cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vivo biocompatibility studies. I. The cage implant system and a biodegradable hydrogel

A cage implant system has been utilized to examine the in vivo biocompatibility of a biodegradable hydrogel, poly(2-hydroxy-ethyl-L-glutamine) (PHEG). This system permits the quantitative determination of the components of the inflammatory exudate which surrounds the implanted polymer within the cage system. This system permits the serial examination of exudate components without sacrificing the animal. In addition, this system allows the subsequent removal of the polymer for surface and mechanical studies. Following implantation of the biodegradable hydrogel, quantitative and differential white cell counts of the exudates were determined over a 21-day period. In addition, concomitant extracellular enzyme analyses for alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, prostatic acid phosphatase, leucine amino-peptidase, and Cathepsin B1 were determined. Corresponding control samples from exudates of the cage implant without the polymer were also determined. The two-tailed Student's t-test for unpaired samples was used to statistically compare the control and implanted polymer values for these respective analyses at the various time periods. A comparison of the cellular response for the control system and the PHEG system did not show statistically significant differences during the first 7 days following implantation. The acute inflammatory response, polymorphonuclear leukocyte predominant, was followed by a mild chronic inflammatory response, macrophage and lymphocyte predominant, and during this time period, 8-14 days, macrophages were present in significantly larger numbers for the PHEG system when compared to the control values. Enzymic analysis of the exudates revealed statistically significant differences between control and PHEG values at time intervals where no differences were noted in cell density or population. These results are discussed in terms of cell-polymer interactions leading to cellular activation and enhanced enzyme exocytosis by the inflammatory cells. Stress-strain measurements on implanted PHEG samples showed that significant in vivo degradation had occurred during the acute inflammatory phase of the response, i.e., the first 7 days.
A comparison between neural network and conventional vector quantization codebook algorithms

Kohonen's (1988) unsupervised learning algorithm is successfully applied to the codebook generation problem. The algorithm has shown to provide a codebook that rivals the performance of the codebooks obtained using the conventional Linde-Buzo-Gray algorithm, while requiring a minimum amount of processing. The unsupervised learning algorithm provides the ability to adapt to changing inputs, something that is not possible with the standard algorithm. These features make Kohonen's unsupervised learning algorithm an attractive alternative to the conventional vector quantization codebook generation technique. >
Protein requirements during the first year of life

The composition of human milk provides the model for estimated total protein and essential amino acid requirements during infancy. However, both the total protein content and the concentrations of individual proteins in human milk change throughout the first year of lactation. Recent reassessments of estimated requirements have resulted in lower total protein recommendations and have emphasized the provision of alpha-amino nitrogen because most nonprotein nitrogen is not used for maintenance or tissue deposition. In clinical studies, formulas containing various whey-to-casein ratios and having total protein concentrations in the range of 13-15 g/L were shown to promote adequate growth and to result in biochemical measures of protein nutritional status similar to those in breastfed infants. In the second half of infancy, human milk can provide most of the protein needed, provided a modest protein supply is obtained from weaning foods. In special situations in which greater protein intakes are desired, special preparations of protein might be needed.
Biomineralization of uranium by PhoY phosphatase activity aids cell survival in Caulobacter crescentus.

ABSTRACT Caulobacter crescentus is known to tolerate high levels of uranium [U(VI)], but its detoxification mechanism is poorly understood. Here we show that C. crescentus is able to facilitate U(VI) biomineralization through the formation of U-Pi precipitates via its native alkaline phosphatase activity. The U-Pi precipitates, deposited on the cell surface in the form of meta-autunite structures, have a lower U/Pi ratio than do chemically produced precipitates. The enzyme that is responsible for the phosphatase activity and thus the biomineralization process is identified as PhoY, a periplasmic alkaline phosphatase with broad substrate specificity. Furthermore, PhoY is shown to confer a survival advantage on C. crescentus toward U(VI) under both growth and nongrowth conditions. Results obtained in this study thus highlight U(VI) biomineralization as a resistance mechanism in microbes, which not only improves our understanding of bacterium-mineral interactions but also aids in defining potential ecological niches for metal-resistant bacteria.
Kondo Effect in the Presence of Crystalline Electric Fields — Ce(In,Sn)3

For several years, considerable theoretical and experimental interest has focused on rare earth (RE) alloys and intermetallic compounds which display anomalous behavior as compared to the typical behavior seen in RE systems with a stable valence and without strong 4f-conduction electron scattering.1 Many of these studies have concentrated on Ce and Ce-based systems where evidence suggests that under appropriate conditions the valence of the Ce- ion becomes unstable with respect to fluctuations of the occupation number of the 4f orbital. These valence fluctuations have been commonly associated with the close proximity of the 4f orbital to the fermi energy and with the related strong interaction between the 4f electrons and the more diffuse conduction electrons. Evidence for these valence fluctuations is clearly exhibited in the anomalous behavior of such properties as the resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, thermal expansion, etc.. In particular, some of the properties reported for CeSn3 and CeIn3 have shown behavior which is similar to that seen in other mixed valent systems. Specifically the thermal expansion2 in the temperature range from 90K to 300K for CeSn3 is nearly double that measured for LaSn3 and PrSn3 and the magnetic susceptibility for CeSn3 is nearly temperature independent over this same temperature interval.
On the equilibration of a symmetrically unstable front via a secondary, shear instability

The equilibration of a symmetrically unstable density front is examined using linear stability theory and nonlinear numerical simulations. The initial state, chosen to approximate conditions in the surface ocean, consists of a weakly stratified mixed layer above a strongly stratified thermocline. Each layer has a uniform horizontal density gradient and a velocity field in thermal wind balance. The potential vorticity (PV) in the mixed layer is negative, indicating conditions favourable for symmetric instability. Once the instability reaches finite amplitude, a secondary Kelvin–Helmholtz (K-H) instability forms. Linear theory accurately predicts the time and the wavenumber at which the secondary instability occurs. Following the secondary instability, small-scale turbulence injects positive PV into the mixed layer from the thermocline and from the upper boundary, resulting in a rapid equilibration of the flow as the PV is brought back to zero. While the physical parameters used in this study correspond to typical conditions near a surface ocean front, many of the conclusions apply to symmetric instabilities in the atmosphere. The stability of an inviscid axisymmetric vortex was first studied by Rayleigh (1917) who showed that inertial instability can occur when the absolute value of the angular momentum decreases with radius. While the base state considered by Rayleigh consisted of a balance between the pressure gradient and the centrifugal force, inertial instability can also occur when the pressure gradient is in geostrophic balance with the Coriolis force. Consider a pressure gradient px in the x-direction. The corresponding geostrophic flow is given by Vg = px/(fρ0). Note that ρ0 is a reference density used in the Boussinesq approximation, which will be applied here in both the analysis and the numerical simulations. The Coriolis frequency f will be assumed to be constant, and Cartesian coordinates will be used for simplicity. Inertial instability of the geostrophic flow is possible when f∂ M/∂x < 0, where M = Vg + fx is the absolute momentum. Spatial variations in the fluid density ρ further modify the instability in the ocean and the atmosphere. In this case, so-called symmetric instability can occur when f∂ M/∂x|ρ < 0, where the subscript ρ indicates that the derivative is evaluated along isopycnal surfaces (Holton 1992). When a uniform lateral density gradient in the x-direction is in ‘thermal wind’ balance with a velocity V (z), so that Vz =( −g/fρ0)ρx, the criteria for inviscid symmetric instability can be written
Urbanization before Cities: Lessons for Social Theory from the Evolution of Cities

This article examines the role of the world-system in the structure of cities. Data from the evolution of cities in the Fertile Crescent shows that a number of traits of modern cities were also present in the earliest cities. Specifically, mass production, social differentiation and inequality, cultural mechanisms utilized for social control, and a tendency  even a need  for territorial expansion were all characteristic of ancient cities. Such characteristics of cities are rooted in the process of urbanization, understood here as the creation and maintenance of networks of economic and cultural exchange amongst communities in disparate regions. Citiesare understood as nodes in this system of exchange. It is argued that urbanization predatescities by thousands of years, and that the social dynamics arising from urbanization must be teased out of the data in order to understand cities better.
A Two-Variable Approach to the Two-Trust-Region Subproblem

The trust-region subproblem minimizes a general quadratic function over an ellipsoid and can be solved in polynomial time using a semidefinite-programming (SDP) relaxation. Intersecting the feasible set with a second ellipsoid results in the two-trust-region subproblem (TTRS). Even though TTRS can also be solved in polynomial time, existing algorithms do not use SDP. In this paper, we investigate the use of SDP for TTRS. Starting from the basic SDP relaxation of TTRS, which admits a gap, recent research has tightened the basic relaxation using valid second-order-cone inequalities. Even still, closing the gap requires more. For the special case of TTRS in dimension $n=2$, we fully characterize the remaining valid inequalities, which can be viewed as strengthened versions of the second-order-cone inequalities just mentioned. We also demonstrate that these valid inequalities can be used computationally even when $n > 2$ to solve TTRS instances that were previously unsolved using SDP-based techniques.
On Heidegger on Logic

This paper interprets Heidegger's frequently misunderstood criticisms of logic by presenting them in their historical context. To this end, it surveys the state of logic in the late 19th century and presents the main systematic conception of neo-Kantian logical idealism, noting Heidegger's own early involvement in these schools of thought. The paper goes on to present arguments from Heidegger's earliest lectures in which he develops both the phenomenology of everydayness and his criticisms of logic in an attempt to undermine the neo-Kantian conception. These two approaches turn out to be inseparable in Heidegger's thought. Heidegger's criticism of logic amounts to a rejection of the claim that the possibility of experiencing objects is entirely grounded in logical constitution by the spontaneous understanding. There are other, more fundamental modes of disclosing objects. Heidegger is defended against the charge or irrationalism. The paper ends by interpreting the most important logic-related claims of What is Metaphysics? and outlining a Heideggerian response to Carnap's famous criticisms.
Fichte and the Psychopath: Criminal Justice Turned Upside Down

The question is whether the hard incompatiblist or the free will skeptic can make sense of an approach to criminal justice that maintains something like the distinction between punishment and preventive measures. I argue that Fichte's approach, wherein the natural response to any crime is outlawry, and subjection to punishment is an exception to outlawry, rather than the other way around, give us a useful way to look at criminal justice. Instead of seeing preventive measures that follow upon certain excuses (like insanity) as the exception and punishment the default, it is enlightening to see preventive measures, which I take to be our analogue of Fichte's outlawry, to be the default and punishment -- or rather what I call "correction" -- to be the exception. This view of things places limits upon punishment or correction that seem to me to call for a more humane system altogether.
Blood Epigenetic Age may Predict Cancer Incidence and Mortality

Biological measures of aging are important for understanding the health of an aging population, with epigenetics particularly promising. Previous studies found that tumor tissue is epigenetically older than its donors are chronologically. We examined whether blood Δage (the discrepancy between epigenetic and chronological ages) can predict cancer incidence or mortality, thus assessing its potential as a cancer biomarker. In a prospective cohort, Δage and its rate of change over time were calculated in 834 blood leukocyte samples collected from 442 participants free of cancer at blood draw. About 3–5 years before cancer onset or death, Δage was associated with cancer risks in a dose-responsive manner (P = 0.02) and a one-year increase in Δage was associated with cancer incidence (HR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02–1.10) and mortality (HR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07–1.28). Participants with smaller Δage and decelerated epigenetic aging over time had the lowest risks of cancer incidence (P = 0.003) and mortality (P = 0.02). Δage was associated with cancer incidence in a ‘J-shaped’ manner for subjects examined pre-2003, and with cancer mortality in a time-varying manner. We conclude that blood epigenetic age may mirror epigenetic abnormalities related to cancer development, potentially serving as a minimally invasive biomarker for cancer early detection.
Abstract 33: Microarray analysis of zeranol induced gene expression in primary cultured human breast cancer epithelial cells

Zeranol (Z) is a nonsteroidal mycotoxin with potent estrogenic activity. Z is one of six growth promoters approved by the FDA for use in the U.S. beef industry to accelerate weight gain, improve feed efficiency and increase the lean meat-to-fat ratio. Recently, the safety meat products from Z-implanted beef has been questioned on the basis that increased exposure of bioactive Z residues may have adverse health implications. Our previous study showed that serum, meat and meat extracts derived from beef cattle implanted with Z significantly stimulated the proliferation of primary cultured human normal and cancerous breast epithelial cells, primary cultured human breast pre-adipocytes, and human breast cancer cell lines. However, little is known about the mechanisms of Z stimulation on the growth of different types of breast cells. To systematically investigate gene expression patterns in primary cultured human breast cancer epithelial cells (PCHBCECs) after Z treatment, we performed DNA microarray analysis. After PCHBCECs were isolated from breast cancer tissue, they were treated with 30 nM Z or 0.1% DMSO, as a vehicle control, for 48 hr, and then mRNA was isolated and purified for gene expression analysis using the Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 Array TM (Affymetrix Co. Ltd) in the Microarray Shared Resources at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. DNA microarray data were generated on the basis of the criteria of signal intensity and signal ratio. Our results showed that 10 genes were down-regulated and 25 genes were up-regulated in PCHBCECs treated with 30 nM Z as compared to the controls. Among the genes regulated by Z were, limb-bud and heart (LBH) and annexin-1 (ANXA1) which were decreased 2.27 and 2 fold, respectively and human HMG-CoA synthase 1 (HMGCS1) and methyltransferase like 7A (METTL7A) which were up-regulated to 3.8 and 3.25 fold, respectively compared with the controls. Our preliminary data also showed that Z decreased the expression of several tumor suppressor genes, such as protein tyrosine phosphatase γ (PTPγ), p16, p21, and increased DNMT1 expression in PCHBCECs which suggests epigenetic modification of Z in their promoter regions. Our results indicate that long term consumption of beef products with low level of Z or its metabolites might have adverse health effects on human breast. Further validation of our DNA microarray results is in progress in our laboratory (Supported by NIH R01Grant ES 015212). 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 33. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-33
Immunogenicity and Specificity of Listeria Monocytogenes Cell Walls

challenged with a comparatively large number of virulent organisms (Hasenclever and Karakawa, 1957; Osebold and Sawyer, 1955, 1957; Osebold et al, 1959). These investigators could not attribute the resultant immunity to agglutinating, precipitating, or complement-fixing antibodies, and they were unable to transfer the immunity passively. Mackaness (1964) found that the resistance developed by mice during infection with L. monocytogenes, Brucella abortus, or Mycobacterium tuberculosis is not specifically directed against the infecting organism. The processes involved in resistance are specific, however, and depend upon 2 factors: a state of immunological reactivity of the host and the presence of the specific
From Avvakum to Dostoevsky: Varlam Shalamov and Russian Narratives of Political Imprisonment

This paper explores the synthesis of fictional and documentary techniques in Shalamov’s Kolyma Tales seen through the prism of Dostoevsky’s nineteenth-century novel The House of the Dead. It argues that it was Dostoevsky’s oscillation between fiction and reportage, rather than the subject matter of his novel, that defines the complexity of Shalamov’s relationships with the classic. After a brief discussion of various strategies of reading The House of the Dead in the Gulag, the paper concludes by outlining Dostoevsky’s role in the literary polemics between Shalamov and Solzhenitsyn, two writers who went far beyond the confines of the memoir genre, albeit in opposite directions and along different paths.
Monitoring of Seed Vigor of Rice in Hunan Genebank

A total of 2813 accessions of rice collection in Hunan Genebank were monitored for seed viability in this study. The results showed that, after 16~18 years storage at 5 ±2℃ and Rh 60% ±5% in the genebank, the average germination percentage of the total accessions was 85.93%, and the germination percentage of 2061 accessions was more than 85%, accounting for 73.27% of the total tested accessions. Generally, these accessions maintained high seed germination percentage, but the germination percentage of 284 accessions was not more than 70% and declined significantly, these accessions were in urgent need of renewal. In addition, the significant difference was observed in 4 different types of accessions, such as the indica glutinous rice' s seed germination percentage indica nonglutinous rice' s japonica glutinous rice's japonica nonglutinous rice's, and different collecting years also affected the germination percentage.
Load Management System Based on Demand Response

The concepts of power demand side management and demand response are introduced, and then the development of power load management system is reviewed. Combining with smart grid construction, from the perspective of demand response, the direction of power load management development is presented. The direction is that the main power load management center should be able to grasp users' response capability data and load control terminal should be able to precisely control its consumption. The power load management system is a basis of the implementation of demand response.
Fill 'er up? Fill what up?

In this issue of Blood, Cooley et al challenge the assumption that the plasma half-life of factor IX (FIX) is a surrogate marker for the duration of hemostatic efficacy in the management of individuals with hemophilia B. They provide evidence that the size of an extravascular pool of FIX bound to collagen IV is the true pharmacodynamic predictor.1
Progression and Regression of Nonhuman Primate Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis: Considerations of Experimental Design

In 1968, Dr. Gardner McMillan of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute called to the attention of the atherosclerosis research community that only 3% of the atherosclerosis studies supported by their Institute dealt with regression of atherosclerosis. Two years later, Armstrong and his co-workers described the regression that occurred in diet-induced coronary artery atherosclerosis of rhesus monkeys when the diet was changed from one high in cholesterol to one devoid of cholesterol.1 The recognition that atherosclerosis regression was an understudied area, the promising results of Armstrong and his co-workers and the public health importance of atherosclerosis regression together stimulated over the past decade vigorous research on regression.
Household Energy Access and Expenditure in Developing Countries: Evidence from India, 1987-2010

Although most studies of energy poverty focus on whether or not households have access to modern fuels, expenditure is also an important issue, as households in developing countries spend a significant proportion of their total expenditures on energy. Using nationally representative household data from India, 1987-2010, this article describes and explains trends in household energy expenditure. While monthly household spending on energy has increased in many Indian states, this change is not driven by increased household affluence. Statistical analysis shows that when modern fuels (LPG for cooking, electricity for lighting and appliances) are available, households are willing and able to spend on energy. Indian households that have seen improved access to LPG and electricity have also seen much higher energy expenditures, whereas increased household incomes do not explain greater spending on household energy. For policymakers, the key lesson is that programs to improve access to modern fuels allow both wealthy and poor households to spend money on valuable energy services.
Molecular Cell Biology of Apoptosis and Necroptosis in Cancer

Cell death is a major mechanism to eliminate cells in which DNA is damaged, organelles are stressed, or oncogenes are overexpressed, all events that would otherwise predispose cells to oncogenic transformation. The pathways that initiate and execute cell death are complex, genetically encoded, and subject to significant regulation. Consequently, while these pathways are often mutated in malignancy, there is considerable interest in inducing cell death in tumor cells as therapy. This chapter addresses our current understanding of molecular mechanisms contributing to two cell death pathways, apoptotic cell death and necroptosis, a regulated form of necrotic cell death. Apoptosis can be induced by a wide variety of signals, leading to protease activation that dismantles the cell. We discuss the physiological importance of each apoptosis pathway and summarize their known roles in cancer suppression and the current efforts at targeting each pathway therapeutically. The intricate mechanistic link between death receptor-mediated apoptosis and necroptosis is described, as well as the potential opportunities for utilizing necroptosis in the treatment of malignancy.
Extending Rule-Based Modeling to the Spatial Domain with Virtual Cell (VCELL)

When a kinetic model has to account for all the potential molecular complexes and interactions between multivalent or multistate molecules, the reaction network may be too large and complex to be manually specified. Rule-based modeling solves this problem by expressing molecular interactions in the form of reaction rules that serve as generators of reactions. Thus, the individual species and the reactions connecting them are generated automatically. Recently, we introduced rule-based modeling into the popular Virtual Cell (VCell) modeling framework (Schaff et al., 2016), even permitting manually specified reaction networks to be merged with rule-based model constituents. The same set of rules can be simulated using both network generation (BioNetGen, Faeder et al., 2009) and network-free simulation (NFSim, Emonet et al., 2011). Here we present a compartmental extension of VCell rule-based capabilities. The VCell paradigm in which every species and location has an assigned compartment, was extended to the rule-based description. Both BioNetGen and NFSim engines were modified to account for compartments. Every reactant and product pattern and every rule have their assigned locations. Moreover, to prevent involuntary translocation of species between compartments, a new feature of rule-based modeling was introduced, allowing anchoring a molecule to a given compartment. This way, any species that has this molecule as one of its molecular components, will remain in the anchored compartment. In addition to ODE, stochastic kinetic and NFSim simulators within VCell, this now permits VCell users to apply rule-based models to reaction-diffusion in complex geometries using either the VCell PDE deterministic solvers or the Smoldyn stochastic simulator. The expanded VCell framework was used to simulate several biological systems, such as membrane-bound clustering of Nephrin-Nick-NWasp proteins. (Supported by NIH grant P41 GM103313).
Curcumin Attenuates S-Glutathionylation of the NLRP3 Protein and Alters NLRP3 Inflammasome Protein-Protein Interactions in LPS/CNC-AEMA2 Stimulated-Macrophages

Recently we have demonstrated that needle-like, cellulose-based nanomaterials, such as cationic derivatives of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs, CNC-AEMA2) evoke immunological responses through NLRP3 inflammasome/IL-1β inflammatory pathway. We also previously demonstrated that curcumin, a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound isolated from Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae), was able to suppress, at least in part, this immunological response, as observed by diminished IL-1β secretion in LPS/CNC-AEMA2-stimulated macrophages. These results are not a totally surprise because curcumin is a well-known antioxidant and antinflammatory natural compound. In addition to acting as “scavenger” of reactive oxygen species (ROS), several studies indicate that curcumin also upregulates antioxidant enzymes by activating the Nfr2 signaling pathway. However, the mechanisms by which this natural compound exerts its protective activity is still under investigation. We hypothesize that curcumin may also affect the redox status, such as S-glutathionylation, of key proteins involved in the NLRP3 inflammasome/IL-1β pathway, and therefore impacts their protein-protein interactions. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of curcumin on the S-glutathionylation of NLRP3 induced by CNC-AEMA2 in LPS-primed mouse macrophages (J774A.1), as well as interactions among proteins of the NLRP3 inflammasome complex using immunoprecipitation and Western blot techniques. Cells were primed for 4h with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in presence or absence of curcumin, and CNC-AEMA2 was added for another 20h. Our main finding indicates that the addition of curcumin concomitantly with LPS caused the greatest decrease in NLRP3 and increase in caspase-1 S-glutathionylation, which appears to favor protein-protein interactions in the NLRP3 complex. Taking together our results suggest that, at least in part, the antinflammatory activity of curcumin is associated with changes in S-glutathionylation of key NLRP3 inflammasome components, and perhaps resulting in sustained complex assembly and suppression of IL-1β secretion.
Patterns of use and impact of standardised MedDRA query analyses on the safety evaluation and review of new drug and biologics license applications.

Purpose Standardised MedDRA Queries (SMQs) have been developed since the early 2000’s and used by academia, industry, public health, and government sectors for detecting safety signals in adverse event safety databases. The purpose of the present study is to characterize how SMQs are used and the impact in safety analyses for New Drug Application (NDA) and Biologics License Application (BLA) submissions to the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). Methods We used the PharmaPendium database to capture SMQ use in Summary Basis of Approvals (SBoAs) of drugs and biologics approved by the USFDA. Characteristics of the drugs and the SMQ use were employed to evaluate the role of SMQ safety analyses in regulatory decisions and the veracity of signals they revealed. Results A comprehensive search of the SBoAs yielded 184 regulatory submissions approved from 2006 to 2015. Search strategies more frequently utilized restrictive searches with “narrow terms” to enhance specificity over strategies using “broad terms” to increase sensitivity, while some involved modification of search terms. A majority (59%) of 1290 searches used descriptive statistics, however inferential statistics were utilized in 35% of them. Commentary from reviewers and supervisory staff suggested that a small, yet notable percentage (18%) of 1290 searches supported regulatory decisions. The searches with regulatory impact were found in 73 submissions (40% of the submissions investigated). Most searches (75% of 227 searches) with regulatory implications described how the searches were confirmed, indicating prudence in the decision-making process. Conclusions SMQs have an increasing role in the presentation and review of safety analysis for NDAs/BLAs and their regulatory reviews. This study suggests that SMQs are best used for screening process, with descriptive statistics, description of SMQ modifications, and systematic verification of cases which is crucial for drawing regulatory conclusions.
Failed Citizenship and Transformative Civic Education.

Global migration, the quest by diverse groups for equality, and the rise of populist nationalism have complicated the development of citizenship and citizenship education in nations around the worl...
Planetary cores, their energy flux relationship, and its implications

Abstract Integrated surface heat flux data from each planet in our solar system plus over 50 stars, including our Sun, was plotted against each object's known mass to generate a continuous exponential curve at an R-squared value of 0.99. The unexpected yet undeniable implication of this study is that all planets and celestial objects have a similar mode of energy production. It is widely accepted that proton-proton reactions require hydrogen gas at temperatures of about 15 million degrees, neither of which can plausibly exist inside a terrestrial planet. Hence, this paper proposes a nuclear fission mechanism for all luminous celestial objects, and uses this mechanism to further suggest a developmental narrative for all celestial bodies, including our Sun. This narrative was deduced from an exponential curve drawn adjacent to the first and passing through the Earth's solid core (as a known prototype). This trend line was used to predict the core masses for each planet as a function of its luminosity.
Approach to resection of sternoclavicular tumor abutting the common carotid artery in irradiated field

Head and neck cancer recurrence at the sternoclavicular junction (SCJ) in irradiated field poses a special challenge in terms of surgical planning. We herein present a case of tonsillar squamous cell cancer recurrence at the SCJ in a patient with history of tracheostomy and head and neck radiation. We describe our preoperative planning for vascular control and possible reconstruction as well as our approach for safe resection.
Free Will and Two Local Determinisms

Hudson (A materialist metaphysics of the human person, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 2001, The metaphysics of hyperspace, Oxford University Press, New York, 2005) has formulated two local deterministic theses and argued that both are incompatible with freedom. We argue that Hudson has half the story right. Moreover, reflection on Hudson’s theses brings out an important point for debates about freedom generally: that instead of focusing on the notion of entailment, debates about freedom should focus on the notions of explanation and sourcehood. Hudson’s theses provide an excellent case study for why the latter notions ought to take precedence over the former in debates about freedom.
Unfolding an Indoor Origami World

In this work, we present a method for single-view reasoning about 3D surfaces and their relationships. We propose the use of mid-level constraints for 3D scene understanding in the form of convex and concave edges and introduce a generic framework capable of incorporating these and other constraints. Our method takes a variety of cues and uses them to infer a consistent interpretation of the scene. We demonstrate improvements over the state-of-the art and produce interpretations of the scene that link large planar surfaces.
Surgical Management of Crohn Disease of the Ileal Pouch

Abstract Surgical management of Crohn disease of the ileal pouch greatly depends on the location and manifestations of the disease. The actual diagnosis may become obvious only during long-term follow-up after surgical treatment. Local perianal procedures should control perianal sepsis while preserving sphincter function. Strictureplasty is indicated in selected cases of stricturing disease, most commonly at the pouch inlet or in the afferent limb, and following failure of endoscopic balloon dilatation. Major revisionary pouch surgery should be typically preceded by stoma diversion and ranges from revision of the existing ileal pouch through partial resection, advancement and/or augmentation to complete pouch excision, and reconstruction of a new ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. Conversion of ileal pouch into continent ileostomy should be considered only in very selected cases due to its high long-term morbidity. Refractory disease can be controlled with fecal diversion alone, but pouch excision is generally associated with better long-term outcomes.
La cognificació de l'art

The Cognification of Art Resum: Amb el terme “cognificacio”, un mot pres en prestec de l’argot de la Intel.ligencia Artificial, designo alguns dels processos pels quals les obres d’art han anat convertint-se cada cop mes en dispositius per a la generacio de coneixement. En particular, d’una banda, es tracta en aquest article dels fenomens d’artificacio d’objectes reals, com es el cas de la caixa de sabates de Gabriel Orozco, fenomens que es remunten als ready-mades de Duchamp i que es generalitzen en el darrer mig segle, i, de l’altra, el fenomen de les practiques d’investigacio artistica que s’han generalitzat en els darrers quinze anys, fenomen que alhora es d’artificacio de la recerca. Aquests fenomens de cognificacio, que alhora son d’artificacio estetica en sentit fort, plantegen el problema d’en que consisteix de fet la transformacio de quelcom en un dispositiu cognitiu artistic. Per aclarir-ho es discuteixen algunes idees de Kant, de Danto i de Deleuze. Paraules clau: cognificacio, artificacio, idea estetica, Orozco, Kant, Danto i Deleuze. Abstract: With the term "cognification", a word borrowed from the jargon of Artificial Intelligence, I designate some of the processes by which works of art have increasingly become devices for the generation of knowledge. In particular, on the one hand, this article deals with the phenomena of artification of real objects such as the shoe box of Gabriel Orozco, phenomena that go back to Duchamp's ready-mades and which are widespread in the last half century, and, on the other hand, the practices of artistic research that have become widespread in the last fifteen years, a phenomenon that is at the same time an artification of research. These phenomena of cognification, which at the same time are examples of aesthetic artification in a strong sense, raise the problem of what the transformation of something into a cognitive artistic device really is. To clarify this, some ideas of Kant, Danto and Deleuze are discussed. Keywords: cognification, artification, aesthetic idea, Orozco, Kant, Danto, Deleuze.
Hyper-cooling limit, heat of fusion, and temperature-dependent specific heat of Fe-Cr-Ni melts

Thermophysical properties of Fe-Cr-Ni melts are studied using electrostatic levitation and rapid solidification techniques. Six hypoeutectic Fe0.72Cr w Ni(0.28-w) alloys with a Cr/Ni ratio of around 0.8 were melted and solidified at different degrees of undercooling. From the observed relationship between the undercooling and thermal plateau time, the hypercooling limit and heat of fusion of Fe0.72Cr w Ni(0.28-w) melts are determined as a function of Cr mass fraction. A ratio of specific heat and total hemispherical emissivity of the Fe-Cr-Ni melts is calculated using the time-temperature profiles. A new method is presented to evaluate the temperature dependence of specific heat for undercooled melts and applied to this alloy family.
Service Specification and Discovery in IoT Networks

In this paper, we design semantic based routing algorithms for IoT service discovery. First, we consider the model for describing the IoT services and the corresponding discovery queries so that service lookup can be performed effectively. Second, we consider the limited memory space of many IoT devices and introduce our summarization algorithm for routing information compression to make sure that the routing table at each node can satisfy the space limit imposed by the node without needing to throw away useful routing information. Third, we develop a novel two-level coding mechanism to effectively code IoT service capabilities to enable summarization and further reduce routing table size. We experimentally compare various coding approaches and the results show that our scheme requires less memory and imposes lower volume of network traffic compared to existing approaches.
Exploring Ads of the World: How Social Issues Are Framed in Global Advertisements

People often gain knowledge about trending global issues via pop culture references and even advertising (Clapton, 2015; Sfeir, 2014; Tierney, 2007). Numerous brands feel the pressure to align thei...
Health-related quality of life among adults living with HIV: a cross-sectional survey in Armenia

Few studies have examined health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among people living with HIV (PLWHIV) in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 180 PLWHIV aged 1...
From Central Africa to Egypt: A Surgeon’s Journey

When medical professionals step out of one culture into another to serve in mission, the transition is far more complex and difficult than even those with wide international experience may realize, especially if it involves a change between widely divergent cultures, the need to learn a new language or work through a translator, and understanding a completely new worldview. Understanding how these issues affect medical practice requires a mixture of humility, curiousity, and perseverance, and can bring about successful transition and widen doors to successful ministry.
Active Fault Analysis of Distribution Transformer Service Area Based on Intelligent Transformer Terminal Unit

For a long time, Distribution transformer service area lacks effective equipment condition monitoring and operation monitoring methods, and cannot timely grasp information such as power failures in the station area and low-voltage distribution network and positions of power-off, resulting in fault finding and positioning of low-voltage distribution network or user mainly relying on users reported repairs or complaints to 95598, which seriously restrict-ed the efficiency of power supply recovery and customer service. Based on monitored and analyzed in real time of the Transformer Terminal Unit(TTU) to the local information of the distribution transformer station, the low voltage branch box, the meter box and the user intelligent meter, the distributed edge calculation function of TTU is adopted to propose an active fault diagnosis method of low voltage based on TTU, actively grasping the user power outage events and conducting fault research and diagnosis local, solving the problems caused by traditional method such as passive perception of fault, timeliness and information congestion fault for concentrated information collection and diagnosis. Realizing timely and proactively locate faulty areas, and to carry out fault repairs of low voltage distribution network, reduce user blackout time, and improve "active" service and quality service level.
Temporal capsule networks for video motion estimation and error concealment

In this paper, we present a temporal capsule network architecture to encode motion in videos as an instantiation parameter. The extracted motion is used to perform motion-compensated error concealment. We modify the original architecture and use a carefully curated dataset to enable the training of capsules spatially and temporally. First, we add the temporal dimension by taking co-located “patches” from three consecutive frames obtained from standard video sequences to form input data “cubes.” Second, the network is designed with an initial feature extraction layer that operates on all three dimensions to generate spatiotemporal features. Additionally, we implement the PrimaryCaps module with a recurrent layer, instead of a conventional convolutional layer, to extract short-term motion-related temporal dependencies and encode them as activation vectors in the capsule output. Finally, the capsule output is combined with the most-recent past frame and passed through a fully connected reconstruction network to perform motion-compensated error concealment. We study the effectiveness of temporal capsules by comparing the proposed model with architectures that do not include capsules. Although the quality of the reconstruction shows room for improvement, we successfully demonstrate that capsules-based architectures can be designed to operate in the temporal dimension to encode motion-related attributes as instantiation parameters. The accuracy of motion estimation is evaluated by comparing both the reconstructed frame outputs and the corresponding optical flow estimates with ground truth data.
Putting fitness to the test: clinical application of the Fitkids Treadmill Test in youth with chronic pain

Purpose: Examine the clinical utility of the Fitkids Treadmill Test (FTT) for assessing cardiovascular endurance in youth with chronic pain.Materials and methods: Fifty-five youth with chronic pain...
State regulation of religion: the effect of religious freedom on Muslims’ religiosity

Substantial scholarship argues that regulation of religion suppresses religiosity in a community by reducing individuals’ satisfaction with their religious experience. To date this research has ass...
State-of-the-Art VANET Trust Models: Challenges and Recommendations

Research on trust models in Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks (VANET) was mainly focused on entity-centric, data-centric, and combined trust models until the latter half of the previous decade. There are a number of attacks these conventional trust models cannot hold back. The popularity of blockchain technology in the last few years resulted in the research on blockchain-based trust management models for VANET. Meanwhile, zero trust solutions claimed to overcome the problems of the traditional perimeter security model. With the perimeter security model, information systems within an organization's internal network are inherently trusted and the ones that belong outside the organization are consequently deemed untrusted. The zero trust architecture overcomes these flaws by simply not trusting any entity regardless of the entity belonging inside the organization's perimeter or outside. This paper discusses the various trust management models for VANET, their drawbacks and proposes a private blockchain technology to improve the performance and highlight the need for a central governing authority. The paper also investigates the challenges of implementing a zero-trust architecture for vehicular communications and brings forth the idea of using the concepts of zero trust to provide state-of-the-art security for VANET's supporting infrastructure. Additionally, this study surveys the benefits and challenges of developing the VANET architecture based on software-defined networking (SDN).
Cardiovascular and Bleeding Outcomes with Anticoagulants across Kidney Disease Stages: Analysis of a National US Cohort.

Author(s): Sy, John; Hsiung, Jiu-Ting; Edgett, Drake; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar; Streja, Elani; Lau, Wei Ling | Abstract: BackgroundWhile direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are considered safe among patients without chronic kidney disease (CKD), the evidence is conflicting as to whether they are also safe in the CKD and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) population. In this observational cohort study, we examined whether DOACs are a safe alternative to warfarin across CKD stages for a variety of anticoagulation indications.MethodsIndividuals on DOACs or warfarin were identified from OptumLabs® Data Warehouse (OLDW), a longitudinal dataset with de-identified administrative claims, from 2010 to 2017. Cox models with sensitivity analyses were used to assess the risk of cardiovascular disease and bleeding outcomes stratified by CKD stage.ResultsAmong 351,407 patients on anticoagulation, 45% were on DOACs. CKD stages 3-5 and ESKD patients comprised approximately 12% of the cohort. The most common indications for anticoagulation were atrial fibrillation (AF, 44%) and venous thromboembolism (VTE, 23%). DOACs were associated with a 22% decrease in the risk of cardiovascular outcomes (HR 0.78, 95% CI: 0.77-0.80, p l 0.001) and a 10% decrease in the risk of bleeding outcomes (HR 0.90, 95% CI: 0.88-0.92, p l 0.001) compared to warfarin after adjustment. On stratified analyses, DOACs maintained a superior safety profile across CKD stages. Patients with AF on DOACs had a consistently lower risk of cardiovascular and bleeding events than warfarin-treated patients, while among other indications (VTE, peripheral vascular disease, and arterial embolism), the risk of cardiovascular and bleeding events was the same among DOAC and warfarin users.ConclusionDOACs may be a safer alternative to warfarin even among CKD and ESKD patients.