaminated products regardless of socioeconomic classes.
Book Review: Engaging Departments: Moving Faculty Culture From Private to Public, Individual to Collective Focus for the Common Good by Kevin Kecskes, ed. (Jossey-Bass, 2006)

Excerpt: Planning a university service learning program without reading Engaging Departments: Moving Faculty Culture From Private to Public, Individual to Collective Focus for the Common Good is like starting to build a house with no tools or blueprints. And service learning programs like the ones described in this book can inspire SoTL projects on service learning.
The market experience: Environmental complexity and cognitive complexity

In the previous chapter we found that markets contribute to cognitive complexity largely through their influence on the kinds of work people do and their relief of poverty. On the other hand, firms often did not systematically reward complex cognition (often they could not afford to train for it) and they have not, until recently, banded together to give political support for a level of public education appropriate to its influence on the economy. In this chapter I continue the examination of market effects on cognitive complexity by turning to the influence of environmental stimulation and stress on cognition. The market, as a source of both challenge and stress, by its very nature demands difficult cognitive responses. As a self-regulating system the market is not equipped to regulate or inhibit over stimulation. It has no terminal facilities for stimuli. There is no systemic brake or inhibition (except for individual choice) that might tailor demands to the variety of capacities among market participants. The thesis of this chapter is that market effects on cognition follow a curvilinear pattern whereby they first increase cognitive complexity by their challenges, innovations, and propensities for rapid change, and then often overload the capacities of their participants by their demands for complex cognitions. I first present evidence of curvilinearity in laboratory, field, and historical studies, then turn to evidence of market complexities leading to overload. After exploring some social consequences of this pattern, we will examine models where environmental complexities occur either simultaneously or in sequence, concluding with an examination of adaptive responses in these different circumstances.
Lymphotropic papovavirus early region is specifically regulated transgenic mice and efficiently induces neoplasia.

Abstract Transgenic mice have been generated which carry the early region of lymphotropic papovavirus (LPV). Eight of eleven founder animals died before 3 months of age after developing one or both of two distinct proliferative disorders. Of the three surviving animals, two are known to have rearranged or partial copies of the LPV genes. The majority of the founder animals (six) developed debilitating choroid plexus tumors by 26 to 42 days. Although this is the same tumor type induced by the simian virus 40 T-antigen gene, those induced by LPV appeared at a much younger age. The LPV early region was expressed in the brain tumors of these mice, as well as in the thymus and spleen. Expression in the latter two tissues reflects the cell-type specificity of the LPV enhancer demonstrated in cultured cells (i.e., lymphoid cells). Two founder animals (LP41 and LP50) gave rise to lines of mice that routinely develop lymphoproliferative disorders. LP50 and its LPV-positive offspring developed aggressive lymphomas and choroid plexus tumors. The transgenic offspring of LP41 also developed lymphomas. High levels of LPV RNA were expressed in the lymphomas of these mice as well as in the spleens and thymuses. The origin of the lymphomas from B- and T-cell lineages suggests that the LPV early genes are expressed in and can transform both of these cell types in vivo.
Mapping oilfield brine-contaminated sites with mid-spatial resolution remotely sensed data

An environmental problem associated with petroleum production is the disposal of brine, which is produced during petroleum exploration and production. Oilfield brine, if improperly handled, transported, and disposed of, can pose a serious threat to surrounding water resources, arable lands, and plant communities. Although field checking of known oilfield brine-contaminated sites is relatively straightforward, the ability to detect and inventory brine-contaminated sites over remote and expansive areas can be time consuming and expensive. A more efficient and cost-effective method is needed to delineate brine-contaminated sites accurately. The chief aim of this project was to test a remote sensing method to map accurately and quantify contaminated oilfield brine sites in west Texas. Landsat ETM+ data of west Texas were obtained, de-correlated with a three-band dataset using principal component analysis (PCA), and classified into brine and non-brine locations using supervised classification with a maximum li...