cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cerebral Spinal Fluid Penetration of Tigecycline in a Patient with Acinetobacter baumannii Cerebritis

Objective:To describe cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) penetration of tigecycline.Case Summary:A 38-year-old woman experienced a right internal carotid artery dissection and right anterior and middle cerebral artery strokes due to unknown causes and subsequently developed vasogenic edema requiring right hemicraniectomy. Her postoperative course was complicated by multiple infections, and she developed multidrug, carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii cerebritis. She was treated with a prolonged course of multiple antibiotics, including 18 days of therapy with tigecycline. Time-paired serum and CSF samples were obtained, and tigecycline concentrations were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. We report serial, steady-state, serum, and CSF concentrations of tigecycline when administered in the Food and Drug Administration-approved dose of 50 mg every 12 hours. CSF concentrations remained relatively stable, suggesting that tigecycline did not accumulate in the CSF, at least in our patient. Ti...
Measuring Community Connectedness among Diverse Sexual Minority Populations

Theory and research agree that connectedness to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community is an important construct to account for in understanding issues related to health and well-being among gay and bisexual men. However, the measurement of this construct among lesbian and bisexual women or racial and ethnic minority individuals has not yet been adequately investigated. This study examined the reliability and validity of an existing measure of connectedness to the LGBT Community among a diverse group of sexual minority individuals in New York City, and whether differences in connectedness existed across gender and race or ethnicity. Scores on the measure demonstrated both internal consistency and construct stability across subgroups defined by gender and race or ethnicity. The subgroups did not differ in their mean levels of connectedness, and scores on the measure demonstrated factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity, both generally and within each of the subgroups. Inconsistencies were observed with regard to which scores on the measure demonstrated predictive validity in their associations with indicators of mental health and well-being. The scale is a useful tool for researchers and practitioners interested in understanding the role of community connectedness in the lives of diverse populations of sexual minority individuals.
Observation-based multiplexing of VBR traffic in ATM networks

We describe "observation-based dynamic multiplexing"-a service scheme designed to enhance the statistical multiplexing of soft real-time VBR traffic in ATM networks. In this scheme, unlike conventional static model-based approaches, the bandwidth allocation of an ATM connection is regularly adjusted via source-initiated renegotiations based on its interval effective bandwidth determined on-line using novel bandwidth estimation and prediction heuristics. Results from trace-driven and model-driven simulations verify the effectiveness of observation-based dynamic multiplexing in the single-node case, especially for the support of MPEG and JPEG traffic. A reasonable level of cell loss performance can be achieved with significant improvement in network utilization in comparison to static bandwidth allocation based on single-source effective bandwidth.
Accounting for biological and physical sources of acoustic backscatter improves estimates of zooplankton biomass

To convert measurements of backscattered acoustic energy to estimates of abundance and taxonomic information about the zooplankton community, all of the scattering processes in the water column nee...
Involvement of S6 kinase and p38 mitogen activated protein kinase pathways in strain-induced alignment and proliferation of bovine aortic smooth muscle cells

Bovine aortic smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotype can be altered by physical forces. This has been demonstrated by cyclic strain-induced changes in proliferation and alignment. However, the intracellular coupling pathways remain ill defined. In the present study, we examined whether the p38 and S6 kinase pathway were involved in the mitogenic and morphological changes seen in SMCs exposed to cyclic strain. We seeded bovine aortic SMCs on silastic membranes that were deformed with 150-mmHg vacuum. Cyclic strain induced both alignment and proliferation of SMCs. SB202190, a specific inhibitor of p38, hindered SMC alignment, but not proliferation. Rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of the mTOR-S6 kinase pathway, attenuated strain-induced proliferation, but not alignment. Peak activation of p38 and S6 kinase was 351 ± 76.9% at 5 min and 363 ± 56.2% at 60 min compared with static control, respectively (P < 0.05). The results suggest that strain-induced SMC alignment is dependent on activation of p38, but not S6 kinase. Strain induced SMC proliferation is S6 kinase, but not p38 activation, dependent. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Trends and variations in smoking during pregnancy and low birth weight: evidence from the birth certificate, 1990-2000.

Objective. This study compares patterns of tobacco use during pregnancy over time and across population subgroups and examines the impact of ma- ternal smoking on the incidence of low birth weight (LBW). The study also evaluates the use of birth certifi- cates to monitor prenatal smoking. Methods. The birth certificates of all states (except California) and the District of Columbia for 2000 pro- vided to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics were analyzed. Trends in maternal smoking were examined with data from birth certificates and other relevant sources. Results. Smoking during pregnancy was reported for 12.2% of women who gave birth in 2000, down 37% from 1989 (19.5%), when this information was first collected on birth certificates. Throughout the 1990s, prenatal smok- ing rates were highest for older teenagers and women in their early 20s. Among population subgroups, the high- est rates were reported for non-Hispanic white women who attended but did not complete high school. The incidence of LBW among singleton infants who were born to smokers was double that for nonsmokers. This relationship was observed in all age groups, for births to Hispanic and non-Hispanic white and black women, and within educational attainment subgroups. Even light smoking (<5 cigarettes daily) was associated with ele- vated rates of LBW. Conclusion. Although prenatal smoking may be un- derreported on the birth certificate, the trends and vari- ations in smoking based on birth certificate data have been confirmed with data from other sources. Birth cer- tificate data can be useful in monitoring prenatal smok- ing patterns. Changes in the birth certificate questions that are to be implemented beginning in 2003 will help to clarify the levels and changes in smoking behavior dur- ing pregnancy so that smoking cessation programs can be more effectively designed to meet the needs of the pop- ulations at risk. Pediatrics 2003;111:1176 -1180; birth, ma- ternal smoking, low birth weight, birth certificates.
Comparative single-dose pharmacokinetics of amantadine hydrochloride and rimantadine hydrochloride in young and elderly adults

The single-dose pharmacokinetics of amantadine hydrochloride and rimantadine hydrochloride were compared in a randomized, two-period, crossover study involving six young (less than or equal to 35 years) and six elderly (less than or equal to 60 years) adults. Subjects ingested single 200-mg oral doses after an overnight fast, and serial plasma (0 to 96 h), nasal mucus (0 to 8 h), and urine (0 to 24 h) samples were collected for assay of drug concentration by electron capture gas chromatography. For both groups combined, rimantadine differed significantly from amantadine in peak plasma concentration (mean +/- standard deviation, 0.25 +/- 0.06 versus 0.65 +/- 0.22 micrograms/ml), plasma elimination half-life (36.5 +/- 15 versus 16.7 +/- 7.7 h), and percentage of administered dose excreted unchanged in urine (0.6 +/- 0.8 versus 45.7 +/- 15.7%). No significant age-related differences were noted for rimantadine. Urinary excretion (0 to 24 h) of rimantadine and its hydroxylated metabolites averaged 19% of the administered dose. The maximum nasal mucus drug concentration was similar for both drugs (0.42 +/- 0.25 versus 0.45 +/- 0.32 micrograms/g), and the ratio of maximum nasal mucus to plasma concentration was over twofold higher after rimantadine than after amantadine. These findings may in part explain the clinical effectiveness of rimantadine in influenza A virus infections at dosages that have lower toxicity than those of amantadine.
Plasmid-Mediated qepA Gene among Escherichia coli Clinical Isolates from Japan

Seven hundred fifty-one Escherichia coli clinical isolates collected from 140 Japanese hospitals between 2002 and 2006 were screened for the qepA and qnr genes. Two E. coli isolates (0.3%) harbored qepA, but no qnr was identified. The results suggested a low prevalence of E. coli harboring qepA or qnr in Japan.
Hybridization between delta smelt and two other species within the family Osmeridae in the San Francisco Bay-Delta

Hybridization among closely related species may pose a threat to species persistence, especially between native and introduced species. We analyzed nine microsatellite loci, mitochondrial sequences and 16 species-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in two native species (delta smelt and longfin smelt) and one introduced species (wakasagi smelt) in the family Osmeridae to describe the extent of hybridization among these species in the San Francisco Bay-Delta, CA, USA. We identified 29 putative hybrids with a microsatellite-based Bayesian assignment method, and we further screened these putative hybrids with the SNP loci and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing. From the Yolo Bypass, 11 % of morphologically ambiguous individuals were F1 hybrids and 0.1 % of positively identified delta smelt from throughout the San Francisco Bay-Delta were F1 hybrids according to their SNP genotypes. mtDNA sequencing revealed wakasagi smelt as the maternal parent for all five delta smelt × wakasagi smelt hybrids and longfin smelt as the maternal parent for the single longfin smelt × delta smelt hybrid. Hybridization among these three species appears to occur at relatively low frequencies and may not be an immediate threat to the persistence of the imperiled native species; however, the presence of hybrid individuals warrants continued monitoring.
APPLICATIONS OF CROSSFLOW MAGNETICALLY STABILIZED FLUIDIZED BEDS

The utilization of fluidized beds to effect separations has been limited by the fluid bypassing and particle mixing which tends to decrease the efficiency of separation. Application of a magnetic field to a fluidized bed of magnetizable particles produces a quiescent state with several of the best properties of both fluidized and fixed beds. Similar to fluidized beds, the magnetized beds resemble a liquid and are easily transported between vessels. Their contacting properties, however, are close to those of packed beds with near plug flow of both the fluid and bed particles. These magnetized fluidized beds have advantages when operated in a crossflow configuration, with continuous participates movement transverse to the ascending flow of the fluidizing fluid. Applications of these crossflow beds include solids/solids separation, fluid filtering, and chromatographic separations.
Business recession, alcohol consumption, drinking and driving laws: impact on Oklahoma motor vehicle fatalities and fatal crashes

In 1982, Oklahoma enacted a series of drinking and driving laws. In the ensuing years, motor vehicle fatalities and fatal crashes were reduced by one-third. Factors contributing to this reduction were examined using interrupted time series analysis of monthly rates of motor vehicle deaths and fatal crashes for the period January 1980 to December 1986. Decreasing per capita alcohol consumption and increased unemployment apparently account for most of the fatality and fatal crash reduction in Oklahoma. The enactment of two traffic safety laws--one specifying the illegal blood alcohol concentration level (BAC law) and the other facilitating license withdrawal from suspected drunk drivers (administrative per se law)--together reduced Oklahoma traffic deaths and fatal crashes by about 9 percent. The effectiveness of the laws appeared to be greatest in the first two years following their enactment.
Possible Futures for the Research Library in the 21st Century

We live in a time of great change, an increasingly global society, knitted together by pervasive communications and transportation technologies and driven by the exponential growth of new knowledge. It is a time of challenge and contradiction, as an ever-increasing human population threatens global sustainability; a global, knowledge-driven economy places a new premium on workforce skills through phenomena such as off-shoring; govern- ments place increasing confidence in market forces to reflect public priorities even as new paradigms such as open-source technologies challenge conventional free-market philosophies; shifting geopoliti- cal tensions driven by the great disparity in wealth and power about the globe, national security, and terrorism. (Friedman, 2005) Yet it is also a time of unusual opportunity and reason for optimism as these same technologies enable the formation of new communi- ties and social institutions, better able to address the needs of our society.
Fractal Eaarth: Visualizing the Global Environment in the Anthropocene

This essay offers a postcolonial critique of recent environmentalist literature and exhibitions that frame the Anthropocene using the NASA Apollo mission's Earthrise (1968) and Blue Marble (1972) photographs from space. Building on the work of Dennis Cosgrove and Donna Haraway, as well as historical evidence from the U.N. Environmental Summit in Stockholm in 1972, the essay explores how the attempt to depict Anthropos as a unitary geophysical agent resurrects the appeal to the Whole Earth environmentalism of the 1970s without attending to the U.S. imperialist and racist connotations of the disembodied "god trick" found in these extraterrestrial photographs. As evidenced already in the 1950s at the landmark Man and Nature conference at Princeton and in the wildlife documentaries of Bernhard and Michael Grzimek, moreover, the first decades of the Great Acceleration witnessed the growing use of aerial images to chart the "disappearance of the outside" and to advocate for wilderness areas in the Global South as a "cultural heritage of mankind." The confluence of geophysical tipping points, universalist history, and political struggle over decolonization resulted in eco-images that subsumed all parts of the globe—most especially Africa—into a doomsday narrative of human profligacy that lost sight of a kaleidoscopic patchwork of cultural landscapes. Fractal topographies, by contrast, serve as more effective indices of the recursive layering found in digital representations such as Google Earth and help us to stretch our historical imagination and cultural criticism into scale-dependent and multi-agentic realms that lie beyond the Apollonian visions of the late Holocene.
Allowable Axial Loads and Bending Moments for Inelastic Structures Under Nonuniform Temperature Distribution

A s t ra in -ana lys i s m e t h o d is de r ived a n d d e m o n s t r a t e d for t h e ca lcu la t ion of des ign a l lowable l oad s t r a in c u r v e s for t h e cross sec t ion of a s t r u c t u r e s u p p o r t i n g axial l oads a n d b e n d i n g m o m e n t s . T h e t e m p e r a t u r e effects of t h e r m a l s t resses and changed ma te r i a l p rope r t i e s a n d all inelas t ic effects a r e inc luded in t h e ca lcu la t ions so t h a t t h e final c u r v e is a design c u r v e for t h e app l i ed s t resses a s ca l cu la t ed b y r o o m t e m p e r a t u r e elast ic p rocedures . T h e m e t h o d al lows for sequence app l i ca t ion a n d r e m o v a l of l o a d a n d t e m p e r a t u r e , a s well as cycl ing of l oad a n d / o r t e m p e r a t u r e . App l i ca t ions a r e shown for a r e c t a n g u l a r b a r u n d e r t e m p e r a t u r e cycl ing w i th axial l oads a n d / o r b e n d i n g m o m e n t s a n d for a b o x b e a m w i t h one b e n d i n g m o m e n t t e m p e r a t u r e cycle. I n t e r a c t i o n c u r v e s b e t w e e n axial load a n d b e n d i n g m o m e n t w i th inelas t ic effects inc luded a r e given, t h e ca lcu la t ions be ing d o n e on a d ig i t a l c o m p u t e r . A p r o c e d u r e is g iven for us ing t h e m e t h o d t o con s t r u c t design curves .
Anomaly Detection in Images With Smooth Background via Smooth-Sparse Decomposition

In various manufacturing applications such as steel, composites, and textile production, anomaly detection in noisy images is of special importance. Although there are several methods for image den...
Involvement of extracellular matrix remodeling and up-regulated TNF-αin asthma rat and the interventions of montelukast sodium

Objective:The present research aimed to explore the involvement of extracellular matrix remodeling and upregulated TNF-αin asthma tat and the interventions of montelukast sodium.Methods:SD rats were divided into 3groups including control,model and drug intervention group.Asthma model was established and the drug intervention group was given montelukast sodium.The expression of TNF-α,MMP-2,MMP-9and its inhibitor TIMP1 was detected by Western Blotting.Results:The expression of TNF-α,MMP-2,MMP-9and its inhibitor TIMP1 was increased in asthma lung when compared with control.These abnormalities were normalized by the medication of montelukast sodium with a statistical difference when compare with model group.Conclusion:Extracellular matrix remodeling and up-regulated TNF-αparticipated in the pathogenesis of asthama lung injury and montelukast sodium alleviates the injury by normalizing those abnormal proteins expression.
Catastrophe Risk and the Regulation of Property Insurance Markets

In this paper, we evaluate state regulation of insurance markets subject to catastrophe risk and, more specifically, homeowners insurance and commercial property insurance. When insurers suffer substantial losses following a catastrophic event, pressures on property insurance markets can increase as insurers attempt to raise their prices and reduce their exposures. This can bring insurers into conflict with regulators who seek to maintain the affordability and availability of insurance. Some states may also use their residual market mechanisms as a means to provide subsidized coverage for high-risk properties. While these regulatory actions may seem well intended, the concern is that they can interfere with market adjustments and undermine the supply of private insurance. To gain some insight on these issues, we examine how state rate regulation and the relative size of state residual market mechanisms affect various outcomes in homeowners and commercial property insurance markets generally and specifically following a large catastrophe in a state. Our findings indicate that regulatory attempts to constrain rates and larger residual markets tend to have negative effects on certain outcomes in homeowners insurance markets, all other things equal. However, we do not find that these effects become more pronounced following a catastrophic event except for market concentration. Further work is needed to develop better ways of measuring how changes in catastrophe risk and rate regulation affect property insurance markets.
Training Elementary School Students to Intervene as Peer-Advocates to Stop Bullying at School: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACTThe prevalence of bullying among children has prompted the development of school-based programs to address this problem. This pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of a brief, stand-alone bystander bullying program for elementary school students. The purpose of the program was to train students to take action as peer-advocates. After completing a 75-min program, students reported an increase in their ability to identify what different types of bullying look like, knowledge of bystander intervention strategies, and general confidence intervening as peer-advocates. Furthermore, fifth-grade students showed the greatest response to the program. Implications for school counselors as leaders in program implementation and future directions for research are discussed.
Self-induced parametric amplification in ring resonating gyroscopes

Abstract We investigate self-induced parametric amplification that arises from dispersive nonlinear coupling between degenerate modes in systems with circular symmetry that rotate about the axis of symmetry. This phenomenon was first observed in micro-electromechanical ring/disk gyroscopes, where it provided enhanced readout gain using purely passive nonlinear effects [Nitzan et al. [22] , 2015]. The goal of this investigation is to provide a fundamental description of this phenomenon, which is an example where nonlinear dynamics can improve the performance of a practical device. To describe this behavior, we consider the in-plane vibrations of a thin ring surrounded by electrodes that rotates about its symmetry axis at a rate Ω much smaller than its vibration frequencies ωn, as is the case in applications. The focus is on the pair of degenerate elliptical modes, one of which is taken as the drive mode and the other as the sense mode for the sensor. These modes are coupled through both inertial (Coriolis) and geometric nonlinear effects, as described by general forms of the kinetic and potential energies that account for finite deformation kinematics, as well as electrostatic effects. We investigate the specific effects of this coupling on the system performance and its sensitivity when used as a sensor for the spin rate. Specifically, we show that drive mode vibrations with sufficiently high amplitude affect the sense mode dynamic behavior in the form of parametric pumping, which leads to a considerable amplification of the sense mode response. As this response amplitude is proportional to Ω, it results in a substantial increase of the gyroscope sensitivity with respect to the external angular rate. We also illustrate that the effects of the sense mode vibrations on the drive mode dynamics can be neglected in the model when Ω / ω n ≪ 1 . Finally, we illustrate the applicability of our results by considering the dynamic response of a representative MEMS gyroscope model and quantifying the predicted benefits of these nonlinear effects.
Broadly tunable frequency division duplex transceiver: Theory and operation

Software defined radios (SDR) capable of supporting a wide range of legacy and future systems must be compatible with frequency division duplex (FDD) operation. We have recently demonstrated an FDD capable, integrated SDR (SD-FDD) that achieves >25dB isolation of TX and RX across a wide band while supporting high TX power. This transceiver employs an artificial transmission line and frequency selective TX degeneration to meet the various requirements of FDD-SDR. In this paper, this architecture is analyzed and methods to choose and calibrate the complex input weights of the transmitter are derived. The key degeneration parameters are characterized and how they affect noise is described.
Augustine and Apuleius and Rome’s Favorite Religion

In an age of television, movies, virtual amusement parks and video entertainment centers, the need for literary enjoyment appears to have declined considerably in recent years. In spite of the increasing number of college graduates scattered throughout the world, interest in old fables and works of great literary scholarship seem among most readers as dull, tedious, and extremely laborious. Nevertheless, occasionally in today’s impending cybernetic ploy for man’s future, one is fortunate enough to be exposed to something other then the lobotomizing products of the scientific revolution. Apuleius’ The Golden Ass and Peter Brown’s Augustine of Hippo represent two literary classics that transcend modern anecdotes prescribed to prevent mundane boredom. In their entirety, they symbolize the broad spectrum of religious myths and philosophical thought that have come to dominate modern and post-modern culture today. Individually, both these works represent two separate journeys that lead the adventurer upon very similar discoveries and outcomes. Thus, the aim of this essay is to illuminate the reciprocities that distinguish and connect these two literary works.
Mandatory Access Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs and Prescription Drug Abuse

Despite the significant cost of prescription (Rx) drug abuse and calls from policymakers for effective interventions, there is limited research on the effects of policies intended to limit such abuse. This study estimates the effects of prescription drug monitoring (PDMP) programs, which constitute a key policy targeting access to non-medical use of Rx drugs. Based on objective indicators of abuse as measured by substance abuse treatment admissions and mortality related to Rx drugs, estimates do not suggest any substantial effects of instituting an operational PDMP. We find, however, that mandatory-access provisions, which raised PDMP utilization rates by actually requiring providers to query the PDMP prior to prescribing a controlled drug, are significantly associated with a reduction in Rx drug abuse. The effects are driven primarily by a reduction in opioid abuse, generally strongest among young adults (ages 18 to 24), and underscore important dynamics in the policy response. Robustness checks are consistent with a causal interpretation of these effects. We also assess potential spillovers of mandatory PDMPs on the use of other illicit drugs and find a complementary reduction in admissions related to cocaine and marijuana abuse.
A Cationic Polymer That Shows High Antifungal Activity against Diverse Human Pathogens.

ABSTRACT Invasive fungal diseases are generally difficult to treat and often fatal. The therapeutic agents available to treat fungi are limited, and there is a critical need for new agents to combat these deadly infections. Antifungal compound development has been hindered by the challenge of creating agents that are highly active against fungal pathogens but not toxic to the host. Host defense peptides (HDPs) are produced by eukaryotes as a component of the innate immune response to pathogens and have served as inspiration for the development of many new antibacterial compounds. HDP mimics, however, have largely failed to exhibit potent and selective antifungal activity. Here, we present an HDP-like nylon-3 copolymer that is effective against diverse fungi while displaying only mild to moderate toxicity toward mammalian cells. This polymer is active on its own and in synergy with existing antifungal drugs against multiple species of Candida and Cryptococcus, reaching levels of efficacy comparable to those of the clinical agents amphotericin B and fluconazole in some cases. In addition, the polymer acts synergistically with azoles against different species of Aspergillus, including some azole-resistant strains. These findings indicate that nylon-3 polymers are a promising lead for development of new antifungal therapeutic strategies.
Abstract 4422: Capsaicin suppresses pancreatic tumor growth by inhibiting tumor cell metabolism

Tumor cell metabolism is considered to be a hallmark of tumorigenic progression. Pancreatic cancer cells are shown to develop addiction towards the metabolic pathways like glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration to meet energy demands. Pancreatic tumor cells predominantly utilize cytosolic aerobic glycolysis for energy production. In our previous studies, we have reported that capsaicin treatment inhibits the survival of AsPC-1 and BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cell lines. In this study, we evaluated the effect of capsaicin on glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration in pancreatic cancer cells. Our results showed that capsaicin treatment reduced the extra-cellular acidification rate (glycolysis) and oxygen consumption rate (mitochondrial respiration) in AsPC-1 and BxPC-3 cells in a concentration-dependent manner after 24h of treatment. Capsaicin treatment caused 86% and 55% down-regulation of glycolysis process in AsPC-1and BxPC-3 cells respectively. Our results also indicate the inhibition of glycolytic capacity and glycolytic reserve by capsaicin treatment indicating the potential of capsaicin to inhibit glycolysis. In addition, capsaicin treatment reduced 98% of basal oxygen consumption rate and ATP production in AsPC-1 cells. Furthermore, capsaicin treatment inhibited spare respiratory capacity & proton leak in a concentration dependent manner in AsPC-1 cells. Treatment of AsPC-1 and BxPC-3 with capsaicin for 48h also inhibited the expression of LDH-A and its upstream regulators such as HIF-1α, pSTAT3 (Y705) and EGFR as evaluated by Western blot. Our study thus indicate that capsaicin suppresses pancreatic tumor growth by down-regulating glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration. Further mechanistic studies are in progress. [Supported in part by R01 grant CA129038, awarded to (S.K.S.) by the National Cancer Institute]. Citation Format: Sharavan Ramachandran, Sanjay K. Srivastava. Capsaicin suppresses pancreatic tumor growth by inhibiting tumor cell metabolism [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4422. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4422
Interpolation and Prediction

In this chapter we will take a closer look at certain important questions about stationary sequences. In the case of interpolation, we assume that a stationary process (discrete time) is being recorded continuously, but that one or more observations are missed (perhaps while the experimenter is out to lunch). It is then desired to reconstruct the missing observations as well as possible using all the others, both earlier and later than the ones which were omitted. For prediction, on the other hand, we assume that the entire history of the process is known up to a certain point in time, and on the basis of these observations one or more of the future values must be estimated as accurately as possible. Still another problem, which we won’t discuss here, involves filtering an observed process which consists of a “desired signal” plus “noise” in order to recover the signal alone from the combination. Once again, Wiener’s Cybernetics is a source of interesting historical background.
Heart failure management with ambulatory pulmonary artery pressure monitoring

Remote monitoring strategies have been developed to improve ambulatory care of heart failure patients and reduce heart failure hospitalizations. This article evaluates the CardioMEMS device, an implantable wireless pulmonary artery pressure monitor. We provide a historical review of remote monitoring in heart failure along with an in-depth analysis of the rationale, evidence, and limitations of the CardioMEMS device.
Pathobiology of acute myocardial ischemia.

Reperfusion remains the sole proven means for limiting infarct size, but it may exact a pathologic price. Several observations support the belief that restoration of blood flow may promote the structural disruption of myocytes irreversibly injured by antecedent ischemia. If so, reperfusion would hasten cell death, in effect administering the coup de grace to myocardial tissue.
Koncepcja binary approach jako instrument kształtowania zrównoważonego wzrostu

This article focuses on the binary economic approach and explains how this approach can enhance not only their capital earning capacity but also their demand for employment and the prospect for achieving environmental sustainability. The binary economic approach envisions an implementation of an ownership-broadening system of corporate finance that world require no taxes, redistribution, or government command. Corporations would be free to continue to meet their capital requirements as before, but they would have an additional, potentially more profitable, market means to do so.
Influence of Body Weight on Surgical Treatment for Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Background Body weight affects outcomes of surgical treatment for various conditions, but its effects on the treatment of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS) are unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of body weight on technical and functional outcomes of surgical treatment for NTOS. Methods A retrospective review of prospectively collected data was conducted for 265 patients who underwent supraclavicular decompression for NTOS between January 1, 2014 and March 31, 2016. Patients were grouped according to 6 standard body mass index (BMI) categories. The influence of BMI on measures of surgical outcome was analyzed using Pearson correlation statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multivariate logistic regression. Results Mean patient age was 33.3 ± 0.7 years (range, 12–70), and 208 (78%) patients were women. Mean BMI was 27.2 ± 0.4 (range 16.8–49.9), with 7 underweight (3%), 95 normal (36%), 84 overweight (32%), 47 obese-I (18%), 15 obese-II (6%), and 17 obese-III (6%). There was a slight but significant association between BMI and age (Pearson P Conclusions There was no substantive influence of BMI on preoperative characteristics or intraoperative, postoperative, or 3-month outcomes for patients with NTOS, and no indication of an “obesity paradox” for this condition. Supraclavicular decompression for NTOS achieves similar outcomes across the BMI spectrum.
High-Q monocrystalline silicon carbide disk resonators fabricated using drie of thick SiC-on-insulator substrates

This paper presents, for the first time, high-Q bulk acoustic wave (BAW) modes in disk resonators fabricated using deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) of custom-made 100μm-thick 4H-single crystal silicon carbide-on-insulator (SiCOI) substrates. With SiC exhibiting the lowest intrinsic Akhiezer loss among all common resonator materials (Akhiezer f·Q=6.6×1014Hz), bonded SiCOI substrates are ideal to demonstrate resonant BAW gyroscopes with ultra-high mechanical Q-factors while operating in harsh environments. Front-side perforations, introduced for release purposes in the SiC layer, define the as-fabricated frequency split (Δf=215Hz) of the secondary elliptical modes (m=3) and its Q-factor (Q=170k at 843kHz), which is the highest reported for SiC disk resonators.
Data Collection for Dialogue System: A Startup Perspective

Industrial dialogue systems such as Apple Siri and Google Now rely on large scale diverse and robust training data to enable their sophisticated conversation capability. Crowdsourcing provides a scalable and inexpensive way of data collection but collecting high quality data efficiently requires thoughtful orchestration of the crowdsourcing jobs. Prior study of this topic have focused on tasks only in the academia settings with limited scope or only provide intrinsic dataset analysis, lacking indication on how it affects the trained model performance. In this paper, we present a study of crowdsourcing methods for a user intent classification task in our deployed dialogue system. Our task requires classification of 47 possible user intents and contains many intent pairs with subtle differences. We consider different crowdsourcing job types and job prompts and analyze quantitatively the quality of the collected data and the downstream model performance on a test set of real user queries from production logs. Our observation provides insights into designing efficient crowdsourcing jobs and provide recommendations for future dialogue system data collection process.
College Students Discount Money “Won” More Than Money “Owed”

Evidence in the research literature indicates people may treat “won” money differently than they would their own money. The present study had a sample of 648 college students complete a delay-discounting task that involved the hypothetical monetary amounts of $1,000 or $100,000. Participants were asked repeatedly what amount they would accept immediately rather than waiting a given length of time for the full amount. One group was told these amounts were money they had won; the other group was told that the amounts were money they were owed. Results showed participants discounted money “won” more than money “owed,” indicating that won money was less valued than their own money. These results suggest that researchers who study discounting should be aware that contextual factors may play a role in delay discounting.
Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitors: Mechanism of Action and in Vivo Studies

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) catalyzes the NADPH- and O2-dependent oxidation of Larginine to citrulline and nitric oxide (NO) (1,2). At least three distinct isoforms of NOS occur in mammals including a brain isoform (bNOS) that produces NO having a poorly defined role in neurotransmission (3,4), an isoform in vascular endothelial cells (eNOS) that produces NO having a vasodilatory role in normal blood pressure homeostasis (5,7), and an inducible isoform (iNOS) that is expressed in many tissues in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and various cytokines (e.g. tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-2 (IL-2) (8). Although iNOS has a physiological role in the control of intracellular pathogens including viruses (9) and may play a role in the cytostatic/cytotoxic reaction of macrophages to tumor cells (10,11), overproduction of NO by iNOS expressed in vascular smooth muscle (VSM) and endothelial cells has been shown to be a major hypotensive mediator in septic and cytokine-induced shock (7,12–15). Recent evidence also suggests iNOS-derived NO accounts in part for the tissue damage seen in inflammatory disorders including arthritis (16–18). Elucidation of these potentially pathological roles of iNOS and speculation that bNOS has a role in the post-ischemic damage of stroke (4) has stimulated efforts to selectively inhibit the NOS isoforms.
Logging In to Press On: An Examination of High School Dropout and Completion among Students with Disabilities in Online Courses.

Students with disabilities (SWDs) continue to experience rates of high school dropout greater than students not receiving special education services. Furthermore, there is a persistent gap in the r...
We'll make modelers out of 'em yet: introducing modeling into a curriculum

The prevalence of model-driven software engineering in industry combined with a personal interest in the topic led to the conception of a new course aimed at introducing students to topics related to modeling. This paper presents a retrospective examination of this course, including: a course overview, intra-student grade comparisons on topic-centered assessments, and student feedback regarding course topics and implementation. The paper provides sufficient detail of the course offering such that, if desired, readers could offer a course with similar goals, outcomes, and structure. Finally, specific lessons learned are presented in hopes of enabling future improvements to the course and as a warning to other academics should they begin to offer similar courses.
Sequence based mapping identifies AWNS1, a candidate transcription repressor underlying awn suppression at the B1 locus in wheat

Abstract Awns are stiff, hair-like structures that grow from the spikelets of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and other grasses. In wild wheat relatives, awns play a role in seed dispersal. Awn suppression in domesticated wheat, where awns are shortened or even eliminated entirely, is variably adaptive with both awned and awnless types under widespread cultivation. Although the B1 locus on the long arm of chromosome 5A is a major determinant of awn suppression, no underlying gene or mechanism of action has been identified. Using association mapping, we identified a SNP marker located on the distal end of 5AL (5A28417) predictive of awn status in a panel of 640 U.S. winter wheat breeding lines, indicating that B1 was the determinant of awn suppression in this germplasm. Analysis of historical data available for the panel determined 5A28417 was also significantly associated with grain test weight. Evaluation of spike morphology and kernel traits was undertaken in a 341 RIL population developed from a cross between awned soft winter wheat cultivar LA95135 and awnless cultivar SS-MPV57. Awn suppression in the population co-segregated with 5A28417 and was co-located with QTL for number of spikelets per spike, kernel weight and kernel length. Fine-mapping located B1 to a region containing only two predicted genes, including a C2H2 zinc finger transcription factor 219 bp from 5A28417 that we named AWNS-A1. Deletions encompassing both genes were present in awned mutants of the awnless cultivar Brundage. Polymorphisms in the AWNS-A1 coding region were not observed in diverse wheat germplasm. However, sequencing of wheat lines representing different marker haplotypes in the surrounding region identified a deletion 3 kb downstream of AWNS-A1. A marker for this deletion was highly predictive of awn suppression in a collection of diverse wheat accessions, and indicates that AWNS-A1 is likely the major determinant of awn suppression in global wheat germplasm. AWNS-A1 is more highly expressed in developing spikes of awnless individuals, suggesting a mechanism for awn suppression.
The Use of Forensic Archaeology in Missing Person Cases

Forensic scientific investigations concern themselves with inquiry into the specific context of a crime and the manner in which the crime was committed. Forensic Archaeology is a scientific discipline that applies archaeological techniques to recover, analyze, and interpret human remains from a variety of medicolegal and contemporary circumstances. This forensic inquiry allows for the examination and interpretation of death scenes and their associated bodily remains for information that can reveal the identity of the person, as well as associated evidence and context that reveal the circumstances of the crime. In this paper, the expansion of the role of Forensic Archaeology to assist in the location of missing persons, both from recent and remote contexts, will be presented. Current research on missing persons at the national and local level suggest that missing persons, from both intentional and accidental means, are often found within a 1–5 mile radius of where they were last seen. By examining current patterns in the manner of death, or information enlightening “by whose hand,” much can be learned about the particular circumstances that lead to body deposition and behavior at death scenes. As information is compiled, trends in the data assist in creating a series of correlates that can be used as predictors of a particular manner of death. These data provide scenarios that can be used as predictive models to implement at the time a person goes missing to reduce the time between disappearance and location, rescue or recovery. Additionally, this modeling proves useful when reexamining cold cases of unfound missing persons in an attempt to locate these unfound after considerable time. Case examples, utilizing Forensic Archaeology Recovery (FAR) personnel, will be presented to highlight the use of predictive modeling in search and recovery and in unfound missing persons’ cases.
Contraceptive Methods and the Impact of Menstruation on Daily Functioning in Women with Sickle Cell Disease.

Objectives Women with sickle cell disease (SCD) are living longer as a result of advances in the care of their underlying disease. With the population growing of women living with SCD, reproductive health issues in this population have become an emphasized area of medical care. We sought to describe current patterns of contraception use, menstruation, and quality-of-life (QOL) measures in women with SCD. Methods Using a cross-sectional study design, we administered paper surveys at two academic medical centers to women aged 10 to 55 years with SCD to capture current contraceptive use, characteristics of menstrual cycles, and QOL metrics. Results Of the 103 women who participated, 12.7% (13/102) experienced a duration of menses >7 days (defined here as prolonged menstrual bleeding). Approximately half of women (51.5%, 53/103) used some form of contraception, with depot medroxyprogesterone acetate injections and condoms being the most common. During their last menstrual periods, women with both dysmenorrhea and prolonged menstrual bleeding (6.9%, 7/102) were more likely to experience more days of poor QOL, with more nights with sleep disturbance (P = 0.001) and more days with trouble taking care of themselves (P = 0.003), as well as being unable to do things they previously enjoyed (P = 0.001), compared with those with neither phenomenon (28.2%, 29/103). Conclusions Dysmenorrhea and prolonged menstrual bleeding negatively affect the QOL of women with SCD. Menstrual histories and preventive measures for menstruation-related morbidity should be incorporated into routine evaluations of women with SCD.
Exhausting Intellectual Property Rights

Even as globalization seems to be in retreat in political circles, the march of commercialization and markets continues. Government policies, whether tariffs, exits, or walls, cannot impede the competitive drive to meet consumer demand for products and services, whether within national boundaries or across them. In the sphere of intellectual property rights, the doctrine of exhaustion serves to limit the rights of intellectual property owners after a specific exercise of some or all of the rights. This volume provides an assessment of the successes and failures of the exhaustion doctrine as it has been applied through recent judicial decisions in the United States and the European Union. Irene Calboli and Shubha Ghosh explore how evolving interpretations of the exhaustion doctrine affects the large trade in gray market products and other international trade issues. A comparative approach to exhaustion, Exhausting Intellectual Property Rights offers a unique discussion of the often overlooked issue of overlapping rights.
The Effects of Regular Exercise on Circulating Cardiovascular-related MicroRNAs.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of regular exercise on the abundance of targeted circulating microRNAs (miRNAs). The present analysis examined 20 previously sedentary adults from the HERITAGE Family Study who completed 20 weeks of endurance exercise training. The expression of 53 miRNAs related to cardiovascular disease were measured in serum collected at baseline and post-training by performing RT-qPCR on the Human Cardiovascular Disease miRNA array (Qiagen, Germany). The effect of regular exercise on circulating miRNAs was assessed using paired t-tests of baseline and post-training expression levels. A false discovery rate threshold of 5% was used to determine significance. Regular exercise resulted in significantly decreased mean serum expression of nine miRNAs (miR-486-5p, let-7b-5p, miR-29c-3p, let-7e-5p, miR-93-5p, miR-7-5p, miR-25-3p, miR-92a-3p, and miR-29b-3p; fold change range: 0.64–83, p = 0.0002–0.01) and increased mean expression of five miRNAs (miR-142-3p, miR-221-3p, miR-126-3p, miR-146a-5p, and miR-27b-3p; fold change range: 1.41–3.60, p = 0.001–0.006). Enrichment analysis found that these 14 miRNAs target genes related to over 345 different biological pathways. These results provide further evidence of the effects of regular exercise on the circulating miRNA profile.