cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Irritation Induced Bladder Overactivity Is Suppressed by Tibial Nerve Stimulation in Cats

Purpose: We investigated the effects of tibial nerve stimulation on bladder overactivity induced by acetic acid irritation.Materials and Methods: Cystometry was performed in 10 α-chloralose anesthetized female cats by infusing saline or acetic acid through a urethral catheter that was secured by a ligature around the urethra. Intravesical infusion of 0.25% acetic acid was used to irritate the bladder and induce bladder overactivity. Multiple cystometrograms were done before, during and after tibial nerve stimulation to determine the inhibitory effect on the micturition reflex.Results: Infusion of 0.25% acetic acid irritated the bladder, induced bladder overactivity and significantly decreased bladder capacity to about 20% of control capacity measured during saline infusion. Tibial nerve stimulation at low (5 Hz) or high (30 Hz) frequency significantly increased bladder capacity to about 40% of saline control capacity when it was applied during acetic acid infusion cystometrogram. Bladder contraction ampli...
Affy exon tissues

Summary: Most genes in human, mouse and rat produce more than one transcript isoform. The Affymetrix Exon Array is a tool for studying the many processes that regulate RNA production, with separate probesets measuring RNA levels at known and putative exons. For insights on how exons levels vary between normal tissues, we constructed the Affy Exon Tissues track from tissue data published by Affymetrix. This track reports exon probeset intensities as log ratios relative to median values across the dataset and renders them as colored heat maps, to yield quick visual identification of exons with intensities that vary between normal tissues. Availability: Affy Exon Tissues track is freely available under the UCSC Genome Browser ( http://genome.ucsc.edu/) for human (hg18), mouse (mm8 and mm9), and rat (rn4). Contact: cline@soe.ucsc.edu Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Object identification and classification in a high resolution satellite data using data mining techniques for knowledge extraction

The interpretation of remotely sensed images in a spatiotemporal context is becoming a valuable research topic. Today's optical sensor systems on satellite provide large-area images with 1-m resolution and better, which can deliver complement information to traditional acquired data. However, the constant growth of data volume in remote sensing imaging makes reaching conclusions based on collected data a challenging task. One of the main problems that arise during the data mining process is treating data that contains temporal information. However, two important issues must be considered in order to provide more accurate decisions on object identification and pattern recognition. First, the continuous growth of the dataset storage space and the advances in remote sensing sensors which generate a huge amount of satellite images making the manual image interpretation a difficult task. Second, the space/time components are inherent to satellite images; systems being developed to identify objects must take into account the spatiotemporal context to better interpret the collected image data. Spatial relations between objects are widely used in context-based image retrieval. This paper outlines the challenges and proposes in creation of a data mines capable of supporting the requirements of the system, which, inevitably demand a high level of cooperation between many disparate sources of spatial data.
Development of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in breast cancer after neoadjuvant paclitaxel chemotherapy.

Purpose: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer creates new possibilities for the analysis of biological factors in the tumor and/or host, which may play a role in the response to treatment. In this study we analyzed whether changes in local antitumor immunity take place after neoadjuvant paclitaxel therapy and if they correlate with response to treatment. Experimental Design: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (paclitaxel, 200 mg/m2 q2w, 4 treatments) was followed by definitive surgical management. Histological sections from the pre- and post-treatment surgical specimens of 25 patients were analyzed for the extent of lymphocytic infiltration and presence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). The cumulative apoptotic response in the tumor after the first dose of paclitaxel was also studied in 10 of 25 patients. Results: Pretreatment lymphocytic infiltrate in the tumor was minimal in the majority of patients and showed no relationship with clinical response. In the patients without TILs before treatment, development of TILs after treatment was noted in 0/3 (0%) patients with stable disease, 3/12 (25%) patients with clinical partial response, and 4/6 (67%) patients with clinical complete response and pathological residual disease. These correlated with the tumor cell apoptotic response to the first dose of paclitaxel. Conclusions: These results suggest that development of TILs after treatment correlates with clinical response to neoadjuvant paclitaxel therapy. The possible mechanism(s) whereby neoadjuvant chemotherapy may lead to induction of antitumor T cells is discussed. Immunological processes may influence the response of breast cancer patients to neoadjuvant treatment.
Nonlinear dynamics of pattern formation and pattern recognition in the rabbit olfactory bulb

Abstract A mathematical model of the process of pattern recognition in the first olfactory sensory cortex of the rabbit is presented. It explains the formation and alteration of spatial patterns in neural activity observed experimentally during classical Pavlovian conditioning. On each inspiration of the animal, a surge of receptor input enters the olfactory bulb. EEG activity recorded at the surface of the bulb undergoes a transition from a low amplitude background state of temporal disorder to coherent oscillation. There is a distinctive spatial pattern of rms amplitude in this oscillation which changes reliably to a second pattern during each successful recognition by the animal of a conditioned stimulus odor. When a new odor is paired as conditioned stimulus, these patterns are replaced by new patterns that stabilize as the animal adapts to the new environment. I will argue that a unification of the theories of pattern formation and associative memory is required to account for these observations. This is achieved in a model of the bulb as a discrete excitable medium with spatially inhomogeneous coupling expressed by a connection matrix. The theory of multiple Hopf bifurcations is employed to find coupled equations for the amplitudes of competing unstable oscillatory modes. These may be created in the system by proper coupling and selectively evoked by specific classes of inputs. This allows a view of limit cycle attractors as “stored” fixed points of a gradient vector field and thereby recovers the more familiar dynamical systems picture of associative memory.
FAST-SP: a fast algorithm for block placement based on sequence pair

In this paper we present FAST-SP which is a fast block placement algorithm based on the sequence-pair placement representation. FAST-SP has two significant improvements over previous sequence-pair based placement algorithms: (1) FAST-SP translates each sequence pair to its corresponding block placement in O(n log log n) time based on a fast longest common subsequence computation. This is much faster than the traditional O(n/sup 2/) method by first constructing horizontal and vertical constraint graphs and then performing longest path computations. As a result, FAST-SP can examine more sequence pairs and obtain a better placement solution in less runtime. (2) FAST-SP can handle placement constraints such as pre-placed constraint, range constraint, and boundary constraint. No previous sequence-pair based algorithms can handle range constraint and boundary constraint. Fast evaluation in O(n log log n) time is still valid in the presence of placement constraints and a novel cost function which unifies the evaluation of feasible and infeasible sequence pairs is used. We have implemented FAST-SP and obtained excellent experimental results. For all MCNC benchmark block placement problems, we have obtained the best results ever reported in the literature (including those reported by algorithms based on O-tree and B/sup */-tree) with significantly less runtime. For example, the best known result for ami49 (36.8 mm/sup 2/) was obtained by a B/sup */-tree based algorithm using 4752 seconds, and FAST-SP obtained a better result (36.5 mm/sup 2/) in 31 seconds.
A process-modeling based approach to comparing and integrating software design methodologies

Experience in using a systematic approach to compare and integrate software design methodologies is reported. A comparison approach based on modeling the design methodologies and classifying their components is discussed. Six design methodologies were composed in the context of using this approach, and assessed in relation to comparable work of other researchers. Experiences with assessments of the comparison approach indicate that it is a powerful tool for analyzing software development methodologies. >
Pharmacological Characterization of Membrane-Expressed Human Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 1 (TAAR1) by a Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer cAMP Biosensor

Trace amines are neurotransmitters whose role in regulating invertebrate physiology has been appreciated for many decades. Recent studies indicate that trace amines may also play a role in mammalian physiology by binding to a novel family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are found throughout the central nervous system. A major obstacle impeding the careful pharmacological characterization of trace amine associated receptors (TAARs) is their extremely poor membrane expression in model cell systems, and a molecular basis for this phenomenon has not been determined. In the present study, we show that the addition of an asparagine-linked glycosylation site to the N terminus of the human trace amine associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) is sufficient to enable its plasma membrane expression, and thus its pharmacological characterization with a novel cAMP EPAC (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP) protein based bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) biosensor. We applied this novel cAMP BRET biosensor to evaluate the activity of putative TAAR1 ligands. This study represents the first comprehensive investigation of the membrane-expressed human TAAR1 pharmacology. Our strategy to express TAARs and to identify their ligands using a cAMP BRET assay could provide a foundation for characterizing the functional role of trace amines in vivo and suggests a strategy to apply to groups of poorly expressing GPCRs that have remained difficult to investigate in model systems.
Defining a Gambling Transaction: Know when to Hold ‘Em, Know when to Fold ‘Em

As the volume of gambling activity continues to expand in the U.S. the question of exactly what constitutes a gambling transaction for income tax purposes takes on increasing significance for taxpayers as well as tax practitioners. The law requires reporting gambling winnings separately from gambling losses. This separation raises the question of what constitutes a gambling winning which rests in turn on the definition of a gambling transaction. Is it a hand of blackjack or a day at the racetrack, a spin of a roulette wheel or the result from $100 placed in a slot machine, a roll of the dice or the night's poker results? Revenue recognition is not often an issue for individual taxpayers who report their income on a cash basis. The income recognition doctrine of constructive receipt reduces the direct control a cash basis taxpayer can exercise over the timing of the recognition of income. For the increasing number of taxpayers engaging in gambling activities, this doctrine may directly impact the amount of...
Broadband analysis and characterization of anisotropic dielectric temperature dependence

A broadband methodology for measurement of uniaxial dielectric anisotropy is described. Previous work is improved with reduced measurement error, enhanced automation, and additional material testing. Additionally, permittivity variation with temperature is explored.
Criminality, the Courts, and the Constabulary in Boston: 1702-1967:

Using data from the docket books of the Boston Police Court, this study shows that Boston's constables in 1824 patrolled sections of the city and aggressively made arrests for such victimless crimes as prostitution, drunkenness, and violations of city ordinances. In contrast with the modern conception of constables as performing primarily law enforcement functions, they must have been heavily involved in pro- active patrol and order maintenance. This study also reveals that the crime patterns of 1824 (again as measured by data from the police court dockets) are distinct in comparison with those of both 1703-32 and 1860-69. The rate of criminal prose cutions in 1824 was 8.3 times that of 1703-32, and offenses against the person were much more common in 1824, that is, 38.7 times the rate in 1703-32. Between 1824 and 1860-69 the patterns of crime changed again. The prosecution rate for offenses against the person declined by more than half, while prosecutions for property of fenses remained approximately con...
Distributed assignment algorithms for multi-hop packet-radio networks

Distributed dynamic channel assignment algorithms for a multihop packet radio network are introduced. The algorithms ensure conflict-free transmissions by the nodes of the network. The basic idea of the algorithms is to split the shared channel into a control segment and a transmission segment. The control segment is used to avoid conflicts among the nodes and to increase the utilization of the transmission segment. It is shown how these algorithms can be used to determine time-division multiaccess cycles with spatial reuse of the channel. >
Demonstration of a switchless Class E/F/sub odd/ dual-band power amplifier

A 250 W dual-band power amplifier belonging to the Class E/F switching amplifier family is presented. The amplifier operates in the 7 MHz and 10 MHz HAM bands, achieving 16 dB and 15 dB gain with power added efficiencies (PAE) of 92% and 87% in those bands, respectively. It utilizes dual-resonant passive input and output networks to achieve high-efficiency Class E/F/sub odd/ operation at both frequencies of operation, allowing the same passive networks to be used for both frequency bands without the use of band-select switches.
Oxygen insertion reactions of mixed N-heterocyclic carbene–oxazolinylborato zinc alkyl complexes

We report the synthesis of a new mixed oxazoline–carbene scorpionate ligand, bis(4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolinyl)(1-mesitylimidazolyl)phenylborate (PhB(OxMe2)2ImMes). Reactions of the protonated form PhB(OxMe2)2(ImMesH) with dialkylzinc compounds provide four-coordinate zinc alkyl complexes, and X-ray diffraction studies of the {PhB(OxMe2)2ImMes}ZnR (R = Me, Et) compounds show significant structural distortions involving the R groups shifting away from the carbene donor. The reaction of {PhB(OxMe2)2ImMes}ZnEt (3) and O2 provides an isolable mononuclear zinc alkylperoxide {PhB(OxMe2)2ImMes}ZnOOEt (4), which has been characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and 17O NMR spectroscopy.
Strategic design for users with diabetic retinopathy: factors influencing performance in a menu-selection task

This paper examines factors that affect performance of a basic menu selection task by users who are visually healthy and users with Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) in order to inform better interface design. Interface characteristics such as multimodal feedback, Windows® accessibility settings, and menu item location were investigated. Analyses of Variance (ANOVA) were employed to examine the effects of interface features on task performance. Linear regression was used to further examine and model various contextual factors that influenced task performance. Results indicated that Windows® accessibility settings significantly improved performance of participants with more progressed DR. Additionally, other factors, including age, computer experience, visual acuity, and menu location were significant predictors of the time required for subjects to complete the task.
Biological function of the retinoblastoma protein requires distinct domains for hyperphosphorylation and transcription factor binding.

Abstract Despite the importance of the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene to tumor growth control, the structural features of its encoded protein (pRb) and their relationship to protein function have not been well explored. We constructed a panel of deletion mutants of pRb expression vectors and used a biological assay for pRb that measures growth inhibition and morphologic changes in pRb-transfected Saos-2 cells to correlate structural alterations of the pRb coding region with function. We tested the deleted proteins for the ability to bind to viral oncoprotein E1A and to the transcription factor E2F. We also measured the ability of the mutant proteins to become hyperphosphorylated in vivo and to be recognized as substrates in vitro by a cell cycle-regulatory kinase associated with cyclin A. We identified two regions of pRb that are required for E2F binding and for hyperphosphorylation. E1A binding domains partially overlap but are distinct from both of these other two regions. Biological function of pRb is dependent on retention of the integrity of both of these biochemically defined domains. These data support the model that pRb is a transducer of afferent signals (via the kinase that phosphorylates it) and efferent signals (through transcription factor binding), using distinct structural elements. Preservation of both of these features is essential for the ability of pRb to induce growth inhibition and morphologic changes upon reintroduction into transfected cells.
Direction of Auditory Pitch-Change Influences Visual Search for Slope From Graphs

Linear trend (slope) is important information conveyed by graphs. We investigated how sounds influenced slope detection in a visual search paradigm. Four bar graphs or scatter plots were presented on each trial. Participants looked for a positive-slope or a negative-slope target (in blocked trials), and responded to targets in a go or no-go fashion. For example, in a positive-slope-target block, the target graph displayed a positive slope while other graphs displayed negative slopes (a go trial), or all graphs displayed negative slopes (a no-go trial). When an ascending or descending sound was presented concurrently, ascending sounds slowed detection of negative-slope targets whereas descending sounds slowed detection of positive-slope targets. The sounds had no effect when they immediately preceded the visual search displays, suggesting that the results were due to crossmodal interaction rather than priming. The sounds also had no effect when targets were words describing slopes, such as "positive," "negative," "increasing," or "decreasing," suggesting that the results were unlikely due to semantic-level interactions. Manipulations of spatiotemporal similarity between sounds and graphs had little effect. These results suggest that ascending and descending sounds influence visual search for slope based on a general association between the direction of auditory pitch-change and visual linear trend.
Study the Effect of Diffusion Heat Treatments for Nickel Electroplating on the Surface Hardness of 7075 Aluminum Alloy

In this research a surface hardening process by Ni coating and subsequent diffusion heat treatments was studied at 7075 Aluminum alloy. Nickel coatings with different thickness were obtained by change the coating time and current density. Heat treatments at 450 °C, 500 °C, and 550 °C for times (6, 12, 24) hours were performed in order to obtain surface hardening required of the aluminum alloy by diffusion of nickel into the substrate. The effect of temperature and diffusion time on surface hardness of Al 7075 alloy was studied. Surface hardness about 800 [HV] were achieved after heat treatment at 500 °C for 24 hour by diffusion of Ni in the substrate and cause of formation of Al 3Ni 2 intermetallic phase, as x-ray diffraction tests of samples showed. While is about 670 [HV] after heat treatment at 550 °C for 24 hour because of diffusion of aluminum toward the surface of sample, as x-ray diffraction tests of samples showed.
Hardness of Thin Films Determined Based on Nanoindentation Load and Contact Stiffness

A model for the elastic contact between an indenter and a layered half-space allows the projected contact area to be estimated based on measured contact stiffness. In this way, the model allows the hardness to be determined indirectly based solely on load and contact stiffness rather than load and contact area. We apply the approach to Cu, Nb, and Cu/Nb multilayer thin films on Si.
On secondary transplantation of a sarcoma of the rat

At a meeting of the Society held on October 17, 1906, we presented specimens of a sarcoma of the rat which was being transplanted successfully.1 In the course of the transplantations the percentage of successful issues has reached approximately one hundred. In many series, every transplanted fragment developed into a tumor, and in none of the latter series has the percentage of “takes” fallen below ninety. The tumor having reached this maximum of infectivity, it was thought desirable to ascertain to what extent secondary transplantation would succeed. The method followed was to inoculate rats, in which a tumor nodule was already present, with another fragment of the tumor tissue. The second inoculation was made, as a rule, on the side of the body opposite the existing nodule, but in a few cases it was made in the tissues adjacent to the first nodule. After the second growth had developed to the size of a pea or bean, the rats were killed in order to determine whether metastasis from the first inoculation ...
Virus absorption by tumor cells.

SummaryFresh preparations of the WS strain of influenza A virus were poorly absorbed by Ehrlich tumor cells but heated WS virus formed a loose union dissociable by treatment with RDE. The neurotropic variant of this virus (NWS), which is capable of multiplying in transplanted Ehrlich ascites tumor, readily combined with EAC cells and did not elute spontaneously. RDE and sodium periodate destroyed the tumor cell receptors of NWTS virus. However, NVVS virus hemagglutinin could not be liberated by RDE after interaction with intact EAC cells at 37°C for 105 minutes. This “fixation” of NWS virus was not demonstrable after shorter periods of incubation, at temperatures of 23°C and 1°C, or if the tumor cells were previously heated to 56°C.
HETEROCHRONIC VARIATION IN THE DEVELOPMENTAL TIMING OF CRANIAL OSSIFICATIONS IN POECILIID FISHES (CYPRINODONTIFORMES).

The quantitative description of ossification sequences and other developmental events with respect to body size provides a basis for assessing the ontogenetic patterns underlying differences in morphological structure. To the extent that such sequences are evolutionarily conservative, they may also provide a basis for phylogenetic inference. Ossification profiles were examined in five species of poeciliid fishes of the genera Poecilia, Xiphophorus, and Poeciliopsis, selected to represent three lineages of varying evolutionary distinctiveness. Although ossification sequences are highly correlated among species, numerous small timing differences and reversals are evident, differences that are accentuated more among than within genera. The timing profiles by themselves, when used to construct hypothetical phylogenetic trees, contain sufficient historical information to recover evolutionary relationships consistent with conventional systematic criteria based primarily on adult osteology and external morphology. Character-state changes mapped onto the resulting trees can be interpreted directly as heterochronic accelerations and retardations of ossification.
Lymphocytes: past, present and future.

The remarkable progress in understanding the function of lymphocytes benefits clinical medicine mainly in the fields of organ transplantation and immunologic diseases. It is hoped that eventually immunologic reactions may be willfully stimulated or abrogated according to the clinical situation.
Pial Collateral Reactivity During Hypertension and Aging Understanding the Function of Collaterals for Stroke Therapy

Background and Purpose—We investigated vasoactive properties of leptomeningeal arterioles (LMAs) under normotensive conditions and during hypertension and aging that are known to have poor collateral flow and little salvageable tissue. Methods—LMAs, identified as distal anastomotic arterioles connecting middle and anterior cerebral arteries, were studied isolated and pressurized from young (18 weeks) or aged (48 weeks) normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY18, n=14; WKY48, n=6) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR18, n=16; SHR48, n=6). Myogenic tone and vasoactive responses to pressure as well as endothelial function and ion channel activity were measured. Results—LMAs from WKY18 had little myogenic tone at 40 mm Hg (8±3%) that increased in aged WKY48 (30±6%). However, LMAs from both WKY groups dilated to increased pressure and demonstrated little myogenic reactivity, a response that would be conducive to collateral flow. In contrast, LMAs from both SHR18 and SHR48 displayed considerable myogenic tone (5...
Morphological observation on the genotypes of the merozoite surface protein-1 alleles of Plasmodium vivax

To compare the morphological characteristics of two merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1) alleles of Plasmodium (vivax), blood samples of malaria patients confirmed by morphological examinations were collected and subjected to genotyping with nested PCR. The size of plasmodia was measured and calculated by micro-measure device. The results in genotyping showed that of the 72 field isolates, 40 isolates belonged to Sal-1 type. Twenty-five isolates to Belem type and 7 isolates were mixed types. The typical morphology of P.vivax was demonstrated. Six cases of multiple infection( more than two parasites in one red cell) were all found in the isolates from Hainan province with no significant correlation between mixed genotypes and multiple infection of red cells. There were significant differences between Sal-1 and Belem types in the sizes of normal and infected red cells, ring forms and their nuclei. As to the molecular mechanisms in the different genotypes, further investigations are needed.
Rationale and design of a randomized trial of automated hovering for post-myocardial infarction patients: The HeartStrong program.

Background Coronary artery disease is the single leading cause of death in the United States, and medications can significantly reduce the rate of repeat cardiovascular events and treatment procedures. Adherence to these medications, however, is very low. Methods HeartStrong is a national randomized trial offering 3 innovations. First, the intervention is built on concepts from behavioral economics that we expect to enhance its effectiveness. Second, the implementation of the trial takes advantage of new technology, including wireless pill bottles and remote feedback, to substantially automate procedures. Third, the trial's design includes an enhancement of the standard randomized clinical trial that allows rapid-cycle innovation and ongoing program enhancement. Results Using a system involving direct data feeds from 6 insurance partners followed by mail, telephone, and email contact, we enrolled 1,509 patients discharged from the hospital with acute myocardial infarction in a 2:1 ratio of intervention:usual care. The intervention period lasts 1 year; the primary outcome is time to first fatal or nonfatal acute vascular event or revascularization, including acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, stroke, acute coronary syndrome admission, or death. Conclusions Our randomized controlled trial of the HeartStrong program will provide an evaluation of a state-of-the-art behavioral economic intervention with a number of important pragmatic features. These include a tailored intervention responding to patient activity, streamlining of consent and implementation processes using new technologies, outcomes centrally important to patients, and the ability to implement rapid-cycle innovation.
Emerging from the Shadow of Science: Challenges and Opportunities for Antarctic History

This chapter uses the field of Antarctic history to think more broadly about future directions for the Antarctic humanities. Starting with the question “what does it mean to write history in a continent for science?” the essay examines some of the challenges and opportunities for historical scholarship in Antarctica. The dominance of the scientific paradigm imposes a number of constraints on historical research, but it also presents historians with numerous possibilities for engagement and collaboration. A central argument of the essay is that a reflexive awareness of the challenges facing Antarctic history is necessary to take full advantage of the opportunities. There are few places in the world where scientific research enjoys such a privileged status as it does in Antarctica, but the unequal relationship between science and the humanities is certainly not unique to the southern continent. The particularly dominant position of science in Antarctica helps to bring academic hierarchies into stark relief, and the essay concludes by thinking more broadly about interactions between humanist scholars and scientists, with a particular emphasis on the environmental humanities.
The Enacted KOAN – An Agent's Knowledge of Agency

Abstract We present Knowledge Of Action Networks, which provide an enactive machine learning model for knowledge of agency in artificial intelligence. These networks, which are expected to be part of embodied intelligences existing in dynamic environments, learn to represent their environment while simultaneously learning to represent their own actions and bodies within that environment. Thus self and world are intricately coupled in their basic representations. We will also explore some of the (many) expected contributions of such networks for implementing minimal self-models, which are basic models of self-aware agents.
DNMT3A mutations are associated with inferior overall and leukemia-free survival in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.

DNMT3A mutations are seen in ∼5% of patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) and thus far, have had an indeterminate prognostic impact on survival. We carried out this study to assess the prognostic impact of DNMT3A mutations on a larger informative cohort of CMML patients (n = 261). DNMT3A mutations were seen in 6% (n = 16); 56% (n = 9) male, with a median age of 64 years. Eighty-one % of DNMT3A mutations were missense, with the Arg882 mutational hot spot accounting for 63% of all changes. Five (31%) patients had an abnormal karyotype whereas concurrent gene mutations (SF3B1/SRSF2/U2AF1-56%, TET2-50%, and ASXL1-25%) were seen in all patients. Apart from a higher frequency of SF3B1 (P = 0.0001) and PTPN11 (P = 0.005) mutations and a lower frequency of SRSF2 (P = 0.004) mutations, there were no significant differences between DNMT3A mutated patients and their wildtype counterparts. In univariate analysis, survival was shorter in DNMT3A mutated (median 8 months) versus wildtype (median 27 months) patients (P = 0.0007; HR 2.9, 95% CI 1.5-5.7); with other variables of significance including lower hemoglobin (P = 0.002), higher leukocyte count (P = 0.0009), higher monocyte count (P = 0.0012), circulating blast % (P = 0.001), circulating immature myeloid cells (P = 0.01), bone marrow blast % (P = 0.045), abnormal karyotype (P = 0.02), and ASXL1 (P = 0.01) mutations. In a multivariable model that included the aforementioned variables, when both DNMT3A and ASXL1 mutations were added, only DNMT3A (P < 0.0001) and ASXL1 (P = 0.004) mutations remained significant. DNMT3A mutations were also predictive of a shortened leukemia-free survival. These findings warrant inclusion of DNMT3A mutations in molecularly integrated CMML prognostic models. Am. J. Hematol. 92:56-61, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Zebrafish response to live predator and biologically-inspired robot in a circular arena

Biologically-inspired robots are emerging as promising research tools in laboratory experiments to study animal behavior. Zebrafish are attaining an important role as model organisms for the study of emotional responses, including fear and anxiety. Here, we attempt at characterizing zebrafish response to fear-evoking stimuli using a live predator and a biologically-inspired 3D printed replica of the predator, actuated by an ad-hoc robotic platform. Fish motion tracking and information theoretic tools are integrated to quantify the interaction between zebrafish and the stimuli.
DUELING DUALISMS: seeing the trees for the forest without losing specificity

I write this review with a heavy heart. Trump’s election has rocked my students, my loved ones, and my queer and trans body. The ongoing murders of black men, trans women of color, and Native folks...
Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the Face of Host-Imposed Nutrient Limitation.

Coevolution of pathogens and host has led to many metabolic strategies employed by intracellular pathogens to deal with the immune response and the scarcity of food during infection. Simply put, bacterial pathogens are just looking for food. As a consequence, the host has developed strategies to limit nutrients for the bacterium by containment of the intruder in a pathogen-containing vacuole and/or by actively depleting nutrients from the intracellular space, a process called nutritional immunity. Since metabolism is a prerequisite for virulence, such pathways could potentially be good targets for antimicrobial therapies. In this chapter, we review the current knowledge about the in vivo diet of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, with a focus on amino acid and cofactors, discuss evidence for the bacilli’s nutritionally independent lifestyle in the host, and evaluate strategies for new chemotherapeutic interventions.
Do post-reproductive aged females promote maternal health? Preliminary evidence from historical populations.

Background and objectives Much literature argues that natural selection conserved menopause and longevity in women because those who stopped childbearing helped bolster daughters' fertility and reduce infant mortality among grandchildren. Whether the presence of grandmothers ever improved fitness sufficiently to affect longevity via natural selection remains controversial and difficult to test. The argument underlying the grandmother and associated alloparenting literature, however, leads us to the novel and testable prediction that the presence of older women in historical societies could have affected population health by reducing lethality associated with childbearing. Methodology Using historical life table data from four societies (Denmark, England and Wales, France and Sweden), we test the hypothesis that death rates among women initiating childbearing declined when the societies in which they were embedded included unexpectedly high frequencies of older women. We use time series analysis to measure the extent to which the observed likelihood of death among women aged 20-24 differs from statistically expected values when the number of older women grows or declines. Results In three of the four countries examined, we find an inverse relationship between the frequency of post-reproductive females in the population and odds of mortality among females at the peak of childbearing initiation. Conclusions and implications Results suggest that the presence of older women in a population may enhance population health by reducing mortality among women who face high risk of maternal death, although additional research is needed to determine if this relationship is causal.
Analysis of Reliability for Masonry Structures

Strength design and the use of loading criteria, based on probabilistic limit states design principles, are relatively new concepts in the masonry area. These concepts afford a number of advantages for design. Their implementation requires an assessment of the following: statistical data on masonry strength, the establishment of appropriate measures of reliability for design, and the development of safety factors to be applied to material and load variables. Available strength data on brick and concrete masonry construction are summarized, and a few reliability calculations are made to show how masonry compares with other engineered construction materials.
Faster (and Still Pretty Simple) Unbiased Estimators for Network (Un)reliability

Consider the problem of estimating the (un)reliability of an n-vertex graph when edges fail with probability p. We show that the Recursive Contraction Algorithms for minimum cuts, essentially unchanged and running in n2+o(1) time, yields an unbiased estimator of constant relative variance (and thus an FPRAS with the same time bound) whenever pc
Self-administered nicotine increases fat metabolism and suppresses weight gain in male rats

The ability of nicotine to suppress body weight is cited as a factor impacting smoking initiation and the failure to quit. Self-administered nicotine in male rats suppresses weight independent of food intake, suggesting that nicotine increases energy expenditure. The current experiment evaluated the impact of self-administered nicotine on metabolism in rats using indirect calorimetry and body composition analysis. Adult male rats with ad libitum access to powdered standard rodent chow self-administered intravenous infusions of nicotine (60 μg/kg/infusion or saline control) in daily 1-h sessions in the last hour of the light cycle. Indirect calorimetry measured respiratory exchange ratio (RER), energy expenditure, motor activity, and food and water consumption for 22.5 h between select self-administration sessions. Self-administered nicotine suppressed weight gain and reduced the percent of body fat without altering the percent of lean mass, as measured by Echo MRI. Nicotine reduced RER, indicating increased fat utilization; this effect was observed prior to weight suppression. Moreover, nicotine intake did not affect motor activity or energy expenditure. Daily food intake was not altered by nicotine self-administration; however, a trend in suppression of meal size, a transient suppression of water intake, and an increase in meal frequency was observed. These data provide evidence that self-administered nicotine suppresses body weight via increased fat metabolism, independent of significant changes in feeding, activity, or energy expenditure.
Delayed cord clamping during elective cesarean deliveries: results of a pilot safety trial

Delayed cord clamping (DCC) results in decreased iron deficiency in infancy. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has called for research on the optimal time to clamp the cord during cesarean deliveries (CD). Our objective was to conduct a pilot trial examining the safety of delayed cord clamping (DCC) for maternal-infant dyads during elective cesarean delivery (CD). We enrolled 39 dyads [23 at 90 s, 16 at 120 s; (DCC Pilot)] between 10/2013 and 9/2014. We abstracted data from the electronic medical record (EMR) for historical controls (HC) birthing between 1/2012–6/2013 for whom DCC was not performed (n = 112). Available data for 37 mothers and 30 infants compared to HC revealed 174 (95% CI: 61–286) mL lower mean estimated maternal blood loss [(EBL) mean (SD) mL]: DCC Pilot 691(218) vs. HC 864(442), p = 0.003 and lower incidence of maternal transfusions, DCC Pilot 2.7% vs. HC 18.8%, p = 0.016. There was no significant between group difference between DCC Pilot and HC in other a priori definitions of excess maternal blood loss: a) EBL > 800 ml, 21.6% vs. 38.8%, p = 0.07 or b) post-op hgb/pre-op hgb < 80%, 16.7% vs. 20.6%, p = 0.81. There were also no statistically significant between group differences in rates of NICU admission DCC Pilot 8.1% vs. HC 7.1%, p = 1.0., but there was a higher rate of newborn cold stress or hypothermia ≤36.2 °C in study subjects, DCC Pilot 27.0% vs. HC 11.9%, p = 0.038.Prevalence of newborn anemia was decreased [DCC pilot 3.3% (1 of 30) vs. HC 40.0% (4 of 10 infants with data), p = 0.012. No infants were polycythemic. These pilot data suggest cord clamping can be delayed to 120 s during elective CD without increased risk of excessive maternal blood loss. More aggressive prevention of infant heat loss may be warranted. A randomized trial to evaluate long-term maternal and infant outcomes is indicated. Clinical trials.gov, NCT02229162 ; registered: 1 September, 2014.
The CS 10K Project: mobilizing the computing community around high school education

Both innovations in computing and innovations using computing are fundamental to national competitiveness and societal progress, but the talent pool needed to sustain that innovation is uncertain. The building of a talent pool should start with K-12 education, but our schools are not providing broad access to quality computer science courses. While enrollment in high school STEM courses have increased substantially, the percentage of high school students who take CS is lower now than it was 20 years ago. The CS 10K Project aims to address this fundamental challenge by developing effective and engaging new high school curricula in computing and getting that curricula into courses taught by 10,000 well-prepared teachers in 10,000 high schools.
Using Revenue Sharing to Achieve Channel Coordination for a Newsboy Type Inventory Model

This chapter considers a single period inventory (newsboy) problem in which a manufacturer will both sell the item to the vendor outright as well as offer the item to the vendor on a revenue sharing (consignment) basis. In the latter case, the amount of money the vendor pays per unit is less than if the item is purchased by the vendor, but the vendor must share some of the revenue with the manufacturer. The purpose of our analysis is to investigate the effect of such a strategy on the vendor’s purchasing decision and demonstrate how such a revenue sharing scheme can be used to achieve channel coordination.
Administration of antidepressants. Single versus split dosing: a meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the literature comparing antidepressant effects of multiple daily dosing versus single daily dosing of antidepressants. Method: Studies comparing efficacy of single versus multiple daily dosing of antidepressants were reviewed. Data from the clinical trials meeting our inclusion criteria was subgrouped according to the half-life of the antidepressant drug studied. Meta-analyses were carried out to compare antidepressant efficacy of single versus multiple daily dosing overall and separately for the short, intermediate, and long half life antidepressant agent subgroups. Results: The review process identified 22 studies comparing the therapeutic effect of antidepressants according to their dosing schedules. Although most studies used antidepressant medications with short half-lives, none found a significant difference in therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, the improvement rates in depression scores in between the two groups were almost identical (SDD versus MDD). Conclusion: This meta-analytic approach found no advantage for multiple daily dosing and suggests that sustained therapeutic serum levels are not necessary for achievement of therapeutic activity. Antidepressant benefit may simply require a limited duration of exposure above the threshold serum level. Administration of antidepressants in single daily doses appears sufficient to perturb the physiological pathways associated with depression sufficiently to achieve an adaptive therapeutic response. Moreover, a single daily dosing regimen offers the potential advantages of simplicity, increased compliance, and reduced adverse effects, which in turn would increase the overall success rate in treatment of depression.
Parameter Estimation of Stochastic Biochemical Models using Multiple Hypothesis Testing

Stochastic rule-based models serve as natural and compact representations for biochemical reactions. The Gillespie stochastic simulation algorithm and its variants are employed to predict the behavior of biochemical systems modeled by such stochastic rule-based models. However, it is often not feasible to create a complete stochastic rule-based model from first principles. Instead, our knowledge of the biochemical system is used to obtain the set of chemical reactions of the stochastic rule-based model. The lack of knowledge about the rate constants of biochemical reactions is readily modeled by using unknown parameters in stochastic rule-based models.A primary challenge in the use of such a parameterized stochastic rule-based model for predicting the behavior of a biological system is the determination of the parameters of the model from multiple experimental observations. However, the focus of many earlier efforts has been on discovering parameter values of a parameterized stochastic biological model from a single specification written down in a computer-readable language such as probabilistic temporal logic.In practice, a biological model must satisfy multiple experimental observations made on the biological system being modeled. Hence, it is important to synthesize a single set of parameter values that cause a parameterized stochastic model to satisfy multiple probabilistic temporal logic specifications simultaneously.We present a new approach for estimating parameter values of stochastic biochemical models so that a single parameterized model satisfies all the given probabilistic temporal logic behavioral specifications simultaneously. Our approach first computes a quantitative metric describing how well a stochastic biochemical model satisfies a given specification. It then utilizes a multiple hypothesis testing based statistical model checking method to simultaneously validate the model against multiple probabilistic temporal logic behavioral specifications.We demonstrate the usefulness of our method by estimating the parameters of two stochastic rule-based models of biochemical receptors with 26 and 29 parameters against three probabilistic temporal logic behavioral specifications each. Our computational experiments are performed on an AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1900X 8-Core 3.8 GHz processor with 16 GB of RAM operating under Ubuntu 16.04, and obtained a set of parameter values for each model within one day.
At the Crossroads of Science and Society: Careers in Science Policy

Science policy offers a challenging and rewarding career path for scientists interested in the social, ethical, and legal implications of their field. This topic encompasses a broad spectrum of activities all in support of advancing the scientific enterprise. Science policy spans various sectors, and policy careers are found in many different organizations, including the federal government, scientific societies, and professional organizations. Although their specific duties may vary greatly, science policy professionals generally apply their scientific training to ensure that the scientific enterprise advances in a responsible and ethical manner and to solve challenges with broad scientific and societal implications.