cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 417: Central PPAR-{gamma} Activation Attenuates Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertension by Inhibiting Brain Inflammation and Renin-Angiotensin System Activity in Rats.

Upregulation of inflammation and renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activity in the brain contributes to hypertension through effects on fluid intake, vasopressin release, and sympathetic nerve activity. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ, a nuclear transcription factor, is expressed in key brain areas involved in drinking, vasopressin release and cardiovascular regulation, including the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVN). We recently reported that activation of brain PPAR-γ reduced inflammation and RAS activity in the PVN and ameliorated the peripheral manifestations of heart failure. Here we hypothesized that activation of central PPAR-γ might have beneficial effects on angiotensin II (ANG II)-induced hypertension. Spague-Dawley rats received a continuous 2 week subcutaneous infusion of ANG II (120 ng/kg/min), combined with intracerebroventricular infusion of vehicle (VEH) or the PPAR-γ agonist pioglitazone (3 nmoL/h). At 2 weeks, blood pressure (BP) had significantly (*P 450nm ) was reduced and mRNA for interleukin-1β (2.76±0.22* vs 1.09±0.21 fold change), tumor necrosis factor-α (1.58±0.09* vs 1.04±0.12 fold change) and ANG II type-1 receptor (1.71±0.15* vs 1.03±0.10 fold change) was augmented. All of these findings were ameliorated (by 24-36%*) in ANG II rats treated with pioglitazone, which increased PPAR-γ mRNA and PPAR-γ DNA binding activity in the PVN (by 73-77%*). The results suggest that activating brain PPAR-γ to reduce central inflammation and RAS activity, thereby suppressing fluid intake, vasopressin release and sympathetic drive, may be a novel approach to the treatment of ANG II-dependent hypertension.
The Fuzzy Logic of Network Connectivity in Mouse Visual Thalamus

In an attempt to chart parallel sensory streams passing through the visual thalamus, we acquired a 100-trillion-voxel electron microscopy (EM) dataset and identified cohorts of retinal ganglion cell axons (RGCs) that innervated each of a diverse group of postsynaptic thalamocortical neurons (TCs). Tracing branches of these axons revealed the set of TCs innervated by each RGC cohort. Instead of finding separate sensory pathways, we found a single large network that could not be easily subdivided because individual RGCs innervated different kinds of TCs and different kinds of RGCs co-innervated individual TCs. We did find conspicuous network subdivisions organized on the basis of dendritic rather than neuronal properties. This work argues that, in the thalamus, neural circuits are not based on a canonical set of connections between intrinsically different neuronal types but, rather, may arise by experience-based mixing of different kinds of inputs onto individual postsynaptic cells.
The Effect of Strain Relaxation Mechanisms on the Electrical Properties of Epitaxial CaF2/Si(111) Heterostructures

A new technique for growth of exactly two monolayers of CaF 2 on Si(111) substrates is demonstrated. This technique takes advantage of the tendency of CaF 2 to form thick islands at Si step edges on vicinal substrates once a two-monolayer thick wetting layer is deposited. A comparison of I-V characteristics for epitaxial CaF 2 layers grown on on-axis versus off-axis substrates demonstrates the advantages of this technique. In addition, preliminary results for electron tunneling through the CaF 2 structure is shown using the ballistic electron emission microscopy (BEEM) technique.
Charge screening between anionic and cationic surfactants in ionic liquids.

The aggregation and interfacial behavior of mixtures of anionic (sodium dodecylsulfate, SDS) and cationic (dodecylammonium bromide, DTAB) surfactants were investigated. A room-temperature ionic liquid (IL) was explored as a solvent for the SDS/DTAB system and compared to water. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) and composition in mixed micelles were determined for both solvents. Our experiments showed nearly ideal mixing of SDS/DTAB over the entire composition range and suggest that charge screening is prominent in ILs. This behavior is in sharp contrast to the strong electrostatic attraction and a multiphase composition gap in water. Two models by Clint and Rubingh, which describe ideal and nonideal micellar behavior, respectively, are discussed on the basis of our results. According to Rubingh’s model, the composition of mixed micelles is gradually changing with the bulk composition in ILs but tends to be a 1:1 ratio in water. The results here are further support of the strong charge screening in...
EVALUATING THE CONSEQUENCES OF OVERLAPPING DEPENDENT ACTIVITIES

There are many benefits to reducing project delivery time by overlapping dependent activities. When considering the overlap of dependent design activities, one must also consider the consequences that may result from overlapping. Speeding up the design delivery process is not without risks or costs. Limiting the adverse consequences of overlapping requires a planning framework that appropriately evaluates overlapping strategies and the desired degree of overlap. The planning framework must also evaluate the consequences of overlapping dependent activities in terms of additional design and construction costs as well as the potential for rework. The large number of variables in the overlapping decision makes an analytical solution complex. After a review of analytical solutions to the overlapping problem, such as simulation and optimization, a basic decision algorithm is presented as an initial solution to this complex decision problem.
Design of Ethernet Interface Chip in the Embedded System Based on LPC2210

The microprocessor LPC2210 with the ARM kernel is introduced, and the Ethernet-controlled chip RTL8019AS, and the Ethernet interface of the embedded system are designed.The design has been applied in the project-ECG Tele-monitoring Network System. This design has the simple framework,convenient realization. It is easy to use for produce development for its expansibility and ductility. The design given can be used for reference for the embedded system design where LAN-communication is needed.
Advances in the Research of Curcumin and its Derivatives Anticancer Activity

The research progress,synthesis and structure-activity relationship of curcumin analogues were summarized.By referring to the latest relevant papers,master basic material and sorting,elaborated,the structure-activity relationship and the direction of advance for curcumin analogues were explored.Curcumin and its derivatives were the class of anticancer drugs with good prospects of development,and this class of anticancer drugs was expected to be used in human cancer treatment and chemoprevention for the benefit of mankind.
Basqueing on the bayou: conflicting visions of authenticity in Julio Medem’s Vacas and Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild

AbstractThis article examines a similar use of bovine vision as an act of looking at a seemingly authentic Basque and bayou identity in, respectively, Julio Medem’s Vacas and Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild. Central to both these films is a similar dichotomy between masculinity and femininity as the feminine, particularly the mother figure, is simultaneously mythologized and threatened by a masculinity tied to essential identity. Both films also attempt to suture historical debates regarding racial purity (or lack thereof) and class struggle within their own self-mythologizations. Additionally, both films centralize those discussions around a binary between rural/natural and urban/social as means of addressing the dichotomy of myth versus historical authenticity. However, where Beasts asserts that a wild authenticity can be achieved by returning to a pre-social state, Vacas deconstructs any idea of a real Basque identity. What this article shows are the high stakes that come with representing a...
Pro-urokinase: a study of its stability in plasma and of a mechanism for its selective fibrinolytic effect

Highly purified pro-urokinase (pro-UK) or single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) was treated with diisopropylfluorophosphate (1 mmol/L) to eliminate traces of two-chain UK activity. This preparation was found to retain a low activity against a chromogenic substrate (S2444), equivalent to 0.1% to 0.5% of the activity of its plasmin-activated derivative. Evidence is presented that the intrinsic activity of pro-UK (scu-PA) was sufficient to activate plasminogen on a fibrin plate or in buffer and was far more reactive against Lys-plasminogen than against Glu-plasminogen. The relative resistance of Glu-plasminogen to activation was overcome by the addition of lysine (25 mmol/L) to the reaction mixture. By contrast, in plasma, pro-UK (scu-PA) was stable and nonreactive for greater than 72 hours when incubated (37 degrees C). Pro-UK (scu-PA) did not form sodium dodecyl sulfate-stable inhibitor complexes, whereas complexation occurred rapidly with UK. Only at high concentrations of pro-UK (scu-PA) (greater than or equal to 250 IU/mL) did plasminogen activation in plasma occur. The relative inertness of pro-UK (scu-PA) in plasma, in contrast to its low-grade enzymatic activity in buffer, was attributed to the effect of inhibitors. The addition of EDTA or the removal of divalent cations by dialysis was associated with a lower threshold for nonspecific plasminogen activation by pro-UK (scu-PA) in plasma. Replacement of Ca++ but not other cations restored baseline conditions. In the presence of a clot, fibrin-selective plasminogen activation and clot lysis were triggered. Lysis was accompanied by less than 10% conversion of pro-UK (scu-PA) to two-chain UK, suggesting that the intrinsic activity of pro-UK (scu-PA) itself may have been responsible for fibrinolysis, although a contribution by the small amount of UK generated could not be excluded. Similarly, pro-UK (scu-PA) supported clot lysis for several days in the same plasma before the effect dissipated as a result of degradation to UK. When Glu-plasminogen in plasma was replaced by Lys-plasminogen, or when lysine was added to normal plasma, nonselective plasminogen activation and fibrinogenolysis occurred. It was concluded that under the experimental conditions, the fibrin specificity of pro-UK (scu-PA) can be explained by its selective activation of fibrin-bound plasminogen and is due to the latter's Lys-plasminogen-like conformation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Building Motivation in African American Caregivers of Adolescents With Obesity: Application of Sequential Analysis

Objective We sought to examine communication between counselors and caregivers of adolescents with obesity to determine what types of counselor behaviors increased caregivers' motivational statements regarding supporting their child's weight loss. Methods We coded 20-min Motivational Interviewing sessions with 37 caregivers of African American 12-16-year-olds using the Minority Youth Sequential Coding for Observing Process Exchanges. We used sequential analysis to determine which counselor communication codes predicted caregiver motivational statements. Results Counselors' questions to elicit motivational statements and emphasis on autonomy increased the likelihood of both caregiver change talk and commitment language statements. Counselors' reflections of change talk predicted further change talk, and reflections of commitment language predicted more commitment language. Conclusions When working to increase motivation among caregivers of adolescents with overweight or obesity, providers should strive to reflect motivational statements, ask questions to elicit motivational statements, and emphasize caregivers' autonomy.
Chapter 21 – Connective tissue disorders

Scleroderma 308 Prevalence and incidence 308 Aetiology, pathology, immunology 308 Diagnosis, differential diagnosis, special tests 308 Clinical presentation, clinical features, clinical subsets 308 Symptoms and signs 309 Disease activity, progression, prognosis 310 Clinical evaluation/assessment/ examination – subjective and objective 310 Aims and principles of management 310 Exercise and splinting 310 Energy conservation 311 Modalities 311 Assistive/adapted devices 311
Soft Computing as a Tool, Six Years Later

After a brief expression of my personal gratitude for the inspiring mentorship received from Professors Lotfi Zadeh and Abe Mamdani, I review some of the 70’s seminal papers that lead to Prof Mamdani’s innovation in fuzzy control (FC). Then, I discuss the concurrent development of FC and expert system applications, which took place in the 80’s, noting the similarity stemming from their common use of knowledge bases (KB) developed via rapid prototyping. FC and expert systems also shared a common difficulty: avoiding KB obsolescence over time which was caused by the dynamic environment in which they were deployed. For FC, the lack of automation in their design and maintenance process changed in the 90’s, when Soft Computing (SC) offered a broader computational paradigm for developing intelligent systems, by adding a search and learning component to the fuzzy logic reasoning component. These SC components allowed researchers to automate the fine-tuning of fuzzy systems. In a 2004 position paper, Prof. Mamdani and I made some initial remarks regarding the use and misuse of SC as a tool. In the last six years we have seen an evolution of SC, with a clearer role for their use in capturing knowledge to embed in object-level models, and meta-knowledge to guide the design and upkeep of these models. I illustrate this concept with three real-world examples in insurance risk management, fleet asset selection, and power plant management.
Thermal degradation of high polymers

One of the major problems in the use of polymeric materials is the degradation of these materials when exposed to certain service conditions. Recognizing this, a basic research program on the mechanism of the degradation of these materials was initiated at the National Bureau of Standards in 1946. The mechanisms of the degradation of polyamides and polystyrene have been studied. Polyvinyl chloride is being studied at the present time. In addition some experiments were made with GE-S rubber and polyethylene. The results of, these experiments are summarized.
The Working Sheep Dog as a Model of the Street- Level Public Servant

There are examples all around us of natural, simple, yet amazingly complex organizational structures that demonstrate models of leadership that are of use today. The working sheep dog is one such example. It is a vision of grace, ability, stamina and integrity. The relationship that exists between theses canine and human partners mirrors that of the street-level public servant and servant leader.
Inheritance of protection from osmotic stress

Exposure of mother worms to mild osmotic stress induces gene expression changes in offspring that protect them from strong osmotic stress. Inheritance of protection is now shown to depend on altered insulin-like signalling in the maternal germline, which confers protection through increased expression of zygotic gpdh-2, a rate-limiting enzyme in glycerol biosynthesis.
Note on Waiting-Line Service Processes: Approximations, Calculations, and Analysis

Waiting lines, sometimes called queuing situations, are encountered widely in business operations. Improvements to the waiting-line process would result, in many cases, in better use of labor, equipment, and facilities and a greater capability to provide customers with a level of service that matches the business objective. This note presents methods for determining the resources needed to provide particular service attributes in waiting-line situations.
Programming shape and tailoring transport: advancing hygromorphic bilayers with aligned nanofibers

Natural systems utilize nanofiber architectures to guide water transport, tune mechanical properties, and actuate in response to their environment. In order to harness these properties, a hygromorphic bilayer composite comprised of a self-assembled fiber network and an aligned electrospun fiber network was fabricated. Molecular gel self-assembly was utilized to increase hydrophobicity and strength in one layer, while aligned electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers increased the rate of hydration and facilitated tunable actuation in the other. Interfacing these two fiber networks in a poly(ethylene oxide-co-epichlorohydrin) (EO-EPI) matrix led to hydration-driven actuation with tunable curvature. Specifically, variations in fiber alignment were achieved by cutting at 0, 90, and 45 degree angles in relation to the length edge of the composite. Along with the ability to program the natural curvature, the utilization of aligned nanofibers increased water transport compared to random nanofiber systems, resulting in a reduction in response time from 20+ minutes to 2-3 minutes.
Abbreviate and insert? Message length, addressee and non-standard writing in Italian mobile texting and Facebook

This study analyses non-standard typography (NST) (abbreviations and insertions) and its relationship to the message length, the addressee in two modes: Facebook and mobile texting SMS in the same ...
Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids differentially regulate in vitro and ex vivo placental antioxidant capacity.

Problem Complications from prematurity are the leading cause of death among children under 5 years of age. Although clinical studies have shown a positive correlation between maternal high-fat diet (HFD) and preterm birth (PTB), the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Furthermore, it remains unclear how fatty acid type influences the effects of bacterial endotoxins. Method of study HTR-8/SVneo trophoblasts were cultured in either 0.5 mmol L-1 palmitic acid (PA) or linoleic acid (LA) in the absence or presence of 100 μg mL-1 of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or lipoteichoic acid (LTA). Murine placental explants were cultured in either 2 mmol L-1 PA or LA, and cell viability, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), lipid peroxidation, H2 O2 , heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2) and nuclear factor-kappa light-chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) transcription factor activity assays were assessed. Results Palmitic acid significantly (i) increased cell death, (ii) decreased TAC, and (iii) increased lipid peroxidation; but did not significantly increase HO-1. In contrast, LA maintained cell viability and significantly increased TAC and HO-1. In addition, incubating placental explants with PA significantly increased NF-κB activity. Co-incubating cells with PA and LPS or LTA significantly potentiated H2 O2 production and increased lipid peroxidation. Co-incubating cells with PA and LTA synergistically impaired TAC, and LTA decreased TAC more so than LPS. Co-incubation with PA/LA and LPS/LTA decreased HO-1 levels compared to treatment with either fatty acid alone. Conclusion Our findings suggest that saturated and unsaturated fats differentially regulate placental viability, antioxidant capacity, and inflammation and the actions of gram-positive and gram-negative endotoxins.
Socrates’ Self-Knowledge

Focusing mainly on Plato’s Phaedrus, Levy intends to reflect on the way Socrates characterizes his philosophizing in contrast to the intellectual activity of the sophists. Levy’s chapter takes up specifically the question of the character of the self-knowledge Socrates is seeking, why talking to others contributes to his self-knowledge, why Socrates is interested in and respectful of eros, and the character of Socrates’ interest in educating others.
Case 28: Pressurized Intravenous Hetastarch

A 2-year-old child is taken to the operating room for an emergency laparotomy. Four hours earlier, the child had a kidney tumor removed, uneventfully, under general anesthesia. On examination, the child is pale, cold, and clammy, with a heart rate of 150 beats per minute (bpm) and a systolic blood pressure (BP) of 60 mmHg. The intravenous (IV) line in his left arm is seen to work adequately. Air is noted in the half-filled 6 % Hetastarch bag (Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, IL). The child is anesthetized with ketamine, suxamethonium, and cricoid pressure. An endotracheal tube (ETT) is inserted atraumatically, and breath sounds are equal bilaterally. Anesthesia is maintained with air in oxygen 50/50, fentanyl, and isoflurane. After the abdomen is opened, the BP falls precipitously and the Hespan bag is pressurized. Blood that was requested has not arrived. Suddenly the end-tidal CO2 falls from 46 to 20 mmHg. The pulse is 140 and the BP is 50/30. The oxygen saturation (99 %) remains unchanged.
Characterization of the hepatosplenic and portal venous findings in patients with Proteus syndrome.

Proteus syndrome (PS) is a rare disorder caused by a mosaic AKT1 variant that comprises patchy overgrowth of tissues derived from all three germinal layers affecting multiple viscera. We sought to delineate the extent of hepatoportal manifestations in patients with PS. We identified patients with PS who had abdominal imaging from 1989 to 2015 in a natural history study. Imaging was characterized for evidence of focal findings in the liver, spleen, and portal vasculature and for organomegaly. Relevant clinical and laboratory data were compared among those with or without organomegaly. Abdominal imaging was available on 38 patients including 20 who had serial studies. Nine patients had focal hepatic lesions including vascular malformations (VMs). Focal splenic abnormalities were noted in seven patients. Patients without cutaneous VMs did not have visceral VMs. Nine patients had splenomegaly, 12 had portal vein dilation, and 4 had hepatomegaly. There was a weak correlation of portal vein dilation to spleen height ratio (r2 = 0.18, p < .05). On laboratory evaluation, hepatic function was normal but there was thrombocytopenia in those with splenomegaly; platelet counts were 179 ± 87K/μL compared to those with normal spleen size at 253 ± 57K/μL (p < .05). Overall, focal hepatosplenic abnormalities occurred in 11 of 38 (29%) patients with PS. Splenomegaly and portal venous dilation were both found in 8 of 38 (21%) patients; however, other than relative thrombocytopenia, there was no evidence of portal hypertension. Although the AKT1-E17K somatic variant is a suspected oncogene, there were no malignant lesions identified in this study.
RISKS FOR ABUSE AND NEGLECT OF ELDERS WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT OR DEMENTIA: INSIGHTS FROM THREE GROUPS

Purposes. Cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia places elders at a high risk for abuse and neglect. This study aims to identify risk factors for abuse and neglect of elders with dementia or cognitive impairment, and to develop strategies to prevent abuse and neglect from integrated perspectives of patients, family caregivers, and helping professionals. Method. Using semi-structured interviews, six focus group discussions were conducted consisting of fourteen service professionals (Mage=55.7), fifteen caregivers (Mage=68.7), and six patients (Mage =70.7) at early stages of dementia. Interviews were audiotaped and then transcribed for analysis. Based on the constant comparative method, three research members independently coded data and collectively developed the themes. Results. Care recipient related risk factors included reduced cognitive capability, limited physical health, social restriction, and the lack of participation in decision making. Risk factors associated with caregivers included caregiver burden and poor coping skills. Community factors consisted of lack of a dementia friendly community that respond to elder abuse and neglect in a preventive manner. Recommended strategies to prevent abuse and neglect included dementia education, more opportunities for social participation, more affordable and accessible long-term care, and training for community service professionals to work with adult protective services. Discussion. Elder abuse and neglect across individuals with dementia or cognitive impairment may occur because of lack of education and skills about coping with dementia. Thus, a dementia-friendly community should be developed by providing more opportunities regarding education and trainings for care recipient, caregivers, and service professionals and changing policies.
29 Hydrogen Energy

Hydrogen is a good alternative to fossil fuels for the production, distribution, and storage of energy. Steam reforming of natural gas, or steam methane reformation (SMR), is one of the most developed and commercially used technologies for hydrogen production. Partial oxidation (POX) refers to the conversion of heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks into a mixture of H2, CO, and CO2 using superheated steam and oxygen. In the thermal path hydrogen can be produced in two ways: direct gasification and pyrolysis to produce liquid bio-oil, followed by steam reforming. Fossil fuels, electricity, biomass, and sunlight are four potential resources to use in H2 production. Photochemical and photoelectrochemical systems are currently at a very early stage of development. Hydrogen storage is essential, especially for the on-board vehicular applications that lead to a hydrogen-based economy. This chapter presents various hydrogen storage methods with respect to their physical and chemical phenomena. Keywords: biomass; hydrogen energy; hydrogen storage methods; partial oxidation (POX); steam methane reformation (SMR)
Underlying modulators of frontal global field potentials in emotion regulation: an EEG-informed fMRI study

Simultaneous EEG-fMRI has been applied across many functional brain studies to observe the spatiotemporal patterns of cortical activity that support complex cognitive tasks. Emotion regulation becomes a major topic of interest among these studies, with a particular focus of the late positive potential (LPP), which appears over parietal areas during emotion processing. While prefrontal areas have been linked to the LPP, the manner of their involvement remains poorly understood. In this study, EEG-informed fMRI was applied to investigate the cortical areas that modulate the frontal LPP during emotion regulation. Simultaneous EEG and fMRI data were collected during reappraisal-based emotion regulation, with EEG data analyzed from 400-600ms after task onset. Group Independent Component Analysis (ICA) was applied to denoise the EEG signal and extract common features across trials for all subjects and conditions. Extracted features were then used as regressors in general linear model (GLM)-based fMRI analysis. Results indicate that the septum pellucidum, right insula and right subcallosal gyrus are involved in the modulation of the LPP amplitude in prefrontal regions, as it is seen during reappraisal. Results align with previous emotion reappraisal studies and provide evidence for the use of IC-based EEG-informed fMRI in the study of emotional regulation.
PrPC knockdown by liposome-siRNA-peptide complexes (LSPCs) prolongs survival and normal behavior of prion-infected mice immunotolerant to treatment

Prion diseases are members of neurodegenerative protein misfolding diseases (NPMDs) that include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, tauopathies, traumatic brain injuries, and chronic traumatic encephalopathies. No known therapeutics extend survival or improve quality of life of humans afflicted with prion disease. We and others developed a new approach to NPMD therapy based on reducing the amount of the normal, host-encoded protein available as substrate for misfolding into pathologic forms, using RNA interference, a catabolic pathway that decreases levels of mRNA encoding a particular protein. We developed a therapeutic delivery system consisting of small interfering RNA (siRNA) complexed to liposomes and addressed to the central nervous system using a targeting peptide derived from rabies virus glycoprotein. These liposome-siRNA-peptide complexes (LSPCs) cross the blood-brain barrier and deliver PrP siRNA to neuronal cells to decrease expression of the normal cellular prion protein, PrPC, which acts as a substrate for prion replication. Here we show that LSPCs can extend survival and improve behavior of prion-infected mice that remain immunotolerant to treatment. LSPC treatment may be a viable therapy for prion and other NPMDs that can improve the quality of life of patients at terminal disease stages.
The effect of chemical disorder on defect formation and migration in disordered max phases

Abstract MAX phases have attracted increased attention due to their unique combination of ceramic and metallic properties. Point-defects are known to play a vital role in the structural, electronic and transport properties of alloys in general and this system in particular. As some MAX phases have been shown to be stable in non-stoichiometric compositions, it is likely that such alloying effects will affect the behavior of lattice point defects. This problem, however, remains relatively unexplored. In this work, we investigate the alloying effects on the structural-stability, energy-stability, electronic-structure, and diffusion barrier for point defects in MAX phases within a first-principles density functional theory framework. The vacancy (VM, VA, VX) and antisite (M-A; M-X) defects are considered with M and A site disorder in (Zr-M)2(AA’)C, where M=Cr,Nb,Ti and AA’=Al, Al-Sn, Pb-Bi. Our calculations suggest that the chemical disorder helps lower the VA formation energies compared to VM and VX. The VA diffusion barrier is also significantly reduced for M-site disorder compared to their ordered counterpart. This is a very important finding because the reduced barrier height will ease the Al diffusion at high-operating temperatures, which will help the formation of passivating oxide layer (i.e., Al2O3 in aluminum-based MAX phases) and will slow down or stop the material degradation. We believe that our study provides a fundamental understanding and an approach to tailor the key properties that can lead to the discovery of new MAX phases.
Examination of Local Microscale-Microsecond Temperature Rise in HMX-HTPB Energetic Material Under Impact Loading

This work presents direct measurements of the temperature distribution during impact loading of cyclo-tetra-methylene-tetra-nitramine–hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene material at the mesoscale with sub-microsecond/micrometer resolution. The focus is on analyzing the effect of impact loading on microstructure-dependent material behavior. The temperature distribution is shown to be strongly correlated to the local material microstructure with the interface and particle shape playing a key role.
Am I Asking It Properly?: Designing and Evaluating Interview Chatbots to Improve Elicitation in an Ethical Way

The increasingly prevalent use of chatbots provides an innovative way to conduct conversation interviews. However, the lack of comprehensive design guidance and robust evaluation methodologies challenge designers in developing interview chatbots with good elicitation and ethics. This proposal presents our progress on investigating interview chatbots' performances in eliciting high-quality response without breaking any ethical rules, based on which an automatic evaluation framework will be developed. We also present our plan to propose design implications and prototypes for more robust interview chatbot development cycle.
Certifying Joint Adversarial Robustness for Model Ensembles

Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) are often vulnerable to adversarial examples.Several proposed defenses deploy an ensemble of models with the hope that, although the individual models may be vulnerable, an adversary will not be able to find an adversarial example that succeeds against the ensemble. Depending on how the ensemble is used, an attacker may need to find a single adversarial example that succeeds against all, or a majority, of the models in the ensemble. The effectiveness of ensemble defenses against strong adversaries depends on the vulnerability spaces of models in the ensemble being disjoint. We consider the joint vulnerability of an ensemble of models, and propose a novel technique for certifying the joint robustness of ensembles, building upon prior works on single-model robustness certification. We evaluate the robustness of various models ensembles, including models trained using cost-sensitive robustness to be diverse, to improve understanding of the potential effectiveness of ensemble models as a defense against adversarial examples.
Treatment of post-viral olfactory dysfunction: an evidence-based review with recommendations

Background Post-viral olfactory dysfunction (PVOD) is one of the most common causes of olfactory loss. Despite its prevalence, optimal treatment strategies remain unclear. This article provides a comprehensive review of PVOD treatment options and provides evidence-based recommendations for their use. Methods A systematic review of the Medline, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases was completed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies with defined olfactory outcomes of patients treated for PVOD following medical, surgical, acupuncture, or olfactory training interventions were included. The Clinical Practice Guideline Development Manual and Conference on Guideline Standardization (COGS) instrument recommendations were followed in accordance with a previously described, rigorous, iterative process to create an evidence-based review with recommendations. Results From 552 initial candidate articles, 36 studies with data for 2183 patients with PVOD were ultimately included. The most common method to assess olfactory outcomes was Sniffin' Sticks. Broad treatment categories included: olfactory training, systemic steroids, topical therapies, a variety of heterogeneous non-steroidal oral medications, and acupuncture. Conclusion Based on the available evidence, olfactory training is a recommendation for the treatment of PVOD. The use of short-term systemic and/or topical steroids is an option in select patients after careful consideration of potential risks of oral steroids. Though some pharmacological investigations offer promising preliminary results for systemic and topical medications alike, a paucity of high-quality studies limits the ability to make meaningful evidence-based recommendations for the use of these therapies for the treatment of PVOD.
Spatial Linkage of Electronic Health Records and Census Data in A Children’s Hospital

IntroductionSocial determinants of health (SDOH) has a significant impact on access to health. Risk stratification of patients who have difficulty accessing care could allow for triaging of peri-operative resources. Unfortunately, there is a limited amount of SES factors available to study in electronic health records (EHR). Objectives and ApproachOur objective was to understand the SES and location risk factors that are associated with paediatric patients arriving late to the hospital for elective surgery. We conducted a retrospective study of paediatric patients requiring elective surgery from 2015-2019. Spatial linkage of EHR data with US Census–ACS 2017 data was conducted. Analysis was at patient and neighbourhood block group levels. Statistical analysis was conducted utilizing SAS, Python and ArcGIS. ResultsOur study had 40,943 patients with 7,453 patients (18.2%) who arrived ≥15 minutes late from their scheduled arrival. Patient level risk factors for arriving late included younger age, Black and Indian patients, non-English speaking, government insurance, increased co-morbidities and earlier appointments. The median time of arrival for patients arriving late was 23.0 minutes (18.0-33.0 minutes IQR), versus the on-time group of 7 min (4-22 minutes IQR) early. Median drive time and distance, using network analysis was not a significant factor. Statistically significant neighbourhood risk factors for arriving late included block groups with high unemployment, households receiving public assistance, low income households, higher number of high-school drop outs, female-headed households, more renter-occupied houses, and areas with high turnover. Logistic regression demonstrated neighbourhoods with the lowest quintile SES were 30% more likely to be late than the areas with the highest SES (p<0.001). Conclusion / ImplicationsWe successfully identified patient and neighbourhood socioeconomic risk factors for arriving late to the hospital leveraging geospatial methods and EHR data. Leveraging EHR data with geospatial analytics can augment our understanding of the SDOH that may impact the delivery of care.
Diagnosis of a Combined Immunodeficiency in an Elderly Patient with Recurrent Pneumonia

INTRODUCTION: This case highlights the unusual presentation of a combined immunodeficiency in an elderly patient and demonstrates the importance of considering immunodeficiency in adults with recurrent infections. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 63-year old man with a history of coronary artery disease and nasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma status post surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy was admitted to the ICU with respiratory failure and septic shock secondary to left lower lobe pneumonia. Notably this patient had been admitted with pneumonia four times in the previous five months, with one occurrence complicated by S. pneumoniae …
The Model Thinker: What You Need to Know to Make Data Work for You: by Scott E. Page. New York: Basic Books, 2018, xiii+427 pp., $32.00 (hardback), ISBN: 978-0-46-509462-2

The Model Thinker is a great overview of how modeling techniques can be employed to understand complexity, predict and discover unexpected and unintended consequences, as well as explore possible o...
Can machine learning improve randomized clinical trial analysis

Abstract Purpose Recently a realistic simulator of patient seizure diaries was developed that can reproduce effects seen in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). RCTs suffer from high costs and statistical inefficiencies. Using realistic simulation and machine learning this study aimed to identify a more statistically efficient outcome metric. Methods Five candidate deep learning architectures with 54 permutations of hyperparameters were compared to the traditional standard, median percent change (MPC). Each were also tested for type 1 error. All models had similar outcomes, with appropriate low levels of type 1 error. Results The simplest model was equivalent to a logistic regression of a histogram of individual percentage changes in seizure rate, requiring 21-22% less patients to discriminate drug from placebo at 90% power. This model was referred to as LPC. Conclusion Future studies to validate LPC may enable faster, cheaper and more efficient clinical trials.
Bioinspired translation of classical music into de novo protein structures using deep learning and molecular modeling

Architected biomaterials, as well as sound and music, are constructed from small building blocks that are assembled across time- and length-scales. Here we present a novel deep learning-enabled integrated algorithmic workflow to merge the two concepts for radical discovery ofde novoprotein materials, exploiting musical creativity as the foundation, and extrapolating through a recursive method to increase protein complexity by successively injecting protein chemistry into the process. Indeed, music is one of the few universal expressions that can create bridges between cultures, find associations between seemingly unrelated concepts, and can be used as a novel way to generate bio-inspired designs that derive functions from the imaginations of the creative mind. Earlier work has offered a pathway to convert proteins into sound, and sound into proteins. Here we build on this paradigm and translate a piece of classical music into matter. Based on Bach's Goldberg variations, we offer a series of case studies to convert the musical data imagined by the composer into protein design, and folded into a 3D structure using deep learning. The quest we seek to address is to identify semblances, or memories, or information content in such musical creation, that offers new insights into pattern relationships between distinct manifestations of information. Using basic local alignment search tool analysis, we find that several fragments of the new proteins display similarities to existing protein sequences found in proteobacteria among other organisms, especially in regions of low complexity and repetitive motifs. The resulting protein forms the basis for iterative musical composition, and an evolutionary paradigm that defines a variational pathway for melodic development, complementing conventional creative or mathematical methods. This paper broadens the concept of what is understood as bio-inspiration to include a broad array of systems created by humans, animals, or other natural mechanisms.
Predicting the Price of Crude Oil and its Fluctuations Using Computational Econometrics: Deep Learning, LSTM, and Convolutional Neural Networks

There has been a renewed interest in accurately forecasting the price of crude oil and its fluctuations. That said, this paper aims to study whether the price of crude oil in the United States (US) could be predicted using the stock prices of the top information technology companies. To this end, time-series data was collected and pre-processed as needed, and three architectures of computational neural networks were tested: deep neural networks, long-short term memory (LSTM) neural networks, and a combination of convolutional and LSTM neural networks. The findings suggest that LSTM networks are the best architectures to predict the crude oil price. The outcomes of this paper could potentially help in making the oil price prediction mechanism a more tractable task and in assisting decision-makers to improve macroeconomic policies, generate enhanced macroeconomic projections, and better assess macroeconomic risks.
Differential antiviral immune response in swine model of influenza vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease. (VIR2P.1026)

Genetic drift and introduction of human seasonal influenza A virus (IAV) have resulted in six H1 phylogenetic clusters in swine. In humans reports suggest that prior vaccination against seasonal IAV (pre-2009) may result in enhanced disease following infection with pandemic 2009 IAV (pH1N1). Similarly, vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease (VAERD) has been reported in pigs that were vaccinated with one antigenic H1 subtype (human-like H1δ1) and subsequently challenged with pH1N1. To investigate the immune response associated with VAERD to delineate a mechanism for enhanced disease pigs were vaccinated with adjuvanted, inactivated H1δ1 and subsequently challenged with pH1N1 (Vx/Ch). Non-vaccinated (NV)/Ch and NV/non-challenged (NC) were included. Vaccination elicited IAV-specific IgG that cross-reacted with pH1N1 but did not neutralize infectivity. Proinflammatory cytokines IL-8, IL-1β and IL-6 were significantly elevated in lungs of Vx/Ch pigs compared to NV/Ch pigs. However, IFNα levels were significantly lower in lungs of Vx/Ch pigs compared to NV/Ch pigs indicating a difference in activation of antiviral immune pathway(s). IFNα mRNA levels were the same in tracheal epithelial cells collected from Vx/Ch and NV/Ch pigs; however, IFNα mRNA levels in alveolar macrophages (AM) from NV/Ch pigs were significantly increased over Vx/Ch pigs. We hypothesize vaccine-potentiated immunopathology through dysregulation of AM innate responses potentiates disease.
Towards bathymetry-optimized Doppler re-navigation for AUVs

This paper describes a terrain-aided re-navigation algorithm for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) built around optimizing bottom-lock Doppler velocity log (DVL) track lines relative to a ship derived bathymetric map. The goal of this work is to improve the precision of AUV DVL-based navigation for near-seafloor science by removing the low-frequency "drift" associated with a dead-reckoned (DR) Doppler navigation methodology. To do this, we use the discrepancy between vehicle-derived vs. ship-derived acoustic bathymetry as a corrective error measure in a standard nonlinear optimization framework. The advantage of this re-navigation methodology is that it exploits existing ship-derived bathymetric maps to improve vehicle navigation without requiring additional infrastructure. We demonstrate our technique for a recent AUV survey of large-scale gas blowout features located along the U.S. Atlantic margin
MetaRegulation of OTC Derivatives Contracts Post Reform

This paper examines the possible regulatory arrangements for the over-the-counter derivatives market post financial reforms in the US and Europe. The interaction of the industry and the agencies since the passage of legislation points to a probable “meta-regulation” for the bilateral derivative contracts market. This type of process-oriented regulation relies on enforced industry self-regulation, and participant organizations are expected to identify and control risks with the support and evaluation of outside monitors. The paper highlights an instance of coordination between regulators and the swaps industry by examining the “confirmations backlogs” issue in the OTC market that occurred before the financial crisis. The paper fills a gap in the literature about non-traditional governance structures for the derivatives markets following the financial crisis.
The Role of Father in Psychoanalytic Theory

Abstract This paper presents psychoanalytic ideas about the father's role in child development, organized into six different categories: (1) the father as an attachment figure; (2) the internalized “good” and “bad” father; (3) the father of the first separation-individuation period; (4) the father as selfobject; (5) Freudian notions of the pre-Oedipal and Oedipal father; and (6) the father of the second separation-individuation period. Extensions of the father's role are then explored, drawing from the work of D. W. Winnicott. An integrated framework is presented in an effort to synthesize the varied and complex functions attributed to the father, followed by reconsiderations of the father's role within the context of: (1) recent father-child research; and (2) current economic and familial patterns.
Perfusion and Diffusion Imaging: A Potential Tool for Improved Diagnosis of CNS Vasculitis

Central nervous system vasculitis (CNSV) is a rare inflammatory disease associated with many causes [(1)][1] that usually involve the small vessels of the parenchyma and meninges [(2–4)][2]. Despite its rarity, vasculitis is suspected daily. Diagnostic angiography is frequently requested to rule
The changing face of genomics

A report on the 5th annual Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) and Automation in DNA Mapping and Sequencing (AMS) meeting, Marco Island, USA, 4-7 February 2004.
Dekameter Radar Observations of Ocean Wave Growth and Decay

Abstract Immediately following the passage of polar fronts that produced strong winds blowing away from Galveston Island and into the Gulf of Mexico, we used scattered LORAN-A radio waves, together with observations by wave stags, to measure the growth of 80 m waves as a function of angle to the wind, and the decay of the same wavelengths going against the wind. The LORAN signals at 2 MHz are in Bragg resonance with 80 m (7 s) ocean waves offshore, and were used to map the strength of both approaching and receding 80 m waves as a function of range and azimuth using Doppler velocity to determine wave directions. We found that 1) these waves grow as the cosine of the angle to the wind; 2) growth rates averaged over all angles are comparable to those previously published, 3) growth rates measured as a function of time by the wave staff were numerically the same as growth measured as a function of distance by the radar; 4) growth appears to be inhibited for waves having frequencies near the peak frequency of ...