Extracting Social Networks from Literary Fiction

We present a method for extracting social networks from literature, namely, nineteenth-century British novels and serials. We derive the networks from dialogue interactions, and thus our method depends on the ability to determine when two characters are in conversation. Our approach involves character name chunking, quoted speech attribution and conversation detection given the set of quotes. We extract features from the social networks and examine their correlation with one another, as well as with metadata such as the novel’s setting. Our results provide evidence that the majority of novels in this time period do not fit two characterizations provided by literacy scholars. Instead, our results suggest an alternative explanation for differences in social networks

Monte Carlo transient phonons transport in silicon and germanium at nanoscales

Heat transport at nanoscales in semiconductors is investigated with a statistical method. The Boltzmann Transport Equation (BTE) which characterize phonons motion and interaction within the crystal lattice has been simulated with a Monte Carlo technique. Our model takes into account media frequency properties through the dispersion curves for longitudinal and transverse acoustic branches. The BTE collisional term involving phonons scattering processes is simulated with the Relaxation Times Approximation theory. A new distribution function accounting for the collisional processes has been developed in order to respect energy conservation during phonons scattering events. This non deterministic approach provides satisfactory results in what concerns phonons transport in both ballistic and diffusion regimes. The simulation code has been tested with silicon and germanium thin films; temperature propagation within samples is presented and compared to analytical solutions (in the diffusion regime). The two materials bulk thermal conductivity is retrieved for temperature ranging between 100 K and 500 K. Heat transfer within a plane wall with a large thermal gradient (250 K-500 K) is proposed in order to expose the model ability to simulate conductivity thermal dependence on heat exchange at nanoscales. Finally, size effects and validity of heat conduction law are investigated for several slab thicknesses

Exploring shared surgical decision-making from the patient’s perspective : is the personality of the surgeon important?

Open Access via the Jisc Wiley OA agreement Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank the participating patients who volunteered their time and shared their thoughts on their healthcare experiences and interactions with surgeons. Funding: This work was kindly supported by Bowel and Cancer Research and The Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association. The funders had no influence in the design, delivery or interpretation of this study.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The engine reformer: Syngas production in an engine for compact gas-to-liquids synthesis

Methane (CH[subscript 4]) reforming was carried out in an internal combustion engine (an “engine reformer”). We successfully produced syngas from the partial oxidation of natural gas in the cylinder of a diesel engine that was reconfigured to perform spark ignition. Performing the reaction in an engine cylinder allows some of the exothermicity to be captured as useful work. Intake conditions of 110 kPa and up to 480 °C allowed low cycle-to-cycle variability (COV[subscript nimep]  2.4, but < 1 mg/L below these equivalence ratios. These results demonstrate that the engine reformer could be a key component of a compact gas-to-liquids synthesis plant by highlighting the operating conditions under which high gas conversion, high H[subscript 2]-to-CO ratios close to 2.0, and low soot production are possible.United States. Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (Award DE-AR0000506)Research Triangle InitiativeMIT Energy InitiativeMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Tata Center for Technology and Desig

Magnesium accumulation upon cyclin M4 silencing activates microsomal triglyceride transfer protein improving NASH

Background & Aims: Perturbations of intracellular magnesium (Mg) homeostasis have implications for cell physiology. The cyclin M family, CNNM, perform key functions in the transport of Mg across cell membranes. Herein, we aimed to elucidate the role of CNNM4 in the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Methods: Serum Mg levels and hepatic CNNM4 expression were characterised in clinical samples. Primary hepatocytes were cultured under methionine and choline deprivation. A 0.1% methionine and choline-deficient diet, or a choline-deficient high-fat diet were used to induce NASH in our in vivo rodent models. Cnnm4 was silenced using siRNA, in vitro with DharmaFECT and in vivo with Invivofectamine® or conjugated to N-acetylgalactosamine. Results: Patients with NASH showed hepatic CNNM4 overexpression and dysregulated Mg levels in the serum. Cnnm4 silencing ameliorated hepatic lipid accumulation, inflammation and fibrosis in the rodent NASH models. Mechanistically, CNNM4 knockdown in hepatocytes induced cellular Mg accumulation, reduced endoplasmic reticulum stress, and increased microsomal triglyceride transfer activity, which promoted hepatic lipid clearance by increasing the secretion of VLDLs. Conclusions: CNNM4 is overexpressed in patients with NASH and is responsible for dysregulated Mg transport. Hepatic CNNM4 is a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of NASH. Lay summary: Cyclin M4 (CNNM4) is overexpressed in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and promotes the export of magnesium from the liver. The liver-specific silencing of Cnnm4 ameliorates NASH by reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress and promoting the activity of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Programa Retos-Colaboración RTC2019-007125-1 (for JS and MLM-C); Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Proyectos de Investigación en Salud DTS20/00138 (for JS and MLM-C); Departamento de Industria del Gobierno Vasco (for MLM-C); Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades MICINN: SAF2017-87301-R and RTI2018-096759-A-100 integrado en el Plan Estatal de Investigación Cientifica y Técnica y Innovación, cofinanciado con Fondos FEDER (for MLM-C and TCD, respectively); BIOEF (Basque Foundation for Innovation and Health Research); EITB Maratoia BIO15/CA/014; Asociación Española contra el Cáncer (MLM-C, TCD); Fundación Científica de la Asociación Española Contra el Cancer (AECC Scientific Foundation) Rare Tumor Calls 2017 (for MLM); La Caixa Foundation Program (for MLM); Fundacion BBVA UMBRELLA project (for MLM); BFU2015-70067-REDC, BFU2016-77408-R, and BES-2017- 080435 (MINECO / FEDER, UE) and the FIGHT-CNNM2 project from the EJP RD Joint Transnational Call (JTC2019) (Ref. AC19/ 00073) (for LAM-C); RTI2018-095134-B-100 and Grupos de Investigación del Sistema Universitario Vasco (IT971-16) (for PA); National Institutes of Health under grant CA217817 (for DB); AGL2014-54585-R, AGL-2017-86927-R and EQC2018-004897-P from MINECO; PC0148-2016-0149 and PAI-BIO311 from Junta de Andalucía (for FM). Ciberehd_ISCIII_MINECO is funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. We thank Silence Therapeutics plc. for the financial support provided. We thank MINECO for the Severo Ochoa Excellence Accreditation to CIC bioGUNE (SEV- 2016-0644)

The Montreal model: an integrative biomedical-psychedelic approach to ketamine for severe treatment-resistant depression

BackgroundSubanesthetic ketamine has accumulated meta-analytic evidence for rapid antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), resulting in both excitement and debate. Many unanswered questions surround ketamine’s mechanisms of action and its integration into real-world psychiatric care, resulting in diverse utilizations that variously resemble electroconvulsive therapy, conventional antidepressants, or serotonergic psychedelics. There is thus an unmet need for clinical approaches to ketamine that are tailored to its unique therapeutic properties.MethodsThis article presents the Montreal model, a comprehensive biopsychosocial approach to ketamine for severe TRD refined over 6 years in public healthcare settings. To contextualize its development, we review the evidence for ketamine as a biomedical and as a psychedelic treatment of depression, emphasizing each perspectives’ strengths, weaknesses, and distinct methods of utilization. We then describe the key clinical experiences and research findings that shaped the model’s various components, which are presented in detail.ResultsThe Montreal model, as implemented in a recent randomized clinical trial, aims to synergistically pair ketamine infusions with conventional and psychedelic biopsychosocial care. Ketamine is broadly conceptualized as a brief intervention that can produce windows of opportunity for enhanced psychiatric care, as well as powerful occasions for psychological growth. The model combines structured psychiatric care and concomitant psychotherapy with six ketamine infusions, administered with psychedelic-inspired nonpharmacological adjuncts including rolling preparative and integrative psychological support.DiscussionOur integrative model aims to bridge the biomedical-psychedelic divide to offer a feasible, flexible, and standardized approach to ketamine for TRD. Our learnings from developing and implementing this psychedelic-inspired model for severe, real-world patients in two academic hospitals may offer valuable insights for the ongoing roll-out of a range of psychedelic therapies. Further research is needed to assess the Montreal model’s effectiveness and hypothesized psychological mechanisms

Towards “Bionic” Proteins: Replacement of Continuous Sequences from HIF-1α with Proteomimetics to Create Functional p300 Binding HIF-1α Mimics

Using the HIF-1α transcription factor as a model, this manuscript illustrates how an extended sequence of α-amino acids in a polypeptide can be replaced with a non-natural topographical mimic of an α-helix comprised from an aromatic oligoamide. The resultant hybrid is capable of reproducing the molecular recognition profile of the p300 binding sequence of HIF-1α from which it is derived

Abstracts from the 8th International Conference on cGMP Generators, Effectors and Therapeutic Implications

This work was supported by a restricted research grant of Bayer AG