cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE AND DENTATORUBRAL-PALLIDOLUYSIAN ATROPHY : PROTEINS, PATHOGENESIS AND PATHOLOGY

Each of the glutamine repeat neurodegenerative diseases has a particular pattern of pathology largely restricted to the CNS. However, there is considerable overlap among the regions affected, suggesting that the diseases share pathogenic mechanisms, presumably involving the glutamine repeats. We focus on Huntington's disease (HD) and Dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA) as models for this family of diseases, since they have striking similarities and also notable differences in their clinical features and pathology. We review the pattern of pathology in adult and juvenile onset cases. Despite selective pathology, the disease genes and their protein products (huntingtin and atrophin-1) are widely expressed. This presents a central problem for all the glutamine repeat diseases-how do widely expressed gene products give rise to restricted pathology? The pathogenic effects are believed to occur via a "gain of function" mechanism at the protein level. Mechanisms of cell death may include excitotoxicity, metabolic toxicity, apoptosis, and free radical stress. Emerging data indicate that huntingtin and atrophin-1 may have distinct protein interactions. The specific interaction partners may help explain the selective pathology of these diseases.
EVOLVING IMAGERY IN THE TRANSLATION OF ORHAN PAMUK'S KARA KITAP

The article attempts to use examples of „hybrid text” from the English trans-lation of Orhan Pamuk's novel Kara Kitap (1990) in order to show that in literary transla-tion the notion of the „hybrid text” is indispensable if the translator wants to disseminate a less known source culture through the language of a better known target culture. The novel was translated from the original by Guneli Gun as The Black Book (1994) and three key images of the novel offer promising opportunities for study: the apartment airshaft, the Bosphorus, and the statues of Ataturk. The pun in the phrase „the apartment airshaft” cannot be captured in the target language so the English phrase becomes burdened with associations that are unacceptable to the target reader. The images of the driedup Bosphorus lose their moorings in historical time and become phantasmagoric landscapes. The coming to life of the statues of Ataturk gain Apocalyptic proportions not conveyed to the source reader. However, the „hybrid text” is bound by ti...
Unexpected Diversity and Differential Success of DNA Transposons in Four Species of Entamoeba Protozoans

We report the first comprehensive analysis of transposable element content in the compact genomes (approximately 20 Mb) of four species of Entamoeba unicellular protozoans for which draft sequences are now available. Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar, two human parasites, have many retrotransposons, but few DNA transposons. In contrast, the reptile parasite Entamoeba invadens and the free-living Entamoeba moshkovskii contain few long interspersed elements but harbor diverse and recently amplified populations of DNA transposons. Representatives of three DNA transposase superfamilies (hobo/Activator/Tam3, Mutator, and piggyBac) were identified for the first time in a protozoan species in addition to a variety of members of a fourth superfamily (Tc1/mariner), previously reported only from ciliates and Trichomonas vaginalis among protozoans. The diversity of DNA transposons and their differential amplification among closely related species with similar compact genomes are discussed in the context of the biology of Entamoeba protozoans.
Reduced Transient Outward K+ Current and Cardiac Hypertrophy: Causal Relationship or Epiphenomenon?

Action potentials coordinate contraction and relaxation of the heart. The long plateau phase of the action potential ensures sufficient Ca2+ entry into the cytoplasm via L-type Ca2+ channels to invoke Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and activation of the contractile filaments. Action potentials are initiated by opening of voltage-gated Na+ channels that in turn rapidly depolarize the membrane and open voltage-gated Ca2+ and K+ channels. Some K+ channels activate immediately in response to depolarization, then inactivate within tens of milliseconds later, and mediate a current called the transient outward K+ current ( I to). In many mammalian hearts, including human, I to is responsible for the initial rapid phase of action potential repolarization, discernible as a notch preceding the plateau phase, but has little role in terminal repolarization. In contrast, I to in rodents is a major repolarizing current throughout the comparatively short cardiac action potential (Figure, panel A) necessary to maintain extremely high heart rates. I to is composed of at least two components in the mammalian ventricle. One component is characterized by a slow recovery from inactivation ( I tos), another by a relatively fast recovery from inactivation ( I tof). Comparison of native currents and heterologously expressed channels indicates that I tof is mediated by Kv4.2 and/or Kv4.3 channels, whereas I tos is mediated by Kv1.4 channels. Reduction of I tof prolongs APD and may induce hypertrophy via a calcineurin-dependent signaling pathway. A, At physiologically relevant heart rates, I tof is the major repolarizing current of the ventricular action potential in rodents. Pharmacological block of I tof or functional knockout of Kv4.2 channel subunits lengthens the plateau phase of the action potential. B, Reduction of I tof (Kv4.2 channels) but not I tos (Kv1.4 channels) prolongs action …
Slavic Studies and Slavic Librarianship in the United States: A Post-Cold War Perspective (Excerpts)

This article reprints excerpts from Aaron Trehub's piece about the relationship between Slavic studies and Slavic librarianship in the United States in the immediate aftermath of the end of the Cold War. The author, who at the time was Slavic librarian and bibliographer (and former Soviet affairs analyst), notes that through a curious quirk of history, the collapse of communism coincided with the birth of a powerful new communications medium (the World Wide Web). Together, these geopolitical and technological developments have fundamentally changed librarianship in general and Slavic librarianship in particular. Trehub's discussion of the various day‐to‐day difficulties experienced by Slavic librarians in the post‐Cold War period pays special attention to the challenges that new information technologies create for patrons, as well as the instructional burden that this places on librarians. He suggests that excessive reliance on the Web may erode the capacity to reason critically, but admits that the long‐...
Low-discrepancy point sets in transport codes

A drawback to Monte Carlo methods of computation is its rate of convergence. There are methods of sampling that have a better error estimate than those using random numbers. This paper gives the result of some preliminary experiments with these sampling methods on two neutron transport problems.
Stride rate in radar micro-doppler images

We extract gait information from the radar micro-Doppler signals generated by human motion. We demonstrate the extraction of information associated with gait, especially the stride rate, from simulated and measured radar data. We describe micro-Doppler algorithms used for the extraction of stride rate, the radar sensors used for the measurements, and detail the gait features that can be extracted. We make measurements of human subjects in realistic outdoor clutter backgrounds. These features help identify subjects in a scene. We gather ground truth using video to validate the radar data. We conclude that although we can extract gait features like stride rate from radar data, more features need to be extracted before reliable identification or classification can be determined.
Summarizing application performance from a components perspective

In the era of distributed development, it is common for large applications to be assembled from multiple component layers that are developed by different development teams. Layered applications have deep call paths and numerous invocations (average call stack depth of up to 75, and upto 35 million invocations in the applications we studied) making summarization of performance problems a critical issue. Summarization of performance by classes, methods, invocations or packages is usually inadequate because they are often at the wrong level of granularity. We propose a technique that uses thresholding and filtering to identify a small set of interesting method invocations in components deemed interesting by the user. We show the utility of this technique with a set of 7 real-life applications, where the technique was used to identify a small set (10-93) of expensive invocations which accounted for 82-99% of the overall performance costs of the application. Our experience shows that this type of characterization can help quickly isolate the specific parts of a large system that can benefit most from performance tuning.
Radio over fiber technology for next-generation e-health in converged optical and wireless access network

Development of system technology for effective networking infrastructure for next generation e-health applications is addressed. An integrated optical wireless access architecture based on radio-over-fiber technology is proposed in order to provide super broadband, ultra low-latency connectivity among various telemedicine modalities to facilitate real-time and near real-time communication for remote health care services.
Eating, vascular biology, and atherosclerosis: a lot to chew on.

This editorial refers to ‘Diet and inflammation: a link to metabolic and cardiovascular diseases’† by K. Esposito et al. , on page 15 Coronary risk factors, such as hypercholesterolaemia and hypertension, are primary causes of atherosclerosis, at least partly due to their adverse impact on vascular biology. Impaired vascular biological states, such as endothelial dysfunction and inflammation, however may be independently atherogenic. Three examples that suggest that vascular indexes need to be considered independent of risk factors are anti-inflammatory effects of statins, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and post-prandial endothelial dysfunction and inflammation. The REVERSAL and PROVE IT-TIMI 22 trials demonstrated that changes in LDL cholesterol and C-reactive protein independently correlated with coronary atherosclerosis progression and coronary heart events.1,2 On-treatment C-reactive protein was as predictive of subsequent coronary events as was LDL cholesterol. Prior to the recent HRT trials, many clinicians routinely recommended HRT to post-menopausal women to lower their cardiovascular risk. This was not unreasonable because HRT increases HDL cholesterol and decreases LDL cholesterol and lipoprotein(a). At the same time, HRT increases inflammation (e.g. C-reactive protein) and coagulation, two key atherogenic factors.3 Estrogen and HRT improve endothelial function, but this improvement disappears within a few months for as yet unclear reasons. In light of these lipid-independent vascular biological effects, it is not surprising that the recent HRT trials did not find beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk. Esposito et al. review dietary effects on … *Corresponding author. Tel: +1 410 328 8795; fax: +1 410 328 8080. E-mail address : rvogel{at}heart.umaryland.edu
A higher-order moment formula for non-zero-mean AR processes

An autoregressive (AR) model which is excited by a non-zero-mean, independent and identically distributed stationary random process is investigated. As in the zero-mean case, a cumulant-based higher-order Yule-Walker equation is derived. By expanding the cumulants in terms of their moments, a higher-order moment formula is obtained. This formula not only relates the higher-order moment with the lower-order moment, but also makes it possible to estimate the AR parameters and the output mean simultaneously. The formula is computationally more efficient than the cumulant formula. >
Songbird abundance and parasitism differ between urban and rural shrublands.

Many studies have examined differences in avian community composition between urban and rural habitats, but few, if any, have looked at nesting success of urban shrubland birds in a replicated fashion while controlling for habitat. We tested factors affecting nest survival, parasitism by the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), and species abundance in shrubland habitat in rural and urban landscapes. We found no support for our hypothesis that nest survival was lower in urban landscapes, but strong support for the hypothesis that survival increased with nest height. We found strong support for our hypothesis that cowbird parasitism was greater in urban than rural landscapes; parasitism in urban sites was at least twice that of rural sites. We found strong support for an urban landscape effect on abundance for several species; Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)and Brown-headed Cowbirds were more abundant in urban landscapes, whereas Field Sparrow(Spizella pusilla) and Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora pinus) were more abundant inrural sites. There was support for lower abundances of Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptilacaerulea) and Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) with increased housing density. For six other species, edge and trail density or vegetation parameters best explained abundance. Lower abundances and greater parasitism in habitat patches in urban landscapes are evidence that, for some species, these urban landscapes do not fulfill the same role as comparable habitats in rural landscapes. Regional bird conservation planning and local habitat management in urban landscapes may need to consider these effects in efforts to sustain bird populations at regional and local scales.
Regulation of Milk Protein and Basement Membrane Gene Expression: The Influence of the Extracellular Matrix

Synthesis and secretion of milk proteins (alpha-casein, beta-casein, gamma-casein, and transferrin) by cultured primary mouse mammary epithelial cells is modulated by the extracellular matrix. In cells grown on released or "floating" type I collagen gels, mRNA for beta-casein and transferrin is increased as much as 30-fold over cells grown on plastic. Induction of beta-casein expression depends strongly on the presence of lactogenic hormones, especially prolactin, in the culture. When cells are plated onto partially purified reconstituted basement membrane, dramatic changes in morphology and milk protein gene expression are observed. Cells cultured on the matrix for 6 to 8 d in the presence of prolactin, insulin, and hydrocortisone form hollow spheres and duct-like structures that are completely surrounded by matrix. The cells lining these spheres appear actively secretory and are oriented with their apices facing the lumen. Hybridization experiments indicate that mRNA for beta-casein can be increased as much as 70-fold in these cultures. Because greater than 90% of the cultured cells synthesize immunoreactive beta-casein, as compared with only 40% of cells in the late pregnant gland, the matrix appears to be able to induce protein expression in previously silent cells. Synthesis of laminin and assembly of a mammary-specific basal lamina by cells cultured on different extracellular matrices also appears to depend on the presence of lactogenic hormones. These studies provide support for the concept of "dynamic reciprocity" in which complex interactions between extracellular matrix and the cellular cytoskeleton contribute to the induction and maintenance of tissue-specific gene expression in the mammary gland.
The effects of depression and use of antidepressive medicines during pregnancy on the methylation status of the IGF2 imprinted control regions in the offspring

In utero exposures to environmental factors may result in persistent epigenetic modifications affecting normal development and susceptibility to chronic diseases in later life. We explored the relationship between exposure of the growing fetus to maternal depression or antidepressants and DNA methylation at two differentially methylated regions (DMRs) of the imprinted Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2) gene. Aberrant DNA methylation at the IGF2 and neighboring H19 DMRs has been associated with deregulated IGF2 expression, childhood cancers and several chronic diseases during adulthood. Our study population is comprised of pregnant mothers and their newborns (n = 436), as part of the Newborn Epigenetics Study (NEST). A standardized questionnaire was completed and medical record data were abstracted to ascertain maternal depression and antidepressive drug use. DMR methylation levels in umbilical cord blood leukocytes were quantified using pyrosequencing. From the 436 newborns, laboratory data were obtained for 356 individuals at the IGF2 DMRs, and for 411 individuals at the H19 DMRs; about half of each group was African American or Caucasian. While overall no association between depression and methylation profiles was found, we observed a significant hypermethylation of the H19 DMRs in newborns of African American (n = 177) but not Caucasian (n = 168) mothers who reported the use of antidepressive drugs during pregnancy (β = +6.89, p = 0.01). Of note, our data reveal a race-independent association between smoking during pregnancy and methylation at the IGF2 DMR (+3.05%, p = 0.01). In conclusion, our findings suggest a race-dependent response related to maternal use of antidepressants at one of the IGF2 DMRs in the offspring.
1995 directory of mass spectrometry manufacturers and suppliers

An annual directory of companies that supply mass spectrometers and mass spectrometry components and services.
Functional connectivity of the amygdala and subgenual cingulate during cognitive reappraisal of emotions in children with MDD history is associated with rumination

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is characterized by poor emotion regulation. Rumination, a maladaptive strategy for dealing with negative emotions, is common in MDD, and is associated with impaired inhibition and cognitive inflexibility that may contribute to impaired emotion regulation abilities. However, it is unclear whether rumination is differently associated with emotion regulation in individuals with MDD history (MDD-ever) and healthy individuals. In this study, children (8-15 years old) performed a cognitive reappraisal task in which they attempted to decrease their emotional response to sad images during fMRI scanning. Functional connectivity (FC) between both the amygdala and subgenual anterior cingulate (sACC) increased with cortical control regions during reappraisal as rumination increased in MDD-ever, while connectivity between those regions decreased during reappraisal as rumination increased in healthy controls. As the role of cortical control regions is to down-regulate activity of emotion processing regions during reappraisal, this suggests that rumination in MDD-ever, but not controls, is associated with inefficient regulation. This finding suggests that rumination may be particularly associated with poor emotion regulation in MDD-ever, and may also indicate qualitative group differences in whether rumination is maladaptive. These differences in rumination may provide important insight into depressive risk and potential avenues for treatment.
Assessment of cataloging services in an academic library

Personnel in Public Services and in Cataloging and Metadata Services were surveyed to determine how they rated the importance of various cataloging services, and to gauge their satisfaction with these services. The two groups differed in the importance and satisfaction scores that they assigned to certain cataloging services. The issues raised by respondents suggested that Cataloging and Metadata Services should take a more proactive approach to communication with Public Services and indicated the need for further research.
Transposition of a stimulus generalization gradient along an auditory intensity continuum

Four male, albino rats were trained on a 9-valued auditory intensity discrimination (a maintained generalization paradigm) with the most intense stimulus as the SD. After seven days of training all stimuli were increased in intensity by 45db. Three of the four Ss displayed complete tranposition of the entire generalization gradient.
An Unpublished Latin Collection of Pseudo-Aristotelian Paroimiai

WHILE pseudo-writings of Aristotle were not infrequent in antiquity,' there is, with the exception of the Secretum Secretorum, no indication of any pseudo-writings in the Middle Ages.2 A short Latin collection of sayings ascribed to Aristotle and belonging to the late Middle Ages might, therefore, be of interest to the student of mediaeval literature.3 Judging by the number of its translations into Middle High German,4 it must have enjoyed a rather wide circulation. Still it may be surprising that this collection should have been preserved in only one Latin manuscript. The reason for this is quite obvious. This collection consists of only a few sayings and fills only a few lines of a page. In its short form it was considered an ideal expletive for unused space left on the final page of a manuscript item. Such a short item may in some cases have been overlooked or considered not worth recording by some careless cataloguer. It is to be hoped, how-
Waveguide Scattering Microscopy for Dark-Field Imaging and Spectroscopy of Photonic Nanostructures

Dark-field microscopy (DFM) is widely used to optically image and spectroscopically analyze nanoscale objects. In a typical DFM configuration, a sample is illuminated at oblique angles and an objective lens collects light scattered by the sample at a range of lower angles. Here, we develop waveguide scattering microscopy (WSM) as an alternative technique to image and analyze photonic nanostructures. WSM uses an incoherent white-light source coupled to a dielectric slab waveguide to generate an evanescent field that illuminates objects located within several hundred nanometers of the waveguide surface. Using standard microscope slides or coverslips as the waveguide, we demonstrate high-contrast dark-field imaging of nanophotonic and plasmonic structures such as Si nanowires, Au nanorods, and Ag nanoholes. Scattering spectra collected in the WSM configuration show excellent signal-to-noise with minimal background signal compared to conventional DFM. In addition, the polarization of the incident field is con...
Multichannel sequential control system for ignition of free-flight rocket

In order to meet the need of a new type rainfallenhancement and hailsuppression rocket,a multichannel electronic delay device with low power consumption and low voltage has been designed based on the singlechannel delay device.It meets the requirement of multipleignition.The device has been examined by a variety of ground tests of preflight.
Pretreatment Red Blood Cell Total Folate Concentration Is Associated With Response to Pemetrexed in Stage IV Nonsquamous Non-Small-cell Lung Cancer.

Abstract Introduction Pemetrexed inhibits folate-dependent enzymes involved in pyrimidine and purine synthesis. Previous studies of genetic variation in these enzymes as predictors of pemetrexed efficacy have yielded inconsistent results. We investigated whether red blood cell (RBC) total folate, a phenotypic rather than genotypic, marker of cellular folate status was associated with the response to pemetrexed-based chemotherapy in advanced nonsquamous non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients with stage IV nonsquamous NSCLC receiving first-line chemotherapy containing pemetrexed. The pretreatment RBC total folate level was quantified using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. We then compared the objective response rate (ORR) between patients with RBC total folate concentrations greater than and less than an optimal cutoff value determined from the receiver operating characteristic curve. A logistic regression model was used to adjust for age, sex, and the use of bevacizumab. Results The ORR was 62% (32 of 52 patients). Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to establish that a RBC total folate cutoff value of 364.6 nM optimally discriminated between pemetrexed responders and nonresponders. Patients with RBC total folate 364.5 nM ( P = .01). This difference persisted after adjusting for age, sex, and the use of bevacizumab (odds ratio, 0.07; 95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.57; P = .01). Conclusion A low pretreatment RBC total folate was associated with an inferior response to pemetrexed-based chemotherapy in stage IV nonsquamous NSCLC. Larger, multicenter studies are needed to validate RBC total folate as a predictive marker of pemetrexed response.
Formalism and strategic fouls

AbstractIt is sometimes claimed that formalism and the logical incompatibility thesis together imply that fouls cannot be part of the game. Some philosophers think this proves that therefore strategic fouls are always morally wrong, but other philosophers think this result undermines formalism itself, since strategic fouls clearly are part of the game and are at least sometimes morally permissible. I show that formalism in fact does accommodate strategic fouls and that it is neutral about whether strategic fouls are morally permissible or not.
The gender gap in policy orientation: how relevant is locality?

The notion that policy orientation is gendered has important implications for both policy research and practical policymaking. If men and women differ in their policy orientation, policy action will equally differ depending on which group controls the levers of community politics/policy agenda. However, a substantial question still looms: are gender cleavages in policy orientation inevitable, or, do things change markedly according to locality? This research uses national probability sample data from Afghanistan to examine the extent to which locality shapes gender cleavages in policy orientation. The results posit that locality matters in two significant ways. First, it crystallises women's group interests. Secondly, it promotes policy 'convergence', to the extent that men and women living and operating in the same social space will tend to react to policy similarly. However, such a broad outlook does not preclude gender polarisation on policy matters. Women will align with their group interest even when that interest is at odds with their community's trajectory.
A bone marrow factor contributes to kidney disease.

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a circulating biomarker of inflammation. A recent study identifies immature myeloid cells in the bone marrow as a major cellular source of suPAR that contributes to kidney disease.
Development and Assessment of a Novel Canine Ex Vivo Corneal Model.

ABSTRACTPurpose: To develop a novel ex vivo extended culture model of canine corneal epithelial cell wound healing.Materials and Methods: Canine corneoscleral rims (CSR) were obtained and, after preparation for culture, were placed on a nutating scaffold and incubated in physiological conditions. In experiment 1, eight CSR in a serum-containing antimicrobial-fortified medium were monitored for epithelial integrity and bacterial infection up to 28 days in culture. CSR were assessed histologically at the end of the culture period end points 0, 7, 14, and 28 days with accompanying scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) evaluation. Samples for microbial culture were obtained at days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28. In experiment 2, uniform 8-mm-diameter superficial corneal epithelial wounds were created and monitored for re-epithelialization in the same culture conditions or in a serum-free protein equivalent medium, with four CSR per group. Standardized digital images were obtain...
An optical assessment of the effects of glioma growth on resting state networks in mice (Conference Presentation)

Gliomas are known to cause significant changes in normal brain function that lead to cognitive deficits. Disruptions in resting state networks (RSNs) are thought to underlie these changes. However, investigating the effects of glioma growth on RSNs in humans is complicated by the heterogeneity in lesion size, type, and location across subjects. In this study, we evaluated the effects of tumor growth on RSNs over time in a controlled mouse model of glioma growth. Methods: Glioma cells (5x104-105 U87s) were stereotactically injected into the forepaw somatosensory cortex of adult nude mice (n=5). Disruptions in RSNs were evaluated weekly with functional connectivity optical intrinsic signal imaging (fcOIS). Tumor growth was monitored with MRI and weekly bioluminescence imaging (BLI). In order to characterize how tumor growth affected different RSNs over time, we calculated a number of functional connectivity (fc) metrics, including homotopic (bilateral) connectivity, spatial similarity, and node degree. Results: Deficits in fc initiate near the lesion, and over a period of several weeks, extend more globally. The reductions in spatial similarity were found to strongly correlate with the BLI signal indicating that increased tumor size is associated with increased RSN disruption. Conclusions: We have shown that fcOIS is capable of detecting alterations in mouse RSNs due to brain tumor growth. A better understanding of how RSN disruption contributes to the development of cognitive deficits in brain tumor patients may lead to better patient risk stratification and consequently improved cognitive outcomes.
The Significance of China's 'String of Pearls Strategy'

This article examines China’s strategy pertaining to their ‘String of Pearls’. China has strengthened their relationships through financial support and construction of infrastructure within countries that have a history of political instability. The focus is on maritime superiority with each ‘pearl’ can serve as both an economic and military hub for China. China has caught the attention of the United States with their increased military spending, increased support of local governments, and increased influence in Africa with the aid to dictators undoing the progress of democracy attempts.
Abstract 3928: Association of calcium sensing receptor polymorphisms at rs1801725 with circulating calcium in breast cancer patients

Patients with metastatic or end-stage breast cancer (BC) inevitably develop hypercalcemia, while up to 30% of BC patients develop cancer-induced hypercalcemia (CIH) in the absence of metastases or bone diseases. The commonly diagnosed mild increase in circulating calcium activates the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) and has been shown to be associated with larger and more aggressive breast tumors in postmenopausal and premenopausal patients respectively. Whether differences in circulating calcium and/or specific inactivating CaSR variants play any role in disparities in BC outcomes remains unclear. DESIGN METHODS: We identified 199 BC cases and 384 age and genetic ancestry-matched controls with calcium assay and genotyping data from the Vanderbilt University DNA biorepository (BioVU) linked to de-identified electronic medical records. The linear mixed effects and codominant models were used to assess the relationship between inactivating CaSR mutations at rs1801725 (codon 986) and rs1801726 (codon 1011) and either circulating calcium levels or risk of high calcium-driven aggressive BC outcomes. RESULTS: We observed that circulating calcium levels were significantly higher in BC cases compared to control subjects (p=0.001) and interestingly, in subjects of African ancestry compared to Caucasians (p=0.001). The A986S mutant CaSR is common among Caucasians while the Q1011E mutant receptor is common among African Americans. However, only inactivating mutations at rs1801725 locus were significantly associated with higher calcium levels (p=0.006) and a higher (69%) risk of high calcium-driven aggressive BC outcomes compared to the wild type receptor. We also demonstrate that invasive BC cells are tolerant to sustained high calcium and that their adaptation to high calcium occurs via up-regulation of calcium-activated early response and malignancy-associated genes. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that inactivating CaSR polymorphisms at rs1801725 predispose BC patients to hypercalcemia and that high circulating calcium-driven aggressive disease outcomes occur via calcium modulated malignancy-associated genes such as MAGEC2/CT10. Citation Format: Diva Whalen, Li Wang, Sarrah Widatalla, Josiah Ochieng, Ann Richmond, Amos Sakwe. Association of calcium sensing receptor polymorphisms at rs1801725 with circulating calcium in breast cancer patients [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 3928. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3928
Human Sexuality Course

(1979). Human Sexuality Course. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy: Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 7-10.
Proton Therapy Reduces Normal Tissue Dose in Extended-Field Pelvic Radiation for Endometrial Cancer.

Abstract Purpose: We dosimetrically compared pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for pelvic and para-aortic lymph node disease in endometrial carcinoma and present acute toxicities associated with extended-field PBS. Patients and Methods: Twenty-five patients with locally advanced endometrial malignancies were enrolled in an image-guided registry study. Seven of these patients were treated with PBS, and 18 patients were treated with IMRT. Organs at risk included pelvic bone marrow (PBM), small bowel (SB), large bowel (LB), rectum, bladder, and kidneys. The IMRT and PBS dosimetric parameters were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Results: Compared with IMRT PBM dose-volume histograms, PBS resulted in significantly lower dose volumes from 0 to 26.0 Gy (P < .05) and higher dose volumes from 33.9 to 42.9 Gy (P < .05). Overall, PBS resulted in 22% lower median PBM volume irradiated to 10 Gy (RBE) (PBS 71.3% versus IMRT 93.4%, P < .001) and 14% lower ...
Subsonic and Intersonic Interfacial Fracture: Dynamic Photoelastic Investigation

A series of experiments was performed to investigate the phenomenon of dynamic interfacial fracture using the method of photoelasticity in combination with high-speed photography. Two different specimen geometries were utilized to understand interfacial fracture under both shear and opening mode dominated loading conditions. The experimental data was utilized to formulate a fracture criterion that establishes a generalized relationship between the dynamic energy release rate and the crack-tip velocity. The criterion is based on the premise that the vectorial crack-face displacement at a point behind the crack tip increases exponentially with the instantaneous crack-tip velocity.
Reducing Radicals in Nitrate Solutions. The NO32- System Revisited

The one-electron reduction product of nitrate, the NO{sub 3}{sup 2-} radical, was reinvestigated because of the contemporary interest in its reactivity in high-level liquid radioactive systems. Indirect observations suggest that the same dianion is produced by the precursor to the solvated electron. The redox potential of the couple NO{sub 3}{sup -}/NO{sub 3}{sup 2-} was calculated, using several ab initio approaches combined with semiempirical solvation models, to be E{sup o} {approx} -1.1 V vs NHE. Using the theoretical prediction to guide the experiment, we find a value of E{sup o} = -0.89 V at zero ionic strength. Kinetic and free-energy-relationship arguments are used to question the acid-base equilibria and reaction mode that converts the NO{sub 3}{sup 2-} to the oxidizing NO{sub 2} radical. It is proposed that the reaction of the dianion with various general acids is an O{sup 2-} (i.e., water or OH-) transfer to the acid and not proton transfer to NO{sub 3}{sup 2-}. Implications of the highly negative redox potential of the dianion and the existence of the protonated forms to practical systems are discussed.
Design for survivability: a participatory design fiction approach to sustainability

Design For Sustainability (D4S) is an established and popular perspective for discussing environmental, economic, and social considerations in product design. Design participants use the concept of Sustainability to discuss short- and long-term externalities of a product's lifecycle (such as fossil-fuel consumption, recyclability, and habitat impacts) from their shared perspective of a sustainable world. This work attempts to broaden D4S by proposing "Design For Survivability", a methodology for discussing products through stories of the diverse technologies, societies, and other objects they might drive to extinction. A Survivability decision process is proposed, as is an experiment comparing design discussions and outcomes between Survivability and Sustainability, and suggestions are made for analytical techniques to be adopted from ecology and conservation biology.
Incentive to deliver: authoritarian rule, proportional representation, and support for Russia’s ruling party

We use electoral system change in Russia to identify the means by which a proportional representation (PR) system yields strategic electoral behavior that favors the ruling party in an authoritaria...
CASPR: judiciously using the cloud for wide-area packet recovery

We revisit a classic networking problem -- how to recover from lost packets in the best-effort Internet. We propose CASPR, a system that judiciously leverages the cloud to recover from lost or delayed packets. CASPR supplements and protects best-effort connections by sending a small number of coded packets along the highly reliable but expensive cloud paths. When receivers detect packet loss, they recover packets with the help of the nearby data center, not the sender, thus providing quick and reliable packet recovery for latency-sensitive applications. Using a prototype implementation and its deployment on the public cloud and the PlanetLab testbed, we quantify the benefits of CASPR in providing fast, cost effective packet recovery. Using controlled experiments, we also explore how these benefits translate into improvements up and down the network stack.
Coupling Deep Learning and UAV for Infrastructure Condition Assessment Automation

We propose coupling the state-of-the-art computer technology deep learning and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to automatically detect and assess the health condition of civil infrastructure such as bridges and pavements. UAV carrying high resolution camera and infrared thermography camera to collect a large amount of image data from the target infrastructure, which serves as inputs of trained deep neural networks for damage classification and condition assessment. Details of the framework that may guide the automation process are explained. We demonstrated preliminary application of using UAV and deep neural network in concrete crack and asphalt pavement distress classification. Challenges and needs for deployment of UAV and deep learning are briefly discussed in the end.
Abstract 254: Platelet Derived Growth Factor Receptor Beta Activation Promotes Atheroprotective Changes in Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype

Despite decades of research, little is known about mechanisms and factors driving atherosclerotic progression leading to plaque rupture, thrombosis and myocardial infarction or stroke. The widely accepted dogma is a thin fibrous cap and a paucity of Acta2+ smooth muscle cells (SMC) relative to macrophages increases risk of plaque rupture. However, our recent rigorous lineage tracing studies in advanced lesions showed a subset of cells that express macrophage markers are SMC-derived and SMC specific conditional knockout of stem pluripotency gene Klf4 resulted in increased fibrous cap thickness and decreased lesion size and abundance of SMC-derived macrophage-like cells. Results indicate that SMC play a critical role in lesion pathogenesis but paradoxically can transition to a beneficial or detrimental state, presumably as a function of the local environmental milieu within lesions. Studies highlight the critical need to identify factors and mechanisms that direct SMC to form a stable fibrous cap. Various i...
Prognostic Restaging at the Time of 2nd-Line Therapy in Patients with AL Amyloidosis

Background: It is well known that the staging stratification at diagnosis predicts survival in immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis, but there is a paucity of literature delineating the prognostic value of these systems at the time of 2nd-line therapy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the prognostic value of AL staging among 563 patients with staging data, who initiated a 2nd-line therapy between 2000 and 2015. Both the Revised Mayo 2012 staging system and the European revision of the Mayo 2004 staging system were used. Results: The median time from initial treatment to 2nd-line therapy was 11.6 months. Median follow-up from institution of 2nd-line therapy was 54.1 months. The 1st-line therapy for patients was autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) in 216 (38%) patients; and 2) non-ASCT therapies in 347 patients. Both staging systems were prognostic with a risk ratio of 9.4 (95%CI: 6.0, 15.1; p stage II was 65% and 31% (Mayo 2004) and 70% and 23% (Mayo 2012). The respective numbers for patients relapsing from a non-ASCT therapy were 57% and 26% (Mayo 2004) and 60% and 23% (Mayo 2012). Conclusions: This study indicates that the Mayo staging systems work well at the time of instituting 2nd-line therapy and is independent of whether 1st-line therapy was ASCT based. Disclosures Gertz:annexon: Consultancy; Medscape: Consultancy; Apellis: Consultancy; celgene: Consultancy; Prothena: Honoraria; Abbvie: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy; Physicians Education Resource: Consultancy; spectrum: Consultancy, Honoraria; Ionis: Honoraria; Research to Practice: Consultancy; Teva: Consultancy; janssen: Consultancy; Alnylam: Honoraria. Kumar:KITE: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Janssen: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celgene: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; AbbVie: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Lacy:Celgene: Research Funding. Dingli:Millennium Takeda: Research Funding; Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Other: Participates in the International PNH Registry (for Mayo Clinic, Rochester) for Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Other: Participates in the International PNH Registry (for Mayo Clinic, Rochester) for Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Millennium Takeda: Research Funding. Kapoor:Takeda: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding. Russell:Vyriad: Equity Ownership. Dispenzieri:Celgene, Takeda, Prothena, Jannsen, Pfizer, Alnylam, GSK: Research Funding.
Must-Do Instruction for Metered-Dose Inhalers: Provider Perspectives

Background: Proper metered-dose inhaler (MDI) use is essential for effective management of asthma symptoms, but reports show that many patients do not use them effectively. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends that healthcare providers educate and assess patients’ MDI technique at each opportunity. Our site had performed a pilot study that showed mean correct 7-step MDI use by parents on admission, after in-hospital training, and at 2 weeks post discharge of 5.7 (SD 1.6), 7 (SD 0), and 4.8 (SD 1.3), suggesting need for continued training outside the hospital. Limited …
Value beyond truth-value: a practical response to skepticism

I aim to offer a practical response to skepticism. I begin (in section one) by surveying a family of responses to skepticism that I term “dogmatic” and argue that they are problematically evasive; they do not address what I take to be a question that is central to many skeptics: Why am I justified in maintaining some beliefs that fail to meet ordinary standards of doxastic evaluation? I then turn (in section two) to a discussion of these standards of evaluation and to the different kinds of doxastic value to which they appeal. While there is something good about having a true belief and something bad about having a false one, I argue the value of true beliefs is not intrinsic or final. Truth and knowledge are valuable because they contribute to both individual and collective flourishing. But if contributing to flourishing is what ultimately provides truth with its value, then we have discovered another doxastic value. I call this kind of doxastic value “practical.” The practical response addresses the skeptic’s question by claiming that some beliefs can be justified by appealing to their practical, rather than alethic, value. In fleshing out this practical response (in section three) I contrast it both with dogmatic responses as well as some seemingly similar “practical” alternatives, namely Crispin Wright’s appeals to entitlements and Susanna Rinard’s “pragmatic skepticism.” I end (in section four) by addressing some objections.
Sexually Transmitted Infection Screening among College Women by Race/Ethnicity and Number of Male Sex Partners: National Survey of Family Growth, 2013–2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship of race/ethnicity and number of male partners with sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening among college women in the Uni...
Optimizing LSST observing strategy for weak lensing systematics

The LSST survey will provide unprecedented statistical power for measurements of dark energy. Consequently, controlling systematic uncertainties is becoming more important than ever. The LSST observing strategy will affect the statistical uncertainty and systematics control for many science cases; here, we focus on weak lensing systematics. The fact that the LSST observing strategy involves hundreds of visits to the same sky area provides new opportunities for systematics mitigation. We explore these opportunities by testing how different dithering strategies (pointing offsets and rotational angle of the camera in different exposures) affect additive weak lensing shear systematics on a baseline operational simulation, using the $\rho-$statistics formalism. Some dithering strategies improve systematics control at the end of the survey by a factor of up to $\sim 3-4$ better than others. We find that a random translational dithering strategy, applied with random rotational dithering at every filter change, is the most effective of those strategies tested in this work at averaging down systematics. Adopting this dithering algorithm, we explore the effect of varying the area of the survey footprint, exposure time, number of exposures in a visit, and exposure to the Galactic plane. We find that any change that increases the average number of exposures (in filters relevant to weak lensing) reduces the additive shear systematics. Some ways to achieve this increase may not be favorable for the weak lensing statistical constraining power or for other probes, and we explore the relative trade-offs between these options given constraints on the overall survey parameters.
Technologies for Innovating Forward

In this chapter I consider the available technologies for promoting innovation. A rich ecosystem of technologies has developed over that past 20+ years to understand and forecast Social-Technical-Ecological-System (STES) change. Technical innovations are often more tractable than social innovations, requiring primarily a sustained investment in science and education. Which are most appropriate for managing landscapes for change? What are their limitations? And how can we improve them?