cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A New Species of Orthopodomyia from California (Diptera, Culicidae)

The California representative of the genus Orthopodomyia has previously been confused with signijera (Coquillett) , a widespread species of eastern United States west to Texas and Nebraska. Considering the geographical separation involved, it is not surprising that the Californian form has characters indicating that it is a distinct species. Differences observed in the adults and pupae of the three United States species are minor but larval differences are well marked. The three species can be separated in the larval stage according to the following key. KEY TO ORTHOPODOMYIA OF AMERICA NORTH OF MEXICO BASED ON FOURTH STAGE LARVAE 1. Siphon tuft less than three-fourths (0.47 to 0.68) as long as length of siphon2 beyond insertion of tuft (fig. 2); tuft with 2 to 5 branches; lateral hair of anal segment divided from base into 2 to 4 branches, longest branch about as long as or longer (0.97 to 1.65) than length of siphon before insertion of tuft; no sclerotized plate on abdominal segment VIII ; tran
Ecological Models for Risk Assessment/Risk Management

The goal of this study is an integrated ecological risk assessment process through the use of models, test data, and other available information that will include all environmental concerns and participants in the risk analysis process. In the regulatory context, ecological models provide a close relationship between risk assessment and management. Our sequential modeling framework is a way of addressing ecological risk with definition and consistency without sacrificing accuracy. It demonstrates the difference between uncertainty and variability and the assumptions about systems, and it links data and the impacts of regulatory concern. Uncertainty and variability are a part of risk analysis and assessment and of the choice/decision process. Assumptions of risk analysis introduce both variability and uncertainty to the alternatives among which regulators must choose. Our method employs two comparable ecological risk assessment models that give two estimates for toxic effects from a chemical of known concentration. The two curves resulting from the models delineate areas on a graph that indicate acceptable, uncertain, and unacceptable levels of effect. These predictions are based on the probability of an adverse effect defined by a critical risk level set to reflect a concern level. The regulator can make a choice based on graphs that show areas of adverse effects on biota, uncertainty about the effects, and small chance of adverse effects. With these methods it is possible to communicate the chance and quality of a risk to the nontechnical regulator. The framework for the models accommodates the transition from simple to complex analysis. When models do not violate the assumptions of the bioassay, they function to meet the functional goals of risk analysis. Our models of systems are based on knowledge of the structure and function of biological communities. The Tripartite Decision Model (TDM) by Anderson and Morison (1988) allows the communication of risk in a graphical form.
Influence of occupation and labor intensity on prevalence rates of obesity and hypertension in residents

[Objective]To know the prevalence rates of obesity and hypertension among residents in Nanjing City,analyze the influence of occupation and labor intensity on prevalence rates of obesity and hypertension. [Methods]1 983 residents above 18 years old were randomly collected from 1 rural area,and 1 suburb and urban area in Nanjing City,and the survey contents included questionnaire investigation and physical examination.[Results]The prevalence rate of obesity and hypertension was 14. 3% and 33. 6%respectively. The univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the prevalence rate of hypertension was related to age,occupation,educational level,labor intensity and working hours per week( P 0. 05),while the prevalence rate of obesity was related to gender,occupation,labor intensity and working hours per week( P 0. 05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the increase of age was the risk factor of hypertension,and female was the risk factor of obesity.[Conclusion]The urban-rural gap in prevalence rates of obesity and hypertension has decreased obviously. The age is the influencing factor of hypertension,and gender is the influencing factor of obesity.
ECG Filter Algorithm Based on the Combined Morphological Filter and Adaptive Generalized Morphological Filter

Since there are some baseline drift and high-frequency noises in ECG signals,a new algorithm for ECG denoising was proposed on the basis of the traditional linear combinations of morphological filtering approach and adaptive generalized morphological filtering approach.After the baseline drift of the incoming ECG signals is removed with the traditional linear combinations of morphological filter and the high-frequency noise is filtered with adaptive generalized morphological filter,and then the clean ECG signals are obtained.The experiments showed that the algorithm is effective.
Less is More: Building Selective Anomaly Ensembles with Application to Event Detection in Temporal Graphs.

Ensemble techniques for classification and clustering have long proven effective, yet anomaly ensembles have been barely studied. In this work, we tap into this gap and propose a new ensemble approach for anomaly mining, with application to event detection in temporal graphs. Our method aims to combine results from heterogeneous detectors with varying outputs, and leverage the evidence from multiple sources to yield better performance. However, trusting all the results may deteriorate the overall ensemble accuracy, as some detectors may fall short and provide inaccurate results depending on the nature of the data in hand. This suggests that being selective in which results to combine is vital in building effective ensembles—hence “less is more”. In this paper we propose SELECT; an ensemble approach for anomaly mining that employs novel techniques to automatically and systematically select the results to assemble in a fully unsupervised fashion. We apply our method to event detection in temporal graphs, where SELECT successfully utilizes five base detectors and seven consensus methods under a unified ensemble framework. We provide extensive quantitative evaluation of our approach on five realworld datasets (four with ground truth), including Enron email communications, New York Times news corpus, and World Cup 2014 Twitter news feed. Thanks to its selection mechanism, SELECT yields superior performance compared to individual detectors alone, the full ensemble (naively combining all results), and an existing diversity-based ensemble.
Organic Oscillator: Experiments using Natural Oscillation Sources from Audiences

Our idea of Organic Oscillator is a combination of the mechanism of a table lookup oscillator and natural oscillation sources from audiences. Based on this idea, we conduct a series of audio and visual experiments, starting from using a single natural oscillation source in the human body to multiple ones from the audiences. Shifting from a singleparticipant paradigm to a group-participants paradigm, we summarize our development of audience sensing apparatuses and identify the need of an abstract audience representation to extend composition possibilities and interactive system design. Informed by our experiments, the absence of the abstract audience representation leads to a gap that limits us to express data relationships among multiple natural oscillation sources from the audiences. To advance our research, we present a novel symbolic audience model that abstracts audience members as objects and their responses as processes in a systematic perspective. We envision works created using this model may allow us to explore new forms built using this model’s new conceptual strategies of inter-participant relationship, synchronization, and collective expression.
Management of multiple sclerosis and the integration of related specialty pharmacy programs within health systems

Purpose The management of multiple sclerosis (MS) and the integration of related specialty pharmacy programs within health systems are discussed. Summary MS is a progressive immune-mediated inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Current treatment strategies include the use of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) that have various degrees of efficacy and tolerability. These DMTs also differ with respect to frequency and route of administration, which can significantly impact patient compliance and ultimately their response to therapy. The introduction of oral and injectable DMTs requiring less-frequent injections and having better adverse-effect profiles may help patients improve adherence to therapy; however, access to these therapies is often restricted due to both their high cost and limited distribution. These DMTs include fingolimod, teriflunomide, dimethyl fumarate, and pegylated interferon beta-1a. All others, with the exception of fingolimod, have limited distribution. Pharmacists in health-system pharmacy programs can play a significant role in assisting patients with MS manage their disease efficiently and safely by educating them about their therapies, ensuring compliance with the associated risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) program, and helping them access these therapies in a timely manner. Conclusion MS is a progressive neurologic disorder that requires lifelong treatment with DMTs. Good compliance, compliance with the associated REMS program, and timely access to these drugs may positively influence patient care and outcomes and provide an opportunity for the health-system pharmacists to have a active role in caring for these patients.
A multigene family of novel K+ channels from Paramecium tetraurelia

Paramecium tetraurelia has an excitable membrane with electrical properties resembling those of nerve and muscle cells from metazoans. However, the relationship between the molecules underlying electrical excitability in Paramecium and those found in metazoans has been unexplored. Using a PCR-based screen, we identified a multigene family of putative potassium channels in the ciliate protist Paramecium tetraurelia. Two distinct genomic clones were isolated, each encoding an apparently complete channel, Pak1 and Pak2. Fragments of three additional genes were also isolated. The deduced amino acid sequences appear to define a family of novel K+ channel genes which are only distantly related to metazoan potassium channels; the K+-selective pore region is exceptionally well conserved, but outside this region, PaK1 and PaK2 bear little resemblance to the metazoan voltage-gated K+ channels, Shaker Shal, Shab or Shaw. The uniqueness of this large set of K+ channel genes may be accounted for by the distinct evolutionary pressures at play in the single celled Paramecium versus the multicellular Metazoans. Since a large number of K+ channel mutants exist in Paramecium, the sequences of the K+ channel gene family reported here may represent a significant step towards the molecular characterization of these important behavioral mutants.
Student retention methods in clinical laboratory education programs.

OBJECTIVE To document the use of student retention methods in clinical laboratory scientist (CLS) and clinical laboratory technician (CLT) education programs sponsored by academic institutions. DESIGN Mailed survey. SETTING Not applicable. PARTICIPANTS Program directors of 182 CLS and CLT education programs. INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Responses to a 52-item, forced-choice s survey of retention methods used and program enrollment data provided by survey respondents. RESULTS All programs are using retention methods, although only 36% of the programs have official retention programs for all students, while 14% have programs targeting minorities. A wide variety of retention methods are used, maintenance-phase activities being used with the greatest frequency. CLS and CLT programs differ in their use of certain retention methods and in some of the phases of the retention process emphasized. CONCLUSION This study describes the use of a wide variety of retention methods currently employed nationwide. Educators can use the results of this study as a baseline for evaluating their own programs' retention efforts in attempting to address the problem of student attrition.
Introduction to Measurement and Analysis

In spite of all of the innovations and technical advances of the past half-century, healthcare in the USA is of “spotty” quality and has been characterized as “unsafe.” Methods developed in US industrial engineering, using operations research and analytic modeling, can be applied to healthcare to produce a transformation in how care is delivered by enhancing quality and safety. Rather than focusing on management and finance, an emphasis on quality and safety will LEAD to economic advances. However, implementation of such methods will require a cadre of motivated and prepared physicians to champion the efforts.
A multi-scale study of the adsorption of lanthanum on the (110) surface of tungsten

In this study, we utilize a multi-scale approach to studying lanthanum adsorption on the (110) plane of tungsten. The energy of the system is described from density functional theory calculations within the framework of the cluster expansion method. It is found that including two-body figures up to the sixth nearest neighbor yielded a reasonable agreement with density functional theory calculations as evidenced by the reported cross validation score. The results indicate that the interaction between the adsorbate atoms in the adlayer is important and cannot be ignored. The parameterized cluster expansion expression is used in a lattice gas Monte Carlo simulation in the grand canonical ensemble at 773 K and the adsorption isotherm is recorded. Implications of the obtained results for the pyroprocessing application are discussed.
Policy Diffusion and Performance-based Budgeting

ABSTRACTThis article applied the policy diffusion model as a theoretical framework for interpreting the international spread of performance-based budgeting, based upon 33 OECD case studies of countries that have implemented this reform. The data show that the historical development of performance-based budgeting was fairly consistent with the diffusion model. In particular, the adoption of performance budgeting took off during 1985–1995 and then accelerated over the following 15 years, and the primary innovators were a group of four English-speaking countries with comparatively laissez-faire economies (the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand). The case studies indicated that performance-based budgeting was generally part of a broader program of governmental reform, that executive agencies were more important than parliaments in managing it, that it became quite important in budget- and policy-making, and that implementing it faced a significant number of challenges.
Changes in Social Media Affect, Disclosure, and Sociality for a Sample of Transgender Americans in 2016's Political Climate.

In the wake of 2016’s divisive political climate in the US, media reports indicated that vulnerable people, such as the transgender population, may be experiencing lower than normal rates of emotional wellbeing. To test these claims, we analyzed social media linguistic markers of affect, disclosure, and sociality in late 2016 as compared to the same month a year prior in a sample of US Tumblr blogs documenting people’s gender transitions. We find that both negative and positive affect, and words related to anger in particular, increased for trans women in 2016. At the same time, social words used to describe family and friends decreased for trans people, indicating that they may have interacted less with family and friends in late 2016. Self-disclosure decreased in 2016, potentially indicating increased political language vs. personal content, or self-censorship in response to a hostile political environment. Results highlight ways large scale external political events may impact how people communicate and disclose on social media. Additionally, our results indicate that social media data could also be used to identify those most in need of mental wellbeing resources in response to a hostile political climate.
Device-to-device commercial content dissemination in social wireless networks

Majority of existing Delay Tolerant Network (DTN) multicast routing approaches attempt to individually optimize performance indices such as message delay, forwarding cost, and required storage. Very few define composite cost factors by combining multiple such indices into a single index. This paper introduces a composite index, namely economic gain, which combines revenue from delivery and forwarding cost from disseminating commercial content such as coupons. In this context, an Economy Driven Content Dissemination (EDCD) protocol is proposed that controls D2D content dissemination with an end goal of maximizing the economic gain for a coupon-generator. Using the DTN simulation software ONE, we run experiments for functional validation and performance evaluation of the proposed protocol with respect to few other competitive protocols under different mobility scenarios.
Abstract 990: Patterns of racial disparities in health-related quality of life among colorectal cancer patients and relationship with survival

Distinct racial disparities are evident in CRC prognosis with Black patients experiencing worse outcomes than Hispanics and Whites. In a prior study of Health Related Quality of Life (HR-QoL) in a cohort of CRC patients, we observed that racial minority patients experienced lower HR-QoL scores compared to White CRC patients. Therefore, in this study, we focused on the identification of patterns of racial disparities in HR-QoL scores and relationship to differences in prognosis. White (N=450), Hispanic (N=366), and Black (N=316) CRC patients within 1 year of diagnosis at MD Anderson Cancer Center completed the SF-12 quality of life questionnaire to determine Mental Composite Summary (MCS) and Physical Composite Summary (PCS) scores. Participants also completed a questionnaire to collect epidemiology and sociodemographic variables. Vital status and histology information was obtained from the institutional tumor registry. Racial disparities were reported in HR-QoL with both Black and Hispanic patients reporting lower mean PCS and MCS scores compared to White patients, suggesting poorer HR-QoL in these populations. We observed differences in patterns of association between epidemiology and sociodemographic variables and poor HR-QoL by race. Hispanics who never married were at higher risk of poor physical HR-QoL (OR: 2.55(1.15-5.67), P=0.021) compared to married patients, which was not observed for White or Black CRC patients. Similarly, CRC patients with some college education was associated with a decreased risk of poor PCS, but only in Hispanics (OR: 0.26(0.13-0.52), P Citation Format: Michelle A. T. Hildebrandt, Alem A. Belachew, Monica E. Reyes, Yuanqing Ye, Xifeng Wu. Patterns of racial disparities in health-related quality of life among colorectal cancer patients and relationship with survival [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 990. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-990
Love at first sight: Mere exposure to robot appearance leaves impressions similar to interactions with physical robots

As the technology needed to make robots robust and affordable draws ever nearer, human-robot interaction (HRI) research to make robots more useful and accessible to the general population becomes more crucial. In this study, 59 college students filled out an online survey soliciting their judgments regarding seven social robots based solely on appearance. Results suggest that participants prefer robots that resemble animals or humans over those that are intended to represent an imaginary creature or do not resemble a creature at all. Results are discussed based on social robot application and design features.
The effect of PET/CT images on SUV with the correction of

2122 Objectives Combining the PET with CT, it is not only possible to offer the higher resolution but also effectively shorten the scanning time by using CT data in attenuation correction. In the CT scanning, furthermore, the contrast media makes it easier to determine exact range of the lesion among the normal organs. I n the case of using the contrast media, however, it affects semi-quantitative measures of the PET/CT images. In this study, therefore, we establish the reliability of the SUV with CT data correction so that it gives more accurate diagnosis. Methods The study enrolled 30 patients (range 27 – 72y). DSTe (GE Healthcare) is used for equipment. The injection dose of 18F-FDG ranged from 370~555 MBq. The CT scan is set to 140kV, 210mA and the contrast media was injected 2cc per 1kg of the patients9 weight. With the raw data from the scan, we obtain image showing the effect of the contrast media through the attenuation correction by both of the corrected and uncorrected CT data. Then we measure SUV and analyze the difference. Results According to the analysis, the SUV is decreased in the liver and heart which have more bloodstream than the others, because of the contrast media correction. On the other hand, there is no difference in the lungs. Conclusions In this research, we measure the variation of SUV through the correction of the influence of contrast media and compare the differences. As we revise the SUV which is increasing in the image with attenuation correction by using contrast media, we can expect anatomical images of high-resolution. Furthermore, it is considered that through this trusted semi-quantitative method, it will definitely enhance the diagnostic value.
Cyclic Irrigation and Grass Waterways Combine to Reduce Isoxaben Losses from Container Plant Nurseries

Abstract This study evaluated the remediating effects of the combination of cyclic irrigation and grass waterways on pesticide loads in runoff water. Cleary's 3336 (thiophanate-methyl), Dursban (chlorpyrifos), and Snapshot TG (trifluralin plus isoxaben) were applied to container nursery beds. The two treatments were continuous irrigation (90 min duration) with runoff emptying through a clay/gravel waterway and cyclic irrigation (three 30 min cycles with 90 min between cycles) with runoff emptying into a grass waterway. Samples of runoff water were collected at the end of the waterways on the day of application and 1, 2, 4, and 8 days after application. Cyclic irrigation reduced runoff water volume 15% compared to continuous irrigation. All pesticides were detected in runoff water on the day of application from both treatments. Isoxaben was detected in runoff water through 8 days after application from both treatments. Isoxaben concentrations and amounts were reduced by the cyclic irrigation/grass waterway...
SYMBOLING AND SEMANTIC CONDITIONING: ANTHROPOGENY

Publisher Summary This chapter describes anthropogeny. It discusses symboling and semantic conditioning. A views was set forth that higher animals have evolved four ascending varieties of cognitive learning reflected in sensory preconditioning, learned stimulus configuring, insight or eduction, and oddity learning. The respective generalities of the learning varieties were the uncovering of existing and obvious spatial and temporal relations; the formation of enduring suprasummative unitary configurations; the discovery of new and unobvious relations; and the formation enduring concepts. Learning to configure was held to be the key objective schema of the varieties and was equated with learning to perceive. Semantic configures paralleling behavioral symbols have become integrated into higher semantic units, each subserved by a manifold of related symbols, in accordance with the natural trend of neurocognition to become abstracted . Behavioristic views that the genesis and essence of language are an outcome of simple conditioning may not need to be so negated that they are overridingly regarded as an unfolding of a species-specific generative grammar.
Integral representations of increments of stochastic processes

A formulation is presented in which the increment of a stochastic process is represented as an integral of the derivative of the process. It is shown that this representation is an alternative to the more common approach of writing equations for the differentials of stochastic processes. A possible advantage of the integral formulation is that its reliance on derivatives, rather than differentials, makes the operations of stochastic calculus more closely resemble those of ordinary deterministic calculus. This similarity to well-known mathematics may serve to make stochastic calculus accessible to a broader audience than in the past. The integral formulation is herein shown to be compatible with the Ito differential rule for non-Gaussian processes and is used to describe the increment of the nonstationary response of a system governed by a vector stochastic equation with parametric delta-correlated excitation.
Uncertainty and Robust Stability

In Chapter 2, it was pointed out that the behavior of many dynamic systems can be modelled by linear, finite dimensional, time invariant differential equations. Even though these are only approximate models they are frequently adequate for analysis and design. Modelling, is an integral part of control system design and a number of system models may be considered as the process evolves. In many cases these models are obtained via some form of linearization of a nonlinear set of equations. For instance, Lagrangian mechanics can be used to generate the equations of motion of n link robotic manipulators. These are in general second order coupled nonlinear differential equations in n generalized coordinates (say the angular or translational displacement of each link). The system in Example 2.1 is the simplest such case, as the equation turns out to be linear (no gravitational effects). These equations include several parameters such as masses, inertias, distances to link centers of gravity and friction coefficients. Frequently, the exact values of such parameters are not known, but only that they lie in some given intervals. The reason is either because it would be to complicated to compute exact values, or that these values may change during operation. For example, computing the moment of inertia of some typical robotic manipulator link is not easy, and may involve experiments. Furthermore, the mass (and moment of inertia) of the end effector (last link) will change as soon as an object is picked up during some assembly.
Extreme group sizes in a colonial bird favored during a rare climatic event

What maintains stasis in animal group‐size distributions is an unresolved problem in behavioral ecology. One potential driver could be rare climatic events that favor certain group sizes in ways that do not occur in normal conditions. We investigated mortality among colonially nesting cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) during a rare climatic event in western Nebraska in 1996 that led to the starvation of thousands of adult birds. Colonies at the extreme end of the size distribution exhibited less size reduction (higher adult survival) than those of intermediate size. That this event resulted in disruptive selection on colony size was suggested by an underrepresentation of locally produced yearling birds that recruited into colonies of intermediate size the following year. There was no evidence that the colony‐size‐related mortality could be explained by differential sorting of birds among colonies based on body size or differing patterns of selection on morphology. The selection on colony size was likely driven by lower competition for food in the smallest colonies and better quality foraging habitat associated with the largest colonies, with these advantages enhanced in severe weather. Selection on colony size during rare climatic events can reinforce or oppose selection occurring during other times of the annual cycle. Whether such selection results in long‐term change in the colony‐size distribution may depend on the frequency and severity of these climatic events.
Height and Body Mass Index as Modifiers of Breast Cancer Risk in BRCA1/2 Mutation Carriers: A Mendelian Randomization Study

BACKGROUND: BRCA1/2 mutations confer high lifetime risk of breast cancer, although other factors may modify this risk. Whether height or body mass index (BMI) modifies breast cancer risk in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers remains unclear. METHODS: We used Mendelian randomization approaches to evaluate the association of height and BMI on breast cancer risk, using data from the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2 with 14 676 BRCA1 and 7912 BRCA2 mutation carriers, including 11 451 cases of breast cancer. We created a height genetic score using 586 height-associated variants and a BMI genetic score using 93 BMI-associated variants. We examined both observed and genetically determined height and BMI with breast cancer risk using weighted Cox models. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: Observed height was positively associated with breast cancer risk (HR = 1.09 per 10 cm increase, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.0 to 1.17; P = 1.17). Height genetic score was positively associated with breast cancer, although this was not statistically significant (per 10 cm increase in genetically predicted height, HR = 1.04, 95% CI = 0.93 to 1.17; P = .47). Observed BMI was inversely associated with breast cancer risk (per 5 kg/m2 increase, HR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.90 to 0.98; P = .007). BMI genetic score was also inversely associated with breast cancer risk (per 5 kg/m2 increase in genetically predicted BMI, HR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.76 to 0.98; P = .02). BMI was primarily associated with premenopausal breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Height is associated with overall breast cancer and BMI is associated with premenopausal breast cancer in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers. Incorporating height and BMI, particularly genetic score, into risk assessment may improve cancer management.
Uncertainty-Based Deep Learning Networks for Limited Data Wetland User Models

This paper discusses a method for dealing with limited data in deep networks based on calculating the uncertainty associated with remaining training data. The method was developed for the Watershed REstoration using Spatio-Temporal Optimization of REsources (WRESTORE) system, an interactive decision support system designed for performing multi-criteria decision analysis with a distributed system of conservation practices on the Eagle Creek Watershed in Indiana, USA. Our results show faster and more stable convergence when using an uncertainty-based incremental sampling method than when using a standard random incremental sampling method. This work describes the existing WRESTORE system, provides details about the implementation of our uncertainty-based incremental sampling method, and provides a discussion of our results and future work. The primary contribution of the paper is an uncertainty-based incremental sampling method which can be applied to limited data watershed design problems.
APOBEC-induced mutations and their cancer effect size in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Recent studies have revealed the mutational signatures underlying the somatic evolution of cancer, and the prevalences of associated somatic genetic variants. Here we estimate the intensity of positive selection that drives mutations to high frequency in tumors, yielding higher prevalences than expected on the basis of mutation and neutral drift alone. We apply this approach to a sample of 525 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma exomes, producing a rank-ordered list of gene variants by selection intensity. Our results illustrate the complementarity of calculating the intensity of selection on mutations along with tallying the prevalence of individual substitutions in cancer: while many of the most prevalently-altered genes were heavily selected, their relative importance to the cancer phenotype differs from their prevalence and from their P value, with some infrequent variants exhibiting evidence of strong positive selection. Furthermore, we extend our analysis of effect size by quantifying the degree to which mutational processes (such as APOBEC mutagenesis) contributes mutations that are highly selected, driving head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. We calculate the substitutions caused by APOBEC mutagenesis that make the greatest contribution to cancer phenotype among patients. Lastly, we demonstrate via in vitro biochemical experiments that the APOBEC3B protein can deaminate the cytosine bases at two sites whose mutant states are subject to high net realized selection intensities-PIK3CA E545K and E542K. By quantifying the effects of mutations, we deepen the molecular understanding of carcinogenesis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Historicizing Rights Discourse Post-9/11

In this chapter, I trace a brief history of the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Rights from its early incarnation to the present, marking the various ways in which its language has resonated and has been reshaped. I analyze this history through the lens of what Fredric Jameson has called the “world space of multinational capital,” demonstrating how this space determined from the outset how rights discourse was formulated, how this space continues to construct conceptual categories of villains and victims, and, most importantly, how it has selectively silenced and emphasized what constitutes rights abuse. First, I argue that the politics of decolonization played a fundamental role in shaping rights discourse in the post-war years; then I show how the neoliberal politics of the 1980s helped construct rights discourse in the 1990s; finally, I examine a range of critical analyses of the language of human rights in the post-9/11 era.
Acyclic nucleoside triphosphate analogs as terminators in biocatalytic DNA replication

Abstract The acyclic nucleoside triphosphates 1 and 2 were prepared and tested as substrates for several DNA replicating enzymes; AmpliTaq® FS and Taquenase® accepted these compounds as substrates leading to chain termination.
Inhaled GM-CSF in neonatal mice provides durable protection against bacterial pneumonia

Pneumonia poses profound health threats to preterm infants. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) eliminate inhaled pathogens while maintaining surfactant homeostasis. As AM development only occurs perinatally, therapies that accelerate AM maturation in preterms may improve outcomes. We tested therapeutic rescue of AM development in mice lacking the actin-bundling protein L-plastin (LPL), which exhibit impaired AM development and increased susceptibility to pneumococcal lung infection. Airway administration of recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to LPL-/- neonates augmented AM production. Airway administration distinguishes the delivery route from prior human infant trials. Adult LPL-/- animals that received neonatal GM-CSF were protected from experimental pneumococcal challenge. No detrimental effects on surfactant metabolism or alveolarization were observed. Airway recombinant GM-CSF administration thus shows therapeutic promise to accelerate neonatal pulmonary immunity, protecting against bacterial pneumonia.
Health insurance literacy, status, and financial toxicity in women receiving treatment for metastatic breast cancer.

96Background: Though uninsurance rates declined after the Affordable Care Act, the number of underinsured, or individuals who spend > 10% of their income on out-of-pocket (OOP) medical costs, conti...
Impact-induced glass-to-rubber transition of polyurea under high-velocity temperature-controlled microparticle impact

Deformation-induced glass transition in segmented elastomers has been proposed to allow highly desirable enhanced energy dissipation. In this study, we investigate the temperature-dependent microscale impact response of polyurea at a fixed impact velocity. We observe a local elevated impact energy absorption around 115 °C, which is attributed to the glass-to-rubber transition temperature under the present high-rate dynamic loading. Dielectric spectroscopy was performed, and the soft-segmental α2-relaxation was extracted and fit with a Havriliak–Negami function. The α2-relaxation frequency at 115 °C correlates well with an order-of-magnitude estimate of the equivalent frequency of deformation. This work further supports the importance of the dynamical Tg as an important consideration in the design of impact resistant materials.
Organic Composomes as Supramolecular Aptamers

Information contained in the sequences of biological polymers such as DNA and protein is crucial to determining their function. Lipids are not generally thought of as information-containing molecules. However, from a supramolecular perspective, the number of possible combinations of lipids in a mixture is comparable to the complexity of DNA or proteins. Here, we test the idea that an organic composome can exhibit molecular recognition. We use water/octanol as a model two-phase system and investigate the effect of organic solutes in different combinations in the organic phase on selective partitioning of two water-soluble dyes (Brilliant Blue FCF and Allura Red AC) from the aqueous phase into the organic phase. We found that variation in the concentration of the surfactant cetyltrimethylamonium bromide (CTAB) in the octanol phase alone was sufficient to cause a switch in selectivity, with low CTAB concentrations being selective for the red dye and high CTAB concentrations being selective for the blue dye. Other organic components were added to the organic phase to introduce molecular diversity into the composome and directed evolution was used to optimize the relative concentrations of the solutes. An improvement of selective partitioning in the heterogeneous system over the pure CTAB solution was observed. The results indicate that supramolecular composomes are sufficient for molecular recognition processes in a way analogous to nucleic acid aptamers.
The Hardship of Recovering a Patient from Liver Failure after One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass

The one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) was first described in 2001 as a safe and effective procedure that meets the criteria for the “ideal” weight loss operation. However, revisions for malnutrition and liver failure were reported. We report a patient who was transferred to our institution with protein calorie malnutrition and liver failure after undergoing OAGB. A 42-year-old morbidly obese female patient underwent a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in 2012 followed by conversion to OAGB in 2018 for weight regain at another institution. Nine months after conversion, she was transferred to our institution with dehydration, vomiting, dysphagia, generalized edema, and steatorrhea (7 times/day). She had become wheelchair bound. On examination, there was gross edema, protein–calorie malnutrition, dermatitis, and muscle wasting. She had anemia (8 g/dl) reference range (11.5–15.5 g/dl), bilirubin (1.8 mg/dl) (0.2–1.2 mg/dl), hypoalbuminemia (1.4 g/dl) (3.5–5 g/dl), and elevated international normalized ratio (INR). The patient was admitted to the hospital and was started on total parenteral nutrition (TPN), with thiamine, vitamins, iron injections, and trace mineral replacement. Her course was complicated by multiple episodes of line sepsis and bacteremia. After 6 weeks, we succeeded in raising her albumin to 2.9 g/dl and proceeded with surgery. Laparoscopic exploration started with identifying the anatomy and measuring the biliopancreatic limb (BPL = 430 cm) and the common channel (CC = 380 cm). First, we restored the continuity of the small bowel. Then the long gastric pouch was trimmed. Finally, the patient was converted to a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) with a 30 cm BP limb and 70 cm Roux limb. The patient had an uneventful recovery and was discharged home on the fourth postoperative day. At 3 months of follow-up, her symptoms resolved, her laboratory work up normalized, and she regained mobility. Malnutrition and liver failure after OAGB are not uncommon. It is encountered with configurations of longer BP limb. BPL length of 150 to 200 cm seems to reduce such complications. Preoperative nutritional optimization is key. Conversion to a proximal RYGB is a safe and feasible approach.
Modeling Craft Learning as Perceptual Transformation

This chapter looks back at the full account of community-mediated perceptual transformation set forth in this book, drawing out general conclusions and situating them within the larger academic conversation outlined in Chap. 2. Overall, the conclusions coalesce around three themes: the perception of workshop equipment, the ways in which newcomers to the workshop learn the trade, and the role of the professional community in supporting this learning. My findings are organized around these key themes in this chapter, showing how my perspective on learning and understanding in the workshop reinforces some existing accounts while challenging or advancing others. In particular, I show how my results compare to existing accounts of the stages in practical learning, the lived experience of embodiment, and the situated nature of practical knowledge.
Apolipoprotein Mimetic Peptides: Potential New Therapies for Cardiovascular Diseases

Since the seminal breakthrough of treating diabetic patients with insulin in the 1920s, there has been great interest in developing other proteins and their peptide mimetics as therapies for a wide variety of other medical disorders. Currently, there are at least 60 different peptides that have been approved for human use and over 150 peptides that are in various stages of clinical development. Peptides mimetic of the major proteins on lipoproteins, namely apolipoproteins, have also been developed first as tools for understanding apolipoprotein structure and more recently as potential therapeutics. In this review, we discuss the biochemistry, peptide mimetics design and clinical trials for peptides based on apoA-I, apoE and apoC-II. We primarily focus on applications of peptide mimetics related to cardiovascular diseases. We conclude with a discussion on the limitations of peptides as therapeutic agents and the challenges that need to be overcome before apolipoprotein mimetic peptides can be developed into new drugs.
Invasive cortical stimulation.

Abstract The field of neuromodulation, at its essence, aims to apply electrical stimulation to the brain to ameliorate various pathology. Many methods of applying this stimulation exist, including invasive and non-invasive means. In the realm of invasive stimulation, stimulation of the cortex remains one of the earliest techniques investigated, yet one of the most underutilized today. Evidence for the efficacy of direct invasive cortical stimulation continues to mount, especially in recent years. In this chapter we will review the evidence for the use of invasive cortical stimulation as it applies to neuropathic pain, epilepsy, psychiatric disease, movement disorders, tinnitus, and post-stroke recovery, as well explore some potential mechanisms and future directions of the technique.
Brain profiling in murine colitis and human epilepsy reveals neutrophils and TNFα as mediators of neuronal hyperexcitability

Patients with chronic inflammatory disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease frequently experience neurological complications including epilepsy, depression, attention deficit disorders, migraines, and dementia. However, the mechanistic basis for these associations is unknown. Given that many patients are unresponsive to existing medications or experience debilitating side effects, novel therapeutics that target the underlying pathophysiology of these conditions are urgently needed. Because intestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease are robustly associated with neurological symptoms, we used three different mouse models of colitis to investigate the impact of peripheral inflammatory disease on the brain. We assessed neuronal hyperexcitability, which is associated with many neurological symptoms, by measuring seizure threshold in healthy and colitic mice. We profiled the neuroinflammatory phenotype of colitic mice and used depletion and neutralization assays to identify the specific mediators responsible for colitis-induced neuronal hyperexcitability. To determine whether our findings in murine models overlapped with a human phenotype, we performed gene expression profiling, pathway analysis, and deconvolution on microarray data from hyperexcitable human brain tissue from patients with epilepsy. We observed that murine colitis induces neuroinflammation characterized by increased pro-inflammatory cytokine production, decreased tight junction protein expression, and infiltration of monocytes and neutrophils into the brain. We also observed sustained neuronal hyperexcitability in colitic mice. Colitis-induced neuronal hyperexcitability was ameliorated by neutrophil depletion or TNFα blockade. Gene expression profiling of hyperexcitable brain tissue resected from patients with epilepsy also revealed a remarkably similar pathology to that seen in the brains of colitic mice, including neutrophil infiltration and high TNFα expression. Our results reveal neutrophils and TNFα as central regulators of neuronal hyperexcitability of diverse etiology. Thus, there is a strong rationale for evaluating anti-inflammatory agents, including clinically approved TNFα inhibitors, for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric symptoms present in, and potentially independent of, a diagnosed inflammatory disorder.
Decompressive Craniectomy After Traumatic Brain Injury: Incorporating Patient Preferences into Decision-Making.

Background Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is highly effective in relieving intracranial hypertension; however, patient selection, intracranial pressure threshold, timing, and long-term functional outcomes are all subject to controversy. Recently, recommendations were made to update the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines in regards to the use of DC based on the DECRA (Decompressive Craniectomy in Patients with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury) and RESCUEicp (Trial of Decompressive Craniectomy for Traumatic Intracranial Hypertension) clinical trials. Neither the updated recommendations, nor the aforementioned trials, provide a method in incorporating individualized patient or surrogate decision-maker preferences into decision making. Methods In this manuscript, we aimed to redress the gap of not incorporating patient preferences in such value-laden decision making as in the case of DC for refractory post-traumatic intracranial hypertension. We proposed a decision aid based on principles of Decision Theory, and specifically of Expected Utility Theory. Results We showed that 1) early secondary DC as studied in DECRA, and based on the 1-year outcome data, is associated with decreased expected utility for all possible preference rankings of outcomes; and 2) recommending a late secondary DC versus tier-3 medical therapy, as studied in RESCUEicp, should be informed by individualized patient preference rankings of outcomes as elicited via shared decision-making. Conclusions The 1-year outcomes from DECRA and RESCUEicp have served as the basis for updated guidelines. However, unaided interpretation of trial data may not be adequate for individualized decision-making; we suggest that the latter can be significantly supported by decision aids such as the one described here and based on expected utility theory.
FALSE LUMEN ACCESS FOR TRANS-SEPTAL TEVAR IN A 10-CM DISSECTING THORACOABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM

Abstract Endovascular treatment of the chronically dissected aorta can be particularly challenging due to unending variation in post-dissection configurations. Traditionally, basic principles of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) rely on bilateral femoral access and deployment of a stent-graft within the true lumen. We describe here a case of trans-septal TEVAR in a patient with complex chronic residual type B aortic dissection (1,10) with dilation up to 10cm in the context of a chronically occluded right external iliac artery, and a left iliofemoral system supplied by the false lumen.