cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Five-way Smoking Status Classification Using Text Hot-Spot Identification and Error-correcting Output Codes

We participated in the i2b2 smoking status classification challenge task. The purpose of this task was to evaluate the ability of systems to automatically identify patient smoking status from discharge summaries. Our submission included several techniques that we compared and studied, including hot-spot identification, zero-vector filtering, inverse class frequency weighting, error-correcting output codes, and post-processing rules. We evaluated our approaches using the same methods as the i2b2 task organizers, using micro- and macro-averaged F1 as the primary performance metric. Our best performing system achieved a micro-F1 of 0.9000 on the test collection, equivalent to the best performing system submitted to the i2b2 challenge. Hot-spot identification, zero-vector filtering, classifier weighting, and error correcting output coding contributed additively to increased performance, with hot-spot identification having by far the largest positive effect. High performance on automatic identification of patient smoking status from discharge summaries is achievable with the efficient and straightforward machine learning techniques studied here.
Research Note: Ability of Cimetidine to Increase Intestinal pH of Chicks

Cimetidine was tested for its ability to increase the pH of intestinal contents of chicks. In Experiment 1,18 mg cimetidine injected i.m. per kilogram body weight (BW) increased (P<.05) proventricu- lar pH within I hr, but proventricular pH began to decrease 4 hr postinjection. The pH of the contents of the duodenum was increased (P<.05) 4 hr postinjection, whereas the pH of the contents of the jejunum was unaffected. In Experiment 2, 36 mg cimetidine injected i.m. per kilogram BW increased (P<.05) the pH of the contents in the proventriculus and duodenum, but did not alter the pH in the jejunum and ileum. These results show that cimetidine can be used for experimental purposes to increase the pH of the proven­ tricular and duodenal contents in chickens. (Key words: chick, cimetidine, intestinal pH) 1987 Poultry Science 66:910-912 kg body weight (BW) was injected once in the breast muscle of 5-week-old broilers. The pH of the proventriculus, the duodenum, and the jejunum was determined at 1, 1.5, 2, and 4 hr postinjection. Control birds received a single 100 p.l/kg BW injection of saline. In Experiment 2,5-week-old New Hampshire x White Leghorn chicks received two injections of 100 |xl (18 mg) cimetidine/kg BW per i.m. injection at 0 and 1 hr. The pH of the proventric­ ulus, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum was deter­ mined at 1.5, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hr postinjection. In both experiments birds were fed a corn-soy­ bean meal broiler grower diet and maintained in a controlled environment (Maurice et al., 1985).
The Large-Scale Inflow-Layer Structure of Hurricane Frederic (1979)

Abstract Aircraft, rawinsonde, satellite, ship, and buoy data collected over a 40-h period were composited to analyze the inflow-layer structure of Hurricane Frederic (1979) within a radius of 10° latitude of the storm center. To improve the quality of the composite analyses, the low-level cloud-motion winds (CMWs) employed in this study were assigned a level of best fit (LBF). An LBF was assigned to each CMW by determining the level at which the closest agreement existed between CMW and ground-truth wind data (e.g., rawinsonde, aircraft, ship, and buoy). The CMWs were then adjusted vertically to uniform analysis levels, combined with ground-truth wind data, and objectively analyzed. These objectively analyzed wind fields were used to obtain kinematically derived fields of vorticity, divergence, and vertical velocity. An angular-momentum budget was also computed to obtain estimates of surface drag coefficients. The low-level CMWs in this study were found to have LBFs ranging from 300 to 4000 m. It was sho...
Risk of breast cancer and polymorphisms within the NF-kappaB pathway

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 4116 The genetics of breast cancer may be further elucidated by comprehensive pathway-based candidate gene studies. We have recently completed a large-scale genetic screen within the Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Study (3,072 SNPs) including assessment of the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) pathway. The NF-kappaB family of transcription factors regulates the expression of several hundred cancer-related genes including those involved in immune response, inflammation, and apoptosis. We sought to assess whether variation in genes encoding NF-kappaB subunits ( REL, RELA, RELB, NFKB1, and NFKB2 ) and their primary inhibitors ( NFKBIA and NFKBIB ) was associated with breast cancer risk. Our ongoing hospital-based study solicits questionnaire data and blood samples from invasive breast cancer cases and age- and residence-matched controls at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. European-American participants recruited between 2001 and mid-2005 with residence in the surrounding area were included in the current analysis (798 cases, 843 controls). Gene-specific tagSNP selection used data from the SeattleSNPs PGA ( NFKBIA ) and the HapMap Consortium's release 21 (the remaining six NF-kappaB genes). 48 NF-kappaB tagSNPs were identified using ldSelect (r2 >= 0.80 and MAF >= 0.05) and genotyped along with three 3' UTR SNPs at the Illumina Corporation using genomic DNA and the Illumina Golden Gate AssayTM. Genotyping of 3,072 SNPs on 1,748 samples (including duplicates) yielded data on all but 165 SNPs and two samples; the remaining genotype data showed an average per-SNP call rate of 99.9%, average per-sample call rate of 99.9%, and duplicate concordance rate of > 99.9%. Associations were assessed by multi-SNP logistic regression (using log-additive main effects) and haplotype score testing within genes, as well as single-SNP logistic regression. Overall, global testing with multiple SNPs or haplotypes did not reveal associations with any NF-kappaB gene (all p > 0.10). However, two RELA tagSNPs yielded suggestive results (multivariable adjusted per allele risk: OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0 - 1.3, p = 0.04 and OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0 - 1.4, p = 0.02). Although in independent LD bins, as expected based on HapMap data, LD was present (r2 = 0.69, D' > 0.99), suggesting a common signal. RELA is a strong candidate gene encoding p65 which localizes into the nucleus as a heterodimer with p50 ( NFKB1 ); however the observed association may be due to another regional variant. For example, a tagSNP for MAP3K11 , a gene 25 kb 5' of RELA on chromosome 11 and a potential NF-kappaB activator, was in LD with the RELA tagSNPs (mean r2 = 0.73, D' = 0.95) and showed similar results (OR 1.2, 95% CI 0.9 - 1.7, p = 0.2). We now aim to clarify this signal using higher LD thresholds and marker density, CART analysis across multiple NF-kappaB genes, and fine-mapping within the RELA region. This study demonstrates the utility of coordinated analysis of multiple candidate genes in the context of a high-throughput SNP screen.
Universal Teichmüller Space and DiffS1/S1

We point out that the coset space DiffS1/S1 is a dense complex submanifold of the Universal Teichmuller SpaceS of compact Riemann spaces of genus g≧1. A holomorphic map ofS into the inifinite dimensional Segal diskD1 is constructed. This is the Universal analogue of the map of Teichmuller spaces into the Siegel disk provided by the period matrix. The Kahler potential for the general homogenous metric on DiffS1/S1 is computed explicitly using the map intoD1. Some applications to string theory are discussed.
Photopolymerization Induced Crystallization in Relation to Solid-Liquid Phase Diagram of Poly(ethylene oxide)/Diacrylate Monomer Blends

Phase diagrams of blends of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/diacrylate (DA) monomer have been established by means of differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy. A phase field theory based on the combination of the phase field free energy of crystal solidification and the Flory-Huggins theory for liquid-liquid phase separation has been developed that is capable of predicting various coexistence regions of the binary crystalline PEO/DA blends, viz., isotropic (I), the coexistence of crystal + liquid (Cr 1 + I), crystal + crystal (Cr 1 + Cr 2 ), and the single phase crystal (Cr) regions. These aforementioned coexistence regions have been further verified experimentally by probing the spatiotemporal emergence of crystalline structure and phase morphology. Guided by these established phase diagrams of the PEO/diacrylate blends, photopolymerization-induced crystallization experiments have been carried out at the isotropic temperatures slightly above the depressed melting points of PEO crystals. Of particular interest is the development of spherulites in the continuum of isotropic in the crystal + liquid coexistence region, whereas viscous fingering (or fractal growth) occurs during photopolymerization at a higher temperature, showing phase-separated domains within these advancing viscous fingering structures.
Three Mile Island—the Political Legacy

(1989). Three Mile Island—the Political Legacy. Nuclear Technology: Vol. 87, TMI–2: Materials Behavior, pp. 23-26.
Long-Term Elderly Widows and Divorcees:: Similarities and Differences

Few previous studies analyzed long-term effects of widowhood or divorce. Based on the data from the Longitudinal Study of Aging, 1984-1990, this study analyzes similarities and differences in economic and health status and the scope of social support systems for elderly women who have been widowed or divorced for 20 or more years. Findings show that, despite their higher education, long-term divorcees were worse off than long-term widows. The two grouvs did not differ in their functional health status, but divorce& w&e more likely to lack informal support systems and to rely on paid helpers than were widows. Implications of these findings as they apply to increasing numbers of divorced elderly women are discussed.
Relapse status as a prognostic factor in patients receiving salvage surgery for recurrent or residual nasopharyngeal cancer after definitive treatment.

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic value of relapse status (recurrent vs residual disease) in patients receiving surgical salvage for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods Retrospective review was conducted on 52 patients who underwent salvage surgery for locoregional relapse of NPC. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to investigate the prognostic value of relapse status. Results Median follow-up duration was 44.4 months. Mean overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) for patients with NPC with residual and recurrent disease after surgical salvage were 107.4 and 54.4 months, and 83.6 and 34.6 months, respectively (p < .001). This improved survival was demonstrated regardless whether the relapse was at the primary or nodal site. Multivariate analysis revealed that recurrent disease status and nodal disease relapse were independent poor prognostic factors for survival in patients receiving salvage surgery for NPC. Conclusion In patients undergoing surgical salvage for NPC relapse, residual disease carries a better prognosis than recurrent disease. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2016
Elevated basal glutamate and unchanged glutamine and GABA in refractory epilepsy: Microdialysis study of 79 patients at the yale epilepsy surgery program

OBJECTIVE Aberrant glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission contribute to seizure generation and the epileptic state. However, whether levels of these neurochemicals are abnormal in epileptic patients is unknown. Here, we report on interictal levels of glutamate, glutamine, and GABA in epilepsy patients at seizure onset and nonepileptic sites, cortical lesions, and from patients with poorly localized neocortical epilepsies. METHODS Subjects (n = 79) were medically refractory epilepsy patients undergoing intracranial electroencephalogram evaluation. Microdialysis probes (n = 125) coupled to depth electrodes were implanted within suspected seizure onset sites and microdialysis samples were obtained during interictal periods. Glutamate, glutamine, and GABA were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Probe locations were subsequently classified by consensus of expert epileptologists. RESULTS Glutamate levels were elevated in epileptogenic (p = 0.03; n = 7), nonlocalized (p < 0.001), and lesional cortical sites (p < 0.001) when compared to nonepileptogenic cortex. Glutamate was also elevated in epileptogenic (p < 0.001) compared to nonepileptogenic hippocampus. There were no statistical differences in GABA or glutamine, although GABA levels showed high variability across patients and groups. INTERPRETATION Our findings indicate that chronically elevated extracellular glutamate is a common pathological feature among epilepsies with different etiology. Contrary to our predictions, GABA and glutamine levels were not decreased in any of the measured areas. Whereas variability in GABA levels may in part be attributed to the use of GABAergic antiepileptic drugs, the stability in glutamine across patient groups indicate that extracellular glutamine levels are under tighter metabolic regulation than previously thought. Ann Neurol 2016;80:35-45.
Mechanisms of Glucocorticoid Actions and Resistance in Multiple Myeloma

Glucocorticoids are lipophilic compounds derived from cholesterol and are used in the treatment of some hematological malignancies such as multiple myeloma. Alternative splicing gives rise to numerous glucocorticoid receptor isoforms. The molecular basis of glucocorticoid resistance is poorly understood. Resistance can involve alterations in the glucocorticoid receptors or receptor-associated proteins, such as chaper-ones, that affect cellular response. Alternatively, glucocorticiods may be effluxed from cells, or there may be enhanced expression of proteins involved in cell survival, defective apoptosis machinery, or altered expression of adhesion molecules that can result in drug resistance.
Perceptual Artifacts and Phenomena: Gibson's Role in the 20th Century

Abstract One of the most influential frameworks for the study of perception has been James J. Gibson's ecological approach. This approach is not a theory, but a metatheory, of how we perceive and understand the world around us through our senses. As a metatheory it dissolves old problems and creates new ones, fostering new ways to think about perception and creating new antinomies to ponder. This essay outlines the successes of the approach, some of its new problems, and traces some of its more and less fruitful leads.
Vacuum Device Applications

Vacuum electronic devices produce coherent electromagnetic radiation through the interaction of a beam of electrons with an electromagnetic structure. They are used in a wide variety of defense, scientific, and commercial applications ranging from radar, terrestrial and space-based communications, high energy physics, fusion, industrial processing, and medicine down to the countertop microwave oven. The chapter highlights five of the most common types of vacuum electronic technologies: traveling-wave devices, klystrons, inductive output tubes, crossed-field devices, and gyro-devices. For each class of device, a brief description of the physical principles of operation is provided along with an historical perspective on applications and the evolution of device performance.
Volcanic Rocks of the Midcontinent Rift System: A Review

Continental rifting at 1.1 Ga produced approximately 1.3 × 106 km3 of igneous rocks over a rift length of 2200 km (Midcontinent Rift System, MRS). These constitute one of the largest as well as oldest flood basalt provinces. Both geophysical (Hutchinson et al. 1990) and geochemical evidence (Nicholson and Shirey 1990) suggest that magma production resulted from decompression melting of a large, hot mantle plume centered beneath what is now Lake Superior. These rocks are now exposed only around Lake Superior in Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and in east-central Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin; the rest of the igneous rift products are known from geophysics and scattered drill holes. The plateau lavas are geochemically bimodal, dominated by olivine tholeiites (many of them high-Al), transitional basalts, and basaltic andesites, with significant volumes of rhyolites, especially in Minnesota (Green 1982). Structural and stratigraphic relationships of these lavas indicate that they were erupted in several distinct plateaus, each of which subsided centrally as rifting intensity shifted in time and place along the MRS (Green 1977; 1983), but age determinations so far show no “unzipping” progression (or hot-spot progression) from Lake Superior to the extremities in Kansas and southeastern Michigan. The maximum known time span of MRS (Keweenawan) magmatism, from recent precise U/Pb zircon work by D.W. Davis and co-workers, is 1109 to 1086 Ma, but the greatest bulk of eruptive and intrusive activity (for exposed rocks) occurred during a magnetically reversed interval around 1108–1105 Ma and especially during a magnetically normal interval around 1097–1094 Ma.
Anatomic Femoral and Tibial Tunnel Placement During Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Anteromedial Portal All-Inside and Outside-In Techniques

Tunnel malposition is one of the most common technical reasons for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction failure. Small changes in tunnel placement can result in significant differences in outcome. More anatomic placement of the tunnels can lead to greater knee stability and a more accurate reproduction of native knee kinematics. This Technical Note describes 2 tibial tunnel–independent methods to obtain anatomic femoral tunnel placement. The all-inside anteromedial portal technique requires only minimal surgical incisions but allows precise femoral tunnel placement. However, hyperflexion of the knee is required, adequate surgical assistance is necessary, and this technique may be susceptible to graft-tunnel mismatch. The outside-in technique may be more beneficial in obese patients, skeletally immature patients, or revision cases. On the downside, it does require an additional 2-cm surgical incision. This article also provides surgical pearls to fine-tune tibial tunnel placement.
When ‘Angelino’ squirrels don’t eat nuts: a feminist posthumanist politics of consumption across southern California

AbstractEastern fox squirrels (Sciurus niger), reddish-brown tree squirrels native to the eastern and southeastern United States, were introduced to and now thrive in suburban/urban California. As a result, many residents in the greater Los Angeles region are grappling with living amongst tree squirrels, particularly because the state’s native western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus) is less tolerant of human beings and, as a result, has historically been absent from most sections of the greater Los Angeles area. ‘Easties,’ as they are colloquially referred to in the popular press, are willing to feed on trash and have an ‘appetite for everything.’ Given that the shift in tree squirrel demographics is a relatively recent phenomenon, this case presents a unique opportunity to question and re-theorize the ontological given of ‘otherness’ that manifests, in part, through a politics whereby animal food choices ‘[come] to stand in for both compliance and resistance to the dominant forces in [human] culture’. I,...
A Clock Skewing Strategy to Reduce Power and Area of ASIC Circuits

A new method for reducing power and area of standard cell ASICs is described. The method is based on deliberately introducing clock skew without the use of extra buffers in the clock network. This is done by having some flipflops, called sources, generate clock signals for other flipflops, called targets. The method involves two key features: (1) the design of new differential flipflop, referred to as KVFF, that is functionally identical to a master-slave edge-triggered D flipflop, but in addition, produces an completion signal that is a skewed version of its input clock, which is used to clock other flipflops; and (2) an efficient algorithm that identifies the sources and targets involved in the new clocking scheme, with the objective of reducing area and power. These are reduced because deliberate skew introduces extra slack on the logic cones that feed the target flipflops, which is exploited by synthesis tools to reduce area and power. In addition, the overhead of conventional methods of introducing skew, e.g. buffers, is eliminated. Using commercial tools, significant improvements in power and area are shown on placed and routed netlists of several circuits.
The impact of multimodality treatment on outcomes of patients with type II endometrial carcinoma: A single institution experience.

e16552 Background: To determine the impact of different adjuvant treatment modalities on relapse-free (RFS), disease-specific (DSS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with type II endometrial ca...
Oral tolerance and allergy

Food allergy prevalence is increasing in the developed world. It's estimated that each year in the US, anaphylaxis to food results in 30,000 emergency room visits and 150 deaths. Over the past few decades, there has been a tremendous effort to better understand the pathogenesis of food allergy and mechanisms of food tolerance. In this article we review the structural of the gastrointestinal immune system and mechanisms of natural tolerance to food. We then review the factors that may result in the IgE mediated hypersensitivity reaction to food allergens resulting in clinical food allergy. Lastly, we provide a brief review of the efforts to induce immune tolerance to patients with food allergy.
Delivery Method: Does it Matter? A Study of the North Carolina Developmental Mathematics Redesign

ABSTRACTIn 2009, the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) began the process of redesigning developmental mathematics (DMA) courses. The first classes were offered in 2012 with final state implementation in fall 2013. The purpose of this study was to examine the subsequent gateway course success rates achieved by former DMA students in relation to the delivery method (i.e., teacher-centered, student-centered, and computer-centered) used in the redesigned North Carolina DMA courses. Students included in this study took a gateway math course and a developmental math course during the same or previous academic year. Students who participated in student-centered and computer-centered instruction in their DMA course had a statistically significant pass rate in subsequent gateway courses compared with students receiving teacher-centered instruction. Along with the findings, this paper discusses considerations for redesign, including the choice of delivery methods and instructional techniques, and reco...
Perceived control of anxiety as a moderator in the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and problematic alcohol use among adolescents

Abstract The current study examined perceived control over anxiety as a moderator in the relationship between AS and (1) alcohol use frequency and (2) binge drinking frequency among 80 community-recruited adolescents (Mage = 15.40; 40% female). Eighty-five percent of adolescents reported consuming an alcohol beverage, while 39.5% reported binge drinking. Results indicated significant interactions between AS and perceived control. More specifically, when perceived control was low, higher anxiety sensitivity was related to increased frequency of alcohol use days, but not with binge drinking days. Alternatively, when perceived control over anxiety was high, elevated anxiety sensitivity was associated with a decreased in binge drinking days, but not with alcohol use days. Findings suggest that influence of perceived control over anxiety may be another important, malleable factor that should be considered in future etiological and intervention-oriented work targeting anxiety sensitivity and alcohol misuse among adolescence.
Anxiety and the Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Psychiatric, Medical, or Both?

The association between the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and psychiatric disorders is well-known to most clinicians, but the nature of the relationship is far from clear. There is an increased prevalence of psychiatric illness in IBS patients and an increase in IBS in psychiatric patients. Whether this association exists outside of treatment-seeking populations (i.e., in IBS sufferers who do not seek treatment) has not been well investigated. This paper will selectively review the existing literature regarding the association of IBS and psychiatric illness in both patient and nonpatient samples. A model of the brain-gut interaction will be presented, as will practical implications of this model for treatment of individuals with IBS.
Abstract #3761: Modulation of antioxidants on sensitivity of lung cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents

Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in developed countries. Effective therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to treat this type of malignant human cancers. Reactive oxygen species has been involved in cell death of some therapeutic agents. In this study we investigated whether antioxidants may modulate the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic agents. We chose non-small cell lung carcinoma cell line H1299, and treated H1299 cells with cisplatin and doxorubicin at varying concentrations for up to 72 hours. Results showed that both agents caused dose and time-dependent cell death. We also treated H1299 cells with antioxidants N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) and vitamin C. Treatment with NAC at 10 mM for 3 days resulted in 80% loss of cell viability, while 70% cell viability lost when treated with 5 mM vitamin C for 3 days. However, when combined with cisplatin, NAC significantly reversed the cell death induced by cisplatin. These results suggest that ROS may modulate antineoplastic agents mediated cell death. To further obtain the insights into NAC mediated antagonizing effect on cytotoxicity of cisplatin, we established a stable H1299 cell line transfected with mitochondrial targeted catalase. The introduction of catalase into mitochondria resulted in decrease in ROS as measured by flow cytometry. Treatment of cells with cisplatin showed that the catalase transfected H1299 cells were resistant to cisplatin induced cell death compared to vector tansfected control cells, indicating a role of mitochondrial ROS. These data suggest that mitochondrial ROS may participate in the mechanisms of chemotherapeutic agents mediated cell death, and modulation of mitochondrial ROS may be a potential strategy killing cancer cells. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 3761.
Mathematical modeling of dielectrophoresis single-cell capture in a microfluidic device

Microfluidic devices have been a popular method for running high-throughput single-cell analysis assays. The goal of these assays is to study behaviors of heterogeneous tumor cells, such as growth, symmetric/asymmetric division, and treatment resistance, in single-cell resolution. The current single-cell capture scheme in microfluidic devices is via a hydrodynamic capture mechanism. Although the single-cell throughput has increased, there is an obstacle where a free-flow capture scheme increases the possibility of the number of capture sites housing multiple cells. In order to eliminate this possibility dielectrophoretic force (DEP) can be applied to assure the capture of single-cells. However, since DEP has various parameters such as the geometry of the device, the dielectric constant of the medium, and the cell physiology, it would be time as well as cost-effective to mathematically model the design of the microfluidic device before fabricating it. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to mathematically model DEP, single-cell capture in order to design an effective microfluidic platform.
Low cost and power CNN/deep learning solution for automated driving

Automated driving functions, like highway driving and parking assist, are increasingly getting deployed in high-end cars with the ultimate goal of realizing self-driving car using Deep learning techniques like convolution neural network (CNN). For mass-market deployment, the embedded solution is required to address the right cost and performance envelope along with security and safety. In the case of automated driving, one of the key functionality is “finding drivable free space”, which is addressed using deep learning techniques like CNN. These CNN networks pose huge computing requirements in terms of hundreds of GOPS/TOPS (Giga or Tera operations per second), which seems beyond the capability of today's embedded SoC. This paper covers various techniques consisting of fixed-point conversion, sparse multiplication, fusing of layers and network pruning, for tailoring on the embedded solution. These techniques are implemented on the device by means of optimized Deep learning library for inference. The paper concludes by demonstrating the results of a CNN network running in real time on TI's TDA2X embedded platform producing a high-quality drivable space output for automated driving.
Replication and reproducibility issues in the relationship between C-reactive protein and depression: A systematic review and focused meta-analysis.

One of the most common inflammatory markers examined in depression is C-reactive protein (CRP). However, the magnitude of the association between CRP and depression when controlling for potentially confounding factors such as age, sex, socio-economic status, body mass index, medication and other substance use, and medical illness, is unclear. Inconsistencies in other methodological practices, such as sample collection, assaying, and data cleaning and transformation, may contribute to variations in results. We aggregate studies that examined the association between CRP and depression in two ways. First, a systematic review summarizes how studies of CRP and depression have reported on methodological issues. Second, a tiered meta-analysis aggregates studies that have adhered to various levels of methodological rigor. Findings from the systematic review indicate a lack of protocol detail provided. The effect between depression and CRP was small, but highly significant across all stages of the meta-analysis (p < 0.01). The effect size in the most methodologically rigorous stage of the meta-analysis, which included studies controlling for age, sex, obesity, medical conditions and substance, medication, or psychosocial factors, was small (r = 0.05). There were also only 26 articles in this stage (13% of studies from the systematic review), suggesting that more studies that consistently account for these confounding factors are needed. Additionally, an a priori quality score of methodological rigor was a significant moderator in this stage of the meta-analysis. The effect size was strikingly attenuated (r = 0.005) and non-significant in studies with higher quality scores. We describe a set of recommended guidelines for future research to consider, including sample collection and assaying procedures, data cleaning and statistical methods, and control variables to assess.
Web-based training on weapons of mass destruction response for emergency medical services personnel.

Objective: To develop, implement, and assess a web-based simulation training program for emergency medical services (EMS) personnel on recognition and treatment of ocular injuries resulting from weapons of mass destruction (WMD) attacks. Design: The training program consisted of six modules: WMD knowledge and event detection, ocular anatomy, ocular first aid (ie, flushing, cupping, and patching), and three WMD simulations (ie, sarin gas release, anthrax release, and radioactive dispersal device). Pretest, post-test, and 1-month follow-up test and a program evaluation were used to measure knowledge gain and retention and to assess the effectiveness of the program. Setting: New York State EMS. Participants: Four hundred and sixty-four individuals participated in the training program and all waves of the testing (86 percent retention rate). Main Outcome Variables: The effectiveness of the training intervention was measured using pretest and post-test questionnaires and analyzed using dependent t-tests. Results: Assessment scores for overall knowledge increased from the pretest (mean < 15.7, standard deviation [SD] = 2.1) to the post-test (mean = 17.8, SD = 1.3), p = 0.001, and from pretest (mean = 15.7, SD = 2.1) to 1-month follow-up test (mean = 16.6, SD = 2.0), p < 0.001. Ninety-two percent of respondents indicated that the program reinforced understanding of WMDs. Conclusions: This training method provides an effective and low-cost approach to educate and evaluate EMS personnel on emergency treatment of eye trauma associated with the use of WMD. Online training should also be supplemented with hands-on practice and refresher trainings.
Prise en charge des sarcomes des tissus mous avancés : quelle chimiothérapie après échappement aux anthracyclines ?

Doxorubicin monotherapy is the standard first-line treatment in patients with advanced soft-tissue sarcomas. Ifosfamide still remains the standard 2nd line treatment after doxorubicin-failure. However, recent data have demonstrated that histological subtypes differ in their sensitivity to cytotoxic drugs. Therefore, gemcitabine should be considered as the best option after doxorubicin failure in leiomyosarcoma patients. Trabectedine should be used preferentially in myxoid liposarcomas and leiomyosarcomas patients whereas paclitaxel should be considered as a first or second-line treatment of choice in angiosarcoma patients. Further studies are needed in order to identify predictive factors of clinical benefit in advanced soft-tissue sarcoma patients treated with cytotoxic agents in combination or not with targeted therapies.
Unsteady Airfoil Boundary Layers—Experiment and Computation

Improved understanding of unsteady aerodynamics offers the potential to design more effective helicopter rotors, gas turbine engines, and aircraft control surfaces. Several aspects of a representative unsteady flow about a fixed airfoil have been studied at M.I.T. The work has concentrated on obtaining experimental measurements of boundary layer and wake velocities in attached flow and surface pressure distributions in both attached and separated flows. Computational studies have also been made of portions of these flows. This paper is concerned with describing some of the boundary layer results and comparing them with a numerical computation.
Oncogenes and growth factors

Certain polypeptide gene products regulate mitosis, differentiation, and other basic biologic functions of cells. These genes and their products are well preserved throughout evolution. Other sets of genes encode receptors for these polypeptides. Polypeptide growth factors can stimulate the cells that express receptors for them. Autocrine growth occurs when a cell produces a growth factor and also expresses receptors for it. When certain genes remain in a permanently switched-on position or are amplified, excessive amounts of growth factors are produced and receptor-positive cells continuously respond, thus achieving illegitimate growth advantage over other cells. Permanently switched-on and/or point-mutated receptor-encoding genes direct the synthesis of truncated receptors that do not need to capture their ligand for signaling receptor activation, thus their cells remain in a permanently activated state. When immortalization and/or malignant transformation results from these activities, the gene is recognized as a protooncogene-oncogene. Acutely transforming retroviruses contain close derivatives of these cellular genes (c-onc----v-onc) obtained through transduction. Genes encoding the synthesis of nontransforming growth factors (angiogenesis factors, colony-stimulating factors, interleukins, etc.) imitate protooncogenes in stimulating the growth and differentiation-dedifferentiation on nonimmortalized cells. Immortalized and malignantly transformed cells may retain receptors to regulatory growth factors that may induced differentiation and/or cessation of mitosis. Growth factors or receptors produced in excess by transformed cells may be neutralized by monoclonal antibodies (McAb) breaking the chain of autocrine or paracrine growth. Protooncogenes-oncogenes may be deactivated by biological response modifiers (dexamethasone, interferons, bacterial toxins, etc.). These interventions may lead to a new treatment modality for the malignant process.
Forms and Functions of Aggression in Early Childhood.

Evidence supports the distinctions between forms (relational vs. physical) and functions (proactive vs. reactive) of aggression; however, little research has investigated these two subtype framewor...
Subcutaneous Administration of Angiotensin-(1-7) Improves Recovery after Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice.

Abstract Angiotensin II (Ang II)–mediated activation of its type I receptor (AT1R) in the central nervous system promotes glial proliferation, local inflammation, and a decrease of cerebral blood f...
Treatment of neoplastic colonic lesions using the full-thickness resection device

Background and Aims Advanced adenomas and scarred lesions pose difficulties for the endoscopist because of the need for complete resection and accurate pathologic staging, which cannot be afforded by standard resection techniques. Endoscopic full-thickness resection, first described in Europe for treatment of early adenocarcinoma or scarred lesions in the colon, allows potentially curative en bloc resection in patients who may be at a high risk for surgery. We describe our endoscopic approach and histologic outcomes with use of a commercially available endoscopic full-thickness resection device (FTRD) (Ovesco Endoscopy, Tubingen, Germany). Methods We report our experience using the FTRD for advanced polyps in patients referred to our tertiary care center. Three patients were identified from a prospectively maintained database of patients undergoing FTRD from December 2018 to February 2019. Demographic, endoscopic, and histologic data were collected. Results All patients underwent successful full-thickness resection of the adenocarcinoma, and histopathologic examination showed negative lateral and deep margins. No immediate or delayed adverse events occurred during an average 2-month follow-up period. Conclusions Full-thickness resection with an over-the-scope fitted FTRD is safe and effective in the management of advanced colonic neoplastic lesions.
ROSETTA-informed design of structurally stabilized cyclic anti-amyloid peptides

β-amyloid oligomers are thought to be the most toxic species formed en route to fibril deposition in Alzheimer's disease. Transthyretin is a natural sequestering agent of β-amyloid oligomers: the binding site to β-amyloid has been traced to strands G/H of the inner β-sheet of transthyretin. A linear peptide, with the same primary sequence as the β-amyloid binding domain on transthyretin, was moderately effective at inhibiting β-amyloid fibril growth. Insertion of a β-turn template and cyclization greatly increased stability against proteolysis and improved efficacy as an amyloid inhibitor. However, the cyclic peptide still contained a significant amount of disorder. Using the Simple Cyclic Peptide Application within ROSETTA as an in silico predictor of cyclic peptide conformation and stability, we investigated putative structural enhancements, including stabilization by disulfide linkages and insertion of a second β-turn template. Several candidates were synthesized and tested for secondary structure and ability to inhibit β-amyloid aggregation. The results demonstrate that cyclization, β-sheet structure and conformational homogeneity are all preferable design features, whereas disulfide bond formation across the two β-strands is not preferable.
Interactive Rendering of Large-Scale Volumes on Multi-Core CPUs

Recent advances in large-scale simulations have resulted in volume data of increasing size that stress the capabilities of off-the-shelf visualization tools. Users suffer from long data loading times, because large data must be read from disk into memory prior to rendering the first frame. In this work, we present a volume renderer that enables high-fidelity interactive visualization of large volumes on multi-core CPU architectures. Compared to existing CPU-based visualization frameworks, which take minutes or hours for data loading, our renderer allows users to get a data overview in seconds. Using a hierarchical representation of raw volumes and ray-guided streaming, we reduce the data loading time dramatically and improve the user’s interactivity experience. We also examine system design choices with respect to performance and scalability. Specifically, we evaluate the hierarchy generation time, which has been ignored in most prior work, but which can become a significant bottleneck as data scales. Finally, we create a module on top of the OSPRay ray tracing framework that is ready to be integrated into general-purpose visualization frameworks such as Paraview.
Just a Fantasy? Examining Fantasy Sport in a Time Without Sport

The fantasy sport industry has seen tremendous growth over the past three decades Estimated at 500,000 participants in 1988, the industry has had positive growth every step of the way to a current estimate of 59 3 million North American participants Touting this incredible rise in participation, nothing has obstructed the growth of this sport media and communication phenomenon until now The sport landscape and fantasy sport industry find themselves in a situation with complete absence of live sport The Coronavirus crisis has impacted the fantasy sport community and thousands of professionals in many ways This research commentary, supplemented with primary interview data, questions the stoppage of fantasy sport and explores conversations, planning, and reaction from the fantasy sport community
Silane Activation with Cobalt on the POCOP Pincer Ligand Platform

Cobalt POCOP pincer complexes {κP,κC,κP-2,6-(iPr2PO)2C6H3}Co(PMe3)2 (1) and {κP,κC,κP-2,6-(iPr2PO)2-4-NMe2-C6H2}Co(PMe3)2 (2) have been synthesized via C–H bond activation of the pincer ligands wit...
Are Expert Opinions Accurate? Panel Data Evidence from the Iowa Land Value Survey

Opinion surveys are the dominant method to gauge U.S. farmland values. However, there lacks a systematic evaluation of how opinions are formulated and adjust over time. Using a panel data of 311 agricultural professionals from the Iowa Land Value Survey from 2005 to 2015, we investigate how surveyed experts update their farmland value estimates. We find that experts almost fully correct their prior "errors" in a single period. Experts' opinions also incorporate most of the prevailing price innovations in one period. Our Bayesian estimation technique simultaneously addresses the non-stationarity of farmland values and the Nickell bias in short dynamic panels.
What is the Role of Force in Correcting Scaphocephaly Through Spring-Mediated Cranial Vault Expansion for Sagittal Craniosynostosis?

OBJECTIVES Spring-mediated cranial vault expansion (SMC) may enable less invasive treatment of sagittal craniosynostosis than conventional methods. The influence of spring characteristics such as force, length, and quantity on cranial vault outcomes are not well understood. Using in vivo and ex vivo models, we evaluate the interaction between spring force, length, and quantity on correction of scaphocephalic deformity in patients undergoing SMC. METHODS The authors retrospectively studied subjects with isolated sagittal craniosynostosis who underwent SMC between 2011 and 2019. The primary outcome measure of in vivo analysis was head shape determined by cephalic index (CI). Ex vivo experimentation analyzed the impact of spring length, bend, and thickness on resultant force. RESULTS Eighty-nine subjects underwent SMC at median 3.4 months with median preoperative CI 69% (interquartile range: 66, 71%). Twenty-six and 63 subjects underwent SMC with 2 and 3 springs, with mean total force 20.1 and 27.6 N, respectively (P < 0.001).Postoperative CI increased from 71% to 74% and 68% to 77% in subjects undergoing 2- and 3-spring cranioplasty at the 6-month timepoint, respectively (P < 0.001). Total spring force correlated to increased change in CI (P < 0.002). Spring length was inversely related to transverse cranial expansion at Postoperative day 1, however, directly related at 1 and 3 months (P < 0.001). Ex vivo modeling of spring length was inversely related to spring force regardless of spring number (P < 0.0001). Ex vivo analysis demonstrated greater resultant force when utilizing wider, thicker springs independent of spring arm length and degree of compression. CONCLUSIONS A dynamic relationship among spring characteristics including length, bend, thickness, and quantity appear to influence SMC outcomes.
Adult Brachial Plexus Injuries: Neurodiagnostic Evaluation

The use of nerve conduction studies (NCSs) and needle electromyography (EMG) is vital in the understanding of distribution and severity of injury to the brachial plexus. This neurodiagnostic information can assist the surgical team in prognostication and planning for surgical intervention.
The Science of Crystallization: Microscopic Interfacial Phenomena

This book, together with its companion volume The Science of Crystallization: Macroscopic Phenomena and Defect Generation, make up a complete course that will teach an advanced student how to understand and analyse scientifically any of the phenomena that are observed during natural or technological crystallization from any medium and via any technique of crystallization. It is an advanced text that goes into considerable detail concerning the many elements of knowledge needed to understand quantitatively a crystallization event. This particular volume deals with the important atomistic-level processes occurring at the interface between a crystal and its nutrient. It also provides the necessary scientific background of both thermodynamics and kinetics needed for the understanding of crystallization for both bulk crystals and thin film formation.
Nonlinear SC network analysis and synthesis for image processing

The author advances a general theory of analysis and synthesis of steady-state nonlinear switched-capacitor (SC) networks. The approach relies on steady-state behavior, and addresses several issues raised in the literature, such as the impact of surrounding circuitry, appropriate clock phasing, exactness of network solutions, and interconnection rules. A new nonlinear SC element is proposed that enables the synthesis of networks of arbitrary two-terminal voltage-controlled nonlinear resistors. >
Human Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome

The clinical and pathophysiologic features of AIS provide a human model for understanding the role of androgen and its receptor in the induction and maintenance of male sex differentiation and function. Upon inspection, one is immediately impressed by the diverse nature of the mutations involved in the spectrum of AIS and the heterogeneous distribution of these mutations throughout the coding region of the AR gene. Because of the large number and diverse array of these naturally occurring mutations and their associated clinical phenotypes, there is great potential for understanding the structure-function relationships of AR from the in vitro expression of the mutant receptors in various cell lines. Future studies will be directed toward understanding the coordinate functional domains of AR, AR binding to specific androgen response elements, AR dimerization, AR phosphorylation, and AR interaction with accessory proteins that direct cell- and temporal-specific regulation of gene transactivation.