cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Nonlinear Dynamics-Based Estimator for Functional Electrical Stimulation: Preliminary Results From Lower-Leg Extension Experiments

Miniature inertial measurement units (IMUs) are wearable sensors that measure limb segment or joint angles during dynamic movements. However, IMUs are generally prone to drift, external magnetic interference, and measurement noise. This paper presents a new class of nonlinear state estimation technique called state-dependent coefficient (SDC) estimation to accurately predict joint angles from IMU measurements. The SDC estimation method uses limb dynamics, instead of limb kinematics, to estimate the limb state. Importantly, the nonlinear limb dynamic model is formulated into state-dependent matrices that facilitate the estimator design without performing a Jacobian linearization. The estimation method is experimentally demonstrated to predict knee joint angle measurements during functional electrical stimulation of the quadriceps muscle. The nonlinear knee musculoskeletal model was identified through a series of experiments. The SDC estimator was then compared with an extended kalman filter (EKF), which uses a Jacobian linearization and a rotation matrix method, which uses a kinematic model instead of the dynamic model. Each estimator’s performance was evaluated against the true value of the joint angle, which was measured through a rotary encoder. The experimental results showed that the SDC estimator, the rotation matrix method, and EKF had root mean square errors of 2.70°, 2.86°, and 4.42°, respectively. Our preliminary experimental results show the new estimator’s advantage over the EKF method but a slight advantage over the rotation matrix method. However, the information from the dynamic model allows the SDC method to use only one IMU to measure the knee angle compared with the rotation matrix method that uses two IMUs to estimate the angle.
Public servants or police soldiers? An analysis of opinions on the militarization of policing from police executives, law enforcement, and members of the 114th congress U.S. house of representatives

AbstractDespite the dramatic rise in use of militarized weapons, equipment, and tactics by police departments across the nation, no study has examined the opinions of those responsible for designing, funding, and implementing police militarization in the United States. Therefore this study collected and analyzed opinion data from 465 key stakeholders from the 114th Congress U.S. House of Representatives, law enforcement executives, and local police officers regarding police militarization. Results suggest that while most practitioners and policymakers favor police militarization, Congress and law enforcement differ in support of critical issues such as oversight of military procurement programs, use of surplus military weapons and vehicles, and overall support for the militarization of policing in the United States.
The Cowboy Code

Issues of bullying, suicide, self-expression, self-acceptance, self-harm, among others, within the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, ally, and others (GLBTQQA+) culture are e...
Phagocytosis-mediated M1 activation by chitin but not by chitosan.

Chitin particles have been used to understand host response to chitin-containing pathogens and allergens and are known to induce a wide range of polarized macrophage activations, depending, at leas...
Evaluation of OSUS at TTCP CUE 2017

The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) Contested Urban Environment (CUE) 2017 Experiment was con- ducted to explore and evaluate technologies that can enhance close combat capabilities in contested urban environments through the exploitation of airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and ground sensors. This paper focuses on case studies and an evaluation of the interoperability standard between all coalition systems chosen for this event, OSUS. The Open Standard for Unattended Sensors (OSUS) is an interoperability architecture for unattended ground sensor (UGS) controllers. The U.S. Army Research Laboratory continues to develop and improve the OSUS standard, and as part of research on interoperability, participates in a variety of experiments, demonstrations and exercises. The United States provided ground sensors and a Command and Control (C2) station, Australia provided airborne sensors and a C2 station, and Canada provided C2 workstations along with a suite of ground sensors. Partner nations attended an OSUS workshop early in 2017 at the ARL, Adelphi. MD. USA campus. This provided a chance for hands-on instruction in OSUS fundamentals and the programming of OSUS controllers and interfaces. The difficulty of adding an OSUS interface into a sensor or C2 system, the challenges and benefits of using OSUS during a coalition event, and the overall effectiveness of the implementation for this specific experiment were examined. The average amount of time to implement an OSUS interface for a sensor or a C2 station was two weeks. The integration phase was fast and seamless after a single day of integration and testing, five of six tested systems were fully operational and the sixth was missing only one function. Several shortcomings of the data model were uncovered, which was to be expected as the data model was developed for Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS) and not airborne platforms. Overall, OSUS provided a robust and reliable means of communication between each of the systems. TTCP/CUE is an ongoing study and a similar event is planned for Montreal, Canada in 2018.
Basic Concepts in Molecular Biology

The term molecular biology is generally used to refer to basic and clinical research which involves the techniques of molecular cloning and genetic engineering. Within this rather broad range of interests three overlapping and complementary themes can be identified. Firstly, molecular biology can be thought of as a basic science in its own right. In this respect it refers to research into the molecular mechanisms which are involved in gene expression and its regulation. This area of research is of fundamental importance to the understanding of embryonic and fetal development which is characterized by precise temporal and spatial patterns of gene expression leading, ultimately, to the formation of specialized tissue types.1 Secondly, molecular biology has provided the technological basis for rapid advances in the field of medical genetics.2 The ability to identify and isolate individual genes has led to the characterization of gene defects involved in inherited disorders including cystic fibrosis,3 Duchenne muscular dystrophy,4 Marfan syndrome5 and familial cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy6,7 (see chapter 6). Thirdly, molecular biology provides powerful and versatile tools for examining and manipulating biological processes at the molecular level. DNA can be manipulated in vitro and reintroduced into cells in culture or into whole animals (using for example transgenic techniques), allowing the functional role of cellular components to be examined in vivo.
Ramsey interferometry in correlated quantum noise environments

We quantify the impact of spatiotemporally correlated Gaussian quantum noise on frequency estimation by Ramsey interferometry. While correlations in a classical noise environment can be exploited to reduce uncertainty relative to the uncorrelated case, we show that quantum noise environments with frequency asymmetric spectra generally introduce additional sources of uncertainty due to uncontrolled entanglement of the sensing system mediated by the bath. For the representative case of collective noise from bosonic sources, and experimentally relevant collective spin observables, we find that the uncertainty can increase exponentially with the number of probes. As a concrete application, we show that correlated quantum noise due to a lattice vibrational mode can preclude superclassical precision scaling in current amplitude sensing experiments with trapped ions.
How We Talk with Robots: Eliciting Minimally-Constrained Speech to Build Natural Language Interfaces and Capabilities:

Industry, military, and academia are showing increasing interest in collaborative human-robot teaming in a variety of task contexts. Designing effective user interfaces for human-robot interaction is an ongoing challenge, and a variety of single and multiple-modality interfaces have been explored. Our work is to develop a bi-directional natural language interface for remote human-robot collaboration in physically situated tasks. When combined with a visual interface and audio cueing, we intend for the natural language interface to provide a naturalistic user experience that requires little training. Building the language portion of this interface requires first understanding how potential users would speak to the robot. In this paper, we describe our elicitation of minimally-constrained robot-directed language, observations about the users’ language behavior, and future directions for constructing an automated robotic system that can accommodate these language needs.
More opioids, more constipation? Evaluation of longitudinal total oral opioid consumption and self-reported constipation in patients with cancer.

211Background: Constipation is a distressing physical symptom inadequately assessed in patients with cancer. Total opioid consumption may impact opioid-induced constipation (OIC) prevalence. This s...
Conclusions: Gomorrah 3 and Italian Television Abroad

This chapter addresses the allure of sympathetic perpetrators on Italian television by discussing the Gomorrah 3’s continued controversy, innovative marketing strategy, and alignment with the buddy film. It pays close attention to spoilers, exploring the author’s position as a viewer who has watched the series knowing how it would end—an important question considering the global popularity of Gomorrah and the shifting viewing practices of millions of fans who do not have immediate access to the product. It notes how Gomorrah 3 ticks all of the boxes essential to creating the serial perpetrator identikit, before concluding by meditating upon the ramifications of Marco D’Amore’s ascension from actor interpreting leading antihero Ciro di Marzio to one of the four directors of forthcoming episodes of Gomorrah 4. The chapter concludes by underlining that Sky and Netflix are successful in producing local content with an appeal to global audiences through featuring likable criminal antiheroes. They also added their own twist in a focus on conventionally physically attractive perpetrators who are engaged in factually based criminal acts. Italy’s most popular, exported series feature alluring and attractive criminal antiheroes, and offer fictionalized accounts of historical events or figures. Sky and Netflix series highlight the routine violence in the mafia, the police force, and the political sphere, while rendering that violence, and its perpetrators, worthy of sympathy. Italian broadcasters have made an international name for themselves in presenting Italian tragedy in formats that are visually pleasurable and, for many across the globe, highly addictive.
Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship: Targets for Community-acquired Pneumonia.

Abstract Purpose Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of appropriate diagnosis and treatment of outpatients treated for CAP. Knowledge of problems with CAP treatment can be helpful in developing stewardship initiatives to improve care of outpatients with CAP. Methods Included in this study were patients 18 years and older who received antibiotic therapy for the treatment of CAP in the outpatient setting. Outpatients were identified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes for CAP in the Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System between January 2008 and January 2018. Appropriate treatment was evaluated using CAP guidelines. Factors associated with an inappropriate regimen were determined via multivariable analyses. Findings This study included 518 outpatients, of whom 66% were appropriately diagnosed with CAP. Of the 341 appropriately diagnosed patients, only 31% received an antibiotic regimen consistent with guidelines. Regarding inappropriate regimens, 76.7% contained an incorrect drug based on patient comorbidities, and 39.4% consisted of an inappropriate duration, which was most often attributable to prolonged length of therapy >7 days. The odds of being prescribed an inappropriate regimen if a patient was considered to be at risk for drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (DRSP) was 4.2 (95% CI, 2.4–7.4). The population at risk for DRSP was more likely to present to the health care system again within 30 days compared with low-risk patients (19.4% vs 8.7%, P = 0.005). Implications Improvement in prescribing is needed for CAP. An outpatient stewardship program that targets patients with risk factors for DRSP would improve adherence to guidelines.
Abstract Ideal Theory: Principals and Particulars

The subject of abstract ideal theory has developed along two more or less distinct though related lines since its beginnings in the twenties and thirties. One line involves an ideal operator x which is applied to subsets of a semigroup S to produce a lattice ordered semigroup L of ideals. The other, and the one of primary interest to us in this discussion, begins immediately with the lattice ordered semigroup L, dispensing entirely with the assumption of underlying elements.
Bovine Milk Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) Modification Elicits Skeletal Muscle Growth in Rats

The current study investigated how bovine milk extracellular vesicles (EVs) affected rotarod performance and biomarkers of skeletal muscle physiology in young, growing rats. Twenty-eight-day Fisher 344 rats were provided an AIN-93G-based diet for 4 weeks that either remained unadulterated [EVs and RNA-sufficient (ERS; n = 12)] or was sonicated [EVs and RNA-depleted (ERD; n = 12)]. Prior to (PRE) and on the last day of the intervention (POST), animals were tested for maximal rotarod performance. Following the feeding period, the gastrocnemius muscle was analyzed at the histological, biochemical, and molecular levels and was also used to measure mitochondrial function and reactive oxygen species (ROS) emission. A main effect of time was observed for rotarod time (PRE > POST, p = 0.001). Terminal gastrocnemius mass was unaffected by diet, although gastrocnemius muscle fiber cross sectional area was 11% greater (p = 0.018) and total RNA (a surrogate of ribosome density) was 24% greater (p = 0.001) in ERD. Transcriptomic analysis of the gastrocnemius indicated that 22 mRNAs were significantly greater in ERS versus ERD (p < 0.01), whereas 55 mRNAs were greater in ERD versus ERS (p < 0.01). There were no differences in gastrocnemius citrate synthase activity or mitochondrial coupling (respiratory control ratio), although mitochondrial ROS production was lower in ERD gastrocnemius (p = 0.016), which may be explained by an increase in glutathione peroxidase protein levels (p = 0.020) in ERD gastrocnemius. Dietary EVs profiling confirmed that sonication in the ERD diet reduced EVs content by ∼60%. Our findings demonstrate that bovine milk EVs depletion through sonication elicits anabolic and transcriptomic effects in the gastrocnemius muscle of rapidly maturing rats. While this did not translate into a functional outcome between diets (i.e., rotarod performance), longer feeding periods may be needed to observe such functional effects.
It Takes Three: Relational Boundary Work, Resilience, and Commitment among Navy Couples

Although scholars have generally focused on how individuals manage their work and home demands, employees, outsiders, and organizations coconstruct work–nonwork boundaries. Using interviews with co...
A New Value Strategy

Traditional value measures performed poorly in the past three decades. We reevaluate the value strategy using a new measure—the ratio of cash-based operating profitability to price (COP/P)—and find a zero-investment portfolio that buys the highest-COP/P stocks and shorts the lowest-COP/P stocks earns annualized returns of 11% on a value-weighted basis and 13% on an equal-weighted basis. The COP/P effect holds even for large-capitalization stocks, is distinct from known return predictors, and exists even in the most recent decade when book-to-market negatively predicts returns. The COP/P measure subsumes many widely used value measures and the conservative-minus-aggressive investment factor of Fama and French (2015).
Assembly and Characterization of Biocompatible Coenzyme Q 10 -Enriched Lipid Nanoparticles

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 ) is a strongly hydrophobic lipid that functions in the electron transport chain and as an antioxidant. CoQ10 was conferred with aqueous solubility by incorporation into nanoparticles containing phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) and apolipoprotein (apo) A-I. These particles, termed CoQ10 nanodisks (ND), contain 1.0 mg CoQ10 /5 mg PtdCho/2 mg apoA-I (97% CoQ10 solubilization efficiency). UV/Vis absorbance spectroscopy of CoQ10 ND revealed a characteristic absorbance peak centered at 275 nm. Incorporation of CoQ10 into ND resulted in quenching of apoA-I tryptophan fluorescence emission. Gel filtration chromatography of CoQ10 ND gave rise to a single major absorbance peak and HPLC of material extracted from this peak confirmed the presence of CoQ10 . Incubation of cultured cells with CoQ10 ND, but not empty ND, resulted in a significant increase in the CoQ10 content of mitochondria as well as enhanced oxidative phosphorylation, as observed by a ~24% increase in maximal oxygen consumption rate. Collectively, a facile method to solubilize significant quantities of CoQ10 in lipid nanoparticles has been developed. The availability of CoQ10 ND provides a novel means to investigate biochemical aspects of CoQ10 uptake by cells and/or administer it to subjects deficient in this key lipid as a result of inborn errors of metabolism, statin therapy, or otherwise.
Choosing to Avoid? A Conjoint Experimental Study to Understand Selective Exposure and Avoidance on Social Media

Social media platforms provide multiple affordances, which convey several cues to guide users in making decisions about which news to consume. Traditional factorial designs have failed to experimen...
Characterizing the proximal esophageal segment in patients with symptoms of esophageal dysmotility.

BACKGROUND Proximal esophageal striated muscle contractility may be abnormal in patients with esophageal symptoms, but is not assessed in the Chicago Classification (CC) v3.0. We aimed to (a) determine the prevalence of abnormal proximal esophageal contractility in patients with esophageal symptoms; (b) compare proximal esophageal contractility in patients with different esophageal motility disorders; (c) assess the association of abnormal proximal esophageal contractility with esophageal symptoms. METHODS Patients undergoing high-resolution esophageal manometry (HREM) from 7/2019 to 11/2019 and healthy volunteers (HVs) were studied. Measurements of the proximal esophageal segment included the vigor of contractility of the proximal esophagus (proximal contractile integral/PCI). Patients rated gastrointestinal symptoms' severity. KEY RESULTS HREM was performed on 221 patients (63.8% females, mean age 57.1 ± 1.1 years) and 19 HVs. Mean PCI in HVs was 299.5 ± 30.6 (95% CI 32.3-566.7 mm Hg. s. cm). Of all patients, 61 (27.6%) had abnormal PCI. HVs and patients with different esophageal motility disorders had significantly different PCI (P < .01). Type 1 achalasia patients had weaker PCI than patients with absent contractility (P = .02). Patients with abnormal PCI had more severe dysphagia (P = .02), nausea (P = .03), vomiting (P = .03), and lower bolus clearance (P < .01) than patients with normal PCI. CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES Abnormal PCI was found in a fourth of patients with esophageal symptoms. PCI may be useful to distinguish some esophageal motility disorders. Patients with abnormal PCI had a higher severity of some upper gastrointestinal symptoms than patients with normal PCI. Assessing the proximal esophageal segment on HREM may be useful in characterizing patients with esophageal symptoms.
Mortality and risk factors among US Black, Hispanic, and White patients with COVID-19

Summary Background Little is known about risk factors for COVID-19 outcomes, particularly across diverse racial and ethnic populations in the United States. Methods In this prospective cohort study, we followed 3,086 COVID-19 patients hospitalized on or before April 13, 2020 within an academic health system in New York (The Mount Sinai Health System) until June 2, 2020. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate demographic, clinical, and laboratory factors as independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. The analysis was stratified by self-reported race and ethnicity. Findings A total of 3,086 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized, of whom 680 were excluded (78 due to missing race or ethnicity data, 144 were Asian, and 458 were of other unspecified race/ethnicity). Of the 2,406 patients included, 892 (37.1%) were Hispanic, 825 (34.3%) were black, and 689 (28.6%) were white. Black and Hispanic patients were younger than White patients (median age 67 and 63 vs. 73, p Interpretation In this large, racially and ethnically diverse cohort of COVID-19 patients in New York City, we identified similarities and important differences across racial and ethnic groups in risk factors for in-hospital mortality. Funding Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.
Effect of Music on a Mindfulness Experience: An Online Study

Abstract Mindfulness has become increasingly common in therapeutic and non-therapeutic venues as a way to address stress, change, and uncertainty, such as in the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of music in mindfulness is apparent in several traditional and Western practices but has little research regarding its effect in novice practitioners. In an online course-based research experience, a group of student researchers, a graduate research assistant and two faculty members recruited 54 healthy participants within their social networks, to investigate the effect of a music stimulus on one mindfulness exercise and the feasibility of implementing this intervention in virtual sessions. Participants attended two virtual group sessions where student researchers and a faculty member/research assistant provided online questionnaires and links to a 20-minute meditation recording, either with or without music, as the two conditions. Potential moderators of the intervention included stress in the previous month and absorption in music. A repeated-measures ANCOVA indicated no significant differences among conditions, and no interaction with stress or absorption in music. Although contrary to our expectations, the lack of significant differences between conditions indicate that music did not distract from a mindfulness meditation, and that the music and guided mindfulness stimulus was as efficacious as the guided mindfulness alone. Given the potential for music to become a distractor for novice practitioners, this finding is important and in line with our theoretical framework. Online delivery of this intervention was feasible and apparently effective. Suggestions for implementation of online research and intervention delivery are included.
High pyocyanin production and non-motility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates are correlated with septic shock or death in bacteremic patients

Studies of the outcome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia (Pab) have focused mainly on antibiotic appropriateness. However, P. aeruginosa possesses many virulence factors whose roles in outcomes have not been examined in humans, except for the type III secretion system (T3SS) toxins. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of virulence factors other than the T3SS toxins. Bacterial isolates were collected from 75 patients who suffered from Pa blood stream infections. Host factors such as neutropenia, immunosuppression, comorbidities, time to effective antibiotics, source of bacteremia, and presence of multidrug resistant (MDR) isolate were studied. The isolates were analyzed for the presence of toxin genes, proteolytic activity, swimming and twitching motility, and pyocyanin production. The data were analyzed to ascertain which virulence factors correlated with poor outcomes defined as septic shock or death (SS) within 7 days. Septic shock or death occurred in 25/75 patients. Univariate analysis identified age as a host factor that exerted a significant effect on these outcomes. Ineffective antibiotics administered during the first 24 hours of treatment or MDR P. aeruginosa did not influence the frequency of SS, nor did the presence of lasB, exoA, exoS exoU, plcH genes and proteolytic activity. However, 6/8 patients infected with non-motile isolates, developed SS, p = 0.014 and 5/6 isolates that produced large amounts of pyocyanin (>18ug/ml), were associated with SS, p = 0.014. Multivariate analysis indicated that the odds ratio (OR) for development of SS with a non-motile isolate was 6.8, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.37, 51.5), p = 0.030 and with high pyocyanin producing isolates, an OR of 16.9, 95% CI = (2.27, 360), p = .017. This study evaluating the role of microbial factors that significantly effect outcomes following Pa bloodstream infection suggests that P. aeruginosa strains showing high pyocyanin production and the lack of motility independently increase the risk of SS.
Aberrant Neural Response During Face Processing in Girls With Fragile X Syndrome: Defining Potential Brain Biomarkers for Treatment Studies.

Abstract Background Children and adolescents with fragile X syndrome (FXS) manifest significant symptoms of anxiety, particularly in response to face-to-face social interaction. In this study we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to reveal a specific pattern of brain activation and habituation in response to face stimuli in young girls with FXS, an important but understudied clinical population. Methods Participants were 32 girls with FXS (age: 11.8 ± 2.9 years) and a control group of 28 girls without FXS (age: 10.5 ± 2.3 years) matched for age, general cognitive function and autism symptoms. Functional NIRS was used to assess brain activation during a face habituation task including repeated upright/inverted faces and greeble (nonface) objects. Results Compared to the control group, girls with FXS showed significant hyper-activation in the frontopolar and dorsal lateral prefrontal cortices in response to all face stimuli (upright + inverted). Lack of neural habituation (and significant sensitization) was also observed in the FXS group in the frontopolar cortex in response to upright face stimuli. Finally, aberrant frontopolar sensitization in response to upright faces in girls with FXS was significantly correlated with notable cognitive-behavioral and social-emotional outcomes relevant to this condition including executive function, autism symptoms, depression and anxiety. Conclusions These findings strongly support a hypothesis of neural hyper-activation and accentuated sensitization during face processing in FXS, a phenomenon that could be developed as a biomarker endpoint for improving treatment trial evaluation in girls with this condition.
Different intracellular localization of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and ryanodine receptors in cardiomyocytes

The ryanodine and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptors have previously been found to be intracellular Ca2+ release channels characterized by their large size and 4-fold symmetry. In this study, cardiomyocytes are found to have a different intracellular localization for the two receptors. At the level of light microscopy, the IP3 receptor is immunolocalized in rat ventricular cardiomyocytes at the region of the intercalated discs. By contrast, immunoreactivity of the ryanodine receptor is observed as transverse bands throughout the length of the cardiomyocyte, coincident with the triad junction at the I-bands. At the level of electron microscopy, immunogold particles directed to the IP3 receptor specifically decorate the intercalated discs of rat ventricular and atrial cardiomyocytes, preferentially at the fascia adherens. Binding of [3H] IP3 and [3H]ryanodine were measured in cardiac subcellular fractions. IP3 binding is enriched in a fraction containing intercalated discs. Little or no IP3 binding was detected in longitudinal sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), junctional SR, sarcolemma, mitochondria, and submitochondrial vesicles. Ryanodine binding is the highest in junctional SR. We conclude that the IP3 receptor is present in ventricular and atrial cardiomyocytes and localized at the region of the intercalated discs. These results suggest a possible role of the IP3 receptor in Ca2+ entry through intercalated discs and/or intercellular signaling between cardiomyocytes.
Finance and Fictionality in the Early Eighteenth Century: Accounting for Defoe

Introduction 1. Credit and its discontents: the credit-fiction homology 2. Defoe and fictionality 3. Credit and honesty in The Compleat English Tradesman 4. Fictions of stability 5. Lady Credit's reprise: Roxana.
Abstract 985: The mutational landscape of LN metastasis and recurrence in HNSCC

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Recent whole exome sequencing (WES) studies have reported the mutations that characterize primary head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). While exposure to tobacco, alcohol and HPV infection are known to contribute to HNSCC development and prognosis, the largest obstacle to long term survival is recurrent and metastatic disease. Approximately 50% of patients present with synchronous lymph node metastases (SLNM), where 5-year adjusted survival is ≈85% for patients without SLNM compared with 30-60% in patients with SLNM. 20-30% of patients cured of their primary HNSCC go on to develop recurrent disease, which is usually refractory to standard therapies. Here, we report the first WES study of paired primary tumor and SLNM from 14 HNSCC patients, and paired primary tumor and metachronous loco-regional metastases (MLRM) from 11 HNSCC patients. Primary tumors averaged 67 nonsynonymous mutations per tumor (n=21), SLNM averaged 89.3 (n=12), and MLRM averaged 41.7 (n=9). TP53 was the only gene mutated in a majority (57%) of primary tumors in our cohort. We observed similar rates of mutation in several of the TCGA-defined “HNSCC signature” genes in our primary cohort, including FAT1 (14.3%) and CASP8 (4.8%), among others. While the size of our cohort does not allow for appropriately powered statistical analyses; 206 and 204 genes, were mutated in metastatic tumors, but not the respective paired primary tumors, in the SLNM and MLRM cohorts, respectively. AP2B1 and ITPR3 mutations were enriched in SLNM, as newly acquired mutations were seen in multiple (2 and 2/12) SLNM samples. GLUL and DDR2 mutations were enriched in MLRM, as newly acquired mutations were seen in multiple (2 and 2/9) MLRM samples. All 4 genes have previously been implicated in the metastatic process in other cancers. The potential enrichment of DDR2 mutations in HNSCC metastases is especially intriguing, as mutations in this gene have been shown to confer sensitivity to the SRC-family kinase inhibitor, dasatinib, in lung and breast cancer. Here we report exquisite sensitivity to dasatinib in our HNSCC preclinical models harboring DDR2 mutations, suggesting further investigation of this drug is warranted in recurrent HNSCC. Citation Format: Matthew Louis Hedberg, Gerald Goh, Maria Freilino, Yan Zeng, Vivian WY Lui, Roy S. Herbst, Richard P. Lifton, Jennifer R. Grandis. The mutational landscape of LN metastasis and recurrence in HNSCC. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 985. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-985
Collecting extremist political materials : the example of Holocaust denial publications

To analyze collection patterns for extremist political materials, a sample of Holocaust denial monographs and periodicals was checked on OCLC, and holding libraries divided by library type and geographic location. Academic libraries are the largest owners of these materials, with research oriented institutions holding more titles and having more owning libraries than do teaching institutions or public libraries. However, fewer than 2% of all North American libraries own sample titles. This study indicates that the number of libraries that actively collect publications from groups expressing controversial political, social, and economic opinions is small.
ERISA and Disability Benefits

In Glazer v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company , 524 F.3d 1241 (11th 2008), the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals examined whether the district court for the Southern District of Florida had erred in its summary judgment upholding defendant Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company's denial of
Simulation of computer program distribution

A computer program library is essentially a “job shop” which accepts and processes requests for computer programs. Such processing usually results in an initial delivery of the program package to the requestor, followed later by deliveries of maintenance packages to him.Packages usually consist of documentation and machine readable material (cards, tapes, disks, etc.).The latter is prepared on data processing equipment installed in the shop.Simulation of this preparation process has proved to be a useful tool in the short and long range planning of the shop's facilities.The GPSS/360 model constructed simulates both the management's supervisory decision process as well as the resulting activity of machine readable material preparation. It produces a suggested equipment installation schedule, accompanied by statistics on equipment utilization, service times, costs, etc. based on that schedule.
Static Finite Deformation Analysis of the Lung

In this paper lung parenchyma is treated as a compressible continuum undergoing nonlinear elastic finite deformation. Stresses, deformations, and other regional properties in the lung are determined by the finite element method using the iterative procedure. The strain energy density function of the material is obtained by using the averaged alveolus concept of an earlier study. The physical model and the kinematic conditions of the lung used for numerical results follow closely to the true anatomical configurations. Results of regional lung behavior based on this approach compared well with the experimentally measured data.
Titan's Polar Weather

The discovery of ethane clouds on Saturn's moon Titan provides insight into complex planetary atmospheres.
An Isotopic View of the Early Solar System

Short-lived radioisotopes that can now only be traced through their daughter isotopes hold the key to many processes in the early solar system. In his Perspective, Zinner reviews recent attempts to elucidate these early events. Three main sources of short-lived isotopes are generally considered: the interstellar medium, high-energy particles from the early Sun, and a stellar event shortly preceding the formation of the solar system. The author argues that current evidence points to a supernova explosion that triggered the formation of our solar system and provided most of the short-lived isotopes.
Nursing Home Resident Abuse by Staff: Exploring the Dynamics

ABSTRACT This paper explores the dynamics of nursing home (NH) resident abuse by NH staff. It presents partial findings from a grounded theory study about NH staff response to aggressive residents and focuses on NH staff not able to care for aggressive NH residents without detrimental consequences to themselves or the residents they cared for, including abuse of NH residents. Symbolic Interactionism provides the theoretical framework. Classic grounded theory approach was used to analyze data which included semi-structured interviews with NH staff and abuse investigators. Two types of abusive NH staff are identified, the reactive and sadistic abuser. Additional investigations are needed to enhance understanding of the dynamics of abuse of residents by institutional staff and to further develop prevention and intervention programs.
Identification and Characterization of TUP1-Regulated Genes in Candida albicans

TUP1 encodes a transcriptional repressor that negatively controls filamentous growth in Candida albicans. Using subtractive hybridization, we identified six genes, termed repressed by TUP1 (RBT), whose expression is regulated by TUP1. One of the genes (HWP1) has previously been characterized, and a seventh TUP1-repressed gene (WAP1) was recovered due to its high similarity to RBT5. These genes all encode secreted or cell surface proteins, and four out of the seven (HWP1, RBT1, RBT5, and WAP1) encode putatively GPI-modified cell wall proteins. The remaining three, RBT2, RBT4, and RBT7, encode, respectively, an apparent ferric reductase, a plant pathogenesis-related protein (PR-1), and a putative secreted RNase T2. The expression of RBT1, RBT4, RBT5, HWP1, and WAP1 was induced in wild-type cells during the switch from the yeast form to filamentous growth, indicating the importance of TUP1 in regulating this process and implicating the RBTs in hyphal-specific functions. We produced knockout strains in C. albicans for RBT1, RBT2, RBT4, RBT5, and WAP1 and detected no phenotypes on several laboratory media. However, two animal models for C. albicans infection, a rabbit cornea model and a mouse systemic infection model, revealed that rbt1Delta and rbt4Delta strains had significantly reduced virulence. TUP1 appears, therefore, to regulate many genes in C. albicans, a significant fraction of which are induced during filamentous growth, and some of which participate in pathogenesis.
An integral inequality on bounded domains of holomorphy

We will show that the volume form of Eisenman and Kobayashi satisfies an integral inequality near the boundary of any bounded domains of holomorphy.
Laser Assisted Single-molecule Refolding

In vivo, many RNA molecules can adopt multiple conformations depending on their biological context. For example, an RNA molecule initially in a stable hairpin conformation may later interact with a second RNA molecule, thus triggering a dimerization reaction. This is the case of the HIV Dimerization Initiation Sequence (DIS) and the DsrA RNA in bacteria. It is quite common that the initial interaction between the two RNAs takes place via complementary unpaired regions, forming a so-called kissing complex. However, the exact kinetic mechanism by which the two RNA molecules reach the dimerized state is still not well understood.To investigate the refolding energy surface of RNA molecules, we have developed new technology based on the combination of single molecule spectroscopy with laser induced temperature jump kinetics, called Laser Assisted Single-molecule Refolding (LASR). LASR enables us to induce folding reactions of otherwise kinetically trapped RNAs at the single molecule level, and to characterize their folding landscape. Single molecule time trajectories show that we can drive the dimerization reaction between two trapped kissing RNA hairpins with LASR and use this data to calculate folding enthalpies and entropies. Our LASR experiments indicate that the RNA kissing complex is a stable intermediate state that facilitates the dimerization reaction.LASR provides an exciting new approach to study molecular memory effects and kinetically trapped RNAs in general. LASR is readily applicable to study DNA and protein folding as well.
Interactions between biomolecules and an iron-silica surface

Abstract An iron-silica adsorbent (1:1 ratio by mass) with a pore cell size of 11.4 nm and BET surface area of 610 m2 g−1 was synthesized and compared to a mesocellular foam (MCF) silica and iron oxide for amino acid (alanine, aspartic acid, lysine and histidine) and lysozyme adsorption. Amino acid batch adsorption loadings did not exceed estimated monolayer coverage and were generally quantitatively similar on iron-silica and MCF silica; the observed loadings followed the trend alanine > lysine/aspartic acid ≫ histidine. Multilayers were observed on the strongly positive iron oxide surface. The dynamic heat of biomolecule adsorption was directly measured with flow microcalorimetry (FMC); the enthalpies of adsorption of alanine, aspartic acid, lysine, and histidine on iron-silica were −0.046, −0.73, −5.3 and −14.3 kJ mol−1, respectively. Alanine adsorption was mediated by the surrounding water, aspartic acid adsorbed through weak electrostatic attractions, and lysine and histidine formed bonds during adsorption. Lysozyme monolayer loading was higher on iron-silica than on MCF silica, calorimetric studies indicate a different lysozyme adsorption mechanism on iron-silica and MCF silica.
Integrating patient teaching into bedside patient care: a participant-observation study of hospital nurses

Abstract Today’s patients are quickly discharged from hospitals and often continue complex treatments at home. Patient teaching is critical and hospital nurses are encouraged to use “every teachable moment.” This study explored and described the nature of integrating patient teaching into daily patient care and the factors influencing the delivery of teaching. A fieldwork method, conducted over 12 months, used participant-observation (PO) and a focus group session to answer the research questions. Three experienced registered nurses working on the oncology unit of an acute care community hospital served as informants. Critical attributes and patterns of observed teaching events were described.
Cardiac nitric oxide synthase-1 localization within the cardiomyocyte is accompanied by the adaptor protein, CAPON.

Abstract The mechanism(s) regulating nitric oxide synthase-1 (NOS1) localization within the cardiac myocyte in health and disease remains unknown. Here we tested the hypothesis that the PDZ-binding domain interaction between CAPON (carboxy-terminal PDZ ligand of NOS1), a NOS1 adaptor protein and NOS1, contribute to NOS1 localization in specific organelles within cardiomyocytes. Ventricular cardiomyocytes and whole heart homogenates were isolated from sham and post-myocardial infarction (MI) wild-type (C57BL/6) and NOS1−/− female mice for quantification of CAPON protein expression levels. NOS1, CAPON, xanthine oxidoreductase and Dexras1, a CAPON binding partner, were all present and enriched in isolated cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) fractions. CAPON co-immunoprecipitated with the mu and alpha isoforms of NOS1 in whole heart lysates, and co-localization of CAPON and NOS1 was demonstrated in the SR and mitochondria with dual immuno-gold electron microscopy. Following MI, CAPON and NOS1 both redistributed to caveolae and colocalized with caveolin-3. In addition, following MI, expression level of CAPON remained unchanged and Dexras1 was reduced, CAPON binding to xanthine oxidoreductase was augmented and the plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA) increased. In NOS1 deficient myocytes, CAPON abundance in the SR was reduced, and redistribution to caveolae and PMCA binding after MI was absent. Together these findings support the hypothesis that NOS1 redistribution in injured myocardium requires the formation of a complex with the PDZ adaptor protein CAPON.
Autophagic disposal of the aggregation-prone protein that causes liver inflammation and carcinogenesis in alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.

α-1-Antitrypsin (AT) deficiency is a relatively common autosomal co-dominant disorder, which causes chronic lung and liver disease. A point mutation renders aggregation-prone properties on a hepatic secretory protein in such a way that the mutant protein is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes rather than secreted into the blood and body fluids where it ordinarily functions as an inhibitor of neutrophil proteases. A loss-of-function mechanism allows neutrophil proteases to degrade the connective tissue matrix of the lung causing chronic emphysema. Accumulation of aggregated mutant AT in the endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes causes liver inflammation and carcinogenesis by a gain-of-toxic function mechanism. However, genetic epidemiology studies indicate that many, if not the majority of, affected homozygotes are protected from liver disease by unlinked genetic and/or environmental modifiers. Studies performed over the last several years have demonstrated the importance of autophagy in disposal of mutant, aggregated AT and raise the possibility that predisposition to, or protection from, liver injury and carcinogenesis is determined by the balance of de novo biogenesis of the mutant AT molecule and its autophagic disposal.
Degeneracy in NLP and the development of results motivated by its presence

We study notions of nondegeneracy and several levels of increasing degeneracy from the perspective of the local behavior of a local solution of a nonlinear program when problem parameters are slightly perturbed. Ideal nondegeneracy at a local minimizer is taken to mean satisfaction of second order sufficient conditions, linear independence and strict complimentary slackness. Following a brief exploration of the relationship of these conditions with the classical definition of nondegeneracy in linear programming, we recall a number of optimality and regularity conditions used to attempt to resolve degeneracy and survey results of Fiacco, McCormick, Robinson, Kojima, Gauvin and Janin, Shapiro, Kyparisis and Liu. This overview may be viewed as a structured survey of sensitivity and stability results: the focus is on progressive levels of degeneracy. We note connections of nondegeneracy with the convergence of algorithms and observe the striking parallel between the effects of nondegeneracy and degeneracy on optimality conditions, stability analysis and algorithmic convergence behavior. Although our orientation here is primarily interpretive and noncritical, we conclude that more effort is needed to unify optimality, stability and convergence theory and more results are needed in all three areas for radically degenerate problems.
ASRS sizing for recreating automotive assembly sequences

Since a mixed model assembly line's efficiency depends on the sequence of jobs moving down the line, manufacturers spend considerable effort optimizing the sequence of jobs entering the plant. In automotive assembly plants however, repair loops and parallel stations scramble the sequence before it reaches the final assembly stage. Many automotive assembly plants use an automatic storage and retrieval system to revamp the scrambled sequence before final assembly. One plant even goes so far as to reconstruct the original sequence by completely undoing the sequence scrambling. We derive a relationship between the sequence scrambling information, the variety of model-colour configurations, and the size of the automatic storage and retrieval system needed to reconstruct the initial sequence. We enunciate this new ASRS sizing problem actually facing industry, show how to model it, present a solution approach, and demonstrate the approach on actual sequence scrambling data from an automotive assembly plant.
MRI of cervical facet dislocation.

The MRI examinations of eight patients with cervical vertebral dislocation demonstrated by conventional radiography were reviewed. All patients had axial and sagittal T 1- and T 2-weighted imaging on a 1.5-T unit. This revealed unilateral partial facet dislocation (in two patients), bilateral partial facet dislocation (in two), unilateral complete dislocation (in two) and bilateral complete facet dislocation (in two). In six patients there was cord contusion, three had focal disc protrusions and four unilateral absence of normal flow void in one of the cervical vertebral arteries. In all cases, the dislocated facets were shown well on the far-lateral sagittal images.