cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response to selection and evolvability of invasive populations

While natural selection might in some cases facilitate invasions into novel habitats, few direct measurements of selection response exist for invasive populations. This study examined selection response to changes in salinity using the copepod Eurytemora affinis. This copepod has invaded fresh water from saline habitats multiple times independently throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Selection response to a constant intermediate salinity (5 PSU) was measured in the laboratory for saline source and freshwater invading populations from the St. Lawrence drainage (North America). These populations were reared under three conditions: (1) native salinities (0 or 15 PSU) for at least two generations, (2) 5 PSU for two generations, and (3) 5 PSU for six generations. Full-sib clutches taken from populations reared under these three conditions were split across four salinities (0, 5, 15, and 25 PSU) to determine reaction norms for survival and development time. Contrasts in survival and development time across the three rearing conditions were treated as the selection response. Selection at 5 PSU resulted in a significant decline in freshwater (0 PSU) tolerance for both the saline and freshwater populations. Yet, evolutionary differences in freshwater tolerance persisted between the saline and freshwater populations. The saline and freshwater populations converged in their high-salinity (25 PSU) tolerance, with an increase in the freshwater population and decline in the saline population. Development time did not shift greatly in response to selection at 5 PSU. For all three rearing conditions, the freshwater population exhibited retarded larval development and accelerated juvenile development relative to the saline population. Results from this study indicate that both the saline and freshwater populations exhibit significant responses to selection for a fitness-related trait critical for invasions into a novel habitat.
Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide and ozone alter forest insect abundance and community composition

Human-induced climate changes threaten the health of forest ecosystems. In particular, carbon dioxide (CO2) and tropospheric ozone (O3) will likely have significant but opposing impacts on forests and their associated insect communities. Compared with other animal groups, insect communities are expected to be especially sensitive to changes in global climate. 2. This study examined the effects of elevated CO2 and O3 (eCO2 and eO2) individually and in combination on the abundance, diversity and composition of forest insect com- munities. Insects were sampled using yellow pan traps in an aggrading aspen-birch forest at the Aspen Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) site in northern Wisconsin, USA. We trapped for 24 h every 10 -15 days throughout the summers (June to September) of 2000 -2003. 3. We examined 47 415 insects from 4 orders and 83 families. Elevated CO2 reduced abundance of phloem-feeding herbivores and increased abundance of chewing herbivores, although results were not statistically significant. Enriched CO2 increased numbers of some parasitoids. The effects of eO3 on insect abundance were generally opposite those of eCO2. No significant differences in arthropod family richness were found among treatments. However, eCO2, eO3, or both significantly affected insect community composition in all years. 4. Carbon dioxide and tropospheric ozone have the potential to alter significantly forest insect communities. Feeding guild may strongly influence insect response to environmental change and may provide the best opportunity to generalise for conservation efforts. Because insect communities influence forest health and ecosystem services, continued research on their response to global change is critically important to forest management and conservation.
Treatment volume shaping with selective beam blocking using the leksell gamma unit

The Leksell gamma unit at the University of Pittsburgh uses 201 highly focused 60Co beams arranged in a hemispherical array. Selective beam blocking can be used to modify the treatment volume into ellipsoid shapes oriented in different directions to match better the shape of the target volume. Dose distributions for different blocking patterns were calculated using specially developed computerized 3-D treatment planning software. The changes in dose distribution with different blocking patterns predicted by computer were verified by film densitometry. Techniques for using selective beam blocking to match more closely the treatment volume to the intended target volume have the potential of reducing the likelihood of complications for radiosurgery with the Leksell gamma unit and need to be further developed.
A Thermodynamic Model of the Action-Perception Cycle in Brain Dynamics

Computational models of brain dynamics fall short of performance in speed and robustness of pattern recognition, especially in detecting minute but highly significant pattern fragments. A novel model uses the properties of thermodynamic systems operating far from equilibrium. Such systems construct order by dissipating energy. Conditioned stimuli in reinforcement learning establish categories of patterns in cortical connectivity that create phase domains. Retrieval of a selected category of stored knowledge is by phase transition that is induced by a conditioned stimulus. The key property is cortical background noise, which is simulated by band pass filtering brown noise (1/f2) in the beta (12–30 Hz) or gamma (30–80 Hz) ranges. The noise displays aperiodic null spikes at which analytic amplitude approaches zero. These events resemble vortices. Phase transitions in recall occur at null spikes owing to high signal/noise ratio in the presence of even very weak activity evoked by conditioned stimuli.
From War to Peace The Transition between Egypt and Israel

Security, normalized interactions, acceptance of Israel in the region, the right of Palestinian self determination, and the role of Egypt and Israel in the newly emerging Middle East setting were topics of discussion at a historical meeting which took place in May 1979, in Cairo. About a dozen intellectuals from Israel and Egypt met to discuss these and related issues. We, the authors of this article were invited to participate as third-party facilitators. We concluded that the peace process will continue to encounter difficulties although many positive steps have already taken place. Egyptian and Israeli participants in the May meeting were pessimistic about the chances of widespread societal reconciliation and interaction between Arabs and Israelis. On the question of acceptance of Israel into the region, the participants agreed that acceptance is psychopolitically satisfactory but operationally very unlikely in the near future. All the participants agreed on the right of Palestinian self-determination,...
Exact geometrical optics scattering from a tri-sector isorefractive wedge structure

A structure made of three 120/spl deg/-wedges isorefractive to one another and with a common edge is considered. The incident field consists of three plane waves incident on the edge along the bisectors of the wedge regions. The conditions under which the structure is invisible to the incident field are determined. An extension is made to a honeycomb structure.
How Peer Norms of Inclusion and Exclusion Predict Children's Interest in Cross-Ethnic Friendships

The present research examines how perceived inclusive and exclusive peer norms for cross-ethnic relations contribute to predicting interest in cross-ethnic friendship among ethnic minority and majority children. Across two survey studies, European American and African American children (Study 1) and European American and Latino American children (Study 2) reported on the extent to which they perceived inclusive and exclusive peer norms for cross-ethnic relations, as well as their own interest in developing cross-ethnic friendships. Results from both studies showed that perceiving inclusive norms for cross-ethnic relations from in-group peers uniquely predicted children's interest in cross-group friendships, beyond what can be accounted for by perceiving exclusive norms from in-group peers and preexisting cross-group friendships. Similar effects were observed for ethnic minority and majority children, and even after controlling for children's prior cross-group friendships. Implications of these findings for future research and efforts to promote inclusion among ethnic minority and majority children are discussed.
Programming and design considerations of a highly parallel computer

A number of automata and automatic computing devices have been proposed whose operations could be considered highly parallel. These include von Neumann's tesselation model for self-reproducing automata, the ENIAC computer, John Holland's iterative circuit computer, S. H. Unger's spatially oriented computer, and the SOLOMON computer. The literature available on these machines indicates programming facility played a subordinate role to design. Cf. Newell, Schwartz, Garner and Squire.
Role of human aldehyde dehydrogenases in endobiotic and xenobiotic metabolism

The human genome contains at least 17 genes that are members of the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) superfamily. These genes encode NAD(P) + -dependent enzymes that oxidize a wide range of aldehydes to their corresponding carboxylic acids. Aldehydes are highly reactive molecules that are intermediates or products involved in a broad spectrum of physiologic, biologic, and pharmacologic processes. Aldehydes are generated during retinoic acid biosynthesis and the metabolism of amino acids, lipids, carbohydrates, and drugs. Mutations in several ALDH genes are the molecular basis of inborn errors of metabolism and contribute to environmentally induced diseases.
Quetiapine in patients with borderline personality disorder: an open-label trial.

Background: Quetiapine was assessed in patients diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) to examine its potential effect on symptoms and explore a tolerated dosing pattern.Method: An open label case series with objective rating measures was undertaken. The study was of 8 weeks duration.Results: Sixteen research subjects received quetiapine and completed at least one rating. Nine subjects completed the entire 8 week trial. In the LOCF and completer analyses, significant improvement was noted on GAF, SCL-90, BIS, and SIB. Specifically for the LOCF analysis, GAF increased from 57.7 to 64.6 (p = 0.001), SCL-90 decreased from 120.1 to 78.4 (p = 0.004), BIS improved from 73.4 to 59.9 (p = 0.021), and the SIB started at 267.8 and ended at 202.3 (p < 0.001).The average dose of quetiapine for LOCF analysis was 223.4 mg/d and was 286.1 mg/d for the completers. Common side-effects were similar to those seen in schizophrenic patients—sedation and increased appetite.Conclusions: Significant reductions in s...
Including English Learners in a Multitiered Approach to Early Reading Instruction and Intervention

This article reviews the research on and provides a framework for integrating assessment and early reading instruction in a unified tiered approach that includes English language learners (ELLs). The authors begin with a review of the research for implementing the guiding principles of the tiered framework with ELLs, including (a) screening and progress monitoring for ELLs, (b) delivering explicit and systematic reading instruction for ELLs, and (c) structuring reading instruction within a multitiered approach.
A New Type of Hydrogen Discharge Tube

Details are given for an electrodeless hydrogen discharge tube excited in a microwave cavity. The tube is extremely simple in construction. The hydrogen is stored as UH3. The excitation is efficient, and the spectrum is obtained with great strength and purity. Discharge conditions can be held constant much better than in the conventional tubes.
Zero biasing and jack measures

The tools of zero biasing are adapted to yield a general result suitable for analysing the behaviour of certain growth processes. The main theorem is applied to prove a central limit theorem, with explicit error terms in the L1 metric, for a natural statistic of the Jack measure on partitions.
Nicotine acts in the anterior cingulate, but not dorsal or ventral hippocampus, to reverse ethanol-induced learning impairments in the plus-maze discriminative avoidance task.

The current study examines the role of the dorsal and ventral hippocampus, and anterior cingulate in the interactive effects of ethanol and nicotine on learning, anxiety and locomotion in the plus-maze discriminative avoidance task, which allows dissociation of drug effects on each behaviour. At training, time spent in each of the arms of the elevated plus-maze was recorded for 5 minutes. Each time that the mouse entered the aversive enclosed arm, a light and white noise were turned on. At testing, no cues were turned on and time spent in each arm was recorded for 3 minutes. The effects of systemic ethanol (1.0 or 1.4 g/kg) and nicotine (0.35 μg/0.50 μl/side) infused into the anterior cingulate, dorsal and ventral hippocampus were examined, as were the interactive effects of systemic ethanol (1.0 g/kg) and nicotine (0.09 mg/kg) with the high-affinity nicotinic receptor antagonist dihydro-beta-erythroidine (DHβE) (18.0 μg/ 0.50 μl/side) infused into the anterior cingulate. Ethanol dose dependently decreased anxiety, increased locomotion, and decreased learning. Anterior cingulate-infused nicotine decreased anxiety and reversed ethanol-associated learning deficits. Anterior cingulate-infused DHβE blocked reversal of ethanol-induced learning deficits by systemic nicotine. Dorsal hippocampus-infused nicotine reversed ethanol-induced anxiolysis and hyper-locomotion (1.4 g/kg) but produced no behavioural changes in ethanol-naive mice. Ventral hippocampus-infused nicotine enhanced anxiolysis associated with 1.4 g/kg ethanol, but had no other effects. The anterior cingulate is necessary and sufficient for nicotine reversal of ethanol-induced learning deficits. In addition, the anterior cingulate, dorsal hippocampus and ventral hippocampus may mediate drug-induced changes in anxiety.
Population dynamics of Sonoran Desert saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) at the Desert Laboratory (Tucson, Arizona)

The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is one of the most iconic perennials in the Sonoran Desert. The ecological importance of this species has motivated studies that explored its physiological adaptations to deserts, factors controlling its recruitment and distribution, and changes in its population density and extent over time. The population of saguaros on Tumamoc Hill (Tucson, Arizona) is one of the best studied. Saguaros on and nearby Tumamoc Hill were mapped in 1908, and in 1964 R. M. Turner and J. R. Hastings established four 250-m wide plots within the original census area. Plots were established on the north-, south-, east-, and west-facing slopes of Tumamoc Hill, and each plot extends from the top to the base of the hill. Plots were resurveyed in 1970, 1987, 1993, and between 2010 and 2012. In this Data Paper, we present all information associated with this monitoring program, which includes digital versions of Spalding's original 1908 saguaro map as well as information regarding individual saguaros located in each of the four plots. Collected data include plant height, number of branches, and plant condition, as well as plant location. Starting in 1993, we also noted the identity and condition of plant species growing in close proximity to each saguaro. The archived data set described here contains information pertaining to >5800 saguaros. Past analyses of these data include reconstructions of regeneration patterns from observed age structures and the determination of the average height-specific growth rates for plants on each slope. The findings from these studies have broadened our understanding of the relationship between saguaro regeneration patterns and climate. These data have also provided pivotal information regarding regional trends of saguaro populations throughout the Sonoran Desert. As a group, the Tumamoc Hill censuses constitute one of the longest spatially explicit monitoring efforts for a single species in the world. They provide an observational baseline for future comparisons relating individual growth and population demographics to rising CO2 levels, climate change, vegetation change, or changes in other biotic or abiotic factors.
Surgical Exposure/Anatomy of the Lateral Lumbar Spine and Plexus

The lumbar plexus, origin and course of peripheral nerves, and anterolateral lumbar spinal column are all located within the lateral retroperitoneal space. In order for one to safely access these structures surgically, not only must the anatomy of the spine and neural elements be mastered, but an understanding of the lateral abdominal wall, retroperitoneal space and contents, and their relationships are essential. In an attempt to minimize tissue destruction and improve outcomes, less invasive surgical approaches have been described that take advantage of this surgical corridor. This chapter includes a clinically focused anatomical review and description of traditional and minimally invasive surgical techniques.
Latino Identity in Contexts of Threat: The Determinants of Vote Choice in Response to Explicit and Implicit Cues in Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric

This paper engages with the important question of how exposure to explicit and implicit cues within anti-immigrant political messages shape the voting decisions of non-Mexican Latino groups. I argue that explanations of identity salience in Latino political behavior focus exclusively on the experiences of Mexican Americans, raising the issue of generalizability to other national origin groups. In a laboratory experiment in New York City, I test the effects of explicit and implicit pan-immigrant and nationality-based cues on Latino candidate support. The results illustrate significant differences in Latino receptivity to American immigration debates. Given the overt and implied focus of Mexican immigrants in elite immigration discourse, nationality-based cues about Mexican immigration were not effective in mobilizing collective identity in the voting decisions of non-Mexican groups. Only explicit cues to Latino identity successfully activated panethnic group interests. These findings not only suggest that identity activation works differently for non-Mexican Latino groups in the context of immigration threat, but it also challenges the notion of a "one size fits all" political strategy in Latino mobilization.
Four-Thumbed Free-Tailed Bat

The Seminole bat, Lasiurus seminolus , has not been reported from Oklahoma. Sealander (Jour. Mamm., 35: 584, 1954) reported one from southern Arkansas, and quoted Lowery as saying …
Information Quality and Truth: Consumerism, Deception and the Postmodern Age

Churchman recognized the importance of information (knowledge) in the systems approach and cited the potential for deception throughout (Churchman, 1968). If information quality includes criteria for veracity, then information which deceives can be considered information of poor quality. Information quality perceived as an objective truth (through Churchman's guarantor perhaps) provides a useful component in the utilitarian model of information quality. But when viewed from a subjective perspective, the concept of information veracity raises complex philosophical questions concerning the ethics and values of the subject.
Verbindungen von Elementen mit kleinen Atomrümpfen

Obwohl fur gewohnlich der Atomrumpf an chemischen Vorgangen nicht unmittelbar teilnimmt, mus seine Grose und sein Bau doch in hohem Mase mitbestimmend sein fur das Verhalten der Valenzelektronen. Von Bau und Grose des Atomrumpfes hangen der Abstand der Valenzpaare vom Rumpf, sowie die Krafte zwischen beiden ab; die Tatsache, das es Krafte gibt, die dem Naherkommen zweier Valenzschalen oder zweier Atomrumpfe entgegenwirken, erlaubt es, in erster Annaherung von der Grose des Atoms zu sprechen.
Perioperative β-Blocker Therapy

We have previously identified 13 interventions that might change perioperative mortality in adult surgery, among them are perioperative β-blockers (BB). The increased prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) disease together with the awareness of the survival benefit of BB in various cardiac pathologies, promoted a dramatic increase in its utilization. A decrease in the myocardial oxygen consumption to avoid supply/demand mismatch in addition to their anti-arrhythmic properties and known coronary plaque stabilizing effect are the main benefits. Nevertheless, in instances of hypotension during anesthesia or blood loss, failure to sufficiently augment the cardiac output (while on BB) is concerning. The use of perioperative BB to improve cardiac outcomes and mortality before noncardiac surgery continues to be debated, and over the past two decades, several randomized controlled studies showed conflicting results. Due to guideline and institutional recommendations, physicians in charge of the surgical patient have become more liberal with administering BB and are ready to accept the accompanying intraoperative hypotension and bradycardia in favor of possibly improving the cardiac outcome. In 2008, the largest multicenter randomized trial “POISE” demonstrated a significant reduction in CV death but at the cost of an increased mortality and an additional risk of stroke in the BB-treated patients and has raised more questions than answers. Because the evidence from the Dutch Echocardiographic Cardiac Risk Evaluation Applying Stress Echocardiography (DECREASE) family of trials for the value of perioperative BB is no longer secure, further trials and meta-analyses were performed to investigate its benefit.
Modulating AML1-ETO with Signature-Based Small Molecule Library Screening.

We sought to develop a strategy to pharmacologically modulate AML1-ETO, the most common gene rearrangement associated with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). Like many other oncogenic transcription factors associated with the acute leukemias, AML1-ETO has been considered undruggable. In principle, these well-characterized somatic mutations identified in the acute leukemias represent unique, tumor-specific therapeutic targets. In practice, acute leukemia therapy continues to focus on nonspecific cytotoxic agents. In order to address this challenge, we developed a genomic, signature-based small molecule library screening approach, Gene Expression-based High-throughput Screening (GE-HTS). This approach uses gene expression signatures as surrogates for different biological states in a small molecule library screen. We focused our initial efforts on identifying modulators of AML1-ETO. First, a 25-gene signature for AML1-ETO abrogation was defined by transcriptional profiling of t(8;21) Kasumi-1 cells with and without AML1-ETO-directed RNA interference and with a U937 inducible model of AML1-ETO. The signature was confirmed in microarray data from t(8;21)-containing primary patient leukemias (p < 0.001). Next, the ability of 2,600 FDA-approved drugs and bioactive agents to induce this abrogation signature was evaluated by ligation mediated amplification (LMA) and bead-based fluorescence detection. The screen identified 16 hits confirmed on repeat testing, including seven corticosteroids. Five hits were selected for further study based on their chemical diversity, ability to induce a robust expression signature, and potential for clinical translation: 5-aza-deoxycytidine, floxuridine, methotrexate, methylprednisolone, and pyrimethamine. Next, whole genome effects of these compounds with microarray-based expression profiling were evaluated. Using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), we determined that all five compounds induce both whole genome effects consistent with AML1-ETO knockdown and a whole genome program consistent with neutrophil maturation. In a subset of these compounds, we also see changes in cell surface markers and morphological features consistent with myeloid maturation. Intriguingly, two of the hits are well-characterized DNA methyltransferase inhibitors, and two of the hits are dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors that increase S-adenosylhomocysteine, an inhibitor of methyltransferases. Thus, reversal of AML1-ETO-mediated gene silencing by demethylation may overcome its repressive effects. This application of knockdown-derived expression signatures to small molecule library screening should enable the targeting of nearly any oncogenic transcription factor.
Assessment and treatment of automatically reinforced self‐induced emesis

Frequent emesis can cause substantial deleterious effects to a child's health and environment. We conducted a functional analysis of a 3-year-old girl's self-induced emesis and confirmed that emesis was maintained by automatic reinforcement. In a reversal design, we evaluated the efficacy of implementing response blocking at 100% and 50% treatment integrity levels on both attempts and successful production of emesis. One hundred percent blocking, but not 50% blocking, was successful in reducing attempts and emesis below baseline levels.
Laughing Our Way to a Stronger Democracy: Political Comedy’s Potential to Equalize Political Interest in Community College Students

ABSTRACTWhat effect does political comedy have on political interest? Through an experimental design, changes in political interest are measured through a pre and posttest, comparing groups randomly assigned to watch The Daily Show, NBC Nightly News, Entertainment Tonight and a no-exposure group. Models indicate political comedy significantly affects political interest, measured through a unique 40-point index.
Maladaptive Personality Traits and 10-Year Course of Psychiatric and Medical Symptoms and Functional Impairment Following Trauma.

Background Personality is a major predictor of many mental and physical disorders, but its contributions to illness course are understudied. Purpose The current study aimed to explore whether personality is associated with a course of psychiatric and medical illness over 10 years following trauma. Methods World Trade Center (WTC) responders (N = 532) completed the personality inventory for DSM-5, which measures both broad domains and narrow facets. Responders' mental and physical health was assessed in the decade following the WTC disaster during annual monitoring visits at a WTC Health Program clinic. Multilevel modeling was used in an exploratory manner to chart the course of health and functioning, and examine associations of maladaptive personality domains and facets with intercepts (initial illness) and slopes (course) of illness trajectories. Results Three maladaptive personality domains-negative affectivity, detachment and psychoticism-were uniquely associated with initial posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); detachment and psychoticism were also associated with initial functional impairment. Five facets-emotional lability, anhedonia, callousness, distractibility and perceptual dysregulation-were uniquely associated with initial mental and physical health and functional impairment. Anxiousness and depressivity facets were associated with worse initial levels of psychiatric outcomes only. With regard to illness trajectory, callousness and perceptual dysregulation were associated with the increase in PTSD symptoms. Anxiousness was associated with greater persistence of respiratory symptoms. Conclusions Several personality domains and facets were associated with initial levels and long-term course of illness and functional impairment in a traumatized population. Results inform the role of maladaptive personality in the development and maintenance of chronic mental-physical comorbidity. Personality might constitute a transdiagnostic prognostic and treatment target.
Effects of Socially Stigmatized Crowdfunding Campaigns in Shaping Opinions

Donation-based crowdfunding platforms have an increasing number of campaigns on socially stigmatized topics. These platforms' widespread online reachability and the large flow of monetary donations have the potential to shape individuals' opinions by influencing their perceptions. However, little research has been done to investigate whether these campaigns impact individuals' opinions and how. We conducted an experiment to explore how an attitude-inconsistent campaign on fairness and equality for LGBTIQ people influenced participants' opinion on this topic. Although all the participants changed their perceived opinions after reading the support for the campaigns, participants opposing equality were less inclined to change their attitude than participants supporting equality. To examine this difference further, we conducted another experiment where participants were exposed to both attitude-consistent and attitude-inconsistent campaigns with varying levels of social support. Participants opposing equality showed less sensitivity to the level of social support, and wanted to donate significantly more money to anti-equality campaigns compared to those who supported equality. Results demonstrate the complex role of crowdfunding campaigns in shaping individuals' opinions on stigmatized topics.
A Novel Association between Oxybutynin Use and Bilateral Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

We are reporting a case of a 62-year-old male presenting with headache and blurry vision. His condition resolved with cessation of the presumed offending medication and urgent bilateral laser peripheral iridotomies since he failed medical therapy. This case presents a novel association between oxybutynin and bilateral acute angle-closure glaucoma (AACG).
THE RELATIONS OF INVERSIONS IN THE X CHROMOSOME OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER TO CROSSING OVER AND DISJUNCTION

CONTENTS Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554 Inversions studied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 555 Inversion scute-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556
Selective Therapy of Hepatic Cancers Using Microspheres

Regional chemotherapy is based on the premise that many chemotherapeutic agents display a steep dose response for toxicity and for therapeutic effect. Regional chemotherapy administration represents a means to generate increased drug exposure in the region where the tumor resides, while maintaining a lower drug exposure at the level of dose-limiting normal host tissues elsewhere in the body. Thus, even in circumstances where systemically administered chemotherapy is relatively ineffective, regional chemotherapy may improve the likelihood of response by the generation of much greater drug exposure. With sufficient regional selectivity, dose-limiting toxicity should be manifested by the normal tissues of the region infused and not by tissues elsewhere in the body. In this regard, regional chemotherapy has similarities to radiation therapy, but may be more selective in those situations where tumor and normal tissue in the treated region differ significantly in intrinsic drug sensitivity and blood supply.
An integrated formulation of manufacturing cell formation with capacity planning and multiple routings

This paper presents an integrated mathematical programming formulation of the manufacturing cell formation problem introduced by Nagi et al. The formulation incorporates critical production planning issues that include long-term projected production requirements, resource capacity constraints, functionally identical machines and alternative process plans in the cell formation problem, with a common objective of minimizing the resulting inter-cell material handling effort. This problem is NP-hard. The previous work presented a heuristic solution based on decomposing the integrated problem into capacitated route selection and cell formation sub-problems that are solved iteratively until convergence. Like all fast heuristics, the method may suffer from poor solution quality, and non-heuristic methods cannot address problems of typical industrial dimensions because they would require exorbitant amounts of computing time. To overcome both these deficiencies, this paper (i) presents a 0-1 Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) formulation alternative to the integrated cell formation problem, (ii) based on this formulation, develops a branch-and- bound procedure that provides improved solutions compared to those obtained by the heuristic of Nagi et al. (1990), and (iii) makes possible derivation of lower bounds to assess the quality gap when optimal solutions are unavailable or require excessive computing time. This work is important because it allows for better solutions to realistic industrial-sized problem instances.
Development and validation of a robust multiplex serological assay to quantify antibodies specific to pertussis antigens.

Abstract Despite wide spread vaccination, the public health burden of pertussis remains substantial. Current acellular pertussis vaccines comprise upto five Bordetella pertussis (Bp) antigens. Performing an ELISA to quantify antibody for each antigen is laborious and challenging to apply to pediatric samples where serum volume may be limited. We developed a microsphere based multiplex antibody capture assay (MMACA) to quantify antibodies to five pertussis antigens; pertussis toxin, pertactin, filamentous hemagglutinin and fimbrial antigens 2/3, and adenylate cyclase toxin in a single reaction (5-plex) with a calibrated reference standard, QC reagents and SAS® based data analysis program. The goodness of fit (R2) of the standard curves for five analytes was ≥0.99, LLOQ 0.04–0.15 IU or AU/mL, accuracy 1.9%–23.8% (%E), dilutional linearity slopes 0.93–1.02 and regression coefficients r2 = 0.91–0.99. MMACA had acceptable precision within a median CV of 16.0%-22.8%. Critical reagents, antigen conjugated microsphere and reporter antibody exhibited acceptable (
A Community Problem Approach for Public Policy Courses.

This paper describes a set of assignments for upper-level undergraduate public policy courses, analyzes student evaluations of the assignments, and suggests modifications of the assignments to fit different curriculum needs. The assignments require students to connect policy analysis and scholarly research to a specific policy problem in a community selected by the student.
Navigating the Barriers to Adoption and Sustained Use of Active Learning

This chapter is designed to help you navigate common barriers that you may face in adopting active learning (or doing more active learning). Our commentary is a synthesis of the work done by STEM change researchers and a practical guide for STEM faculty and graduate students. We want to support you in seeking to adopt the best possible practices and to help you build a work environment in which you can feel valued and supported in using these practices. Implementing new teaching strategies is not easy. You may be changing what you have done for a long time. You may not have experienced these practices before. You may have tried and failed. But you are reading this chapter; you are taking a step in a new direction. As we discuss how to navigate common barriers to using active learning, we organize the barriers into one of three categories – personal attitudes and beliefs, social norms and values, and other features of the academic teaching setting that may impact practice. This is our conceptualization of the complex system in which college science teachers operate. As we navigate attitudes, norms, and context, we use illustrative quotes to demonstrate our ideas. Some of these statements are real quotes we have encountered ourselves in the battle to advocate for active learning, and others are dramatizations of the issue at play.
Super-Resolution with Noisy Measurements: Reconciling Upper and Lower Bounds

This paper considers the problem of lower bounding the mean-squared-error (MSE) of unbiased super-resolution estimates. In literature, only upper bounds on the MSE are available which scale with the so-called super-resolution factor (SRF). However, the upper bound does not indicate whether the MSE indeed exhibits noise amplification that increases with the target resolution. The main contribution of this paper is to derive the Cramer-Rao Bound for noisy super- resolution problem and understand its scaling as a function of the super-resolution factor. We compare our lower bound with the upper bound established in prior work and show that the dependency of MSE on SRF is fundamental. Our analysis can be applied to other unbiased estimates in the problem of super-resolution. Numerical experiments are conducted to demonstrate our theoretical claims. 1
A Case of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in a Patient on an SGLT2 Inhibitor and a Ketogenic Diet: A Critical Trio Not to Be Missed.

Results from major clinical trials have shown significant cardiorenal-protective benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), leading to increased popularity. A rare but serious side effect of SGLT2 inhibitors is euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (EDKA), which presents more covertly but has been described. Identification and report of modifiable risk factors would be an important step in helping clinicians appropriately counsel patients. In this case report, we present DKA in a patient on an SGLT2 inhibitor and ketogenic diet (KD). A 47-year-old male with a history of poorly controlled T2DM on metformin and empagliflozin presented to the emergency department (ED) with several days of pharyngitis, dyspnea, emesis, abdominal pain, and anorexia. Of note, one month prior to this event, he presented to the ED with malaise and was found to have an anion gap of 21, a bicarbonate level of 13 mmol/L, a pH level of 7.22, 3+ ketonuria, and a glucose level of 7 mmol/L (127 mg/dl). Additional workup was negative, and findings were attributed to his KD. His use of empagliflozin was not identified on his medication list. At second presentation, the patient was tachypneic and tachycardic and had mild abdominal tenderness. Labs revealed anion gap 28, bicarbonate 5 mmol/l, pH 6.94, 3+ ketonuria, glucose 14.9 mmol/L (269 mg/dl), and beta-hydroxybutyrate 8.9 mmol/L. The patient was diagnosed with DKA and was treated accordingly. With closure of anion gap, the patient was transitioned to insulin and metformin, and his empagliflozin was discontinued indefinitely. Before prescribing this medication class, physicians should inquire about low-carbohydrate diets given the higher risk for DKA, though knowledge of this risk is still not widespread.
Intraoral temperature and inertial sensing in automated dietary assessment: a feasibility study

Recent advances in Automated Dietary Monitoring (ADM) with wearables have shown promising results in eating detection in naturalistic environments. However, determining what an individual is consuming remains a significant challenge. In this paper, we present results of a food type classification study based on a sub-centimeter scale wireless intraoral sensor that continuously measures temperature and jawbone movement. We explored the feasibility of classifying nine different types of foods into five classes based on their water-content and typical serving temperature in a controlled environment (n=4). We demonstrated that the system can classify foods into five classes with a weighted accuracy of 77.5% using temperature-derived features only and with a weighted accuracy of 85.0% using both temperature- and acceleration-derived features. Despite the limitations of our study, these results are encouraging and suggest that intraoral computing might be a viable direction for ADM in the future.
System-level finite element analysis of piezoelectric energy harvesters with rectified interface circuits and experimental validation

Abstract The finite element method (FEM) has been widely used for numerical studies of piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) systems, through commercial finite element (FE) packages or specially developed FE formulations. As a convenient computational tool, FEM can deal with systems of high complexity and has evolved into a multiphasic solution to coupled problems in engineering. However, most of FE packages and formulations are limited to coupled-field simulations of PEH systems connected with a linear circuit. On the other hand, rectified circuits are a critical component in practical applications because electronic devices such as wireless sensor nodes and wearable electronics require a DC power supply. Based on the equivalent impedance analysis, this paper proposes a method to enable a coupled-field study of piezoelectric energy harvesters with the standard AC-DC interface circuit through an equivalent linear circuit. The proposed method enables FE packages and formulations to analyze, design, and optimize PEH harvesters at the system level, by either adding the capability of simulating rectified circuits, or reducing a nonlinear circuit interface simulation into a faster and more stable linear simulation that can be solved more conveniently. This equivalent linear circuit method was applied to a rectangular shaped bimorph beam harvester in ANSYS and validated experimentally. The results also match well with those obtained from a system-level analytical approach. As an application example, a comparison study was performed between the rectangular and triangular energy harvesters using FE packages and the proposed equivalent circuit, given the same natural frequency and material volume. In addition, the implementation of this method with FE formulations is briefly outlined and discussed.
Patients’ empowerment and the role of patients’ education

Society has changed dramatically in recent decades not only from the demographic, social and economic point of view, but also from the educational aspect. The current population has higher levels of education than in previous times and can access information in a relatively easy way. In addition, the relationship between the healthcare professional and the patient has evolved from the paternalistic medicine to a more informed and participatory patient-provider relationship. Patient participation and empowerment in the health decision-making process means that the patient has the opportunity to share his/her opinion, knowledge, experience and expectations with other patients, as well as with the health professionals in order to make informed decisions. With this evolution of the role of the patient in the current society, patients have asked for multidisciplinary and coordinated work among professionals to respond to their needs for diagnosis, control and treatment. Patient's participation and empowerment can be conducted both, in the management of the disease, as well as helping to improve different aspects of health services. Participation and empowerment also mean representing other patients. In all cases, patients’ education and training, using clear and plain language, and patients’ confidence play a pivotal role. The aim of this review is to present a summary of the scope of the situation regarding patients’ empowerment and education.
Simulation of Remdesivir Pharmacokinetics and Its Drug Interactions.

Purpose Remdesivir, a drug originally developed against Ebola virus, is currently recommended for patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). In spite of United States Food and Drug Administration's recent assent of remdesivir as the only approved agent for COVID-19, there is limited information available about the physicochemical, metabolism, transport, pharmacokinetic (PK), and drug-drug interaction (DDI) properties of this drug. The objective of this in silico simulation work was to simulate the biopharmaceutical and DDI behavior of remdesivir and characterize remdesivir PK properties in special populations which are highly affected by COVID-19. Methods The Spatial Data File format structures of remdesivir prodrug (GS-5734) and nucleoside core (GS-441524) were obtained from the PubChem database to upload into the GastroPlus software 9.8 version (Simulations Plus Inc., USA). The Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity (ADMET) Predictor and PKPlus modules of GastroPlus were used to simulate physicochemical and PK properties, respectively, in healthy and predisposed patients. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling of GastroPlus was used to simulate different patient populations based on age, weight, liver function, and renal function status. Subsequently, these data were used in the Drug-Drug Interaction module to simulate drug interaction potential of remdesivir with other COVID-19 drug regimens and with agents used for comorbidities. Results Remdesivir nucleoside core (GS-441524) is more hydrophilic than the inactive prodrug (GS-5734) with nucleoside core demonstrating better water solubility. GS-5734, but not GS-441524, is predicted to be metabolized by CYP3A4. Remdesivir is bioavailable and its clearance is achieved through hepatic and renal routes. Differential effects of renal function, liver function, weight, or age were observed on the PK profile of remdesivir. DDI simulation study of remdesivir with perpetrator drugs for comorbidities indicate that carbamazepine, phenytoin, amiodarone, voriconazole, diltiazem, and verapamil have the potential for strong interactions with victim remdesivir, whereas agents used for COVID-19 treatment such as chloroquine and ritonavir can cause weak and strong interactions, respectively, with remdesivir. Conclusions GS-5734 (inactive prodrug) appears to be a superior remdesivir derivative due to its hepatic stability, optimum hydrophilic/lipophilic balance, and disposition properties. Remdesivir disposition can potentially be affected by different physiological and pathological conditions, and by drug interactions from COVID-19 drug regimens and agents used for comorbidities.
Comparison of women and men in biomedical informatics scientific dissemination: retrospective observational case study of the AMIA Annual Symposium: 2017-2020.

OBJECTIVE Although the representation of women in science has improved, women remain underrepresented in scientific publications. This study compares women and men in scholarly dissemination through the AMIA Annual Symposium. MATERIALS AND METHODS Through a retrospective observational study, we analyzed 2017-2020 AMIA submissions for differences in panels, papers, podium abstracts, posters, workshops, and awards for men compared with women. We assigned a label of woman or man to authors and reviewers using Genderize.io, and then compared submission and acceptance rates, performed regression analyses to evaluate the impact of the assumed gender, and performed sentiment analysis of reviewer comments. RESULTS Of the 4687 submissions for which Genderize.io could predict man or woman based on first name, 40% were led by women and 60% were led by men. The acceptance rate was smilar. Although submission and acceptance rates for women increased over the 4 years, women-led podium abstracts, panels, and workshops were underrepresented. Men reviewers increased the odds of rejection. Men provided longer reviews and lower reviewer scores, but women provided reviews that had more positive words. DISCUSSION Overall, our findings reflect significant gains for women in the 4 years of conference data analyzed. However, there remain opportunities to improve representation of women in workshop submissions, panel and podium abstract speakers, and balanced peer reviews. Future analyses could be strengthened by collecting gender directly from authors, including diverse genders such as non-binary. CONCLUSION We found little evidence of major bias against women in submission, acceptance, and awards associated with the AMIA Annual Symposium from 2017 to 2020. Our study is unique because of the analysis of both authors and reviewers. The encouraging findings raise awareness of progress and remaining opportunities in biomedical informatics scientific dissemination.