cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antitumor activity of MPC-2130 in human ovarian and prostate tumor xenografts in athymic nude mice

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 641 MPC-2130 was discovered at Myriad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as a result of an extensive medicinal chemistry effort. The original lead compound, from which MPC-2130 was derived, was discovered in a yeast-based high throughput screen. Tumor cells treated with MPC-2130 display multiple indicators of apoptotic cell death, that include phosphatidylserine flipping to the outer cell membrane, release of cytochrome C from the mitochondria, caspase activation, cell condensation and DNA fragmentation. The preclinical proapoptotic activity of MPC-2130 has been studied in tissue culture models using multiple solid and hematopoietic derived cell lines. Solid tumor lines responsive to MPC-2130 include OVCAR-3 (ovarian), LNCaP and PC-3 (prostate). Responsive bone marrow derived tumors include T cell lines (H9, Molt-4, and Jurkat) as well as Burkitt’s lymphomas (Daudi and Ramos). Finally, MPC-2130 was found to be equipotent for induction of apoptosis in cancer cell lines, regardless of the expression levels for the multidrug resistance ABC transporters MDR-1 (Pgp-1), MRP-1, and BCRP-1. These studies were designed to assess the ability of MPC-2130 to inhibit the growth of OVCAR-3 and LNCaP tumor lines subcutaneously implanted into athymic nude mice. In OVCAR-3 xenografts, MPC-2130 (15 mg/kg; QD x 5 x 3; i.v.) significantly increased the time to 1500 mm3 tumor volume (survival) at day 30 when compared to vehicle (Wilcoxon and Log Rank; p = 0.014). Significant inhibition of the growth of OVCAR-3 xenografts was observed in animals treated with MPC-2130 (15mg/kg; QD x 5 x 3; i.v.; ANOVA; p = 0.004) when compared to vehicle treatment alone on Day 19. Also, MPC-2130 (15mg/kg; QD x 5; i.v.) significantly inhibited the growth of the LNCaP xenografts on day 9 when compared to animals treated with vehicle alone (ANOVA; p = 0.0123). Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated in male Nu/+ mice after a single 10 mg/kg intravenous injection. The exposure, as estimated by AUC(0-inf), was 17833 hr*ng/mL and terminal elimination half-life was approximately 6.0 hours. These results suggest that MPC-2130 may be an effective therapy against multiple tumor types in humans.
Direct Torque Control of Reversing Voltage Topology Multi-Level Inverter Fed Induction Motor

Variable speed induction motor drives find applications in various industries. The normal Induction Motor drive has a closed loop speed control. Here, we use a Multi- Level Inverter (MLI), which has emerged as an alternative in the medium-voltage high-power control to feed the Induction Motor. The Multi-Level Inverter employs a new topology known as the reversing voltage topology (RVT). To generate output voltage with higher number of levels, this topology requires less number of components and less carrier signals for PWM implementation. The proposed induction motor drive structure offers reduced device count and a simpler power-bus structure when compared to a conventional five-level NPC and flying capacitor inverter fed induction motor drives. The Induction Motor is controlled by the scalar method of Direct Torque Control (DTC). This scheme is the direct control of the torque and stator flux of a drive by inverter voltage space selection through a look-up table to maintain speed at reference. Performance comparison for various voltage vector selections has been made. This technique has a comparable performance with that of vector controlled drives
187 INGESTIONS RESULTING IN PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT ADMISSION.

Introduction Ingestions are common in pediatrics. Those that result in admission to an intensive care unit indicate significant morbidity. Characterization of these patients will allow for targeted educational and prevention efforts. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of patients admitted to the Children9s Hospital of Alabama9s pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) from 2001 to 2005 based on ICD-9 diagnostic codes. Demographic data including age, sex, race, weight, and length of PICU stay were recorded. Other data collected included drug(s) ingested, urine drug screen (UDS) and thin-layer chromatograph (TLC) results, overdose reason (accidental or intentional), outcome, need for mechanical ventilation, antidotes, and therapy received (fluid bolus, charcoal, and/or gastric lavage). Results 160 patients were identified based on study inclusion criteria, and all charts were reviewed for data abstraction. The survival rate was 100%. The data were analyzed for patients overall and divided into groups of intentional and accidental. The overall median range for age was 4 years (range 0.42-17 years). The median length of stay was 19 hours. Forty-nine percent of the sample were male. Approximately one-third of the patients had a positive UDS, one-third had a negative UDS, and one-third did not have one performed. Therapy provided included activated charcoal (21%), gastric lavage (9%), both charcoal and lavage (22%), fluid boluses (42%), intubation (34%), and vasopressors (6%). The most frequently used antidote was Narcan, used in 48 patients. Other antidotes included glucagons, flumazenil, Mucomyst, and seizure medications. Overdoses of clonidine were the most common, occurring in 23% of our patients. Other common ingestions included polypharmacy, household products, seizure medications, tricyclic antidepressants, Tylenol, alcohols, and illegal substances. Intentional ingestions resulted in statistically significant differences by age, sex, and race. Discussion This study characterizes severe ingestions at one pediatric institution. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to describe two main populations of patients who had severe, systemic effects from ingestions. Conclusions Overall, survival after admission to the PICU is favorable. However, opportunities for education in the accidental ingestion and early recognition of suicidal behavior likely exist to decrease intensive care unit morbidity.
Measurement Errors for Electromagnetic Current Meters

The Nearshore Sediment Transport Study (NSTS) field experiments relied on Marsh-McBirney electromagnetic current meters to provide estimates of currents in the surf zone, for modeling of both hydrodynamics and sediment transport. These meters were chosen because of their history of successful use in previous surf zone studies, relying on their compactness and durability in this rough environment. The present work was motivated by examination of the NSTS experimental data from Santa Barbara, California, in which the higher-order velocity moments calculated from current meter time series showed a time-variability not obviously related to time scales of change of forcing (e. g., wave groupiness, infragravity waves), and by field studies which show persistent offshore near-bottom flow which is not yet satisfactorily explained by nearshore circulation theories. Because of the importance of these quasi-steady flows and higher order velocity moments to sediment transport in the nearshore, the present study examined under carefully controlled laboratory conditions the dynamic response of electromagnetic current meters (EMCM) typically used for field experimentation.
Representations of Practice to Support Teacher Instruction: Video Case Mathematics Professional Development

What do teachers take up and use from mathematics professional development (PD) focused around video cases as representations of practice? In this chapter we explore what teachers took back to their classrooms based on a video case-based PD experience. Data gathered from focus group interviews and a set of reflection questions on teachers’ learning and uptake from the PD form the basis of the analysis for this chapter. Teachers were classified into four different user categories—Generative, Transformative, Incremental, or Non Users—based on how they carried their PD experiences into their mathematics classrooms. These classifications contribute to our understanding of how, what and why teachers take up information from PD programs, and that they do that in unique ways and to varying degrees.
Further Data on the Pulse-Ratio Test

(1943). Further Data on the Pulse-Ratio Test. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 425-429.
Laboratory-measured pregnancy rates and their determinants in a large, well-described adult cohort.

ABSTRACT Objective: To measure the pregnancy rate directly, to describe the characteristics of women who become pregnant, and to identify the predictors of pregnancy. No recent studies have estimated population pregnancy rates using objective, laboratory-based criteria. Furthermore, none have characterized predictive factors of pregnancy. Methods: Population-based prospective cohort study of 5,578 women, ages 18 to 44, on active duty at Fort Lewis, Washington, from 1995 to 1997. Main outcome measures were standardized pregnancy incidence rate and predictive factors for pregnancy. Results: In the cohort, 887 pregnancies and 597 births occurred during the study period. The age- and race-standardized pregnancy rate was 108.1 per 1,000 person-years. When compared with the 1995 U.S. population, the pregnancy rate ratio was 1.05 (95% confidence interval, 0.96–1.14). Factors that significantly affected the likelihood of pregnancy included age (= 0.87/year), marital status (3.0, married versus single), race (1.2,...
Whose Culture, Whose Neighborhood? Fostering and Resisting Neighborhood Change in the Multiethnic Enclave:

As multiculturalism has become a valued aspect of the city, ethnic enclaves have taken on new economic power in the cultural economy. However, as Western cities become increasingly diverse, multipl...
Rheumatic diseases in HIV-infected patients in the post-antiretroviral therapy era: a tertiary care center experience.

The aim of the study was to calculate the proportion of rheumatic diseases in HIV patients who were receiving ART and to identify association of the HIV medications with the development of rheumatologic diseases. We conducted a retrospective chart review during the period of 2010 to 2016. We identified 2996 patients as having chronic HIV infection and on ART, and we collected data regarding patient’s demographic characteristics, comorbidities, CD 4 count, HIV viral load, and ART. One hundred thirteen out of 2996 HIV patients (3.8%) were found to have a rheumatic condition (mean age of 48.6 years, 83% male). The most frequent musculoskeletal condition was avascular necrosis (AVN) in 39 (1.3%), and the most frequent autoimmune condition was psoriasis in 28 patients (1%). Compared with the 200 HIV patients without any diagnosis of rheumatic disease were the older patients with rheumatic conditions (mean age of 48.9 vs. 42.7 years; p < 0.01), and had a longer duration of HIV infection (mean duration of 15.5 vs. 10.3 years; p < 0.01). The odds of rheumatic conditions were 1.7 times higher in males (relative to females). Those who received integrase inhibitors were more likely (63.3%) to develop rheumatologic manifestations relative to those who never received integrase inhibitors (21.6%; p < 0.01). The proportion of rheumatic diseases in HIV patients appears to be comparable to the prevalence in the US population. Older age, longer duration of HIV infection, and the use of ART regimens containing integrase inhibitors, appear to increase the risk of developing a rheumatic condition.
Outreach Beyond the Beach: Management of Historic Shipwrecks on the Outer Continental Shelf

As resource managers, interpreting maritime cultural resources for the public is a difficult enough challenge when direct access to your site is limited to those who can scuba dive or who have access to their own personal boat. Bringing this message to the public when your site lies 65 kilometers (40 miles) offshore and 0.4 kilometers (a quarter of a mile) deep, when it requires large SHIPS and robotic equipment that can operate in pressures that would crush the human body just to visit it, and when you do not even own the site or have the legal authority to protect it from third-party damage, the challenges seem almost insurmountable. However, as the federal agency within the United States Department of the Interior that manages the nation’s oil, natural gas, and other mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) (Figure 12.1), the Minerals Management Service (MMS) strives to do just that by sharing with the public the exciting discoveries that are made as a by-product of exploration for oil and gas offshore. As the federal agency that administers mineral development on the OCS1, the MMS must ensure that all activities it permits take into consideration the potential effects these activities may have on environmental resources, including historic shipwrecks. For archaeological resources, this requirement is mandated through several laws, including the OCS Lands Act (OCSLA), the National Historic
The Epiphyseal Growth Plate

Bones elongate and children grow tall through the activities of a millimeter thin layer of cells wedged between the epiphyseal head and the diaphyseal shaft of the long bones. The form, function, and regulation of the activities of cells in this thin, transient, cartilaginous plate have fascinated scientists for a long time, and this growth plate is the focus of the studies reviewed in this chapter. A priori, it is important to acknowledge that apart from long bone, epiphyseal plate activity provides the mechanism of growth of almost all the osseous tissues of the human body. Moreover, other bone-related activities such as fracture repair share common pathways with those of chondrocytes located within the growth cartilage. Hence, an understanding of endochondral growth is relevant to bone elongation and repair, as well as systems that are central to cartilage formation, maturation and turnover.
Introduction: Intellectuals who quest beyond the Ivory Tower

These papers were first presented to the MIT Communications Forum entitled “Public Intellectuals and the Academy.” The authors have aggrandized and edited their respective contributions with an eye to creating a collection of works and commentaries that approach this complex subject from a range of perspectives, East and West.
Artificial substrata for reducing periphytic variability on replicated samples

Periphyton accrual (chlorophyll a) was evaluated utilizing two different geometrically shaped artificial glass substrata. The first consisted of small coverslips attached to a glass slide (Dilks & Meier 1981), while the other method employed both horizontally and vertically oriented small culture tubes. Sufficient numbers of each type were placed in Fleming Creek (Ann Arbor, Michigan), a second order temperate stream, to permit four collections of three replicates for each type at 5-day intervals. With the exclusion of the first collection (after 5 days), the variability among the replicates was less than 8 percent. Analysis of the chlorophyll a data by ANOVA and simple linear regression showed least amount of variation in horizontally positioned test tubes, followed by those of vertical orientation, and then by the coverslips. The highest concentration of periphyton biomass measured in chlorophyll a was, however, observed in the vertically placed test tubes. The coverslips and horizontally incubated tubes collected comparable concentrations of chlorophyll a over the exposure period.
Effects of Hyperinflation on Respiratory Muscle Function

Although the effects of hyperinflation on the expiratory muscle are still poorly understood, it is generally accepted that it adversely affects the function of inspiratory muscle,1–2 due to shortening of these muscles which places them at a disadvantageous portion of their force-length relationship. Moreover, changes in diaphragmatic geometry,3 changes in the mechanical arrangement between the two parts of diaphragm,4 and changes in diaphragm-rib cage interaction occur.5 Much less, however, is presently known about the effects of hyperinflation on the extradiaphragmatic musculature, which contributes significantly to respiratory acts, even to quiet breathing in man,6–7 as well as in experimental animals.8–9
Asymmetric Synthesis of Homocitric Acid Lactone

A short, diastereoselective synthesis of homocitric acid lactone is described. The key step is a bioinspired aldol addition to set the stereogenic center in an intermediate that requires only modest oxidation state manipulation to complete the synthesis. This approach enables rapid generation of isotopomers in which carbon and hydrogen can be replaced by heavier nuclei at nearly every position.
Superconducting Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ Films by RF Plasma Aerosol Evaporation at Atmospheric Pressure

Superconducting films of Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ were produced by a radio frequency (RF) plasma aerosol evaporation technique at atmospheric pressure. Aqueous solutions of the ions were generated as an aerosol and the mist was injected into the plasma region, and then deposited onto substrates outside of both the plasma and flame regions. The substrate temperature was 600–650°C. The deposition rate is 0.001–100 μm/(min) cm2, and the film thickness is 1–200 μm. After post annealing in flowing oxygen (800–880 °C, 0.5–2 hrs.), films become superconductive. For a film on a single crystalline MgO substrate (100), the onset temperature of the superconducting transition is 105K, with a transition width (10%–90%) of 6K, and zero resistance at 91K. Since this technique does not require a vacuum environment it has potential for large scale production of thin films.
Cu 3 Ge ohmic contacts to n-type GaAs

We show that Cu-Ge alloys prepared by depositing sequentially Cu and Ge layers onto GaAs substrates at room temperature followed by annealing at 400°C form a low-resistance ohmic contact to n-type GaAs over a wide range of Ge concentration that extends from 20 to 40 at.%. A contact resistivity of (4-6) x 10-7 Ω cm2 is obtained on n-type GaAs with doping concentrations of∼ 1 x 1017 cm-3. The contact resistivity is affected only slightly by varying the Ge concentration in the range studied and is not influenced by the deposition sequence of the Cu and Ge layers. In addition, the contacts are electrically stable during annealing at 450°C after contact formation. Structure and properties of Cu-Ge contact layers having lower and higher Ge concentrations from the stoichiometric Cu3Ge composition are compared. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffractometry have been used to study the ordering in the e1-Cu3Ge (average lattice parameters: a0= 5.30A, b0= 4.20A, c0= 4.56A) which is responsible for orthorhombic distortion of the parent hexagonal ζ-phase. The results suggest that the formation of theξ and e-Cu3Ge phases creates a highly doped n+-GaAs surface layer which leads to the low contact resistivity.
Regional socio-demographic determinants of melanoma incidence in the United States.

e13560Background: According to the American Cancer Society, the incidence of melanoma has been rising for the last 30 years. The incidence is mainly related to sunlight and ultraviolet exposure. We...
Measuring Work Demands in Hospital Nursing: A Feasibility Study

This study explored the feasibility of measuring multiple work demands simultaneously in hospital nurses’ work systems. Results demonstrated that it is feasible to collect data quantifying shiftwor...
Career Choice, Barriers, and Prospects of Asian American Social Workers

The current study explored factors influencing career choices of Asian American social workers and assessed if their personal characteristics and career-related experiences affected their perceived glass ceiling, perception of ethnic discrimination, and perception of career prospects. A total of 208 Asian American social work administrators, supervisors, practitioners and graduate social work students participated in a comprehensive online survey. Participants provided basic demographic and career-related information and completed a set of measures to explore their reasons of choosing social work as their career, and their career perceptions and prospects. Correlation analyses and multiple regression analyses were used to identify predictors of their perception of ethnic discrimination, perceived glass ceiling, and perception of career prospects. The findings showed that altruistic reasons were very important to extremely important in their choice of social work as their career. Social work idealism was found to associate positively with both altruistic reasons and professional concerns of choosing social work. There was a significant relationship between participant’s immigration status and family influence on their career choice. Those who were not born in the U.S. were more likely to be influenced by their family in their career choice than those who were born in in the U.S. Those whose parents were not born in the U.S. were more likely to be influenced by their family expectations on their career choice than either of their parents was born in the U.S. Perceptions of organizational fairness was found to be a strong predictor of perceived glass ceiling, perception of ethnic discrimination, and perception of career prospects. Implications of the findings for social work education and future research were discussed.
Oracle model selection for correlated data via residuals

AbstractThis paper concerns model selection for autoregressive time series when the observations are contaminated with trend. We propose an adaptive least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) type model selection method, in which the trend is estimated by B-splines, the detrended residuals are calculated, and then the residuals are used as if they were observations to optimize an adaptive LASSO type objective function. The oracle properties of such an adaptive LASSO model selection procedure are established; that is, the proposed method can identify the true model with probability approaching one as the sample size increases, and the asymptotic properties of estimators are not affected by the replacement of observations with detrended residuals. The intensive simulation studies of several constrained and unconstrained autoregressive models also confirm the theoretical results. The method is illustrated by two time series data sets, the annual U.S. tobacco production and annual tree ring width...
Radiation Therapy for Retroperitoneal Sarcomas: Influences of Histology, Grade, and Size.

Perioperative radiation therapy (RT) has been associated with reduced local recurrence in patients with retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPS); however, selection criteria remain unclear. We hypothesized that perioperative RT would improve survival in patients with RPS and would be associated with pathological factors. The National Cancer Database (NCDB) from 2004 to 2012 was reviewed for patients with nonmetastatic RPS undergoing curative intent resection. Tumor size was dichotomized at 15 cm based on 8th edition American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging. Patients with the highest comorbidity score were excluded. Unadjusted Kaplan–Meier and adjusted Cox proportional hazards modeling analyzed overall survival (OS). Multivariable logistic regression modeled margin positivity. A total of 2,264 patients were included; 727 patients (32.1%) had perioperative radiation in whom 203 (9.0%) had radiation preoperatively. Median (IQR) RPS size was 17.5 [11.0–27.0] cm. Histopathology was high grade in 1048 patients (43.7%). Multivariable analysis revealed that perioperative radiation was independently associated with decreased mortality (HR 0.72, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) 0.62–0.84, ), and preoperative RT was associated with reduced margin positivity (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.53–0.97, ). Stratified survival analysis showed that radiation was associated with prolonged median OS for RPS that were high-grade (64.3 vs. 43.6 months, ), less than 15 cm (104.1 vs. 84.2 months, ), and leiomyosarcomatous (104.8 vs. 61.8 months, ). Perioperative radiation is independently associated with decreased mortality in patients with high-grade, less than 15 cm, and leiomyosarcomatous tumors. Preoperative radiation is independently associated with margin-negative resection. These data support the selective use of perioperative radiation in the multidisciplinary management of RPS.
Affective geopolitics: Anxiety, pain, and ethics in the encounter with Syrian refugees in Turkey:

This paper explores the affective making of geopolitics through an analysis of how long-term residents of Turkey narrate their encounters with displaced people from Syria. Situating these narrative...
Current Quantum Cryptography Algorithm Is Optimal: A Proof

One of the main reasons for the current interest in quantum computing is that, in principle, quantum algorithms can break the RSA encoding, the encoding that is used for the majority secure communications – in particular, the majority of e-commerce transactions are based on this encoding. This does not mean, of course, that with the emergence of quantum computers, there will no more ways to secretly communicate: while the existing non-quantum schemes will be compromised, there exist a quantum cryptographic scheme that will enables us to secretly exchange information. In this scheme, however, there is a certain probability that an eavesdropper will not be detected. A natural question is: can we decrease this probability by an appropriate modification of the current quantum cryptography algorithm? In this paper, we show that such a decrease is not possible: the current quantum cryptography algorithm is, in some reasonable sense, optimal.
Adjuvant therapy for early stage, endometrial cancer with lymphovascular space invasion: Is there a role for chemotherapy?

Abstract Objectives Lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) is an independent risk factor for recurrence and poor survival in early-stage endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC), but optimal adjuvant treatment is unknown. We aimed to compare the survival of women with early-stage EEC with LVSI treated postoperatively with observation (OBS), radiation (RAD, external beam and/or vaginal brachytherapy), or chemotherapy (CHEMO)+/−RAD. Methods This was a multi-institutional, retrospective cohort study of women with stage I or II EEC with LVSI who underwent hysterectomy+/−lymphadenectomy from 2005 to 2015 and received OBS, RAD, or CHEMO+/−RAD postoperatively. Progression-free survival and overall survival were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards models. Results In total, 478 women were included; median age was 64 years, median follow-up was 50.3 months. After surgery, 143 (30%) underwent OBS, 232 (48.5%) received RAD, and 103(21.5%) received CHEMO+/−RAD (95% of whom received RAD). Demographics were similar among groups, but those undergoing OBS had lower stage and grade. A total of 101 (21%) women recurred. Progression-free survival (PFS) was improved in both CHEMO+/−RAD (HR = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.09–0.39) and RAD (HR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.18–0.54) groups compared to OBS, though neither adjuvant therapy was superior to the other. However, in grade 3 tumors, the CHEMO+/−RAD group had superior PFS compared to both RAD (HR 0.25; 95% CI: 0.12–0.52) and OBS cohorts (HR = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.03–0.32). Overall survival did not differ by treatment. Conclusions In early-stage EEC with LVSI, adjuvant therapy improved PFS compared to observation alone. In those with grade 3 EEC, adjuvant chemotherapy with or without radiation improved PFS compared to observation or radiation alone.
Colchicine in Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Systematic Review.

Objective:The purpose of this review is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of colchicine after acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Data Sources:English-language searches were made of MEDLINE and EMBASE ...
A Randomized Phase II Study of Sequential Eribulin Versus Paclitaxel Followed by FAC/FEC as Neoadjuvant Therapy in Patients with Operable HER2-Negative Breast Cancer

Lessons learned The combination of eribulin with 5-fluorouracil, either doxorubicin or epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FAC/FEC) was not superior to the combination of paclitaxel with FAC/FEC and was associated with greater hematologic toxicity. Eribulin followed by an anthracycline-based regimen is not recommended as a standard neoadjuvant therapy in nonmetastatic operable breast cancer. Background Neoadjuvant systemic therapy is the standard of care for locally advanced operable breast cancer. We hypothesized eribulin may improve the pathological complete response (pCR) rate compared with paclitaxel. Methods We conducted a 1:1 randomized open-label phase II study comparing eribulin versus paclitaxel followed by 5-fluorouracil, either doxorubicin or epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FAC/FEC) in patients with operable HER2-negative breast cancer. pCR and toxicity of paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 weekly for 12 doses or eribulin 1.4 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle for 4 cycles followed by FAC/FEC were compared. Results At the interim futility analysis, in March 2015, 51 patients (28 paclitaxel, 23 eribulin) had received at least one dose of the study drug and were thus evaluable for toxicity; of these, 47 (26 paclitaxel, 21 eribulin) had undergone surgery and were thus evaluable for efficacy. Seven of 26 (27%) in the paclitaxel group and 1 of 21 (5%) in the eribulin group achieved a pCR, and this result crossed a futility stopping boundary. In the paclitaxel group, the most common serious adverse events (SAEs) were neutropenic fever (grade 3, 3 patients, 11%). In the eribulin group, nine patients (39%) had neutropenia-related SAEs, and one died of neutropenic sepsis. The study was thus discontinued. For the paclitaxel and eribulin groups, the 5-year event-free survival (EFS) rates were 81.8% and 74.0% (hazard ratio [HR], 1.549; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.817-2.938; p = .3767), and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 100% and 84.4% (HR, 5.813; 95% CI, 0.647-52.208; p = .0752), respectively. Conclusion We did not observe a higher proportion of patients undergoing breast conservation surgery in the eribulin group than in the paclitaxel group. The patients treated with eribulin were more likely to undergo mastectomy and less likely to undergo breast conservation surgery, but the difference was not statistically significant. As neoadjuvant therapy for operable HER2-negative breast cancer, eribulin followed by FAC/FEC is not superior to paclitaxel followed by FAC/FEC and is associated with a higher incidence of neutropenia-related serious adverse events.
Using machine learning to predict quantitative phenotypes from protein and nucleic acid sequences

The link between sequence and phenotype is essential to understanding the molecular mechanisms of evolution, and the design of proteins and genes with specific properties. However, it is difficult to describe the relationship between sequence and protein or organismal phenotypes, due to the complex relationship between sequence, protein folding and activity, and organismal physiology. Here, we use machine learning models trained on individual families of proteins or nucleic acids to predict the originating species9 optimal growth temperatures or other quantitative phenotypes. Trained multilayer perceptrons (MLPs) outperformed linear regressions in predicting the originating species growth temperature from protein sequences, achieving a root mean squared error of 3.6 °C. Similar machine learning models were able to predict the binding affinity of mutant WW domain sequences, brightness of fluorescent proteins, and enzymatic activity of ribozymes. Notably, the trained models are protein or nucleic acid family specific and therefore useful in the design of biopolymers with particular properties. This method provides a new tool for the in silico prediction of quantitative biophysical and organismal phenotypes directly from sequence.
Automated insulin delivery systems for people with type 1 diabetes

Abstract Automated drug delivery can reduce many repetitive manual tasks and human error in the treatment of chronic diseases. The automation can range from duplication of the procedures conducted by the human user to leveraging machine learning (ML) and advanced control techniques to provide a comprehensive automated system that can personalize the treatment decisions, take into account the habits and predicted future activities of the user, and leverage measurable disturbances to enhance the accuracy of control decisions. This potential improvement can only be achieved by developing a set of algorithms that can handle the nonlinearities and time-varying nature of the relevant metabolic processes. Regulation of blood glucose concentration provides an excellent case for illustrating the role of various ML, estimation and automatic control techniques to achieve good glucose control in spite of disturbances such as meals, physical activities, and physiological stress. The chapter will outline various control philosophies and estimators that can provide valuable information about variables that cannot be measured in real time such as plasma insulin concentration (PIC) and the potential impact of physical activities and acute psychological stress. PIC estimates can be used to adjust the aggressiveness of the controller, while physical activity and stress estimates enable feedforward control to compensate for impending changes in glucose levels before these changes manifest themselves in glucose readings. Time-varying glycemic models obtained through a recursive system identification by using continuous glucose measurements, physiological measurements, estimates of unannounced meal effects, and PIC form the foundation for adaptive control. An adaptive multivariable model predictive control algorithm illustrates the use of fully automated control that does not require any manual inputs from users, reducing the treatment burden of the chronic disease.
Streamlined phage display library protocols for identification of insect gut binding peptides highlight peptide specificity

Abstract Phage display libraries have been used to isolate insect gut binding peptides for use as pathogen transmission blocking agents, and to provide artificial anchors for increased toxicity of bacteria-derived pesticidal proteins. Previously, phage clones displaying enriched peptides were sequenced by Sanger sequencing. Here we present a streamlined protocol for identification of insect gut binding peptides, using insect-appropriate feeding strategies, with next generation sequencing and tailored bioinformatics analyses. The bioinformatics pipeline is designed to eliminate poorly enriched and false positive peptides, and to identify peptides predicted to be stable and hydrophilic. In addition to developing streamlined protocols, we also sought to address whether candidate gut binding peptides can bind to insects from more than one order, which is an important consideration for safe, practical use of peptide-modified pesticidal proteins. To this end, we screened phage display libraries for peptides that bind to the gut epithelia of two pest insects, the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera) and beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera), and one beneficial insect, the western honey bee, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera). While unique peptide sequences totaling 13,427 for D. citri, 89,561 for S. exigua and 69,053 for A. mellifera were identified from phage eluted from the surface of the insect guts, final candidate pools were comprised of 53, 107 and 1423 peptides respectively. The benefits of multiple rounds of biopanning, along with peptide binding properties in relation to practical use of peptide-modified pesticidal proteins for insect pest control are discussed.
A vicious cycle in atherosclerosis

Clonal hematopoiesis, defined as the presence of expanded somatic blood cell clones, is associated with about a doubling in the risk of coronary heart disease in humans. Heyde and colleagues now provide evidence that clonal hematopoiesis results largely from increased stem cell proliferation, which is, in turn, stimulated by atherosclerosis.
Towards Model Compression for Deep Learning Based Speech Enhancement

The use of deep neural networks (DNNs) has dramatically elevated the performance of speech enhancement over the last decade. However, to achieve strong enhancement performance typically requires a large DNN, which is both memory and computation consuming, making it difficult to deploy such speech enhancement systems on devices with limited hardware resources or in applications with strict latency requirements. In this study, we propose two compression pipelines to reduce the model size for DNN-based speech enhancement, which incorporates three different techniques: sparse regularization, iterative pruning and clustering-based quantization. We systematically investigate these techniques and evaluate the proposed compression pipelines. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach reduces the sizes of four different models by large margins without significantly sacrificing their enhancement performance. In addition, we find that the proposed approach performs well on speaker separation, which further demonstrates the effectiveness of the approach for compressing speech separation models.
Voice for the Voiceless: Developing a Low-Cost Open-Source Communication Device for the Speech Impaired

Advancements in the affordability and availability of Internet of Things (IoT) devices have led to incredible innovations in the field of speech-generating devices. The introduction of devices such as tablets, cellphones, and mobile computers has allowed individuals with speech disorders to have a medium in which to easily communicate without purchasing expensive and specialized medical equipment. Even though these devices increased access to this technology, it is still out of reach for many. Whether it is the cost of the device, cost of the speech generating software, or access to a reliable internet connection, this technology is inaccessible to some of the people who need it most.
Gold Nanoparticle Based Plasmonic Sensing for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Proteins

An inexpensive virus detection scheme with high sensitivity and specificity is desirable for broad applications such as the COVID-19 virus. In this article, we introduce the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) principle on the aggregation of antigen-coated gold nanoparticles (GNPs) to detect SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid (N) proteins. Experiments show this technique can produce results observable by the naked eye in 5 min with a LOD (Limits of Detection) of 150 ng/ml for the N proteins. A comprehensive numerical model of the LSPR effect on the aggregation of GNPs has been developed to identify the key parameters in the reaction processes. The color-changing behaviors can be readily utilized to detect the existence of the virus while the quantitative concentration value is characterized with the assistance of an optical spectrometer. A parameter defined as the ratio of the light absorption intensity at the upper visible band region of 700 nm to the light absorption intensity at the peak optical absorption spectrum of the GNPs at 530 nm is found to have a linear relationship with respect to the N protein concentrations. As such, this scheme could be utilized as an inexpensive testing methodology for applications in POC (Point-of-Care) diagnostics to combat current and future virus-induced pandemics.
Commentary on Ballou's paper: Galois - The Myths and the Man

Ballou (2005) provides a possibility for the introduction of the cubic into the eighth grade mathematics curriculum. As seen in her paper, the solution of the cubic essentially involves the use of a clever substitution in the general cubic in order to reduce it into a cubic without the square term, which in turn is factorable as a quadratic provided one makes another substitution. A natural question to ask ourselves, which mathematicians in the colorful theory of equations undoubtedly did as well, is how far can we push this technique of clever substitutions to solve higher degree equations. These substitutions are called Tschirnhaus transformations and have a pattern of the form x = y -a/n. In Ballou’s (2005) paper the transformation used in the cubic was x = y a/3 which allowed us to get rid of the so-called pesky x term. For the general quartic the transformation is x = y –a/4 which in turn transforms the equation into a cubic solveable by Cardano’s method. The question is what happens when we try our technique of Tschirnhaus transformations into the general quintic. To find out we first need to make a sidetrack into a little history packed with drama.
Phospholipids of Azotobacter vinelandii

Analyses of resting cells of Azotobacter vinelandii revealed that numerous phospholipids were present that did not concentrate in the membranous R3 fraction which carried out electron transport function.
Monte Carlo Investigation of Optical Coherence Tomography Retinal Oximetry

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) oximetry explores the possibility to measure retinal hemoglobin oxygen saturation level (sO2). We investigated the accuracy of OCT retinal oximetry using Monte Carlo simulation in a commonly used four-layer retinal model. After we determined the appropriate number of simulated photon packets, we studied the effects of blood vessel diameter, signal sampling position, physiological sO2 level, and the blood packing factor on the accuracy of sO2 estimation in OCT retinal oximetry. The simulation results showed that a packing factor between 0.2 and 0.4 yields a reasonably accurate estimation of sO2 within a 5% error tolerance, which is independent of vessel diameter and sampling position, when visible-light illumination is used in OCT. We further explored the optimal optical spectral range for OCT retinal oximetry. The simulation results suggest that visible spectral range around 560 nm is better suited than near-infrared spectral range around 800 nm for OCT oximetry to warrant accurate measurements.
G Protein-Mediated Inhibition of Neuronal Migration Requires Calcium Influx

Neuronal migration is an essential feature of the developing nervous system, but the intracellular signaling mechanisms that regulate this process are poorly understood. During the formation of the enteric nervous system (ENS) in the moth Manduca sexta, the migration of an identified set of neurons (the EP cells) is regulated in part by the heterotrimeric guanyl-nucleotide binding protein (G protein) Goalpha. Using an in vivo culture preparation for developing embryos that allows direct access to the ENS, we have shown that EP cell migration is similarly regulated by intracellular Ca2+; treatments that increased intracellular Ca2+ inhibited the migratory process, whereas buffering intracellular Ca2+ induced aberrant migration onto inappropriate pathways. Imaging the spontaneous changes in intracellular Ca2+ within individual EP cells showed that actively migrating neurons exhibited only small fluctuations in intracellular Ca2+. In contrast, neurons that had reached the end of migration displayed large, transient Ca2+ spikes. Similar Ca2+ spikes were induced in the EP cells by G protein stimulation, an effect that was reversed by removal of external Ca2+. Stimulation of Go in individual EP cells (by injection of either activated Goalpha subunits or mastoparan) also inhibited migration in a Ca2+-dependent manner. These results suggest that the regulation of neuronal migration by G proteins involves a Ca2+-dependent process requiring Ca2+ influx.
The D n -Log σ relation for elliptical galaxies: present status and future work.

As this is a meeting honoring the life’s work of Gerard and Antoinette de Vaucouleurs, I feel it is appropriate that I place into print the sense of the comments I made at the time of my talk.
Comparative efficiency of different implementations of the Ada rendezvous

Reasonably efficient implementations of Ada task synchronization, in particular the rendezvous, will be crucial to the successful application of Ada. There are a variety of different implementations of rendezvous semantics, each with a different cost. In addition, some implementations can only be used under constrained circumstances. In the exercise reported here we have chosen a particular application of the rendezvous that we expect to occur frequently and we have programmed several alternative implementations for this use of the rendezvous. We have measured the performance of these implementations on the multiprocessor Cm* to ascertain actual costs of the various implementations on an existing multiple processor engine. Our measurements are reported here.
§ 8:91 Admissibility of Forensic Laboratory Reports — The Williams Case

In light of the continuing evolution of the Crawford doctrine, and especially the decisions in the Bullcoming and Williams cases, section 8:91 discusses proving forensic laboratory reports in criminal cases.
Real-time diagnosis of semiconductor manufacturing equipment using neural networks

This paper presents a tool for the real-time diagnosis of integrated circuit fabrication equipment. The approach focuses on integrating neural networks into a knowledge-based expert system. The system employs evidential reasoning to identify malfunctions by combining evidence originating from equipment maintenance history, on-line sensor data, and in-line past-process measurements. Neural networks are used in the maintenance phase of diagnosis to approximate the functional form of the failure history distribution of each component. Predicted failure rates are then converted to belief levels. For on-line diagnosis in the case of previously unencountered faults, a CUSUM control chart is implemented on real sensor data to detect very small process shifts and their trends. For the known fault case, hypothesis resting on the statistical mean and variance of the sensor data is performed to search for similar data patterns and assign belief levels. Finally, neural process models of process figures of merit (such as etch uniformity) derived from prior experimentation are used to analyze the in-line measurements, and identify the most suitable candidate among faulty input parameters (such as gas flow) to explain process shifts. A working prototype for this hybrid diagnostic system is being implemented on the Plasma Therm 700 series reactive ion etcher located in the Georgia Tech Microelectronic Research Center.