cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discovery of a novel PET tracer for the Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 (EAAT2) in the CNS

1639 Objectives Our objective is to realize a PET imaging tracer for the CNS L-glutamate (L-Glu) transporter EAAT2 (Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2) found on astrocytes. Transport by EAAT2 is the primary mechanism through which extracellular levels of L-Glu are regulated. Excitotoxic injury promoted by elevated L-Glu can be a result from altered regional astrocyte EAAT2 activity and/or cell surface expression. Thus, an EAAT2 PET tracer might afford quantitative assessments of these in vivo CNS changes. Methods A series of aspartylamide ligands underwent EAAT2 screening adjunct to other CNS targets. Screening identified ligand 1 as an EAAT2 candidate agent. CNS penetration studies of non-radiolabeled (cold) ligand 1 and cognate pro-drug forms, including pro-drug 2, used wild type (WT) mice (i.v. dosing 1-20 mg/Kg, brain and plasma concentrations of 1 by LC/MS-MS). An electrophilic fluorine-18 ([18F]) radiosynthesis was developed for pro-drug tracer [18F]2 with rat microPET scans using an Inveon DPET scanner, 0-90 min. Results Ligand 1 has high EAAT2 potency (IC50 500x). Injection of cold pro-drug 2 afforded 1 in brain and plasma, where the PK curves for 1 were PET tracer suitable. Ligand 2 penetrates brain 4x better than parent 1. Radioligand [18F]2 was prepared in > 95% radiochemical purity and mean specific activity ~2.3 Ci/mmol (EOS, 3 h, n=5). Tracer [18F]2 results in high uptake of radioactivity in thalamus, hippocampus, frontal cortex, which is consistent with regional EAAT2 density determinations from ex vivo tissue immunostaining. Conclusions Pro-drug 2 affords 1 in rat brain and plasma. In rats PET pro-drug tracer [18F]2 penetrates brain and its hydrolyzed form, [18F]1, provides good specific binding signals in EAAT2 rich regions. Ligand [18F]2 shows promise as a first-in-class CNS [18F]-tracer for EAAT2. Research Support The Robert Packard Center for ALS Research, Johns Hopkins University; P2ALS; ALS Association; NIH P30-NS055022; and the Center for Molecular & Genomic Imaging, University of California, Davis
Anatomic Findings and Management of Choanal Atresia and the Charge Association

The CHARGE association is a collection of multisystem congenital anomalies including choanal atresia. A review of the literature failed to identify any specific findings that suggested the need to alter the management of choanal atresia in these patients. Our review of 24 patients with choanal atresia managed between 1974 and 1986 identified nine patients with the CHARGE criteria. These nine patients demonstrated a higher prevalence of surgical failures than the patients without the CHARGE association. The reasons are discussed, and computed tomographic scans demonstrate the anatomic findings of a more contracted nasopharynx and narrowed posterior choanal region. Thus, successful repairs require a more radical resection of the posterior nasal septum and lateral bony walls that can be achieved only with a transpalatal approach. The preoperative airways of CHARGE association patients are also at increased risk of obstruction and may require intubation or tracheotomy during the early life of the patient.
Abstract 1869: Mammary tumor inhibition by intermittent calorie restriction and eicosapentaenoic acid

Breast cancer is a complex disease and research as well as compliance may be more productive if combinations of dietary intervention strategies are utilized. For this study we combined consumption of the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) with two modes of calorie restriction. We utilized six groups of MMTV-Her2/neu mice to represent the approximately 20% of human breast cancers in which Her2/neu is over expressed and for which there are no known chemo-preventive agents available. Starting at 10 weeks of age half of the mice were fed a control diet composed of a modified AIN-93M formula with fat derived from soy oil. The other half consumed a diet with 71.75% of fat calories from EPA. Mice were further divided into ad libitum (AL), chronic calorie restricted (CCR) or intermittent caloric restricted (ICR) groups. AL groups (Control and EPA) received unrestricted access to their diets. CCR groups were given 75% of the total calories that the AL age-matched groups consumed. ICR groups were fed calories equal to 100% of the AL age-matched groups for three weeks followed by three weeks of calories equal to 50% of the AL age-matched groups. Supplemental vitamins and minerals were added to the food for the CCR ands ICR groups. The 6 week cycles of restriction and refeeding were maintained until the mice were 60 weeks of age or were euthanized due to MTs. Mice were weighed weekly and carefully examined for mammary tumors (MTs). Ad Lib Control (Con) and Ad Lib-EPA groups ate similar amounts and gained weight at similar rates. The body weights of the CCR-Con and CCR- EPA were also similar to each other. The ICR-EPA mice were slightly heavier (p Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1869. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1869
Magazines Teens are Reading: What Health-Related Messages are They Getting?

Abstract This investigation was undertaken in recognition of the National Health Education Standard 4, which states: “Students will analyze the influence of culture, media, technology, and other factors on health.” A questionnaire was administered to adolescents (N=659) from Massachusetts and Rhode island. Findings revealed three magazines most widely read by males, three by females, and the three most widely read by both males and females. Popular health topics were in each issue (e.g., appearance, sexuality, substance abuse, and nutrition). Using the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) six priority areas for health education, the total number of articles versus the total number of health-related articles in each magazine was determined and the articles were placed into the CDC categories. These articles were examined for content and found to be very general. Often the health-related material could have been misinterpreted by readers. From these findings, a number of teaching strate...
Directing energy transport in organic photovoltaic cells using interfacial exciton gates.

Exciton transport in organic semiconductors is a critical, mediating process in many optoelectronic devices. Often, the diffusive and subdiffusive nature of excitons in these systems can limit device performance, motivating the development of strategies to direct exciton transport. In this work, directed exciton transport is achieved with the incorporation of exciton permeable interfaces. These interfaces introduce a symmetry-breaking imbalance in exciton energy transfer, leading to directed motion. Despite their obvious utility for enhanced exciton harvesting in organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs), the emergent properties of these interfaces are as yet uncharacterized. Here, directed exciton transport is conclusively demonstrated in both dilute donor and energy-cascade OPVs where judicious optimization of the interface allows exciton transport to the donor–acceptor heterojunction to occur considerably faster than when relying on simple diffusion. Generalized systems incorporating multiple exciton permeable...
Pyridoxal Phosphate vs Pyridoxine for Intractable Seizures

The efficacy of pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) compared to pyridoxine (PN) in the control of idiopathic intractable epilepsy was studied in 94 children, aged 8 months to 15 years, at the National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Who pays? Intra‐ versus inter‐generational costs of reproduction

Reproduction is thought to be costly for female mammals due to high energetic costs associated with pregnancy and lactation. Such costs of reproduction can be particularly high for younger females, who are less experienced and smaller than fully grown adults, and can manifest themselves within (intra-individual or intra-generational trade-offs) or between (inter-generational trade-offs) generations. Using lifetime survival and reproductive histories of 416 female golden-mantled ground squirrels (Callospermophilus lateralis) in Colorado, USA, we tested for the evidence of intra- and inter-generational trade-offs between age of first reproduction and fitness and its components. Females who waited to begin reproduction lived longer but they did not experience a greater number of lifetime reproductive events, did not produce larger litters, nor did they have higher lifetime reproductive success than those females who attained reproductive maturity earlier. However, delaying age of first reproduction substantially reduced individual fitness, quantified as the dominant eigenvalue of the population projection matrix, suggesting that fitness benefits of earlier maturity exceeded associated costs. Females born to mothers who delayed age of first reproduction had a higher probability of surviving to reproduce at least once during their lifetimes. Thus, in our study system, daughters pay for their mothers’ reproductive decisions, suggesting that some costs of reproduction can transcend a generation. Studies testing for costs of reproduction on survival or reproductive output within a short timeframe or those focusing within a generation may fail to detect inter-generational trade-offs.
The Role of Hypoxia-inducible Factor-1 in the Regulation of Stem Cell Functions

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1(HIF-1),a heterodimer composed of αand subunits,is the key transcriptional factor that governs the expression of an array of hypoxia responsive genes in multicellular organisms.Hypoxia and HIF-1 have been shown to be closely associated with the development of a wide range of ischemic and inflammatory diseases,including malignant tumors.Recent studies have shown that hypoxia,as a critical component of stem cell niche under certain physiological and pathological conditions,play an important role in the regulation of stem and progenitor cell functions.This article presents a brief review on the progress in the study of hypoxia and HIF-1 in regulating of stem cell behaviors.
Graph filter banks with M-channels, maximal decimation, and perfect reconstruction

Signal processing on graphs finds applications in many areas. Motivated by recent developments, this paper studies the concept of spectrum folding (aliasing) for graph signals under the downsample-then-upsample operation. In this development, we use a special eigenvector structure that is unique to the adjacency matrix of M-block cyclic matrices. We then introduce M-channel maximally decimated filter banks. Manipulating the characteristics of the aliasing effect, we construct polynomial filter banks with perfect reconstruction property. Later we describe how we can remove the eigenvector condition by using a generalized decimator. In this study graphs are assumed to be general with a possibly non-symmetric and complex adjacency matrix.
Demand for Water, Water Services, and Ecosystem Services

Managing demands for water, water-related services, and ecosystem services can convert unlimited requests for resources to ones that consider resource limits. Urban water demand involves an aggregate of domestic, commercial, and industrial demands, and auditing of water uses in cities offers a tool to improve efficiency. Many industries supply their own water and are not connected to utility networks. Irrigation is by far the largest water use on the basis of consumptive use, especially in dry regions. Demands for instream flows are satisfied after withdrawals, discharges, and losses occur, and the health of instream flows is an indicator of the success of IWRM. Demand for sanitation services and wastewater management is mostly inelastic because people have few alternatives. Flood control services do not involve water demand but the use of water facilities, which could be used to increase water yield.
INSPIRATORY FLOW PATTERNS FOR THE MECHANICAL VENTILATION OF THE LUNGS

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the inspiratory flow patterns for the mechanical ventilation of the lungs. The goal of mechanical ventilation is to supply oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from a patient without compromising cardiovascular function or inflicting lung damage. The lung model used to describe the distribution of inspired gas consists of two parallel networks (compartments) each of which contains a resistance in series with a compliance element. A comparison was made between the constant and half sine wave inspiratory flow patterns to assist in resolving the growing controversy over the best ventilator characteristics. The results indicate that the half sine wave flow pattern provides a better distribution of gas flow than a constant flow pattern. The reason is that during the half sine wave inspiration the ventilation of the fast compartment is greater than the ventilation of the slow compartment until state variable of the lung model equals zero.
A case of reverse takotsubo cardiomyopathy caused by an eating disorder

Abstract Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is an acquired transient cardiomyopathy that causes severe systolic dysfunction in the absence of coronary disease. Here we present a case of reverse takotsubo cardiomyopathy. A 67-year-old female was admitted for weakness and falls due to severe malnutrition. During her stay she was diagnosed with an eating disorder. She also developed chest pain during her hospitalization and was taken urgently for catheterization which showed normal coronary arteries with akinetic basal and inferior walls and hyperkinesis of the apex. Her ejection fraction decreased to 25% from 60% five days previously. She was diagnosed with reverse takotsubo. She was placed on an appropriate heart failure regimen and eventually transferred to inpatient rehabilitation. In its typical form, takotsubo causes apical ballooning due to hyperkinetic basal and inferior wall motion and apical hypokinesis. Reverse takotsubo causes a depressed basal segment with apical hyperkinesis usually brought on by severe emotional or physical stress. Our case is the first documented report of an eating disorder causing the reverse type of takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Learning objective: The reader will be able to recognize stress-induced cardiomyopathy in the right clinical setting and understand that there are different variants of this condition that can present with multiple different wall motion abnormalities.>
Recommending a Modification to the Common Core State Standards Initiative: By Including More Multi-Literacy

In this paper, I hypothesize that the Common Core State Standards Initiative’s lack of creative arts training in the English Language Arts could cripple America’s future in the coming world economy. Ironically, the CCSSI claims to prepare learners for college and careers; but, does not consider architects, engineers, military professionals, urban planners, and anyone who thinks visually. Moreover, this limited emphasis placed on the arts is putting the craft into survival mode in many public schools; the only hope for funding (for liberal arts) comes from private resources, a tactic that has helped save art programs in other school districts like in Los Angeles (Public Schools Slash Arts Education and Turn to Private Funding., n.d.). Theoretically, if society only knew how art education is so directly tied to literacy development, perhaps there would be a push to add detailed visual literacy requirements to the CCSSI and potentially save the arts from eminent demise. Correspondingly, in this paper, I want to advocate the view that we are culturally moving towards a modified language that is digital, visual, and written, thereby providing relevance for training globally -ready, multi-literate learners through the vehicle of art education.
Semiconductor quantum dots for photoluminescence-based gas sensing

Abstract: The photoluminescence (PL) characteristics of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) and their intrinsic sensitivity to their surrounding environment have made them an attractive material set for sensing applications. However, their development into PL-based gas sensors requires several considerations. Specifically, the QD surface chemistry via manipulation with surface ligand engineering, rational design and control of polymer host chemistry and in situ/ex situ dispersing methods, or polymer-free QD deposition methodologies and sensible introduction of functional substrates all need to be considered, as each of these will likely affect the sensor detection limits, selectivity, and detection dynamic range. These specific choices and their corresponding effects on the QD sensing properties will be discussed in detail.
Territorial Marking Behavior by the South American Vicuna

Two wild members of the camel family occur on the aridlands of South America: the vicuna (Vicugna vicugna) and the guanaco (Lama guanicoe). The vicuna is found in the central Andean altiplano or puna, an equatorial short-grassland that is above treeline and below the snowline, despite its 3700m to 4800m elevation (Koford, 1957; Franklin, 1973 a, b). In contrast, the guanaco ranges from sea level to 4000m and is more widely distributed (Franklin, 1975).
Altered anterior cingulate cortex to hippocampus effective connectivity in response to drug cues in men with cocaine use disorder

Drug-related attentional bias may have significant implications for the treatment of cocaine use disorder (CocUD). However, the neurobiology of attentional bias is not completely understood. This study employed dynamic causal modeling (DCM) to conduct an analysis of effective (directional) connectivity involved in drug-related attentional bias in treatment-seeking CocUD subjects. The DCM analysis was conducted based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data acquired from fifteen CocUD subjects while performing a cocaine-word Stroop task, during which blocks of Cocaine Words (CW) and Neutral Words (NW) alternated. There was no significant attentional bias at group level. Although no significant brain activation was found, the DCM analysis found that, relative to the NW, the CW caused a significant increase in the strength of the right (R) anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to R hippocampus effective connectivity. Greater increase of this connectivity was associated with greater CW reaction time (relative to NW reaction time). The increased strength of R ACC to R hippocampus connectivity may reflect ACC activation of hippocampal memories related to drug use, which was triggered by the drug cues. This circuit could be a potential target for therapeutics in CocUD patients. No significant change was found in the other modeled connectivities.
THE INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY OF THE AUTOMOBILE: A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYZING THE COST EFFECTIVENESS OF AUTOMOBILE RECYCLING

As recycling becomes an increasingly prominent environmental issue, the automotive industry needs more refined analytical techniques to assess recycling's impacts on its operations. The Materials Systems Laboratory (MSL) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has proposed a methodology in which recycling is viewed not as merely a constraint but as part of a broader strategic planning objective. The first step in this undertaking is to establish a quantitative framework upon which subsequent automobile design trade-offs can be based. Towards this end, technical cost models have been developed to simulate and consistently track the various stages of body panel manufacturing, assembly, and recycling. This paper describes one approach to analyzing automobile recycling and the oral presentation will extend this paper to include a case study.
Concerns regarding the pediatric component of the AASM clinical guidelines for the manual titration of positive airway pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

I applaud the AASM for putting together clinical guidelines for positive airway pressure (PAP) titration. I understand that this was a very challenging task and, as with many areas of sleep medicine, there was a paucity of hard data upon which to base practical recommendations. However, I do have concerns regarding some of the pediatric recommendations.
Piccolo and Bassoon

Piccolo and Bassoon are structurally related large multidomain proteins localized at active zone in the presynapse. The lack of orthologs of these protein in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila, along with their large size (>400 kDa) has been a major hurdle in understanding the function of these proteins. The multiple interactions of these proteins make them ideal candidate scaffolds for the functional organization of the presynapse. Morphological and biochemical studies have helped us in understanding the trafficking of these proteins in neurons; however, studies aimed at the genetic disruption of these proteins are crucial in understanding their function at molecular and neuronal level. This article summarizes the available literature on the subject.
Selective depression of silicates in phosphate flotation using polyacrylamide-grafted nanoparticles

Abstract In this study, novel in-house synthesized hybrid polyacrylamide-grafted nanoparticles (Hy-PAM) were used to enhance the recovery of phosphorus bearing minerals from plant tailing by the froth flotation process. Characterization assays, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) and mineral liberation analysis (MLA) indicated that apatite, fluorapatite and quartz are the major crystalline phases in the tailing sample. Flotation experiments were performed using a bench scale Denver flotation cell with 1 L capacity in the presence of sodium oleate, which was used as a collector. Several influencing parameters such as polymer dosage, pH, and the flotation time were investigated to optimize the flotation outcomes in terms of recovery and grade of phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5). Results indicated that the P2O5 content in the plant tailings can be enriched from 21.6% to 28.6% at a recovery value of 80.5% in the first 4 min of flotation without the need to add a pH modifier. Moreover, flotation kinetics was investigated using classical first order kinetic model which was evaluated based on the flotation rate constant, the ultimate phosphorous recovery and the correlation coefficients obtained by non-linear regression analysis. Results indicated that the ultimate recoveries and the flotation rate constant values were affected by the change of the pulp’s pH.
Halide-Dependent Dealloying of Cux/Auy Core/Shell Nanoparticles for Composition Analysis by Anodic Stripping Voltammetry

Here, we describe the composition analysis of 5–7 nm diameter citrate-stabilized Cu/Au core/shell nanoparticles with composition ratios of Cu1/Aux (x = 0.001–2) attached to amine-functionalized glass/indium-tin-oxide electrodes using anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) in acidic KBr or KCl electrolyte solutions. One peak typically appears for Au oxidation, which is at more positive potential than the peaks for Cu. There are typically two peaks for Cu oxidation due to different bonding environments for Cu (Cu–Cu and Cu–Au bonds). The Au and Cu peak positions and size in the ASVs at different compositions are consistent with the formation of a Cu/Au core/shell structure. For low quantities of Au in the alloy (x < 1), the Au oxidation peak included the oxidation of trapped Cu in KBr solution, but there was no trapped Cu in the Au oxidation peak in KCl solution, making composition analysis straightforward in KCl by simply integrating the peaks for Cu and Au separately. Atomic rearrangement of Au due to strong ...
Integrating information literacy training into an inquiry-based introductory biology laboratory

Information literacy is an essential skill for biologists; however, most biology curricula do not intentionally integrate information literacy into classroom and laboratory exercises. There is evid...
PMO Longevity & Implementation Phase Variables

A growing consensus that the PMO is generally a value-adding organizational entity has inspired more recent studies, many of which are reporting that the longevity of a PMO is likely to increase it...
Alkyltin Keggin clusters as EUVL photoresist technology

Extreme ultraviolet lithography is the newest technique to keep up with Moore’s law and create smaller integrated circuit feature sizes. However, novel photoresist materials must be used in order to withstand the high energy beam (λ=13.5nm). Metal-oxo clusters have been proposed as one photoresist solution, and specifically the most promising is a sodiumcentered tin-Keggin cluster. A simple one-step synthesis was developed to produce a Na-Sn Keggin cluster, without the need for heating, filtration, or recrystallization. However, the product was a mixture of the β-isomer (β-NaSn12) and the γ- isomer (γ-NaSn12), which share the formula [(MeSn)12(NaO4)(OCH3)12(O)4(OH)8]1+. For fundamental studies on the lithographic mechanisms occurring during exposure to be successful, a pure and stable isomer is desired. Computational modeling was recruited to determine the ground state energy of all five uncapped isomers in this Na-Sn Keggin system. Additionally, the inclusion of one or two tin atoms to the uncapped structure, called capping, altered which isomers were stabilized. Computations were also employed to evaluate the influence of this capping strategy for the single-capped β- isomer (β-NaSn13), the single-capped α-isomer (α-NaSn13), the single-capped γ-isomer (γ-NaSn13), and the doublecapped γ-isomer (γ-NaSn14). Density functional theory (DFT) was used to obtain the hydrolysis Gibbs free energy and HOMO-LUMO gap, which led to the stability ranking: β-NaSn12 < γ-NaSn12 < α-NaSn12 < δ-NaSn12 < e-NaSn12 for uncapped clusters, which was consistent which experimental observations. The uncapped isomers were computationally evaluated to be more stable than their respective single-capped analogues. However, the double-capped γ-NaSn14 was more stable than either the uncapped or single-capped clusters. Therefore, capping has shown to be a useful tool in exploring the stability landscape of these Keggin clusters to promote a pure and stable material for the next generation EUV lithography photoresists. And noteworthy, this sodium-centered tin-Keggin ion represents the only Keggin ion family so far, that favors the isomers of lower symmetry.
How the “What Works” Movement is Failing Human Service Organizations, and What Social Work Can Do to Fix It

The social work profession has a long history of seeking legitimacy by adopting frameworks and methods from higher status professions. This quest has led to concerns about social work’s strengths p...
A National Survey of Counselors’ Use of Five Types of Program Evaluation

Evaluation is a critical part of counseling practice. Single case evaluation, needs assessment, formative, outcome, and summative evaluation are used at different points in a program for different ...
Male-to-Female Ratios, Race/Ethnicity, and Spontaneous Preterm Birth among 11 Million California Infants.

Objective An observed disparity in population-scale data are a larger number of males among preterm births (PTBs). We investigated spontaneous PTB risk among women of various race/ethnic groups in combination with infants' sex. Study Design This observational study was conducted in > 10 million California births (1991–2012) using birth certificates linked with maternal and infant hospital discharge data. Results Male-to-female ratios among term (37–42 weeks) infants exhibited the narrow ratio range 1.02 to 1.06 across race/ethnic groups. Such ratios among spontaneous PTBs were generally larger for all race/ethnic groups except non-Hispanic blacks. For blacks, ratios tended to be lower and similar to their term birth counterpart, 1.03. Hazard ratios adjusted for maternal age and education for non-Hispanic blacks were 0.99 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.90–1.09), 1.01 (95% CI 0.95–1.08), 0.98 (95% CI 0.94–1.03), and 1.03 (95% CI 1.01–1.05), respectively, for gestational week groupings of 20 to 23, 24 to 27, 28 to 321, and 32 to 36. Hazard ratios for non-Hispanic whites for the same groupings were 1.08 (95% CI 0.98–1.18), 1.13 (95% CI 1.07–1.19), 1.21 (95% CI 1.17–1.25), and 1.18 (95% CI 1.17–1.19). Conclusion Why male-to-female ratios are similar across gestational ages in blacks but substantially higher in other race/ethnic groups is theoretically considered relative to inflammation, stress, and other influences.
Clinical features and sex differences in pediatric post-traumatic headache: A retrospective chart review at a Boston area concussion clinic.

BackgroundOften concussion/mTBI triggers a chronic headache syndrome called persistent post-traumatic headache (P-PTH) that can last from months to years post-injury, and produce significant disrup...
Machine learning for prospective identification of immunotherapy related adverse events (irAEs).

e14064Background: The ubiquitous implementation of immunotherapy has significantly improved outcomes in the treatment of cancer patients; however, once rare adverse events from these therapies have...
Explorations of an integrated STEM middle school classroom: understanding spatial and temporal possibilities for collective teaching

Middle school STEM learners require developmentally responsive and engaging curriculum in order to propel them successfully to secondary and post-secondary levels. This article focuses on one teach...
The Association between Hospital Frequency of Labor after Cesarean and Outcomes in California.

Abstract Background Labor after cesarean (LAC) is an alternative to planned repeat cesarean delivery. The effect of hospital-level factors on LAC frequency and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) has been relatively understudied. It was our goal to determine if hospital frequency of LAC (number of women undergoing LAC/number of women with previous uterine scars) is associated with increased VBAC and associated outcomes among women undergoing LAC. Methods We analyzed 43,331 term, singleton births to women who experienced LAC in California from 2007 to 2010. We conducted multivariable logistic regressions of infant and maternal outcomes for women at hospitals with high LAC frequency (≥median) compared with low LAC frequency ( Results We did not observe an association between high LAC frequency and VBAC in any category of hospital birth volume in regression models. We found that women in hospitals with high LAC frequency had higher odds of infection in category 1 (low) and 2 (medium) hospitals (category 1 hospitals adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–2.48; category 2 hospitals, aOR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.34–3.35) and postpartum hemorrhage in category 2 and 3 hospitals (category 2 hospitals: aOR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.57–3.94; category 3 hospitals: aOR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.24–2.70). We observed that high LAC frequency was associated with more adverse outcomes (e.g., infection, severe perineal lacerations, decreased Apgar scores) in category 2 than in category 1 and 3 hospitals. Conclusions We did not find that high LAC frequency was associated with more VBAC, nor with many perinatal complications in category 1 and 3 hospitals. The associations between high LAC frequency and both infection and postpartum hemorrhage are concerning and require further investigation. There may be a sensitive balance between increasing LAC access and determining appropriate LAC candidate selection.
Sensor Selection for Activity Classification at Smart Home Environments

As the world’s older population grows dramatically, the needs of continuing care retirement communities increases. Studies show that privacy can be a major concern for adopting technologies, while the older population prefers smart homes [1]. In order to minimize the number of sensors to be installed in each house, we performed Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to filter out the relatively unimportant sensors. We applied a machine learning model to classify residents’ activity types, using a different set of sensors chosen by PCA. Then, we validated the trade-off between the classification model accuracy and the number of sensors used in classification. Our experiment shows that feature engineering helps reduce accuracy degradation for activity type classification when using fewer sensors in smart homes.
Dart‐Leader and K‐Leader Velocity From Initiation Site to Termination Time‐Resolved With 3D Interferometry

Simultaneous data from two interferometers separated by 16 km and synchronized within 100 ns was collected for a thunderstorm near Langmuir Lab on October 23, 2018. Analysis via triangulation follo...
Mr. Presidential Candidate: Whom Would You Nominate?

Presidential candidates compete on multiple fronts for votes. Who is more likeable? Who will negotiate more effectively with allies and adversaries? Who has the better vice-presidential running mate? Who will make better appointments to the Supreme Court and the cabinet? This last question is often discussed long before the inauguration, for the impact of a secretary of state or a Supreme Court justice can be tremendous. Despite the importance of such appointments, we do not expect candidates to compete on naming the better slates of nominees. For the candidates themselves, avoiding competition over nominees in the pre-election context has personal benefits — in particular, enabling them to keep a variety of supporters working hard on the campaign in the hope of being chosen as nominees. But from a social perspective, this norm has costs. This Article proposes that candidates be induced out of the status quo. In the current era of candidates responding to internet queries and members of the public asking questions via YouTube, it is plausible that the question — “Whom would you nominate (as secretary of state or for the Supreme Court)?” — might be asked in a public setting. If one candidate is behind in the race, he can be pushed to answer the question - and perhaps increase his chances of winning the election.
Novel epitope evoking CD138 antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes targeting multiple myeloma and other plasma cell disorders

The development of an immunotherapeutic strategy targeting CD138 antigen could potentially represent a new treatment option for multiple myeloma (MM). This study evaluated the immune function of CD138 peptide-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), generated ex vivo using an HLA-A2-specific CD138 epitope against MM cells. A novel immunogenic HLA-A2-specific CD138(260-268) (GLVGLIFAV) peptide was identified from the full-length protein sequence of the CD138 antigen, which induced CTL specific to primary CD138(+) MM cells. The peptide-induced CD138-CTL contained a high percentage of CD8(+) activated/memory T cells with a low percentage of CD4(+) T cell and naive CD8(+) T cell subsets. The CTL displayed HLA-A2-restricted and CD138 antigen-specific cytotoxicity against MM cell lines. In addition, CD138-CTL demonstrated increased degranulation, proliferation and γ-interferon secretion to HLA-A2(+) /CD138(+) myeloma cells, but not HLA-A2(-) /CD138(+) or HLA-A2(+) /CD138(-) cells. The immune functional properties of the CD138-CTL were also demonstrated using primary HLA-A2(+) /CD138(+) cells isolated from myeloma patients. In conclusion, a novel immunogenic CD138(260-268) (GLVGLIFAV) peptide can induce antigen-specific CTL, which might be useful for the treatment of MM patients with peptide-based vaccine or cellular immunotherapy strategies.
Informal Rigour and Completeness Proofs

Publisher Summary This chapter demonstrates the informal rigor and completeness proofs in mathematical philosophy. Informal rigor makes the analysis precise to eliminate the doubtful properties of the intuitive notions. The principal emphasis is on intuitive notions, which do not occur in ordinary mathematical practice but leads to new axioms for current notions. The difference between familiar independence results and the independence of the continuum hypothesis is discussed in the chapter; the difference is formulated in terms of higher order consequence. The chapter discusses the relation between intuitive logical consequence on the one hand and so-called “semantic syntactic” consequence on the other. Brouwer's empirical propositions and proof considers a striking use of a new primitive to derive a purely mathematical assertion. The chapter explores the completeness questions for classical and intuitionist predicate logic. The problems of completeness involve informal rigor, at least when deciding completeness with respect to an intuitive notion of consequence.
Polarization Intermodulated Excitation (POLINEX) Spectroscopy of Excited Atoms

We have demonstrated a sensitive and versatile new technique of Doppler-free saturation spectroscopy, which takes advantage of Polarization Intermodulated Excitation (POLINEX): the nonlinear interaction of two laser beams in an absorbing medium is studied by modulating the polarization of one or both beams. When the combined absorption depends on the relative polarization of the two beams, an intermodulation is observed in the total rate of excitation. In first exploratory experiments we have studied excited helium atoms in a positive column discharge [1], neon atoms in radiofrequency discharges [1,2], and copper atoms in a hollow cathode discharge [3]. Both optogalvanic detection and fluorescence detection have been used. Clean spectra free of Doppler-broadened background could be recorded despite velocity changing elastic collisions.
Fluorescent adducts of wheat calmodulin implicate the amino-terminal region in the activation of skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase.

Considerable attention is being directed toward defining a binding site in the central region of calmodulin that forms a high affinity interaction with certain enzymes and amphiphilic peptides. However, other regions of calmodulin are also known to be involved in the activation of enzymes such as myosin light chain kinase, regions which may not be directly involved in the binding of small peptides, e.g. mastoparan X. We investigated the properties of wheat calmodulin fluorescent derivatives, which were modified chemically in the first calcium binding site at Cys-27, in the activation of rabbit fast skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase. Unmodified wheat calmodulin stimulated myosin light chain kinase to a greater maximal velocity than wheat calmodulin that was modified at Cys-27 by any of four fluorescent compounds, IAANS (2-[4'-iodoacetamidoanilino]naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid), 5-[2'-[[iodoacetyl]amino]ethyl]aminonaphthalene]-1-sulfonic acid, 5-iodoacetamidofluorescein, and 7-diethylamino-3-[4'-maleimidylphenyl]-4-methylcoumarin; the midpoints for activation of myosin light chain kinase were not significantly different for unmodified wheat calmodulin and three of the four wheat calmodulin derivatives. Myosin light chain kinase, but not mastoparan X, enhanced the fluorescence emission intensity of wheat calmodulin-IAANS. Mastoparan X reversed, in a dose-dependent manner, the changes in fluorescence intensity of a preformed complex of myosin light chain kinase and wheat calmodulin-IANNS. Thus, we propose that the region vicinal to Cys-27 participates in the activation but not the high affinity association of myosin light chain kinase. Lastly, a comparison of mammalian and plant calmodulin showed that the Vmax for the stimulation of myosin light chain kinase was 1.6-fold greater for bovine than wheat calmodulin. The difference between the two calmodulins was more pronounced at lower Ca2+ because less Ca2+ was needed to saturate the kinase rate when stimulated by bovine calmodulin.
Radiology reports: a quantifiable and objective textual approach.

Aim To examine the feasibility of using automated lexical analysis in conjunction with machine learning to create a means of objectively characterising radiology reports for quality improvement. Materials and methods Twelve lexical parameters were quantified from the collected reports of four radiologists. These included the number of different words used, number of sentences, reading grade, readability, usage of the passive voice, and lexical metrics of concreteness, ambivalence, complexity, passivity, embellishment, communication and cognition. Each radiologist was statistically compared to the mean of the group for each parameter to determine outlying report characteristics. The reproducibility of these parameters in a given radiologist's reporting style was tested by using only these 12 parameters as input to a neural network designed to establish the authorship of 60 unknown reports. Results Significant differences in report characteristics were observed between radiologists, quantifying and characterising deviations of individuals from the group reporting style. The 12 metrics employed in a neural network correctly identified the author in each of 60 unknown reports tested, indicating a robust parametric signature. Conclusion Automated and quantifiable methods can be used to analyse reporting style and provide impartial and objective feedback as well as to detect and characterise significant differences from the group. The parameters examined are sufficiently specific to identify the authors of reports and can potentially be useful in quality improvement and residency training.
“Blind” interviewing: Is ignorance bliss?

ABSTRACTCurrent investigative interviewing guidelines [e.g., Technical Working Group: Eyewitness evidence. (1999). Eyewitness evidence: A guide for law enforcement. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice. Retrieved from https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/178240.pdf] suggest that interviewers review available case information prior to conducting a witness interview. The present study investigated the effect of interviewers’ pre-interview awareness of crime details on eyewitnesses’ memory and interviewer behaviour shortly after a mock crime or a week later. Results indicate that blind interviewers with no knowledge about the crime elicited more correct information than those who were correctly informed about the crime. Differences in interviewer behaviour emerged only in the very first question of the interview: Blind interviewers were more likely to begin the interview with a non-suggestive question than the informed interviewers. Blind interviewers also reca...
Model building: an examination of the pre-evacuation period of the 2001 World Trade Center disaster

This paper presents a qualitative study of occupant behavior in response to the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center disaster. Through social science-based analyses of transcripts from 245 face-to-face interviews with survivors from both World Trade Center towers, collected by project High-rise Evacuation Evaluation Database, a conceptual model was developed to describe the pre-evacuation period in what became the largest full-scale building evacuation in history. The objectives of this study were to understand the types of actions performed before occupants began evacuation via stairs and elevators, and why those actions were taken to improve techniques used in evacuation modeling tools. On September 11, 2001, occupants consistently developed new social norms and lines of action based upon the meanings that occupants assigned to the situation, including perceptions of risk, familiarity with the building and others in the building, and responsibility for others. These meanings were dependent upon the receipt of environmental cues as well as on pre-existing norms, experiences, training, and social roles. Published 2013. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
The TORC1 inhibitors Nprl2 and Nprl3 mediate an adaptive response to amino-acid starvation in Drosophila

Target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) is a master regulator of metabolism in eukaryotes that integrates information from multiple upstream signaling pathways. In yeast, the Nitrogen permease regulators 2 and 3 (Npr2 and Npr3) mediate an essential response to amino-acid limitation upstream of TORC1. In mammals, the Npr2 ortholog, Nprl2, is a putative tumor suppressor gene that inhibits cell growth and enhances sensitivity to numerous anticancer drugs including cisplatin. However, the precise role of Nprl2 and Nprl3 in the regulation of metabolism in metazoans remains poorly defined. Here we demonstrate that the central importance of Nprl2 and Nprl3 in the response to amino-acid starvation has been conserved from single celled to multicellular animals. We find that in Drosophila Nprl2 and Nprl3 physically interact and are targeted to lysosomes and autolysosomes. Using oogenesis as a model system, we show that Nprl2 and Nprl3 inhibit TORC1 signaling in the female germline in response to amino-acid starvation. Moreover, the inhibition TORC1 by Nprl2/3 is critical to the preservation of female fertility during times of protein scarcity. In young egg chambers the failure to downregulate TORC1 in response to amino-acid limitation triggers apoptosis. Thus, our data suggest the presence of a metabolic checkpoint that initiates a cell death program when TORC1 activity remains inappropriately high during periods of amino-acid and/or nutrient scarcity in oogenesis. Finally, we demonstrate that Nprl2/3 work in concert with the TORC1 inhibitors Tsc1/2 to fine tune TORC1 activity during oogenesis and that Tsc1 is a critical downstream effector of Akt1 in the female germline.
A finite element formulation for the hydrodynamic semiconductor device equations

Abstract A new formulation employing the Galerkin/least-squares finite element method is presented for the simulation of the hydrodynamic model of semiconductor devices. Numerical simulations are performed on the coupled Poisson and hydrodynamic equations for one carrier devices. The hydrodynamic equations for a single carrier, i.e. for the electrons or holes, resemble the compressible Navier-Stokes equations with the addition of highly nonlinear source terms and without the viscous terms. The governing equations are nondimensionalized to improve the conditioning on the resulting system of equations and the efficiency of the numerical algorithms. Furthermore, to establish the stability of the discrete solution, the system of hydrodynamic equations is symmetrized by considering generalized entropy functions. A staggered solution strategy is employed to treat the coupled hydrodynamic and Poisson equations. Numerical results are presented for one-dimensional and two-dimensional one-carrier n + - n - n + devices. The presence of velocity overshoot has been observed and it is recognized that the heat flux term plays an important role in the simulation of semiconductor devices employing the hydrodynamic model.
PREMATURE VASCULAR SENESCENCE IN METABOLIC SYNDROME: COULD IT BE PREVENTED AND REVERSED BY A SELENORGANIC ANTIOXIDANT AND PEROXYNITRITE SCAVENGER EBSELEN?

Metabolic syndrome leads to accelerated development of macro- and microvasculopathy culminating in cardiovascular and renal complications. Using cultured endothelial cells and Zucker diabetic fat rats, we and others have demonstrated that endothelial cells undergo stress-induced premature senescence characterized by the decreased nitric oxide generation and enhanced production of peroxynitrite, in association with the increased expression of p53 and p16INK4a and accumulation of 3-nitrotyrosine-modified proteins. We reasoned that the combination of oxidative and nitrosative stress could be the cause of observed phenotypic switch in endothelial cells and employed for its prevention a selenoorganic compound, ebselen, endowed with both the antioxidant and peroxynitrite scavenging properties. Chronic therapy with ebselen resulted in the decline of the number of prematurely senescent endothelial cells and prevention of macro- and microvascular (renal) complications of metabolic syndrome. Instituting this therapy early after development of vasculopathy resulted in its amelioration. Based on these findings we propose that (a) oxidative and nitrosative stress are critical for the development of cardiovascular complications in metabolic syndrome, (b) stress-induced premature senescence of vascular endothelium represents a mechanistic link between the stressors and macro- and microvasculopathy, and (c) both can be prevented and partially reversed by antioxidant and peroxynitrite scavenging therapies.