cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
"Whose Swamp Is This, Anyway?"

A public offical is locked in a bitter,escalating territory war with a 25-foot alligator, unable to recognize that he projects onto the monstrous beast his own character faults - terrioriality and power-lust - which do not exist in nature. A bitter commentary on abuse of power.
Myosins Active Site Closure via Switch-1 Allosterically Regulates the Motor-Actin Interaction during the ATPase Cycle for Productive Force Generation

Myosins are essential for many cellular processes including cell motility and muscle contraction. These motors have active site motifs (P-loop, switch-1, switch-2) that bind ATP and a divalent metal cofactor to coordinate ATP hydrolysis. ATP hydrolysis is activated through allosteric communication between the ATP and polymer binding sites to couple the free energy of ATP hydrolysis to force generation. Our lab seeks to understand how changes in enzymatic properties leads to different mechanical properties in molecular motors. We hypothesize that myosins depend on active site closure via switch-1 to regulate the motor-actin interaction during the ATPase cycle for productive force generation. We developed a strategy to control enzymatic activity and motility of myosin by substituting a switch-1 serine with cysteine, diminishing its interaction with the Mg+2 metal thus inhibiting ATPase activity. Substituting Mg+2 with Mn+2, which strongly interacts with cysteine, restores metal interaction and ATPase activity. Thus swapping of the divalent metals provides a direct and experimentally reversible link between switch-1 and the actin binding cleft. We have shown that the S237C mutant of non-muscle myosin II has rapid basal steady-state ATP turnover, but upon binding actin, its MgATPase is inhibited. Mn+2 relieves this inhibition and restores ATP turnover near WT values. The acto•S237C complex has slow, rate limiting MgATP binding which is rescued to near WT activity in the presence of Mn+2. Mant-ADP release experiments show the need for switch-1 interaction with the metal for tight ADP binding. Finally, to test whether this allosteric communication is necessary for force generation, we will test S237C motility in the presence of Mg2+ and Mn2+. These results support a strong reciprocal coupling of nucleotide and F-actin binding in myosin.
Abstract 197: MARCKS Signaling Modulates Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation

Background: The myrisolated alanine rich C-kinase substrate (MARCKS) is over expressed in animal models of intimal hyperplasia (IH) and in several human neoplasms. Further it has been demonstrated that MARCKS knock-down in vivo arrests vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. We hypothesize that MARCKS arrests VSMC proliferation through a p27 dependent mechanism. Materials and Methods: Human coronary artery VSMC (Lonza) were grown in culture. Cell proliferation was determined by the AlamarBlue assay. Protein expression was determined by Western Blot analysis. MARCKS signaling was stimulated by treatment with the phorbol ester PMA, and MARCKS signaling was inhibited by either siRNA mediated knock-down or with one of two peptides that act as selective competitive antagonists. Results: Stimulation of VSMC in culture with PMA for 30 minutes resulted in and increased fraction of phosphor-MARCKS and complete knock-down of p27 protein. Treatment of VSMC in culture with siRNA resulted in arrest of cell proliferation, an increase in p27 expression with no change in p21 expression. Similarly, the peptide designed to specifically inhibit the functions of the N-terminal domain also resulted in similar effects in proliferation, p27, and p21 expression. The same results were noted when a separate peptide designed to inhibit the functions of the C-terminus domain was used to treat VSMC in culture. Conclusion: MARCKS signaling results in decreased p27 expression, which possibly explains proliferative VSMC phenotype observed in animal models of IH. Blockade of MARCKS signaling by siRNA mediated knock-down results in decreased cell proliferation and increased p27 protein expression. Antagonists to either the N- and C-terminus domains yield similar results in proliferation and p27 expression. VSMC proliferation requires both functional domains of MARCKS.
Comparison Between Digital and Synthetic 2D Mammograms in Breast Density Interpretation.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to compare assessments of breast density on synthetic 2D images as compared with digital 2D mammograms. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This retrospective study included consecutive women undergoing screening with digital 2D mammography and tomosynthesis during May 2015 with a negative or benign outcome. In separate reading sessions, three radiologists with 5–25 years of clinical experience and 1 year of experience with synthetic 2D mammography read digital 2D and synthetic 2D images and assigned breast density categories according to the 5th edition of BI-RADS. Inter- and intrareader agreement was assessed for each BI-RADS density assessment and combined dense and nondense categories using percent agreement and Cohen kappa coefficient for consensus and all reads. RESULTS. A total of 309 patients met study inclusion criteria. Agreement between consensus BI-RADS density categories assigned for digital and synthetic 2D mammography was 80.3% (95% CI, 75.4–84.5%) with κ = 0.73 ...
Numerical stability of the six-equation, single-pressure model with viscous terms

A standard model for describing time-dependent two-phase flows is the so-called six-equation or two-fluid model, where mass, energy, and momentum equations are considered for each phase. It is well...
Burden of palliative care issues encountered by radiation oncologists caring for patients with advanced cancer

Abstract Purpose Radiation oncologists frequently provide care for patients with advanced cancer who are in their last months or weeks of life. This study examined the previously not well-characterized types and frequencies of palliative care issues encountered in consultations for palliative radiation therapy (PRT). Methods and materials This prospective, survey-based study assessed consecutive consults for PRT from May 19, 2014, to September 26, 2014 at 3 Boston-area community and academic, hospital-based centers. Participating physicians and nurse practitioners completed a survey to identify and rank the relevance (5-point Likert scale, not at all to extremely) of palliative care issues. Eight domains adapted from national palliative care guidelines (physical symptoms, psychosocial issues, cultural considerations, spiritual needs, care coordination, advance care planning, goals of care, and ethical and legal issues) were evaluated. A total of 162 consecutive consultations were surveyed with 140 responses received (86% response rate). Results Most (82%) consults had 2 or more palliative care domains ranked as highly (very or extremely) relevant to care. The domains of physical symptoms (91%), care coordination (70%), goals of care (59%), and psychosocial issues (52%) were the most commonly reported domains as highly relevant to care. Forty-six percent of consults involved a high palliative care burden (4 or more palliative care domains identified as highly relevant to care). Predictors of high palliative care burden in multivariable analysis were Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status >2 (odds ratio, 3.57; P = .047), a plan for no further anticancer therapy after PRT (odds ratio, 3.46; P = .03), and a recommendation against PRT (odds ratio, 4.80; P = .01). Conclusions Radiation oncology clinicians encounter multiple palliative care issues when consulting on patients for PRT. Clinicians identified physical symptoms, care coordination, and goals of care as the most relevant palliative care domains. These findings can help guide palliative care development within radiation oncology, including education and structures of care delivery.
Power harvesting for wearable electronics using fabric electrochemistry

We present a new method of power harvesting for wearable electronics that is based on epidermal electrochemical dressings dampened by a bodily exudate (sweat, wound exudate, etc.). Generation of DC power is achieved via an electrochemical process that enables transfer of electrons from silver-to zinc-printed dots using the bodily exudate as an electrolyte. Contrary to existing power harvesting methods (e.g., RF or solar), the proposed method is fully-flexible and does not require bulky circuits or any sort of rigid components. Proof-of-concept results are presented, demonstrating: a) unobtrusive DC power generation in the μW range, and b) a batteryless epidermal sensor that identifies open wounds underneath its surface. Overall, this technology is expected to be of utmost significance for powering wearable electronics in military, healthcare, sports, and emergency applications, among others.
Responsibility Development Transfers across Contexts: Reciprocal Pathways between Home and Afterschool Programs.

We investigated adolescent responsibility across 2 developmental contexts, home and an afterschool program. Longitudinal data were collected from 355 ethnically diverse 11-20-year-old adolescents (M = 15.49; 55.9% female) in 14 project-based programs. Youth rated their responsibility in the program and at home at 4 time points; parents and leaders rated youth at Time 1. The first research objective was to evaluate 3 aspects of construct validity concerning scores of responsibility assessed through a new measure. Analyses provided evidence that program- and home-responsibility scores were distinct (i.e., evidence of the structural aspect of validity); that responsibility scores were invariant across age, gender, and ethnicity (i.e., generalizability evidence); and of external validity based on parent reports (i.e., convergent evidence). The second objective was to examine cross-context transfer of responsibility. A series of cross-lagged structural equation models (SEMs) revealed that higher responsibility in each context (home, program) predicted higher responsibility in the other context, even after controlling for the stability and within-time associations. At the last time interval, the program-to-home path was significantly stronger than the corresponding home-to-program path. The third objective was to assess whether these relations were moderated by adolescent ethnicity, gender, age, or years in the program. Multigroup SEMs revealed that pathways of influence did not differ across groups. Taken as a whole, results indicate that experiences in the 2 contexts of home and program lead to interindividual differences in the development of youth self-reported responsibility, but that affordances for responsibility development across contexts change over time. (PsycINFO Database Record
The Effect of a Regimen of Antifungal Cream Use on Episodes of Acute Adenolymphangitis (ADL) among Lymphedema Patients: An Application Using Marginal Structural Models.

Abstract Episodes of adenolymphangitis (ADL) are a recurrent clinical aspect of lymphatic filariasis (LF) and a risk factor for progression of lymphedema. Inter-digital entry lesions, often found on the web spaces between the toes of those suffering from lymphedema, have been shown to contribute to the occurrence of ADL episodes. Use of antifungal cream on lesions is often promoted as a critical component of lymphedema management. Our objective was to estimate the observed effect of antifungal cream use on ADL episodes according to treatment regimen among a cohort of lymphedema patients enrolled in a morbidity management program. We estimated this effect using marginal structural models for time varying confounding. In this longitudinal study, we estimate that for every one-unit increase in the number of times one was compliant to cream use through 12 months, there was a 23% (RR = 0.77 (0.62, 0.96)) decrease in the number of ADL episodes at 18 months, however the RR’s were not statistically significant at other study time points. Traditionally adjusted models produced a non-significant RR closer to the null at all time points. This is the first study to estimate the effect of a regimen of antifungal cream on the frequency of ADL episodes. This study also highlights the importance of the consideration and proper handling of time-varying confounders in longitudinal observational studies.
When structure leads to sex: Untangling signals in population genetic data sets.

A robust signal of population structure often provides the first glimpse into the evolutionary history of a species and its populations. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, new work from Louis Bernatchez's group (Benestan et al., ) starts with an investigation of apparent structure in two marine species and concludes with an identification of sex-linked genes, and in the process provides a model for robust analysis. Structure is the genetic signal left by natural selection as well as by neutral processes like migration and gene flow. Neutral areas of the genome can reveal the geographical relationships and related gene flow between populations over time and space, while selection can resist the natural genomic turnover created by recombination and generate adaptive structure between populations that can be detected. However, artefacts in a data set can easily hide the true signal of structure; mutation, whether it is a true appearance of a recent, minor allele, or more commonly, an error in SNP calling or molecular library construction, can easily conceal patterns of population structure (e.g., geographical structure in mackerel, Rodriguez-Ezpeleta et al. ()). A demographic structure that results from the most "forceful" evolutionary processes can overwhelm another signal generated by other, unrelated phenotypes. For example, the structure among diverged freshwater and marine threespine stickleback populations results from such strong selection and linkage disequilibrium across the genome that it impairs the ability to disentangle the genetic basis of particular evolved morphological traits (e.g., opercle development, Alligood ()). Finally, there might be conflicting inferences for what underlies structure patterns. Structure may be created by differential patterns of meiotic recombination, and genetic maps are a reliable means for identifying genomic regions that resist recombination. But, without additional information (Anderson et al., ), it can be difficult to distinguish the recombination-suppressing effect of a segregating genomic inversion (Small et al., ) from that of sex-linked selection.
Analysis of immune-related genes during Nora virus infection of Drosophila melanogaster using next generation sequencing

Drosophila melanogaster depends upon the innate immune system to regulate and combat viral infection. This is a complex, yet widely conserved process that involves a number of immune pathways and gene interactions. In addition, expression of genes involved in immunity are differentially regulated as the organism ages. This is particularly true for viruses that demonstrate chronic infection, as is seen with Nora virus. Nora virus is a persistent non-pathogenic virus that replicates in a horizontal manner in D. melanogaster. The genes involved in the regulation of the immune response to Nora virus infection are largely unknown. In addition, the temporal response of immune response genes as a result of infection has not been examined. In this study, D. melanogaster either infected with Nora virus or left uninfected were aged for 2, 10, 20 and 30 days. The RNA from these samples was analyzed by next generation sequencing (NGS) and the resulting immune-related genes evaluated by utilizing both the PANTHER and DAVID databases, as well as comparison to lists of immune related genes and FlyBase. The data demonstrate that Nora virus infected D. melanogaster exhibit an increase in immune related gene expression over time. In addition, at day 30, the data demonstrate that a persistent immune response may occur leading to an upregulation of specific immune response genes. These results demonstrate the utility of NGS in determining the potential immune system genes involved in Nora virus replication, chronic infection and involvement of antiviral pathways.
Organizational Identity in Higher Education: Conceptual and Empirical Perspectives

This chapter examines evolving perspectives, methodologies, and narratives that inform scholarly understanding of organizational identity in higher education. It coalesces a broad, discursive, and multidisciplinary body of work around established eras and streams of thought in higher education. Conceptual and chronological foci include institutional storytelling and popular media boosterism at the turn of the twentieth century; the phenomenon of institutional saga developed amid emerging organizational science in the postwar years; the emergence and impact of systems thinking, strategic planning, rankings, and mission drift on institutional distinctiveness in the 1980s and 1990s; and the influence of branding and market positioning on institutional distinctiveness in the early twenty-first century. The literature is organized, also, according to its constituent emphasis—whether created for and about internal members of college and university communities on the one hand or developed with regard to higher education’s external audiences and consumers on the other. As a whole, the chapter integrates and analyzes a previously fragmented body of literature and highlights the ways in which conceptions of institutional identity in US higher education have evolved in relationship to a changing national context.
The Political Life of The Godly Person of a Higher Order

As humanizations of nature or spiritualizations of sensibility (cultura culturans et culturata) the state and the city are studied in what Husserl called the science of the categorial forms of the pre-given historical world (A V 12 and also A V 10, 43 ff.). Our particular interest is the eidos of the invariant abiding same world’s societal features as they are profiled in the flux of historical-cultural aspects. Both the polis and the state may be said to be empirical universals, i.e., universals or essences which have universal validity for a particular people at a particular time. What follows is an attempt to show, from the vantage point of Husserl’s philosophy, that the polis enjoys a more basic necessity and value than does the state. This theory of the polis, which is much indebted to Aristotle, Hegel, Arendt and the communitarian-political tradition, has occasion to criticize not only Aristotle, Hegel, and Arendt, but also Husserl. Themes in this chapter will serve as a summary and conclusion to much contained in this book. (Unless otherwise noted, the references to Arendt are to The Human Condition; and those to Aristotle are to his Politics; for the Hegel discussion we will follow the provocative reading in Charles Taylor’s Hegel.1)
The normative and positive economics of minimum health benefits.

Institutional structures to provide health insurance are changing. Many countries which formerly had unitary social insurance systems are looking to add elements of markets to those arrangements. In the United States, which has only provided limited social insurance for acute medical care for the elderly and the poor, there have been increasingly frequent discussions of the problem of the uninsured non-elderly and the possibility of some form of social insurance as a solution.
A Review of Elliptic Theories

In Chaps. 2–4 we shall review material from first year PDE courses. These theories can be found in many books such as Chen–Wu [21], Chen [20], Gilbarg–Trudinger [67], Lieberman [94]. Compared to others, the books [21] and [20] are not intim- idating even for beginners and therefore are excellent textbooks for beginning graduate students. The book [21] received the textbook excellence award from the education department of China. Some of the more classical theories can also be found in Ladyzenskaja–Solonnikov–Ural’ceva [83], Ladyzenskaja–Ural’ceva [84] and Friedman [43], and the classical maximum principles in Protter–Weinberger [118]. In this chapter we list the elliptic theories that we will need later on.
An improved Gregory-like method for 1-D quadrature

The quadrature formulas described by James Gregory (1638–1675) improve the accuracy of the trapezoidal rule by adjusting the weights near the ends of the integration interval. In contrast to the Newton–Cotes formulas, their weights are constant across the main part of the interval. However, for both of these approaches, the polynomial Runge phenomenon limits the orders of accuracy that are practical. For the algorithm presented here, this limitation is greatly reduced. In particular, quadrature formulas on equispaced 1-D node sets can be of high order (tested here up through order 20) without featuring any negative weights.
Performance of cancer recurrence algorithms post ICD10 coding scheme switch.

e18576Background: ICD-codes are integral to oncology health services research (HSR). These codes are used by Medicare, Medicaid, private payers, and many EHRs; and they provide structured, standard...
Non-coding variability at the APOE locus contributes to the Alzheimer’s risk

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a leading cause of mortality in the elderly. While the coding change of APOE-e4 is a key risk factor for late-onset AD and has been believed to be the only risk factor in the APOE locus, it does not fully explain the risk effect conferred by the locus. Here, we report the identification of AD causal variants in PVRL2 and APOC1 regions in proximity to APOE and define common risk haplotypes independent of APOE-e4 coding change. These risk haplotypes are associated with changes of AD-related endophenotypes including cognitive performance, and altered expression of APOE and its nearby genes in the human brain and blood. High-throughput genome-wide chromosome conformation capture analysis further supports the roles of these risk haplotypes in modulating chromatin states and gene expression in the brain. Our findings provide compelling evidence for additional risk factors in the APOE locus that contribute to AD pathogenesis.
Biochemical Investigations in Laboratory Medicine. Justin H. Barth, Gary E. Butler, and Peter Hammond. London, England: ACB Venture Publications, 2001, 184 pp., £24.00, hardcover. ISBN-0-902429.

As a co-editor of a “how to” manual (on a different topic), I appreciate just how difficult it is to generate text that is both pithy and to the point without being so brief that major points get lost. Regrettably, I fear that in too many instances the authors have fallen just shy of putting in sufficient information to make this a “must have” manual. The title is misleading as the text deals almost exclusively with endocrine and metabolic disorders. The book is divided into two sections: the first presenting investigation algorithms and the second investigation protocols. Reading the book from cover to cover, I found this division somewhat irritating. Too often when …
Identification of a Primary Renal AT2 Receptor Defect in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

Rationale: Previous studies identified a defect in Ang III (angiotensin III [des-aspartyl1-angiotensin II])–elicited AT2R (Ang type-2 receptor)-mediated natriuresis in renal proximal tubule cells o...
Understanding the interplay of bifunctional and electronic effects: Microkinetic modeling of the CO electro-oxidation reaction

Abstract In this work, we build a microkinetic (MK) model of the CO electro-oxidation reaction using density functional theory (DFT) calculations and scaling relations to understand the interplay between bifunctional mechanisms and electronic modification. A single-site model is first used to identify trends in activity under different operating conditions. The model is then extended to include two site types to understand the surface characteristics necessary for bifunctional activity. For these general cases, we show that the “optimal” adsorption energetics change as a function of the applied potential. We then perform a case study by explicitly modeling both site types in platinum-ruthenium alloy models to assess whether bifunctional or electronic effects are most operative. We find that if these materials indeed remain metallic alloys, then electronic effects are likely dominant, with the sole active sites being electronically-modified Pt sites. Ru sites are spectators that favorably perturb the electronic structure of Pt.
Gastrointestinal Complications After Cardiac Surgery: Highly Morbid but Improving Over Time

Abstract Background Gastrointestinal complications after cardiac surgery are associated with high morbidity and mortality. We sought to determine the granular impact of individual gastrointestinal complications after cardiac surgery and assess contemporary outcomes. Materials and methods Patients undergoing cardiac surgery from 2010 to 2017 (6070 patients) were identified from an institutional Society of Thoracic Surgeons database. Records were paired with institutional data assessing gastrointestinal complications and cost. Patients were stratified by early (2010-2013) and current (2014-2017) eras. Results A total of 280 (4.6%) patients experienced gastrointestinal complications including Clostridium difficile infection (94, 33.6%), gastrointestinal bleed (86, 30.7%), hepatic failure (66, 23.6%), prolonged ileus (59, 21.1%), mesenteric ischemia (47, 16.8%), acute cholecystitis (17, 6.0%), and pancreatitis (14, 5.0%). Gastrointestinal complications were associated with higher rates of early postoperative major morbidity [206 (73.6%) versus 773 (13.4%), P 0.05). However, long-term survival increased in modern era (P Conclusions Although incidence of gastrointestinal complications after cardiac surgery has not changed over time, long-term survival has improved. Gastrointestinal complications remain associated with high resource utilization and major morbidity, but patients are now more likely to recover, highlighting the benefit of quality improvement efforts.
An error-in-constitutive equations strategy for topology optimization for frequency-domain dynamics

Abstract This paper presents a topology optimization formulation for frequency-domain dynamics to reduce solution dependence upon initial guess and considered loading conditions. Due to resonance phenomena in undamped steady-state dynamics, objectives measuring dynamic response possess many local minima that may represent poor solutions to a design problem, an issue exacerbated for design with respect to multiple frequencies. We propose an extension of the modified error-in-constitutive-equations (MECE) method, used previously in material identification inverse problems, as a new approach for frequency-domain dynamics topology optimization to mitigate these issues. The main idea of the proposed framework is to incorporate an additional penalty-like term in the objective function that measures the discrepancy in the constitutive relations between stresses and strains and between inertial forces and displacements. Then, the design problem is cast within a PDE-constrained optimization formulation in which we seek displacements, stresses, inertial forces, and a density-field solution that minimize our new objective subject to conservation of linear momentum plus some additional constraints. We show that this approach yields superior designs to conventional gradient-based optimization approaches that solely use a functional of displacements as the objective, while strictly enforcing the constitutive equations. The MECE strategy integrates into a density-based topology optimization scheme for void–solid or two-phase material structural design. We highlight the merits of our approach in a variety of scenarios for direct frequency response design, considering multiple frequency load cases and structural objectives.
Mechanochemical Formation, Solution Rearrangements, and Catalytic Behavior of a Polymorphic Ca/K Allyl Complex

Without solvents present, the often far-from-equilibrium environment in a mechanochemically driven synthesis can generate high-energy, non-stoichiometric products not observed from the same ratio of reagents used in solution. Ball milling 2 equiv. K[A'] (A'=[1,3-(SiMe3 )2 C3 H3 ]- ) with CaI2 yields a non-stoichiometric calciate, K[CaA'3 ], which initially forms a structure (1) likely containing a mixture of pi- and sigma-bound allyl ligands. Dissolved in arenes, the compound rearranges over the course of several days to a structure (2) with only η3 -bound allyl ligands, and that can be crystallized as a coordination polymer. If dissolved in alkanes, however, the rearrangement of 1 to 2 occurs within minutes. The structures of 1 and 2 have been modeled with DFT calculations, and 2 initiates the anionic polymerization of methyl methacrylate and isoprene; for the latter, under the mildest conditions yet reported for a heavy Group 2 species (one-atm pressure and room temperature).
Stem Cells and Cancer

In principle, any cell with stem-cell properties is poised to become malignant given the right conditions and circumstances. The stem-cell characteristic is what gives cancer its free rein.
Superconducting nanowire single-photon sensing of cerebral blood flow

Significance: The ability of diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) in humans is hindered by the low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the method. This limits the high acquisition rates needed to resolve dynamic flow changes and to optimally filter out large pulsatile oscillations and prevents the use of large source-detector separations (≥3 cm), which are needed to achieve adequate brain sensitivity in most adult subjects. Aim: To substantially improve SNR, we have built a DCS device that operates at 1064 nm and uses superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPD). Approach: We compared the performances of the SNSPD-DCS in humans with respect to a typical DCS system operating at 850 nm and using silicon single-photon avalanche diode detectors. Results: At a 25-mm separation, we detected 13 ± 6 times more photons and achieved an SNR gain of 16 ± 8 on the forehead of 11 subjects using the SNSPD-DCS as compared to typical DCS. At this separation, the SNSPD-DCS is able to detect a clean pulsatile flow signal at 20 Hz in all subjects. With the SNSPD-DCS, we also performed measurements at 35 mm, showing a lower scalp sensitivity of 31 ± 6 % with respect to the 48 ± 8 % scalp sensitivity at 25 mm for both the 850 and 1064 nm systems. Furthermore, we demonstrated blood flow responses to breath holding and hyperventilation tasks. Conclusions: While current commercial SNSPDs are expensive, bulky, and loud, they may allow for more robust measures of non-invasive cerebral perfusion in an intensive care setting.
Older adults and substance use: an interview with Paul Sacco, MSW, PhD, University of Maryland School of Social Work

The ‘baby boomer’ generation has always commanded attention due to its magnitude and outsize influence. As this cohort ages, substance use among old adults is emerging as a public health concern. I...
Neural Network Language Models for Low Resource Languages

For resource rich languages, recent works have shown Neural Network based Language Models (NNLMs) to be an effective modeling technique for Automatic Speech Recognition, out performing standard n-gram language models (LMs). For low resource languages, however, the performance of NNLMs has not been well explored. In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of NNLMs for low resource languages and show that NNLMs learn better word probabilities than state-of-theart n-gram models even when the amount of training data is severely limited. We show that interpolated NNLMs obtain a lower WER than standard n-gram models, no mater the amount of training data. Additionally, we observe that with small amounts of data (approx. 100k training tokens), feed-forward NNLMs obtain lower perplexity than recurrent NNLMs, while for the larger data condition (500k-1M training tokens), recurrent NNLMs can obtain lower perplexity than feed-forward models.
Medical Students' Experiences and Perspectives on Interpreting for LEP Patients at Two US Medical Schools.

Language concordance between patient and provider has been shown to improve health outcomes for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) patients. However, health care teams often use available ad hoc interpreters without knowing whether their language skills are adequate. Little is known about the role of medical students working as ad hoc interpreters. Bilingual medical students are engaged as interpreters in the care of LEP patients and may serve as a potential resource for health care teams caring for LEP patients. We conducted a multi-institutional online survey of graduating medical students at the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago in 2011 and 2012, containing both qualitative and quantitative questions regarding their experiences as interpreters for LEP patients. Half (216/430) of contacted students completed the survey; 40 % (87/216) of responding students reported being bilingual. Of these students, the vast majority, 84 % (73/87), had been asked to interpret for patients in the clinical setting. Only 12 % (10/87) of students reported having felt uncomfortable interpreting for patients “often” or “very often.” Over half (53 %, 46/87) described incidents during which they felt uncomfortable interpreting. Seventeen (17/46, 37 %) students described those incidents as high-stakes clinical settings. Medical schools and health care institutions should establish guidelines for students who identify as fluent in another language and are interested in interpreting for LEP patients in clinical settings, to protect both students and patients when language poses a barrier to quality care.
From Simulation to Real Robots with Predictable Results: Methods and Examples

From a theoretical perspective, one may easily argue (as we will in this chapter) that simulation accelerates the algorithm development cycle. However, in practice many in the robotics development community share the sentiment that “Simulation is doomed to succeed” (Brooks, R., Mataric, M., Robot Learning, Kluwer Academic Press, Hingham, MA, 1993, p. 209). This comes in large part from the fact that many simulation systems are brittle; they do a fair-to-good job of simulating the expected, and fail to simulate the unexpected. It is the authors’ belief that a simulation system is only as good as its models, and that deficiencies in these models lead to the majority of these failures. This chapter will attempt to address these deficiencies by presenting a systematic methodology with examples for the development of both simulated mobility models and sensor models for use with one of today’s leading simulation engines. Techniques for using simulation for algorithm development leading to real-robot implementation will be presented, as well as opportunities for involvement in international robotics competitions based on these techniques.
Key effectors of signal transduction and G1 progression

Publisher Summary The chapter describes the key effectors of signal transduction and G1 progression. This chapter highlights some of the advances coupling certain key effectors of cytokine and growth factor receptor signaling to the cell cycle clock, thereby connecting these two broad fields of research. Several of the critical effectors that enforce progression through G1 and influence the commitment of the cell to DNA synthesis are discussed in the chapter. In the chapter, the G1 phase of the mammalian cell cycle, signal transduction and G1 progression, and RAS/ERK pathway and the cell cycle and ETS transcription factors as RAS targets and regulators of proliferation are described in the chapter. RAS, D-Type cyclins, and RB connections are also discussed in the chapter. The chapter describes cycling with MYC and MYC, its partners, and its targets. Interplay between MYC and Cyclin D1 and the signaling and cell cycle roles of the SRC family of kinases is also discussed in the chapter. Receptor mutants that fail to connect mitogenic signals to cell cycle progression and the enforced expression in the cells of key effectors of G1 progression have been useful in identifying many signal transduction pathways. Despite the multiplicity of ligands, receptors, and their “wiring” to effectors, most of the identified pathways converge on a few key genes required for G1 progression and S-phase commitment. Strikingly, most of these key players, including RAS, MYC, D-type cyclins, and RB, are frequently targeted in human tumors. One of the major challenges will be to understand the way these crucial G1 effectors are interconnected.
Reduced-complexity RLS estimation for shallow-water channels

An adjustable complexity, recursive least squares (RLS) estimation algorithm is presented, which is suitable for adaptive equalization and source localization in shallow-water acoustic channels. The algorithm adjusts its computational complexity, measured in FLOPS per update, in a decreasing fashion with the relative signal strength, by ignoring "insignificant" dimensions of the channel. The algorithm reverts to the well-known fast RLS algorithms when the signal quality is weak, and may be combined with reduced period updating techniques. Examples illustrate computational savings in excess of one order of magnitude, permitting a tripling of the maximum data rate through these complexity-limited communication channels.
Improved color filter process for CCD and CMOS imagers

Several different methods exist for converting monochromatic solid-state imagers into color. One of the first techniques was to rotate a color filter wheel in front of the sensor for each exposure. More recently, high-definition cameras align three different sensors and separate the color signals using dichroic filters mounted on a prism. Yet another method, known as "on-chip" color filters, applies a pattern of colored elements directly to the surface of the sensor. This type of filter is commonly produced by depositing successive layers and transferring a dye through a patterned photoresist. At Polaroid Corporation, color filters are produced in a unique, single-step photolithographic process by incorporating a dye directly into the resist prior to coating. The patterned photoresist and dye combination is then baked to stabilize the filter element against the next coating of colored photoresist. These color filters can often be sensitive to the high temperature bakes as well as other heat treatments found in the packaging process. Often the resist will reflow and discolor, thus reducing the resolution, sensitivity and production yield of the device. We are proposing a solution for eliminating or reducing the hard bakes between color by treating the filter elements with a silylating compound capable of cross-linking the photoresist by incorporating silicon into the polymeric chain. This process eliminates three baking steps and reduces the risk of reflowing and yellowing the resist as well as degrading the dye. Furthermore, the filters are sufficiently stabilized by silylation such that they can survive the high temperatures required for producing microlenses and completing the packaging process. A preferred silylation compound is hexamethylcyclotrisilazane (HMCTS). This same silylation compound can also be used to promote adhesion of the dyed photoresist layers and to replace a separate treatment by other commonly used silylation compounds such as hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS). This results in a process which is more robust and has a higher yield.
Superhelical DNA with local substructures: a generalization of the topological constraint in terms of the intersection number and the ladder-like correspondence surface

The presence of certain local structural elements in superhelical DNA, such as cruciforms and denatured loops, complicates the topological and geometric analysis of these molecules. In particular, the duplex axis is often difficult to define. In consequence, the usual conservation condition, Lk = Tw + Wr, is often inapplicable as formulated in terms of the winding of either strand of the DNA about the duplex axis. We present here a more general formulation of the topological conservation condition in terms of a model in which the two strands of DNA are regarded as twisting about one another, and in which one of the two strands is considered to writhe. We define a ladder-like correspondence surface, which connects the two strands nd is independent of whether or not a unique duplex axis is locally available. These considerations lead to the definition of a new topological property of superhelical DNA, the intersection number, In. This quantity describes the complexity of a local structural element; in the case of a cruciform, for example, the intersection number is a measure of the number of duplex turns removed from the major segment of the DNA by the cruciform formation. In more general terms, the topological constraint applicable to closed circular DNA is given by Lk(W,C) + In(S,C) = Tw(W,C) + Wr (C), where W and C represent the two strands of the DNA and S is the ladder-like correspondence surface that connects the two strands.
Disruption of a heliospheric current sheet fold

[1] We present results from a new magnetohydrodynamic model of the inner heliosphere. We focus in this study on Carrington rotation 1892 which occurred during solar minimum, and simulate the solar wind and heliospheric magnetic field from 0.1 to 2 AU. We demonstrate the development of small scale (∼1° × 1° × 1 solar radius) structure, such as folds and ripples, on the surface of the heliospheric current sheet. In particular, we analyze the evolution of a current sheet fold forming by ∼1 AU, significantly narrowing by ∼1.5 AU (∼1° in width), and quickly disrupting afterwards. The disruption constitutes a process whereby the lower part of the current sheet fold separates from the main surface and, on a heliocentric spherical surface, appears as an island of outward polarity in the sea of the field of inward polarity. We show that this process is associated with non-radial motion of plasma and magnetic field induced inside a stream interaction region. In addition, we discuss evidence of magnetic reconnection in our simulation that involves flux tubes in the vicinity of the heliospheric current sheet. The simulations presented here provide a useful global 3-dimensional context for interpreting multiple current sheet crossings commonly observed by spacecraft as well as observations of magnetic reconnection in the solar wind.
Biologically inspired coalition formation of multi-agent systems

We model the multi-level alliance forming ability of male bottlenose dolphins to develop a decentralized multi-level coalition formation algorithm for a multi-agent system. The goal is to produce a model that is rich enough to capture the biological phenomenon of forming alliances, yet remain simple so that it can be implemented on engineered systems, such as network of unmanned vehicles.
A comparison of "configural" discrimination problems: Implications for understanding the role of the hippocampal formation in learning and memory

Rats were trained on several discrimination problems that should require a “configural” association solution: (1) three variations of the negative-patterning problem, A+, B+, AB−, (2) a conditional discrimination, AC+, B+, AB−, C−, and (3) an AC+, B+, AB− problem. These problems had similar or identical logical descriptions. Yet, our results suggest that the subtle procedural differences between them influenced the processes that enabled the rats to withhold responding to the nonreinforced AB− compound. These results might help us understand why damage to the hippocampal formation does not always impair performance on nonlinear discriminations. They do not, however, offer any support for Sutherland and Rudy’s (1989) configural association system theory of how the hippocampal formation contributes to learning and memory.
Twenty-First Century Literacy: A Matter of Scale from Micro to Mega.

Abstract Twenty-first century technologies require educators to look for new ways to teach literacy skills. Current communication methods are combinations of traditional and newer, network-driven forms. This article describes the changes twenty-first century technologies cause in the perception of time, size, distance, audience, and available data, and offers suggestions for teaching with these differences in mind.
Calcium, calmodulin and 3′,5′-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in human muscular disorders

3′,5′-Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) is known to play an important role in the regulation of cyclic nucleotide levels in various tissues including the muscle. Previous studies have estimated the level of this enzyme in several neuromuscular disorders but the results have been variable. Moreover, there was no attempt made to correlate the enzyme levels with the levels of calcium and calmodulin, both of which regulate diverse biological processes including muscle contraction. In the present study we have estimated phosphodiesterase in the muscle of normal controls as well as patients with myotonic (MyD) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). PDE was found to be increased significantly in all of the diseased muscles as compared to controls (P < 0.01). But the increase could be coupled with an increase in calcium and calmodulin only in Duchenne dystrophic muscle.
Target location effects in tapping tasks

Abstract Previous experiments on tracking have shown that target location (measured in terms of the distance of the target from the boundary circumscribing the area of movement) affects the speed and accuracy of movement. The present experiment examined the effects of boundary distance on the speed and accuracy of tapping. Subjects performed on two-, three- and five-position tasks varying in movement amplitude and target width. Results showed that movement time increased, and constant error became more positive as boundary distance increased. These results differed from those found in respect of pursuit tracking in that constant error was affected and not variable error. They increase the generality of the finding that motor performance varies with target location, and they support theories of motor control implicating target location.
Criticality and bifurcation in the gravitational collapse of a self-coupled scalar field

We examine the gravitational collapse of a nonlinear $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ model in spherical symmetry. There exists a family of continuously self-similar solutions parametrized by the coupling constant of the theory. These solutions are calculated together with the critical exponents for black hole formation of these collapse models. We also find that the sequence of solutions exhibits a Hopf-type bifurcation as the continuously self-similar solutions become unstable to perturbations away from self-similarity.
The Right to Decay with Dignity: Documentation and the Negotiation between an Artist’s Sanction and the Cultural Interest

AbstractArt, like anything else in the world, has always been impermanent, despite conservators’ attempts to give it permanence. Increasingly, however, modern art is embracing a more immediate impermanence, and this ephemeral art presents unique challenges to conservators and curators. Ethical and legal guidelines mandate a respect for the artist’s intention—the artist’s sanction—regarding the disposition of the work, so preservation of that work for future audiences must rely upon a more indirect form of preservation: the creation of documentary surrogates. These surrogates may be created by the artists themselves, by collecting institutions, or by third parties. They may be textual, audiovisual, or as materially three-dimensional as the original work itself. The documentation of ephemeral art must be tailored to the specific needs of the work, desires of the artist, constraints of the technology, and budgets of the holding institutions. The documentation process is one that should be begun at the point ...
Random Lasing in Bone Tissue: Potential as Novel Spectroscopy for Dynamical Analysis of Nanostructures

We, for the first time, demonstrate coherent random lasing action in bone tissue infused with laser dye. This could potentially be used to probe structural alterations at nanoscales in real-time as a novel spectroscopic modality.