cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aberrations of the Epigenome in Gliomas: Novel Targets for Therapy

Abstract Aberrations in the epigenetic machinery of the genome result in inactivation of critical genes and are important mechanisms in the evolution of malignancies that not only contributes to tumorigenesis but may also precede genetic changes. Several such epigenetic mechanisms have been observed in gliomas including DNA hypermethylation at the promoter or the coding regions of genes, histone modifications including methylation and acetylation, nucleosomal rearrangement, and dysregulation of noncoding RNA expression; these changes have been shown to play a critical role in the biology of gliomas and to contribute to the clinical outcome. This review examines the general role of epigenetic changes in the malignant process and focuses on the known changes in gene expression in gliomas due to epigenetic modifications, both in the context of gliomagenesis and in the development of new therapeutic strategies against these malignancies.
Bayesian Versus Maximum Likelihood Estimation of Multitrait–Multimethod Confirmatory Factor Models

This article compares maximum likelihood and Bayesian estimation of the correlated trait–correlated method (CT–CM) confirmatory factor model for multitrait–multimethod (MTMM) data. In particular, Bayesian estimation with minimally informative prior distributions—that is, prior distributions that prescribe equal probability across the known mathematical range of a parameter—are investigated as a source of information to aid convergence. Results from a simulation study indicate that Bayesian estimation with minimally informative priors produces admissible solutions more often maximum likelihood estimation (100.00% for Bayesian estimation, 49.82% for maximum likelihood). Extra convergence does not come at the cost of parameter accuracy; Bayesian parameter estimates showed comparable bias and better efficiency compared to maximum likelihood estimates. The results are echoed via 2 empirical examples. Hence, Bayesian estimation with minimally informative priors outperforms enables admissible solutions of the CT...
Patient-reported neuropathic pain in adolescent and young adult cancer patients.

Background Neuropathic pain, a known complication of cancer and its treatments, negatively impacts quality of life. There are limited data using screening tools to aid in the diagnosis of neuropathic pain in cancer patients. Our primary objective was to determine the proportion of adolescent and young adult cancer patients reporting neuropathic pain on a patient-completed, neuropathic pain screening tool. Procedures This prospective, cohort study enrolled patients 14–39 years of age who were receiving therapy for primary cancer diagnosis, cancer relapse, or had recently completed treatment. The painDETECT, a patient-completed, neuropathic pain screening tool used down to age 14, was administered a maximum of three times in on-therapy patients and once in off-therapy patients. Provider documentation of neuropathic pain at the corresponding visit was abstracted from the medical record. Results Seventy-eight patients participated. Median (interquartile range) age at study enrollment was 18.1 (16–19.4) years and 47% were female. Cancer diagnoses included 41% leukemia, 26% solid tumor, 23% lymphoma, and 10% central nervous system tumor. The proportion of patients reporting neuropathic pain was 26% (95% confidence interval [CI] 16–40%) in on-therapy patients and 11% (95% CI 3–27%) in off-therapy patients. In patients reporting neuropathic pain, only 26% had a clinical diagnosis of neuropathic pain documented in the medical record at the corresponding visit. Conclusions Neuropathic pain occurs in one in four adolescents and young adults receiving cancer therapy. Use of screening tools may increase the detection of neuropathic pain in adolescents and young adults receiving cancer therapy and could ultimately improve pain treatment.
Course material delivery in engineering using brain-based learning techniques

Although student engagement issues inside engineering classrooms have several components, we focus our attention in this paper mainly on two issues: the dis-engagement arising due to the lack of understanding of pre-requisites and insufficient mathematical skills of students reaching junior and senior engineering classes. As a first step, a pilot study was conducted at two engineering schools, including an Historically Black College/University (HBCU). The primary aim was to identify the issues that lead to attention problems and underperformance of students. The preliminary results indicate that at both institutions, many students reaching junior classes need repeated review of the pre-requisite concepts before introducing a higher-level concept within the course. We also notice that several students still need assistance in reviewing the basic and essential mathematical skills to be fully engaged in junior and senior classes. This paper summarizes the efforts currently undertaken to develop a course delivery framework that is developed based on brain-based learning theories to address some of these issues. We introduce brain-based learning tools as mandatory teaching protocols in the proposed framework. With the implementation of this framework, we envision an engaged classroom, with effective learning in junior and senior engineering classes thus leading to persistence to engineering.
Bisphosphonate Related Osteonecrosis (BRON) of the Jaw: Single Institutional Update.

BACKGROUND: Bisphosphonate therapy is indicated in the treatment of patients with symptomatic bony disease secondary to multiple myeloma, solid tumors and in the chronic management of osteoporosis. We have previously reported our early experience with bisphosphonate related osteonecrosis of the jaw (J Oral Maxillofac Surg2004; 62:527–534). This entity is now being recognized more commonly by treating hematologists/ oncologists and dental medicine community and the incidence of this complication has been reported between 4–10% among those patients receiving chronic intravenous bisphosphonate therapy. BRON is associated with significant morbidity in cancer patients and often requires symptomatic management for local palliation. The purpose of our current study is to update our previously reported experience at our institution and to review preventative and symptomatic management of this entity. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patient records identified to have BRON at our institution. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained for this study. Information regarding age, gender, indication for bisphosphonate treatment, type of bisphosphonate agent used, clinical manifestation and management of osteonecrosis were recorded. RESULTS: One hundred and two patients with BRON were identified at our institution. Median age was 67 years (range 40–89); Males: n=31; Females: n=71; Indications for bisphosphonate therapy: Multiple myeloma (n=40); Breast cancer (n=39), Prostate cancer (n=6), Uterine sarcoma (n=1), Connective tissue disorders (n=2), osteoporosis (n=14). Prior bisphosphosphonate therapy included: Pamidronate (n=28); Zoledronate (n=29); Pamidronate and Zoledronate therapy (n=31), and oral bisphosphonates (n=14). 24 of 102 patients had also received steroid therapy at some time during their clinical course. Most common presentation was a non healing extraction socket. Forty of 102 patients presented after surgical trauma to the jaw bone. Biopsies, when performed, confirmed the presence of osteonecrosis. No patients in this series had received radiation therapy to the jaw or had evidence of metastatic disease to the jaw bone. Surgical debridement was neccessary in 28 of 102 patients for local control of symptoms. Other patients were managed conservatively with antibiotics and local irrigation. CONCLUSION: Long term intravenous and oral bisphosphonate therapy is associated with osteonecrosis of the jaw bone. Surgical trauma to the jaw bone may be associated with poor post-operative healing in these patients. Physicians and patients need to be aware of this significant potential complication of this therapy which may result in significant morbidity and impaired quality of life for these patients. Most patients can be managed conservatively, however, a significant fraction require surgical debridement for local palliation.
Transcriptional profiling identifies increased expression of nuclear transport proteins in cervical cancer

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 836 Cervical cancer is a disease that progresses through a series of stages before becoming an advanced stage cancer. The disease is associated with high-risk human papilloma viruses that induce changes in gene expression patterns in the host epithelial cells. In this study, cDNA microarrays were used to identify transcriptional profiles and genes associated with the development of cervical cancer. RNA isolated from thirteen cervical cancer and nine normal cervical specimens was fluorescently labelled and hybridized to cDNA microarrays. The resultant data files were analyzed using MadB software and cluster analysis demonstrated that normal and cervical cancers can be distinguished from each other on the basis of their gene expression profiles. Amongst the genes that were differentially expressed between normal and cervical cancer specimens (at a p<0.001) a significant number are involved in the nuclear transport of proteins including; importin α2, importin β1, exportin, and ran. Real-time RT-PCR confirmed the upregulation of these genes in cancer specimens. These proteins are fundamental to normal cell function and the HPV E6 oncoprotein has been reported to be transported into host cell nuclei by the importin α2/β1 heterodimer, where it is able to deregulate host cell genes. Our data suggest that expression profiles of cervical cancer specimens are distinct from those of normal cervix and that genes involved in the nuclear transport of HPV viral proteins may have a key role in the progression of this disease. These observations will be further analyzed by western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry to confirm the differential expression of nuclear transport proteins in cervical cancer
The Effect of Ambient Temperature on Body Mass, Torpor, Food Intake, and Leptin Levels: Implications on the Regulation of Food Intake in Mammalian Hibernators

The effect of ambient temperature (T a) on the body mass, food intake, and leptin concentrations in the Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrels (Callospermophilus lateralis) (GMGS) was investigated. We hypothesized GMGS would begin feeding in winter due to declining plasma leptin levels, if forced to undergo torpor bouts at high T a (22°C). Our rationale was that GMGS would have an elevated metabolism at a high T a, and therefore would utilize their fat stores faster causing a decrease in serum leptin. The torpor bout results demonstrated that animals kept at high T a spent significantly (P < 0.01) less time at low body temperature compared to cold room animals (52 vs. 142 h). Furthermore, the body mass of warm room GMGS was lower compared to cold room (5°C) animals during the winter months, suggesting a higher metabolism. Warm room animals that had stopped eating, started eating again when body mass declined to near their trapped body mass. Leptin levels were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in warm room animals compared to cold room animals (4.5 vs. 7.3 ng/ml), when they commenced eating again. We conclude that as fat mass decreased due to the higher metabolism in the warm room, this decreased leptin levels, which in turn stimulated food intake in warm room animals. The cold room animals had food at the same time as the warm room animals but did not feed and their leptin concentrations remained higher. We conclude that leptin is an important part of the feedback signal involved in the cessation of food intake during hibernation.
A Study of Boxing in Selected Colleges and Universities

(1950). A Study of Boxing in Selected Colleges and Universities. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 386-393.
Strategy for the Co-Assembly of Co-Axial Nanotube-Polymer Hybrids.

Nanostructured materials having multiple, discrete domains of sorted components are particularly important to create efficient optoelectronics. The construction of multicomponent nanostructures from self-assembled components is exceptionally challenging due to the propensity of noncovalent materials to undergo structural reorganization in the presence of excipient polymers. This work demonstrates that polymer–nanotube composites comprised of a self-assembled nanotube wrapped with two conjugated polymers could be assembled using a layer-by-layer approach. The polymer–nanotube nanostructures arrange polymer layers coaxially on the nanotube surface. Femtosecond transient absorption (TA) studies indicated that the polymer–nanotube composites undergo photoinduced charge separation upon excitation of the NDI chromophore within the nanotube.
Gelatin-based hydrogels for biomedical applications

Gelatin-based hydrogels derived from hydrolysis of collagen have been extensively used in pharmaceutical and medical applications because of their biocompatibility and biodegradability. For example, gelatin-based hydrogels are finding use in drug delivery and tissue engineering because they are able to promote cell adhesion and proliferation. In addition, these hydrogels can be used as wound dressings due to their attractive fluid absorbance properties. Manufacturing technologies such as ultraviolet stereolithography and two-photon polymerization can be used to prepare structures containing photosensitive gelatin-based hydrogels. This review describes the preparation of gelatin-based hydrogels and use of these materials for biomedical applications.
Momentary Affect and the Optimism-Health Relationship

Abstract. The aim of this intensive longitudinal study was to examine the moderating effect of affect on the optimism-health relationship and to separately consider valence and arousal, the basic dimensions of affect. For 14 days 45 students answered three times a day a questionnaire regarding affect and health status. Valence interacts with optimism in the prediction of health and tense arousal moderates the pessimism-health relationship. Findings provide support for the relevance of a two-factor model of dispositional optimism and the importance of separate consideration of the basic affect dimensions in the understanding of the processes between optimism and health.
Robust PCA with concurrent column and element-wise outliers

To date, existing robust PCA algorithms have only considered settings where the data is corrupted with one type of outliers at a time, but a mechanism to handle simultaneous types of outliers has been lacking. This paper proposes a low rank matrix recovery algorithm that is robust to concurrent presence of column-wise and sparse element-wise outliers. The underpinning of our approach is a sparse approximation of a sparsely corrupted column whereby we set apart an inlier column with sparse corruption from an outlying data point. The core idea of sparse approximation is analyzed analytically where we show that the underlying-norm minimization can obtain the representation of an inlier in presence of sparse corruptions.
The Perpetrator Hypothesis: Victimization Involving LGBT Service Members

The Perpetrator Hypothesis argues that the poorer health status and poorer job attitudes and performance among minorities—such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people—result because perpetrators target these groups. Violent and non-violent actions against minorities occur due to perpetrator attitudes and beliefs about minorities, as well as cultural and organizational policies, programs, and laws that overtly and inadvertently discriminate against minorities and encourage perpetration. Violent behaviors include sexual assault (including rape), hazing, and bullying, while non-violent behaviors include stigma and discrimination. Moderators and mediators of these violent and non-violent behaviors on the health and well-being of minorities include important individual factors, such as the effects of concealment and internalized homophobia, as well as peer and organizational factors, such as peer support, leadership behaviors, and organizational response and support.
The American Board of Internal Medicine Maintenance of Certification Examination and State Medical Board Disciplinary Actions: a Population Cohort Study

Some have questioned whether successful performance in the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program is meaningful. The association of the ABIM Internal Medicine (IM) MOC examination with state medical board disciplinary actions is unknown. To assess risk of disciplinary actions among general internists who did and did not pass the MOC examination within 10 years of initial certification. Historical population cohort study. The population of internists certified in internal medicine, but not a subspecialty, from 1990 through 2003 (n = 47,971). ABIM IM MOC examination. General internal medicine in the USA. The primary outcome measure was time to disciplinary action assessed in association with whether the physician passed the ABIM IM MOC examination within 10 years of initial certification, adjusted for training, certification, demographic, and regulatory variables including state medical board Continuing Medical Education (CME) requirements. The risk for discipline among physicians who did not pass the IM MOC examination within the 10 year requirement window was more than double than that of those who did pass the examination (adjusted HR 2.09; 95% CI, 1.83 to 2.39). Disciplinary actions did not vary by state CME requirements (adjusted HR 1.02; 95% CI, 0.94 to 1.16), but declined with increasing MOC examination scores (Kendall’s tau-b coefficient = − 0.98 for trend, p < 0.001). Among disciplined physicians, actions were less severe among those passing the IM MOC examination within the 10-year requirement window than among those who did not pass the examination. Passing a periodic assessment of medical knowledge is associated with decreased state medical board disciplinary actions, an important quality outcome of relevance to patients and the profession.
AN INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC AND MATHEMATICAL REASONING

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses logic and mathematical reasoning. A variable is a symbol that holds a place for any member of a specified set. The specified set of permissible replacements for a variable is called its domain or replacement set. An open sentence is a sentence that contains one or more variables and becomes a statement when each of the variables is replaced by a member of its domain. Logical connectives can be used to form new statements from given statements. A statement variable is a variable whose domain is a set of statements. A statement pattern is a symbolic expression containing one or more statement variables and one or more of the symbols such that whenever the variables are replaced by statements and a replacement is made for the symbols, the result is a statement. The resulting statement is called an instance of the pattern.
Simultaneous presentation of thyroid storm and diabetic ketoacidosis in a previously healthy 21-year-old man

A 21-year-old young man with no history of diabetes or thyroid disease presented to the emergency department with simultaneous thyroid storm and diabetic ketoacidosis. Notable findings on admission were a ventricular rate of 235 beats/min, tachypnoea, tremors, polydipsia and a lack of fever. Due to the unusual constellation of symptoms, diagnosis was only possible after initial laboratory results came back. While the lack of fever is unusual in thyroid storm, diabetic ketoacidosis has previously been reported to suppress fever, and this case supports the occurrence of this phenomenon. This case was highly unusual because the patient had not previously been diagnosed with either type 1 diabetes or Graves' disease.
A Machine Learning Based Approach to Detect Malicious Fast Flux Networks

The fast flux domain or network is defined as the rapid and repeated changes to host or domain name server resource records, which result in rapid changes in the Internet Protocol (IP) address to which the domain name of an Internet host or name server resolves to. While the FF domains are used for legal uses, they are being increasingly used for malicious purposes. In this work, to address the existing research challenges in the identification of the malicious fast flux networks and domains, we have designed and implemented real-time malicious flux domain detection solution based on machine learning techniques. While the preliminary experiments executed using real-time datasets are promising, we plan to use the deep learning techniques such as reflective neural networks to improve the fast flux domain classification accuracy and performance.
Lithium stimulates accumulation of second-messenger inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and other inositol phosphates in mouse pancreatic minilobules without inositol supplementation.

Previous studies showed that lithium, beginning at therapeutic plasma concentrations in the treatment of manic depression, increased the accumulation of second-messenger inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] in cerebral cortex slices of guinea pig and rhesus monkey [Lee, Dixon, Reichman, Moummi, Los and Hokin (1992) Biochem. J. 282, 377-385; Dixon, Lee, Los and Hokin (1992) J. Neurochem. 59, 2332-2335; Dixon, Los and Hokin (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 91, 8358-8362]. These studies have now been extended to a peripheral tissue, mouse pancreatic minilobules. In the presence of carbachol, concentrations of lithium from 1 to 20 mM sharply and progressively increased the accumulation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate, followed by a decrease. Assay of these inositol polyphosphates by either the prelabelling technique or mass assay gave similar results. Atropine quenching of cholinergically stimulated pancreatic minilobules led to a rapid disappearance of Ins(1,4,5)P3. This disappearance was impeded by lithium. This suggested that the lithium-induced elevation in Ins(1,4,5)P3 was due to inhibition of the 5-phosphatase and, on the basis of the markedly elevated concentrations of inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate [Ins(1,3,4)P3] and inositol 1,4-bisphosphate in the presence of lithium, probably by feedback inhibition by these latter two compounds. An additional mechanism, i.e. a stimulatory effect of lithium on phospholipase C, cannot, however, be ruled out. The other reaction product of phospholipase C, inositol cyclic 1:2,4,5-trisphosphate, also increased in the presence of lithium. This may also be due to inhibition of the 5-phosphatase, which is the exclusive mechanism for removal of this compound. The effects of lithium on the accumulation of other inositol phosphates paralleled that of Ins(1,4,5)P3, with the exception of inositol 3,4-bisphosphate, which decreased. This was presumably due to the inhibition of Ins(1,3,4)P3 1-phosphatase by lithium. Unlike mouse cerebral cortex slices [Lee, Dixon, Reichman, Moummi, Los and Hokin (1992) Biochem. J. 282, 377-385], inositol supplementation was not required to demonstrate lithium-stimulated Ins(1,4,5)P3 accumulation in mouse pancreatic minilobules. This indicates that inositol depletion sufficient to impair lithium-stimulated Ins(1,4,5)P3 accumulation does not occur in mouse pancreatic minilobules, even though an elevation of cytidine diphosphodiacylglycerol occurred, indicating some inositol depletion due to lithium. Elevation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 by lithium may be a general phenomenon in the central nervous system and peripheral tissues under non-rate-limiting concentrations of inositol.
Thoracic Meningocele and Cervical Syringomyelia Treated with Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt.

Background Spinal meningocele is the herniation of dura mater and cerebrospinal fluid through a spinal defect, be it congenital, iatrogenic, or traumatic. Intrathoracic meningoceles are rare and are most commonly associated with neurofibromatosis. When indicated, surgical management of symptomatic thoracic meningocele is aimed at decreasing the size of the meningocele, which can be accomplished by a variety of procedures. Case Description A 59-year-old woman with neurofibromatosis type 1 and a known thoracic meningocele was initially managed conservatively. However, she developed syringomyelia and subsequently became symptomatic from the syrinx. She was ultimately treated successfully with ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Shunting resulted in complete resolution of the syrinx, while the thoracic meningocele remained stable in size. Conclusions Ventriculoperitoneal shunt can be used to successfully treat a symptomatic syrinx in a patient with an asymptomatic thoracic meningocele. Alterations in normal cerebrospinal fluid flow dynamics from the thoracic meningocele likely contributed to the development of syringomyelia in this patient.
A pharmacist-led pilot using a performance dashboard to improve psychotropic medication use in a skilled nursing facility

Objectives Inappropriate use of psychotropic medications in the elderly, particularly those with dementia, is a critical safety and quality concern. This pilot quality improvement study used a novel Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Psychotropic Drug Safety Initiative performance dashboard (PDSI dashboard) to implement a pharmacist-led intervention to improve psychotropic medication prescribing practices in a VA skilled nursing facility (SNF). While clinical dashboard data have become commonplace, literature describing successful implementation for improved clinical care is scant. Methods This study took place from November 2015 to February 2016 at a 112-bed VA SNF. A pharmacist used the PDSI dashboard to identify ‘actionable’ patients with potentially inappropriate psychotropic prescribing and then completed chart reviews to confirm clinical indications. The pharmacist provided recommendations to providers for dose reductions or deprescribing via in-person communication and notes written in the electronic medical record. SNF providers completed anonymous surveys about their experience in receiving recommendations. Results Over a 5-month period, the PDSI dashboard identified 21 patients with potentially inappropriate psychotropic medication use, with approximately one new patient identified each week. Prescribing recommendations were accepted 66% of the time. All seven SNF providers reported that recommendations were helpful in improving their psychotropic prescribing practices. Conclusions The PDSI dashboard was efficient and effective in identifying patients at risk for inappropriate use of psychotropic medications. A clinical pharmacist was essential for implementing and communicating recommendations from the dashboard to providers.
Materiality and Satire in Marvell’s “The Last Instructions to a Painter”

In “The Last Instructions to a Painter,” Marvell articulates and then critiques the idealizing ethos of the Stuart regime by using a rhetoric of corporeality to reveal the limitations and falsity of this ideological vision, and to censure the corruption and misgovernance at the center of the body politic. Marvell employs the tradition of ut pictura poesis to frame his analysis of Stuart political culture and its notions of agency embodied by king and court. But Marvell reconceives the notion of ut pictura poesis, so that instead of being a vehicle for the expression of cultural ideals he invests it with a new, transgressive energy that is able to challenge patriarchal understandings of power. In addition, by intertwining the political and artistic spheres, Marvell is able to develop a theory of satire grounded in the materiality of human/nonhuman bodies that anticipates the modern philosophy of vitalism. The focus on human/nonhuman bodies helps to open up an imaginative space that extends agential possibilities to a dynamic material realm that complicates human-centered notions of agency and calls into question hierarchies of power. This vitalistic philosophy in turn helps to clarify and explain how the entangling of the materialities of the human and natural worlds in Marvell’s “Last Instructions” helps the poet to develop a sophisticated and expansive satiric voice while at the same time enabling him to critique the debased political realm of seventeenth-century England.
The Effects of Opioids During Pregnancy: A Literature Review

The alarming increase in opioid use in the United States, particularly during pregnancy, over the past few decades underlines the need to thoroughly investigate the consequences of opioid use within the context of reproduction and development. Opioid exposure has been linked to a number of effects on the various physiologic processes involved in embryonic development. Opioids have been shown to hinder the preimplantation embryo from progressing into the blastocyst stage and implanting into the uterus. Maternal opioid use has also been shown to be neurotoxic to the embryo. Exogenous opioids negatively affect the somatosensory cortex, hippocampus, and cholinergic system in the developing embryo, leading to consequences ranging from poor memory function to learning disabilities. Additionally, opioids have the potential to negatively affect the embryonic heart. Opioid use has been shown to slow down the growth of cardiac tissue, decrease fetal heart rate, and increase the incidence of congenital heart defects. Through review of existing studies, we conclude that opioid use during pregnancy has a significant risk of being detrimental to the embryo. Based on the available scientific literature, we recommend reevaluating current guidelines on opioid use during pregnancy to ensure that opioid exposure to the embryo is limited as much as possible.
Blindness and Writing: From Wordsworth to Gissing, by Heather Tilley

BOOK REVIEW Blindness and Writing: From Wordsworth to Gissing“, by Heather Tilley (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017). 294 pp. Hardback, £75.00. Paperback, £22.99. Reviewed by Amanda Shubert.
Predictions for decays of radially excited baryons

Abstract We consider the strong decays of the lowest-lying radially excited baryons, in SU(6) language the states comprising the first excited 56 -plet. Assuming a single-quark decay approximation, and negligible configuration mixing, we make model-independent predictions for the partial decay widths to final states with a single meson. Masses of unobserved states are predicted using results from large- N c QCD, and the momentum dependence of the one-body decay amplitude is determined phenomenologically by fitting to observed decays, so that the baryon spatial wave functions are not assumed. We point out that comparison of these predictions to experiment may shed light on whether the Roper resonance can be consistently interpreted as a three-quark state.
Using a Business Compromise Scenario to Teach Cybersecurity

This paper presents the experience of reworking an existing master’s-level course in database security to absorb new developments in the field and to better satisfy many divergent learning objectives. Regarding cybersecurity, the course is introductory; it is a semi-advanced course, however, as regards database theory and practice. The course is also delivered in both online and in-person modes. The primary teaching vehicle for the class is a business scenario, as realistic as possible, with a virtualized simulation of that business. The progressive application of security measures to that business aims to simultaneously teach cybersecurity fundamentals and practical, professional techniques in database administration for security. We present some experiences from the initial presentation of this course.
Economic Development Incentives: Fostering Productive or Unproductive Entrepreneurship?

State and local economic development incentives have been touted as being incubators of job creation, business formation, and ultimately economic growth. However, to date little formal empirical work has been undertaken to evaluate how and whether economic development incentives do in fact promote entrepreneurship, and importantly if so, which forms of entrepreneurship. This current study applies the theoretical work of Baumol (Journal of Political Economy, 98(5):893–921, 1990) and Coyne et al. (The Review of Austrian Economics, 23(4):333–346, 2010) in order to empirically evaluate this issue. The results, which are robust to several specifications, indicate that as economic incentives become more liberal and easier for state governments to extend, they lead to a statistically significant reduction in productive entrepreneurship, an increase in unproductive entrepreneurship, and an overall reduction in net entrepreneurial productivity. Policy implications are discussed.
Machine Learning Inspired Design of Complex-Shaped GaN Subwavelength Grating Reflectors

We present the machine learning inspired design of two types of GaN zero contrast subwavelength gratings (SWGs): a polynomial-shaped grating and, for reference, a conventional rectangular grating, using the differential evolution algorithm to optimize the designs for high broadband reflectivity and separately for large fabrication tolerance. Two wavelength regimes with 500 nm and 1.55 μm center wavelengths (λcenter) are investigated. Our results indicate that both polynomial and rectangular grating designs can achieve comparable stopband widths of 170 nm (Δλ) for 500 nm (Δλ/λcenter = 34%). For the 1.55 μm center wavelength, the 482 nm (Δλ/λcenter = 31%) stopband width of the polynomial grating is slightly less than that of the rectangular grating at 498 nm (Δλ/λcenter = 32%). We also demonstrate design for enhanced fabrication tolerance while placing a minimum constraint on the stopband width. Our results show the rectangular grating exhibits slightly higher fabrication tolerances for grating parameters than the polynomial-shaped grating in general. This work also outlines the technique we have adopted for the inverse design of these gratings.
A comparison of coverage control techniques for decentralized swarms of autonomous agents

Five algorithms are implemented for coverage control techniques for decentralized swarms of autonomous agents. Some of the algorithms are used for covering an area in general while others are intended for covering an area with an underlying priority density function. Standard Lloyd’s algorithm and Basic Weighted Lloyd’s algorithm are used as baselines in the analysis against three new algorithms: Even Distribution, Biased Weighted Lloyd’s, and Evolutionary. Experimental results demonstrate that each of these new algorithms improve the quality of the agents’ performance by either reducing coverage cost or distance travelled and/or time spent settling into an equilibrium formation.
Similarity in sensory modality and information domain impair processing in a dual-task context: Evidence from behavior, pupillometry, and EEG

Project Abstract Perception and navigation frequently require us to maintain sensory information in memory, while also processing new sensory inputs as they arise. Recent fMRI research has uncovered regions in human frontal cortex that coordinate these diverse processes. Across various attention and working memory (WM) tasks, these regions can be separated into two distinct networks. Each shows a response preference for either auditory or visual stimuli, yet in addition, each can be flexibly recruited based on the information domain (i.e., temporal or spatial) of the task, regardless of sensory modality. Motivated by the sensory and functional specializations these networks display, we investigated whether dual-task interference is affected by similarity between the tasks in sensory modality (auditory or visual) and information domain. Participants performed a novel dual-task paradigm involving different combinations of WM and Intervening tasks, while two temporally sensitive physiological signals, pupillometry and electroencephalography (EEG), were measured. Convergent evidence from behavioral performance, pupil dilation amplitudes, and event-related potentials (ERPs) indicates that dual-task interference is greatest when the tasks match in both sensory modality and information domain. However, differences also arise in the patterns of dual-task interference across these metrics, highlighting the differential strengths and sensitivities of each. The results are consistent with increased interference when multiple tasks compete for shared cognitive control resources due to a common sensory modality or information domain.
Modeling laser-driven ion acceleration with deep learning

Developments in machine learning promise to ameliorate some of the challenges of modeling complex physical systems through neural-network-based surrogate models. High-intensity, short-pulse lasers can be used to accelerate ions to mega-electronvolt energies, but to model such interactions requires computationally expensive techniques such as particle-in-cell simulations. Multilayer neural networks allow one to take a relatively sparse ensemble of simulations and generate a surrogate model that can be used to rapidly search the parameter space of interest. In this work, we created an ensemble of over 1,000 simulations modeling laser-driven ion acceleration and developed a surrogate to study the resulting parameter space. A neural-network-based approach allows for rapid feature discovery not possible for traditional parameter scans given the computational cost. A notable observation made during this study was the dependence of ion energy on the pre-plasma gradient length scale. While this methodology harbors great promise for ion acceleration, it has ready application to all topics in which large-scale parameter scans are restricted by significant computational cost or relatively large, but sparse, domains.
BRIDGE DECK DESIGNS FOR RAILING IMPACTS

Current specifications by the AASHTO Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges set forth certain structural design requirements for bridge railings and the corresponding bridge decks. Observations of deck failure patterns in recent crash tests and observed deck failures at vehicle collision sites have raised questions concerning current specifications. The Texas Transportation Institute, in conjunction with the Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation, has been studying the problem on three types of bridge rail used in Texas. Full-scale deck sections with a post, a parapet, or an 8-ft section of railing were built and tested. The three types tested were the Texas T101, T202, and T5 bridge railings. The findings of this testing are reported herein.
Visualizing silicon chemistry

The research presented in this thesis may be divided into three areas: transition metal catalysis, graphical user interfaces, and the derivation and application of effective core potentials. Transition metal catalysis. The titanium catalyzed hydrosilation reaction has been examined in detail to determine a possible minimum energy reaction path. Two reactions and three catalysts were considered. In addition to a model system consisting of the reaction of silane with ethylene, the simplest known experimental reaction involving trichlorosilane and ethylene was also examined. In addition to a model catalyst of TiH2, the expermental catalysts TiCb, and Ti(C5H5)2 were considered. In all reactions studied the catalyst had a dramatic effect on the reaction system changing the overall reaction barrier from over 50 kcal/mol without the catalyst to a barrierless process with the catalyst. In addition to the overall reaction energies, several low energy intermediate structures were predicted which might be experimentally observable. Graphical user interfaces. A description is given of a new graphical user interface for the GAMESS program. This interface includes many feanores useful for interpreting complex wavefimctions and reaction systems. These include the ability to animate reaction paths and normal modes of vibration, as well as the ability to view molecular orbitals, total electron densities, molecular electrostatic potentials, and density differences. Effective core potentials. The derivation of an enhanced method for the computation of integrals involving effective core potentials is presented and has been implemented in the electronic structure code GAMESS. This method has helped produce a large reduction in the computational cost of ECPs. It has also enabled the implementation of analytical second
The pattern and rates of metabolism of maternal plasma dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate in human pregnancy.

Abstract The present study was done to map the metabolic pathways and rates of maternal plasma clearance of dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate (MCR DS ) in pregnancy. In the present study, maternal plasma dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate (DS) metabolism was largely accounted for by two major pathways not present or not prominent in the nonpregnant woman. The first major pathway was clearance of maternal plasma DS by placental aromatization of DS to form estradiol (E2). This pathway accounted for approximately 35 per cent of the total clearance. The second major pathway of metabolism of maternal plasma DS was by 16α-hydroxylation within the maternal compartment. This pathway accounted for approximately 32 per cent of maternal plasma DS clearance. Two other minor pathways of DS metabolism, that is, loss to the fetus and excretion as unaltered DS into urine, accounted for less than 1 per cent of total metabolism in each instance. The final pathway of DS metabolism was excretion as neutral steroids such as urinary 17-ketosteroids and other undefined losses. By combining the rate of DS clearance (MCR DS ) from maternal plasma via all pathways with that fraction of DS removed uniquely by placental conversion of DS to estradiol (DS→E2), the placental clearance of DS→E2 (PCDS E2 ) may be measured. The measurement of PCDS E2 may be expected to reflect uteroplacental perfusion and as such may provide an investigative tool capable of assessing the dynamics of uteroplacental function in a variety of clinical conditions.
Antiglycolipid antibodies and peripheral neuropathies: links to pathogenesis.

Publisher Summary For most of the now sizable number of neuropathies in which antibodies against glycoconjugates have been reported, there are no data to support or exclude a pathogenetic role for the antibodies. This chapter examines two classes of antibodies in which there is more substantial pathogenetic information called “anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) antibodies” and the “anti-GM1 antibodies.” In the former instance, there is good evidence that the anti-glycoconjugate antibody does cause the neuropathy, but that the nature of the epitope remains unresolved. For the anti-GM1 antibodies there is increasing evidence that at least one of the disorders associated with the antibody is immune mediated, but it is premature to conclude that the antibody causes the disease. In many settings the antibody may be a consequence of nervous system disease or may be only indirectly related. Multifocal motor neuropathy stands out as a disorder that can respond dramatically to immunotherapies, supporting the likelihood of an immune pathogenetic mechanism. The relationship of the anti-GM1 antibody to the pathogenesis remains a matter of speculation, but the anatomic and cellular distributions of GMI in the PNS make it a candidate as the molecular target.
K+ Channelopathies (IKs, IKr, and Ito)

Voltage gated K+ channels are comprised of a pore-forming α-subunit and one or more accessory subunits and allow for K+ ions to flow along their electrochemical gradient, typically out of the cell, in response to changes in membrane potential. Voltage-gated K+ channels act to help set the plateau potential in cardiac cells as well as to repolarize the membrane during an action potential. In cardiac myocytes, they are the primary class of channels responsible for controlling the duration of the action potential, alterations in which can have profound arrhythmic effects. Defects in K+ channel function have been linked to a number of heritable and acquired conditions leading to arrhythmia in affected patients. As we continue to characterize channel function biophysically, our mechanistic understanding of these conditions grows. Hopefully, this will continue to lead to novel therapeutic strategies not only for the relatively rare inherited channelopathies, but more widespread arrhythmias commonly encountered in clinical practice.
Extending an Algebraic Modeling Language to Support Constraint Programming

Although algebraic modeling languages are widely used in linear and nonlinear programming applications, their use for combinatorial or discrete optimization has largely been limited to developing integer linear programming models for solution by branch-and-bound procedures. Yet much of a modeling language's underlying structure for expressing integer programs is equally useful for describing more general combinatorial optimization constructs.Constraint programming solvers offer an alternative approach to solving combinatorial optimization problems, in which natural combinatorial constructs are addressed directly within the solution procedure. Hence the growing popularity of constraint programming motivates a variety of extensions to algebraic modeling languages for the purpose of describing combinatorial problems and conveying them to solvers.We examine some of these language extensions along with the significant changes in solver interface design that they require. In particular, we describe how several useful combinatorial features have been added to the AMPL modeling language and how AMPL's general-purpose solver interface has been adapted accordingly. As an illustration of a solver connection, we provide examples from an AMPL driver for ILOG Solver.
Dense array expressions

Various researchers have realized the value of implementing loop fusion to evaluate dense (pointwise) array expressions. Recently, the method of template metaprogramming in C++ has been used to significantly speed-up the evaluation of array expressions, allowing C++ programs to achieve performance comparable to or better than FORTRAN for numerical analysis applications. Unfortunately, the template metaprogramming technique suffers from several limitations in applicability, portability, and potential performance. We present a framework for evaluating dense array expressions in object-oriented programming languages. We demonstrate how this technique supports both common subexpression elimination and threaded implementation and compare its performance to object-library and hand-generated code.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Dermatitis due to contact with orange peel: Case report with successful desensitization

Abstract Three cases of acquired sensitization to orange peel are reported. One was desensitized by subcutaneous injections to an extract of orange peel. Tests that had been positive previously became negative. The patient resumed his occupation and had no recurrence of the dermatitis.
Histone modification analysis by chromatin immunoprecipitation from a low number of cells on a microfluidic platform

Histone modifications are important epigenetic mechanisms involved in eukaryotic gene regulation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay serves as the primary technique to characterize the genomic locations associated with histone modifications. However, traditional tube-based ChIP assays rely on large numbers of cells as well as laborious and time-consuming procedures. Here we demonstrate a novel microfluidics-based native ChIP assay which dramatically reduces the required cell number and the assay time by conducting cell collection, lysis, chromatin fragmentation, immunoprecipitation, and washing on a microchip. Coupled with real-time PCR, our assay permits the analysis of histone modifications from as few as ~50 cells within 8.5 h. We envision that our method will provide a new approach for the analysis of epigenetic regulations and protein-DNA interactions in general, based on scarce cell samples such as those derived from animals and patients.