cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rocket launch detection and tracking using EO sensor

With the increasing role of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in military operations, their role in a missile defense operation is yet to be defined. This paper explores an idea of utilizing UAVs to patrol a potential Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) launch area to detect the launch event and track ICBM trajectory using an onboard electro-optical (EO) sensor. The ultimate goal is to assess parameters of ICBM ascent and provide aiming information to bring the attacking UAV onto the intercept course to deploy a hit-to-kill interceptor missile. The paper presents the preliminary results of testing developed algorithms to process a video footage of the amateur rocket launches taken by a stationary EO camera.
Nuclear Pores and the Genome

Abstract The DNA template is enclosed by the nuclear envelope, which is fenestrated by nuclear pore complexes (NPCs). NPCs are large protein assemblies that transport key molecules in and out of the nucleus and consist of approximately 30 different subunits, termed nucleoporins (Nups). Mutations in Nups have been linked to a number of human pathologies and have been shown to result in tissue-specific phenotypes in model organisms; yet, the mechanisms by which they do so remain largely unknown. In addition to their classical transport function, NPCs have now been extensively implicated in transcriptional gene regulation and in DNA damage repair via interactions with the underlying chromatin. In this chapter, we review the mechanisms of NPC assembly and highlight the current knowledge of the noncanonical roles of Nups in regulation of gene expression and in maintenance of genome stability. These roles may be key to understanding in vivo roles of Nups in tissue-specific development and human disease.
Learning dynamics in stochastic routing games

We consider a repeated nonatomic network routing game where a large number of risk-neutral users are unsure about the edge latency functions and learn about them using past travel experience. We assume that the network has affine stochastic edge latency functions with unknown slope. We consider a simple process of learning where agents share common observations of travel times, estimate the unknown edge slope parameters via ordinary least squares and, at every step, dispatch their traffic demand over the network according to the Wardrop equilibrium computed using mean latency functions with most recent estimates. We prove that under this learning dynamics, the flow vector in the network converges almost surely to the full information Wardrop equilibrium. Moreover, the slope parameters of all the edges used in the full information Wardrop equilibrium are learned almost surely in the limit.
A20 regulates canonical wnt-signaling through an interaction with RIPK4

A20 is a ubiquitin-editing enzyme that is known to regulate inflammatory signaling and cell death. However, A20 mutations are also frequently found in multiple malignancies suggesting a potential role as a tumor suppressor as well. We recently described a novel role for A20 in regulating the wnt-beta-catenin signaling pathway and suppressing colonic tumor development in mice. The underlying mechanisms for this phenomenon are unclear. To study this, we first generated A20 knockout cell lines by genome-editing techniques. Using these cells, we show that loss of A20 causes dysregulation of wnt-dependent gene expression by RNAseq. Mechanistically, A20 interacts with a proximal signaling component of the wnt-signaling pathway, receptor interacting protein kinase 4 (RIPK4), and regulation of wnt-signaling by A20 occurs through RIPK4. Finally, similar to the mechanism by which A20 regulates other members of the receptor interacting protein kinase family, A20 modifies ubiquitin chains on RIPK4 suggesting a possible molecular mechanism for A20's control over the wnt-signaling pathway.
The endocrinology of the neuron and the neural origin of endocrine cells.

I understand that this meeting is somehow a sequence to that memorable gathering that took place in Tucson, Arizona, in January of 1969. We all knew at that time that the Tucson meeting had been called by our colleagues of the Division of Research Grants of the NIH. The NIH had been generously funding research in the field of neuroendocrinology with an enormous share of that research money going to those who were involved one way or another in the characterization of “the elusive hypothalamic hypophysiotropic hormones.” Concern had been expressed that after about ten years of supporting these efforts and in spite of a fair number of papers claiming “isolation and structure at hand” to paraphrase a famous choice of words, the discoveries expected, namely a structure for any one of the hypothalamic releasing factors, had just not been forthcoming. The Division of Research Grants wanted to have a hard look at the status of the field at that time. Knowing what was going on in my own laboratory at Baylor on the isolation of the thyrotropin releasing factor (TRF), I did the best I could to have the meeting postponed, even by only a couple of months; but the meeting was held on the appointed date.
The Role of Cues, Self-Efficacy, Level of Worry, and High-Risk Behaviors in College Student Condom Use

A sample of 879 undergraduate students were recruited from a public university in western New York state during the 1993-94 academic year in order to study condom use among sexually active young people 18-24 years old. A 104-item questionnaire was administered consisting of 5 instruments and single-item measures of sexual behavior and demographics. The instruments were: the Condom Use Self-Efficacy Scale (CUSES) the Perceived Barriers to Condom Use the Perceived Susceptibility to HIV/AIDS and other STDs the Cues to Condom Action Scale and the Perceived Norms scale. 92% of students reported having had sexual intercourse in the past while 86.75 reported having sexual intercourse in the previous year. About 61% reported having 1 sex partner in the previous 12 months whereas 35.2% reported having 3 or more partners. 22.4% reported 2 or more 1-night stands. 54.5% reported worrying about HIV/AIDS occasionally while 23.1% reported doing so frequently. 17.2% (99) of the students were classified as non-users of condoms 50.2% (289) as sporadic users and 32.6% (188) as consistent users. 78 (12%) could not be classified. A multiple discriminant function analysis was also conducted to distinguish among the 3 condom user groups totalling 576 cases. The variables were age gender frequency of drunkenness during sexual intercourse number of sex partners and number of 1-night stands in the past 12 months perceived barriers worrying about HIV/AIDS perceived susceptibility condom use self-efficacy and cues to condom action. Two significant functions emerged. Function 1 clearly separated the sporadic users from the consistent users (p < 0.001) while Function 2 clearly separated the sporadic users from the non-users (p < 0.001). The discriminating variables correctly classified 64.58% of the respondents into the 3 condom user groups. The variables were most effective at correctly classifying non-users (68.7%) consistent users (67.8%) and sporadic users (61.2%). Sporadic users were more diverse with respect to condom use than the other 2 groups.
Molecular Mechanisms of Adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus to Cardiac Surfaces and Vegetations

The initial event in many infectious processes is the attachment of the invading micro-organism to the host tissues. The ability of a particular micro-organism to adhere to host tissues is an important attribute determining its pathogenicity] relative to other strains of bacteria. The organ specificity of many infectious processes suggests that there often exists a special propensity for particular organisms to interact with and adhere to selected host cells. There are many examples that serve to illustrate this viewpoint: for example, group A streptococci possess special cell-surface determinants, or adhesions, which mediate attachment of the bacteria to oral epithelial cells [1]; enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli possess adhesions that bind to specific receptors found on the surfaces of intestinal epithelial cells [2]; whereas E. coli strains that are associated with urinary tract infections possess adhesions that bind to uroepithelial cells [3]. These and many similar observations suggest that the pathophysiological basis for the relative organ specificity exhibited by many clinical infections may result from specific binding interactions between adhesions on the surface of the micro-organism and receptors on the host cell-surface.
Hydrogen bonding: 70. Thermodynamic and infrared study of stability and stoichiometry of tetramethonium and trimethonium bromide and chloride hydrates

Abstract Tetramethonium (4MO 2+ ) chloride forms a dihydrate and a sesquihydrate. The ln P vs. 1/ T plots of these hydrates crossover at 63°C, thus the sesquihydrate cannot exist above that temperature. Removal of water below the sesquihydrate level results in decomposition from β -hydrogen abstraction, so the possibility of lower hydrates could not be investigated. Trimethonium (3MO 2+ ) chloride dihydrate, a chloride ion monohydrate, contains planar (H 2 O·Cl − ) 2 clusters; this compound decomposes at temperatures below which useful P H 2 O values can be recorded. 4MOBr 2 ·2H 2 O has a unique structure for a quaternary ammonium bromide monohydrate in which each water forms one hydrogen bond to bromide and one to another water; all other bromide hydrates we have examined have two hydrogen bonds to each bromide. This structure is stabilized by significant hydrogen bonding from cation methyl groups to bromide ion. 3MOBr 2 ·2H 2 O loses H 2 O readily to form the monohydrate. 4MOBr 2 ·H 2 O and 3MOBr 2 ·H 2 O (halide ion hemihydrates) contain both (H 2 O·X − ) 2 clusters and free halide ions. We assume that C–H⋯X − hydrogen bonding stabilizes the free halide in these unusual structures. Dissociation vapor pressure studies show the water to bromide hydrogen bond strengths in the four bromide hydrates to range from 10 kcal mol −1 in tetramethonium bromide dihydrate to 8 kcal mol −1 in trimethonium bromide monohydrate.
Impairments in reversal learning following short access to cocaine self-administration.

Abstract Background Cocaine use disorder is characterized by compulsive drug-seeking that persists long into abstinence. Work using rodent models of cocaine addiction has found evidence for reversal learning deficits 21 days after non-contingent cocaine administration and 60 days after self-administration. Here we sought to determine if a deficit in reversal learning is present 3–4 weeks after cessation of cocaine self-administration, when relapse to cocaine-seeking is robust. Conversely, we hypothesized that reversal learning training would protect against relapse, similar to other forms of environmental enrichment. Methods Male rats underwent short access (ShA, 2 h/10d) or long access (LgA, 1 h/7d then 6 h/10d) cocaine self-administration, followed by 21–29 days of abstinence. During abstinence, a subset of rats underwent training in a plus-maze that required an egocentric strategy to earn a sucrose reward. Following response acquisition and retention, the ability to reverse the spatial navigation strategy was tested. Results Total trials to criteria and total errors made did not differ between the groups during response acquisition, retention, or reversal. On the first reversal test, ShA rats performed better than LgA and control rats. ShA rats’ performance worsened over time. There were no effects of cognitive training or length of cocaine access on context-primed relapse of cocaine-seeking. Conclusions The present data indicate that perhaps LgA cocaine self-administration does not produce adaptations to regions mediating context-primed relapse as it does for cocaine and cocaine-associated cue-induced reinstatement of drug-seeking. A time-dependent deficit in reversal learning was found only in ShA rats. Reversal learning training did not protect against cocaine relapse.
The Politics of Networking a Nation

Comparative network histories illustrate how politics shape the design of technological systems. This essay compares efforts to build national computer networks in the Soviet Union and Chile. It argues that networks in practice cannot be categorized neatly as distributed, centralized, or de-centralized, nor is there any correlation between freedom and distributed or de-centralized network architectures. The essay uses this observation to suggest that the distributed network configuration of today’s Internet does not automatically increment freedom of information or flatten the ways in which governments and enterprises exert their power and influence.
Chapter 6 – Use of Caenorhabditis elegans to Model Human Movement Disorders

In the quest to translate basic research to the bedside, our capacity to identify and mechanistically define molecular targets for therapeutic intervention is enhanced by the application of animal models that afford opportunities for rapid discovery. Here we describe the salient attributes of the nematode roundworm, Caenorhabditis elegans, as an in vivo system for investigation of mechanisms underlying movement disorders. In the context of arguably the most well-defined metazoan species on Earth, a plethora of modern genomic and genetic tools converge with in-depth and increasingly mature database information to provide a uniquely powerful set of resources poised for experimental exploitation. This chapter outlines a collection of bioassays and methods established to evaluate genetic, environmental, and drug modifiers of key gene products associated with dystonia and Parkinson disease. Moreover, the predictive potential of nematode models is highlighted through representative studies illuminating the utility of C. elegans for movement disorders research.
Poverty and Academic Achievement Across the Urban to Rural Landscape: Associations with Community Resources and Stressors

Poor children begin school with fewer academic skills than their nonpoor peers, and these disparities translate into lower achievement, educational attainment, and economic stability in adulthood. Child poverty research traditionally focuses on urban or rural poor, but a shifting spatial orientation of poverty necessitates a richer examination of how urbanicity intersects with economic disadvantage. Combining geospatial administrative data with longitudinal survey data on poor children from kindergarten through second grade (N ≈ 2,950), this project explored how differences in community-level resources and stressors across urbanicity explain variation in achievement. Resources and stressors increased in more urbanized communities and were associated with academic achievement. Both mediated differences in poor children’s achievement. Mediation was both direct and indirect, operating through cognitive stimulation and parental warmth.
Calibration of the shear wave speed-stress relationship in ex vivo tendons.

Abstract It has recently been shown that shear wave speed in tendons is directly dependent on axial stress. Hence, wave speed could be used to infer tendon load provided that the wave speed-stress relationship can be calibrated and remains robust across loading conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of loading rate and fluid immersion on the wave speed-stress relationship in ex vivo tendons, and to assess potential calibration techniques. Tendon wave speed and axial stress were measured in 20 porcine digital flexor tendons during cyclic (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 Hz) or static axial loading. Squared wave speed was highly correlated to stress (r2avg = 0.98) and was insensitive to loading rate (p = 0.57). The constant of proportionality is the effective density, which reflects the density of the tendon tissue and additional effective mass added by the adjacent fluid. Effective densities of tendons vibrating in a saline bath averaged 1680 kg/m3 and added mass effects caused wave speeds to be 22% lower on average in a saline bath than in air. The root-mean-square error between predicted and measured stress was 0.67 MPa (6.7% of maximum stress) when using tendon-specific calibration parameters. These errors increased to 1.31 MPa (13.1% of maximum stress) when calibrating based on group-compiled data from ten tendons. These results support the feasibility of calculating absolute tendon stresses from wave speed squared based on linear calibration relationships.
Intracellular growth factor metabolism in proliferation of a brain tumor cell line. Intracellular growth factors and brain tumor proliferation.

Brain tumor cells secrete platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), and through local production of these growth factors, brain tumor cells may stimulate their own proliferation.Previously we have shown that several different clones of canine glioma cells secrete varying amounts of PDGF and TGF-β which correlate within vitro cloning efficiency andin vivo tumorigenicity. In this study, intracellular trafficking of PDGF and TGF-β was assessed by treatment of each clone with agents preventing vesicular degradation and secretion of growth factors. Clone 2 was more sensitive to these agents (chloroquine and monensin) than clone 5, resulting in retention of intracellular125I-PDGF and125I-TGF-β. Furthermore, exogenous TGF-β inhibited DNA-synthesis dramatically in clone 2 (compared with clone 5), presumably by interfering with intracellular growth factor receptor availability. This is supported by the fact that exogenous TGF-β increased the number of its receptors on clone 2 cells, whereas surface receptors decreased on clone 5 cells treated with TGF-β. These results illustrate the potential for autocrine growth factors to interact with their receptors intracellularly during neoplastic cell proliferation.
Four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate dose response relationship with INR for warfarin reversal.

Abstract Introduction For reversal of warfarin-induced coagulopathy, FDA labeling of four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC) endorses a dosing strategy based on body weight and baseline INR. Recent literature suggests lower, fixed doses of 4F-PCC may be equally efficacious. The present evaluation aims to characterize the relationship between 4F-PCC dose and degree of reduction in INR. Methods This is a retrospective, single-center review of 4F-PCC administrations for warfarin reversal between May 2014 and August 2017. The primary endpoint evaluates the relationship between doses of 4F-PCC and INR measurement after reversal, represented as a linear regression. Exploratory endpoints characterize the relationships of both body weight and baseline INR, the components determining initial 4F-PCC dose, with INR after reversal. Additionally, for records presenting with an INR of 2–3.9, mean INR after reversal was characterized as a function of two 4F-PCC dose cohorts ( Results A significant linear relationship between 4F-PCC dose and INR after reversal (INR after 4F-PCC = 1.3651–0.00004(4F-PCC Dose), p = 0.0071, R2 = 0.0630) was observed. Body weight and baseline INR were not correlated with INR after reversal. The subgroup analysis of records with presenting INR of 2–3.9 demonstrated no difference in mean INR after reversal with 4F-PCC for those receiving Conclusion This evaluation found no clinically relevant relationship with 4F-PCC doses and degree of INR reversal. Further prospective study is required to determine optimal dosing schemes of 4F-PCC for warfarin reversal.
A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS EXAMINING THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF SACUBITRIL/VALSARTAN

Sacubitril/valsartan has emerged as a new therapy for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. While its efficacy has been shown, less is known about its safety profile. A meta-analysis was performed using randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing sacubitril/valsartan. The
EMPIRICAL BAYES ESTIMATION OF THE MEAN OF A NORMAL DISTRIBUTION WITH CONVEX LOSS

Publisher Summary Efron and Morris derived the James–Stein estimator from empirical Bayesian considerations by showing that the James–Stein Estimator is minimax when θ1,…, θd are a sample from a normal distribution with mean 0 and unknown variance and K(θ) = ∥θ∥2. This chapter discusses the empirical Bayesian model for more general K. It presents a weaker statement of minimaxity that is valid when K is homogeneous with degree p > 2—that is, when K(cθ) = cP K(θ) for all θ ɛ Rd and c > 0, with p > 2. However, when K is homogeneous of degree p = 1, minimaxity in the empirical Bayes model fails badly.
Reach Out: Recruitment in a multicomponent, mobile health, behavioral intervention to reduce blood pressure in the Emergency Department patient population.

Background Hypertension is the most important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and an important contributor to the racial disparities of stroke. The Emergency Department (ED) may represent an opportunity to identify difficult-to-reach hypertensive populations. Methods Reach Out is a health system focused, multicomponent, health theory based, mobile health behavioral intervention to reduce Blood Pressure among ED patients. It is operational at a safety net hospital in the under-resourced, primarily minority community of Flint, Michigan. Patients are eligible for Reach Out if they are receiving care in the ED who have an elevated blood pressure and are expected to be discharged home. Following a three-week screening phase, participants who respond to text messages with persistently elevated blood pressures are randomized into the main trial. Reach Out consists of three components, each with two intensity levels: 1) healthy behavior text messaging (daily vs. none), 2) prompted home BP self-monitoring (daily vs. weekly), 3) facilitated primary care provider appointment scheduling and transportation (provided vs. not). Participants without outpatient providers are scheduled with a local Federally Qualified Health Center. Randomized participants are distributed across eight experimental arms and followed for twelve months. The primary outcome is change in systolic blood pressure at one-year. Results Recruitment began March 25, 2019. As of October 28, 2019, 872 ED patients have been approached, 508 participants have been enrolled, and 244 participants have been randomized. Among patients presenting to the ED who were found to have persistent hypertension, more than 50% were African American. Within our study, 60% of approached patients and 62% of randomized participants are African American. Approximately 95% of participants are under the age of 65. The most common reason for non-enrollment is absence of mobile phone. Conclusion The Emergency Department is a promising setting to reach working age African Americans for enrollment in behavioral interventions to reduce blood pressure. Reach Out may serve as a model for initiation of primary stroke prevention in safety net hospitals.
Genome-wide DNA methylation signatures to predict pathologic complete response from combined neoadjuvant chemotherapy with bevacizumab in breast cancer.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is given before surgery to patients with primarily unresectable, advanced-stage cancers to render the tumor resectable, and to facilitate breast conservation. Previously, we have reported a prospective phase II trial for women with stage IIA-B/IIIA-B-C breast cancer with improved pathologic complete response (pCR) when using bevacizumab in the neoadjuvant setting. Chemotherapy agents are given intravenously during multiple cycles of systemic treatments. However, the effect of the treatment is only evaluated upon the completion of therapy. Here, data from a clinical trial of 40 breast cancer patients with very aggressive disease and poor prognosis were studied aiming to identify epigenetic signatures in blood-derived DNA at baseline as potential non-invasive markers to predict pCR and to determine if treatment-related changes in epigenetic profiles reflect responsiveness to therapy. We performed genome-wide DNA methylation profiling using blood-derived DNA, and found that pre-treatment methylation status of BRD9 was predictive of responsiveness to therapy. Post-treatment global methylation differences were also observed between responders and non-responders. Most differentially methylated (DM) CpGs were located in promoter CpG-island regions for responders and in the open-sea region for non-responders. In responders, DNMT3B was hypomethylated while most of the other genes were hypermethylated after 4 cycles of treatment. Hypomethylation of DNMT3B could potentially lead to the increased methylation of oncogenes and genes responsible for cell growth and proliferation, facilitating responsiveness to the therapy. These results support the possible development of BRD9 as a biomarker for treatment selection before neoadjuvant therapy with chemotherapy and bevacizumab, and indicate DNMT3B as a potential target to improve clinical response. Further prospective validation of these findings is warranted. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00203502.
Chapter 15 – Sloppy programming

Publisher Summary The essence of sloppy programming is that the user should be able to enter something simple and natural, such as a few keywords, and the computer should try everything within its power to interpret and make sense of this input. This chapter discusses several prototypes that implement sloppy programming, translating sloppy commands directly into executable code. It also describes the algorithms used in these prototypes, exposes their limitations, and proposes directions for future work. The techniques described in this discussion still just scratch the surface of a domain with great potential: translating sloppy commands into executable code. It has described potential benefits to end users and expert programmers alike, as well as advocated a continued need for textual command interfaces. A number of prototypes are discussed exploring this technology and what one can learn from them, including the fact that users can form commands for some of these systems without any training. Finally, it gave some high-level technical details about how to go about actually implementing sloppy translation algorithms, with some references for future reading.
Predictive Maxwell's demons

Here we study the operation efficiency of a finite-size finite-response-time Maxwell's demon, who can make future predictions. We compare the heat and mass transport rate of predictive demons to nonpredictive ones and find that predictive demons can achieve higher mass and heat transport rates over longer periods of time. We determine how the demon performance varies with response time, future sight, and the density of the gasses on which they operate.
Centenarians as Models of Resistance and Resilience to Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias.

The majority of research to understand the pathogenesis of and contributors to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology, dementia, and disease progression has focused on studying individuals who have the disease or are at increased risk of having the disease. Yet there may be much to learn from individuals who have a paradoxical decreased risk of AD suggesting underlying protective factors. Centenarians demonstrate exceptional longevity that for a subset of the cohort is associated with an increased health span characterized by the delay or escape of age-related diseases including dementia. Here, I give evidence of the association of exceptional longevity with resistance and resilience to AD and describe how cohorts of centenarians and their offspring may serve as models of neuroprotection from AD. Discoveries of novel genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors that are associated with a decreased risk of AD may inform the development of interventions to slow or prevent AD in the general population. Centenarian cohorts may also be instrumental in serving as controls to individuals with AD to identify additional risk factors.
ACS science and human rights in 2019 and beyond

I have been fortunate to serve for the past several years as the American Chemical Society Board of Directors’ representative for science and human rights. Since my previous C&EN Comment, in June 2...
RnhP is a plasmid‐borne RNase HI that contributes to genome maintenance in the ancestral strain Bacillus subtilis NCIB 3610

RNA-DNA hybrids form throughout the chromosome during normal growth and under stress conditions. When left unresolved, RNA-DNA hybrids can slow replication fork progression, cause DNA breaks, and increase mutagenesis. To remove hybrids, all organisms use ribonuclease H (RNase H) to specifically degrade the RNA portion. Here we show that, in addition to chromosomally encoded RNase HII and RNase HIII, Bacillus subtilis NCIB 3610 encodes a previously uncharacterized RNase HI protein, RnhP, on the endogenous plasmid pBS32. Like other RNase HI enzymes, RnhP incises Okazaki fragments, ribopatches, and a complementary RNA-DNA hybrid. We show that while chromosomally encoded RNase HIII is required for pBS32 hyper-replication, RnhP compensates for the loss of RNase HIII activity on the chromosome. Consequently, loss of RnhP and RNase HIII impairs bacterial growth. We show that the decreased growth rate can be explained by laggard replication fork progression near the terminus region of the right replichore, resulting in SOS induction and inhibition of cell division. We conclude that all three functional RNase H enzymes are present in B. subtilis NCIB 3610 and that the plasmid-encoded RNase HI contributes to chromosome stability, while the chromosomally encoded RNase HIII is important for chromosome stability and plasmid hyper-replication.
Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis with Steroids (in Whom, How Long, What Dose, What Form)

Corticosteroids are a nonspecific immune modulator used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Topical and systemic forms of corticosteroids have been shown to be effective in induction of clinical remission and remain first-line therapy for acute severe ulcerative colitis. A large proportion of patients experience adverse effects, however, including some serious adverse effects, including infection and increased mortality. Newer formulations of gut selective corticosteroids have reduced adverse effects associated with steroids.
Estrogen and estrogen analogs for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis

Abstract Historically, hormone therapy (HT) was the primary choice for the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Since the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study results were published in 2002, the safety concern about estrogen use in postmenopausal women led to a major paradigm shift in HT. With the reevaluation of the WHI study, by stratifying patients by age and time since menopause, it became evident that for healthy and recently postmenopausal women, the benefits of HT outweigh the risks. However, public misconceptions persist that HT should generally be avoided in postmenopausal women of all ages. We carefully examined the emerging evidence for efficacy and safety of estrogen and estrogen analogs use for osteoporosis management, in both general and special postmenopausal populations, and suggested that HT, with appropriate formulation, dosage, duration, and route of administration, may be considered an option for the primary prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in women with appropriate indications. In general, after 60 years of age or more than 10 years following menopause, the risk–benefit analysis for HT should be weighted toward avoidance.
Decentralized Marketplace using Blockchain,Cryptocurrency,and Swarm Technology

Over 1.8 billion people purchased goods online in 2018, and as a result, 2.8 trillion dollars were spent. Companies like Amazon, eBay, and PayPal thrive on being the middleman between sellers and buyers of online goods. Our project uses Blockchain Technology to decentralize the online marketplace and remove the middleman as well as the fees associated with it. To do this, we use smart contracts in the Ethereum Blockchain while maintaining a decentralized database using Swarm for the Webhosting. Finally, in order to phase out current online market systems, the same technology can be used to have a shared inventory, or ledger, between many marketplaces allowing manufacturers, or sellers, to announce their product freely among multiple existing Web site marketplaces concurrently.
Invariances in transformational emergence

This paper examines some possibilities for the laws of nature changing over time. This is done within the context of recent literature on transformational emergence. Transformational emergence is a diachronic account of emergence that does not require the invariance of fundamental objects, properties, and laws. The requirement that no new laws are introduced after the first instance of the universe seems to indicate that all the laws of the universe are present from the outset. By using a dispositional approach to fundamental properties, this restriction can be avoided. An argument appealing to quantitative laws of nature is then used to show that such laws are not, contrary to dispositional essentialism, metaphysically necessary. Further arguments are given to support the possibility of change of laws across time rather than across worlds and why the identity conditions for properties are different in the two cases. The paper is framed by an analysis of John Stuart Mill’s reasons for imposing the invariance requirement on fundamental laws.
Laser wavelength metrology with low-finesse etalons and Bayer filters.

We present a wavelength meter with picometer-scale resolution based on etaloning effects of inexpensive glass slides and the built-in color filters of a consumer grade CMOS camera. After calibrating the device to a commercial meter, we tested the device’s calibration stability using two tunable visible lasers for a period of over 16 days. The wavelength error over that entire period has a standard deviation of 5.29 parts per million (ppm) about a most probable error of 0.90 ppm. Within 24 hours of calibration, this improves to 0.04 ppm with a standard deviation of 3.94 ppm.
A model for continued LVAD patient success: A 4-year readmission-free HeartMate 3 postoperative course

Unplanned readmissions frequently occur following the implantation of a durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) due to complications such as gastrointestinal bleeding and driveline infection. There is a paucity of literature describing the incidence of unplanned readmission in patients with a HeartMate 3 (HM3) Left Ventricular Assist System. In this report, we present the successful outcome of a patient with an HM3 LVAD who has experienced no unplanned readmissions in the 4-year post-implant phase. To our knowledge, this is the longest readmission-free case after HM3 implantation. A successful patient outcome was enabled by the use of the modular HM3 device, the postoperative prescription of beta-blockers and omega-3, the presence of strong social support, and open communication between the patient's caregivers and the LVAD team. Reducing the instance of unplanned readmission confers clinical benefits to the patient, as well as reducing the cost burden on the patient and the healthcare system.
Clinical Characteristics and Breastfeeding Outcomes in Term Dyads Following In-Hospital Supplementation with Pasteurized Donor Human Milk or Formula.

Background: Pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) supplementation for healthy infants is an emerging practice. Little is known about demographics or breastfeeding outcomes for dyads whose mothers cho...
Fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion and pulmonary hypertension in moderate congenital diaphragmatic hernia

To study the role of fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion (FETO) on resolution of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in fetuses with isolated moderate left-sided diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).This retrospecti...
Construction and Testing of a 13.8 kV, 750 kVA 3-Phase Current Compensator Using Modular Switching Positions

Availability of high-voltage power modules based on silicon carbide (SiC) is enabling the realization of multilevel topologies to solve a variety of issues in power distribution systems. However, the relatively low voltage ratings of currently-available semiconductor devices increase the complexity of the required solutions. Stacking lower-cost and lower-voltage devices to derive a higher-voltage switch can help reduce system complexity at the expense of more a complex switching position. Thus, this stacking solution comes with its own set of challenges. This paper presents the design and experimental results for an 11-level 13.8 kV neutral-point-clamped flying-capacitor converter that uses stackable switching positions for three-phase current compensation in a distribution system. The converter is successfully used for direct grid-connection and upstream current compensation with a 4.16 kV LL grid.
An LSTM and GAN Based ECG Abnormal Signal Generator

The electrocardiogram (ECG), a recording of the electrical activity of the heart, is commonly used for cardiac analysis, but lack of abnormal ECG signal data restricts the development of high quality automatic auxiliary diagnosis. In this paper, we introduce an LSTM and GAN based ECG abnormal signal generator to alleviate the issue. By training with a small set of real abnormal signals, the proposed generator can learn and produce high quality fake abnormal signals. The fake signals are then combined with real signals to train abnormal ECG classifiers. We show that our method can significantly improve the ability of classifiers in recognizing the uncommon case with a low proportion in the database.
OFDM‐Modulated Physical‐Layer Network Coding

This chapter considers a two‐way relay network, where two terminals A and B desire to exchange information with the help of a relay R. It considers the application of physical‐layer network coding (PLNC) in underwater acoustic systems. With orthogonal frequency‐division multiplexing (OFDM) as the underlying modulation scheme, the chapter presents the receiver design at the relay node in the presence of underwater acoustic time‐varying multipath channels. It introduces the system model for the OFDM‐modulated PLNC at the relay node. The chapter derives outage performance bounds of the relay operation in a time‐invariant multipath channel. Performance results based on simulated and emulated data are presented. The data collected in the SPACE08 experiment are used to test the three iterative receivers. The data sets collected in a two‐input multiple‐output (TIMO) experimental setting are adopted to emulate a two‐way relay system. The chapter also demonstrates the block‐error‐rate performance of two decoding schemes.
Self-Actualization and Health Related Practices

(1984). Self-Actualization and Health Related Practices. Health Education: Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 9-12.
Indexing Images in High-Dimensional and Dynamic-Weighted Feature Spaces

As information retrieval systems evolve to deal with multimedia content, we see the dimensions of content feature space increasing, and relevance feedback being employed to provide more accurate query results. In this paper, we propose using Tree-structured Vector Quantization (TSVQ) to index high-dimensional data for supporting efficient similarity searches and effective relevance feedback. To support efficient similarity searches, we first use TSVQ to cluster data and store each cluster in a sequential file. We then model a similarity search as a classification problem—similar objects are much more likely to be found in the clusters into which the query object is classified. When relevance feedback is considered, and thereby features are weighted differently, we show that our approach remains very effective. Our empirical study on both a 51K and a one-million-image dataset shows that tackling indexing as a classification problem and solving the problem with TSVQ is efficient, effective, and scalable with respect to both data dimensions and dataset size.
Image quality optimization using computationally efficient variable QoS multicarrier bit-allocation

In this paper, we present an optimal, low-complexity method of transmitting digitally compressed imagery. through interference-dominated and frequency-selective fading channels. The proposed method combines a wavelet-based image coder that employs phase scrambling and variable quality-of-service (VQoS) channel-optimized trellis-coded quantization (COTCQ), and VQoS multicarrier (MC) power allocation across the channel. Optimal image quality is achieved through a joint iterative process between the image coder and MC allocation algorithm. Using our VQoS allocation method, we show that the image quality can be improved significantly, as compared to an approach that uses a fixed QoS allocation across the channel. Further, this improvement extends to a variety of channels, including those that exhibit jamming interference and frequency-selective fading. The method is also shown to be computationally efficient.
Relativistic Variational Calculations for Complex Atoms

Variational methods can determine a wide range of atomic properties for bound states of simple as well as complex atomic systems. Even for relatively light atoms, relativistic effects may be important. In this chapter we review systematic, large-scale variational procedures that include relativistic effects through either the Breit–Pauli Hamiltonian or the Dirac–Coulomb–Breit Hamiltonian but where correlation is the main source of uncertainty. Correlation is included in a series of calculations of increasing size for which results can be monitored and accuracy estimated. Examples are presented and further developments mentioned.
Mediating objects: scientific and public functions of models in nineteenth-century biology.

The aim of this article is to examine the scientific and public functions of two- andthree-dimensional models in the context of three episodes from nineteenth-century biology. Iargue that these models incorporate both data and theory by presenting theoretical assumptions inthe light of concrete data or organizing data through theoretical assumptions. Despite their diverseroles in scientific practice, they all can be characterized as mediators between data and theory.Furthermore, I argue that these different mediating functions often reflect their different audiencesthat included specialized scientists, students, and the general public. In this sense, models innineteenth-century biology can be understood as mediators between theory, data, and their diverseaudiences
Design of a microfabricated device for ligase detection reaction (LDR)

The objective was to design and manufacture a microscale Ligase Detection Reaction (LDR) device for detection of cancer-associated rare gene mutations. The LDR module will be incorporated with other devices such as a Continuous Flow Polymerase Chain Reaction (CFRCR) unit and a Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) chip in a modular lab-on-a-chip technology. During LDR, devloped by Francis Barany, several primers are mixed with the analyte, exposed to a thermal cycle consisting of two steps of 95°C and 65°C for 20 cycles, and cooled to 0°C. The first step in the design was to determine if the baseline time for the LDR reaction could be reduced from the 2½ hours required for the orignal reaction. Experiments have shown that it is posssible to obtain useable product from the LDR after 40 minutes, a 75% reduction, before going to the microscale, which should allow further improvements. Due to the extensive mixing needed prior to the reaction a set of alternative diffusion mixers was identified and microfabricated to determine which geometry was the most effective. Simulations of the thermal response of the device were done using finite element analysis (FEA) to compare to experimental results. The required temperature profile will be obtained by using resistive heaters and thermoelectric modules. A prototype LDR device was laid out based on the results of the studies.
Effect of laser pulse energies in laser induced breakdown spectroscopy in double-pulse configuration

In this paper, the effect of laser pulse energy on double-pulse laser induced breakdown spectroscopy signal is studied. In particular, the energy of the first pulse has been changed, while the second pulse energy is held fixed. A systematic study of the laser induced breakdown spectroscopy signal dependence on the interpulse delay is performed, and the results are compared with the ones obtained with a single laser pulse of energy corresponding to the sum of the two pulses. At the same time, the crater formed at the target surface is studied by video-confocal microscopy, and the variation in crater dimensions is correlated to the enhancement of the laser induced breakdown spectroscopy signal. The results obtained are consistent with the interpretation of the double-pulse laser induced breakdown spectroscopy signal enhancement in terms of the changes in ambient gas pressure produced by the shock wave induced by the first laser pulse.
Some integral representations of (Fp) and their applications

In this paper, we consider some integral representations of PSL,(F,), p = 3 (mod 4). Using a result of Klein, which we summarize in Section 1, and which we improve in Section 2, we give an explicit model of the irreducible representations of PSL,(F,) of degree (p 1)/2. In Section 5, we classify all of the integral representations which lie in this representation. In Section 6, we apply our considerations to classifying all abelian varieties of dimension (p 1)/2 whose automorphism groups contain P&5&F,) or the Bore1 subgroup of PSL,(lF,). The considerations in Section 6 are part of an investigation of the intermediate Jacobians of certain varieties which Weil has designated [ 10, 111 as being of special interest in connection with an attempt to give a geometric proof of the Chowla-Selberg formula. In Section 7, we settle, in the negative, a question raised by Kostant in connection with his investigations of the MacDonald formula. That question dealt with the possibility of embedding the Leech lattice into the Lie algebra d@(5) so as to be invariant under the adjoint representation of PSL,(F,,).
Epidural analgesia and uterine function

Objective: To determine whether continuous epidural analgesia with bupivacaine and fentanyl affects the rate of cervical dilation and myometrial contractility. Methods: In a 5-week period, 62 consecutive women who received standardized epidural analgesia were matched with the next two groups of 124 consecutive women of the same parity who did not receive epidural analgesia. The outcome variables were uterine activity, rate of cervical dilation, oxytocin therapy, and operative deliveries. Results: Continuous epidural analgesia with bupivacaine and fentanyl did not result in a change in myometrial contractility in the first hour after the initiation of analgesia. However, despite more oxytocin therapy, the rate of cervical dilation was significantly lower in the epidural group than in the nonepidural group (1.9 versus 5.6 cm/hour, P P Conclusion: After epidural analgesia, myometrial contractility is maintained with oxytocin, but the ability of the uterus to dilate the cervix is reduced significantly.