cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response of preimplantation murine embryos to heat shock as modified by developmental stage and glutathione status

Objectives were to characterize developmental changes in response to heat shock in the preimplantation mouse embryo and to evaluate whether ability to synthesize glutathione is important for thermal resistance in mouse embryos. Heat shock (41 degrees C for 1 or 2 h) was most effective at disrupting development to the blastocyst stage when applied to embryos at the 2-cell stage that were delayed in development. Effects of heat shock on ability of embryos to undergo hatching were similar for 2-cell, 4-cell, and morula stage embryos. The phenomenon of induced thermotolerance, for which exposure to a mild heat shock increases resistance to a more severe heat shock, depended upon stage of development and whether embryos developed in vitro or in vivo. In particular, induced thermotolerance was observed for morulae derived from development in vivo but not for 2-cell embryos or morulae that developed in culture. Administration of buthionine sulfoximine to inhibit glutathione synthesis did not increase thermal sensitivity of 2-cell embryos or morulae but did reduce subsequent development of 2-cell embryos at both 37 degrees and 41 degrees C. In summary, changes in the ability of 2-cell through morula stages to continue to develop following a single heat shock were generally minimal. However, 2-cell embryos delayed in development had reduced thermal resistance, and therefore, maternal heat stress may be more likely to cause mortality of embryos that are already compromised in development. There were also developmental changes in the capacity of embryos to undergo induced thermotolerance. Glutathione synthesis was important for development of embryos but inhibition of glutathione synthesis did not make embryos more susceptible to heat shock.
The homeodomain-containing gene Xdbx inhibits neuronal differentiation in the developing embryo

The development of the vertebrate nervous system depends upon striking a balance between differentiating neurons and neural progenitors in the early embryo. Our findings suggest that the homeodomain-containing gene Xdbx regulates this balance by maintaining neural progenitor populations within specific regions of the neuroectoderm. In posterior regions of the Xenopus embryo, Xdbx is expressed in a bilaterally symmetric stripe that lies at the middle of the mediolateral axis of the neural plate. This stripe of Xdbx expression overlaps the expression domain of the proneural basic/helix-loop-helix-containing gene, Xash3, and is juxtaposed to the expression domains of Xenopus Neurogenin related 1 and N-tubulin, markers of early neurogenesis in the embryo. Xdbx overexpression inhibits neuronal differentiation in the embryo and when co-injected with Xash3, Xdbx inhibits the ability of Xash3 to induce ectopic neurogenesis. One role of Xdbx during normal development may therefore be to restrict spatially neuronal differentiation within the neural plate, possibly by altering the neuronal differentiation function of Xash3.
Recursive data-based prediction and control of product quality for a batch PMMA reactor

In many batch processes, frequent process/feedstock disturbances and unavailability of online measurements make tight control of product quality very difficult. Motivated by this, we present a simple data-based method in which measurements of other process variables are related to the end product quality using a historical database. The developed correlation model is used to make online predictions of the end quality, which can serve as a basis for adjusting the batch condition/time so that desired product quality may be achieved. This strategy is applied to a methyl methacrylate (MMA) polymerization process. Important end quality variables, the weight average molecular weight and the polydispersity, are predicted recursively based on the measurements of the reactor cooling rate. Subsequently, a shrinking-horizon model predictive control approach is used to manipulate the reaction temperature. The results in this study show much promise for the proposed data-based inferential control method.
Application of 48 Volt for Mild Hybrid Vehicles and High Power Loads

During the evolution of Hybrid vehicles as well as electrical vehicles the need for an additional Voltage level was defined for the utilization of high power loads like electrical compressors, electrical heaters as well as power steering and electrical pumps. The main systems benefit is the generation of approximately 12 kW electrical power by a traditional belt driven Generator. This allows boost function for acceleration and recuperation for mild hybrid vehicles with the target to reduce up to 15% CO 2 by keeping the traditional thermal based engines. Delphi has developed systems and components that meet the special 48 Volt related electrical requirements on arcing, hot plugging and corrosion. Our benefit is the long term expertise within the total system know how and the derived technical specification and needs. This includes connection systems for devices up to 7 kW power, 48 Volt distribution boxes and high power electronics, energy management as well as total systems fusing definition, wiring harness specific routing and design.
Compaction on cultivated soils

Many soils which, in their native state were mellow, of low apparent density, and highly permeable to water, have become compact and highly impermeable under cultivation. Other soils, although cultivated as often, still remain fairly permeable. Soils men have long advocated the necessity of reducing the amount of cultivation, and the desirability of selecting a time for field-operations when the moisture-content of the soil is such that the bearing power of the soil is adequate to safely carry the equipment. The importance of soil-particle size in relation to compaction has not been stressed. Observations in citrus orchards in southern California indicated that cultivation produced the highest densities and the greatest reduction in water-penetration on those soils in which there was a wide range of particle-sizes, such a s the gravelly loams derived from igneous rocks high in quartz. This idea is in agreement with the FULLER curve concept used in designing concrete mixes, and in the construction of earth fill dams [see 3 of “References” at end of paper].
The Role of University Archives in the Campus Information Environment

Building on a successful records management program, the Pennsylvania State University Archives launched an Electronic Records Appraisal project as an opportunity to join as a partner with administrative computing in addressing the retention and disposition of electronic records. More than 3,600 datasets from fourteen administrative and academic areas were evaluated in the twenty-seven-month project. Only fourteen datasets were appraised as having archival value, however, the vast majority lacked sufficient documentation to make a full appraisal decision. The project's recommendations addressed this problem and also pointed out policy inconsistencies on use of confidential data. The archives has continued to work with administrative computing on electronic archiving and records management policy and process issues. This partnership helps the archives advance its services as both historical information provider and steward of institutional records in all formats of enduring value.
Scheduling conservation designs via network cascade optimization

We introduce the problem of scheduling land purchases to conserve an endangered species in a way that achieves maximum population spread but delays purchases as long as possible, so that conservation planners retain maximum flexibility and use available budgets in the most efficient way. We develop the problem formally as a stochastic optimization problem over a network cascade model describing the population spread, and present a solution approach that reduces the stochastic problem to a novel variant of a Steiner tree problem. We give a primal-dual algorithm for the problem that computes both a feasible solution and a bound on the quality of an optimal solution. Our experiments, using actual conservation data and a standard diffusion model, show that the approach produces near optimal results and is much more scalable than more generic off-the-shelf optimizers.
A Report on a Project on Multiple Criteria Decision Making, 1982

The purpose of this paper is to present the current status of our project on Multiple Criteria Decision Making, a project which began in the early to mid-seventies. The first work was a method for solving multiple objective linear programming problems developed by Jyrki Wallenius and myself. That work has progressed along four lines: 1. Multiple Objective Linear Programming 2. Multiple Objective Integer Programming 3. Choosing Among Discrete Alternatives Involving Multiple Criteria. 4. Multiple Decision-Maker Multicriteria Decision Making
Amateur Theatres and Amateur Publics in the Russian Republic, 1958-71

This examination of amateur theatres from 1957 lo 1971 reveals that members of the educated public beyond the cultural elite were engaged in shaping the cultural landscape to suit their own preferences, if not necessarily state priorities. In their efforts to expand social criticism and stylistic innovation, 'amateur publics', consisting of" amateurs and their supporters, invoked the term 'civic spirit' (grazhdanstvennost) to explain artistic heterodoxy as a form of loyal criticism of Soviet society. Amateurs also pursued formal and informal mechanisms to improve troupes' material conditions and status in order to secure permanent sites for those critical views.
Combating Curse of Dimensionality in Resilient Monitoring Systems: Conditions for Lossless Decomposition

Resilient monitoring systems (RMSs) are sensor networks that degrade gracefully under cyber-attacks on their sensors. The recently developed RMSs, while being effective in the attacked sensors identification and isolation, exhibited a drawback in their operation—an exponentially increasing assessment time as a function of the number of sensors in the network. To combat this curse of dimensionality, a decomposition approach has been proposed, which led to a dramatic reduction of the assessment time, irrespective of the sensor network dimensionality. However, information losses and, thus, reductions in the level of resiliency due to the decomposition, have not been investigated. This paper is intended to carry out such an investigation. Specifically, it derives conditions for lossless decomposition in terms of the Renyi-2 entropy. The development is based on the analysis of matrices, which characterize coupling of process variables and on a monotonicity property of the Dempster-Shafer combination rule on a class of functions, which arise within the RMS operation.
Precision Education Initiative: Moving Towards Personalized Education.

This article propose the Precision Education Initiative, which is the tailoring of education to the specific characteristics of the individual student. Mirroring precision medicine, the author lays out both near-term and longer term goals that educational research, and importantly educational practice, should follow.
Decoding “The Code”: Reception Theory and Moral Judgment of Dexter

Dexter is a popular television show because it uses the narrative devices of classic cop shows while adding the twist of having a protagonist as an antihero who kills people. Accordingly, this study examines how audiences read the text of Dexter and offers unique implications for the field of entertainment studies. This study uses a mixed-method approach for a more holistic understanding of audiences. The findings show four dominant audience perspectives, each of which coincides with both a mode of audience engagement and a theory of moral reasoning. This study suggests that future research must look at audience interpretations to fully understand the dynamic between texts, audiences, and effects.
FTDC: A fault-tolerant server-centric data center network

Server-centric data center networks enable several important features of modern data center applications, such as cloud storage and big data processing. However, network failures are ubiquitous and significantly affect network performance, such as routing correctness and network bandwidth. Existing server-centric data centers do not provide specific fault-tolerance mechanisms to recover the network from failures and to protect network performance from downgrading. In this work, we design FTDC, a fault-tolerant network and its routing protocols. FTDC is developed to provide high-bandwidth and flexibility to data center applications and achieve fault tolerance in a self-fixing manner. Upon failures, the servers automatically explore valid paths to deliver packets to the destination by exchanging control messages among servers. Experimental results show that FTDC demonstrate high performance with very little extra overhead during network failures.
Oxidative Deterioration in Vegetable Oils: Health-Food Oils Versus Conventional Oils

Storage stability of health-food and conventional vegetable oils was evaluated by determining oxidative deterioration during accelerated storage at 60 C of unused oils and room-temperature storage of unused and used (once-heated) oils. Oxidative changes were determined by peroxide value (PV), 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) test, measurement of weight increase, and sensory evaluation. Vegetable oils included were safflower and corn oils with (conventional oils) or without (health-food oils) added antioxidants. Health-food oils oxidized much faster by all measures than conventional oils, although composition of fatty acids was similar within each oilseed category. In addition, peak values of PV and TBA tests were higher for health-food oils than conventional oils. Differences between health-food and conventional oils increased steadily with the increase in storage time when unused oils were stored at room temperature; for used oils the steady increase was followed by a decrease after approximately 100 days. However, differences were greater with used oils than the unused within 100 days. As to the different oilseeds, safflower oils were more susceptible to oxidation than corn oils, the differences being widened by heating treatment before storage. The TBA test was more sensitive and correlated better with rancid odor development in these vegetable oils at early stages of oxidation, whereas peroxide value determination was generally more reliable for monitoring the oxidative deterioration over longer storage periods, up to certain limits.
Abstract 476: Renal AT2 Receptor Activation Prevents Sodium Retention And Lowers Blood Pressure In Angiotensin II-Dependent Hypertension

A major proposed mechanism for the initiation of hypertension involves a primary increase in renal tubular sodium (Na+) reabsorption. Activation of intrarenal angiotensin type-2 receptors (AT2R) increases Na+ excretion; however, the role of intrarenal angiotensin type-2 receptors (AT2R) in the development of hypertension is unknown. Sprague-Dawley rats (N=36) underwent uninephrectomy and telemetric blood pressure probe implantation. Following a 72h recovery, two osmotic minipumps were inserted in each rat, one for chronic systemic delivery of 5% dextrose in water (D5W) or angiotensin II (Ang II, 200 ng/kg/min), and one for chronic intrarenal delivery of D5W (0.25 μL/h x 7d), highly selective AT2R agonist Compound 21 (C-21; 60 ng/kg/min x 7d), or specific AT2R antagonist PD-1223319 (PD; 10 ng/kg/min x 7d). Five groups of rats were studied: Group 1 (Control; N=10): systemic D5W + intrarenal D5W; Group 2 (Ang II-induced hypertension; N=8): systemic Ang II + intrarenal D5W; Group 3 (N=6): systemic Ang II + intrarenal C-21; Group 4 (N=6): systemic Ang II + 48h lead-in intrarenal C-21; Group 5 (N=6): systemic Ang II + intrarenal PD. Systemic Ang II infusion increased mean systolic blood pressure from 126±5 to 190±3 mm Hg over a 7d period in Group 2 (ANOVA F=73; P
Voltage and Frequency Regulation of Microgrid With Battery Energy Storage Systems

This paper presents a novel primary control strategy based on output regulation theory for voltage and frequency regulations in microgrid systems with fast-response battery energy storage systems (BESS). The proposed control strategy can accurately track voltage and frequency set points while mitigating system transients in the presence of disturbance events. Therefore, it overcomes the key weaknesses of droop-based control methods such as large steady-state voltage and frequency deviations and poor transient performance. Throughout this paper, four control schemes are derived with tradeoffs between communication requirement and system dynamic performance. Their effectiveness is validated through MATLAB Simulink simulation studies involving a medium-voltage microgrid with both synchronous generation resources and BESS. Although the proposed control schemes are centralized, practical implementation is possible with available communication links in microgrids and embedded hardware technologies.
Managers at Work: When Scientists or Engineers Negotiate

(2001). Managers at Work: When Scientists or Engineers Negotiate. Research-Technology Management: Vol. 44, No. 6, pp. 13-15.
Clinical Use of Cerebrovascular Compliance Imaging to Evaluate Revascularization in Patients With Moyamoya

Background Surgical revascularization is often performed in patients with moyamoya, however routine tools for efficacy evaluation are underdeveloped. The gold standard is digital subtraction angiography (DSA); however, DSA requires ionizing radiation and procedural risk, and therefore is suboptimal for routine surveillance of parenchymal health. Objective To determine whether parenchymal vascular compliance measures, obtained noninvasively using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), provide surrogates to revascularization success by comparing measures with DSA before and after surgical revascularization. Methods Twenty surgical hemispheres with DSA and MRI performed before and after revascularization were evaluated. Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR)-weighted images were acquired using hypercapnic 3-Tesla gradient echo blood oxygenation level-dependent MRI. Standard and novel analysis algorithms were applied (i) to quantify relative CVR (rCVRRAW), and decompose this response into (ii) relative maximum CVR (rCVRMAX) and (iii) a surrogate measure of the time for parenchyma to respond maximally to the stimulus, CVRDELAY. Measures between time points in patients with good and poor surgical outcomes based on DSA-visualized neoangiogenesis were contrasted (signed-rank test; significance: 2-sided P Results rCVRRAW increases (P = .010) and CVRDELAY decreases (P = .001) were observed pre- vs post-revascularization in hemispheres with DSA-confirmed collateral formation; no difference was found pre- vs post-revascularization in hemispheres with poor revascularization. No significant change in rCVRMAX post-revascularization was observed in either group, or between any of the MRI measures, in the nonsurgical hemisphere. Conclusion Improvement in parenchymal compliance measures post-revascularization, primarily attributed to reductions in microvascular response time, is concurrent with collateral formation visualized on DSA, and may be useful for longitudinal monitoring of surgical outcomes.
Genetic alterations and histopathologic findings in familial renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma is increasing in frequency in the United States and is often detected late in the course of disease due to nonspecific symptoms. A subset of renal cell carcinoma is attributable to familial or hereditary syndromes, including von Hippel-Lindau and Birt-Hogg-Dube syndromes, among others. Understanding of the molecular alterations in patients with familial syndromes may provide some insight into the underlying mechanisms of disease initiation and progression. This review describes the various subtypes of renal cell carcinoma and the familial syndromes associated with these tumors.
Human papillomaviruses and cancer.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been associated with specific human cancers, including cancer of the cervix and other genital cancers and skin cancers in patients with epidermodysplasia verruciformis. HPV does not thus far appear to be commonly associated with nongenital Bowen’s disease or nongenital skin cancers, although it is found routinely in genital forms of these conditions. Other factors in addition to HPV infection appear to contribute to tumor associated with HPV, which suggests that cellular changes in addition to HPV infection may be required for frank malignancy. Only a subset of the more than 60 HPV types have been found regularly in malignancies. Among the HPVs that infect the genital tract, some, such as HPV6 and HPV11, are only rarely detected in association with genital cancers, while others, including HPV16 and HPV18, are regularly found in malignancies. The former HPV types are therefore designated “low-risk” and the latter “high-risk.”
Low- and High-Grade Gliomas: Extensive Surgical Resection

Central nervous system (CNS) tumors are a major cause of morbidity and mortality with ~18,000 new cases of primary intracranial tumors diagnosed each year in the United States. This represents ~ 2% of all adult tumors in this country. More than half of these are high-grade gliomas. These lesions are very aggressive and the vast majority of patients invariably have tumor recurrence, with the median survival period ranging from 1 to 3 years after initial diagnosis. Despite facing a better prognosis when compared to higher grade glial tumors, 50–75% of patients harboring low-grade gliomas eventually die of their disease. Median survival durations have been reported to range between 5 and 10 years, and estimates of 10-year survival rates range from 5 to 50%.
An Additive Manufacturing Approach that Enables the Field Deployment of Synthetic Biosensors

Abstract The tools of synthetic biology can be used to engineer living biosensors that report the presence of analytes. Although these engineered cellular biosensors have many potential applications for deployment outside of the lab, they are genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and are often considered dangerous. Mitigating the risk of releasing GMOs into the environment while enabling their use outside a laboratory is critical. Here, we describe the development of a biosensing system consisting of a synthetic biological circuit, which is engineered in Escherichia coli that are contained within a unique 3D-printed device housing. These GMOs detect the chemical quorum signal of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen. Using this device, the living biosensor makes contact with a specimen of interest without ever being exposed to the environment. Cells can be visually analyzed in the field within culture tubes, or returned to the lab for further analysis. Many biosensors lack the versatility required for deployment in the field, where many diseases can go undiagnosed due to a lack of resources and equipment. Our bioassay device utilizes 3D printing to create a portable, modular, and inexpensive device for the field deployment of living biosensors.
Earthquake study in southern California, 1948

S. K. Chakrabarty of Bombay was in residence at Pasadena for most of 1948. In October, 1948, R. E Ingram of the National University, Dublin, arrived for an academic year of study and research. A. Due-Rojo of Cartuja, Spain, W. Heiskanen of the Isostatic Institute, Helsinki, and R. Stoneley of Cambridge, England were also visitors for more or less extended periods, and provided much valuable material for discussion and investigation. Ivan Tolstoy spent several days searching the seismograms for evidence of SOFAR waves originating from submarine earthquakes. Several small examples were found. A much larger one has slice been identified on records of the earthquake of January 23, 1938, off Hawaii.
Working under conditions of social vulnerability: Depression among Latina/o immigrant horse workers.

OBJECTIVES The American agricultural industry is heavily reliant on Latina/o workers, yet there is scant understanding regarding the mental health of this population. This gap in the literature is glaring as Latina/o farmworkers are a highly vulnerable group who experience high rates of occupational risks and health hazards. This study is the first, to our knowledge, to examine individual, social and work-related correlates of depression among Latina/o horse workers. METHOD A community survey (N = 225) administered by lay health workers was implemented with Latina/o horse workers who were employed in thoroughbred horse farms in Kentucky. Study participants were on average 35 years old (9.6), largely male (85.8%), married (67.6%), dominant Spanish speakers (95.1%), born in Mexico (84.4%), made a modal average hourly wage of $10.24, and had spent an average of 14.5 years in the United States. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between (a) individual and social factors and (b) work factors with depression. RESULTS Women (β = .13, p < .04), and those who reported higher job insecurity (β = .23, p < .001) and number of days missed due to injury (β = .20, p < .05) were more likely to report higher depressive symptoms. Work discrimination due to race/ethnicity (β = .26, p < .001) was distinctly associated to depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Work-related discrimination was uniquely associated with depressive symptoms independent of the effects of occupational risks and stressors. This may be particularly salient in a rising anti-immigrant national context. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty in a Premature Neonate with Critical Aortic Valve Stenosis Weighing 1493 g.

The use of balloon aortic valvuloplasty for congenital aortic valve stenosis was well established in literatures. However, balloon aortic valvuloplasty performed in low body weight neonates had been infrequently reported. Here we report a 5-day-old premature neonate diagnosed critical aortic valve stenosis. Balloon aortic valvuloplasty was performed as first-line therapy while the patient weighed only 1493 g. Balloon aortic valvuloplasty went successfully with transvalvular pressure gradient decreased from 80 mmHg to 44 mmHg. Aortic regurgitation after balloon aortic valvuloplasty was mild. The patient’s clinical condition stabilized after balloon aortic valvuloplasty and was able to gain weight to 2665 g. Our report demonstrates that balloon aortic valvuloplasty is possible, safe and efficient as first-line approach for critical aortic valve stenosis in neonates with low body weight.
Verified fuselage section water impact modelling

Along many flight corridors, bodies of water serve as preferred emergency landing options. Thus, relevant scenarios must be investigated to improve aircraft crashworthiness in the event of an impact landing on water. Enhancing the damage tolerance of aircraft structures through repetitive experiments can, however, prove highly uneconomical. Such large-scale trials can be influenced by many factors of uncertainty adversely affecting the quality of the results. Therefore, the work presented in this study focuses in particular on evaluating a computational methodology perfected for aircraft water ditching using Coupled Lagrangian-Eulerian (CLE) that allows detailed prediction of structural response of a verified deformable fuselage section during such events. Validation of the fluid-structure interactive (FSI) strategy developed is conducted, thoroughly comparing the method against the analytical and experimental results of multiple wedge drop tests. Finally, the validated FSI strategy is applied to a high-fidelity fuselage section model impacting water to simulate and assess a realistic ditching scenario.
The importance of relationship processes for lowering BMI over time in women with type 2 diabetes in a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Objective Weight change may be affected by dyadic processes within couple relationships. The aim of this secondary data analysis was to explore trends in BMI across time, and assess whether relationship processes (i.e., relationship satisfaction, positive problem-solving), predict BMI trajectories in men and women. Methods Data are from 268 participants in the Diabetes Support Project, a randomized trial of behavioral intervention for individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in poor glycemic control. For secondary analyses, BMI was measured at pre-treatment (baseline), 4 months (post-treatment), 8 months, and 12 months. Multiple relationship variables were measured at all time points and were modeled as predictors and correlates of change in BMI across time. Results In general, BMI trajectories had higher starting values (intercepts) for females than for males in the sample (b = −2.51, p Conclusion For women with T2D in this behavioral intervention study, relationship process scores at the beginning of treatment predicted changes in BMI over time, with better problem solving and higher relationship satisfaction at baseline related to steeper decreases in BMI across treatment. Additional research is needed to understand how improving relationship interaction prior to diabetes treatment may positively influence weight loss during treatment.
A Clinician’s Guide to the Recognition and Management of Dupilumab-Associated Conjunctivitis

Dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits both interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 signaling, is an effective treatment option in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD). Patients with AD are already at increased risk of developing conjunctivitis, and clinical trials and case reports have shown a greater incidence of conjunctivitis in individuals with AD treated with dupilumab. As this is one of the more commonly reported side effects of this biologic agent, it is important that clinicians are aware of this association and advise patients receiving dupilumab to report signs of conjunctivitis. This review summarizes the risk factors, clinical features, and management options for patients with AD presenting with conjunctivitis after receiving dupilumab therapy.
Objectives of the Undergraduate Curriculum

While many political scientists have been concerned about teaching methods, teaching materials, and modes of teacher evaluation, relatively few have considered the more general question of the undergraduate political science curriculum itself. Specifically, what kinds of courses should we be teaching, what role should such courses play in a liberal arts education, and what factors should determine the overall structure of the political science curriculum at the undergraduate level?These questions relate further to the practical question of staffing a small department of political science. When vacancies arise, or when there's an opportunity to expand in a modest way, one is confronted with certain basic choices. In most circumstances, we confront these choices by thinking in terms of fields within our discipline.
Abstract C058: Regional disparities in gastric cancer survival in the United States: An observational cohort study of the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Program, 2004-2016

Background/Aims: Within the United States (U.S.) regional disparities in overall mortality exist at both the state and county levels. The epidemiology and outcomes of non-cardia gastric cancer (NCGA) based on geographic region is incompletely studied. Such knowledge would inform resource allocation and targeting of cancer prevention/early detection programs. The aims of this study were to define NCGA-specific mortality in the U.S. according to population-based county-level data, and to analyze the association between county-level attributes (ruralness, educational attainment, poverty, unemployment) and survival. Methods: All NCGAs reported to the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Program (SEER) between 2004-2016 were identified; tumor stage, performance of surgical resection, patient-level demographic covariates, survival time, and mortality were captured. Diagnoses were linked to county-level attributes of ruralness, educational attainment, poverty, and unemployment derived from the American Community Survey. Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusted for relevant confounders and effect modifiers, was utilized to identify county-level attributes which impacted survival. Analysis was performed stratified by stage of diagnosis. Results: 48,284 NCGAs from 614 (260 Urban, 354 Rural) counties were included for analysis. Rural counties had significantly worse NCGA-specific survival compared to Urban counties (HR 1.18, CI 1.12-1.23, p Citation Format: Robert Jeffrey Huang, Ann Hsing, Latha Palaniappan, Joo Ha Hwang. Regional disparities in gastric cancer survival in the United States: An observational cohort study of the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Program, 2004-2016 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr C058.
Polarized Fock States and the Dynamical Casimir Effect in Molecular Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics.

We present a new theoretical framework, polarized Fock states (PFS), to describe the coupled molecule-cavity hybrid system in quantum electrodynamics. Through the quantum light-matter interactions under the dipole Gauge, the molecular permanent dipoles polarize the photon field by displacing the photonic coordinate. Hence, it is convenient to use these shifted Fock states (referred to as the PFS) to describe light-matter interactions under the strong coupling regimes. These PFS are non-orthogonal to each other and are light-matter entangled states. They allow an intuitive understanding of several phenomena that go beyond the prediction of the quantum Rabi model, while also offering numerical convenience to converge the results with much fewer states. With this powerful new theoretical framework, we explain how molecular permanent dipoles lead to the generation of multiple photons from a single electronic excitation (downconversion), effectively achieving the dynamical Casimir effect through the nuclear vibration instead of the cavity mirror oscillations.
G-Protein signaling accelerates stem cell divisions in Drosophila males

Adult stem cells divide to renew the stem cell pool and replenish specialized cells that are lost due to death or usage. However, little is known about the mechanisms regulating how stem cells adjust to a demand for specialized cells. A failure of the stem cells to respond to this demand can have serious consequences, such as tissue loss, or prolonged recovery post injury. Here, we challenge the male germline stem cells (GSCs) of Drosophila melanogaster for the production of specialized cells using mating experiments. We show that repeated mating reduced the sperm pool and accelerated germline stem cell (GSC) divisions. The increase in GSC divisions depended on the activity of the highly conserved G-proteins. Germline expression of RNA-Interference (RNA-i) constructs against G-proteins or a dominant negative G-protein eliminated the increase in GSC divisions in mated males. Consistent with a role for the G-proteins in the regulation of GSC divisions, RNA-i against seven out of 35 G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) within the germline cells also eliminated the capability of males to accelerate their GSC divisions in response to mating. Our data show that GSCs are receptive to GPCR stimulus, potentially through a network of interactions among multiple signaling pathways.
ATRT-04. INHERITED RHABDOID PREDISPOSITION SYNDROME: A CASE OF CHOROID PLEXUS CARCINOMA AND ATYPICAL TERATOID RHABDOID TUMOR IN SIBLINGS

Choroid plexus carcinoma (CPC) and Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) are aggressive, malignant brain cancers most commonly arising in children less than 3 years of age. These tumors often have genetic alterations in the tumor suppressor gene SMARCB1/INI1. Rhabdoid predisposition syndrome (RTPS) categorizes patients with germline mutations in SMARCB1 or SMARCA4, leading to a markedly increased risk of developing rhabdoid tumors. Both CPC and ATRT have been demonstrated in patients with these rhabdoid predisposition syndromes. In general, these tumors tend to have a poor prognosis. However, with the presence of a SMARCB1 mutation they may have improved overall survival. We present two interesting cases of siblings with maternally inherited SMARCB1 mutations: one a 21-month-old male who presented with an ATRT and another a 10 month old female who presented with a CPC. The ATRT was treated as per the Children’s Oncology Group study ACNS0333 with high dose chemotherapy and stem cell rescue as well as cranial radiation. The CPC was treated as per CPT-SIOP 2009 with etoposide, cyclophosphamide and vincristine. Unlike other patients with these aggressive tumors, both of these patients are alive without evidence of disease recurrence 8 and 7 years post therapy, respectively. Additional genomic testing on both tumors is currently pending in order to potentially identify other mutations that may impact survival. These cases further illustrate the similar profile of two very different tumors with improved overall survival that may be secondary to mutations in SMARCB1 in RTPS.
Clusters of a Few Bound Cofilins Sever Actin Filaments

Abstract Cofilin is an essential actin filament severing protein that accelerates the assembly dynamics and turnover of actin networks by increasing the number of filament ends where subunits add and dissociate. It binds filament subunits stoichiometrically and cooperatively, forming clusters of contiguously-bound cofilin at sub-saturating occupancies. Filaments partially occupied with cofilin sever at boundaries between bare and cofilin-decorated segments. Imaging studies concluded that bound clusters must reach a critical size (Cc) of 13–100 cofilins to sever filaments. In contrast, structural and modeling studies suggest that a few or even a single cofilin can sever filaments, possibly with different severing rate constants. How clusters grow through the cooperative incorporation of additional cofilin molecules, specifically if they elongate asymmetrically or uniformly from both ends and if they are modulated by filament shape and external force, also lacks consensus. Here, using hydrodynamic flow to visualize individual actin filaments with TIRF microscopy, we found that neither flow-induced filament bending, tension, nor surface attachment conditions substantially affected the kinetics of cofilin binding to actin filaments. Clusters of bound cofilin preferentially extended toward filament pointed ends and displayed severing competency at small sizes (Cc
The CICAM method for in situ detection of aerosol acidity using colorimetry integrated with camera

The measurement of aerosol acidity is important to have a comprehensive understanding of aerosol chemistry, the adverse health effects of particulate matter, and climate. The Colorimetry Integrated...
Luck in Success/Failure Situations

It is sensible to treat both win-or-lose competitions and find-or-miss searches conjointly because their conceptual structure is uniform from a theoretical point of view. The contrast between success and failure is critical on both sides alike.
People with schizophrenia use less information to interpret ambiguous social situations.

Abstract Background and objectives The tendency of people with schizophrenia to gather insufficient information before making decisions or jumping to conclusions has been repeatedly reported. However, criticism has also been expressed regarding the ecological validity of this finding. Here we present the results obtained by a group of people with schizophrenia and a control group in a non-probabilistic task that requires obtaining items of information before interpreting an ambiguous social situation. Methods Patients with schizophrenia (n = 48) and controls (n = 44) aged 18–50 years participated in the study. All subjects completed the Beads Task and the modified Social Information Preference Task. Results Patients with schizophrenia showed a statistically significant tendency to jump to conclusions, including in the proposed novel social task. Unlike other studies, we were unable to find a relationship between this bias and greater severity of psychotic symptoms. Limitations We did not include patients with high levels of psychotic symptoms or a clinical control group. Conclusions The tendency to jump to conclusions in schizophrenia could be present in everyday interpersonal situations.
Skull in the Ashes: Murder, a Gold Rush Manhunt, and the Birth of Circumstantial Evidence in America

Review of: "Skull in the Ashes: Murder, a Gold Rush Manhunt, and the Birth of Circumstantial Evidence in America" by Patricia Bryan.
A Third Mechanism of Policy Diffusion: The Social Contagion Model

Scholars have offered two explanations for the large role that neighboring states play in the diffusion process: (1) state officials learn by observing the outcomes of neighboring policies and (2) states seek an economic advantage over neighboring states. Both models contend that decision-making occurs laterally as state legislators learn from or react to the policy decisions of other elites; the public is but a minor facet of policy diffusion. I offer a third explanation, the social contagion model, which makes public opinion the driving force behind elite decision making. The social contagion model suggests that state residents learn about neighboring policies and react by changing their aggregate opinions on that policy. If state opinion becomes supportive, state officials respond by enacting similar policies or risk being ousted from office. Using a dataset on anti-smoking legislation from 1990-2008, I find empirical support for the social contagion model.
Influence of the Friction of Crack Faces on the Cyclic Crack-Growth Resistance of 65G Steel Under Mode II Loading

We study the fracture of 65G steel under cyclic mode-II loading of beam specimens with lateral cracks, experimentally determine the friction coefficient of crack faces for specimens made of steel with troostite structure, and plot the kinetic diagrams of fatigue fracture. The influence of the friction of crack faces on the cyclic crack-growth resistance of 65G steel under mode-II loading is established for troostite and sorbite structures depending on the growth rate of fatigue cracks.
Casein kinase from the Golgi apparatus of lactating mammary gland.

Abstract A casein kinase that catalyzes the phosphorylation of dephosphorylated αs1-casein by ATP has been found in the Golgi apparatus of lactating rat mammary gland. Dephosphorylated β- and κ-caseins are also phosphorylated by this enzyme, while other milk proteins (β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, native αs1-, β-, and κ-casein, and proteins of the fat globule membrane) are phosphorylated to a limited extent. Histones, phosvitin, and lysozyme are not appreciably phosphorylated. The optimum pH for phosphate incorporation into dephosphorylated casein is 7.6. The Km for dephosphorylated αs1-casein is 12 µm (.27 mg per ml), whereas the Km for ATP is 80 µm. The casein kinase requires a divalent cation for maximum activity; both Ca2+ and Mg2+ can satisfy this requirement. Adenosine 3' : 5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) has no effect on casein kinase activity. The protein inhibitor from rabbit skeletal muscle, which inhibits adenosine 3' : 5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinases, is also without effect. These findings suggest that phosphorylation of casein, a food protein, is quite different from the phosphorylation of cellular enzymes, which requires cyclic AMP, is inhibited by Ca2+ and is involved in control mechanisms.
Legal Remedies for Breach of the Regulatory “Contract”

We present a model of the regulatory “contract” that focuses on the mutual investment of buyer and seller and recognizes the cost of contractual renegotiation and the importance of breach remedies when contracts are incomplete. We model renegotiation as a litigation game played before a quasi-judicial administrative court. We find that the standard contractual remedy of expectations damages cannot implement first-best levels of investment for both buyer and seller. If the seller fully recovers its sunk investment upon buyer breach, however, then first-best levels of investment by both buyer and seller can be supported provided litigation costs are small enough.
The application of naive Bayes model averaging to predict Alzheimer's disease from genome-wide data

Objective Predicting patient outcomes from genome-wide measurements holds significant promise for improving clinical care. The large number of measurements (eg, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)), however, makes this task computationally challenging. This paper evaluates the performance of an algorithm that predicts patient outcomes from genome-wide data by efficiently model averaging over an exponential number of naive Bayes (NB) models. Design This model-averaged naive Bayes (MANB) method was applied to predict late onset Alzheimer's disease in 1411 individuals who each had 312 318 SNP measurements available as genome-wide predictive features. Its performance was compared to that of a naive Bayes algorithm without feature selection (NB) and with feature selection (FSNB). Measurement Performance of each algorithm was measured in terms of area under the ROC curve (AUC), calibration, and run time. Results The training time of MANB (16.1 s) was fast like NB (15.6 s), while FSNB (1684.2 s) was considerably slower. Each of the three algorithms required less than 0.1 s to predict the outcome of a test case. MANB had an AUC of 0.72, which is significantly better than the AUC of 0.59 by NB (p<0.00001), but not significantly different from the AUC of 0.71 by FSNB. MANB was better calibrated than NB, and FSNB was even better in calibration. A limitation was that only one dataset and two comparison algorithms were included in this study. Conclusion MANB performed comparatively well in predicting a clinical outcome from a high-dimensional genome-wide dataset. These results provide support for including MANB in the methods used to predict outcomes from large, genome-wide datasets.
Respectful maternal and newborn care: building a common agenda

In September, the World Health Organization released a statement on preventing and eliminating disrespect and abuse during facility-based childbirth. In addition to this important agenda, attention is also needed for the dignified care of newborns, who also deserve basic human rights and dignified care. In this commentary, we provide examples from the literature and other sources of where respectful care for newborns has been lacking and we give examples of opportunities for integration of maternal and newborn health care going forward. We illustrate the need for respectful treatment and consideration across the continuum of care: for mothers, stillbirths, and all newborns, including those born too soon and those who die in infancy. We explain the need to document cases of neglect and abuse, count all births and deaths, and to include newborns and stillbirths in the respectful care agenda and the post-2015 global reproductive care frameworks.