cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigating the Metabolic Syndrome Contributions of Swine Models

The metabolic syndrome (MetS), a cluster of dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes and an important contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, occurs in nearly 35% of adults and 50% of the aging population in the United States. However, the underlying mechanisms by which MetS orchestrates and amplifies cardiovascular events remain elusive. Furthermore, traditional therapeutic strategies addressing lifestyle modifications and individual components of MetS are often unsuccessful in decreasing morbidity due to MetS. The availability of an adequate experimental platform that mimics the complexity of MetS may allow development of novel management techniques. Swine models, including domestic pigs and minipigs, have made important contributions to our understanding of many aspects of MetS. Given their similarity to human anatomy and physiology, those models may have significant predictive power for elucidating the pathophysiology of MetS in a manner applicable to humans. Moreover, experimental maneuvers and drugs can be tested in these preclinical models before application in patients with MetS. This review highlights the utility of the pig as an animal model for metabolic disorders, which may play a crucial role in novel drug development to optimize management of MetS.
The impact of cheap natural gas on marginal emissions from electricity generation and implications for energy policy

Abstract We use quasi-experimental variation due to the introduction of fracking to estimate the short-run impact of a decrease in natural gas prices on marginal air pollution emissions from electricity producers. We find that cheap natural gas has shuffled the marginal fuel in different ways in different regions, changing the marginal emissions profile. The impact of cheap natural gas varies across U.S. regions as a function of the existing stock of electricity generation. We demonstrate the impact of these changes on the environmental benefits of energy policy by simulating the installation of wind and solar generating capacity in different regions around the U.S. We construct an hourly data set of potential renewable generation for both wind and solar power and combine that with our estimated marginal emissions. CO 2 emissions offset by wind generation are around 6 % lower on average, and emissions offset by solar generation are essentially flat, although the average hides significant variation across regions.
Analysis of Spinning Spacecraft with Wire Booms Part 3: Spin-Plane Dynamics, Maneuvers, and Deployment

Several science spacecraft use long wire booms as electric-field antennas and the spacecraft spins to maintain the orientation of these flexible wires. These booms account for a majority of the total spacecraft inertia while weighing only a small fraction of the total mass. The spacecraft dynamics is therefore dominated by these booms. The analysis of such spacecraft is further complicated by other flexible appendages and the presence of damping in the system, both inherent in the system and from damping mechanisms deliberately added into the system. This paper and two companion papers analyze such spacecraft. The first of these derives the governing nonlinear equations from first principles. Under certain conditions, the dynamics neatly separate into spin-plane and out-of-plane dynamics. The second companion paper examines the out-of-plane dynamics and maneuvers. This paper examines the spin-plane dynamics of such a spin-stabilized spacecraft. It analyzes the fundamental modes and mode-shapes of the system, spin-plane maneuvers, and the effects of boom deployment. While this analysis is applicable to any spin-stabilized spacecraft with flexible radial booms, the analysis was driven by the needs of the Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) spacecraft currently being designed at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, as part of NASA's “Living With a Star” program. This paper provides an analytical treatment of the spacecraft dynamics. These theoretical predictions are verified using fully non-linear six degree-of-freedom simulations.
Complexes between planar boron clusters and transition metals: a photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio study of CoB12(-) and RhB12(-).

Small boron clusters are known to be planar, and may be used as ligands to form novel coordination complexes with transition metals. Here we report a combined photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio study of CoB12– and RhB12–. Photoelectron spectra of the two doped-B12 clusters show similar spectral patterns, suggesting they have similar structures. Global minimum searches reveal that both CoB12– and RhB12– possess half-sandwich-type structures with the quasi-planar B12 moiety coordinating to the metal atom. The B12 ligand is found to have similar structure as the bare B12 cluster with C3v symmetry. Structures with Co or Rh inserted into the quasi-planar boron framework are found to be much higher in energy. Chemical bonding analyses of the two B12 half sandwiches reveal two sets of σ bonds on the boron unit: nine classical two-center–two-electron (2c–2e) σ bonds on the periphery of the B12 unit and four 3c–2e σ bonds within the boron unit. Both σ and π bonds are found between the metal and the B12 ligan...
Clinical value of the detection of NSE and NO/NOS in serum and spinal fluid after seizure in children

Objective To study the change of the level of NSE and NO/NOS in serum and CSF and explore the feature in neruon injury after seizure,the duration and the causes of seizure.Methods The level of NSE and NO/NOS in serum and CSF were tested by ELISA and spectrophotography at different times after seizure in children.Results (1)The level of NSE and NO/NOS in serum and CSF of objective groups except for the febrile seizure group were apparently higher than those in control group( t =15.4-47.7, P 0.05-0.01);(2)The longer the seizure lasted,the higher the level of NSE and NO/NOS in serum and CSF appeared,and there was a positive correlation between them( r =80.5-82.4, P 0.01);(3)The level of NSE and NO/INOS in serum and CSF in children with intracranial infection were the highest and lasted longer among all seizure induced causes because of the more seizure times and the longer duration,especially in those with coma and severe nervous system complication,while the level of NSE and NO/NOS in serum and CSF in children with febrile seizure were just slightly high or negative high;(4)There was a positive correlation between the level of NSE and NO/NOS in serum and CSF( r =85.6, P 0.01).Conclusion The detection of NSE and NO/NOS in serum and CSF at different times during seizure can help us to judge the duration of seizure and the degree of the brain damage,in addition,it also can help us to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and prognoses.
Conceptualizing leadership psychosis: the Department of Veteran Affairs scandal

Purpose – This paper argues that “lack of leadership” is not an accurate descriptor for dysfunctional leadership. It proposes that some leaders fall into a type of dysfunctional performance when faced with the high and often conflicting organizational demands characteristic of the interdependent and rapidly evolving challenges of the twenty-first century. It calls this dysfunction “leadership psychosis.” The purpose of this paper is to offer a four-stage conceptual definition of leadership psychosis. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a review of the literature central to leadership psychosis, namely, transformational, authentic, and transactional leadership theories, the paper discusses the conceptualization of leadership psychosis as it progresses through four increasingly dysfunctional stages. Findings – It identified four increasingly dysfunctional stages of leadership psychosis grounded on the literature review central to transformational, authentic, and transactional leadership theories. Researc...
Dynamism and Flexibility

In Chapter 2, it was stated that the Charter of 1948 was essentially the codification of policies developed through experiences in cooperation and collaboration over more than fifty years. This important element underlying the foundation, development and policy formulation mechanism which constitute the basis of Inter-American Cooperation has been evident throughout the activities of the OAS. However, on occasions, the Organization has been slow in learning its lessons thus impeding its dynamism and its effectiveness.
Introduction to Poincaré’s Theory of the Synthetic A Priori

Following Kant, Poincare believed mathematics to be synthetic a priori. He thus endorses Kant’s view that not all true mathematical propositions are obtainable as theorems of logic alone, even when the logic is supplemented by appropriate definitions of the non-logical vocabulary involved. Poincare’s sense of a synthetic proposition is essentially that of Frege. Whereas Frege might have held that the entire corpus of mathematics (with the possible exception of geometry) is analytic, Poincare held that it is synthetic in precisely Frege’s sense. For Poincare argues against Frege that in order to provide a proof of certain key mathematical claims (even number-theoretic ones) it is necessary to ‘[make] use of truths which are not of a general logical nature, but belong to a sphere of some special science.’1 Like Kant, Poincare maintained that mathematical knowledge is knowledge ‘a priori’. Where he differs from Kant is in exactly what he takes to be ‘synthetic a priori’. For Kant, the synthetic a priori includes the intuitions of Euclidean, three-dimensional space and time (the forms of experience); and these provide the content of (the intuitions for) geometric and number-theoretic truths. (In addition, certain general statements about substance, cause and effect, and so on, are also synthetic a priori.) In contrast, Poincare’s theory of the synthetic a priori is much more minimal. It is that which is imposed upon us with such a force that we could not conceive of the contrary proposition, nor could we build upon it a theoretical edifice.2
Conclusion: Moral Formation and Ethical Reflection in Business Education

The fundamental components of business ethics education are moral formation and preparation for ethical leadership. To be effective, moral formation must take realistic account of the actual moral norms of the workplace, since these enacted priorities will govern who can be effective in the organization and who will advance to leadership. It is only in appreciation of the real context of actual practice that educators can guide the moral formation of students toward meeting the social obligations of business for the general welfare. Similarly, education for ethical leadership must be situated within business priorities as a part of business strategy, as the pragmatic pursuit of the good that is possible in the given situation. To arrive at an understanding of the good that can become the basis for agreement on just operations and outcomes, business leaders must be prepared to engage in public reflection on the values and outcomes at stake, and be prepared to lead, as needed, the public deliberations to address and resolve conflicting conceptions of justice. It was recognized a century ago that business leaders were becoming the new elite, with the power to shape morals across a vast nation and even the world. It is now time to explicitly renew the call articulated at the founding of the great American business schools, that business leaders take in hand their responsibility to achieve the social good as envisioned by the founders of the United States: prosperity and justice for all in and through a market economy.
"Making the News": Identifying Noteworthy Events in News Articles

Most events described in a news article are background events ‐ only a small number are noteworthy, and a even smaller number serve as the trigger for writing of that article. Although these events are difficult to identify, they are crucial to NLP tasks such as first story detection, document summarization and event coreference, and to many applications of event analysis that depend on event counting and identifying trends. In this work, we introduce the notion of news-peg, a concept borrowed from the political science literature, in an attempt to remedy this problem. A news-peg is an event which prompted the author to write the article, and it serves as a more fine-grained measure of noteworthiness than a summary. We describe a new task of news-peg identification and release an annotated dataset for its evaluation. We formalize an operational definition of a news-peg, on which human annotators achieve high inter-annotator agreement (over 80%), and present a rule-based system for this task, which exploits syntactic features derived from established journalistic devices.
Intracerebroventricular tempol administration in older rats reduces oxidative stress in the hypothalamus but does not change STAT3 signalling or SIRT1/AMPK pathway

Hypothalamic inflammation and increased oxidative stress are believed to be mechanisms that contribute to obesity. 4-Hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl (tempol), a free radical scavenger,...
Petroleum Production Challenges in Ghana

Starting in January 1993, Ghana has, under the Fourth Republican Constitution of 1992, enjoyed a relatively successful period of multiparty government. Elections have been transparent, keenly contested, and at times have had close outcomes, with the winning political party triumphing by a margin of just 50,000 votes. All this makes the country one of the few bright spots in post-Cold War Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It has had five back-to-back successful presidential and parliamentary elections, some of which have led to the opposition replacing the incumbent government. Not only have presidential election outcomes been determined by only 50,000 votes but, more importantly, on 29 August 2013, when the Supreme Court ruled with a 5–4 majority that the NDC had won the 2012 elections, Ghana chalked up another impressive first. In spite of massive apprehension, the opposition and the entire nation peacefully accepted the court’s verdict.
Achieving a Neurology Resident Driven, Hospital Supported, Quality Improvement Initiative (P05.005)

OBJECTIVE: Develop a resident initiated, institutionally guided, neurology quality improvement curriculum. BACKGROUND: Quality is quickly becoming accepted as "everyones responsibility". The ACGME recommends resident involvement in Quality Improvement (QI) efforts. Two main models for resident involvement have been attempted, institution initiated (top down) and resident or program initiated (bottom up). Each has it9s own pitfalls and advantages. A mismatch between QI knowledge (administrators) and those in the best position to identify opportunities for improvement (front line providers) exists that prevents the full leverage of experience and creativity available to the institution. DESIGN/METHODS: Four groups utilized the Institute for Health Care Improvement (IHI) "Model for Improvement" to conduct QI projects in inpatient and outpatient neurology settings over a 6 month period. Each resident team consisted of two PGY 2, PGY 3, and PGY 4 neurology residents with PGY3 residents serving as team leaders. Weekly meetings were initially held to brainstorm project ideas, analyze issues, and develop projects. A staff member dedicated to the QI projects with clinical and administrative experience led each meeting. Institutional leaders with experience in QI were consulted to provide practical experience about process changes and data availability after aims were developed. RESULTS: Brainstorming and project selection required multiple sessions. It was important to differentiate between data collection for research and that for quality improvement. Interdepartmental challenges required a staff member coordinating with the institutional leaders and the residency director to help keep the projects progressing despite demands on resident time. CONCLUSIONS: Residents are ideally situated to identify opportunities for improvement. Once projects are identified, institutional leaders can provide important insight and advice into implementing potential changes. A bottom-up approach to resident quality improvement efforts, with appropriate institutional leadership, can create a more optimistic and empowered provider, with potential for meaningful change. Supported by: VCUHS GME and Department of Neurology. Disclosure: Dr. Modi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Vota has nothing to disclose.
What is evidence-based medicine?1

Abstract Rationale and Objectives. In this review article, we present the definition and useful concepts of evidence-based medicine (EBM). The principles of EBM are provided and major steps of practicing EBM are described. Materials and Methods. We emphasize the importance of the Cochrane Collaboration (see http://www.cochrane.org), which initiated the research and practice in this area. Because it can be difficult to systematically access and review individual research studies, it is often useful to focus on a critical overview of clinical trials by conducting a meta-analysis. Results. Useful literature and resources related to meta-analysis are provided. Conclusion. Statistical methods for evaluating radiologic diagnostic performances derived from meta-analysis are summarized, with a special focus on summary outcomes measures.
32-digit values of the first 100 recurrence coefficients for the weight function w(x)=[(1-.999*x^2)*(1-x^2)]^(-1/2) on [-1,1]

32-digit values of the first 100 recurrence coefficients for the weight function w(x)=((1-om2*x^2)*(1-x^2))^(-1/2) on [-1,1], om2=.999
Synthetic inertia for BESS integrated on the DC-link of grid-tied PV inverters

The significant mechanical inertia of the rotor in a synchronous generator is crucial for facilitating the cooperative grid forming capability of multiple such generators on the transmission and distribution network. This paper demonstrates that the DC link capacitance in a PV inverter is the analogous form of inertia for such a system, albeit having much smaller magnitude. Furthermore it proposes using storage integrated on the DC link to synthesize extra inertia by programming the storage power electronics controller to achieve an emulated capacitance. Inertia added to distributed energy resources (DERs) in this manner is the first step towards mitigating the power quality issues arising from increased renewable penetration on the network. Demonstration of the acquired inertia dynamics and verification of the required controller design is shown through a detailed simulation model.
Gynecologic melanomas: A clinicopathologic and molecular analysis.

Abstract Objective Melanoma originating from gynecologic sites (MOGS), including the vulva, vagina, and cervix, is a rare and aggressive form of melanoma with poor long-term clinical outcome. The clinicopathologic features of vulvar and non-vulvar tumors remain relatively understudied, and in contrast to cutaneous melanomas at non-sun-exposed sites, MOGS typically do not harbor BRAF mutations. Thus, we sought to analyze the clinicopathologic and molecular features of MOGS. Methods A large retrospective cohort of patients with MOGS ( n =59) at a single large academic institution over a 28-year period was identified. Associations among clinicopathologic characteristics were assessed via standard statistical approaches, and clinical outcome was examined using Cox regression analysis. Sanger sequencing was utilized to identify mutations in hotspot regions of BRAF , KIT , NRAS , and CTNNB1 . Results Tumors involving the vagina and/or cervix (non-vulvar) are significantly associated with high-risk clinicopathologic features, including increased tumor thickness, ulceration, positive resection margins, lymph node metastasis, and poor long-term clinical outcome (with increased risk of death due to disease). The aggressive clinical behavior of non-vulvar tumors is independent of advanced clinical stage and lymph node metastasis in multivariate analysis. Targeted molecular analysis confirms an overall low rate of oncogenic mutations in our MOGS cohort, although KIT mutations (particularly in exon 11) are relatively enriched. Conclusions Overall, our results show that non-vulvar MOGS are aggressive tumors with poor long-term clinical outcome and indicate that few targeted therapeutic options are currently available to patients with MOGS.
Blood pressure guidelines as starting point in clinical decisions

Debate about individual targets should not distract us from eliminating severe hypertension
Compliance evaluation of information privacy protection in e-government systems in Anglophone West Africa using ISO/IEC 29100:2011

Due to various reasons, only few researchers focused their investigations on the current status of information security and privacy protection of e-Government services in Africa. This paper attempts to partially fill the gap by reporting on the compliance evaluation of privacy protection in e-Government systems in the countries of Anglophone West Africa, namely in Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Gambia. In the countries, e-Government services have become one of the most important and efficient means by which government interacts with citizens. The ways to facilitate information privacy protection in e-Government systems of a given country include enactment of a comprehensive information privacy regulation. The regulation serves as a legal framework that considers internationally accepted privacy protection principles, such as those of the ISO/IEC 29100:2011, and applicable guidelines of the U.S. NIST SP 800–53 Rev.4. In this paper, the privacy principles of the ISO/IEC 29100:2011 serve as a baseline for evaluation of the content of privacy protection regulations of the Anglophone West African countries. The paper also reports results of a passive security reconnaissance performed on selected e-Government websites. While the paper acknowledges recent progresses made in the area of privacy protection in the countries of Anglophone West Africa, recommendations are provided to mitigate the identified gaps.
The Endocrinology of Anorexia Nervosa

The detailed nature of the endocrine disturbances seen in anorexia nervosa and the relationships between the manifold psychological, nutritional, and hormonal aberrations are the subjects of much research and some controversy. Abnormalities have been described in almost every endocrine system. Some of the data suggest that many of these abnormalities reflect disturbances in hypothalamic centers.
Sequential catalysis controls selectivity in electrochemical CO2 reduction on Cu

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 in aqueous media is a strategy for sustainable production of fuels and commodity chemicals. Cu is the only catalyst which converts CO2 to significant quantities of hydrocarbons and oxygenates. Here we demonstrate that oxygenate products can be favored over hydrocarbons by positioning a local source of CO generated by a CO producing catalyst (Au or Ag) in close proximity to a Cu catalyst. Use of a bimetallic device comprising interdigitated and independently controllable lines of Au and Cu allows the local CO concentration to be modulated. Notably, diffusional simulations show that the saturation concentration of CO can be exceeded locally. Actuating both the Au and Cu lines increases the oxygenate to ethylene ratio compared to actuating Cu only. Increasing the relative area of CO-producing Au relative to Cu also increases this ratio. These insights are translated into a second bimetallic system comprising Cu dots/lines patterned directly onto a Ag substrate, allowing for the distance between Cu and the CO generating metal to be precisely controlled. Controlling the relative areas of Ag and Cu allows for tuning of the oxygenate to ethylene ratio from 0.59 to 2.39 and an increase in oxygenate faradaic efficiency from 21.4% to 41.4%, while maintaining the selectivity to C2/C3 products in the 50–65% range. We attribute this change in selectivity to be due to an increased *CO coverage on Cu. By utilizing diffusional transport of CO to the Cu, a sequential catalysis pathway is created which allows for the control of oxygenate selectivity in aqueous CO2 reduction.
Sophistication Banking als erfolgreiche Strategie im Informationszeitalter

Traditionelle Produkt- bzw. Anbietergetriebene Marktbearbeitungsstrategien im Finanzdienstleistungsbereich werden durch die steigende Transparenz, die Veranderung der (Lebens-)Arbeitssituation der interessanten Zielgruppe und die abnehmende und einheitlichere Regulierung nachhaltig nicht mehr profitabel sein. Sophistication Banking als eine Potenzial- und Bedurfnisorientierte Strategie fuhrt zu einer signifikanten Steigerung der Kundenbindung und -loyalitat und letztendlich zu einem steigendem Unternehmenswert. IT-basierte, innovative Multi-Channel/Customer Relationship Ansatze sind dabei fur eine ganzheitliche und kosteneffiziente Betreuung der Kunden unerlasslich.
An Improved Model for Predicting Proton NMR Shielding by Alkenes Based on Ab Initio GIAO Calculations

In a strong magnetic field, nuclei located over a carbon-carbon double bond experience NMR shielding effects that are the net result of the magnetic anisotropy of the nearby double bond and various other intramolecular shielding effects. We have used GIAO, a subroutine in Gaussian 4, to calculate isotropic shielding values and to predict the proton NMR shielding increment for a simple model system: methane held in various orientations and positions over ethene. The average proton NMR shielding increments of several orientations of methane have been plotted versus the Cartesian coordinates of the methane protons relative to the center of ethene. A single empirical equation for predicting the NMR shielding experienced by protons over a carbon-carbon double bond has been developed from these data. The predictive capability of this equation has been validated by comparing the shielding increments for several alkenes calculated using our equation to the experimentally observed shielding increments. This equation predicts the NMR shielding effects more accurately than a previous model that was based on only one orientation of methane over ethene. Deshielding is predicted by this equation for protons over the center and within about 3 A of a carbon-carbon double bond. This result is in contrast to predictions made by the long-held “shielding cone” model based on the McConnell equation found in nearly every textbook on NMR, but is consistent with experimental observations.
Non-sensory inputs to angular path integration

Non-sensory (cognitive) inputs can play a powerful role in monitoring one's self-motion. Previously, we showed that access to spatial memory dramatically increases response precision in an angular self-motion updating task [1]. Here, we examined whether spatial memory also enhances a particular type of self-motion updating - angular path integration. "Angular path integration" refers to the ability to maintain an estimate of self-location after a rotational displacement by integrating internally-generated (idiothetic) self-motion signals over time. It was hypothesized that remembered spatial frameworks derived from vision and spatial language should facilitate angular path integration by decreasing the uncertainty of self-location estimates. To test this we implemented a whole-body rotation paradigm with passive, non-visual body rotations (ranging 40 degrees -140 degrees ) administered about the yaw axis. Prior to the rotations, visual previews (Experiment 1) and verbal descriptions (Experiment 2) of the surrounding environment were given to participants. Perceived angular displacement was assessed by open-loop pointing to the origin (0 degrees ). We found that within-subject response precision significantly increased when participants were provided a spatial context prior to whole-body rotations. The present study goes beyond our previous findings by first establishing that memory of the environment enhances the processing of idiothetic self-motion signals. Moreover, we show that knowledge of one's immediate environment, whether gained from direct visual perception or from indirect experience (i.e., spatial language), facilitates the integration of incoming self-motion signals.
Therapeutic potential of adenovirus-mediated TFF2-CTP-Flag peptide for treatment of colorectal cancer

TFF2 is a small, secreted protein with anti-inflammatory properties. We previously have shown that TFF2 gene delivery via adenovirus (Ad-Tff2) suppresses colon tumor growth in colitis associated cancer. Therefore, systemic administration of TFF2 peptide could potentially provide a similar benefit. Because TFF2 shows a poor pharmacokinetic, we sought to modify the TFF2 peptide in a manner that would lower its clearance rate but retain bioactivity. Given the absence of a sequence-based prediction of TFF2 functionality, we chose to genetically fuse the C-terminus of TFF2 with the carboxyl-terminal peptide of human chorionic gonadotropin β subunit, and inserted into adenoviral vector that expresses Flag. The resulting Ad-Tff2-CTP-Flag construct translates into a TFF2 fused with two CTP and three Flag motifs. Administered Ad-Tff2-CTP-Flag decreased tumorigenesis and suppressed the expansion of myeloid cells in vivo. The fusion peptide TFF2-CTP-Flag delivered by adenovirus Ad-Tff2-CTP-Flag as well purified recombinant fusion TFF2-CTP-Flag was retained in the blood longer compared with wild-type TFF2 delivered by Ad-Tff2 or recombinant TFF2. Consistently, purified recombinant fusion TFF2-CTP-Flag suppressed expansion of myeloid cells by down-regulating cyclin D1 mRNA in vitro. Here, we demonstrate for the very first time the retained bioactivity and possible pharmacokinetic advantages of TFF2 with a modified C-terminus.
Mechanical Stretch Redefines Membrane Gαq–Calcium Signaling Complexes

Muscle cells are routinely subjected to mechanical stretch but the impact of stretch on the organization of membrane domains is unknown. In this study, we characterize the effect of stretch on GPCR-Gαq protein signaling. Activation of this pathway leads to an increase in intracellular calcium. In muscle cells, GPCR-Gαq signals are enhanced when these proteins are localized in caveolae membrane domains whose curved structure can flatten with stretch. When we statically stretch rat aortic smooth muscle A10 cells by 1-5%, cellular calcium appears unperturbed as indicated by a calcium indicator. However, when we activate the bradykinin type 2 receptor (B2R)/Gαq pathway, we observe a loss in calcium that appears to be mediated through perturbations in calcium-activated stretch receptors. In contrast, if we apply oscillating stretch, calcium levels are enhanced. We tested whether the observed changes in B2R-Gαq calcium signals were caused by stretch-induced disruption of caveolae using a combination of silencing RNA technology and growth conditions. We find that stretch changes the ability of monoclonal caveolin antibodies to bind caveolae indicating a change in configuration of the domains. This change is seen by the inability of cells to survive stretch cycles when the level of caveolae is significantly reduced. Our studies show that the effect of calcium signals by mechanical stretch is mediated by the type of stretch and the amount of caveolae.
Perturbations to generalized kink-like topological defects in AdS

Abstract We explore perturbations to a kink-like (codimension 1) topological defect whose world brane is AdS q embedded into AdS q + 1 . Previously, we found solutions in the limit the mass of the scalar field vanishes. In this article we extend a calculation previously done in AdS 2 to higher-dimensional embedding spaces and find that all perturbations to the mass of the field are stable to first order as expected in a theory with topological defects. We find that the equation of motion to the correction strongly resembles a problem well-known in quantum mechanics.
Concept drift in bias and sensationalism detection: an experimental study

Due to easy dissemination of news in social media and the Web, there has been an increasing rise of disinformation on important political issues like elections in recent years. Computational solutions for automatic bias and sensationalism detection for news articles can have tremendous impact if used in the right way. Because news is an ever-shifting domain, concept drift is an issue that must be dealt with in any real-world computational news classification system that relies on features and trained machine learning models. Yet, an empirical study of concept drift in such systems, especially popular systems released recently as open-source and used within organizations, has been lacking thus far. This short paper reports results on an empirical study specifically designed to assess concept drift, using an open-source, popular computational news classification system, on real news data crawled from the Web. We find that even a gap of two years (2017 vs. 2019) can lead to significant concept drift, a far narrower gap than observed in traditional machine learning domains, making deployment of pre-trained or openly available computational news classification models an ethically suspect issue.
Understanding the Unique Needs for Members of LGBTQ Community in the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) Setting: Improving Staff Accountability and Comfort through Education

Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Background/Rationale The LGBTQ community faces significant barriers to healthcare in the United States. Battling a cancer diagnosis and committing to a HSCT is daunting to all; fighting as a LGBTQ individual can be even more overwhelming. LGBTQ patients may experience stigma and discrimination in the health care system. Many approach their treatment expecting continued misunderstanding from healthcare professionals. Methods, Intervention, & Analysis The aim of this project was to educate the HSCT multi-disciplinary staff about healthcare disparities experienced by the LGBTQ community and to engender sensitivity among staff. Tools for effective communication were provided in order to deliver exceptional care to all patients. With appropriate permissions, a PowerPoint from the online National LGBTQ Health Education Center was presented at multiple teaching sessions for day and night shift staff. Further independent training through the National LGBTQ Health Education Center was encouraged and multiple open discussions were held with staff over a 6-month period. An anonymous Qualtrics survey was distributed at the end of the 6-month period to evaluate the effectiveness of the education. Findings & Interpretation Fifty-three staff members participated in training and 28 surveys were returned. Only twenty-one percent of respondents considered themselves knowledgeable about LGBTQ healthcare needs prior to this education. After completing the course, eighty-nine percent of respondents rated themselves as knowledgeable and all indicated that they are likely to utilize these communication skills to provide care to future LGBTQ patients. Discussion & Implications Providing appropriate education to healthcare professionals can increase awareness of LGBTQ needs and improve accountability for meeting those needs. Education and open dialogue are important steps toward embracing the LGBTQ community and delivering safe, compassionate care to increasingly diverse patient populations.
Island Empowerment as Global Endowment: Understanding Hawaiian Adaptive Cultural Resource Management

Based on fieldwork and interviews with academics, activists, government officials, and indigenous alaka‘i (practitioners) involved in the revival of traditional fishponds and ahupua‘a (land-based management systems), I provide a case study of the politics of cultural resource management on two islands in Hawai’i. Analyzing the intersections of identity, community, education, and spirituality as they influence indigenous sciences of sustainable resource management, I underscore themes in cultural resource management, historically based restoration, Community Based Subsistence Fishing Areas (CBSFAs), and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), particularly focusing on the merits of combining these methods to create an adaptive resource management style. According to informants' understandings of place, culture, and politics in their own lives, the ideal model for a sustainable global future should be based on an indigenous place - based model of “adaptive” cultural resource management.
Low-cost Remote Monitoring System for Small-Scale UPS Installations in Developing Countries

Traditionally, IoT (Internet of Things) integrated power monitoring systems have been implemented utilizing commercially available products. However, these are generally too costly to be implemented in isolated locations for humanitarian relief organizations. Therefore, there was a need to develop a cost-effective method of monitoring power nodes that is capable of interfacing with pre-existing monitoring networks so that companies can easily integrate these smaller nodes into their preexisting monitoring mainframes. To do this a Raspberry Pi was used in conjunction with a Hall-effect sensor and Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) as these components are readily available. Monitoring was achieved by reporting hardware collected values to Paessler Router Traffic Grapher (PRTG), which is a widely used network attached monitoring service, via a python script creating and uploading a JSON string to the PRTG server. This paper demonstrates the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a UPS remote monitoring system using an ACS712 current, the ADS1115 analog-digital converter, a Raspberry Pi, and PRTG.
Student Reflections with a Dyadic Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Adapted for Social Work

In this paper, we review the results of a qualitative thematic analysis exploring student reflections during an Objective Structured Clinical Examination Adapted for Social Work (OSCE-SW). Students...
Phase I trial of docetaxel plus lutetium-177-labeled anti-prostate-specific membrane antigen monoclonal antibody J591 (177Lu-J591) for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Abstract Background Docetaxel remains a standard of care for metatsatic castration resistant porstate cancer (mCRPC) and has radiosensitizing properties. The dose limiting toxicity (DLT) of radioimmunotherapy is myelosuppression; dose fractionation of 177Lu-J591 allows similar administered doses with less toxicity. This study (NCT00916123) was designed to determine the safety, DLT, and maximum tolerated dose of fractionated 177Lu-J591 administered concurrently with standard docetaxel. Methods Men with progressive mCRPC received docetaxel 75 mg/m2 every 3 weeks with escalating 2 fractionated doses of 177Lu-J591 (1.48 GBq/m2 up to max of 2.96 GBq/m2) with cycle 3. Cycle 4 of docetaxel was planned 6 weeks after cycle 3 to allow for recovery from 177Lu-J591-associated hematologic toxicity. DLT was defined as delay in docetaxel >3 weeks, prolonged myelosuppression or need for >2 platelet transfusions, febrile neutropenia, or grade ≥3 nonhematological toxicity following 177Lu-J591. PSA was assessed prior to each cycle and serial computed tomography (CT) and bone scan were performed. Results Fifteen men with progressive mCRPC received dose-escalated targeted radionuclide therapy in 4 cohorts up to the highest planned dose (2.96 GBq/m2). No DLT was seen at any dose level. Grade 4 neutropenia without fever occurred in 8 (53.5%) and thromboytopenia in 2 (13.3%), with 2 receiving prophylactic platelet transfusion. No grade ≥3 nonhematological toxicity was observed. 11 (73.3%) had >50% PSA decline, with 78.6% having favorable circulating tumor cell counts after 177Lu-J591. All patients had targeting of known sites of disease by planar 177Lu-J591 imaging. Conclusion The combination of 177Lu-J591 delivered as a single fractionated cycle with docetaxel/prednisone is feasible in patients with mCRPC. Without preselection for prostate-specific membrane antigen, accurate targeting of known sites of disease and a strong preliminary efficacy signal was observed.
COVID-19, Limit Experiences, and Undergoing the Situation: Therapeutic Implications for Pandemic Times

Living in a world affected by the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic presents unique challenges to the therapeutic endeavor. One such challenge is mutual sharing in the collective anxieti...
Insight on the Stability of Thick Layers in 2D Ruddlesden-Popper and Dion-Jacobson Lead Iodide Perovskites.

Two-dimensional (2D) hybrid organic–inorganic halide perovskites are a preeminent class of low-cost semiconductors whose inherent structural tunability and attractive photophysical properties have ...
Diverse Experiences Lead to a Career in Applied Research: A Conversation With Ann Daunic:

Dr. Ann P. Daunic is an emeritus scholar in the School of Special Education, School of Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies in the College of Education at the University of Florida (UF). A gradu...
Virtual visits among gynecologic oncology patients during the COVID-19 pandemic are accessible across the social vulnerability spectrum.

Abstract Objective The COVID-19 pandemic has quickly transformed healthcare systems with expansion of telemedicine. The past year has highlighted risks to immunosuppressed cancer patients and shown the need for health equity among vulnerable groups. In this study, we describe the utilization of virtual visits by patients with gynecologic malignancies and assess their social vulnerability. Methods Virtual visit data of 270 gynecology oncology patients at a single institution from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020 was obtained by querying a cohort discovery tool. Through geocoding, the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) was utilized to assign social vulnerability indices to each patient and the results were analyzed for trends and statistical significance. Results African American patients were the most vulnerable with a median SVI of 0.71, Asian 0.60, Hispanic 0.41, and Caucasian 0.21. Eighty-seven percent of patients in this study were Caucasian, 8.9% African American, 3.3% Hispanic, and 1.1% Asian, which is comparable to the baseline institutional gynecologic cancer population. The mean census tract SVI variable when comparing patients to all census tracts in the United States was 0.31 (range 0.00 least vulnerable to 0.98 most vulnerable). Conclusions Virtual visits were utilized by patients of all ages and gynecologic cancer types. African Americans were the most socially vulnerable patients of the cohort. Telemedicine is a useful platform for cancer care across the social vulnerability spectrum during the pandemic and beyond. To ensure continued access, further research and outreach efforts are needed.
Machine Learning for Predicting Risk of Drug-Induced Autoimmune Diseases by Structural Alerts and Daily Dose

An effective approach for assessing a drug’s potential to induce autoimmune diseases (ADs) is needed in drug development. Here, we aim to develop a workflow to examine the association between structural alerts and drugs-induced ADs to improve toxicological prescreening tools. Considering reactive metabolite (RM) formation as a well-documented mechanism for drug-induced ADs, we investigated whether the presence of certain RM-related structural alerts was predictive for the risk of drug-induced AD. We constructed a database containing 171 RM-related structural alerts, generated a dataset of 407 AD- and non-AD-associated drugs, and performed statistical analysis. The nitrogen-containing benzene substituent alerts were found to be significantly associated with the risk of drug-induced ADs (odds ratio = 2.95, p = 0.0036). Furthermore, we developed a machine-learning-based predictive model by using daily dose and nitrogen-containing benzene substituent alerts as the top inputs and achieved the predictive performance of area under curve (AUC) of 70%. Additionally, we confirmed the reactivity of the nitrogen-containing benzene substituent aniline and related metabolites using quantum chemistry analysis and explored the underlying mechanisms. These identified structural alerts could be helpful in identifying drug candidates that carry a potential risk of drug-induced ADs to improve their safety profiles.
Average Exercise Capacity in Men and Women >75 Years of Age Undergoing a Bruce Protocol Exercise Stress Test.

Exercise stress testing is routinely performed to evaluate suspected coronary artery disease in older adults. However, the available data to predict and compare relative exercise capacity in the general population were developed using predominantly younger, healthy cohorts with few or no women. This study aimed to describe the exercise capacity of patients older than 75 years who underwent a clinically indicated Bruce protocol exercise stress test. This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study of 2,041 consecutive patients older than 75 years who performed a Bruce protocol exercise stress echocardiogram that was terminated because of maximal effort without ischemia at Columbia University Medical Center between April 10, 2009, and July 30, 2020. The analytic sample included 2,041 exercise stress tests in 786 women (median [interquartile range] age 79 [77 to 81] years) and 1,255 men (median [interquartile range] age 79 [77 to 82] years). Cardiovascular risk factors and clinical coronary disease were common and more prevalent in men than women. The median exercise time for men aged 76 to 80 years was 7:22 (minutes:seconds) and for women was 6:00 and significantly decreased in both genders as age increased (p <0.001). The mean (SD) METs achieved for women and men were 6.5 (1.6) and 7.7 (1.7), respectively. Most women (85%) and men (95%) completed the first stage, whereas only 32% of women and 64% of men completed the second stage. It was uncommon for women (3%) or men (15%) to complete the third stage. Fewer than 1% of patients completed the fourth stage, and none completed the fifth stage. At all ages, women had a lower exercise capacity than men. These data allow physicians to compare the exercise capacity of older patients who underwent a Bruce protocol exercise stress test more accurately to a representative sample of similarly aged adults.
POTENTIAL FOR RAPID IN VITRO ASSAYS TO MEASURE FOODBORNE SALMONELLA VIRULENCE IN FOODS – A REVIEW

Assessing the public health risk to consumers of foods is a priority in terms of food safety because of frequency of foodborne illness outbreaks caused by pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella. Innovative and rapid methods continue to be devised to detect, isolate and measure the potential for foodborne disease caused by foodborne Salmonella spp. in the U.S.A. To develop rapid in vitro assays for assessment of virulence, it is important to understand the physiological and genetic principles that enable Salmonella to become invasive and infective within a host. Combining this knowledge with rapid detection technologies will lead to more extensive and real time appraisal of Salmonella physiological and pathogenic status in food matrices.
Discrete bivariate distributions with given marginals and correlation

Using convex linear combinations of the probability functions for the discrete Frechet boundary distributions and the probability function for independent random variables, we construct bivariate probability functions for dependent discrete random variables with arbitrary marginals and any correlation between the theoretical minimum and maximum. The technique is elementary and the results can be adapted readily for simulation.