cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Roughness-Induced Transient Growth

Numerical simulations are used to model the boundary layer disturbance field due to a spanwise periodic array of circular disks at the surface. Our earlier computations (Fischer and Choudhari 2004) reproduced some of the major trends associated with roughness induced transient growth as measured by White and Ergin (2003), confirming the accuracy of their data reduction technique. The present paper explores the effects of roughness height, shape, and size on the transient growth along the wake of the roughness array. Results indicate the range of roughness heights over which the energy levels of the dominant stationary disturbance are consistent with the empirically determined Rek 2 scaling of White and Ergin. Computations further reveal the intricate effects of disturbance nonlinearity on transient growth characteristics. At sufficiently large roughness heights, simulations indicate spontaneous vortex shedding behind the roughness array, which has been identified in previous experiments as a precursor to premature transition (i.e., tripping) of the laminar boundary layer. The effect of stationary, suboptimal transient growth disturbances on the amplification of Tollmien-Schlichting instability waves in the boundary layer is also assessed in the light of the recent findings concerning the stabilizing influence of optimal growth streaks (Cossu and Brandt 2002).
Entomology in the Pacific Branch—Plus and Minus Fifty Years: Undergraduate and Graduate Training

The past 50 years have witnessed many changes and advances in the training of undergraduate and graduate majors in entomology at Western universities. Forty and fifty years ago the only teaching department with much stature in the West was at the University of California at Berkeley. Today, there are fine departments of entomology in many of the Western States, including three outstanding departments in Cal ifornia. My comments today about undergraduate and graduate training are based on information supplied by department Chairmen of our western departments.
Evaluation of Multiple Blood Matrices for Assessment of Human Exposure to Nerve Agents

Biomedical samples may be used to determine human exposure to nerve agents through the analysis of specific biomarkers. Samples received may include serum, plasma, whole blood, lysed blood and, due to the toxicity of these compounds, postmortem blood. To quantitate metabolites resulting from exposure to sarin (GB), soman (GD), cyclosarin (GF), VX and VR, these blood matrices were evaluated individually for precision, accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. Accuracies for these metabolites ranged from 100 to 113% with coefficients of variation ranging from 2.31 to 13.5% across a reportable range of 1-100 ng/mL meeting FDA recommended guidelines for bioanalytical methods in all five matrices. Limits of detection were calculated to be 0.09-0.043 ng/mL, and no interferences were detected in unexposed matrix samples. The use of serum calibrators was also determined to be a suitable alternative to matrix-matched calibrators. Finally, to provide a comparative value between whole blood and plasma, the ratio of the five nerve agent metabolites measured in whole blood versus plasma was determined. Analysis of individual whole blood samples (n = 40), fortified with nerve agent metabolites across the reportable range, resulted in average nerve agent metabolite blood to plasma ratios ranging from 0.53 to 0.56. This study demonstrates the accurate and precise quantitation of nerve agent metabolites in serum, plasma, whole blood, lysed blood and postmortem blood. It also provides a comparative value between whole blood and plasma samples, which can assist epidemiologists and physicians with interpretation of test results from blood specimens obtained under variable conditions.
Protein backbone ensemble generation explores the local structural space of unseen natural homologs

MOTIVATION Mutations in homologous proteins affect changes in the backbone conformation that involve a complex interplay of forces which are difficult to predict. Protein design algorithms need to anticipate these backbone changes in order to accurately calculate the energy of the structure given an amino acid sequence, without knowledge of the final, designed sequence. This is related to the problem of predicting small changes in the backbone between highly similar sequences. RESULTS We explored the ability of the Rosetta suite of protein design tools to move the backbone from its position in one structure (template) to its position in a close homologous structure (target) as a function of the diversity of a backbone ensemble constructed using the template structure, the percent sequence identity between the template and target, and the size of local zone being considered in the ensemble. We describe a pareto front in the likelihood of moving the backbone toward the target as a function of ensemble diversity and zone size. The equations and protocols presented here will be useful for protein design. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION PyRosetta scripts available at www.bioinfo.rpi.edu/bystrc/downloads.html#ensemble CONTACT bystrc@rpi.edu.
Effects of Different Greening Dispositions to Noise Reduction on Both Sides of the Highway

Using fix-position method, it quantitatively studied the changes in noise intensity of green belt with different distances to highway and the relationship between plant species, spacing between plants, plant disposition and noise intensity through detecting the noise of typical green belt on the both sides of Beijing-Chengde highway and Beijing-Tibet highway. The results showed that the disposition of the detected green belts had obvious noise reduction effect, and its effect affected by various factors, such as width of green belt, plant species, spacing between plants, plant disposition, etc.. In order to achieve a high level of noise reduction, it suggests that the width of green belt should not be less than 10 m, and it is better to use an arbor-bush-grass multi-layer vertical structure with thick foliage and wide crown plants.
Improving Depth, Energy and Timing Estimation in PET Detectors with Deconvolution and Maximum Likelihood Pulse Shape Discrimination

In a scintillation detector, the light generated in the scintillator by a gamma interaction is converted to photoelectrons by a photodetector and produces a time-dependent waveform, the shape of which depends on the scintillator properties and the photodetector response. Several depth-of-interaction (DOI) encoding strategies have been developed that manipulate the scintillator’s temporal response along the crystal length and therefore require pulse shape discrimination techniques to differentiate waveform shapes. In this work, we demonstrate how maximum likelihood (ML) estimation methods can be applied to pulse shape discrimination to better estimate deposited energy, DOI and interaction time (for time-of-flight (TOF) PET) of a gamma ray in a scintillation detector. We developed likelihood models based on either the estimated detection times of individual photoelectrons or the number of photoelectrons in discrete time bins, and applied to two phosphor-coated crystals (LFS and LYSO) used in a previously developed TOF-DOI detector concept. Compared with conventional analytical methods, ML pulse shape discrimination improved DOI encoding by 27% for both crystals. Using the ML DOI estimate, we were able to counter depth-dependent changes in light collection inherent to long scintillator crystals and recover the energy resolution measured with fixed depth irradiation (~11.5% for both crystals). Lastly, we demonstrated how the Richardson-Lucy algorithm, an iterative, ML-based deconvolution technique, can be applied to the digitized waveforms to deconvolve the photodetector’s single photoelectron response and produce waveforms with a faster rising edge. After deconvolution and applying DOI and time-walk corrections, we demonstrated a 13% improvement in coincidence timing resolution (from 290 to 254 ps) with the LFS crystal and an 8% improvement (323 to 297 ps) with the LYSO crystal.
Preoperative physical therapy treatment did not influence postoperative pain and disability outcomes in patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopy: a prospective study

Background There is limited literature investigating preoperative physical therapy (pre-op PT) treatment on pain intensity and disability after musculoskeletal surgery. The purposes of the present cohort study were to describe patient characteristics for those who had and did not have pre-op PT treatment and determine whether pre-op PT influenced the length of postoperative physical therapy (post-op PT) treatment (number of sessions) and 3-month and 6-month postsurgical outcomes, such as pain intensity and disability.
Aging: Demographics, Trajectories and Health System Issues

The increased life expectancy of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) makes it essential for clinicians, caregivers, and public policy makers to adapt to meet the unique needs of this population. In this chapter we explore the challenges of older adults with IDD, including changing health needs with age. The general deterioration associated with the aging process combined with the presence of aging family carers provides challenges. Knowledge of common age-associated conditions and aging complications caused by specific syndromes assist clinicians in delivering appropriate preventative health care. The presence of IDD may make diagnosis of conditions such as dementia difficult since there is already some cognitive limitation in this group. As the life expectancy of this population continues to increase in the coming years, so should our knowledge of best practices for supporting aging individuals with IDD.
The Personal Computer as a Research Tool in Consumer Behavior Classes

For the professional marketer of the 1980’s and 90’s, the personal computer will be increasingly important tool of the trade. Relevant applications will include: 1) local statistical analysis of data, 2) interfacing with a mainframe for more elaborate statistical procedures or larger samples, and 3) accessing national data bases in bibliographic research and/or the collection of demographic data. For this reason, it is important that exposure to the personal computer as a research tool be incorporated into marketing curricula. This paper describes and evaluates a set of assignments that seeks to integrate this objective into a Consumer Behavior class.
Dry cleaning procedure for silicon IC fabrication

A complete, fully integrated dry wafer cleaning procedure based on remote plasma processing is introduced. Included are all the steps needed to prepare a resist coated wafer following a field oxide etch for further processing. Experimental results based on surface analysis and MOS electrical measurements demonstrate its adequate performance in pre-gate oxidation cleaning. The results obtained can be viewed as a promising step toward the development of dry wafer cleaning technology with a possibly wide range of applications in silicon IC fabrication. >
Establishing Evidence-Based Indications for Proton Therapy: An Overview of Current Clinical Trials

Purpose To review and assess ongoing proton beam therapy (PBT) clinical trials and to identify major gaps. Methods and Materials Active PBT clinical trials were identified from clinicaltrials.gov and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Platform Registry. Data on clinical trial disease site, age group, projected patient enrollment, expected start and end dates, study type, and funding source were extracted. Results A total of 122 active PBT clinical trials were identified, with target enrollment of >42,000 patients worldwide. Ninety-six trials (79%), with a median planned sample size of 68, were classified as interventional studies. Observational studies accounted for 21% of trials but 71% (n=29,852) of planned patient enrollment. The most common PBT clinical trials focus on gastrointestinal tract tumors (21%, n=26), tumors of the central nervous system (15%, n=18), and prostate cancer (12%, n=15). Five active studies (lung, esophagus, head and neck, prostate, breast) will randomize patients between protons and photons, and 3 will randomize patients between protons and carbon ion therapy. Conclusions The PBT clinical trial portfolio is expanding rapidly. Although the majority of ongoing studies are interventional, the majority of patients will be accrued to observational studies. Future efforts should focus on strategies to encourage optimal patient enrollment and retention, with an emphasis on randomized, controlled trials, which will require support from third-party payers. Results of ongoing PBT studies should be evaluated in terms of comparative effectiveness, as well as incremental effectiveness and value offered by PBT in comparison with conventional radiation modalities.
Phase II Clinical Trial of Flavopiridol (FL) Followed by ara-c and Mitoxantrone (AM) for Adults with Relapsed and Refractory Acute Leukemias.

The cell cycle inhibitor FL targets cyclin-dependent kinases, induces checkpoint arrest and interrupts transcriptional elongation. We demonstrated in an in vitro model that F causes apoptosis in leukemic blasts and increases A cytotoxicity in remaining blasts (Clin Cancer Res9: 307–315, 2003). Based on these observations, we have conducted a Phase II trial of timed sequential therapy (TST) with FL 50 mg/m 2 daily x 3 days followed by A 2 gm/m 2 /72 hr infusion beginning day 6 and M 40 mg/m 2 day 9 (FLAM). A total of 42 adults (median age 50, range 23–75) received FLAM for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML, 37 pts) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL, 5 pts). Four pts had new AML (myelodysplasia- or treatment-related), 19 were in relapse after first complete remission (CR; median duration 8 mos, range 1.5 – 20), and 19 had refractory leukemia (9 primary). Four pts had prior allo- or auto-stem cell transplants, 13 (31%) had secondary AML and 25 (60%) had adverse cytogenetics, including 2 with Ph+ ALL. FLAM was well-tolerated with death occurring in only 3/42 (7%, fungemia, respiratory distress, multi-organ failure). Grade ≥ 3 non-hematologic toxicities consisted of oral mucositis (2/42, 5%), diarrhea (1/42, 2%), cardiac arrhythmia or decreased ejection fraction (3/42, 7%). F induced tumor lysis in 14 (33%) within 24 hrs of first F dose and a ≥ 50% fall in WBC after 2 F doses in 18 (43%). Median time to neutrophils ≥ 500/mm 3 was day 30 day (range 24–46) and platelets ≥50,000/mm 3 was day 35 (range 24 – 55). CR was achieved after 1 course of FLAM in 15/37 (41%) AML: 3/4 new patients (including complex cytogenetics), 11/19 relapse and 1/9 primary refractory. CR was achieved in 1/5 (20%) ALL in a patient with relapsed Ph+ ALL. Two of 4 with prior transplant achieved CR, while no patient who was refractory to multiple chemotherapies achieved CR. Of the 15 achieving CR, 13 received additional therapy. Eight pts (7 CR, 1 partial response; median age 45, range 26–62; 1 new diagnosis, 6 relapse, 1 primary refractory) went on to receive allo-transplant in second CR, with CR 2 durations 4.5–12+ mos. An additional 2 pts (ages 45, 46) who had relapsed after allo-transplant in CR1 were able to receive donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) after FLAM and remain in CR2 of 8+ mos duration. Three pts over age 65 received a second cycle of FLAM in CR, with CR durations of 8.5+, 10, and 10.5 mos. Induction chemotherapy with FLAM yields a significant CR rate in pts with newly diagnosed poor-risk AML or in pts with short CR1, and allows eligible pts to proceed to allo-transplant in CR2.
Thriving in the Age of Accelerations: A Brief Look at the Societal Effects of Artificial Intelligence and the Opportunities for Libraries

ABSTRACTFifty years of the compounding effects of Moore's Law have led to enormous advances in computer processing power. Increased network speeds, the availability of big data, and machine learning techniques have accelerated the development of artificial intelligence; this promises to dramatically change many industries, including libraries. This article offers some thoughts on the effects of automation on employment, the social and political fallout, and the threats and opportunities for academic and public libraries.
Joint Dynamic Pricing and Order Fulfillment for E-commerce Retailers

We consider an e-commerce retailer (e-tailer) who sells a catalog of products to customers from different regions during a finite selling season and fulfills orders through multiple fulfillment centers. The e-tailer faces a joint pricing and fulfillment (JPF) optimization problem: at the beginning of each period, the e-tailer needs to jointly decide the price for each product and how to fulfill an incoming order (i.e., from which warehouse to ship the order). The objective of the e-tailer is to maximize its total expected profits defined as total expected revenues minus total expected shipping costs. (All other costs are fixed in this problem.) The exact optimal policy for JPF is difficult to solve; so, we propose two heuristic controls that have provably good performance compared to reasonable benchmarks. Our first heuristic control directly uses the solution of a deterministic approximation of JPF as its control parameters. Our second heuristic control improves the first one by adaptively adjusting the ...
Quality Assurance of Business Management Education in Africa: A Review of Current Systems and Recommendations for Quality Enhancements

Quality assurance systems – the collections of policies, procedures, and practices for achieving and maintaining quality – are critical to ensuring the relevance and effectiveness of business and m...
Hormone-Behavior Interrelationships of Birds in Response to Weather

Publisher Summary This chapter summarizes behavioral and hormonal responses to weather events, mostly in birds, and how coping mechanisms provide flexibility to deal with an increasingly capricious environment in which global climate change and human disturbance provide further challenges. Typically, vertebrates show changes in morphology, physiology, and behavior in anticipation of the predictable changes so that they can respond appropriately to the changing seasons. An example of this would be the development of the reproductive system before the breeding season so that individuals are able to begin breeding as soon as environmental conditions are favorable. By contrast, organisms must respond to unpredictable changes in the environment, only during or after the perturbation, as there is no way of predicting the actual onset. The chapter focuses on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal cortex axis and its actions on the responses to weather acting as direct life history stages. This response is common to most vertebrates and there are remarkably comparable parallel responses of very different organisms, such as fish and mammals, to those perturbations. Climate is defined by average weather conditions over many years. Organisms may time life-history stages, such as breeding, to occur at optimal times for reproductive success. Only when weather events go beyond the climatic norm for a particular time of year are allostatic overload and stress likely. It is at this time that increases in corticosterone would be important resulting in activation of the emergency life-history stage and coping.
Dynamics of a Two Species Oscillating Particle System

A binary mixture of n l identical inelastic spherical particles and n s smaller identical inelastic spherical particles moving in a two-dimensional vibrating bed is analyzed. The vibrating bed is a rectangle, open at the top, with a horizontal floor oscillating vertically with amplitude a > 0 and frequency ω > 0. Standard particle-particle and particle-boundary force models are used in the context of a Newtonian formulation to obtain the following differential equation in \({R^{4({n_l} + {n_s})}}\) describing the motion of particles: $$\frac{{dx}}{{dt}} = X(x,t)$$ , where X is periodic in of period 2π/ω.
Further evidence of high level of persistence of pediatric bipolar-I disorder from childhood onto young adulthood: a five-year follow up

Background Pediatric bipolar (BP)-I disorder affects a sizeable minority of children and is associated with high levels of morbidity. Relatively few studies have assessed the persistence of the disorder over time. Objective The main aim of this study was to extend our findings from our 4-year follow-up study examining rates of persistence of pediatric BP-I disorder onto late adolescent years and young adulthood 5 years after our original study. Methods We conducted a 1-year extension to our original prospective study of 78 youth, ages six to 17 years, with BP-I disorder at ascertainment, who were followed up into their adolescent and young adult years (14.9 ± 3.8). All subjects were comprehensively assessed with structured diagnostic interviews and psychosocial, educational, and treatment history assessments. Results Of the 78 BP-I participating youth, 68 were re-accessioned one year following the 4-year follow-up study, thus effectively 5 years since the original study. Of these, 63% continued to meet full (50%) or subthreshold (13%) diagnostic criteria for BP-I and 18% continued to have full or subthreshold major depressive disorder. Only 19% of BP-I youth were euthymic at the 5-year follow up. Discussion This 1-year extension study further documents the high level of persistence of pediatric BP-I from childhood onto late adolescence and young adulthood. The results provide compelling evidence of the morbidity and dysfunction associated with this disorder and its many forms. Clinical significance This study adds to a small amount of literature on the persistence of pediatric BP disorder and the critical need for early identification and intervention.
Don't Abandon the Water Cooler Yet: Flexible Work Arrangements and the Unique Effect of Face-to-Face Informal Communication on Idea Generation and Innovation

While research has established the important role that flexibility plays in attracting, engaging, and retaining a diverse talent pool, it has provided less insight into its impact on team processes...
Moving From School to Adult Life: Transition Services for Students with Disabilities

The legal mandate for transition services for students with disabilities is presented, and the important role of medical professionals in assisting the student, family, and school personnel in planning for the student's transition from school to adult life is highlighted.
Mobile but Stuck: Multigenerational Neighborhood Decline and Housing Search Strategies for African Americans:

While many scholars have demonstrated that entrenched racial residential segregation perpetuates racial inequality, the causes of persistent racial segregation continue to be debated. This paper in...
Sigma-1 receptor antagonist PD144418 suppresses food reinforced operant responding in rats.

Abstract Sigma-1 (σ1) receptors have been investigated for their involvement in learning, rewarding and motivational processes, particularly as it relates to substances of abuse. Few studies have examined the effects of σ1 receptor agonists and antagonists on the rewarding and motivational properties of natural reinforcers, such as food. Studies that have investigated σ1 receptor agonists and antagonists has produced conflicting results. σ1 receptor antagonist PD144418 has been found to produce a dose-dependent attenuation of locomotor activity induced by cocaine, and by itself, does not suppress basal locomotor activity in mice. However, its effects on reward and motivation as it relates to food are unknown. The present study examined the involvement of σ 1 receptors in mediating the rewarding and motivational properties of food using an operant task. The results indicated that at the highest dose (10 μmol/kg), PD144418 significantly attenuated the number of active lever responses for chow pellets but did not decrease the number of active lever responses for sucrose pellets under a fixed ratio (FR2) schedule of reinforcement. However, under a progressive ratio (PR) reinforcement schedule, 10 μmol/kg of PD14418 significantly reduced the breakpoint, a measure indicative of effort or motivation, for both chow and sucrose pellets. When ad libitum chow or sucrose pellets were made freely available (i.e. no lever press required) inside the operant chamber, 10 μmol/kg, PD144418 did not have an effect on number of pellets consumed. These findings indicate that PD144418 reduces the motivational effort of a food reinforced behavior.
PM BLDC Actuator with Helical Motion of the Rotor For Industrial Applications

this paper presents a computer analysis of a 3-phase permanent magnet synchronous actuator with helical movement of the rotor. This actuator has one 3-phase winding, one stator, one rotor, and one power supply. Helical motion of the actuator’s rotor is achieved by skewing the permanent magnets on the rotor. This way the resultant electromagnetic force acting on the rotor is split for two individual forces: linear and rotary. The influence of the permanent magnets’ skew angle on these forces is studied by running parametric analyses in 3D FEM software. The actuator with optimal skew angle was analyzed further at different supply frequencies by a 3D FEM and circuit co-simulation analysis. The electromechanical characteristics of the actuator are calculated and discussed in the paper.
University, College Institutional Histories, and University Presses: General Observations of a Unique Publishing Phenomenon

Institutional memory is important to colleges and universities, especially as they present a record of their existence and, especially achievements. At a point in time, significant to the institution, a historical account needs to be produced to capture and set in place these achievements. It becomes a matter of why, who, and for what purpose these official histories are written and published. How critical are these histories and what constitutes their purpose—or, are they simply institutional celebrations, and celebratory hagiographies? This discussion explores some of these themes, especially, as they intersect with university press publishing. A pertinent question highlights this discussion—what is the relationship of university presses to institutional histories? These and other questions vis-a-vis the status of institutional histories reveal the tension between scholarly responsibilities professed by university presses and the perceived desires and objectives of higher educational institutions.
Assessment of Use of Arteriovenous Graft vs Arteriovenous Fistula for First-time Permanent Hemodialysis Access

Importance Initial hemodialysis access with arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is associated with superior clinical outcomes compared with arteriovenous graft (AVG) and should be the procedure of choice whenever possible. To address the national underuse of AVF in the United States, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid has established an AVF goal of 66% or greater in 2009. Objective To explore contemporary practice patterns and physician characteristics associated with high AVG use compared with AVF use. Design, Setting, and Participants This review of 100% Medicare Carrier claims between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017, includes both inpatient and outpatient Medicare claims data. All patients undergoing initial permanent hemodialysis access placement with an AVF or AVG were included. All surgeons performing more than 10 hemodialysis access procedures during the study period were analyzed. Exposures Placement of an AVF or AVG for initial permanent hemodialysis access. Main Outcomes and Measures A surgeon-level AVG (vs AVF) use rate was calculated for all included surgeons. Hierarchical logistic regression modeling was used to identify patient-level and surgeon-level factors associated with AVG use. Results A total of 85 320 patients (median age, 70 [range, 18-103] years; 47 370 men [55.5%]) underwent first-time hemodialysis access placement, of whom 66 489 (77.9%) had an AVF and 18 831 (22.1%) had an AVG. Among the 2397 surgeons who performed more than 10 procedures per year, the median surgeon level AVG use rate was 18.2% (range, 0.0%-96.4%). However, 498 surgeons (20.8%) had an AVG use rate greater than 34%. After accounting for patient characteristics, surgeon factors that were independently associated with AVG use included more than 30 years of clinical practice (vs 21-30 years; odds ratio, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.75-0.96]), metropolitan setting (odds ratio, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.02-1.54]), and vascular surgery specialty (vs general surgery; odds ratio, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.69-0.86]). Surgeons in the Northeast region had the lowest rate of AVG use (vs the South; odds ratio, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.73-0.96]). First-time hemodialysis access benchmarking reports for individual surgeons were created for potential distribution. Conclusions and Relevance In this study, one-fifth of surgeons had an AVG use rate above the recommended best practices guideline of 34%. Although some of these differences may be explained by patient referral practices, sharing benchmarked performance data with surgeons could be an actionable step in achieving more high-value care in hemodialysis access surgery.
Developing and Testing the Transformative Travel Experience Scale (TTES)

Transformative travel encourages tourists to self-reflect, question their assumptions, and develop a more tolerant worldview. While this form of travel is gaining attention, there is unmet demand f...
Abstract WMP80: Live Animal Imaging Reveals Delayed But Sustained Neutrophil Recruitment to Both Ischemic and Non-Ischemic Cortical Cerebrovasculature in a Mouse Transient Stroke Model

Background: Treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) relies on early restoration of blood flow; however, injury persists despite reperfusion. The innate immune response plays a pivotal role in rep...
Rapid Decay of Anti–SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Persons with Mild Covid-19

Covid-19 Antibodies after Mild Infection Among 34 volunteers who had recovered from mild Covid-19 illness, antiviral antibodies to the receptor-binding domain of the viral spike protein declined wi...
Tunable Polarization-Independent Absorber using a Hybrid Plasmonic and Phase-Change Chalcogenide Platform

Here, we experimentally demonstrate a polarization-independent metasurface (MS) in the near-infrared regime by employing a hybrid plasmonic/phase-change material architecture for non-volatile and wide-band tunable modulation.
Novel Generated Peptides for COVID-19 Targets

With the world in the midst of a global pandemic, it is important to be able to quickly generate new drug-like compounds for drug research purposes. While some successful work has been done [3, 6] there is still much work to be done, especially as viruses like Coronavirus are notoriously hard to treat. Since peptide drugs are generally better at blocking protein-protein interactions than small molecule drugs [5], something important in anti-viral work, we will use our GANDALF methodology to generate new peptides to interact with targets of interest. Here we are working with two important COVID-19 targets: the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M[Pro]) and the andangiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Covid-19 is able to enter human cells via interaction between its spike protein and ACE2 and, once in the cell, MPro breaks down polyproteins to create more of the virus [1]. We have generated peptides for each of our targets using our GANDALF (Generative Adversarial Network Drug-tArget Ligand Fructifier) methodology [4]. We compare our generated peptides with a previously discovered novel ACE2 inhibitor [2]. We also compare our results for MPro with a recently publish small molecule based on α-ketoamide inhibitors recently developed as a drug lead [7]. Our best generated peptide for ACE2 is a small, six residue peptide [SSNATV]. This peptide has a binding affinity of --29.880. The novel, peptide inhibitor previously designed has a binding affinity of -19.843. Our generated peptide has a lower binding affinity, which is generally more desirable and indicates more stable binding. However, the novel inhibitor is larger at 26 peptides and may be more suitable for use without the need for too many additional modifications. Our peptide though is a good starting place for further improvements and optimization. The binding affinity for our best generated peptide of MPro is --41.038. This peptide has a size of eleven residues [WWTWTPFHLLV]. Our peptide has a similar binding affinity to that of the small molecule, α-ketoamide based inhibitor is --5.501. Not only does our peptide have a better binding affinity, but as a peptide, it has the added advantage of being better able to disrupt the activity of the MPro than the small molecule inhibitor. It is also encouraging that our binding affinity for our best MPro generated peptide is comparable to the best available compounds. Peptide based drugs are an important part of viral treatment. Our work here provides reasonable starting peptides for further drug research and development.
Purple bag syndrome: a visual clue for infection.

A 35-year-old woman with recurrent, progressive stage IIIB squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix presented with a complicated urinary tract infection and was found to have bilateral purple bag syndrome. She had bilateral percutaneous nephrostomy tubes placed 8 months prior for extrinsic ureteral
In 2016, Medicaid and Medicare paid about 65% of all inpatient hospitalization costs for all-age persons hospitalized with epilepsy as the principal diagnosis.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine both the distribution of payers for inpatient hospitalizations (all-ages) by principal diagnosis status (epilepsy versus nonepilepsy) and selected organizational- and community-level factors associated with hospitalizations using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) Healthcare Utilization Project 2016 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. We compared cases with epilepsy (any ICD-10CM diagnostic code beginning with “G40”) as a principal diagnosis (“epilepsy discharges”) versus cases without epilepsy as the principal diagnosis (“nonepilepsy discharges”). Accounting for the complex survey design, we examined how the principal payer source, median income for Zip Code, admission type, hospital location, teaching status, and hospital region varied by principal diagnosis status. For persons of all ages with epilepsy as a principal diagnosis, Medicaid and Medicare public insurance paid for about 65% of inpatient hospitalization costs. The percentage paid by Medicaid among epilepsy discharges (31.6%) significantly exceeded that among nonepilepsy discharges (23.1%). The percentage paid by Medicare among epilepsy discharges (33.9%) was significantly less than that among nonepilepsy discharges (39.7%), as was payment by private insurers (26.1% vs. 30.1%). Median Zip Code income, hospital and admission characteristics, and geographic region differed between hospitalizations with epilepsy versus those with a nonepilepsy discharge. These findings may be used to inform stakeholders’ understanding of epilepsy care-related costs and factors associated with hospitalizations for improved interventions and programs.
Biodegradable Zwitterionic Cream Gel for Effective Prevention of Postoperative Adhesion

Postoperative peritoneal adhesions were frequent complications for almost any types of abdominal and pelvic surgery. This led to numerous medical problems and huge financial burden to the patients. Current anti-adhesion strategies focused mostly on physical barriers including films and hydrogels. However, they can only alleviate or reduce adhesions to certain level and their applying processes were far from ideal. This work reported the development of a biodegradable zwitterionic cream gel presenting a series of characters for an idea anti-adhesion material, including unique injectable yet malleable and self-supporting properties, which enabled an instant topical application, no curing, waiting or suturing, no hemostasis requirement, protein/cell resistance and biodegradability. The cream gel showed a major advancement in anti-adhesion efficacy by completely and reliably preventing a primary and a more severe recurrent adhesion in rat models.
Repeated superselective intraarterial bevacizumab after blood brain barrier disruption for newly diagnosed glioblastoma: a phase I/II clinical trial.

Pre-clinical evidence suggests bevacizumab (BV) depletes the GBM peri-vascular cancer-stem cell niche. This phase I/II study assesses the safety and efficacy of repeated doses of superselective intra-arterial cerebral infusion (SIACI) of BV after blood–brain barrier disruption (BBBD). Date of surgery was day 0. Evaluated patients received repeated SIACI bevacizumab (15 mg/kg) with BBBD at days 30 ± 7, 120 ± 7, and 210 ± 7 along with 6 weeks of standard chemoradiation. Response assessment in neuro-oncology criteria and the Kaplan–Meier product-limit method was used to evaluate progression free and overall survival (PFS and OS, respectively). Twenty-three patients with a median age of 60.5 years (SD = 12.6; 24.7–78.3) were included. Isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation was found in 1/23 (4%) patients. MGMT status was available for 11/23 patients (7 unmethylated; 3 methylated; 1 inconclusive). Median tumor volume was 24.0 cm3 (SD = 31.1, 1.7–48.3 cm3). Median PFS was 11.5 months (95% CI 7.7–25.9) with 6, 12, 24 and 60 month PFS estimated to be 91.3% (95% CI 69.5–97.8), 47.4% (26.3–65.9), 32.5% (14.4–52.2) and 5.4% (0.4–21.8), respectively. Median OS was 23.1 months (95% CI 12.2–36.9) with 12, 24, and 36 month OS as 77.3% (95% CI 53.6–89.9), 45.0% (22.3–65.3) and 32.1% (12.5–53.8), respectively. Repeated dosing of IA BV after BBBD offers an encouraging outcome in terms of PFS and OS. Phase III trials are warranted to determine whether repeated IA BV combined with Stupp protocol is superior to Stupp protocol alone for newly diagnosed GBM.
Machine learning analysis of 137Cs contamination of terrestrial plants after the Fukushima accident using the random forest algorithm.

Abstract Radioactive contamination of terrestrial plants was extensively investigated and quantitatively modeled after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. This phenomenon, which is important for ecosystem functioning and protection of human health, is influenced by multiple factors, including plant species, time after the accident, and climate. Machine learning algorithms such as random forests (RF) have a record of strong performance on large multi-dimensional data sets, but, to our knowledge, combined data on post-Fukushima plant contamination with radionuclides were not yet subjected to a machine learning analysis. Here we performed such analysis on two large published data sets: (1) 137Cs activity concentrations in four common Japanese forest tree species. (2) Plant/soil 137Cs concentration ratios in multiple perennial plant species. The goal was to show the usefulness of machine learning for identifying and quantifying the main trends of 137Cs contamination in terrestrial plants. Each data set was split randomly into training and testing parts, RF was fitted and tuned on the training parts, and its performance was assessed on the testing parts by three metrics: coefficient of determination (R2), root mean squared error, and mean absolute error. Synthetic noise variables and the Boruta algorithm were used in a customized procedure to identify the most important predictor variables, which consistently outperformed random noise. Good agreement between observations and RF predictions (e.g. R2∼0.9 on testing data) was obtained on both data sets. The effects of the most important predictors (e.g. time after the accident, 137Cs land contamination level, and plant species) and interactions between them were quantified by partial dependence plots. These results of machine learning analyses of large data collections can help to complement previous modeling efforts, and to clarify the patterns of 137Cs contamination of plants after the Fukushima accident.
Non-pharmacological interventions for adults with mild cognitive impairment and early stage dementia: An updated scoping review

The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the science related to non-pharmacological interventions designed to slow decline for older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment or early-stage dementia. We reviewed 32 unique randomized controlled trials that employed cognitive training (remediation or compensation approaches), physical exercise, or psychotherapeutic interventions that were published before November 2014. Evidence suggests that cognitive training focused on remediation and physical exercise interventions may promote small improvements in selected cognitive abilities. Cognitive training focused on compensation interventions and selected psychotherapeutic interventions may influence how cognitive changes impact daily living. However, confidence in these findings is limited due to methodological limitations. To better assess the value of non-pharmacological interventions for this population, we recommend: (1) adoption of universal criteria for "early stage cognitive decline" among studies, (2) adherence to guidelines for the conceptualization, operationalization, and implementation of complex interventions, (3) consistent characterization of the impact of interventions on daily life, and (4) long-term follow-up of clinical outcomes to assess maintenance and meaningfulness of reported effects over time.
Nearest neighbor pattern classification neural networks

In this paper two algorithms for the construction of pattern classifier neural architectures are proposed. A comparison with other known similar architectures is given and simulation results are carried out. >
Regulation of synaptic signalling by postsynaptic, non‐glutamate receptor ion channels

Activation of glutamatergic synapses onto pyramidal neurons produces a synaptic depolarization as well as a buildup of intracellular calcium (Ca2+). The synaptic depolarization propagates through the dendritic arbor and can be detected at the soma with a recording electrode. Current influx through AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) provides the depolarizing drive, and the amplitudes of synaptic potentials are generally thought to reflect the number and properties of these receptors at each synapse. In contrast, synaptically evoked Ca2+ transients are limited to the spine containing the active synapse and result primarily from Ca2+ influx through NMDA-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs). Here we review recent studies that reveal that both synaptic depolarizations and spine head Ca2+ transients are strongly regulated by the activity of postsynaptic, non-glutamate receptor ion channels. In hippocampal pyramidal neurons, voltage- and Ca2+-gated ion channels located in dendritic spines open as downstream consequences of glutamate receptor activation and act within a complex signalling loop that feeds back to regulate synaptic signals. Dynamic regulation of these ion channels offers a powerful mechanism of synaptic plasticity that is independent of direct modulation of glutamate receptors.
Synchronous cancers in patients with head and neck cancer: risks in the era of human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Second primary malignancies (SPMs) are the leading cause of death in survivors of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Synchronous SPMs are of significant clinical interest because they potentially can be identified by screening procedures at the time of diagnosis of the index cancer. Recently, human papillomavirus (HPV) has emerged as a distinct risk factor for oropharyngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), differing from classic tobacco/alcohol-associated HNSCC, suggesting that there also may be distinct patterns of synchronous SPMs. METHODS: The authors performed a population-based cohort study in 64,673 patients in the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry (1979-2008), defining risks of synchronous SPM in patients with HNSCC who were diagnosed before and after the emergence of prevalent HPV-associated oropharyngeal HNSCC. Excess risk was calculated using standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and excess absolute risk per 100 patients. RESULTS: Among patients with HNSCC, the SIR of synchronous SPM was 5.0, corresponding to 2.62 excess cases per 100 patients. The site with the highest excess risk of a second cancer was the head and neck (SIR, 41.4), followed by the esophagus (SIR, 21.8), and lung (SIR, 7.4). The risk of synchronous SPM changed markedly over time for patients with oropharyngeal HNSCC. In the 1970s and 1980s, oropharyngeal cancers carried the highest risk of SPM. Risk began to dramatically decline in the 1990s; and currently, oropharyngeal cancers carry the lowest risk of synchronous SPM. CONCLUSIONS: The current data are consistent with the etiologic shift of oropharyngeal HNSCC, from a primarily tobacco-associated malignancy associated with significant field cancerization of the upper aerodigestive mucosa, to a malignancy primarily caused by oncogenic human papillomavirus. Cancer 2013. © 2013 American Cancer Society.
Experimental glaucoma in primates: Changes in cytochrome oxidase blobs in V1 cortex

Purpose To evaluate the effects of ganglion cell depletion from experimental glaucoma on the relative metabolic activities of neurons in the cytochrome oxidase blobs of V1 cortex in the macaque visual system. Methods Monocular experimental glaucoma was induced in adult monkeys (Macaca mulatta and Macaca fascicularis) by laser application to the trabecular meshwork, increasing the intraocular pressure. After other experiments, the primary visual cortices were analyzed for functional excitation from surviving ganglion cells, as indicated by cytochrome oxidase histochemistry. Results Cytochrome oxidase reactivity was uniformly reduced in blobs with input from the glaucomatous eye in a manner consistent with loss of known afferent inputs. The average size of glaucomatous blobs in layers 2 and 3 of V1 cortex was reduced by half. Conclusions Experimental glaucoma in monkeys reduces retinal input to the central nervous system, thereby reducing the metabolic drive to downstream targets, as indicated by the reduction in the size of cytochrome oxidase blobs in layers 2 and 3 of V1 cortex. The pattern of cytochrome oxidase loss within the blob was uniform, suggesting that all sources of afferent input to the blobs were affected by experimental glaucoma.
Multiple roles for Wnt signaling in the development of the vertebrate neural crest

The neural crest is a cell type unique to vertebrates that gives rise to a diverse set of derivatives essential to the vertebrate body plan. The formation and subsequent diversification of neural crest cells is a complex multistep process dependent on the reiterative use of multiple intracellular‐signaling pathways. Notable among these is the Wnt‐signaling pathway, which plays prominent roles at multiple stages of neural crest development.