cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel comparative pattern count analysis reveals a chronic ethanol-induced dynamic shift in immediate early NF-κB genome-wide promoter binding during liver regeneration

Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy is a clinically important process that is impaired by adaptation to chronic alcohol intake. We focused on the initial time points following partial hepatectomy (PHx) to analyze the genome-wide binding activity of NF-κB, a key immediate early regulator. We investigated the effect of chronic alcohol intake on immediate early NF-κB genome-wide localization, in the adapted state as well as in response to partial hepatectomy, using chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by promoter microarray analysis. We found many ethanol-specific NF-κB binding target promoters in the ethanol-adapted state, corresponding to the regulation of biosynthetic processes, oxidation–reduction and apoptosis. Partial hepatectomy induced a diet-independent shift in NF-κB binding loci relative to the transcription start sites. We employed a novel pattern count analysis to exhaustively enumerate and compare the number of promoters corresponding to the temporal binding patterns in ethanol and pair-fed control groups. The highest pattern count corresponded to promoters with NF-κB binding exclusively in the ethanol group at 1 h post PHx. This set was associated with the regulation of cell death, response to oxidative stress, histone modification, mitochondrial function, and metabolic processes. Integration with the global gene expression profiles to identify putative transcriptional consequences of NF-κB binding patterns revealed that several of ethanol-specific 1 h binding targets showed ethanol-specific differential expression through 6 h post PHx. Motif analysis yielded co-incident binding loci for STAT3, AP-1, CREB, C/EBP-β, PPAR-γ and C/EBP-α, likely participating in co-regulatory modules with NF-κB in shaping the immediate early response to PHx. We conclude that adaptation to chronic ethanol intake disrupts the NF-κB promoter binding landscape with consequences for the immediate early gene regulatory response to the acute challenge of PHx.
AN ERROR SUBSPACE PERSPECTIVE ON DATA ASSIMILATION

Two families of methods are widely used in data assimilation: the four-dimensional variational (4D-Var) approach, and the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) approach. The two families have been developed largely through parallel research efforts. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. It is of interest to develop hybrid data assimilation algorithms that can combine the relative strengths of the two approaches. This paper proposes a subspace approach to investigate the theoretical equivalence between the suboptimal 4D-Var method (where only a small number of optimization iterations are performed) and the practical EnKF method (where only a small number of ensemble members are used) in a linear setting. The analysis motivates a new hybrid algorithm: the optimization directions obtained from a short window 4D-Var run are used to construct the EnKF initial ensemble. The proposed hybrid method is computationally less expensive than a full 4D-Var, as only short assimilation windows are considered. The hybrid method has the potential to perform better than the regular EnKF due to its look-ahead property. Numerical results show that the proposed hybrid ensemble filter method performs better than the regular EnKF method for the test problem considered.
God and the Future: Wolfhart Pannenberg’s Eschatological Doctrine of God

(2003). God and the Future: Wolfhart Pannenberg’s Eschatological Doctrine of God. Ars Disputandi: Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 78-79.
Abstract 3025: CXCR4 is expressed in the nucleus of metastatic prostate cancer cells

Most prostate cancer-related deaths are due to the advancement of the tumor to a metastatic disease. The C-X-C Chemokine Receptor 4 (CXCR4) is a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) involved in the metastasis of various cancers, including the prostate. CXCR4 is generally regarded as a plasma membrane receptor; the canon concept of GPCR signaling holds that receptors located at the plasma membrane respond to secreted agonist stimulation. GPCRs, however, have also been observed at other intracellular organelles, including the nuclear membrane. Several cancer models have positively observed expression of a nuclear form of CXCR4 in advanced stage tissues and tumors with a poor prognosis. The significance of these receptors having a dualistic localization pattern is that nuclear receptors can escape from chemotherapy, since most therapeutics are hydrophobic small molecules targeted towards membrane bound receptors, which cannot pass through non-polar regions of the plasma membrane. An initial search of the CXCR4 sequence through the PredictNLS software program revealed a putative, nontraditional nuclear localization sequence, RPRK. We probed prostate cancer tissues for CXCR4 and observed a higher nuclear expression in high grade prostate tumors, compared to low grade, and no detectable CXCR4 in normal human prostate tissue by immunohistochemistry. Subcellular fractionations of prostate cancer cell lines (PC3, DU145 and 22RV1) and normal prostate epithelial cells (RWPE1) demonstrated positive expression of CXCR4 in both nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions, which were confirmed by immunocytochemistry analysis, independent of exogenous SDF1α stimulation. Based on our results, we suggest that CXCR4 is alternately expressed in the nucleus of advanced prostate cancer, which may enhance prostate cancer metastasis. To determine the origin of nuclear CXCR4, the a kinetic localization study confirmed that CXCR4 translocates to the nucleus from the plasma membrane at 37°C, which was inhibited when the same reaction was performed at 4°C. In conclusion, expression and localization of a nuclear CXCR4 may contribute to the advancement of prostate cancer to a metastatic disease, and aid tumors in escaping from therapy. Our studies will contribute to the development of therapeutics towards CXCR4, as current options are targeted towards membrane receptors, which may be ineffective if CXCR4 located and functional inside of the cell. 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 3025. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3025
High-Voltage Compliant, Capacitive-Load Invariant Neural Stimulation Electronics Compatible with Standard Bulk-CMOS Integration

A neural stimulator architecture is described which can drive biphasic, constant-current waveforms through a wide range of electrode impedances with approximately ±11V compliance, while using a low-voltage, modern bulk-CMOS technology. The design, based on an H-bridge topology, utilizes a regulated "discharge" phase during biphasic delivery to account for "capacitive-looking" electrodes, extending the bipolar on-chip headroom of a CMOS stimulator. Stimulus current is supplied by integrated switched-capacitor, dynamic voltage supplies (0-12V), which operate with closed-loop control. The stimulator topology also uses a single, low-voltage current DAC to regulate the entire biphasic current waveform. The voltage supply block has been fabricated in 65nm standard CMOS. Cadence simulations of the proposed biphasic driver, designed for 250μA maximum current, are given for several "high" impedance electrode models. The efficacy of the proposed integrated electronics in potential neural stimulation applications is demonstrated with a board-level prototype, which has been designed and evaluated in-vivo (rat).
Yangsheng yu xiushen: Wan Ming de yangsheng wenhua yu wenren shenghuo 養生與修身:晚明的養生文化與文人生活 [Nourishing Life and Cultivating the Body: Writing the Literati's Body and Techniques for Preserving Health in the Late Ming]

In the last two decades, historians have studied critical social and cultural changes of the late Ming, from the mid-sixteenth to the mid-seventeenth century, focusing on the flourishing of print c...
DONOR-RECIPIENT RACE MISMATCH INCREASES GRAFT FAILURE AND MORTALITY AFTER ADULT HEART TRANSPLANTATION: A PROPENSITY-MATCHED STUDY OF THE UNITED NETWORK FOR ORGAN SHARING DATABASE

Donor-recipient race mismatch (DRRM) has been shown to increase graft failure and mortality among pediatric heart transplant (HT) recipients. However, similar association has not been examined among adult HT recipients. Of 40,705 adult HT recipients in the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS)
Optimal coordination between primary frequency regulation and dynamic stability

The improper parameter setting of steam turbine governing system for emphasizing the performance of primary frequency regulation may cause low frequency oscillation of power grid while the optimal coordination between primary frequency regulation and dynamic stability can be achieved by the proper parameter adjustment. The comprehensive evaluation index of system dynamic stability and primary frequency regulation is formed by the stability margin and the reciprocal of rise time and the P-PSO(Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm based on P system) is applied to obtain the optimal evaluation index within the rational parameter range for the parameter optimization of steam turbine DEH(Digital Electro-Hydraulic) control system. The results of time-domain simulation show that,the optimized DEH parameters ensure both the performance of primary frequency regulation and the dynamic stability of power system.
Characteristics of first relapse in stage III melanoma patients with no evidence of disease (NED): Guidelines for follow-up

9069 Background: Follow up (F/U) of patients (pts) with AJCC stage III melanoma but with NED is currently empiric with respect to frequency of clinical exams, F/U duration, and diagnostic tests. Da...
Navigation: An Engineer's Perspective

There is a certain tangle of philosophical questions around which much philosophy, especially in our time, has circled, to the point where now there is something that deserves to be called a holding pattern around these issues: What are causes? How do they compare with reasons? What is Reason, with a capital R? How does it participate in the production of intentions that lead to action, particularly in arenas rife with uncertainty? Where do formal systems of symbols come into all of this? And how - if at all - can formal methods be harnessed to serve science and public policy, through guiding belief formation and decision-making? Henry Kyburg, Jr., has himself circled around this tangle of questions, at least once or twice. And so in his honor, and in the no-nonsense spirit of empiricism that marks his work as the work of a scientist, I'd like to sketch a way to cut through some of the Gordian knots at the center of this tangle. The theme will be that natural science has much of value to offer that has been willfully neglected by philosophers. This by itself is nowise surprising, as philosophy, particularly in the most exclusive parts of the academy, has suffered from an excessive transcendentalism - a theme to which I will return in this piece periodically. Now Kyburg has not been guilty of contributing to the causes for the decline of philosophy. He has, instead, been courageously working out the implications of his convictions regarding the virtues of vigorous formal systems, contributing to the advancement of empiricist methodologies, and generously supporting the causes of realism. In emulation of that courage, I offer this essay in the service of bold and vigorous formal systems, realism and - most emphatically - empiricism.
Reporting Standards for Preclinical Studies of Stroke Therapy.

The unmet need for development of new stroke therapies is enormous. Evidence generated from positive, null, or negative preclinical studies for various therapeutic agents is crucial to enhancing scientific progress. The scientific community shares a societal responsibility to practice and promote meticulous conduct and reporting of all experimental studies. A systematic survey conducted by the UK government–sponsored National Center for the Replacement, Refinement, and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) reported that only 59% of biomedical animal studies stated the hypotheses and objectives, and ≤87% did not use randomization.1 This, in part, led to the development of the Animals in Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines,2 modeled after the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards for Reporting …
A new approach to decrease reserve demand when bulky wind power or UHV is connected

Since wind power is more versatile and unpredictable than traditional thermal power, increasing wind penetration level generally need more spinning reserve, which is not economical. Frequency related voltage control can be helpful to solve this problem. When frequency become lower due to wind farm decreases its output, voltage can be lowered too to decrease active power absorbed by loads. This method can be used together with AGC to restore frequency to normal level. Consequently less spinning reserve is needed. This method can also be used when large generation (like 1000kV UHV line) is lost to avoid load shedding. Simulation also validates the effectiveness of this method.
Managing Complicated Digital Ulcers

Two case studies of the management of complicated scleroderma digital ulcers are described in this chapter. These cases have been chosen to represent the two most common types of digital ulcers seen in scleroderma with the most common complications. These cases will be used to discuss the specific management of the problems associated with each case with expanded discussion of the options available, and the reasons for their use. Management of scleroderma digital ulcers in such a way as to achieve progressive healing and reduce the risk to the digit, including amputation, can be very important in the management of scleroderma patients generally. Two cases of complicated digital ulcers are presented representing the most common ulcer types of both systemic sclerosis and limited scleroderma to provide a discussion of scleroderma ulcer management, generally, along with the rationale for the approach to both uncomplicated and complicated scleroderma digital ulcers. Scleroderma ulcers are examples of ischemic ulcers. Patients with systemic sclerosis tend to develop ulcers of the dorsal aspects of their finger interphalangeal joints more commonly than fingertip ulcers that are more common in patients with limited scleroderma. Although the management of the actual wounds is similar, they are distinguished by their initial provocative events: Raynaud’s phenomenon with critical distal digital ischemia more common in limited scleroderma and trauma in the presence of ischemic skin over interphalangeal joint contractures in systemic sclerosis. This chapter will review the options, rationale, and typical progression of management of complicated scleroderma digital ulcers.
Intrinsically Disordered Protein Dynamics Uncovered through Dynamic Flexibility Index (DFI) Analysis

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) are two intrinsically disordered proteins (IDP) of the calcitonin peptide family. CGRP is an important new target for antimigraine drugs, it is involved in vasodilation and transmission of pain signals. IAPP regulates blood glucose levels and forms amyloid fibers in type II diabetes. They share up to 40% sequence similarity and bind to very similar receptors, but are found in different types of tissue and carry out different functions. Recent experimental studies measuring end-to-end contact formation by tryptophan triplet quenching, show a significant difference in the conformational dynamics of CGRP and IAPP. We investigate this through Dynamic Flexibility Index (DFI). DFI quantifies the resilience of a given position to the perturbations that occur at different parts of the chain, using linear response theory. This captures multi-dimensional effects when the chain is displaced out of equilibrium. Thus, it identifies flexible and rigid positions that govern the function. Our DFI profiles obtained from equilibrated atomistic MD simulations reveal distinct patterns for CGRP and IAPP. We investigate the effect of amino acid substitutions on the conformational dynamics of the unbound disordered IDP, and pinpoint the positions that give a significant difference in dynamics.
A Quantitative Case Study of Forthcoming Right-to-Work: What Leads to Union Member Retention?

In an American state which had just passed a Right-to-Work (RTW) law, the authors were asked to survey members of a union to help it determine strategies for member retention. We examined intent to...
The emerging role of immune dysfunction in mitochondrial diseases as a paradigm for understanding immunometabolism

Immunometabolism aims to define the role of intermediary metabolism in immune cell function, with bioenergetics and the mitochondria recently taking center stage. To date, the medical literature on mitochondria and immune function extols the virtues of mouse models in exploring this biologic intersection. While the laboratory mouse has become a standard for studying mammalian biology, this model comprises part of a comprehensive approach. Humans, with their broad array of inherited phenotypes, serve as a starting point for studying immunometabolism; specifically, patients with mitochondrial disease. Using this top-down approach, the mouse as a model organism facilitates further exploration of the consequences of mutations involved in mitochondrial maintenance and function. In this review, we will discuss the emerging phenotype of immune dysfunction in mitochondrial disease as a model for understanding the role of the mitochondria in immune function in available mouse models.
Integrating Rotations Using Nonunit Quaternions

In this letter, we propose and demonstrate a method for integration of rotations using nonunit quaternions. Unit quaternions are commonly used to represent rotation, in which case the rotation operation involves the conjugate of the unit quaternion. However, a redundant mapping can be defined from all nonzero quaternions to the set of rotation matrices, ${\mathrm{SO}(3)}$ , based on the more general rotation operation involving the quaternion inverse. From this we show that the well-known formula that maps angular velocity to the derivative of a unit quaternion actually represents the minimum-norm solution within a set of solutions for the derivative of a nonunit quaternion. This fact enables efficient, singularity free, numerical integration of rotations over long intervals. The approach inherently preserves the structure of ${\mathrm{SO}(3)}$ during the integration with any standard routine or ordinary differential equation (ODE) solver package without employing specially designed geometric integration schemes, exponential updates, or the many quaternion length enforcement techniques found in the literature. We demonstrate the accuracy of this approach compared to other common methods applied to integrate a known angular velocity function and a classic Lagrange top.
On compactness of admissible parameter sets

We report on a series of numerical examples and compare several algorithms for estimation of coefficients in differential equation models. Unconstrained, constrained and Tikhonov regularization methods are tested for their behavior with regard to both convergence (of approximation methods for the states and parameters) and stability (continuity of the estimates with respect to perturbations in the data or observed states).
Resounding Education: Sonic Instigations, Reverberating Foundations.

The purpose of this special issue is to demonstrate the depth and breadth of the ways that sound considerations can significantly contribute to the field of Educational Foundations. An interdiscipl...
Root-letter priming in Maltese visual word recognition

We report on a visual masked priming experiment designed to explore the role of morphology in Maltese visual word recognition. In a lexical decision task, subjects were faster to judge Maltese words of Semitic origin that were primed by triconsonantal letter-strings corresponding to their root-morphemes. In contrast, they were no faster to judge Maltese words of non-Semitic origin that were primed by an equivalent, but non-morphemic, set of three consonant letters, suggesting that morphological overlap, rather than simple form overlap, drives this facilitatory effect. Maltese is unique among the Semitic languages for its orthography: Maltese alone uses the Latin alphabet and requires that all vowels are written, making such triconsonantal strings illegal non-words to which Maltese readers are never exposed, as opposed to other Semitic languages such as Hebrew in which triconsonantal strings often correspond to real words. Under a decomposition-based account of morphological processing, we interpret these results as suggesting that across reading experience Maltese readers have abstracted out and stored root-morphemes for Semitic-origin words lexically, such that these morphemic representations can be activated by exposure to root-letters in isolation and thus prime morphological derivatives.
Maternal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

The management of maternal cardiopulmonary arrest is explored in this chapter. The major causes of cardiac arrest during pregnancy are listed.
Dependence of Supercapacitor Peukert Constant on Voltage, Aging, and Temperature

This paper investigates the dependence of the supercapacitor Peukert constant on its terminal voltage, aging condition, and operating temperature. Recent studies show that the charge delivered by a supercapacitor during a constant current discharge process increases when the discharge current decreases if the discharge current is above a certain threshold, i.e., Peukert's law applies. By conducting extensive experiments using three supercapacitor samples with different rated capacitances from different manufacturers, this paper reveals that the Peukert constant increases when the initial voltage of the constant current discharge process is lower, the supercapacitor is more heavily aged, or the operating temperature is lower. The physical mechanisms accounting for the Peukert constant dependence are illustrated by analyzing an $RC$ ladder circuit model. When the supercapacitor terminal voltage is higher, the aging condition is lighter, or the operating temperature is higher, more charge is stored in the supercapacitor. Consequently, when the same discharge current is applied, the discharge time is longer and the branch capacitors are more deeply discharged. Therefore, the relaxation effects of the slow branches are reduced and the supercapacitor behaves more like a single capacitor rather than a distributed capacitor network, which ultimately leads to a lower Peukert constant.
Exploiting microglial and peripheral immune cell crosstalk to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Neuroinflammation is considered one of the cardinal features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Neuritic plaques composed of amyloid β and neurofibrillary tangle-laden neurons are surrounded by reactive astrocytes and microglia. Exposure of microglia, the resident myeloid cell of the CNS, to amyloid β causes these cells to acquire an inflammatory phenotype. While these reactive microglia are important to contain and phagocytose amyloid plaques, their activated phenotype impacts CNS homeostasis. In rodent models, increased neuroinflammation promoted by overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines can cause an increase in hyperphosphorylated tau and a decrease in hippocampal function. The peripheral immune system can also play a detrimental or beneficial role in CNS inflammation. Systemic inflammation can increase the risk of developing AD dementia, and chemokines released directly by microglia or indirectly by endothelial cells can attract monocytes and T lymphocytes to the CNS. These peripheral immune cells can aid in amyloid β clearance or modulate microglia responses, depending on the cell type. As such, several groups have targeted the peripheral immune system to modulate chronic neuroinflammation. In this review, we focus on the interplay of immunomodulating factors and cell types that are being investigated as possible therapeutic targets for the treatment or prevention of AD.
Preoperative Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated With Higher Postoperative Complications in Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair.

Introduction Rotator cuff tears are one of the most common injuries worldwide, yet it is difficult to predict which patients will have poor outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR). The purpose of this study was to identify an association between preoperative vitamin D (25D) levels and postoperative complications in arthroscopic RCR. Methods From a national claims database, patients undergoing arthroscopic RCR with preoperative 25D levels were reviewed. Patients were stratified into 25D-sufficient (≥20 ng/dL) or 25D-deficient (<20 ng/dL) categories and examined for development of postoperative complications. Multivariate logistic regression was performed using age, sex, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) as covariates. From this, risk-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were calculated comparing complications between the two groups. Results One thousand eight hundred eighty-one patients with measured preoperative 25D levels were identified; 229 patients were 25D deficient (12.2%). After adjusting for age, sex, and Charlson Comorbidity Index, 25D-deficient patients had increased odds of revision RCR (OR 1.54, 95% confidence interval 1.21 to 1.97, P < 0.001) and stiffness requiring manipulation under anesthesia (OR 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 2.03, P = 0.035). Conclusions Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a greater risk of postoperative surgical complications after arthroscopic RCR and may be a modifiable risk factor. Further investigation on preoperative vitamin D repletion is warranted.
Otimization of an adaptive frequency-hopping network

This paper proposes a methodology for optimizing a frequency-hopping network that uses continuous-phase frequency-shift keying and adaptive capacity-approaching channel coding. The optimization takes into account the spatial distribution of the interfering mobiles, Nakagami fading, and lognormal shadowing. It includes the effects of both co-channel interference and adjacent-channel interference, which arises due to spectral-splatter effects. The average network performance depends on the choice of the modulation index, the number of frequency-hopping channels, and the fractional in-band power, which are assumed to be fixed network parameters. The performance of a given transmission depends on the code rate, which is adapted in response to the expected interference to meet a constraint on outage probability. The optimization proceeds by choosing a set of fixed network parameters, drawing the interferers from the spatial distribution, and determining the maximum rate that satisfies the outage constraint. The process is repeated for a large number of network realizations, and the fixed network parameters that maximize the area spectral efficiency are identified.
An Alternative Method to Evaluate the Sulphate Resistance of Cementitious Binders

Although there have been a number of studies with proposed methods to evaluate sulphate resistance of cementitious mixtures, ASTM C1012 is still the most widely accepted performance method. However, the test often requires measurements that last from 6 months to a year, making it a very unpopular among practitioners. This paper presents a new method that is two to three times faster than the current ASTM test by accelerating the penetration and diffusion of sulphates, and inciting the chemical reactions between the hydrated cement paste and sulphate ions. Degradation was assessed on mortar specimens immersed in sodium sulphate solution (5% Na2SO4) by monitoring the variation in mass and the length change over time. When compared to the current ASTM method, the new method showed a significant acceleration in the rate of expansion with severe visual deterioration observed on the mortar bars in less than one-half the time.
Evaluation of an Interprofessional Student-Faculty Collaborative Clinic in a Jail.

Jail-based student-run clinics, though uncommon, have the potential to impact the future health workforce. We evaluated, via a survey of student attitudes and a collection of lessons learned, a stu...
Distemper Encephalomyelitis Presenting with Lower Motor Neuron Signs in a Young Dog

A 4 mo old spayed female mixed-breed dog was presented for focal lower motor neuron signs of the right forelimb and marked hyperesthesia on axillary palpation. Her signs progressed rapidly over the following days to diffuse lower motor neuron signs in all limbs and a seizure. MRI demonstrated a focal, slightly right-sided, 2.5 cm region of noncontrast-enhancing T2 hyperintensity and T1 isointensity at C4-C5 spinal cord segments. Imaging of the brain was unremarkable. The dog was euthanized as a result of poor prognosis. Polymerase chain reaction on cerebrospinal fluid and immunohistochemistry of brain tissue were both positive for canine distemper virus. This report documents an atypical presentation of canine distemper encephalomyelitis causing lower motor neuron signs and hyperesthesia.
Associations between maternal body mass index and diet composition with placental DNA methylation at term.

Abstract Introduction Maternal obesity and poor quality diets are associated with greater risk of obesity in offspring. Maternal diet and obesity influence placental gene expression and nutrient transport, but the impact of diet and obesity on global epigenetic changes in the placenta are poorly understood. We hypothesized that placental DNA methylation patterns are associated with maternal body mass index (BMI) and/or maternal diet composition. Methods Using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS), we assessed genome scale DNA methylation of ~300,000 CpGs in 150 term placentas from normal weight mothers (n = 72) and overweight/obese mothers (n = 78). Maternal BMI was assessed before week 10 of gestation and maternal diet composition was assessed using 3-day food records at each trimester. Results In multivariable linear regression models, maternal BMI category (normal weight or overweight/obese), BMI (kg/m2), and maternal saturated fat consumption (g/d) were associated (p Discussion These data suggest that placental DNA methylation status is associated with both maternal obesity and maternal saturated fat intake, possibly contributing to maternal obesity-associated changes in placental function.
CHAPTER XI – ORTHOGONAL POLYNOMIALS

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the formulae to facilitate use and evaluation of polynomial expansions, and to build up similar type expansions of related functions from the basic expansions. The essential point is that these expansions can be evaluated and manipulated in just as simple a manner as expansions in powers of x without first converting a series of Chebyshev polynomials to an ordinary polynomial. To introduce the concept of orthogonality and its applications, it is convenient to consider real functions defined over real intervals, although the ideas are readily extended to complex functions defined over paths in the complex plane. The ak's are often called the Fourier coefficients associated with f, and the series is called a generalized Fourier series. The fact that one can calculate ak does not guarantee that the series, or if the series converges that its sum is f.
Calcium-dependent protein acyltransferase DHHC21 controls activation of CD4+ T cells

Abstract Despite the recognized significance of reversible protein lipidation (S-acylation) for T cell receptor signal transduction, the enzymatic control of this post-translational modification in T cells remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that DHHC21, a member of the DHHC family of mammalian protein acyltransferases, mediates agonist-induced S-acylation of proximal T cell signaling proteins. Using Zdhhc21dep mice expressing a functionally deficient version of DHHC21, we show that DHHC21 is a calcium/calmodulin-dependent enzyme critical for activation of naive CD4+ T cells in response to T cell receptor stimulation. We found that disruption of the calcium/calmodulin binding domain of DHHC21 does not affect thymic T cell development but prevents differentiation of peripheral CD4+ T cells into Th1, Th2, and Th17 effector T helper lineages. Our findings identify DHHC21 as an essential component of the T cell receptor signaling machinery and define a new role for protein acyltransferases in regulation of T cell-mediated immunity. Significance This study identifies DHHC21, a member of the DHHC family of mammalian protein acyltransferases, as a novel component of the TCR signaling pathway and demonstrates that this enzyme critically regulates activation and differentiation of CD4+ T cells by mediating rapid TCR-induced S-acylation of signaling proteins. This finding shows that protein acyltransferases can play a vital function in regulation of T cell-mediated immunity and thus serve as potential drug targets in diseases associated with altered immune system homeostasis.
Amicus Brief In Supreme Court Docket 19-930 (CIC Services v. IRS) On Anti-Injunction Act History and Application

CIC Services did not want to give the IRS certain information required by Notice 2016-66. It and another entity instead sued in federal district court, asking the court to: (1) declare Notice 2016-66 invalid and (2) permanently enjoin the Service from enforcing the Notice. The district court dismissed the suit, finding it barred by the Anti-Injunction Act (AIA), 26 U.S.C. §7421(a), and the Declaratory Judgment Act (DJA), 28 U.S.C. §2201(a). A split Sixth Circuit panel affirmed. A closely divided Sixth Circuit denied a petition for rehearing en banc. The Supreme Court granted cert. CIC Services and its amici argue for a radical departure from the Supreme Court's settled reading of the AIA. They say the AIA’ bars only those suits brought by persons against whom the government is proceeding directly to assess or collect a tax. They say this suit seeks only to restrain the collection of information and therefore an injunction here would not restraint the assessment or collection of any tax. This brief explains why CIC Services' argument is wrong. The argument misreads history, ignores the causal relationship between information reporting and assessment, and misappropriates language in the Tax Injunction Act (TIA) to the AIA. This brief argues that the AIA bars suits that threaten the system of assessments and collections and not just suits involving a particular dispute about a particular tax. The brief supports its argument by: (1) analyzing all the earliest cases to interpret the AIA; (2) analyzing the impact of historical changes in tax administration; and (3) analyzing the crucial role of information reporting in the current system of assessment.
Robust inference when combining inverse-probability weighting and multiple imputation to address missing data with application to an electronic health records-based study of bariatric surgery

While electronic health records present a rich and promising data source for observational research, they are highly susceptible to missing data. For settings like these, Seaman et al. (Biometrics 68 (2012) 129–137) proposed a strategy wherein one handles missingness in some variables using inverse-probability weighting and others using multiple imputation. Seaman et al. (Biometrics 68 (2012) 129–137) show that Rubin’s variance estimator for averaging results across datasets is asymptotically valid when the analysis and imputation models are correctly specified and the weights are either known or correctly specified. Modeled after the approach of Robins and Wang (Biometrika 87 (2000) 113–124), we propose a method for asymptotically valid inference that is robust to violation of these conditions. Following a simulation study in which we demonstrate that a proposed variance estimator can reduce bias due to model misspecification, we illustrate this approach in an electronic health records-based study investigating whether differences in long-term weight loss between bariatric surgery techniques are associated with chronic kidney disease at baseline. We observe that the weight loss advantage after five years of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, compared to vertical sleeve gastrectomy, is less pronounced among patients with chronic kidney disease at baseline compared to those without.
Statistical Machine Learning and Computational Biology

This talk will trace the growing influence of fundamental ideas from computer science on the nature of research in a number of scientific fields. There is a growing awareness that information processing lies at the heart of the processes studied in fields as diverse as quantum mechanics, statistical physics, nanotechnology, neuroscience, linguistics, economics and sociology. Increasingly, mathematical models in these fields are expressed in algorithmic languages and describe algorithmic processes. The speaker will briefly describe connections between quantum computing and the foundations of quantum mechanics, and between statistical mechanics and phase transitions in computation. He will indicate how the growth of the Web has created new phenomena to be investigated by sociologists and economists. He will then focus in greater detail on computational molecular biology, where the view of living cells as complex information processing systems has become the dominant paradigm, and will discuss specific algorithmic problems arising in the sequencing of genomes, the comparative analysis of the resulting genomic sequences, the modeling of networks of interacting proteins, and the associations between genetic variation and disease.
The Possibilities of Urban Informality: Two Views from Istanbul

This chapter examines two contrasting Turkish novels about life in the informal city: Orhan Pamuk’s A Strangeness in My Mind and Latife Tekin’s Berji Kristin. It examines them through the lens of representational politics, asking how their respective representational strategies contribute to our broader understanding of informal urbanisation. Although the two authors adopt very different approaches to representing the informal city—with Tekin using more experimental techniques and painting a harsher picture of informal settlements—both novels converge in their view of informal urbanisation as a promising reservoir of urban possibilities, in both the human and geographical senses of the term foregrounded throughout this volume. In this these texts suggest the need to rethink the terms of debate established by critics like Mike Davis.
Prevention of Recurrent Thrombotic Events in Children with Central Venous Catheter-Associated Venous Thrombosis.

Abstract Central venous catheters (CVC) are the most significant risk factor for pediatric venous thromboembolism (VTE). After an index CVC-associated VTE (CVC-VTE), the role of secondary prophylaxis for subsequent CVC placement is uncertain. Aims of this single center retrospective study were to evaluate the efficacy of secondary prophylaxis for patients with a prior CVC-VTE and identify risk factors associated with recurrent VTE in patients less than 19 years with an index CVC-VTE between 2003 and 2013. Data collection included clinical and demographic factors, subsequent CVC placement, secondary prophylaxis strategy, recurrent VTE, and bleeding. Risk factors for recurrence and effectiveness of secondary prophylaxis were evaluated using survival and binomial models. Among 373 patients with an index CVC-VTE, 239 (64.1%) had subsequent CVC placement. 17.4% (65/373) of patients had recurrent VTE, 90.8% (59/65) were CVC-associated. On multivariable survival analysis, each additional CVC (HR 12.00; 95%CI 2.78 - 51.91), congenital heart disease (HR 3.70; 95% CI 1.97 - 6.95), and total parenteral nutrition dependence (HR 4.02; 95% CI 2.23 - 7.28) were associated with an increased hazard of recurrence. Full dose anticoagulation for secondary prophylaxis was associated with decreased odds of recurrent CVC-VTE (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.19 - 0.65) but not prophylactic dosing (OR 0.61; 95% CI 0.28 - 1.30). Only 1.3% of CVCs experienced major bleeding with prophylactic or full dose anticoagulation.In summary, children with CVC-VTE are at increased risk for recurrent VTE. Secondary prophylaxis with full dose anticoagulation was associated with a 65% reduction in odds of thrombotic events.
Probability Distributions and Generating Functions

The p-dimensional random variable \(X = {[{\textbf{X} }_{1},\ldots,{X}_{p}]}^{\mbox{ T}}\) has a normal distribution, denoted \({\mbox{ N}}_{p}(\boldsymbol\mu,\boldsymbol\Sigma )\), with mean \(\boldsymbol\mu = {[{\mu }_{1},\ldots,{\mu }_{p}]}^{\mbox{ T}}\) and p ×p variance–covariance matrix \(\Sigma \) if its density is of the form $$p(\textbf{x} ) = {(2\pi )}^{-p/2}\mid \boldsymbol\Sigma {\mid }^{-1/2} \times \exp \left [-\frac{1} {2}{(x-\mu )}^{\mbox{ T} }{\boldsymbol\Sigma }^{-1}(x-\boldsymbol\mu )\right ],$$ for \(\textbf{} x \in {\mathbb{R}}^{p}\), \(\boldsymbol\mu \in {\mathbb{R}}^{p}\) and non-singular \(\boldsymbol\Sigma \).
On Determining the Minimum Length, Tree-Like Resolution Refutation of 2SAT, and Extended 2SAT Formulas

This paper is concerned with the design of polynomial time algorithms to determine the shortest length, tree-like resolution refutation proofs for 2SAT and Q2SAT (Quantified 2SAT) clausal systems. Determining the shortest length resolution refutation has been shown to be NP-complete, even for HornSAT systems (for both tree-like and dag-like proofs); in fact obtaining even a linear approximation for such systems is NP-Hard. In this paper we demonstrate the existence of simple and efficient algorithms for the problem of determining the exact number of steps in the minimum length tree-like resolution refutation proof of a 2SAT or Q2SAT clausal system. To the best of our knowledge, our results are the first of their kind.
Stepping Up the Treatment of Children With Asthma

In response to the increase in asthma morbidity and mortality noted in the 1980s, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute convened an expert panel and published its recommendations as the National Asthma Education Program in 1991.1 Comprehensive guidelines were developed focusing on four components of asthma management: 1. Objective measures of lung function 2. Pharmacologic therapy 3. Environmental measures to control allergens and irritants 4. Patient education This commentary addresses issues related to pharmacologic therapy. The guidelines of this component of asthma management focus on treatment of inflammation, rather than on bronchodilation. Because corticosteroids are the most effective anti-inflammatory agents used to treat asthma, there has been a shift to using inhaled corticosteroids.
The Effect of Experience and Hierarchical Position on Writers' Perceptions of the Writing Process

Surveys have shown that writing plays a significant role in the work of most college-educated people (Anderson), and a review of recent books and journals in the fields of composition and technical communication reveals that interest in nonacademic writing has grown dramatically over the past decade. The pictures that are emerging from research on writing on the job show a diversity of processes and methodologies that vary depending on organization, discipline, situation, and the traditional rhetorical themes of audience, voice, and purpose (see Broadhead and Freed; Debs; Doheny-Farina; Ede and Lunsford; Faigley; McCarthy; Miller and Selzer; Odell; Odell, Goswami, and Herrington; Paradis, Dobrin, and Miller; Selzer; Winsor). My recent investigation of the writing processes of three employees at a state agency was designed to investigate whether or not a writer’s status-the position that he/she holds within the hierarchy of the organization-and experience have an effect on that writer’s perception of the writing process. My participants are all involved in the production of written reports for aparticular government agency, but they are at different levels within the organization and have worked there for different periods of time. While the scope of my study is too limited to define causality, this discussion provides findings and suggests further research guided by the following question: Does hierarchical position within an organization and length of experience on the job affect how the writer perceives and approaches the writing task?
An internetworking architecture for multimedia communication over heterogeneous networks

Distributed multimedia applications of the future will run on heterogeneous networks. Initially deployed on traditional LANs like Token Ring and FDDI there will be a long period of transition to ATM-based LANs that offer better support for continuous media traffic like video and audio. In parallel, public ATM services emerge that enable the wide-area interconnection of LANs. In this paper we identify the issues involved in the interconnection of heterogeneous networks for multimedia communication. We discuss the interaction of traffic management, signalling and data transmission protocols and present alternatives in the protocol architectures.
Direct Enzymatic Repair of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Single-Strand Breaks in Dormant Spores

With the alkaline sucrose gradient centrifugation method, it was found that dormant spores of Clostridium botulinum subjected to 300 krads of gamma radiation showed a distinct decrease in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragment size, indicating induction of single-strand breaks (SSB). A two- to threefold difference in radiation resistance of spores of two strains of C. botulinum, 33A (37% survival dose [D37] = 110 krads) and 51B (D37 = 47 krads), was accompanied by relatively larger DNA fragments (molecular weight 7.9 × 107) obtained during extraction from the radiation-resistant strain 33A and smaller DNA fragments (molecular weight 1.8 × 107) obtained under identical conditions from radiation-sensitive strain 51B. The apparent number of DNA SSB produced by 300 krads in strains 33A and 51B was 0.37 and 3.50, respectively, per 108 daltons of DNA. Addition of 0.02 M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) to spore suspensions during irradiation doubled the apparent number of SSB in strain 33A but had no effect on strain 51B. In vivo, 0.02 M EDTA present during irradiation to 100 to 300 krads decreased survival of spores of 33A by about 30% but had little or no effect on 51B. Survival of 33A was also reduced by about 45% when the spores were irradiated while frozen in dry ice (−75 C) and, after irradiation, immediately exposed to 0.03 M EDTA for 1 h to inhibit repair in the dormant spores. These results suggest that the highly radiation-resistant strain 33A may be able to accomplish repair of SSB during irradiation or after irradiation under nonphysiological conditions, i.e., in the dormant state. This repair can be inhibited by EDTA. Sedimentation patterns show that DNA from spores of both strains 33A and 51B did not show any postirradiation repair during the first 6 h of germination, as opposed to Bacillus subtilis spores, which exhibit repair immediately after germination. These observations suggest the existence of direct repair in physiological dormant spores of strain 33A in the cryptobiotic resting state in the absence of germination. The repair seems to be similar to that of polynucleotide ligase activity shown to be operative in some vegetative cells. Apparently radiation-sensitive strains such as 51B and B. subtilis are generally poor in DNA repair enzyme activity under conditions of spore dormancy, which may account for the approximately threefold difference in radiation sensitivity or DNA fragility of different strains, or both.