cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Nongeminate recombination in neat P3HT and P3HT:PCBM blend films
Creators: name: Gorenflot, Julien
name: Heiber, Michael C.
name: Baumann, Andreas
name: Lorrmann, Jens
name: Gunz, Matthias
name: Kämpgen, Andreas
name: Dyakonov, Vladimir
name: Deibel, Carsten
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The slow decay of charge carriers in polymer-fullerene blends measured in transient studies has raised a number of questions about the mechanisms of nongeminate recombination in these systems. In an attempt to understand this behavior, we have applied a combination of steady-state and transient photoinduced absorption measurements to compare nongeminate recombination behavior in films of neat poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (P3HT) and P3HT blended with [6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). Transient measurements show that carrier recombination in the neat P3HT film exhibits second-order decay with a recombination rate coefficient that is similar to that predicted by Langevin theory. In addition, temperature dependent measurements indicate that neat films exhibit recombination behavior consistent with the Gaussian disorder model. In contrast, the P3HT:PCBM blend films are characterized by a strongly reduced recombination rate and an apparent recombination order greater than two. We then assess a number of previously proposed explanations for this behavior, including phase separation, carrier concentration dependent mobility, non-encounter limited recombination, and interfacial states. In the end, we propose a model in which pure domains with a Gaussian density of states are separated by a mixed phase with an exponential density of states. We find that such a model can explain both the reduced magnitude of the recombination rate and the high order recombination kinetics and, based on the current state of knowledge, is the most consistent with experimental observations.
description: 9 pages, 4 figures; corrected a few minor typos and grammatical errors
title: A Novel Bromodomain and Extra-terminal Domain Inhibitors (BETi) that Reverses HIV-1 Latency
Creators: name: Liu, Shuai
name: Jean, Maxime
name: Zhang, Wei
name: Zhu, Jian
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: Although combinatory antiretroviral therapy (cART) is effective to reduce HIV-1 viremia, it does not eliminate HIV-1 infection. HIV-1 remains latent with the presence of cART, impeding the cure of AIDS. Recently, latency-reversing agents (LRAs) have been developed to purge latent HIV-1, providing an intriguing strategy for eradication of residual, latent viral reservoirs. Our earlier studies show that antagonism of HIV-1 competitive factor bromodomain containing 4 (BRD4) using bromodomain and extra-terminal domain inhibitor (BETi) JQ1 may facilitate the reversal of HIV-1 latency. BETis have recently emerged as a class of compounds that are promising for both the anticancer and HIV-1 latency-reversing uses. However, the current BETis, including JQ1, are modest to reverse HIV-1 latency as a single drug, which complicates the study of the underlining mechanisms. BETis, which are more potent and easier for synthesis, are currently under active development. UMB-32 is a novel BETi based on an imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine scaffold. We screened 61 UMB-32 derivatives and identified that one BETi, UMB-136, reactivates HIV-1 in multiple cell models of HIV-1 latency with better efficiency than JQ1 and UMB-32. Furthermore, UMB-136 enhances the latency-reversing effect of PKC activators (Prostratin, Bryostatin) in CD8-depleted PBMCs containing HIV-1 latent reservoirs. Thus, our results illustrate that structurally improved BETis, such as UMB-136, could be use as promising LRAs for HIV-1 eradication.
title: Does Pre-Stroke Statin Use Influence Survival and Institionalization after Hospital Discharge?
Creators: name: Alcusky, Matthew
name: Hume, A. L.
name: Lapane, Kate L.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: Background: Meta-analytic findings suggest statin exposure at the onset of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) may improve outcomes. Whether this applies to very old, clinically complex patients remains unclear.

Objective: To compare survival and the composite outcome death/institutionalization between statin users and non-users in a national cohort of AIS patients rehabilitated in skilled nursing facilities (SNF).

Methods: From Medicare Part A claims, we identified 18,551 community-dwelling older adults hospitalized for AIS between 04/01/11-09/02/2012 and discharged to a SNF. Pre-stroke statin use and dose intensity were defined using Part D claims (high intensity, low/intermediate intensity, non-user). Patients were followed for 120 days post-discharge to ascertain death and location at day 120 (SNF/nursing home or community). Patients hospitalized at day 120 were assigned to the location preceding admission. Multivariable log-binomial regression models with a log link estimated the covariate-adjusted relative risks (aRR) for the association of statin exposure with death and death/institutionalization.

Results: The median age of the cohort was 84 years and 39.3% used statins before the AIS, of whom 10.8% received a high-intensity dose. Within 120 days of hospital discharge, 19.8% of high intensity statin users, 20.0% of low-intensity statin users, and 21.3% of non-users died (aRR high intensity vs non-users: 1.01, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.87-1.16; aRR low intensity vs non-users: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.89-1.01). At day 120, 44.5% of high intensity statin users, 47.0% of low intensity statin users, and 49.2% of non-users were dead or institutionalized (aRR high intensity vs non-users: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.85-1.00; aRR low intensity vs non-users: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98).

Conclusions: In this large cohort of older patients residing in the community prior to AIS, nearly half were dead or institutionalized 120 days after hospital discharge. Statin use prior to AIS did not appear to confer a mortality advantage in this clinically complex population.
title: Poly (GR) in C9ORF72-related ALS/FTD Compromises Mitochondrial Function and Increases Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage in iPSC- derived Motor Neurons
Creators: name: Lopez-Gonzalez, Rodrigo
name: Lu, Yubing
name: Gendron, Tania F.
name: Karydas, Anna
name: Tran, Helene
name: Yang, Dejun
name: Petrucelli, Leonard
name: Miller, Bruce
name: Almeida, Sandra
name: Gao, Fen-Biao
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: GGGGCC repeat expansions in C9ORF72 are the most common genetic cause of both ALS and FTD. To uncover underlying pathogenic mechanisms, we found that DNA damage was greater, in an age dependent manner, in motor neurons differentiated from iPSCs of multiple C9ORF72 patients than control neurons. Ectopic expression of the dipeptide repeat (DPR) protein (GR)80 in iPSC-derived control neurons increased DNA damage, suggesting poly(GR) contributes to DNA damage in aged C9ORF72neurons. Oxidative stress was also increased inC9ORF72 neurons in an age-dependent manner. Pharmacological or genetic reduction of oxidative stress partially rescued DNA damage in C9ORF72neurons and control neurons expressing (GR)80 or (GR)80-induced toxicity in flies. Moreover, interactome analysis revealed that (GR)80 preferentially bound to mitochondrial ribosomal proteins and caused mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus, poly(GR) in C9ORF72 neurons compromises mitochondrial function and causes DNA damage in part by increasing oxidative stress, revealing another pathogenic mechanism in C9ORF72-related ALS and FTD.
title: Hepatic Changes Associated with Chronic Alcohol Exposure in an Alpha-1 Antitrypsin PiZ Mouse Model
Creators: name: Lyu, Zhuoyao
name: Gruntman, Alisha M.
name: O'Sullivan-Murphy, Brian
name: Mueller, Christian
name: Flotte, Terence R.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: The PiZ mutation in the alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) gene causes the PiZ mutant protein to be sequestered in the endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes, causing significant liver pathology in ~10% of PiZZ homozygous AAT disease patients. Current transgenic mouse models of the disease include the liver-specific over-expression of mutant PiZ protein. However, these animal models do not efficiently recapitulate the liver damage found in PiZZ homozygous patients. Since only a small percentage of patients develop liver disease and it is not reproducible in animal models of AATD, it suggests that there are other factors that participate in disease pathogenesis. Here, we propose that in the presence of alcohol, liver injury will be initiated and that the intensity of the disease will be exacerbated by the presence of accumulated PiZ mutant protein. To test this hypothesis, we have administered alcohol via the Lieber-DeCarli diet regimen to PiZ transgenic and control C57Bl/6 mice for 12 weeks. We found no difference in alcohol and non-alcohol fed mice in terms of elevations in liver enzymes (AST and ALT). We did find a difference in the degree of steatosis and inflammation in the livers of alcohol fed PiZ mice over those of control alcohol fed mice. These findings are consistent with a chronic low-level hepatic insult seen in chronic alcohol consumption. The difference between PiZ and control mice will allow us to test gene therapies that prevent the accumulation of PiZ aggregates within hepatocytes to determine if they will prevent the exacerbation of alcoholic liver disease.
Filaments in the southern giant lobe of Centaurus A: constraints on nature and origin from modelling and GMRT observations
Creators: name: Wykes, Sarka
name: Intema, Huib T.
name: Hardcastle, Martin J.
name: Achterberg, Abraham
name: Jones, Thomas W.
name: Jerjen, Helmut
name: Orru, Emanuela
name: Lazarian, Alex
name: Shimwell, Timothy W.
name: Wise, Michael W.
name: Kronberg, Philipp P.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)
subject: Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO)
subject: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We present results from imaging of the radio filaments in the southern giant lobe of Centaurus A using data from GMRT observations at 325 and 235 MHz, and outcomes from filament modelling. The observations reveal a rich filamentary structure, largely matching the morphology at 1.4 GHz. We find no clear connection of the filaments to the jet. We seek to constrain the nature and origin of the vertex and vortex filaments associated with the lobe and their role in high-energy particle acceleration. We deduce that these filaments are at most mildly overpressured with respect to the global lobe plasma showing no evidence of large-scale efficient Fermi I-type particle acceleration, and persist for ~ 2-3 Myr. We demonstrate that the dwarf galaxy KK 196 (AM 1318-444) cannot account for the features, and that surface plasma instabilities, the internal sausage mode and radiative instabilities are highly unlikely. An internal tearing instability and the kink mode are allowed within the observational and growth time constraints and could develop in parallel on different physical scales. We interpret the origin of the vertex and vortex filaments in terms of weak shocks from transonic MHD turbulence or from a moderately recent jet activity of the parent AGN, or an interplay of both.
description: 17 pages, 4 figures. Minor updates to match accepted version. Accepted by MNRAS
title: Black-White Disparities in Pain Management among Nursing Home Residents with Cancer
Creators: name: Mack, Deborah
name: Hunnicutt, Jacob N.
name: Jesdale, William M.
name: Ulbricht, Christine M.
name: Lapane, Kate L.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: Background: Racial disparities in pain management persist across healthcare settings and likely extend into nursing homes. No studies to-date have thoroughly evaluated racial disparities in cancer pain management in this setting.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, we compared reported pain and pharmacological pain management between non-Hispanic White and Black newly admitted nursing home residents with cancer (n=113,765) using the Minimum Data Set version 3.0. Pain management strategies considered included: use of scheduled analgesics, pro re nata analgesics, and non-pharmacological methods. Presence of pain was based on self-report when residents were able to, or by staff. Logistic models provided estimates of odds ratios for pain management strategies adjusted for resident factors.

Results: Among nursing home residents with cancer, nearly one-third reported pain with estimates similar in Black (32.4%) and White (32.8%) residents. Estimates of pain frequency and intensity were also similar by race. While most residents received scheduled pharmacologic pain management, Whites had greater odds of receiving it than Blacks (Whites: 72.8%, Blacks: 69.3%, adjusted odds ratio Black vs. White (aOR): 0.92; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88-0.96). Pro re nata analgesic use was more common in Whites than Blacks (Whites: 40.1%, Blacks: 38.5%, aOR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.75-0.81) as were non-pharmacologic approaches (Whites: 33.1%, Blacks: 25.3%, aOR: 0.70; 95 CI%: 0.67-0.73).

Conclusions: While reporting of pain was similar for Black and White nursing home residents, White residents received more frequent pain management at admission. The extent to which unequal management of pain persists in nursing homes should be further explored.
title: Affordable Pressure Ulcer Prevention: Device, System and Algorithm
Creators: name: McNeill, John
name: Mendelson, Yitzhak
name: Dunn, Raymond
name: Huang, Xinming
name: Sen, Devdip
name: Hickle, Kelli
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: The incidence and prevalence of wound problems in an aging and longer-lived population continue to increase substantially. Pressure ulcers (bedsores) are painful, increase risk for secondary infection, and add $ 11 billion annually to health care costs in the US. When a sufficient fraction of the patient's weight is supported in a region with a bony prominence, the resulting localized concentration of external pressure reduces the cross-sectional area of blood vessels, restricting blood flow and limiting oxygen supply to the at-risk tissue. If this external contact pressure is maintained for sufficient time, the lack of oxygen leads to tissue death and formation of a pressure ulcer. Very few effective ulcer prevention devices exist and those available have focused almost exclusively on some form of off-loading (specialized and costly beds and wheelchair cushions) designed to equalize pressure distribution on at-risk tissue areas. Furthermore, wheelchair cushions have no applicability to other body areas (legs, heels, etc.) at risk for pressure injury. Despite extensive work in this area of pressure ulcer prevention, a survey of available options shows that there is no compact, low-cost solution that is workable in a hospital setting, for patients confined to bed at home, or for those with limited mobility in wheelchairs.

In this work we present a wireless sensor patch to be placed on known at-risk sites on the patient's skin, directly measuring local contact pressure and temperature, and communicating with a base station (in a hospital setting) or smartphone (for home care). Alerting a patient or caregiver to a potentially harmful level of pressure allows early intervention (only when necessary) to prevent pressure ulcer formation, easing workload on caregivers and enabling more independence for mobile at-risk patients.
title: Cancer Diagnosis using LIBS and Machine Learning Tools: Progress and Challenges
Creators: name: Melikechi, Noureddine
name: Gaudiuso, Rosalba
name: Ewusi-Annan, Ebo
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: Despite numerous research and development efforts that provide important tools to fight cancer, this disease still poses great challenges to diagnosis and treatment, and it remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Early diagnosis is crucial to increase the survival rate and quality of life of cancer patients. Thus, developing non-invasive screening methods would represent a key step towards point-of-care large scale screening and prevention of asymptomatic tumors such as Epithelian Ovarian Cancer (EOC) and others. Our group has developed two experimental strategies to pursue early cancer diagnosis through Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), a versatile atomic spectroscopy technique whose main advantages are: little or no sample preparation required; real-time multi-elemental response; virtually no limitation about the kind of sample that can be analyzed. The first is a LIBS-based immunoassay (Tag-LIBS), where a cancer biomarker is tagged with a suitably functionalized inorganic microparticles, which are in turn quantitatively and sensitively detected by LIBS. The second is based on the direct analysis of biological fluids through the combined use of LIBS and machine learning algorithms. By combining femtosecond LIBS with unsupervised classification techniques, we have shown that it is possible to discriminate blood samples extracted from healthy and diseased mice with an accuracy that approaches 80%. We will present our most recent results obtained with both approaches, and in particular we will report about the effects of various substrates used for LIBS measurements on the classification accuracy of blood samples extracted from cancerous and healthy mice.
title: PLANET MassCONECT – Community-engaged Capacity-building Around Evidence-based Programs: Key Takeaways
Creators: name: Minsky, Sara
name: Bruff, Carmenza
name: Cortes, Diana
name: Ramanadhan, Shoba
name: Viswanath, Kasisomayajula
name: PLANET MassCONECT Community Partners Advisory Committee
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: PLANET MassCONECT was a community-based participatory research project (CBPR) conducted by investigators from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute / Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in collaboration with partners from Boston, Lawrence and Worcester. The goal of the project, which was conducted from 2008-2013 was to use a CBPR approach to develop and implement a capacity-building program to train staff of community-based organizations to find, adapt, use, and evaluate evidence-based programs. The Institute for Community Health Planning (iCHPP) provided training workshops (typically over two half-day sessions), a dedicated website with localized resources and materials to support the systematic approach to program planning, networking events and mini-grants for alumni. We trained a total of 179 practitioners in the three main communities, as well as 65 in Brockton and Lowell. This assessment focuses on data from Boston, Lawrence, and Worcester.

Here, we present an integrated evaluation of the project, including survey data from practitioners, assessment of website use, a cross-sectional social network analysis, and process data. The findings highlight both the demand for professional development in this area, as well as the challenge of engaging sufficiently with practitioners in high-demand/low-resource settings to create changes in practice. We also present the next steps with this work, as we are refining the capacity-building program at this time, with the intention to offer trainings, technical assistance, and technology-enabled engagement in the next iteration.
Community/Expert Involvement in Developing a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Model
Publisher: name: Online Ethics Center
Year: 2006
Subjects: Communicating Science and Engineering
Conflict of Interest
Ethics and Society
Governance
Research and Practice
Risk

description: This in-depth case looks at the conflicts that arise in managing and reducing pollution in a community that is reluctant to be involved with government agencies. Ethical issues arise in the case as a result of the consulting engineer's dual role (as paid consultant and unpaid advisor to different groups), the community's suspicion and fear of regulators, the controversial data used to initiate the development of the model, and the bureaucratic nature of the process in which the TMDL was developed. The case was created by Kathryn A. Neeley, University of Virginia; Joseph R. Herkert, North Carolina State University; and Teresa B. Culver, University of Virginia.
title: Variable Knowledge, Use and Perceptions of the IMPACT Model among Physicians during Prognostication Meetings for Critically-ill Traumatic Brain Injury Patients – Results from a Qualitative Study
Creators: name: Moskowitz, Jesse
name: Quinn, Thomas
name: Khan, Muhammad
name: Shutter, Lori
name: Goldberg, Robert J.
name: Col, Nananda
name: Mazor, Kathleen M.
name: Muehlschlegel, Susanne
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: Introduction: The International Patient Decision Aid Standards, a framework for the creation of high-quality decision aids, calls for the presentation of probabilities. To inform the content of a goals-of-care decision aid in critically-ill TBI (ciTBI) patients, we examined physician’s awareness, perceptions, and use of the IMPACT-model, the most widely validated ciTBI outcome model, and explored their preferences for communicating prognostic information towards families.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews in 20 attending physicians (neurocritical care, neurosurgery, trauma, palliative care) at 7 U.S. academic medical centers. We used descriptive statistics and performed qualitative content analysis of transcribed interviews to identify major themes.

Results: Only 12 physicians (60%) expressed awareness of the IMPACT-model; two stated that they “barely” knew the model. Seven physicians indicated using the model at least some of the time in clinical practice, although none used it exclusively to derive a patient’s prognosis. Four major themes emerged: the IMPACT-model is intended for research but should not be applied to individual patients; mistrust in the IMPACT-model derivation data; the IMPACT-model is helpful in reducing prognostic variability among physicians; concern that statistical models may mislead families about a patient’s prognosis.

Conclusions: We identified substantial variability in the awareness of, use, and attitude toward the IMPACT model among physicians. Understanding knowledge, use, and barriers to using existing models, like IMPACT, is vital for creating and implementing a meaningful shared decision-making tool to improve goals-of-care discussions.
Tokenism and Promotion
Publisher: name: Online Ethics Center
Year: 2006
Subjects: Discrimination in the Workplace
Diversity
Employer/Employee Relationships
Organizational Climate
Research and Practice
Workplace Ethics

description: On the face of it, Darnell, Inc. has a strong commitment to affirmative action. Five years ago less than 1% of its professional and managerial staff were women. Now 8% are women. However, few of the women are in senior positions. Partly this is because most of the women have less seniority than the vast majority of men. But it is also because, until recently, there has been widespread skepticism at Darnell that women are well suited for the responsibilities that attach to the more senior positions. This may now be changing. Catherine Morris is one of the leading candidates for promotion to Chief Engineer in Quality Control at Darnell.
Taking a Position of Influence
Publisher: name: Online Ethics Center
Year: 2006
Subjects: Conflict of Interest
Research and Practice

description: You teach in the department of Engineering Technology at Western Tech. Although you are well known nationally for your research, your heavy teaching load has prevented you from undertaking a major project you have been interested in for some time. So, you begin working on a proposal. Later you find out that you are going to serve on the review panel for this program.
Conflict of Interest Serving on a Government Committee
Publisher: name: Online Ethics Center
Year: 2006
Subjects: Communicating Science and Engineering
Conflict of Interest
Ethics and Society
Public Well-being
Research and Practice
Social Justice

description: Residents in Barker Township strongly oppose the proposed site for the landfill. A very large number opposed the reappointment of Matthews and Parkinson. Now a petition demanding the recall of Matthews and Parkinson has been signed by several hundred township residents. They claim that both Matthews and Parkinson are involved in a conflict of interest.
Bringing in the First Woman
Publisher: name: Online Ethics Center
Year: 2006
Subjects: Collaboration
Discrimination in the Workplace
Diversity
Research and Practice

description: Jim Grimaldi, projectmanager in the Sunnyvale division of Universal Corporation, has just learned that in two weeks the headquarters in Los Angeles will be sending him a project engineer, Joan Dreer. Her job will be to supervise small groups of engineers involved in automotive brake design. The Los Angeles headquarters is anxious to move women into all company levels, and it has targeted Grimaldi's engineering division at Sunnyvale as a good place for Joan Dreer.
Request From a Former Student
Publisher: name: Online Ethics Center
Year: 2006
Subjects: Authorship
Collaboration
Mentors and Trainees
Plagiarism
Publication Ethics
Research and Practice
Research Misconduct

description: Nelson Nice is on the engineering faculty at State University. Three years ago he headed a research project that involved an undergraduate student assistant. At first Jason Smart was enthusiastic about the project. However, as time passed Jason grew impatient with the laboratory work and write-ups. Nelson Nice found that he had to do more and more of the work himself. Eventually Jason left the project before the work was completed. One year later Jason, then a graduate student at another university, wrote to Nelson Nice and asked him if he would send him a copy of the final report of the work they had done together.
title: Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI) Mass Spectrometry: An Imaging Modality to Monitor the Effects of Gene Therapy in a Murine Model of GM1 Gangliosidosis
Creators: name: Muneeruddinx, Khaja
name: Shrestha, Bindesh
name: Olivos, Hernando
name: Todeasa, Sophia H.
name: D'Ambrosio, Eleonora
name: Sena-Esteves, Miguel
name: Shaffer, Scott A.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: GM1 gangliosidosis is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by an enzyme deficiency of β-galactosidase (β-gal) leading to toxic accumulation of GM1 ganglioside in the central nervous system (CNS) and progressive neurodegeneration. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) mediated gene delivery of lysosomal enzymes to the CNS has shown great potential for the treatment of lysosomal storage diseases with neurological involvement. In this work we use MALDI mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) to assess the spatial distribution of gangliosides, ganglioside metabolites and related lipids in a GM1 gangliosidosis mouse brain model following adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy.

Deficiency of β-galactosidase enzyme in a β-gal-/- mouse brain showed an overall 8-fold increase in GM1 relative to the control by MSI analysis, with specific spatial localization based on its ceramide content. Bilateral thalamic injection of AAVrh10-bgal in β-gal-/- mice significantly reduced GM1 levels relative to untreated β-gal-/- mice. The therapeutic efficacy of this approach is through distribution of functional enzyme via axonal transport through the extensive connectivity of the thalamus with most of the brain, with some exceptions such as the temporal cortex. Accordingly MSI showed AAV gene therapy reduced GM1 nearly to the control levels in all regions of the brain except in the temporal cerebral cortex. This correlated with low levels of bgal in this brain region as assessed by histochemical staining of tissue sections. MSI also detected asialo-GM1 and other ganglioside metabolites elevated in untreated β-gal-/- mice, which were also reduced after AAV therapy. Interestingly sulfated galactocereberosides reduced in the myelin sheath in untreated β-gal-/- mice were restored to normal levels after AAV therapy. Overall, this study demonstrates that MALDI MSI can be used to map specific target analytes and their metabolites while also offering the ability to detect unanticipated effects caused by gene therapy.
Shortage of Components
Publisher: name: Online Ethics Center
Year: 2006
Subjects: Employer/Employee Relationships
Engineer/Client Relationships
Research and Practice
Workplace Ethics

description: Ruskin Manufacturing has guaranteed Parker Products that it will deliver the complete order of small machines by the 10th of the month, a Friday. Parker had already extended its deadline once. This time, it insists, the date must be met. Tim Vinson, head of quality control, had been confident the deadline would be met. But on the 8th he learns that a new component of the machines is in short supply.
Effect of anisotropic impurity scattering in d-wave superconductors
Creators: name: Wang, Ze-Long
name: Mao, Rui-Ying
name: Wang, Da
name: Wang, Qiang-Hua
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Superconductivity (cond-mat.supr-con)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: In d$_{x^2-y^2}$-wave superconductors, the effect of s-wave point disorder has been extensively studied in the literature. In this work, we study the anisotropic disorder with a the form of $V_{kk'}^{\rm imp}=V_if_kf_{k'}$ with $f_k=\cos(2θ)$ (with $θ$ the azimuthal angle of $k$), as proposed to be caused by apical oxygen vacancies in overdoped La-based cuprate films, under the Born approximation. The disorder self-energy and d-wave pairing affect each other and have to be solved simultaneously self-consistently. We find the self-energy is reduced at low frequencies and thus weakens the pair-breaking effect. This frequency-dependence vanishes in the dirty limit for which the disorder is well described by a scattering rate $Γ_k=Γ_if_k^2$. One consequence of the disorder effect is the gap-to-$T_c$ ratio $2Δ(0)/T_c$ is greatly enhanced by the d-wave disorder, much larger than the s-wave disorder and the clean BCS value $4.28$. At last, we generalize the d-wave scattering rate to a general form $Γ_θ=Γ_α|θ-θ_0|^α$ around each nodal direction $θ_0$. We find the density of states $ρ(ω)-ρ(0)\propto|ω|$ ($ω^2$) for all $α\ge1$ ($α<1$) in the limit of $ω\to0$. As a result, the superfluid density $ρ_s$ exhibits two and only two possible scaling behaviors: $ρ_s(0)-ρ_s(T)\propto T$ ($T^2$) for $α\ge1$ ($α<1$) in the low temperature limit.
description: 5 pages, 6 figures
title: Поиск точек экстремума методом квази-Монте-Карло
Creators: name: Шевелёв, Н.
Publisher: name: Новгородский государственный университет имени Ярослава Мудрого (НовГУ)
Year: 2020

description: В статье рассматривается актуальная проблема поиска точек экстремума наиболее точным и быстрым способом. Оцениваются два метода поиска точек экстремума: 1) Монте-Карло; 2) квази-Монте-Карло. Получены приемлемые
результаты оценок. Составлен алгоритм нахождения точек экстремума для дальнейшего прикладного применения.
title: Racial Differences in the Effectiveness of Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) on Postoperative Pain and Function
Creators: name: Nguyen, Uyen-Sa D. T.
name: Porter, Anthony
name: Li, Wenjun
name: Yang, Wenyun
name: Ayers, David C.
name: Franklin, Patricia D.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: Objective: African Americans are less likely than Caucasians to perceive TKA as an effective treatment option. We examined post-TKA pain and function by race, with and without adjusting for demographic and clinical factors on determining racial differences.

Methods: We analyzed data from FORCE-TJR, a national cohort of TJR patients. Patients had primary and unilateral TKA surgeries 07/01/2011-12/31/2014, and completed surveys on demographic and clinical information, including a pre- and 6-month postoperative Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). The KOOS pain and function scores ranged from 0-100 (higher=better). We examined baseline, 6-month, and 6-month change in pain and function by race, and estimated the association between race and outcomes, adjusting for demographic and clinical factors.

Results: Analyses included 5028 white (63% female, 65% income>45k; mean age of 67. BMI of 31) and 270 black patients (80% female, 39% income>45k; mean age of 63, BMI of 34). At baseline, black compared with white patients reported worse knee pain (mean: 39vs.48), and poorer function (mean: 46vs.54). While all patients reported significant gains at 6-month post-surgery, black patients had lower postoperative pain (mean: 71vs.82) and function scores (mean: 73vs.84) than white patients. Although not statistically significant, black patients on average had lower 6-month change than white patients in pain -1.9 (95%CI: -4.4, 0.6) and function -1.6 (95%CI: -3.9, 0.7). Adjusting for covariates, racial differences were significantly more pronounced in change in pain -5.5 (95%CI: -8.3, -2.7) and function -5.6 (95%CI: -8.2, -3.0).

Conclusions: TKAs were as effective in reducing pain and improving functions in blacks as in whites. Adjusting for certain demographic and clinical factors can impact assessment of racial differences and the effectiveness of TKA on postoperative outcomes, as black patients were very different from white patients on these important factors.
Dissent About Nuclear Safety
Publisher: name: Online Ethics Center
Year: 2006
Subjects: Employer/Employee Relationships
Ethics and Society
Public Health and Safety
Public Well-being
Research and Practice
Risk
Safety
Workplace Ethics

description: Today Alison finds herself in a difficult situation. PNSRC is meeting to decide what to do about a heat exchanger problem. Alison is a single voice in a company meeting held to finalize an important decision. Should she speak up?
title: The Smoking Paradox in the Development of Psoriatic Arthritis among Psoriasis Patients – A Population-Based Study
Creators: name: Nguyen, Uyen-Sa D. T.
name: Zhang, Yuqing
name: Lu, Na
name: Louie-Gao, Qiong
name: Niu, Jingbo
name: Love, Thorvador J.
name: Ogdie, Alexis
name: Gelfand, Joel M.
name: LaValley, Michael P.
name: Dubreuil, Maureen
name: Sparks, Jeffrey A.
name: Karlson, Elizabeth W.
name: Choi, Hyon K.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: Objectives: Smoking is strongly associated with an increased risk of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in the general population, but not among psoriasis patients. We sought to clarify the possible methodologic mechanisms behind this paradox.

Methods: Using 1995-2015 data from The Health Improvement Network, we performed survival analysis to examine the association between smoking and incident PsA in the general population and among psoriasis patients. We clarified the paradox using mediation analysis and conducted bias sensitivity analyses to evaluate the potential impact of index event bias and quantify its magnitude from uncontrolled/unmeasured confounders.

Results: Of 6.65 million subjects without PsA at baseline, 225,213 participants had psoriasis and 7,057 developed incident PsA. Smoking was associated with an increased risk of PsA in the general population (RR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.19-1.36), but with a decreased risk among psoriasis patients (RR 0.91; 95% CI, 0.85-0.99). Mediation analysis showed that the effect of smoking on the risk of PsA was mediated almost entirely through its effect on psoriasis. Bias sensitivity analyses indicated that even when the relation of uncontrolled confounders to either smoking or PsA was modest (both RRs = ~1.50), it could reverse the biased estimate of effect of smoking among psoriasis patients (RR=0.9).

Conclusions: In this large cohort representative of the UK general population, smoking was positively associated with PsA risk in the general population, but negatively associated among psoriasis patients. Conditioning on a causal intermediate variable (psoriasis) can reverse the association between smoking and PsA, explaining the smoking paradox for the risk of PsA among psoriasis patients.
title: Utilizing Mucosal Protrusion Angles to Discriminate Between True and False Masses of the Small Bowel on Video Capsule Endoscopy
Creators: name: Noujaim, Michael G.
name: Min, May
name: Cave, David R.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: Background: Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) has significantly improved our ability to detect small bowel tumors. However, diagnosing small bowel tumors has remained a challenge due to their low incidence, nonspecific presentations, and the inability to use VCE to biopsy lesions identified during passage through the small bowel. To address this challenge, Girelli et al. developed a novel scoring system called the “smooth, protruding lesions index at capsule endoscopy” (SPICE) to distinguish true submucosal masses from innocent bulges1. In our study, we compared the utility of an additional morphologic criterion, the mucosal protrusion angle, with SPICE scores in detecting true submucosal masses of the small-bowel.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 300 patients over the age of 18 who had undergone VCE for suspected small bowel lesions between the years of 2002 and 2017. In total, we analyzed the VCEs of 36 patients. SPICE scores were calculated for each patient as outlined in Girelli et al. and mucosal protrusion angles were measured using a protractor placed on the computer screen. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of both SPICE and protrusion angle. The protrusion angle was defined as the angle between the polyp and surrounding mucosa, and we hypothesized that an angle > 900 suggested an external protrusion while an angle < 900 suggested a submucosal mass or true polyp.

Results: 25 patients had true submucosal masses (2 GIST, 6 carcinoid, 5 Peutz-Jeghers, 3 inflammatory polyps, 2 hamartomatous polyps, 1 lymphoma, 1 lipomatous polyp, 2 tubular adenomas, 1 leiomyoma, 1 cavernous hemangioma, 1 hyperplastic polyp, 1 lymphatic nodule), and 10 patients had innocent bulges due to extrinsic compression. True submucosal masses when compared to innocent bulges had an average measured angle of protrusion of 45.70 ± 20.80 vs. 108.60 ± 16.30 (p < 0.0001; unpaired t-test). When compared with SPICE scores, a mucosal protrusion angle < 900 had a higher sensitivity (96.0% vs. 35.0%), specificity (90.0% vs. 82.0%), PPV (96.0% vs. 82.0%) and NPV (90.0% vs. 35.0%). Acute angle of protrusion accurately discriminated between true submucosal masses and extrinsic compression bulges on Fisher’s exact test (p = 0.0001).

Conclusion: Protrusion angle is a simple and useful tool for differentiating between true submucosal masses and innocent bulges of the small-bowel. Further prospective studies are needed to validate its utility in minimizing invasive interventions.
title: Анализ комплекса экспериментальных данных, необходимых для синтеза компактной модели PIN-диода
Creators: name: Шкуропата, Е.
Publisher: name: Новгородский государственный университет имени Ярослава Мудрого (НовГУ)
Year: 2020

description: В статье рассмотрены основные параметры PIN-диода, определяющие его поведение в статическом и динамическом режимах работы. Показано, что для схемотехнического моделирования функциональных блоков необходимо использование компактных (SPICE) макромоделей PIN-диода. Для потребителей этих приборов наиболее эффективный способ создания таких моделей – синтез на базе экспериментальных данных.
Political Points
Publisher: name: Online Ethics Center
Year: 2006
Subjects: Communicating Science and Engineering
Diversity
Diversity in Research Design and Practice
Ethics and Society
Human Subjects Research
Research and Practice
Vulnerable Populations

description: This case discusses the social consequences of scholarly research and the responsibilities of researchers to various communities with which they interact, researchers' responsibilities in experimental design and implementation of research on politically charged issues and their responsibility to the scientific community and the public at large.
title: The "Double Loaded" LV: High Prevalence of Hypertensive LVH Preceding the Development of Severe Aortic Stenosis
Creators: name: Aldrugh, Summer
name: Varma, Neha
name: Harrington, Colleen
name: Parker, Matthew
name: Kakouros, Nikolaos
name: Aurigemma, Gerard P.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: Background: It is generally assumed that left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in aortic stenosis (AS) is a compensatory adaptation to chronic outflow obstruction. However the advent of TAVR has stimulated more focus on AS in older patients, most of whom have antecedent hypertension (HTN). Accordingly our aim was to investigate the interaction between HTN and AS on LV remodeling in contemporary practice.

Methods: We studied 33 consecutive patients with AV peak velocity (PV) >2.5 m/s on their initial echo and a PV of >3.5 m/s on a subsequent study performed at least 5 years later. Patients’ demographics and clinical information were collected. Peak intraventricular pressure (IVP, mmHg) was defined as the sum of systolic arterial pressure and peak intraventricular gradient.Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired- samples T test, and linear correlation.

Results: Of our sample (46% women, mean age of 82±11 y), 29 (88%) had a history of hypertension. The average interval between the two echo studies was 6.2±1 years. As expected, wall thickness, LV Mass, and relative wall thickness increased over time. There was no correlation between change in LV mass index (LVMi, g/m2) and peak IVP, PV or AV MG. However change in LVMi did correlate inversely with baseline LVMi (r= -0.37, p= 0.03).

Conclusion: Most patients seen in our practice with severe AS have antecedent hypertension and LVH. LVH worsens in parallel with worsening severity of AS. Remodeling in these patients features increasing concentric remodeling of the LV, rather than LV dilation. Given these findings, we speculate that regression of LVH to normal will not be effected by AVR because LVH proceeded hemodynamically severe AS. Strict control of blood pressure might be of equal importance in preventing and ameliorating pressure overload in these patients.
Weighting bubbles in group field theory
Creators: name: Baratin, Aristide
name: Freidel, Laurent
name: Gurau, Razvan
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Group field theories (GFT) are higher dimensional generalizations of matrix models whose Feynman diagrams are dual to triangulations. Here we propose a modification of GFT models that includes extra field indices keeping track of the bubbles of the graphs in the Feynman evaluations. In dimension three, our model exhibits new symmetries, interpreted as the action of the vertex translations of the triangulation. The extra field indices have an elegant algebraic interpretation: they encode the structure of a semi-simple algebra. Remarkably, when the algebra is chosen to be associative, the new structure contributes a topological invariant from each bubble of the graph to the Feynman amplitudes.
description: 19 pages, 6 figures. Title changed; to appear in PRD
Requested to Falsify Data
Publisher: name: Online Ethics Center
Year: 2006
Subjects: Falsification
Handling Misconduct Allegations
Mentors and Trainees
Research and Practice
Research Misconduct

description: Stephanie Simon knew Environmental Manager Adam Baines would not be pleased with her report on the chemical spill. The data clearly indicated that the spill was large enough that regulations required it to be reported to the state. Adam Baines asks Stephanie to change her report.
Empirical Evidences in Citation-Based Search Engines: Is Microsoft Academic Search dead?
Creators: name: Orduna-Malea, Enrique
name: Ayllon, Juan Manuel
name: Martin-Martin, Alberto
name: Lopez-Cozar, Emilio Delgado
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Digital Libraries (cs.DL)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: The goal of this working paper is to summarize the main empirical evidences provided by the scientific community as regards the comparison between the two main citation based academic search engines: Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic Search, paying special attention to the following issues: coverage, correlations between journal rankings, and usage of these academic search engines. Additionally, selfelaborated data is offered, which are intended to provide current evidence about the popularity of these tools on the Web, by measuring the number of rich files PDF, PPT and DOC in which these tools are mentioned, the amount of external links that both products receive, and the search queries frequency from Google Trends. The poor results obtained by MAS led us to an unexpected and unnoticed discovery: Microsoft Academic Search is outdated since 2013. Therefore, the second part of the working paper aims at advancing some data demonstrating this lack of update. For this purpose we gathered the number of total records indexed by Microsoft Academic Search since 2000. The data shows an abrupt drop in the number of documents indexed from 2,346,228 in 2010 to 8,147 in 2013 and 802 in 2014. This decrease is offered according to 15 thematic areas as well. In view of these problems it seems logical not only that Microsoft Academic Searchwas poorly used to search for articles by academics and students, who mostly use Google or Google Scholar, but virtually ignored by bibliometricians
description: 14 pages, 7 figures, 6 tables
title: Dermatomyositis as Paraneoplastic Manifestation of Tonsillar Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Creators: name: Patti, Jatinder S.
name: Daniello, Kate
name: Qin, Lan
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2017

description: OBJECTIVE: Discussion of a rare case of dermatomyositis associated with tonsillar neoplasm in an African American woman.

BACKGROUND: Dermatomyositis is a syndrome of inflamatory myopathy with multiorgan manifestations which has been linked to immune dysregulation and neoplasia.

INTRODUCTION: Many studies have shown five to seven fold increased risk of developing malignancy with dermatomyositis within two years of presentation. Most common cancers reported are adenocarcinomas of lung, breast, ovaries, stomach, pancreas and bladder. Dermatomyositis as a paraneoplastic manifestation of tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma has not previously been described.

DESIGN: This is a case report of a 52 year old woman who presented for the evaluation of weakness, facial rash and burning pains. Diagnosis of dermatomyositis was made clinically and corroborated by EMG and muscle biopsy. She was started on prednisone but did not improve. CT chest, abdomen and pelvis along with panendoscopy was done to evaluate for malignancy. She developed swallowing problems, laryngopharyngeal reflux disease and esophageal dysmotility syndrome within 1 year of diagnosis. Approximately 1.5 years after dermatomyositis diagnosis, she developed a right sided neck mass. Biopsy of the mass found metastatic squamous cell carcinoma. Further work up revealed an ulcerating cavity under tonsillolith containing abnormal tissue and this was thought to be the primary malignancy.

RESULTS: Patient underwent right radical neck dissection and tonsillectomy followed by chemotherapy and radiation and her muscle strength, facial rash, burning pains and swallowing difficulties improved.

CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first case of dermatomyositis in the setting of tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma. High suspicion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma should be maintained in dermatomyositis patients with otherwise negative routine malignancy screening who exhibit any pharyngeal or esophageal complaints.