cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Osteocytic signalling pathways as therapeutic targets for bone fragility

Osteocytes are differentiated osteoblasts that become surrounded by matrix during the process of bone formation. Acquisition of the osteocyte phenotype is achieved by profound changes in gene expression that facilitate adaptation to the changing cellular environment and constitute the molecular signature of osteocytes. During osteocytogenesis, the expression of genes that are characteristic of the osteoblast are altered and the expression of genes and/or proteins that impart dendritic cellular morphology, regulate matrix mineralization and control the function of cells at the bone surface are ordely modulated. The discovery of mutations in human osteocytic genes has contributed, in a large part, to our understanding of the role of osteocytes in bone homeostasis. Osteocytes are targets of the mechanical force imposed on the skeleton and have a critical role in integrating mechanosensory pathways with the action of hormones, which thereby leads to the orchestrated response of bone to environmental cues. Current, therapeutic approaches harness this accumulating knowledge by targeting osteocytic signalling pathways and messengers to improve skeletal health.
Performance Database for Offshore Tug Supply Vessels

With the continued development of the oil and gas fields, the fourth generation of tug-supply vessel is being launched This paper summarizes the performance data base for offshore tug-supply vessels developed under a SNAME T&R Project
Abstract 1935: A role for microRNAs in the regulation of transcription factor ATF5

ATF5 is a widely expressed transcription factor that modulates survival, proliferation, and differentiation and plays a role in homeostasis and cellular stress response. In unstressed conditions, ATF5 has a short half-life and is rapidly degraded due to post-translational modifications. Conversely, ATF5 is upregulated in cells under cellular stress. Furthermore, we have found that ATF5 is elevated in transformed C6 glioma and MCF7 breast cancer compared to nontransformed cells and is a survival factor for both transformed cell lines. Although it is known that ATF5 mRNA can be stabilized at the 5’ untranslated region (UTR) and protected from degradation via interactions with other proteins, regulation of ATF5 expression is not fully understood. We hypothesize that microRNA (miRNA) play a role in regulating the expression of ATF5 at the 3’ UTR. MiRNAs are endogenous small non-coding RNAs 20-25 nucleotides in length that contribute to regulation of gene expression at the translational level. Herein, we sought to identify the presence of specific miRNA and their levels and ability to downregulate ATF5 during cellular stress and other physiological conditions in vitro. To date, no studies have examined the regulation of ATF5 by miRNA. Binding sites of miRNA are typically found in the UTRs of target mRNAs. We used TargetScan, miRanda, and other in silico modeling programs to identify miRNAs that were predicted to bind to the 3’ UTR of ATF5 and selected miRNAs 129-5p, 433-3p, and 520b as initial candidates for their potential in regulation of ATF5. Here, we have employed multiple strategies to investigate a potential role of miRNAs in the regulation of ATF5. Luciferase reporter assays were used as an initial method of validation for the miRNA candidates. Subsequently, transfections were carried out with precursor microRNA and expression levels of ATF5 were measured under varying physiological conditions via Western blot analysis. Additionally, immunoprecipitations were carried out with ATF5 3’ UTR mRNA and HeLa cell lysate to assess the presence of miRNAs and quantify the amount of specific miRNA bound to the 3’ UTR under varying physiological conditions via qPCR analysis. Preliminary data show that miRNA are bound to the 3’ UTR of ATF5 and that miRNAs 129-5p, 433-3p, and 520b help to regulate the expression of ATF5 under varying stress conditions and at steady state. Better understanding of the regulation of ATF5 could have implications in a broad range of human malignancies, including glioma and potentially several other types of cancer. Citation Format: Kari A. Gaither, David X. Liu, Bhanupriya Madarampalli. A role for microRNAs in the regulation of transcription factor ATF5. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1935.
Copper Ball Bond over a Variety of Probe Marks in Two Pad Aluminum Thicknesses

In this experiment, Cu wire bonding takes place over a variety of probe marks on integrated circuit bond pads of 0.8µm and 3µm aluminum (Al) thicknesses. Probe marks were created by cantilever probe tips, typical of probes in manufacturing for bond pads of 75µm width or greater. Three probe cards were built to simulate different contact forces on the pads. Integrated circuit test wafers were probed using each probe card, one half wafer with smooth tips, and the other half wafer with roughened tips. This resulted in a variety of probe mark topographies to use in experimentation. Wire bonding over probe marks was done with 25µm bare copper (Cu) wire with a single bond recipe typical of manufacturing for 3µm pad Al. Data analysis was approached using design of experiment (DOE) factorial methods, bond shear force being the output of interest. Bond shear force values are affected by Al thickness, shear test direction relative to ultrasonic generator (USG) vibration direction, and also probe mark characteristics for Cu bonds on thick pad Al.
W' expenditure and reconstitution during severe intensity constant power exercise: mechanistic insight into the determinants of W'.

The sustainable duration of severe intensity exercise is well-predicted by critical power (CP) and the curvature constant (W′). The development of the W′BAL model allows for the pattern of W′ expenditure and reconstitution to be characterized and this model has been applied to intermittent exercise protocols. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the influence of relaxation phase duration and exercise intensity on W′ reconstitution during dynamic constant power severe intensity exercise. Six men (24.6 ± 0.9 years, height: 173.5 ± 1.9 cm, body mass: 78.9 ± 5.6 kg) performed severe intensity dynamic handgrip exercise to task failure using 50% and 20% duty cycles. The W′BAL model was fit to each exercise test and the time constant for W′ reconstitution (τW′) was determined. The τW′ was significantly longer for the 50% duty cycle (1640 ± 262 sec) than the 20% duty cycle (863 ± 84 sec, P = 0.02). Additionally, the relationship between τW′ and CP was well described as an exponential decay (r2 = 0.90, P < 0.0001). In conclusion, the W′BAL model is able to characterize the expenditure and reconstitution of W′ across the contraction–relaxation cycles comprising severe intensity constant power handgrip exercise. Moreover, the reconstitution of W′ during constant power severe intensity exercise is influenced by the relative exercise intensity, the duration of relaxation between contractions, and CP.
Baseline EDSS proportions in MS clinical trials affect the overall outcome and power: A cautionary note.

Background:In randomized clinical trials, when treatments do not work equally effectively across stratifications of participants, observed event rates may differ from those hypothesized leading to deviations in estimated power.Objectives:To investigate the effect of distributions of baseline Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) proportions in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) on the trial outcome, confirmed disability progression rate (CDPR), and power.Methods:We reported CDPRs in the CombiRx trial by baseline EDSS and by groups (1st (0, 1), 2nd (1.5, 2), 3rd (2.5, 3), and 4th (⩾3.5)) and investigated the effect of different combinations of baseline EDSS proportions on the trial outcome and power.Results:There were 244 (25.4%) participants in the 1st group, 368 (38.4%) in the 2nd group, 223 (23.3%) in the 3rd group, and 124 (12.9%) in the 4th group with CDPRs of 40.1%, 13.9%, 11.2%, and 16.9%, respectively. Both CDPR and power increased when the proportion of the 1st group increased in hypo...
TESTING AND EVALUATION OF CHEMICAL HAZARDS UNDER THE TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT

ABSTRACT The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) provides the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with authority to require industry recordkeeping and reporting on chemical production, uses, and hazards, to require industry to test chemicals to evaluate their health or environmental hazards, and to regulate unreasonable risks to health or the environment posed by chemical substances or mixtures. Newly marketed chemicals are subject to a premarket notification requirement. To effectively implement the authorities provided by TSCA a large number of scientific evaluations of chemical hazards will have to be performed by EPA each year. The approaches being employed by EPA's Office of Toxic Substances to perform those evaluations are described.
Structured covariance completion via proximal algorithms

This paper studies the interplay between dynamics and statistics of a stochastically driven dynamical system. Motivation is provided by applications in fluid flow modeling and control. In this context, second-order statistics around the mean velocity profile can be obtained, for a subset of variables, from experiments or numerical simulations. The basic idea is to determine a parsimonious perturbation of the generator of the linearized Navier-Stokes equations, together with directions of excitation sources, that can account for the observed statistics. This covariance completion problem is to determine minimum energy and low-rank perturbation of the linearized dynamics to reconcile them with the partially available second-order statistics — such models are valuable as tools for analysis and control purposes. The resulting optimization problem can be cast as a convex semidefinite program (SDP). However, generalpurpose SDP solvers cannot handle typical problem-sizes that are of interest in fluid flows. We develop customized algorithms that allow handling such covariance completion problems for substantially larger scales. These algorithms exploit the structure of the problem and utilize the method of multipliers and the proximal augmented Lagrangian method.
Abstract 16234: Galectin-3 Levels in Young Adults With a History of Kawasaki Disease

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute, self-limited vasculitis of unknown etiology that occurs in young children. Up to 25% of untreated and 5% of treated patients develop coronary aneurysms; a subset develop other cardiovascular (CV) sequelae. Galectin-3 (Gal3) is a novel marker of cardiac fibrosis that is associated with incident heart failure and mortality in patients with CV disease, but its association with CV sequelae late after KD is unknown. Methods: We enrolled 86 young adults with a childhood history of KD, and 60 age- and sex- matched controls. Clinical information and blood samples were collected at time of enrollment. KD subjects were classified based upon coronary artery status (normal, dilated, aneurysm). Results: Mean age at enrollment was 25 years and was similar in KD subjects and controls. Mean time since KD onset was 20 years, and was not significantly correlated with Gal3 levels. KD subjects overall had higher median Gal3 levels than controls (10.7 vs 9.2 ng/mL, p=0.047). Among KD subjects, Gal3 levels varied by coronary artery status (p=0.03). Median Gal3 levels were higher in the 21 KD patients with coronary aneurysms (13.3 ng/mL) compared to control subjects (p=0.01), and compared to the 59 KD subjects with normal coronary arteries (10.0 ng/mL, p=0.049). Gal3 levels were highest in the 5 KD subjects with giant aneurysms ( Figure ). KD subjects with normal coronary arteries did not have significantly higher Gal3 levels than controls. Conclusion: Young adults with a history of KD and coronary aneurysms have significantly higher Gal3 levels compared to those without aneurysms and to controls. Gal3 influences the TGF-β pathway and endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT); the TGF-β pathway and EMT are important in KD pathogenesis. Thus, higher Gal3 levels may identify a phenotype of individuals at higher risk for developing aneurysms in the setting of KD. Prospective studies will help clarify the relationship between Gal3 and CV sequelae of KD.
See it now: queer history and archival fantasy

Good Night, and Good Luck, George Clooney’s account of journalist Edward R. Murrow’s public struggle with Senator Joseph McCarthy, includes archival footage of McCarthy, HUAC hearings, and other 19...
Hypoxanthine-Guanine Phosphoribosyltransferase in Human Lymphoblastoid Cells: Confirmation of Four Structural Variants and Demonstration of a New Variant (HPRT Ann Arbor )

An inherited deficiency of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribo-syltransferase (HPRT) has been described in two distinct clinical syndromes. A virtually complete deficiency of enzyme activity is associated with patients having the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (1) while a partial deficiency of enzyme activity leads to hyperuricemia and an early onset of gout (2).
Laissez Faire or Nationalization and Collective Control of the Global Commons

The use of the atmosphere as a dumping place for greenhouse gases has been a matter of laissez faire. Proposals for an international agreement to restrict the rate of such emissions are, in effect, proposals for collectively determined controls. The alternative proposed here would combine collective control with “nationalization” of emission rights. Nationalization would give each country a share in the global carrying capacity and allow each country to determine the timing and best use of its share. However, the externalities involved in national decisions would still require some international coordination.
Somm: Into the Model.

To what extent could the sommelier profession, or wine stewardship, be displaced by machine leaning algorithms? There are at least three essential skills that make a qualified sommelier: wine theory, blind tasting, and beverage service, as exemplified in the rigorous certification processes of certified sommeliers and above (advanced and master) with the most authoritative body in the industry, the Court of Master Sommelier (hereafter CMS). We propose and train corresponding machine learning models that match these skills, and compare algorithmic results with real data collected from a large group of wine professionals. We find that our machine learning models outperform human sommeliers on most tasks — most notably in the section of blind tasting, where hierarchically supervised Latent Dirichlet Allocation outperforms sommeliers’ judgment calls by over 6% in terms of F1-score; and in the section of beverage service, especially wine and food pairing, a modified Siamese neural network based on BiLSTM achieves better results than sommeliers by 2%. This demonstrates, contrary to popular opinion in the industry, that the sommelier profession is at least to some extent automatable, barring economic (Kleinberg et al., 2017) and psychological (Dietvorst et al., 2015) complications.
Dynamics of typical Baire-1 functions on a compact $${{\varvec{n}}}$$n-manifold

Let M be a compact n-dimensional manifold with $$ bB_{1} $$ the set of Baire-1 self-maps of M. For $$f\in bB_{1}$$, let $$\Omega (f)=\{\omega (x,f):x\in M\}$$ be the collection of $$\omega $$-limit sets generated by f, and $$\Lambda (f)=\cup _{x\in M}\omega (x,f)$$ be the set of $$\omega $$-limit points of f. For a typical $$f \in bB_1$$, we show the following: for any $$x\in M$$, the $$\omega $$-limit set $$\omega (x,f)$$ is contained in the set of points at which f is continuous, and $$\omega (x,f)$$ is an $$ \infty $$-adic adding machine; for any $$\varepsilon >0$$, there exists a natural number K such that $$f^{k}(M)\subset B_{\varepsilon }(\Lambda (f))$$ whenever $$k>K$$. Moreover, $$f:\Lambda (f)\rightarrow \Lambda (f)$$ is a bijection, and $$\Lambda (f)$$ is closed. The Hausdorff dimension of $$\Lambda (f)$$ is zero, and the collection of $$\omega $$-limit sets $$\Omega (f)$$ is closed in the Hausdorff metric space. The function f is not chaotic in the sense of Li–Yorke, nor in the sense of Devaney. The function f is one-to-one, and the m-fold iterate $$f^{m}$$ is an element of $$bB_{1}$$ for all natural numbers m.
Numerical Simulation of Rapid Weakening of Hurricane Joaquin with Assimilation of High-Definition Sounding System Dropsondes during the Tropical Cyclone Intensity Experiment: Comparison of Three- and Four-Dimensional Ensemble-Variational Data Assimilation

AbstractObservations from High-Definition Sounding System (HDSS) dropsondes, collected for Hurricane Joaquin during the Office of Naval Research Tropical Cyclone Intensity (TCI) field experiment in...
Spatial Mapping of Thermal Boundary Conductance at Metal-Molybdenum Diselenide Interfaces.

Improving the thermal transport across interfaces is a necessary consideration for micro- and nanoelectronic devices and necessitates accurate measurement of the thermal boundary conductance (TBC) and understanding of transport mechanisms. Two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been studied extensively for their electrical properties, including the metal–TMD electrical contact resistance, but the thermal properties of these interfaces are significantly less explored irrespective of their high importance in their electronic devices. We isolate individual islands of MoSe2 grown by chemical vapor deposition using photolithography and correlate the 2D variation of TBC with optical microscope images of the MoSe2 islands. We measure the 2D spatial variation of the TBC at metal–MoSe2–SiO2 interfaces using a modified time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) technique, which requires much less time than full TDTR scans. The thermoreflectance signal at a single probe delay time is compared with a ...
Real-Time Traffic Network State Prediction for Proactive Traffic Management: Simulation Experiments and Sensitivity Analysis

Real-time traffic management systems with integrated proactive decision support capabilities are expected to operate with (a) limited prediction accuracy (b) decision-making latency, and (c) partial coverage of the managed area. Such deficiencies are difficult to avoid in most real-world traffic network management applications, and there is a need to quantify the effect of these deficiencies on the performance of traffic network management systems. This paper studies the effectiveness of a proactive traffic management system. Various levels of prediction accuracy of the traffic network state, decision-making latency, and partial area coverage are considered. A traffic management system that emulates real-time operations is developed. The system adopts a closed-loop rolling horizon framework, which integrates network state estimation and prediction modules as well as decision support capabilities. A set of simulation experiments considers a hypothetical highway network. The results show that the effectiven...
What Do We Mean When We Talk about Artificial Intelligence?: (Part 1)

This is a good time as any to address the more philosophical questions of what software is and how we use it, in particular software used as a replacement for human intelligence-AI. My intent in this and in the next few columns is to address some of the fundamentals, that is, the science of AI or what should be nailed-down before software engineering begins. You get more traction when you design on a solid science base of knowledge. A simple analogy, for example-one might not choose to labor over a not-quite-working perpetual-motion machine if one were aware of the second law of thermodynamics. Then again, there is no equivalent "law of human intelligence," so people keep trying.
The Gendered Nature of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Stove Adoption and Use in Rural India

Clean cooking fuels promise substantial health benefits for rural households, but almost three billion people continue to rely on traditional biomass for their cooking needs. We explore the role of gender in the adoption of LPG, a clean cooking fuel, in rural India. Given that women are responsible for most households' cooking needs, we propose that gender inequality is an obstacle to LPG adoption because men may fail to appreciate the full benefits of clean cooking fuels. Using data for 8,563 households from the ACCESS survey, we demonstrate that households where women participant in decison-making are more likely to adopt LPG for cooking than households in which a man is the sole decision-maker. We extend our analytic framework to evaluate the relationship between household characteristics and LPG and firewood use. Access and cylinder costs were both negatively associated with LPG use and while LPG adoption reduced firewood use, fuel stacking remains the norm in study households. This study has implications for future policy designs to increase LPG adoption and use to obtain the multiple benefits of cleaner cooking.
Longitudinal dyadic interdependence in psychological distress among Latinas with breast cancer and their caregivers

Cancer diagnosis and treatment can generate substantial distress for both survivors and their family caregivers. The primary aim of this investigation is to test a model of dyadic interdependence in distress experienced by cancer survivors and their caregivers to determine if each influences the other. To test this prediction, 209 Latinas with breast cancer and their family caregivers (dyads) were followed for 4 waves of assessment over the course of 6 months. Both psychological (depression, anxiety, perceived stress) and physical (number of symptoms, symptom distress) indicators of distress were assessed. Longitudinal analyses of dyadic data were performed in accordance with the actor-partner interdependence model. Findings indicated that psychological distress was interdependent between cancer survivors and their caregivers over the 6 months of observation. However, there was no such evidence of interdependence on indicators of physical distress. These findings are consistent with emotional contagion processes and point to the potential importance of caregiver well-being for the welfare of Latina breast cancer survivors.
Striatal and Thalamic Auditory Response During Deep Brain Stimulation for Essential Tremor: Implications for Psychosis.

Introduction The P50, a positive auditory-evoked potential occurring 50 msec after an auditory click, has been characterized extensively with electroencephalography (EEG) to detect aberrant auditory electrophysiology in disorders like schizophrenia (SZ) where 61-74% have an auditory gating deficit. The P50 response occurs in primary auditory cortex and several thalamocortical regions. In rodents, the gated P50 response has been identified in the reticular thalamic nucleus (RT)-a deep brain structure traversed during deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting of the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) of the thalamus to treat essential tremor (ET) allowing for interspecies comparison. The goal was to utilize the unique opportunity provided by DBS surgery for ET to map the P50 response in multiple deep brain structures in order to determine the utility of intraoperative P50 detection for facilitating DBS targeting of auditory responsive subterritories. Materials and methods We developed a method to assess P50 response intraoperatively with local field potentials (LFP) using microelectrode recording during routine clinical electrophysiologic mapping for awake DBS surgery in seven ET patients. Recording sites were mapped into a common stereotactic space. Results Forty significant P50 responses of 155 recordings mapped to the ventral thalamus, RT and CN head/body interface at similar rates of 22.7-26.7%. P50 response exhibited anatomic specificity based on distinct positions of centroids of positive and negative responses within brain regions and the fact that P50 response was not identified in the recordings from either the internal capsule or the dorsal thalamus. Conclusions Detection of P50 response intraoperatively may guide DBS targeting RT and subterritories within CN head/body interface-DBS targets with the potential to treat psychosis and shown to modulate schizophrenia-like aberrancies in mouse models.
Direct Democracy Denied: The Right to Initiative in a Pandemic

Putting aside the Supreme Court’s controversial decision in Republican National Committee v. Democratic National Committee, the case over extending the date for receipt of absentee ballots in the April 2020 Wisconsin primary, courts so far have done a fairly good job protecting voting rights during the COVID-19 pandemic. From easing candidate and party signature requirements for ballot access, to temporarily eliminating witness or notarization requirements for casting an absentee ballot, to interpreting the excuse provisions in for-cause absentee ballot laws to cover voters without coronavirus immunity who fear voting in person, courts have recognized that election laws that ordinarily do not burden voters can become burdensome in a pandemic. Courts have interpreted such laws to avoid disenfranchisement, and sometimes temporarily suspended or altered them. That welcome thumb on the scale favoring voters, however, has not extended uniformly to claims for the easing of signature gathering rules by ballot measure proponents. In four cases I examine, courts have rejected the demands of initiative proponents to ease requirements to qualify a measure for the ballot, such as allowing electronic instead of “wet” (in person) signatures, and easing witness requirements, total number of signatures required, or geographic requirements for signature collection. In just one case, Thompson v. DeWine, a federal district court ordered Ohio to alter its procedures for qualifying proposed measures for the ballot, including allowing the acceptance of electronic signatures. The decision, however, was put on hold by the Sixth Circuit in a stay order that was very dismissive of the rights of direct democracy and that portends bad things to come. In this short analysis, I argue that some of the reasons courts and states have offered against easing ballot measure qualification requirements during a pandemic are weak, and that the district court in Thompson was right to see that normal ballot qualification rules can impose a severe First Amendment burden on direct democracy proponents under pandemic conditions. The problem, as illustrated by the Thompson case, is fashioning appropriate relief consistent with principles of federalism and separation of powers. It is difficult to craft a remedy would put the plaintiffs in the position they would have been in had there been no pandemic and that does not usurp the state’s general role in enforcing its election rules or undermine sound principles of election administration and fairness.
Designing Robo-Taxis to Promote Ride-Pooling

Robo-taxis (automated vehicles operating in a ride-hailing model) have the potential to improve mobility while reducing traffic, emissions, and energy use. However, such outcomes depend largely on increasing riders per vehicle. Public policy that incentivizes industry to design robo-taxis to support ride-pooling may be critical to achieving positive outcomes. This research reviews current shared automated vehicle designs and literature related to potential consumer risks and benefits of ride-pooling in robo-taxis in order to articulate potential design solutions to promote pooling.
The Case of the Mistaken “Jeweled Staircase”*

(2014). The Case of the Mistaken “Jeweled Staircase”. Comparative Literature: East & West: Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 46-54.
Beyond question wording: How survey design and administration shape estimates of disability.

Abstract Background Between 2008 and 2014, annual estimates of disability prevalence among U.S. adults varied somewhat across federal surveys that use a standardized measure of disability, but trends over-time were relatively stable and consistent. In 2014, however, estimates of disability from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) increased markedly relative to previous years and were much higher than disability estimates from other federal surveys. Objective To examine why disability prevalence among adults aged 40 and older substantially increased in the first wave of the 2014 SIPP Panel. Methods We consider three factors that may have contributed to the rise in disability: data processing, context effects linked to question order, and sampling. To do so, we compare estimates with and without survey weights and imputed data, analyze supplemental disability-related data collected among SIPP participants, and employ decomposition analysis to assess what proportion of the increase in disability can be attributed to changes in sample composition. Results We find evidence that differences in sample composition contributed to the observed rise in disability prevalence in SIPP between 2011 and 2014. There is less evidence that weighting and imputation or context effects played a role. Conclusions Previous studies emphasize differences in operationalization and conceptualization of disability as the major factor driving discrepancies in disability estimates. This study suggests that other factors related to survey design and administration may influence disability measurement. Such aspects of surveys, like question order and sampling, may be difficult to standardize, leading to meaningful cross-survey differences in disability estimates.
Cumulative summation analysis of learning curve for robotic-assisted hiatal hernia repairs

Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) is evolving as an important surgical approach in the field of general surgery. We aimed to evaluate the learning curve for RALS procedures involving repair of hiatal hernias. A series of robotic-assisted hiatal hernia (HH) repairs were performed between 2013 and 2017 by a surgeon at a single institution. Data were entered into a retrospective database. Patient demographics and intraoperative parameters including console time (CT), surgery time (ST), and total operative time (OT) were examined and abstracted for learning curve analysis using the cumulative sum (CUSUM) method. Assessment of perioperative and post-operative outcomes were calculated using descriptive statistics. The average age of the patients was 57.4 years, average BMI was 29.9 kg/m2, median American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification was 2, and average Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score was 2.8. The series had a mean CT of 132.6 min, mean ST of 145.1 min, and mean OT of 197.4 min. The CUSUM learning curve for CT was best approximated as a third-order polynomial consisting of three unique phases: the initial training phase (case 1–40), the improvement phase (case 41–85), and the mastery phase (case 86 onwards). There was no significant difference in perioperative complications between the phases. Short-term clinical outcomes were comparable with national standards and did not correlate significantly with operative experience. The three phases identified with CUSUM analysis represented characteristic stages of the learning curve for robotic hiatal hernia procedures. Our data suggest the training phase is achieved after 40 cases and a high level of mastery is achieved after approximately 85 cases. Thus, the CUSUM method serves as a useful tool for objectively evaluating practical skills for surgeons and can ultimately help establish milestones that assess surgical competency during robotic surgery training.
Abstract PO-079: Proteomic profiling reveals subtype specific kinase expression in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains an extremely lethal disease with few effective therapeutic options. Targeted therapy development has remained largely unsuccessful due to complex tumor heterogeneity and better molecular indicators of response are urgently needed. We have previously identified two distinct molecular tumor subtypes in PDAC, basal-like and classical, which are prognostic and dictate response to chemotherapy. We have also developed a patient derived xenograft (PDX) mouse model that maintains the integrity of patient tumor biology and recapitulates primary tumor subtypes in vivo. Here, we aim to utilize multiplexed kinase inhibitor beads and quantitative mass spectrometry (MIB-MS) to determine baseline kinase expression and adaptive kinome responses to therapy in PDAC PDX tumors. A total of 381 kinases were identified across all samples and tumor specific kinases were isolated by alignment to human peptides. Distinct kinase expression profiles were observed for basal-like and classical tumors. Basal-like tumors showed high expression of kinases involved in receptor tyrosine kinase activity, MAP kinase activity, and clathrin-dependent endocytosis. Classical subtype tumors showed increased expression of kinases involved in metabolism and cytoskeletal regulatory kinases. Differential protein expression was further validated by differential gene expression using RNAseq. MIB profiling of kinome response to EGFR inhibition by erlotinib indicated kinome reprogramming with upregulation of microtubule associated kinases and MAP kinase family members. Overall, these results suggest that basal-like and classical subtype tumors exhibit distinct kinome profiles that present possible subtype specific vulnerabilities to kinase inhibition. Stratifying kinase inhibitor therapies based on tumor subtype could improve response to targeted therapies in PDAC. Citation Format: Yi Xu, Michael East, Ashley Morrison, Gabriela Herrera, Laura Peng, Gary Johnson, Jen Jen Yeh. Proteomic profiling reveals subtype specific kinase expression in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer; 2021 Sep 29-30. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(22 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-079.
Understanding American Political Parties: Democratic Ideals, Political Uncertainty, and Strategic Positioning

I: American Political Parties: Democratic Ideals and Doubts. 1. Democracy and the Ideal Role of Political Parties. 2. Enduring Doubts about Parties. II: Parties and Political Conditions. 3. Notions of Party and Conflict 4. Shifting Electoral Bases. 5. Conflicting Interpretations of Change 6. The Lack of a Majority. 7. Continuing Social Change and Events. 8. Voters and the Media. 9. Enduring Uncertainty and Troubling Behaviors. III: Pursuing Party Goals. 10. Pursuing Coalitions and an Identity: Long-Term Strategies. 11. Disparaging the Other Party: Short-Term Strategies. 12. Democracy and the Continuous Campaign
Race as an Influence on Healthcare Information Sources and Provider Usage by the Elderly

Using data generated from a sample of 752 elderly this research examines the influence of race (a dichotomy of white and black) on use of information sources and actual provider usage in the healthcare market. Results from oneway ANOVA's indicate that there are significant differences between blacks and whites on a number of variables. Blacks find information from television more helpful than do whites, have a much higher degree of direct mail healthcare information usage than do whites, believe the yellow pages offer useful information to a higher degree than do whites, and find newspapers a greater source of healthcare information than do whites. They also report a higher degree of personal information search and have a higher usage of healthcare facilities.
Surgical Site Infection following Cesarean Delivery: Patient, Provider, and Procedure-Specific Risk Factors.

Objective This study aims to identify risk factors for cesarean delivery (CD) surgical site infection (SSI). Study Design Retrospective analysis of 2,739 CDs performed at the University of Pittsburgh in 2011. CD SSIs were defined using National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) criteria. Chi-square test and t-test were used for bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify SSI risk factors. Results Of 2,739 CDs, 178 (6.5%) were complicated by SSI. Patients with a SSI were more likely to have Medicaid, have resident physicians perform the CD, an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class of ≥ 3, chorioamnionitis, tobacco use, and labor before CD. In multivariable analysis, labor (odds ratio [OR], 2.35; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.65–3.38), chorioamnionitis (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.25–3.83), resident teaching service (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.54–3.00), tobacco use (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.04–2.70), ASA class ≥ 3 (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.06–2.39), and CDs performed for nonreassuring fetal status (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.26–0.67) were significantly associated with CD SSI. Conclusion Multiple patient, provider, and procedure-specific risk factors contribute to CD SSI risk which may be targeted in infection-control efforts.
On the Structure of Wall Turbulence in the Thermally Neutral Atmospheric Surface Layer

Recent experimental investigations of the canonical turbulent boundary layer at high Reynolds numbers has provided evidence on the active role of very large-scale structures, extending in the streamwise direction for several boundary layer heights, and modulating near-wall turbulence from the energy containing eddy scales down to the dissipative scales. However, the physical mechanisms governing such interactions are not completely clear yet, and the reason may be related to the fact that the structure of wall turbulence at high Reynolds numbers still deserves further investigation. In this contribution we present recent results on the structural population in wall turbulence. We compare statistical trends obtained in two very different Reynolds number experiments, one in the atmospheric surface layer at SLTEST and one in a flat plate turbulent boundary layer. While the very large scale structures of turbulence and the near-wall turbulent streaks are observed to have a well-defined location in physical space and in the energetic domain, based on the frequency or wave number spectra, the intermediate scale motions that manifest as ramplike structures still seem to suffer from Reynolds number effects. Results suggest that outer scaling may not be appropriate, implying that ramplike structures are more likely confined to the near-wall region in very high Reynolds-number flows such as the atmospheric surface layer. Spatially resolved measurements at high Reynolds numbers are needed to univocally define the correct scaling of ramplike structures and to assess Reynolds number effects in the structural description of zero pressure gradient turbulent boundary layers.
PRODUCTION DECISIONS WITH UNCERTAIN MARKETS: THE CASE OF BT CORN

The effect of marketing uncertainty due to consumer opposition over genetically modified (GM) grain is modeled in the context of a producer's decision to plant GM. The model shows that a tendency to plant less GM acreage and obtain premium prices for Non-GM grain is tempered by increased price risk.
Formation of Hydrogen and Formate by Ruminococcus albus

Radioisotopic growth studies with specifically labeled (14)C-glucose confirmed that Ruminococcus albus, strain 7, ferments glucose mainly by the Embden-Myerhof-Parnas pathway to acetate, ethanol, formate, CO(2), H(2), and an unidentified product. Cell suspensions and extracts converted pyruvate to acetate, H(2), CO(2), and a small amount of ethanol. Formate was not produced from pyruvate and was not degraded to H(2) and CO(2), indicating that formate was not an intermediate in the production of H(2) and CO(2) from pyruvate. Cell extract and (14)C-glucose growth studies showed that the H(2)-producing pyruvate lyase reaction is the major route of H(2) and CO(2) production. An active pyruvate-(14)CO(2) exchange reaction was demonstrable with cell extracts. The (14)C-glucose growth studies indicated that formate, as well as CO(2), arises from the 3 and 4 carbon positions of glucose. A formate-producing pyruvate lyase system was not demonstrable either by pyruvate-(14)C-formate exchange or by net formate formation from pyruvate. Growth studies with unlabeled glucose and labeled (14)CO(2) or (14)C-formate suggest that formate arises from the 3 and 4 carbon positions of glucose by an irreversible reduction of CO(2). The results of the studies on the time course of formate production showed that formate production is a late function of growth, and the rate of production, as well as the total amount produced, increases as the glucose concentration available to the organism increases.
Time and Frequency

In 1967 the General Conference on Weights and Measures adopted the cesium resonance frequency for the definition of the second. Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) has used a close approximation to the atomic second since 1972 (1). Time scales which refer to the rotation of the earth such as UTC are generated by inserting or leaving out seconds (leap seconds) at certain specified dates during the year, as necessary. This process is coordinated worldwide by the Bureau International de l’Heure (BIH). UTC is the de-facto basis for civil or legal time in most countries of the world (2). In addition to cesium beam standards, the atomic hydrogen maser has found use as primary frequency reference and clock.
Deep-water exchange between the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico

The deep waters of the Caribbean Sea are renewed by sporadic flow over the two deep sills connecting with the open Atlantic. In turn, the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico are renewed by flow from the northwest Caribbean over the sill in Yucatan Channel, between Mexico and Cuba. So we examine the obvious question: if all this renewal water is coming in, what is going out'? The view that emerges is a three-layer mean deep flow in the Caribbean and the Gulf. There is strong vertical shear in the water above 800 m associated with the primary upper-layer flow. Surprisingly, this shear continues to at least 1400 m. In the three-layer scenario described here, the upper-most deep layer flows into the Gulf at depths of ∼800-1100 m as an extension of the upper-layer circulation. The deepest inflow is sporadic, just above sill depth. The third layer, containing the required mean return flow to achieve mass balance, is found between these two mean flows at depths of ∼1100 to ∼1900 m. There is little information about the horizontal pattern of this deep return flow. The transport in these deep flows into the Gulf and in the return flow is slightly less than 1 Sv. These conclusions are inferred from the computed mean vertical shear, conservation of potential vorticity in the deep layers, the observed salinity gradients, and the assumption that there can be no net flow between 800 and 2000 m. The deep return flow of water from the Gulf of Mexico, having salinity ∼34.96 psu, appears to flow from Yucatan Channel all the way back to Windward and Jungfern Passages, leaving the Caribbean above the entering deep renewal water.
Event-Related Crowd Activities on Social Media

Social media like Twitter has been prevalently used for observing the behaviors of a large number of people. The availability of such behavioral trace data leads to an emergent interest in studying “crowds” in many contexts related to real-world events ranging from emergencies to ceremonies. There is, however, a lack of understanding about how different questions regarding crowd activities were asked and approached. This chapter provides a lens into event-related crowd activities within the social media domain by classifying literature into three themes: (1) crowds as event sensors, (2) crowds as event predictors, and (3) crowd characterization around events. Using the classification, it can be revealed that there is a gap between understanding and harnessing crowd activities. Several theoretical and methodological questions and implications are discussed. This chapter concludes with suggested future directions toward better gaining insights from social media crowds.
Effect of addition of spermatozoa on the sugar content of cervical mucus

Abstract Cervical mucus contains reducing substance, expressed as sugar, in amounts comparable to that reported for semen. On standing at room temperature for twenty-four hours the amount of sugar is reduced by some 12 per cent. When washed spermatozoa are added to the mucus in the amount of 1 million per 100 mg., the effected decrement in sugar, on standing twenty-four hours is doubled, and amounts to some 24 per cent. It is suggested that this destruction of sugar is due to enzyme action and that it serves a useful purpose in sperm metabolism.
Major Factors in Robotization of Construction Operations

Robotization and automation of a construction process requires engineering approaches different from those that are applicable in factory automation. Construction site differs from industrial plant in scale of operation, mobility, type of processes and the work environment. A greater intelligence, load, and force range is needed for a construction robot. The main reasons for using robots in construction operations are: to improve safety of workers and eliminate dangerous operations; to increase productivity; and to improve final quality. This paper presents a systematic approach to study the feasibility of robotics in construction operations. A knowledge-based expert system is introduced which allows the contractors to perform preliminary study for the automation. The model can be used as a guideline in evaluating potential construction operations for the automation.
Automotive Electronics In The Car Of The Future: Strategic Alternatives For The Vehicle Manufacturer Motorola, Inc.'s Outlook For The Automotive Electronics Market

Automotive electronics is a rapidly growing market that is likely to contribute significantly to the vehicle's safety and performance. In this transition, automotive electronics is evolving from fairly simple, "hang-on" kinds of products to becoming one of the mainstream disciplines for building the car. This increasing complexity raises important issues for the vehicle manufacturer, including how to retain a span of control with a new and growing set of players in the business. The strategic choices facing the vehicle manu facturer take the question of automotive electronics beyond a mere technology issue to a strategic issue of participation and control
Implantation of 3D-Printed Patient-Specific Aneurysm Models into Cadaveric Specimens: A New Training Paradigm to Allow for Improvements in Cerebrovascular Surgery and Research.

Aim. To evaluate the feasibility of implanting 3D-printed brain aneurysm model in human cadavers and to assess their utility in neurosurgical research, complex case management/planning, and operative training. Methods. Two 3D-printed aneurysm models, basilar apex and middle cerebral artery, were generated and implanted in four cadaveric specimens. The aneurysms were implanted at the same anatomical region as the modeled patient. Pterional and orbitozygomatic approaches were done on each specimen. The aneurysm implant, manipulation capabilities, and surgical clipping were evaluated. Results. The 3D aneurysm models were successfully implanted to the cadaveric specimens' arterial circulation in all cases. The features of the neck in terms of flexibility and its relationship with other arterial branches allowed for the practice of surgical maneuvering characteristic to aneurysm clipping. Furthermore, the relationship of the aneurysm dome with the surrounding structures allowed for better understanding of the aneurysmal local mass effect. Noticeably, all of these observations were done in a realistic environment provided by our customized embalming model for neurosurgical simulation. Conclusion. 3D aneurysms models implanted in cadaveric specimens may represent an untapped training method for replicating clip technique; for practicing certain approaches to aneurysms specific to a particular patient; and for improving neurosurgical research.