cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 1498: Breast adipose mesenchymal stem cells and mammary fibrosis

Introduction: At a biochemical level, the most common symptom of aging and its related pathologies (i.e. cancer) is the accumulation of altered or abnormal proteins. Aberrant proteins can induce oxygen free radical generation and inflammation; additionally an abnormal inflammatory response can lead to over-production and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, leading to fibrosis. The linkage between fibrosis and cancer is well established in the lung; alternatively breast fibrosis is a less understood phenomenon. Fibrosis is characterized by the excess production and altered composition and crosslinking of the ECM. Myofibroblasts are the principal mediators of fibrosis, producing abundant ECM as well as inflammatory and angiogenic factors; chronic tissue fibrosis is associated with tumor development. Likewise, stromal cells within the breast tumor microenvironment can provide tumor-promoting effects. Yet, very little is known regarding the role of local-adipose mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the development of cancer. Objectives: If breast density and fibrosis are both associated with less fat and more connective tissue, we reason that resident breast MSCs (b-MSCs) are chemoattracted toward mammary glandular elements where they trigger a desmoplastic response characterized by their transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts, rather than differentiating along an adipocytic lineage; thus proposing that b-MSCs, an understudied yet abundant stromal constituent, contribute early in the development of breast cancer. Moreover, if b-MSCs contribute to fibrosis, it is critical to understand and deter this early fibrotic initiation factor. Preliminary Data, Methodology, and Future Directions: Affymetrix data, qRT-PCR, and western blotting results reveal that undifferentiated b-MSCs constitutively express multiple matrix metalloproteinases and chemokine receptors, which could guide these stromal cells from local fat stores into the parenchyma, activating a cascade of events leading to fibrosis. qRT-PCR reveals b-MSCs express multiple members of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor family, most notably HER1. Soluble heparin binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF) and EGF modestly effects b-MSC growth, but markedly enhances migration. Moreover, HB-EGF and EGF interfere with adipogenic differentiation. Future studies will analyze the fibrogenic response initiated by b-MSCs in co-culture with normal, pre-malignant and malignant breast epithelial cells and evaluate the effectiveness of the dipeptide, carnosine, on reducing fibrogenesis. Support: This work was supported by a DOD Breast Cancer Research Program Idea Award (BC094734) to L.E. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1498. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1498
A marriage of inconvenience: Miriam Makeba’s relationship with Stokely Carmichael and her music career in the United States

AbstractThis article analyzes the career of famed South African singer, Miriam Makeba, in the United States. After finding success throughout much of the 1960s, Makeba’s career and public image shifted after her 1968 marriage to Stokely Carmichael, a noted Civil Rights activist and proponent of the Black Power movement. Once Makeba became associated with Carmichael and his reputation as an extremist, the American public, media, and music industry changed their approach to Makeba as an individual and as an artist throughout the late 1960s and 1970s. Ultimately, this union caused American audiences to turn on her and her music, and this essay explores how and why this shift occurred.
Analysis of molecular subtypes and microflora structure of Neisseria meningitidis strains isolated in Jiangxi province

Objective To study the molecular subtypes and microflora structure of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) strains isolated in Jiangxi province.Methods A total of 123 Nm strains separately isolated from patients,close contacts and health people in 1976-1987 and 2005-2008 were investigated by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and PorA subtyping,to test the characteristics of gene Nm and sequence porA.Minimum spanning tree was constructed by using BioNumerics software based on data of MLST; and the microflora structure was then analyzed.Results The serogroups of 67 Nm strains isolated in 1976-1987 included group A (43 strains),group B (18 strains),group C (1 strains) and group W135 (5 strains) ; while the serogroups of 56 Nm strains isolated in 2005-2008 included group A (3 strains),group B (7 strains),group C (45 strains) and 1 ungrouped strain.The total 123 Nm strains could be divided into 40 MLST types;while the 46 strains in group A could be divided into 14 MLST types,29 out of which belonged to ST-3 type,accounting for 63.0％ (29/46) as the dominant type.All of the 29 strains were isolated between 1976 and 1987,while 14 strains were isolated from patients,9 were from close contacts and 6 were from health people.The 46 strains in group C could be divided into 5 MLST types,41 out of which belonged to ST-4821 type,accounting for 89.1％ (41/46).All of the strains were isolated between 2005 and 2008,6 strains were isolated from patients,6 were from close contacts and 29 were from health people.The porA gene of the total 123 Nm strains were classified to 32 different types,including 24 different VR1 types and 22 different VR2 types.The dominant PorA type of the prevalent strain (ST-3 type,group A) between 1976 and 1987 was P1.7-1,10,accounting for 39.1％ (18/46) of the strains in group A; while the 18 strains were isolated from 11 patients,4 close contacts and 3 health people.The dominant PorA type of the prevalent strain (ST-4821 type,group C) between 2005 and 2008 was P1.20,9,accounting for 46.3％ (19/41) of the ST-4821 strains in group C; while the 19 strains were isolated from 1 close contacts and 18 health people.P1.7-2,14 dominated since 2006,including 22 strains,accounting for 53.7％ (22/41) of the ST-4821 strains in group C,isolated from 6 patients,5 close contacts and 11 health people.There were no dominant PorA type found in group B and all the 5 strains in group W135 belonged to ST-174 and the PorA type was P1.21,16,isolating from 3 close contacts and 2 health people between 1979 and 1980.Conclusion Nm isolated in Jiangxi province showed significant gene polymorphism,as well as predominant lineages existing.In different periods,the prevalent lineages varied a lot,as translating from serogroup A:ST-3:P1.7-1,10 to serogroup C:ST-4821:P1.7-2,14 nowadays. Key words: Meningitis, bacterial ; Neisseriaceae infections ; Bacterial subtyping techniques ; Bacterial outer membrane proteins
Understand SNR limit and area density capability in HAMR

Heat, or thermal, assisted magnetic recording (HAMR or TAMR), has become a strong candidate as the new recording scheme for future hard disk drive technology. In depth understanding the detailed recording processes and the performance correlation with all the important recording parameters and medium properties is of critical importance for the practical realization of its intended advantages at ultra-high area recording densities. This paper is dedicated to this purpose and the study is carried out via micromagnetics based recording simulation, utilizing the Landau-Lifshitz-Bloch Equation [1] for modeling the medium behavior near Curie temperature. The medium is a single magnetic layer of FePt-L1 0 grains with non-magnetic grain boundaries. For clarity purpose in recording analysis, the thermal profile of the heating spot is assumed to be Gaussian in the down track direction and uniform in the cross-track direction so transition front will be straight rather than curved. The recording head field is assumed to be spatially uniform at a fixed angle of 45° with respect to the perpendicular axis [2]. Thermal agitation field to each magnetic grain is included in simulating the recording process, according to the fluctuation-dissipation theorem.
Comparing Apples to Apple: The Effects of Stemmers on Topic Models

Rule-based stemmers such as the Porter stemmer are frequently used to preprocess English corpora for topic modeling. In this work, we train and evaluate topic models on a variety of corpora using several different stemming algorithms. We examine several different quantitative measures of the resulting models, including likelihood, coherence, model stability, and entropy. Despite their frequent use in topic modeling, we find that stemmers produce no meaningful improvement in likelihood and coherence and in fact can degrade topic stability.
Robotic Magnetic Resonance Imaging Targeting for Biopsy and Therapy

Accurate robotic targeting using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may serve as an important tool in permitting more accurate prostate cancer detection and focal treatments. Magnetic resonance-guided in-gantry biopsies are performed directly during MRI, eliminating issues with cross-modality image registration. Multiple studies indicate that magnetic resonance-guided biopsy is efficacious in the setting of previously failed transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy. A challenge to utilizing this technology has been the development of magnetic resonance-safe robots. The PneuStep motor, a novel pneumatic step motor, and a robot-assisted targeting device have been developed to permit magnetic resonance-safe robot-guided biopsy that is largely free of human error, referred to as the MrBot. The MrBot has been utilized in a pilot study of transperineal direct MRI-guided biopsy in a population of men with elevated prostate-specific antigen, previous negative biopsy, and presence of a cancer suspicious region on MRI. No complications occurred, there were no unsuccessful biopsy attempts, and targeting was highly accurate. Magnetic resonance-guided robotic assistance has also been used to improve brachytherapy performance. The MrBot has been studied for this purpose in preclinical models, with promising results of accurate seed placement. Robot-assisted MR-guided targeting is promising technology that may aid in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
Glycolytic inhibition by 2-deoxy-d-glucose abolishes both neuronal and network bursts in an in vitro seizure model.

Neuronal activity is highly energy demanding and coupled to cellular metabolism. In this study, we demonstrate that glycolytic inhibition with 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) effectively suppresses sponta...
Coming Home? The Imminent Immanent City

This essay, given as the third of three lectures comprising the Charles E. Test Lectures at the Madison program at Princeton in May 2017, concludes the project of defending T. S. Eliot s suggestion that the future of Western societies will be determined by a contest between Christianity and modern paganism. Accepting for purposes of discussion the claim that the pagan city has succeeded in displacing the Christian city, the essay asks whether this development is something to celebrate or to lament. The question is considered both with respect to the prospects for community and with respect to the question of human flourishing or a meaningful life.
The color of cancer: Margin guidance for oral cancer resection using elastic scattering spectroscopy.

Objectives/Hypothesis To evaluate the usefulness of elastic scattering spectroscopy (ESS) as a diagnostic adjunct to frozen section analysis in patients with diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. Study Design Prospective analytic study. Methods Subjects for this single institution, institutional review board–approved study were recruited from among patients undergoing surgical resection for squamous cell cancer of the oral cavity. A portable ESS device with a contact fiberoptic probe was used to obtain spectral signals. Four to 10 spectral readings were obtained on each subject from various sites including gross tumor and normal-appearing mucosa in the surgical margin. Each reading was correlated with the histopathologic findings of biopsies taken from the exact location of the spectral readings. A diagnostic algorithm based on multidimensional pattern recognition/machine learning was developed. Sensitivity and specificity, error rate, and area under the curve were used as performance metrics for tests involving classification between disease and nondisease classes. Results Thirty-four (34) subjects were enrolled in the study. One hundred seventy-six spectral data point/biopsy specimen pairs were available for analysis. ESS distinguished normal from abnormal tissue, with a sensitivity ranging from 84% to 100% and specificity ranging from 71% to 89%, depending on how the cutoff between normal and abnormal tissue was defined (i.e., mild, moderate, or severe dysplasia). There were statistically significant differences in malignancy scores between histologically normal tissue and invasive cancer and between noninflamed tissue and inflamed tissue. Conclusions This is the first study to evaluate the effectiveness of ESS in guiding mucosal resection margins in oral cavity cancer. ESS provides fast, real-time assessment of tissue without the need for pathology expertise. ESS appears to be effective in distinguishing between normal mucosa and invasive cancer and between “normal” tissue (histologically normal and mild dysplasia) and “abnormal” tissue (severe dysplasia and carcinoma in situ) that might require further margin resection. Further studies, however, are needed with a larger sample size to validate these findings and to determine the effectiveness of ESS in distinguishing visibly and histologically normal tissue from visibly normal but histologically abnormal tissue. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 127:S1–S9, 2017
Abstract LB-301: PLK1 inhibitor targets mismatch repair-deficient temozolomide-resistant tumors

Background: Mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency through MSH6 alteration has been identified in approximately 30% of recurrent high grade gliomas, and represents a key molecular mechanism for the development of acquired resistance to the alkylating agent temozolomide (TMZ). Additionally, glioma progression post-TMZ treatment is frequently accompanied by distinct genomic alterations such as amplification of the MYC locus and resulting signaling activation. There is an urgent need to establish new treatment strategies that do not rely upon MMR to target MMR deficient, TMZ resistant glioma. Methods: We first screened 14 compounds that modulate DNA damage response for their ability to suppress viability of an MSH6 knockdown, TMZ resistant glioma cell line. Efficacy of PLK1 inhibitors and combination with TMZ were assessed in glioblastoma cells lines and patient-derived glioblastoma neurosphere lines engineered with MSH6 silencing, MYC overexpression and controls. Impacts of PLK1 blockade on cell cycle distribution, apoptosis, and DNA damage effects were examined. Results: The compound screening indentified PLK1 selective inhibitor, volasertib, as the most potent inhibitor of proliferation of both MMR intact and deficient glioblastoma cells. PLK1 inhibition induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, DNA damage and caspase-mediated apoptosis in glioblastoma cells, but no detectable toxicity in normal human astrocytes. Importantly, beneficial therapeutic effects of PLK1 inhibitors were not influenced by MMR deficiency due to MSH6 knockdown, whereas PLK1 inhibition had no additive or synergic effect when combined with TMZ. Furthermore, we found that MYC overexpression sensitized glioblastoma cells to PLK1 inhibitors. Conclusions: Selective PLK1 inhibitors are potently cytotoxic to glioblastoma and their action is independent of MMR status of the cells. Cells with deregulated MYC are vulnerable to PLK1 inhibition suggesting genomic MYC alteration as a biomarker for PLK inhibitor sensitivity. Thus PLK inhibitor represents a novel therapeutic option for MMR deficient TMZ resistant recurrent gliomas, particularly those driven by MYC. Citation Format: Fumi Higuchi, Daniel P. Cahill, Hiroaki Wakimoto. PLK1 inhibitor targets mismatch repair-deficient temozolomide-resistant tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-301. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-LB-301
Troponin Leak Does Not Increase Mortality in Patients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage (P07.219)

OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to investigate a causal relationship between a rise in serum cardiac-specific troponin and poor outcome in patients with intracranial hemorrhage. BACKGROUND: Elevated troponin levels (leak) are commonly seen in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. There is limited data on its clinical significance. DESIGN/METHODS: We reviewed our database of patients with spontaneous ICH between January 2009 and June 2012. The hematoma volume was calculated on admission CT by thin volumetric images using special software. Serum-specific troponin was measured every 8 hours, during the first 24 hours of admission and the highest reading was recorded. The patients were subsequently divided into two groups- “troponin leak” group (troponin > 0.05) and “non-troponin leak” group (troponin ≤ 0.05). Patient characteristics, co-morbidities, and hematoma features were compared between the two groups using Fisher9s exact tests. RESULTS: Out of 200 patients with ICH, 165 patients had serial troponins checked; 42 had a troponin leak. Patient with troponin leak were younger (60± 16, vs. 66 ± 15, p=0.04), had lower admission GCS (10 ± 5 vs. 12 ± 4, p=0.044), larger hematoma volume (46 ± 45 vs. 32 ± 35, p=0.037), higher admission heart rate (89 ± 20 vs. 81 ± 16, p=0.017), admission systolic blood pressure (200 ± 45 vs. 177 ± 39, p =0.006) and admission diastolic blood pressure (110 ± 25 vs. 97 ± 24, p=0.002). They were also more likely to have Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH) on EKG (54% vs. 21%, p CONCLUSIONS: Troponin leak does not increase mortality in patients with ICH and may be likely the result myocardial strain in patients with underlying myocardial disease. Larger studies are needed to confirm our findings. Disclosure: Dr. Achi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yaghi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dibu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Patel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Samant has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hinduja has nothing to disclose.
Treatment of Achromobacter Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Critically Ill Trauma Patients.

Background:Achromobacter sp are nonfermenting Gram-negative bacilli (NFGNB) that rarely cause severe infections, including ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Data on the treatment of Achromobac...
Sirtuin 6 Builds a Wall Against Inflammation, Trumping Diabetes

In 2014, more than two-thirds of U.S. adults were overweight or obese (1). These numbers have more than doubled over the past 50 years; ominously, obesity increasingly afflicts younger individuals, including children (2). Numerous deleterious health consequences are associated with obesity, including hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer (3,4). The costs associated with obesity in the U.S. are estimated to top $500 billion/year over the next two decades (5,6). Substantial literature has documented key roles for adipose tissue macrophages and hepatic Kupffer cells in driving chronic systemic inflammation and insulin resistance and their downstream sequelae in obesity (7). The sirtuins (SIRT1–7) are NAD+-dependent lysine deacetylases/deacylases critical for maintaining cellular and organismal homeostasis. A large body of work has demonstrated roles of sirtuins in regulating inflammatory responses and signaling through the insulin/IGF-1, mTOR, and AMPK pathways, all of which help mediate the adverse health consequences of obesity (8). SIRT6 is a chromatin-associated sirtuin implicated in metabolism, inflammation, stress responses, and genomic stability. Whole-body Sirt6 knockouts (KOs) die by a month of age …
Rural e-Commerce in Developing Countries

In recent years, there has been increased participation in e-commerce activities among rural communities in developing countries. Despite this progress, e-commerce in developing countries has been a highly urban-oriented phenomenon. The author analyzes the factors behind the rural-urban disparity in e-commerce in developing countries.
In vitro enhancement of insulin secretion by growth hormone

Abstract Using the isolated perfused hamster pancreas bovine growth hormone at a concentration of 7.5 ug per ml was recycled for 1 hour prior to stimulation by glucose. Under these conditions the total insulin secreted was roughly doubled compared to the controls during 1 hour of glucose stimulation.
Synaptic Plasticity and Respiratory Control

In the past two decades there have been considerable advances in the understanding of the neural mechanisms of learning and memory in the mammalian higher brain. A preeminent view based upon the classical model of Hebb[27] holds that learning and memory may result from activity-dependent modifications of neural transmission at certain chemical synaptic junctions. Generally referred to as synaptic plasticity, such neuronal modifications are widely believed to occur in infancy and, to some extent, throughout adulthood. One of the best known examples of such synaptic modification is hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) of neural transmission which can be robustly induced by a brief period of tetanic (high-frequency) afferent stimulation, both in vivo and in vitro[3],[8],[9]. Recently, many other forms of synaptic plasticity have been identified in the hippocampus and other brain structures[4],[33],[37],[38]. it thus appears that synaptic plasticity is probably a generic property of many types of neurons which may be expressed throughout the mammalian central nervous system and may subserve a wide variety of neural functions.
Graph Convolutional Networks: Algorithms, Applications and Open Challenges

Graph-structured data naturally appear in numerous application domains, ranging from social analysis, bioinformatics to computer vision. The unique capability of graphs enables capturing the structural relations among data, and thus allows to harvest more insights compared to analyzing data in isolation. However, graph mining is a challenging task due to the underlying complex and diverse connectivity patterns. A potential solution is to learn the representation of a graph in a low-dimensional Euclidean space via embedding techniques that preserve the graph properties. Although tremendous efforts have been made to address the graph representation learning problem, many of them still suffer from their shallow learning mechanisms. On the other hand, deep learning models on graphs have recently emerged in both machine learning and data mining areas and demonstrated superior performance for various problems. In this survey, we conduct a comprehensive review specifically on the emerging field of graph convolutional networks, which is one of the most prominent graph deep learning models. We first introduce two taxonomies to group the existing works based on the types of convolutions and the areas of applications, then highlight some graph convolutional network models in details. Finally, we present several challenges in this area and discuss potential directions for future research.
Sugarbeet tolerance when dimethenamid-P follows soil-applied ethofumesate and S-metolachlor

Sugarbeet growers only recently have combined ethofumesate, S-metolachlor, and dimethena-mid-P in a weed control system for waterhemp control. Sugarbeet plant density, visible stature reduction, root yield, percent sucrose content, and recoverable sucrose were measured in field experiments at five environments between 2014 and 2016. Sugarbeet stand density and stature reduction occurred in some but not all environments. Stand density was reduced with PRE application of S-metolachlor at 1.60 kg ai ha-1 and S-metolachlor at 0.80 kg ha-1 + ethofumesate at 1.68 kg ai ha-1 alone or followed by POST applications of dimethenamid-P at 0.95 kg ai ha-1. Sugarbeet visible stature was reduced when dimethenamid-P followed PRE treatments. Stature reduction was greatest with ethofumesate at 1.68 or 4.37 kg ha-1 PRE and S-metolachlor at 0.80 kg ha-1 + ethofumesate at 1.68 kg ha-1 PRE followed by dimethenamid-P at 0.95 kg ha-1 POST. Stature reduction ranged from 0 to 32% 10 d after treatment (DAT), but sugarbeet recovered quickly and visible injury was negligible 23 DAT. Although root yield and recoverable sucrose were similar across herbicide treatments and environments, we caution against the use of S-metolachlor at 0.80 kg ha-1 + ethofumesate at 1.68 kg ai ha-1 PRE followed by dime-thenamid-P at 0.95 kg ha-1 in sugarbeet.Nomenclature: Dimethenamid-P; ethofumesate; S-metolachlor; sugarbeet, Beta vulgaris L.; waterhemp, Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) J.D. Sauer
Retrospective analysis of the addition of cetuximab to induction chemotherapy (IC) with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (TPF-C) for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (LA-HNSCC)

6072 Background: Achievement of a partial (PR) or complete (CR) tumor response at the primary site to IC has been used to predict for tumor sensitivity to definitive radiation (RT)-based treatment ...
T cell immunotherapy enhanced by designer biomaterials

Cancer immunotherapy has recently burst onto the center stage of cancer treatment and research. T lymphocyte adoptive cellular transfer (ACT), a form of cancer immunotherapy, has spawned unprecedented complete remissions for terminal patients with certain leukemias and lymphomas. Unfortunately, the successes have been overshadowed by the disappointing clinical results of ACT administered to treat solid tumors, in addition to the toxicities associated with the treatment, a lack of efficacy in a significant proportion of the patient population, and cancer relapse following the treatment. Biomaterials hold the promise of addressing these shortcomings. ACT consists of two main stages - T lymphocyte ex vivo expansion followed by reinfusion into the patient - and biomaterials can improve the efficacy of ACT at both stages. In this review, we highlight recent advances in the use of biomaterials for T lymphocyte adoptive cellular cancer immunotherapy and discuss the challenges at each stage.
Family Services: Role of the Center-Based Teaching Professional.

Reports on a survey of 38 administrators of rehabilitation centers serving blind and visually impaired persons. Respondents were asked to give their opinions about the major causes of family proble...
Compress-and-Forward via Multilevel Coding

We investigate the performance of discrete (coded) modulations in the full-duplex compress-and-forward relay channel using multilevel coding. We numerically analyze the rates assigned to component binary codes of all levels. LDPC codes are used as the component binary codes to provide error protection. The compression at the relay is done via a scalar quantizer whose output is mapped to a codeword through LDPC codes. A compound Tanner graphical model and information exchange algorithm are described for the joint decoding of both messages sent from the source and relay. Simulation results show that the performance of the proposed system based on multilevel coding is better than that based on BICM, and is separated from the SNR threshold of the known compress-and-forward achievable rate by two factors consisting approximately of the sum of the shaping gain (due to the scalar quantization) and the separation of the LDPC code implementation from AWGN capacity.
A comparative study on SaTScan and FleXScan software for spatial clustering analysis regarding the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis

Objective: To detect the spatial clustering and high risk areas of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in Sichuan province in 2018 and, to compare the effects of application on both SaTScan 9.4.1 software and FleXScan 3.1.2 software to detect the PTB spatial clusters. Methods: Geographic information database was established by using the incidence data of PTB and demographic data reported in the 'China disease prevention of infectious disease reporting information management system' in Sichuan province in 2018. Spatial clustering analysis was conducted using the Poisson model in software SaTScan 9.4.1 and FleXScan 3.1.2 to detect the high risk areas of PTB by software ArcGIS 10.5. Differences of clusters locations and scopes in the two scanning methods were compared. Results: The reported incidence rate of PTB was 57.34/100 000 (47 601 cases) in Sichuan province in 2018, presenting an obvious clustering distribution. SaTScan and FleXScan scanned 8 and 10 clusters showed statistically significant differences (P<0.05), with log-likelihood ratio (LLR) as 24.62-2 416.05 and 1.48-2 618.96, respectively. Results from scanning of the two methods showed that the most likely clusters appeared in the Daliangshan and Xiaoliangshan of Liangshan Yi ethnic aggregation areas. The other clustering areas would include some minority areas in the western Sichuan plateau, detected by both two methods differences in the shape and scope of the clustering were detected by both methods. The clustering scopes detected by SaTScan covered some counties, in which the actual incidence was not high. FleXScan could distinguish the clusters and detect more irregular shaped clusters. Conclusions: Obvious spatial clusters of PTB distribution were found in Sichuan in 2018. Areas of Daliangshan, Xiaoliangshan and the minority areas in Western Sichuan plateau appeared at high risk, suggesting these were the key areas for prevention and control. FleXScan seemed more conducive in accurately distinguishing the "cold spot" areas in the highly aggregated areas, and more suitable for the application of spatial clustering detection for TB, in Sichuan province.
Micellar growth and network formation in acidic solutions of a sulfobetaine zwitterionic surfactant triggered by an inorganic salt

Micellization (formation of wormlike structures) of 3-(N-erucamidopropyl-N,N-dimethyl ammonium)propane sulfonate (EDAS) in the presence of an inorganic salt, iron chloride (FeCl3), in acidic conditions is studied using static and dynamic rheological measurements and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Infrared spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray, and UV-visible spectroscopy are used to further investigate the mechanisms of viscosity and elasticity and the enhancement and formation of an elastic gel-like solution induced by Fe3+ in HCl. The nature of the interaction is characterized to be hydrogen bonding between the amide groups of EDAS and coordinated water in trans-[FeCl2(H2O)4]Cl structure. Such an interaction masks the repulsion forces between surfactant headgroups. This screening effect results in the formation of longer wormlike micelles in the solution. The chemical structure of FeCl3 in concentrated HCl was predicted in the literature through theoretical and experimental techniques; however, its crystal structure, including the exact geometry (e.g., cis or trans) and the non-coordinated chloride position is reported for the first time in the present study. The findings of this study show the sensitivity of a sulfobetaine zwitterionic surfactant to pH alteration and inorganic salt.
Neglected Variables in the Interpretation of Serum Procalcitonin Levels in Patients With Septic Shock

The interpretation of serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels in septic patients is facilitated by reviewing the known stimuli that activate the PCT family of genes. Herein we describe 7 pathways that, alone or in combination, can increase serum PCT levels. As a marker of activation of innate immunity, high PCT levels affect clinical diagnosis, can be trended as a measure of "source" control, and can guide duration of antibacterial therapy in septic patients. Low PCT levels reflect little to no activation of an innate immune response, influence the differential diagnosis, and support the discontinuation of empiric antibiotic therapy. Understanding the pathways that result in elevated serum PCT levels is necessary for interpretation and subsequent clinical management.
Head and Neck Cancer Survival Disparities by Race and Rural-Urban Context.

Background: This study aims to examine the relationship between race and rural-urban context in head and neck cancer (HNC) survival and determine factors that potentially drive this disparity. Methods: Using the National Cancer Database from 2004 to 2015, we identified a retrospective cohort of 146,256 HNC patients. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the Cox proportional hazards regression were used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR). Results: Median survival by patient subgroup was as follows: white urban (67 mo.; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 66.0-67.9), white rural (59.1 mo.; 95% [CI]: 57.2-60), black urban (43.1 mo.; 95% [CI]: 41.1-44.5) and black rural (35.1 mo.; 95% [CI]: 31.9-39.0). The difference in five-year survival, stratified rural-urban context, was greater among black patients (ΔRMST 0.18; 95% [CI]: 0.10-0.27) than white patients (ΔRMST 0.08; 95% [CI]: 0.06-0.11). In the univariable Cox proportional hazards analysis with white urban patients as reference group, black rural patients had the worst survival (HR: 1.45; 95% [CI]: 1.43-1.48; p<.001), followed by black urban patients (HR: 1.29; 95% [CI]: 1.28-1.30; p<.001), and white rural patients (HR: 1.08 95% [CI]: 1.07-1.09; p<.001). This disparity persisted when controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical factors. Conclusion: Black HNC patients, specifically those living in rural areas, have decreased survival. Survival differences by rural-urban status are greater among black patients than white patients. Impact: We have shown that race and rural-urban status impact HNC survival outcomes. Our findings will help future researchers to better frame approaches to address this disparity.
Delivering defined amounts of purified protein with high precision into living cells.

Summary Here, we detail a protocol using electroporation to precisely deliver defined amounts of purified protein into CAD cells. This method allows one million cells to be electroporated with protein simultaneously, with high delivery efficiency and low cell death. Further, by circumventing the normal biosynthetic pathway, proteins can be studied without the complication of post-translational modifications and before a transcriptional response can be initiated. This protocol will be useful for any researcher who is interested in protein concentration-dependent cellular phenotypes. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Skruber et al. (2020) .
Designing Adaptive Tools for Motor Skill Training

We demonstrate the design of adaptive tools for motor skill training that use shape change to automatically vary task difficulty based on a learner’s performance. Studies [1] have shown that automatically-adaptive tools lead to significantly higher learning gains when compared to non-adaptive and manually-adaptive tools. We demonstrate the use of Adapt2Learn [2] - a toolkit that supports designers in building adaptive training tools. Adapt2Learn auto-generates an algorithm that converts a learner’s performance data into adaptation states during motor skill training. This algorithm, that maintains the training difficulty at the ’optimal challenge point’, can be uploaded to the micro-controller to convert several shape-changing tools into adaptive tools for motor skill training. We demonstrate 7 prototypes of adaptive tools for motor-skill learning to show applications in sports, music, rehabilitation, and accessibility.
Asymmetries and Tariff-Tax Reforms in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation: A Quantitative Assessment

Abstract Many asymmetries among member countries in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation may cause conflicting interests, or may offer opportunities for collaboration. This paper investigates an optimal coordinated tariff-tax reform, and examines the factors which significantly affect the level of welfare. Through the examinations, we see whether fiscal policy issues are affected by those asymmetries. An optimal coordinated tariff-tax reform keeps up with the current global trend of domestic tax reform, directed towards increasing consumption taxes. Sensitivity analyses imply that tariff-tax reforms are not likely to favor developed countries which have a lower degree of dependence upon foreign trade and lower tariff rates.
Observer-based output feedback control of discrete-time Luré systems with sector-bounded slope-restricted nonlinearities†

SUMMARY Many well studied classes of dynamical systems such as actuator-constrained linear systems and dynamic artificial neural networks can be written as discrete-time Lure systems with sector-bounded and/or slope-restricted nonlinearities. Two types of observer-based output feedback control design methods are presented, compared, and analyzed with regard to robustness to model uncertainties and insensitivity to output disturbances. The controller designs are formulated in terms of LMIs that are solvable with standard software. The design equations are illustrated in numerical examples. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Distributed Computing: Principles, Algorithms, and Systems

Designing distributed computing systems is a complex process requiring a solid understanding of the design problems and the theoretical and practical aspects of their solutions. This comprehensive textbook covers the fundamental principles and models underlying the theory, algorithms and systems aspects of distributed computing. Broad and detailed coverage of the theory is balanced with practical systems-related issues such as mutual exclusion, deadlock detection, authentication, and failure recovery. Algorithms are carefully selected, lucidly presented, and described without complex proofs. Simple explanations and illustrations are used to elucidate the algorithms. Important emerging topics such as peer-to-peer networks and network security are also considered. With state-of-the-art algorithms, numerous illustrations, examples and homework problems, this textbook is suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of electrical and computer engineering and computer science. Practitioners in data networking and sensor networks will also find this a valuable resource. Additional resources are available online at www.cambridge.org/9780521876346.
Studies of Hepatic Cholesterol Synthesis in Experimental Acute Biliary Obstruction

In vitro studies suggest that hepatic cholesterol synthesis is increased in acute biliary obstruction, but the mechanism for this increase, and its relevance to increased plasma cholesterol concentration have not been resolved. We studied hepatic cholesterol synthesis and response to feedback inhibition in rats 48 hr after selective or complete biliary obstruction. After selective obstruction of the median hepatic lobe, cholesterol synthesis in slices from the obstructed lobe was similar to that after complete biliary obstruction, and was 34% greater than in unobstructed right lobe. With homogenates, using both 14C-acetate and 3H2O as precursors, obstructed lobe synthesis was 90% greater than the unobstructed. There were no significant differences in incorporation of 14C-acetate into 14C02, in tissue cholesterol concentrations, or in uptake of lipoprotein 14C-cholesterol by the two lobes. In animals with complete biliary obstruction, a 48-hr intravenous infusion of normal quantities of lymph lipoprotein cholesterol did not prevent the increase in hepatic cholesterol synthesis, whereas identical infusions significantly blunted the increase in bile fistula rats. Furthermore, although a 48-hr intravenous infusion of twice normal amounts of lipoprotein cholesterol suppressed synthesis in both lobes of selectively obstructed rats, it failed to abolish the relative difference between them. In triparanol-treated rats, complete biliary obstruction caused a greater increase in blood desmosterol than in control rats, both absolutely and relative to blood cholesterol. These studies provide evidence that in acute biliary obstruction, increased precursor incorporation in vitro is associated with accelerated net synthesis of cholesterol in vivo, and reflects an abnormality in the control of hepatic cholesterol synthesis.
Membrane structure and function. II. Alterations in the photo-induced absorption changes after treatment of isolated chloroplasts with large pulses of the ruby laser.

Abstract Treatment of isolated chloroplasts with high-energy pulses of the ruby laser causes graded structural changes in the chloroplast membranes and is here correlated with the biochemical changes produced. The laser treatment caused decreases in the photoinducible absorption changes of cytochromes b559, b563, and P520 (the carotenoid shift), but smaller decreases in cytochrome f. The decreases correlated with the quantum efficiency alterations produced by the laser treatment. Ferricyanide photoreduction and O2 evolution was only slightly affected by the laser treatment. The slow phase of the dark recovery kinetics of P520 was increased maximally by the lowest laser input energies and NADP+ photoreduction induced by carbonylcyanide-P-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) was decreased maximally by the lowest energies, suggesting that uncoupling of the chloroplasts was the most sensitive parameter. This was corroborated by our previous observation (5) that chloroplast membrane bound surface particles (coupling factor) was the ultrastructural change most sensitive to the laser pulses. Electron flow from photosystem II to photosystem I was not altered by the laser treatment. The laser treatments did not cause a detectable decrease in total chlorophyll in the chloroplasts, however, approximately 10% of the total chlorophyll was present in the solution phase after the treatment, whereas no detectable cytochromes were present in the solution phase.
HoxA10 Represses Transcription of the Gene Encoding p67phox in Phagocytic Cells

p67 phox and gp91 phox are components of the phagocyte-specific respiratory burst oxidase that are encoded by the NCF2 and CYBB genes, respectively. These genes are transcribed exclusively in myeloid cells that have differentiated beyond the promyelocyte stage. In mature phagocytes, NCF2 and CYBB transcription continues until cell death and further increases in response to IFN-γ and other inflammatory mediators. Because p67 phox and gp91 phox expression profiles are similar, we hypothesize that common transcription factors interact with homologous cis elements in the CYBB and NCF2 genes to coordinate transcription. Previously, we identified a negative CYBB promoter cis element that is repressed by the homeodomain transcription factor HoxA10. We found that transcriptional repression requires HoxA10-dependent recruitment of histone deacetylase activity to the CYBB cis element. In response to IFN-γ, phosphorylation of two tyrosine residues in the HoxA10 homeodomain decreases binding to CYBB promoter, thereby abrogating HoxA10-mediated repression. In the current studies, we investigate the possibility that HoxA10 similarly represses NCF2 transcription. We identify a sequence in the NCF2 promoter that is homologous to the HoxA10-binding CYBB cis element. We find that this NCF2 promoter sequence functions as a negative cis element that is repressed by HoxA10 in a tyrosine phosphorylation and histone deacetylase-dependent manner. Our results suggest that cytokine-stimulated pathways regulate HoxA10-mediated repression of the CYBB and NCF2 genes in differentiating myeloid cells and in mature phagocytes during the inflammatory response. Because p67 phox and gp91 phox are rate-limiting components for respiratory burst activity, our studies may identify rational therapeutic targets to modulate free radical generation in pathological conditions.
One Carbon Metabolism, Fetal Growth and Long Term Consequences

One-carbon metabolism, or methyl transfer, is critical for metabolism in all cells, is involved in the synthesis of purines, pyrimidines, in the methylation of numerous substrates, proteins, DNA and RNA, and in the expression of a number of genes. Serine is the primary endogenous methyl donor to the one carbon pool. Perturbations in methyl transfer due to nutrient and hormonal changes can have profound effect on cell function, growth and proliferation. It is postulated that at critical stages in development, nutrient and environmental influences by their effect on methyl transfer can impair fetal growth, reprogram metabolism and cause long-term morbidity in the offspring. The potential for their effects is underscored by the unique gestation-related changes in methyl transfer in healthy women, the late expression of transsulfuration cascade in the fetus and the unique metabolism of glycine and serine in the fetus. Dietary protein restriction in animal models and protein malnutrition in humans causes remarkable changes in the methyl transfer in vivo. Although the specific consequences of perturbation in maternal and fetal methyl transfer remain to be determined, a profound influence is suggested by the demonstrated relationship between maternal folate and B12 insufficiency and metabolic programming.
Food Consumption in Uganda: Regional Distribution Effects

Rising incomes have lowered poverty rates and influenced food consumption patterns in Uganda. Additionally to incomes and prices and household demographics, changes in lifestyles, such as urbanization, home-production and other factors, shape consumption by location. Our study evaluates the consumption of 14 food groups, focusing on staple foods and using the LA/AIDS framework. We found that urban families consume more matooke sugar, other cereals, oils, fruits and vegetables, fish, dairy products, other foods, and pulses than their counterparts in the rural areas. Households located in border districts more likely purchase maize, matooke, and meat than those in non-border areas.
Modeling supernovae light curves: An application of hierarchical smoothing splines

With large data collection projects such as the Dark Energy Survey underway, data from distant supernovae (SNe) are becoming increasingly available. As the quantity of information increases, the ability to quickly and accurately classify SNe has become essential. An area of great interest is the development of a strictly photometric classification mechanism. The first step in the advancement of modern photometric classification is the estimation of individual Supernova (SN) light curves. We propose the use of hierarchical Gaussian processes to model light curves. Individual SN light curves are assigned a Gaussian process prior centered at a type-specific mean curve which is also assigned a Gaussian process prior. Properties inherent in this Bayesian non-parametric form of modeling yield flexible yet smooth curves estimates with a unique quantification of the error surrounding these curve estimates. Specifying the hierarchical structure relates individual SN light curves in such a way that borrowing strength across curves is possible. This allows for the estimation of SN light curves in entirety even when data are sparse. Additionally, it also yields a meaningful representation of SN class differences in the form of mean curves. The differences inherent in these mean curves may eventually allow for classification of SNe.
The Polarization of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell Electrodes I . Analysis of Steady‐State Polarization Data

This paper reports on the stationary polarization of small, differential conversion, molten carbonate fuel cells (3 cm{sup 2}) that was measured between 600 and 700{degrees} C under various gas compositions. Multiple linear regression was used to correlate the experimental data and to infer the rate-limiting processes in fuel cell electrodes. The analysis indicates that both the anode and the cathode are primarily under mixed control at 700{degrees} C at low partial pressures of CO{sub 2}. The anode does not exhibit charge-transfer control under normal operating conditions, due to its very fast kinetics. The superoxide mechanism appears to be the dominant reaction in a fuel cell cathode.