cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Relationship of Harmony between Tourist Destination's Natural Ecosystem and Tourists

The harmony of natural ecosystem of tourist destination is the key and fundamentals to develop harmonious tourism. Through the analysis of the degree of harmony of tourist destination and the perceptive analysis of tourists to the environment of tourist destination, this paper establishes the harmonious relationship model between tourist and natural ecosystem of tourist destination, which help to manage the natural ecosystem of tourist destination.
Enhancing of biometric authentication with pass strings and cryptographic checksums

Conventional biometric authentication systems store the biometric template or a hash of its digitization, which raises concerns around template privacy and revocability. In this paper, we propose a biometric hash generation scheme, where the normalized biometric template is concatenated with a pass string (PS), e.g. a password or PIN, in order to achieve a robust and secure biometric authentication scheme that overcomes problems around privacy and revocability. The scheme presented here is an improved form of two-factor authentication (2FA) which could enhance biometric authentication in such systems as automated teller machines (ATM), and at same time protect the privacy of biometrics and ease biometric revocability.
NormalGammaBernoulli peak detection for analysis of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography mass spectrometry data

Compared to other analytical platforms, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GCGCMS) has much increased separation power for analysis of complex samples and thus is increasingly used in metabolomics for biomarker discovery. However, accurate peak detection remains a bottleneck for wide applications of GCGCMS. Therefore, the normalexponentialBernoulli (NEB) model is generalized by gamma distribution and a new peak detection algorithm using the NormalGammaBernoulli (NGB) model is developed. Unlike the NEB model, the NGB model has no closed-form analytical solution, hampering its practical use in peak detection. To circumvent this difficulty, three numerical approaches, which are fast Fourier transform (FFT), the first-order and the second-order delta methods (D1 and D2), are introduced. The applications to simulated data and two real GCGCMS data sets show that the NGB-D1 method performs the best in terms of both computational expense and peak detection performance.
Art as a Moral Matrix

Tom Stoppard has a vision of life which permeates all of his major plays, a vision which has for the most part been misunderstood. Though thoroughly conversant with the currents of thought which prevail in his own day, Stoppard chooses to stand largely opposed to them. He accepts a direct connection between art and morality, between art and life, however distinctly unfashionable such a view may be. Even more importantly, he relegates politics to a secondary status, acknowledging that he is ‘more interested in the metaphysical condition of man rather than the social position’.1 Simply and unequivocally Stoppard continues to declare, ‘I’m not a moral relativist; I’m not a political relativist’.2 Stoppard’s vision is of man as a moral being, a being subject to a moral order which is not contingent on intellectual fashion or political expedience or ideological imperatives or national interest. He writes of mankind as existing in a realm in which right and wrong are universal metaphysical absolutes.
Individual deals within teams: Investigating the role of relative i-deals for employee performance

The authors extend i-deals theory to an individual-within-a-team context. Drawing upon social comparison theory, they contend that individuals will react to their own i-deals within the context of group members' i-deals. Therefore, they examine the role of relative i-deals (an individual's i-deals relative to the team's average) in relation to employee performance. Furthermore, integrating social comparison theory with social identity theory the authors assert that the behavioral outcomes of relative i-deals are influenced by the team's social and structural attributes of team orientation and task interdependence. Finally, they contend that the perceptions of one's relative standing with the leader, or leader-member exchange social comparison (LMXSC), mediate the i-deals-outcome relationship in groups with low team orientation and task interdependence. Results of multilevel modeling using time-lagged data from 321 employees nested in 46 teams demonstrated that the positive relationship between relative i-deals and employee performance was stronger in groups with low team orientation and task interdependence, and the mediation effect of LMXSC was stronger in teams with low rather than high team orientation. (PsycINFO Database Record
Analysis and Biological Activities of Potato Glycoalkaloids, Calystegine Alkaloids, Phenolic Compounds, and Anthocyanins

Publisher Summary The methods described in this chapter for the analysis of biologically active anthocyanins, calystegine alkaloids, glycoalkaloids, and hydrolysis products, and phenolic compounds in commercial potatoes, in processed potato products, and in new cultivars can lead to improvements in the precision and reliability of analyses for quality control and for safety of final products. Accurate analyses benefit growers, researchers, processors, and consumers. Analytical studies have also facilitated concurrent studies of toxicities and of beneficial health effects as well as investigations of the biosynthesis of the secondary metabolites. Although potato processors are generally interested in imparting desirable sensory (organoleptic) attributes to potato products, the discovery of health-promoting effects of potato ingredients implies that analytical methodology is paramount in future efforts designed to enhance the levels of these compounds in the human diet.
Abstract A57: Alcohol consumption and plasma sex steroids in premenopausal women

Purpose: Alcohol consumption is a consistent risk factor for breast cancer, and evidence suggests premenopausal plasma hormones are associated with breast cancer. In this study, we examined the association between alcohol consumption and plasma sex steroid hormones in premenopausal women. Methods: We assessed the cross-sectional association between alcohol intake and circulating sex steroid concentrations among 2,034 premenopausal women in the Nurses9 Health Study II (NHSII). Plasma concentrations of estradiol, estrone, estrone sulfate, testosterone, androstenedione, progesterone, prolactin, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) were measured in samples collected in 1996-99. Estrogens were measured in both the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle, while androgens were measured in the luteal phase as well as in random samples that were not timed in the menstrual cycle. Average alcohol intake was calculated from semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires collected in 1995 and 1999. Results: Alcohol consumption was positively association with concentrations of luteal estrone (p-trend Conclusion: Alcohol consumption was significantly positively associated with luteal estrogen concentrations, but not with plasma androgen levels, nor estrogens measured in the follicular phase. Thus, luteal estrogen levels may mediate the association between alcohol and breast cancer. Citation Format: Kelly A. Hirko, Susan E. Hankinson, A. Heather Eliassen. Alcohol consumption and plasma sex steroids in premenopausal women. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr A57.
The evolution of lateral accessory articulations in the lumbar region of perissodactyls

Citation for this article: Jones, K. E., and L. T. Holbrook. 2016. The evolution of lateral accessory articulations in the lumbar region of perissodactyls. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2016.1224892.
Impact of recent guideline changes on aspirin prescribing after knee arthroplasty

Prior to 2012, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) differed in their recommendations for postoperative pharmacologic venous thromboembolism prophylaxis (VTEP) after total joint arthroplasty. More specifically, aspirin (ASA) monotherapy was not endorsed by the ACCP as an acceptable prophylaxis. In 2012, the ACCP supported ASA monotherapy compared with no prophylaxis. Our aim was to investigate the impact of the convergence of ACCP and AAOS recommendations on surgeon prescribing patterns after knee arthroplasty (KA). This is a retrospective chart review. We collected data to assess preoperative VTE risk and examined VTEP prescriptions on postoperative day 1 (POD1) and at discharge (D/C) from 7/2008 to 12/2011 (pre-period) and 1/2012 to 7/2014 (post-period). Adult patients undergoing primary and revision KA were identified by ICD-9 procedure codes. Patients on preoperative full-dose anticoagulation and with hypercoagulability disorders were excluded. Of 368 records reviewed, 329 were included in the analysis. There were no differences between the two period groups for age, sex, BMI, estrogen therapy, malignancy, smoking status, prior VTE, bilateral procedures, or surgery within 3 months. On POD1, in the pre-period, 4.6 % were prescribed ASA monotherapy versus 44.4 % in the post-period (p < 0.001). On D/C, in the pre-period, 13.9 % were prescribed ASA versus 55.6 % in the post-period (p < 0.001). Our results indicate a statistically significant change in orthopedist prescribing patterns after guideline convergence. Furthermore, there was no apparent change in VTE risk between the two study groups when excluding patients necessitating full anticoagulation. Prior literature has shown that the divergence in guidelines influenced physicians away from ASA and toward more potent anticoagulants in order to avoid potential litigation. Once its role in VTEP was supported by the ACCP, it appears that ASA monotherapy was readily and rapidly incorporated into clinical practice. ASA may be favored over other VTEP agents for its lower bleeding risk profile and cost. This study highlights the profound impact clinical practice guidelines have on clinician prescribing patterns. Although prospective randomized trials are needed to compare the efficacy of ASA with other VTEP agents, ASA is now a predominant part of the VTEP armamentarium after KA.
Timing of light exposure and activity in adults with delayed sleep-wake phase disorder.

Abstract Objective To characterize the patterns of light exposure and physical activity level and assess their relationship with sleep quality and depressive symptoms in adults with delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD). Methods 42 DSWPD (22 female, mean age 34.5 y) and 26 (±4 years) age-and-sex-matched controls (12 female, mean age 33.4 y) underwent seven days of light and activity monitoring. Results Individuals with DSWPD had significantly delayed bed times and wake times, but similar sleep duration compared to controls. Subjective sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)) was poorer in DSWPDs compared to controls. Those with DSWPD had significantly more activity and light exposure late at night (2:00–4:00) and significantly less activity and light exposure in the morning (8:00–11:00). Total 24 h levels of light and activity were not significantly different between DSWPD and controls. However, the DSWPD group had significantly more light exposure than controls 22 h after waking, during their sleep period. Later light exposure correlated with higher depression scores [Beck Depression Index (BDI)] and poorer sleep quality (PSQI). Conclusions The light exposure patterns observed in DSWPD likely contribute to and perpetuate the chronically delayed sleep and wake phase in these patients. In addition, increased light exposure during the sleep period may also contribute to the poor sleep quality and mood disorders that are common in these individuals.
Factors associated with patients who prefer HIV self-testing over health professional testing in an emergency department-based rapid HIV screening program:

Kiosk-facilitated HIV self-testing has been shown to be accurate and well accepted by emergency department (ED) patients. We investigated factors associated with patients who preferred self-testing...
Is expanded radiographic criteria for clinically positive lymph nodes associated with outcome in pathologically node positive prostate cancer

126Background: Patients with pN1 prostate cancer (PCa) have heterogeneous outcomes largely dependent on variables only known post-treatment. Traditionally, the size criteria for clinically positive pelvic adenopathy is axial diameter of 10mm. We employed expanded radiographic criteria (ERC) to evaluate for association with differences in outcome differences. Methods: 187 men treated with RP BPLND for PCa from 2001-2013 were identified as pN1. Imaging studies were re-reviewed by a single radiologist (TB) for nodes that were considered positive if they were 8mm or greater in size OR if they were 6mm or greater in size AND either rounded, asymmetrical OR heterogeneously enhancing. This yielded a group of 34 cN1 patients by ERC. Time to biochemical recurrence (BCR) was compared between cN0 and cN1 patients by K-M method. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to determine association of baseline PSA, node status, adjuvant therapy, Gleason score, positive margins, and ECR with time to BCR and overall survi...
Synthetic Studies Toward Pactamycin Highlighting Oxidative C-H and Alkene Amination Technologies.

A strategy enabled by C–H and alkene amination technologies for synthesizing the aminocyclitol natural product, pactamycin, is disclosed. This work features two disparate approaches for assembling the five-membered ring core of the target, the first of which utilizes acyl anion catalysis and a second involving β-ketoester aerobic hydroxylation. Installation of the C3–N bond, one of three contiguous nitrogen centers, is made possible through Rh-catalyzed allylic C–H amination of a sulfamate ester. Subsequent efforts are presented to introduce the C1,C2 cis-diamino moiety en route to pactamycin, including carbamate-mediated alkene aziridination. In the course of these studies, assembly of the core of C2-epi-pactamycate, which bears the carbon skeleton and all of the requisite nitrogen and oxygen functional groups found in the natural product, has been achieved.
Spinal anesthesia for surgery longer than 60 min in infants: experience from the first 2 years of a spinal anesthesia program.

Spinal anesthesia (SA) is being increasingly used in infants to avoid the potential negative neurocognitive effects of general anesthesia (GA). However, SA has been reported to provide a relatively short duration of surgical anesthesia. We retrospectively reviewed SA cases for surgical procedures lasting more than 60 min in children up to 3 years old. All patients received bupivacaine 0.5% (1 mg/kg up to 7 mg) with clonidine 1 µg/kg ± epinephrine. The primary outcome was success of SA without subsequent conversion to GA. Thirty-five patients met inclusion criteria (all males, age 7 ± 5 months, weight 8 ± 2 kg). Procedures included male genital, groin and multiple site surgeries. Average surgical duration was 71 ± 12 min (range 60–111 min). SA was successful in 31 of 35 patients (89%; 95% confidence interval 78, 99%). The cause of failure was rarely due to the duration of surgery (1 of 4 patients). Six patients with successful SA required sedation with dexmedetomidine ± fentanyl. Differences in procedure duration and patient characteristics were not statistically significant between successful and failed SA. SA is a highly successful technique and may offer an alternative to GA in children undergoing appropriate surgery expected to last as long as 60–100 min.
Language rights and interpreting services in Spanish prisons

Criminal justice systems throughout the world are becoming increasingly aware of the challenges posed by language barriers. However, that awareness is still limited to the realm of court proceedings, whereas legislation aiming to protect language rights of foreign prisoners is scarce and vague. In the particular case of Spain, only a few provisions in the Prison Rules envisage the notion of language assistance, making it explicit that such support is to be provided by other prisoners or staff. This paper aims to analyze the implications of an underdeveloped language policy in the realm of Spanish penitentiary institutions, focusing on how the specific measures stemming from that policy affect the rights of imprisoned foreign nationals. Against the backdrop of the limited legislative coverage of language issues, communication strategies seem to be based on the linguistic assimilation of foreign language-speaking inmates, either to communicate directly with staff or to serve as interpreters for newly arrived fellow inmates. Causes and consequences of these strategies are discussed in this paper, including an analysis of the quality of the interpretations that nonprofessional prisoner-interpreters are able to provide.
Fitting Multistage Models to Input/Output Data

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the fitting of multistage models to input /output data. In the present study, it is assumed that the objective of modeling a dynamic system is to predict or control the output of the system by observing or manipulating the inputs. The model is a digital computer program, which, when supplied with the measurements of the past and present input and output, computes the predicted future output of the system. The random nature of the problem is considered in developing the model, but the model is a deterministic system. System characterization and system identification are the principal aspects of modeling. System characterization is concerned with defining a class of mathematical models and system identification is concerned with the determination of the specific model belonging to this preselected class, which best fits the observations. The class of models examined in the present study is linear stationary multistage processes. The usefulness and convenience of linear models are well known and many techniques have been proposed to fit linear models to input/output data.
Relationships in Development: Infancy, Intersubjectivity, and Attachment

The recent explosion of new research about infants, parental care, and infant-parent relationships has shown conclusively that human relationships are central motivators and organizers in development. Relationships in Development examines the practical implications for dynamic psychotherapy with both adults and children, especially following trauma. Stephen Seligman offers engaging examples of infant-parent interactions as well as of psychotherapeutic process. He traces the place of childhood and child development in psychoanalysis from Freud onward, showing how different images about babies evolved and influenced analytic theory and practice. Relationships in Development offers a new integration of ideas that updates established psychoanalytic models in a new context: "Relational-developmental psychoanalysis." Seligman integrates four crucial domains: Infancy Research, including attachment theory and research Developmental Psychoanalysis Relational/intersubjective Psychoanalysis Classical Freudian, Kleinian, and Object Relations theories (including Winnicott). An array of specific sources are included: developmental neuroscience, attachment theory and research, studies of emotion, trauma and infant-parent interaction, and nonlinear dynamic systems theories. Although new psychoanalytic approaches are featured, the classical theories are not neglected, including the Freudian, Kleinian, Winnicottian, and Ego Psychology orientations. Seligman links current knowledge about early experiences and how they shape later development with the traditional psychoanalytic attention to the irrational, unconscious, turbulent, and unknowable aspects of the mind and human interaction. These different fields are taken together to offer an open and flexible approach to psychodynamic therapy with a variety of patients in different socioeconomic and cultural situations. Relationships in Development will appeal to psychoanalysts, psychoanalytic psychotherapists, and graduate students in psychology, social work, and psychotherapy. The fundamental issues and implications presented will also be of great importance to the wider psychodynamic and psychotherapeutic communities.
Using Consultation Data to Guide Data Services Training for Liaison Librarians

As data services gain momentum in academic libraries, liaison librarians are expected to be part of the education force for data literacy. Nonetheless, due to the broad scope of data literacy, trai...
Smartphones for Real-time Assessment of Adherence Behavior and Symptom Exacerbation for High-Risk Youth with Asthma: Pilot Study.

Background Youth with asthma who have poor medication adherence, have limited access to care, and are frequently seen in the acute care setting are often termed "high risk." Objective This study aimed to design and test the feasibility of using smartphone technology to assess contextual factors that may impact changes in daily medication adherence and to identify new symptom episodes among high-risk youth with asthma in their home environment. Methods Youth aged 8-17 years with high-risk asthma from 2 children's hospitals were eligible for the 2-month study. An app was downloaded on participants' phones at enrollment. Daily text message (short message service) reminders were sent to complete ecological momentary assessment of asthma symptoms and other contextual factors such as emotional state using the app. Bluetooth inhaler devices were used to record timestamps of inhaler use with the ability to review and manually enter data. The acceptability was assessed with surveys, key informant interviews (KII), and frequency of days with asthma data. KII data were used in an iterative design approach to identify challenges, strengths, and suggestions for maximizing use. Generalized linear mixed modeling was used to preliminarily explore contextual factors associated with changes in daily adherence. Results We enrolled 14 children aged 8-16 years (13/14, 93% were African Americans). Over the 2-month study period, participants reported coughing (42/110, 38%), wheezing (8/111, 7%), chest tightness (9/109, 8%), boredom (57/109, 52%), and 10 new asthma symptom episodes. The controller medication adherence was 30%, which increased significantly on days with asthma symptoms or boredom. Data were received on 89% (606/681) of study days. Surveys and KIIs suggest acceptability among youth and their caregivers. Challenges reported during the study included lost or damaged phones and available memory. Conclusions Youth and their caregivers reported the acceptability of using smartphones for real-time asthma monitoring. Overall, the controller medication adherence was low but increased significantly on days with reported asthma symptoms or boredom, suggesting that daily contextual factors may be associated with a change in the adherence behavior.
Money’s micro and macro qualities: Slaves, colonies, regions, and markets in the historical Caribbean – and beyond:

This article reconsiders Sidney W Mintz’s classic 1964 chapter ‘Currency problems in eighteenth century Jamaica and Gresham’s Law' in light of the forms and uses of money in the colonial Caribbean ...
Introduction Qualitative Inquiry and Global Crises

Two glimpses of everyday life in the United States frame the collection of essays that follow: A few days after the calendar page turned forward into 2011, one of us was at our local regional airport awaiting the departure of a friend. To the right, a twenty-something U.S. Army recruit—smartly dressed in fatigues, carrying a small Nike duffel bag, soft baby-faced features betraying his nervous countenance—sat with his stoic, graying father, a solidly built man wearing weathered sneakers, faded blue jeans, a well-worn wind-breaker, and a mesh army cap. For almost 30 minutes, the two sat quietly together, each clearly contemplating the forthcoming farewell and what lay beyond: a potential deployment abroad, possibly to Afghanistan—the fact that the two might never see each other again.
Academic-related perceptions, beliefs, and strategies of undergraduate agricultural students

Students’ academic-related perceptions, beliefs, and strategies are fundamental elements that influence teaching and learning within colleges of agriculture. This study investigated students’ academic efficacy, academic self-handicapping, and skepticism about the relevance of school for future success at the University of Tennessee’s Herbert College of Agriculture. The students were academically efficacious, rarely self-handicapped, and did not doubt the relevance of their degree. In addition, a low negative association was found between academic efficacy and self-handicapping, a negligible relationship was found between academic efficacy and skepticism about the relevance of school for future success, and a moderate relationship was found between academic self-handicapping and skepticism about the relevance of school for future success. Therefore, instructors are encouraged to move past traditional lecture-based instruction and challenge their students at higher cognitive levels, which will allow students to realistically explore the complexities of agriculture. Furthermore, academic self-handicapping may be an indicator of lower academic efficacy and/or skepticism about the relevance of a student’s degree. Future research should further explore these relationships.
Estetyka i anestetyka: esej Waltera Benjamina o dziele sztuki przemyślany na nowo

Artykul jest probą szczegolowego omowienia treści i aktualności eseju Waltera Benjamina Dzielo sztuki w dobie jego reprodukcji technicznej. Autorka przedstawia w nim nie tylko liczne inspiracje stojące za teoretycznymi i historycznymi wywodami Benjamina, ale takze szuka wspolczesnych zjawisk pokazujących wage i nowe aspekty jego rozwazan.
Connective Tissue Ultrastructure: A Direct Comparison between Conventional Specimen Preparation and High-Pressure Freezing/Freeze-Substitution.

It is generally agreed within the microscopy community that the quality of ultrastructure within the connective tissue matrix resulting from high-pressure freezing followed by freeze-substitution (HPF/FS) far exceeds that gained following the "conventional" preparation method, which includes aqueous fixation, dehydration, and embedding. Exposure to cryogen at high pressure is the only cryopreservation method capable of vitrifying tissue structure to a depth exceeding 200 μm. Cells within connective tissues prepared by HPF/FS are universally larger, filling the commonly seen void at the juncture between cell and matrix. Without significant shrinkage of cells and the coincident extraction of the cytosolic components, well-resolved organelles are less clustered within an expanded cytosol. Much of the artifact from "conventional" methods occurs as large space filling and also smaller fibril-associated proteoglycans are extracted during fixation. However, the visualization of some matrix features by electron microscopy is actually dependent on the collapse or extraction of these "masking" components. Herein, we argue that an impression of ultrastructure within commonly studied matrices, in particular skin, is best gained following the evaluation of both conventional preparations and tissue prepared by HPF/FS. Anat Rec, 2019. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.
The Vaccine Race in the 21st Century

In a world in which infectious diseases are spreading increasingly faster, the development of new human vaccines remains a priority in biopharmaceutical innovation. Legal scholars have addressed different aspects of vaccine regulation and administration, but less attention has been paid to the role of laws governing innovation during the stages of research and development (R&D) of vaccines. This Article explores the race to develop new vaccines from its beginnings through the early 21st century, with a particular focus on the progressively pervasive role of intellectual property in governing vaccine innovation. It describes the insufficiencies of current innovation regimes in promoting socially desirable levels of vaccine R&D, particularly in the case of emerging pathogens, a phenomenon that is at odds with public health needs. Moreover, the Article identifies transactional inefficiencies affecting the licensure of vaccine technology. In order to address this problem, the Article argues for adoption of a technology-specific solution, and proposes a narrowly construed “take-and-pay” regime based on liability rules, enabling access to vaccine technology by follow-on innovators.
Discovering latent activity patterns from transit smart card data: A spatiotemporal topic model

Abstract Although automatically collected human travel records can accurately capture the time and location of human movements, they do not directly explain the hidden semantic structures behind the data, e.g., activity types. This work proposes a probabilistic topic model, adapted from Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), to discover representative and interpretable activity categorization from individual-level spatiotemporal data in an unsupervised manner. Specifically, the activity-travel episodes of an individual user are treated as words in a document, and each topic is a distribution over space and time that corresponds to certain type of activity. The model accounts for a mixture of discrete and continuous attributes—the location, start time of day, start day of week, and duration of each activity episode. The proposed methodology is demonstrated using pseudonymized transit smart card data from London, U.K. The results show that the model can successfully distinguish the three most basic types of activities—home, work, and other. As the specified number of activity categories increases, more specific subpatterns for home and work emerge, and both the goodness of fit and predictive performance for travel behavior improve. This work makes it possible to enrich human mobility data with representative and interpretable activity patterns without relying on predefined activity categories or heuristic rules.
Abstract 2730: BCL6 promotes ovarian cancer metastasis

Ovarian cancer remains a deadly disease with the five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer patients at about 50%. Ovarian spheroids, clusters of 3D growing cells, are thought to promote ovarian cancer metastasis and serve as a reserve of cancer cells that are not responsive to chemotherapy. Understanding genes associated with spheroid growth and metastasis may identify pathways to target for ovarian cancer therapy. We have found that the transcriptional modulator BCL6 is active in ovarian spheroids. BCL6 is a highly-conserved oncogene originally found to drive malignant transformation in B-cell lymphoma. Although BCL6 is thought to be a transcriptional repressor, we and others have found that it also upregulates genes. Little is known about the role of BCL6 in ovarian cancer. Using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data and CBioPortal, we found that BCL6 is amplified in about 20% of high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients. In addition, analysis of nuclear extracts from a number of ovarian cancer cell lines demonstrated that BCL6 is overexpressed in many ovarian cancer cell lines. To assess transcriptional activity, we used a BCL6-responsive reporter and we found that BCL6 was active in most of these cell lines. Having demonstrated that BCL6 is active in ovarian cancer cells, we wanted to determine if BCL6 affected the viability of these cells. Therefore, we transfected ovarian cancer cells with siRNA to BCL6, measured their viability, and found that BCL6 is important for ovarian cancer cell survival. Recognizing that spheroids occur in advanced ovarian cancer, we analyzed the effects of BCL6 in 3D formation using micropatterned plates and discovered that BCL6 is also important for 3D spheroid formation. A major problem in advanced ovarian cancer is metastasis; therefore, we wanted to determine if BCL6 plays a role in promoting metastasis. We overexpressed BCL6 or downregulated BCL6 with siRNA and performed a mesothelial clearance assay to assess the early steps in ovarian cancer metastasis. While overexpressing BCL6 enhanced mesothelial clearance by the ovarian spheroids, reducing BCL6 expression also reduced mesothelial clearance. This suggested that BCL6 promotes ovarian cancer metastasis. We are currently in the process of identifying BCL6 target genes that are involved in metastasis. Taken together, our data suggests that BCL6 is an important transcriptional modulator in ovarian cancer and that targeting BCL6 in the future may be a useful strategy to treat metastatic ovarian cancer. Citation Format: Duc Ngoc Hong Nguyen, David F. Walker, David A. Frank, Sarah R. Walker. BCL6 promotes ovarian cancer metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 2730.
Older and Wiser? Relative Age and Success in High School and College

Slightly missing a school starting age cutoff date, and more generally a student's relative age in their cohort, has been shown in recent research to have important effects. A student's relative age appears to influence their academic success in elementary and middle school, and there is mixed evidence some of these disparities continue into adult labor markets. The time in between, especially one's collegiate years, have been less studied. How far into life relative age effects consistently persist therefore remains an open question. We use a nationwide sample of students from 619 institutions to examine if relative age is related to success in high school and college. Results show the oldest students within a cohort earn slightly better average grades in high school and college and are significantly less likely to fail college courses. We also find mixed evidence that relative age is related to college entrance exam performance.
Leukotriene D4 paradoxically limits LTC4-driven platelet activation and lung immunopathology.

Background The 3 cysteinyl leukotrienes (cysLTs), leukotriene (LT) C4 (LTC4), LTD4, and LTE4, have different biologic half-lives, cellular targets, and receptor specificities. CysLT2R binds LTC4 and LTD4 in vitro with similar affinities, but it displays a marked selectivity for LTC4 in vivo. LTC4, but not LTD4, strongly potentiates allergen-induced pulmonary eosinophilia in mice through a CysLT2R-mediated, platelet- and IL-33–dependent pathway. Objective We sought to determine whether LTD4 functionally antagonizes LTC4 signaling at CysLT2R. Methods We used 2 different in vivo models of CysLT2R-dependent immunopathology, as well as ex vivo activation of mouse and human platelets. Results LTC4-induced CD62P expression; HMGB1 release; and secretions of thromboxane A2, CXCL7, and IL-33 by mouse platelets were all were blocked by a selective CysLT2R antagonist and inhibited by LTD4. These effects did not depend on CysLT1R. Inhaled LTD4 blocked LTC4-mediated potentiation of ovalbumin-induced eosinophilic inflammation; recruitment of platelet-adherent eosinophils; and increases in IL-33, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 levels in lung tissue. In contrast, the effect of administration of LTE4, the preferred ligand for CysLT3R, was additive with LTC4. The administration of LTD4 to Ptges–/– mice, which display enhanced LTC4 synthesis similar to that in aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease, completely blocked the physiologic response to subsequent lysine-aspirin inhalation challenges, as well as increases in levels of IL-33, type 2 cytokines, and biochemical markers of mast cell and platelet activation. Conclusion The conversion of LTC4 to LTD4 may limit the duration and extent of potentially deleterious signaling through CysLT2R, and it may contribute to the therapeutic properties of desensitization to aspirin in aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.
Maf1 limits RNA polymerase III-directed transcription to preserve genomic integrity and extend lifespan

A key to longevity assurance is the nutrient-sensing mTOR pathway. Inhibition of mTOR extends lifespan in a variety of organisms. However, the downstream effectors of the mTOR pathway for lifespan regulation are elusive. In a recent report, we described the role of Maf1 as a critical lifespan regulator downstream of the mTOR pathway in fission yeast. Maf1 is the master negative regulator of RNA polymerase III-directed transcription (e.g. tRNAs and 5S rRNAs) and is regulated by mTOR-mediated phosphorylation. We demonstrated that Maf1 is required for lifespan extension under calorie restriction or when mTOR is inhibited. We also showed that Maf1 prevents DNA damage at tRNA genes, which appears to contribute to lifespan maintenance by Maf1. Here we highlight these observations and present additional results to discuss the role of the mTOR-Maf1-Pol III axis in promoting genomic integrity in the face of DNA replication-transcription conflicts in order to maintain normal lifespan.
Computational investigation of the impact of deep brain stimulation contact size and shape on neural selectivity

Background.Understanding neural selectivity is essential for optimizing medical applications of deep brain stimulation (DBS). We previously showed that modulation of the DBS waveform can induce changes in orientation-based selectivity, and that lengthening of DBS pulses or directional segmentation can reduce preferential selectivity for large axons. In this work, we sought to investigate a simple, but important question from a generalized perspective: how do the size and shape of the contact influence neural selectivity?Methods.We created multicompartment neuron models for several axon diameters and used finite element modeling with standard-sized cylindrical leads to determine the effects on changing contact size and shape on axon activation profiles and volumes of tissue activated. Contacts ranged in size from 0.04 to 16 mm2, compared with a standard size of 6 mm2.Results.We found that changes in contact size are predicted to induce substantial changes in orientation-based selectivity in the context of a cylindrical lead, and changes in contact width or height can alter this selectivity. Smaller contact sizes were more effective in constraining neural activation to small, nearby axons. However, micro-scale contacts enable only limited spread of neural activation before exceeding standard charge density limitations; further, energetic efficiency is optimized by somewhat larger contacts.Interpretations.Small-scale contacts may be optimal for constraining stimulation in nearby grey matter and avoiding orientation-selective activation. However, given charge density limitations and energy inefficiency of micro-scale contacts, we predict that contacts sized similarly to or slightly smaller than segmented clinical leads may optimize energy efficiency while avoiding charge density limitations.
Waveguide combiner technologies enabling small form factor mixed reality headset architectures

For the past decade, optics and display hardware developments for mixed reality and smart glasses were merely a shot in the dark, providing enough display immersion and visual comfort for developers to build up apps, especially for the enterprise field. Today, as universal use cases for consumer emerge such as co-presence, digital twin and remote conferencing, new optical functionalities are required to enable such experiences. It is not only a race to smaller form factor and light weight devices for large field of view (FOV) and lower power, but the requirements are also on additional display and sensing features specifically tuned to implement such new universal use cases. Broad acceptance of wearable displays especially in the consumer field is contingent on enabling these new display and sensing requirements in small form factors and low power. This talk will focus on waveguide combiner technologies and how these architectures have evolved over the past years to address such new requirements
Accelerating Rate Calorimetry and Complementary Techniques to Characterize Battery Safety Hazards.

The hazards associated with lithium-based battery chemistries are well-documented due to their catastrophic nature. Risk is typically qualitatively assessed through an engineering risk matrix. Within the matrix, potentially hazardous events are categorized and ranked in terms of severity and probability to provide situational awareness to decision makers and stakeholders. The stochastic nature of battery failures, particularly the lithium-ion chemistry, makes the probability axis of a matrix difficult to properly assess. Fortunately, characterization tools exist, such as accelerated rate calorimetry (ARC), that characterize degrees of battery failure severity. ARC has been used extensively to characterize reactive chemicals but can provide a new application to induce battery failures under safe, controlled experimental conditions and quantify critical safety parameters. Due to the robust nature of the extended volume calorimeter, cells may be safely taken to failure due to a variety of abuses: thermal (simple heating of cell), electrochemical (overcharge), electrical (external short circuit), or physical (crush or nail penetration). This article describes the procedures to prepare and instrument a commercial lithium-ion battery cell for failure in an ARC to collect valuable safety data: onset of thermal runaway, endotherm associated with polymer separator melting, pressure release during thermal runaway, gaseous collection for analytical characterization, maximum temperature of complete reaction, and visual observation of decomposition processes using a high temperature borescope (venting and cell can breach). A thermal “heat-wait-seek” method is used to induce cell failure, in which the battery is heated incrementally to a set point, then the instrument identifies heat generation from the battery. As heat generates a temperature rise in the battery, the calorimeter temperature follows this temperature rise, maintaining an adiabatic condition. Therefore, the cell does not exchange heat with the external environment, so all heat generation from the battery under failure is captured.
Navigating the Genomic Landscape of Human Adipose Stem Cell-Derived β-Cells.

Diabetes is a pandemic manifested through glucose dysregulation mediated by inadequate insulin secretion by beta cells. A beta cell replacement strategy would transform the treatment paradigm from ...
A HEURISTIC SHORTEST-PATH METHOD FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLE ASSIGNMENT--A STUDY ON THE MEXICO CITY NETWORK

The immediate needs of a city struck by a disaster are quick and safe evacuation of its inhabitants and prompt search and rescue operations conducted by emergency personnel. If the city's road network has suffered capacity losses because of floods, building rubble, or structural failures, a shortest-path algorithm with the aid of a computer serves as a useful tool in assigning the emergency vehicles to routes that remain open in the aftermath of the disaster. It the city network is large, the shortest-path algorithms consume large memory and execution time on a microcomputer. If the algorithm needs to operate in real-time conditions, the savings in these factors become very important. Heuristic methods have been developed to reduce the computer storage and execution time. One such heuristic method is being examined for its accuracy compared with conventional shortest-path algorithms, which build the entire shortest-path tree before selecting the path between an origin-destination pair. The suggested heuristic method alleviates the need to build the entire tree, yet proved to yield the same results as the total-path enumeration method in 99 percent of the cases when applied to the Mexico City network.
Who Allows Facilitating Payments

“Facilitating payments” are bribes paid to secure routine, non-discretionary acts from government officials. Although facilitating payments are illegal under local laws, the international regime does not require countries to criminalize the payment of these bribes abroad. This paper examines the guidance that Fortune 200 companies provide to their employees, agents and other associates with respect to facilitating payments. The paper finds that there are differences in how companies from different regions and different industry sectors approach the subject of facilitating payments. The paper offers possible explanations for these differences.
Purification and characterization of a transcription factor which appears to regulate cAMP responsiveness of the human CYP21B gene.

A unique cAMP regulatory sequence, -129/-96 base pairs (bp), associated with the gene encoding human cytochrome P450C21 (CYP21B) binds a nuclear protein designated ASP, as described previously (Kagawa, N., and Waterman, M. R. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 11199-11204). This putative transcription factor required for cAMP-dependent transcription of the human CYP21B gene has been purified from the nuclear extracts of mouse Y1 cells by using sequence-specific DNA-affinity chromatography. The purified ASP is 78 kDa as estimated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and binds to its specific recognition site, -126/-113-bp CACTCTGTGGGCGG, which has been demonstrated to be the minimum cAMP regulatory sequence of the human CYP21B gene. To characterize ASP more precisely, an antibody was raised against the 78-kDa protein. This antibody led to a supershift of the DNA.ASP complex on gel shift analysis and inhibition of in vitro transcription promoted by the ASP binding sequence, thereby indicating that ASP is a 78-kDa transcription factor. Upon DNase I footprinting experiments, ASP showed a characteristic footprint which very closely resembles but is distinct from that of Sp1 which also occupies a binding site within -129/-96 bp. Furthermore, the addition of purified ASP enhanced the mRNA synthesis promoted by the minimum cAMP regulatory sequence in a cell-free transcription system using HeLa cell extracts, whereas added Sp1 does not. These results indicate that ASP is a primary transcription factor for the cAMP-dependent regulation of the human CYP21B gene.
Distal Symphalangism: A Report of Two Families

This study describes distal symphalangism in 36 individuals in two families, one of which is the largest pedigree of this rare defect yet documented. Distal symphalangism is ankylosis or rigidity of the distal interphalangeal joints of the hands and/or feet. The findings of this report substantiate the mutation as an autosomal dominant phenotype. Several manifestations of distal symphalangism were observed, including the lack of cutaneous creases over affected joints, brachydactyly, fourth-finger hypophalangism, absent nails, and rudimentary nails. Variability ranged from just toes affected, to a single finger affected, to all fingers and all lesser toes affected. The most common expression of the mutant gene was rigid index fingers. Craniosynostosis, premature closure of the sutures of the skull, was encountered twice in the larger of the two families. It is a possible pleiotropic effect of distal symphalangism.