cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The relationship of genes and environment with exhaled nitric oxide in children with asthma.

Asthma is the most common chronic and disabling disease of childhood. Unfortunately, there are limited tools for primary care asthma management, and these tools are poor predictors of a patient’s disease status, airway inflammation, and future disease. The first part of the dissertation reviews the inflammatory biomarkers that are currently being investigated as potential tools to assess airway inflammation in children with asthma. Of these exhaled markers, the most data is available for exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). The second part of the dissertation details an evaluation of the association of environmental exposures and FeNO levels among children with asthma. Higher baseline FeNO levels, atopy, and fall season were associated with increased FeNO levels, measured 6 and 12 months after study initiation, whereas inhaled steroid use, summer season, and increasing nicotine exposure were associated with lower FeNO levels. This suggests that FeNO is responsive to some of the same moderators and risk factors associated with asthma control. Genetic differences influence the susceptibility and response to environmental exposures. The third part of the dissertation provides information on basic genetic epidemiology. This information will help interpret the fourth part of the dissertation, an exploration of the association of nitric oxide synthase genes (NOS) and environmental exposures with FeNO levels among children with asthma. There was no association of genetic polymorphisms in NOS1 or NOS3 with FeNO levels in this cohort. Individuals with the GT or TT genotypes of NOS3 had decreased FeNO when exposed to nicotine. The differing genetic susceptibilities may explain some of the conflicting results in © 2008, Adam Spanier i studies that evaluated the effects of tobacco exposure on FeNO levels without considering genetic differences. Together these findings suggest that FeNO holds promise for use in the management of asthma in children. © 2008, Adam Spanier ii © 2008, Adam Spanier iii
Pathfinding by the Growth Cone

The growth cone is a specialization of developing and regenerating neurons which samples the environment and is attracted or repelled by the cues it detects. Different growth cones express different surface receptors or exhibit different second messenger responses to a given cue. The receptors expressed on the growth cone membrane change as the result of the contacts it makes. In a cell with several growth cones, each can assume a distinctive set of features that propel it along different anatomical pathways to different destinations.
Why internet porn matters

Published under Stanford University Press’ Briefs imprint (an initiative providing ‘bite-sized’ volumes on academic topics), Why Internet Porn Matters offers a concise, adept study of the internet'...
Resistance monitoring of the sweetpotato whitefly (Homoptera : Aleyrodidae) in the imperial valley of California

A resistance monitoring technique using yellow sticky cards sprayed with insecticides efficiently and sensitively detected resistance in field populations. The distribution of resistance in the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), in Imperial Valley, Calif., was determined with this technique. Thirty-two populations exhibited various levels of resistance to sulprofos (resistance ratio [RR] ranging from 19 to 104) and cypermethrin (RR ranging from 14 to 82) during 1987 and 1988, indicating that insecticide resistance is widespread in the Imperial Valley. The advantages of this new method for monitoring resistance in whiteflies are discussed in relation to conventionalleafbioassays.
Renal plasma flow during moderate exercise of several hours' duration in normal male subjects.

Summary1. Renal plasma flow was studied by the para-amino-hippurate clearance method during moderate exercise of relatively long duration in 4 healthy young men. 2. During the first 16 minutes of walking 3 m.p.h. at 5% grade the renal plasma flow fell from 9 to 23.2% (of the resting control); during the second 16 minute period it fell from 15.4 to 36.6% and during the third 16 minute period from 18.5 to 33.7%. 3. During the second and third hours of exercise (2 consecutive 56-minute periods), there was little further change in the renal plasma flow. 4. In 2 of 3 experiments where recovery was studied, the renal plasma flow had returned to within 10% of the resting control value one hour after cessation of exercise.
Effects of Added Substrates and Inhibitors on Homogenate Respiration during the Metamorphosis of the Mealworm, Tenebrio Molitor Linnaeus

A Since the work of Potter and Elvehjem (1936), tissue homogenates have been used extensively for the study of the enzymatic activity of vertebrate tissues. The homogenate technique was applied to a study of insects by Bodine and Lu (1950). They homogenized embryos of the grasshopper, Melanoplus differentialis (Thos.), and compared the rate of O2 consumption of whole embryos with that of their homogenates during diapause and non-diapause. Bodine, Lu, and West (1952) extended these experiments to include the effects of adding substrates and inhibitors to homogenates of grasshopper embryos. These experiments showed marked differences in the enzymatic activity of diapause and nondiapause stages.
Hochfeste Zylinderlaufbuchsen für Dieselmotoren

Permanent steigende Druck- und Temperaturbelastungen im Brennraum aufgeladener, emissionsoptimierter Dieselmotoren (EU5, US 07 und US 10) bringen heute gangige Graugusswerkstoffe fur Zylinderlaufbuchsen vor allem in Nutzfahrzeugen in den Grenzbereich ihrer Festigkeit und Verschleisfestigkeit. Wesentliche Treiber sind die strengen Emissionsnormen, die innermotorische Masnahmen mit erheblichen Auswirkungen auf die Auslegung von Zylinderlaufbuchsen bedingen. Um die weitere innermotorische Optimierung zu unterstutzen, hat Federal-Mogul zwei neue hochfeste Werkstoffe fur Zylinderlaufbuchsen entwickelt, die hier erstmals vorgestellt werden.
Freedom of Expression and Its Limitations: The Case of Rwandan Genocide

Striking the right balance between the freedom of expression and its limits has proven difficult in international law, in well-established democracies, and especially in undemocratic countries. In the latter group, this difficulty has occasionally led to catastrophe. Such was the case in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. In a spasm of unrestricted expression, public and private radio and television stations and newspapers encouraged hatred and called upon people to kill, rape, and injure Tutsi and moderate Hutu. As a result, close to one million people died in just 100 daysThis Article shows how such an imbalance of liberties can have dreadful effects. Specifically, the present account traces how, throughout Rwandan development, the state has tried to weigh the freedom of expression with other interests and why, in 1959 and 1994, this freedom grew from virtual nonexistence to a dangerous extreme.
Local Control With 21-Gy Radiation Therapy for High-risk Neuroblastoma

Purpose To evaluate local control after 21-Gy radiation therapy (RT) to the primary site in patients with high-risk neuroblastoma. Methods and Materials After receiving dose-intensive chemotherapy and gross total resection (GTR), 246 patients (aged 1.2-17.9 years, median 4.0 years) with high-risk neuroblastoma underwent RT to the primary site at Memorial Sloan Kettering from 2000 to 2014. Radiation therapy consisted of 21 Gy in twice-daily fractions of 1.5 Gy each. Local failure (LF) was correlated with biologic prognostic factors and clinical findings at the time of diagnosis and start of RT. Results Median follow-up of surviving patients was 6.4 years. Cumulative incidence of LF was 7.1% at 2 years after RT and 9.8% at 5 years after RT. The isolated LF rate was 3.0%. Eighty-six percent of all local failures were within the RT field. Local control was worse in patients who required more than 1 surgical resection to achieve GTR (22.4% vs 8.3%, P =.01). There was also a trend toward inferior local control with MYCN- amplified tumors or serum lactate dehydrogenase ≥1500 U/L ( P =.09 and P =.06, respectively). Conclusion After intensive chemotherapy and maximal surgical debulking, hyperfractionated RT with 21 Gy in high-risk neuroblastoma results in excellent local control. Given the young patient age, concern for late effects, and local control >90%, dose reduction may be appropriate for patients without MYCN amplification who achieve GTR.
Impact of surgeon laparoscopic training and case volume of laparoscopic surgery on conversion during elective laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

Aim The study aimed to determine whether laparoscopic volume and type of training influence conversion during elective laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Method An Institutional Review Board-approved prospective database was reviewed for patients who underwent colorectal resection, performed by six colorectal surgeons, for all diagnoses from 2009 to 2014. Surgeons were designated as laparoscopic- or open-trained based on formal laparoscopic colorectal surgery training, and were classified as low laparoscopic volume (LLV) (i.e. had performed < 100 laparoscopic procedures) or high laparoscopic volume (HLV) (i.e. had performed ≥ 100 laparoscopic procedures). Technique was laparoscopic, open or converted (pre-emptive or reactive). Conversion was compared among three groups: LLV, laparoscopic trained (group A); LLV, open trained (group B); and HLV, open trained (group C). Results In total, 159/567 procedures were open and 408 laparoscopic procedures were attempted. Of the 408 laparoscopic procedures, 73 were converted. Among the 567 patients [mean age: 56 ± 17 years (44% male)], the overall conversion rate was 13% (73/567), including 75% pre-emptive and 25% reactive. Conversion rates for groups A, B and C were 17.9%, 42.6% and 14.3%, respectively. Significantly higher conversion was seen in group B compared with group C (P = 0.01), but not between group A and group C (P = 0.85) or between group B and group A (P = 0.11). Converted patients were older (P < 0.001), with lower rates of proctectomy (P = 0.007), higher rates of anastomosis (P < 0.001) and higher body mass index (BMI) (P < 0.001). After adjusting for patient and surgeon factors, training type was not associated with conversion (P = 0.15). Compared with successful laparoscopy, converted patients had a significantly higher incidence of ileus (P < 0.001), length of stay (P = 0.002), time to flatus (OR = 3.21, P < 0.001) and time to solids (P < 0.001). Converted patients experienced increased morbidity. Conclusion Training is not associated with conversion. Rather, HLV surgeons, regardless of training, convert less frequently than do LLV surgeons.
The Effect of an Electronic Peer-Review Auditing System on Faculty-Dictated Radiology Report Error Rates.

meaningless or inappropriate word at a time” [9]. At our medical center, anecdotal evidence suggested that the error rate in radiology reports increased when VR was implemented. To gauge the quality of radiology reports from the standpoint of grammar, clarity, and comprehensibility, we initially implemented a manual system by which reports were proofread by a faculty member who would provide corrective feedback to the individual who generated the report. However, it quickly became obvious that this was too labor intensive and not sustainable. Thus, an IT web-based tool was created to facilitate measurement of the error rate for radiology reports within each section over time, with errors identified systematically by each attending radiologist in the department. In addition, during the period of measurement, a new version of VR was implemented. The purposes of this study were threefold:
Operating manual-based usability evaluation of medical devices: an effective patient safety screening method.

Article-at-a-Glance Background Use of medical devices often directly contributes to medical errors. Because it is difficult or impossible to change the design of existing devices, the best opportunity for improving medical device safety is during the purchasing process. However, most hospital personnel are not familiar with the usability evaluation methods designed to identify aspects of a user interface that do not support intuitive and safe use. A review of medical device operating manuals is proposed as a more practical method of usability evaluation. Method Operating manuals for five volumetric infusion pumps from three manufacturers were selected for this study (January–April 2003). Each manual's safety message content was evaluated to determine whether the message indicated a device design characteristic that violated known usability principles (heuristics) or indicated a violation of an affordance of the device. Results "Minimize memory load," with 65 violations, was the heuristic violated most frequently across pumps. Variations between pumps, including the frequency and severity of violations for each, were noted. Discussion Results suggest that manual review can provide a proxy for heuristic evaluation of the actual medical device. This method, intended to be a component of prepurchasing evaluation, can complement more formal usability evaluation methods and be used to select a subset of devices for more extensive and formal testing.
The Impact of Tablets on School Leadership

Over the last decade, accountability demands on school leaders have increased ten-fold. National common core curricula, new state exams for licensing teachers and school leaders, and new assessments for public school students have been driven by public outcries demanding change at the state and national levels, responding to dismal scores of United States students when compared to their global counterparts. As school leaders look for more efficient and more effective ways to collect and record pertinent data that aligns new standards and assessments with new software offerings designed for schools, the latest advances in hardware, such as tablets and smartphones help them meet these challenges. New teacher appraisal systems and student assessments need software to assimilate the vast amounts of data collected in order to operate and evaluate the school environment. This paper studies the daily routine of a high school principal who incorporates a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy and fosters students and staff to use tablets to advance the learning process. A review of governmental laws and regulations that impact this topic ignites further discussion of the hardware and software needed for those who are leading our schools during the next 5 years.
Robust Methods for Recursive Autoregressive Moving Average Estimation

In this paper we consider the problem of fitting, recursively in time, an autoregressive moving average (ARMA) model to time series data where outliers may be present. Although many recursive estimation procedures are available for fitting ARMA models, they are based on the recursive least squares algorithm which is known to be badly affected by additive outliers. To minimize the impact of these sort of outliers we investigate some robustified versions of the recursive maximum likelihood procedure. The problem of incorporating robust scale recursion is discussed and asymptotic properties of the procedures are examined
The effect of storage time and moisture content on grindability of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.)

Specific grinding energy and particle size distribution of grinds are usually used to assess the efficiency of grinding equipment and material grindability. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of moisture content and storage time on the specific grinding energy of loblolly pine woodchips and the physical properties of the resulting grinds. Samples were ground in a hammer mill fitted with 3.18 and 6.35 mm screen sizes. The specific grinding energy, moisture loss during grinding, particle size distribution, and bulk density of the grinds were measured. Moisture loss during grinding increased with increase in moisture content of woodchips and decreased with increase in hammer mill screen size. Bulk density of grinds reduced from 273.64 to 106.03 kg/m3 and from 251.14 to 131.40 kg/m3 (for 3.18 mm and 6.35 mm hammer mill screen size, respectively), when the moisture content of woodchips was increased from 13.6 to 100.0 % (dry basis). Results also showed that storage time did not significantly affect (p < 0.05) the specific grinding energy. However, specific grinding energy was significantly affected (p < 0.05) by the moisture content of woodchips and hammer mill screen size. The specific grinding energy of woodchips ground through 3.18 mm hammer mill screen size increased with increase in moisture content of woodchips. However when loblolly pine woodchips were ground through 6.35 mm hammer mill screen size, the specific grinding energy initially increased as moisture of woodchips increased from 13.6 to 42.9 % (dry basis), then decreased with further increase in moisture content of woodchips from 42.9 to 100.0 % (dry basis).
Therapy of Alcoholic Liver Disease

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the therapy of alcoholic liver disease. The treatment of fatty infiltration of the liver is simple—withdrawal of alcohol. To paraphrase an old adage, abstinence makes the liver grow smaller. Fat may be mobilized at different rates in different patients. In some, intense fatty infiltration may be entirely gone after 2 weeks of hospitalization; in others, fat may only be mildly reduced after a month. The factors that determine this are not clear. Choline and other lipotropic substances may speed this process, but there is no evidence that the speed with which it is mobilized affects prognosis. In any event, fatty infiltration and its clinical expressions rapidly resolve when alcohol ingestion is stopped. Fatty infiltration is common in obesity and in diabetes, and in these conditions, it may persist for many years without untoward consequences. Whether fat deposition per se can induce cellular necrosis and collagen deposition is under intense investigation.
Relationships Between Urinary Phthalate Metabolite and Bisphenol A Concentrations and Vitamin D Levels in U.S. Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2005-2010.

Context: Recent research suggests that environmental exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals may alter circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels in humans. To date, no studies have assessed the associations between phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) and total 25(OH)D in the U.S. general population. Objective: To explore relationships between urinary concentrations of 11 phthalate metabolites and BPA and serum total 25(OH)D in a representative sample of U.S. adults. Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005–2010. Patients or Other Participants: U.S. general adult population (aged ≥20 years). Interventions: None Main Outcome Measures: Serum total 25(OH)D measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Metabolites of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were consistently inversely associated with total 25(OH)D in the overall study population and in gender-stratified models. In the overall population, we detected a significa...
Fast Laplace approximation for sparse Bayesian spike and slab models

We consider the application of Bayesian spike-and-slab models in high-dimensional feature selection problems. To do so, we propose a simple yet effective fast approximate Bayesian inference algorithm based on Laplace's method. We exploit two efficient optimization methods, GIST [Gong et al., 2013] and L-BFGS [Nocedal, 1980], to obtain the mode of the posterior distribution. Then we propose an ensemble Nystrom based approach to calculate the diagonal of the inverse Hessian over the mode to obtain the approximate posterior marginals in O(knp) time, k ≪ p. Furthermore, we provide the theoretical analysis about the estimation consistency and approximation error bounds. With the posterior marginals of the model weights, we use quadrature integration to estimate the marginal posteriors of selection probabilities and indicator variables for all features, which quantify the selection uncertainty. Our method not only maintains the benefits of the Bayesian treatment (e.g., uncertainty quantification) but also possesses the computational efficiency, and oracle properties of the frequentist methods. Simulation shows that our method estimates better or comparable selection probabilities and indicator variables than alternative approximate inference methods such as VB and EP, but with less running time. Extensive experiments on large real datasets demonstrate that our method often improves prediction accuracy over Bayesian automatic relevance determination, EP, and frequentist L1 type methods.
Kit PY567- Directed Signals Are Important for Efficient Erythroid Progenitor Cell Proliferation and Survival, and Are Attenuated by Kit PY569.

Anemia incurred by mice with naturally occurring Kit mutations (eg, W41) clearly illustrates important contributions of SCF/Kit signaling to erythropoiesis. Specific cytoplasmic features of Kit and linked signaling events that support such contributions, however, are not well understood. To address this issue, the proliferative and survival signaling activities of a panel of Kit cytoplasmic PY mutants first were studied in SCF- and Epo- dependent G1E2 cells, and also in multi-potential SCF-dependent EML cells. Kit forms studied included PY567, PY569, PY567-plus-569, PY702, PY719, PY728 and PY745 phosphotyrosine add-back forms as well as a biologically inactive baseline mutant, Kit-F6 in which these six PY sites were mutated to phenylalanine. To by-pass endogenous Kit, cytoplasmic PY mutants were expressed from a MIEG3 vector as MCSF-R/Kit “MK” chimeras, and cells expressing matched and physiological levels of M/K chimeras were isolated by FACS. PY567 per se (ie, M/K PY567) selectively supported near wild-type proliferative and anti-apoptotic activities in both G1E2 and EML cells. By direct comparison, PY569 per se has diminished activity in G1E2 cells, and only baseline activity in EML cells. Moreover, the combined restoration of both PY567 and 569 uniformly attenuated the otherwise high proliferative and survival activities of PY567. These findings therefore indicate that Kit PY567 and PY569 do not necessarily exert overlapping roles, but that PY569 instead may preferentially link to negative effects and also act to attenuate key positive signals relayed via Kit PY567 (possibly in a lineage- restricted fashion). In keeping with recent studies in 32D cells, little if any bioactivities were conferred by PY702, 719, 728, or 745 per se. Mechanistically, PY567 also was observed to link with high efficiency to sustained Bcl-xl expression, and to be selectively efficient in Epo receptor co-signaling. While these findings predict that the mutation of Kit Y567 should perturb red cell development, erythropoiesis in Kit-F567 knock-in mice appears near-normal. However, primary erythroid progenitor cells isolated from the spleen of Kit F567 mice at 50hr post- phenylhydrazine injection proved to be markedly deficient in SCF responsiveness. In addition, a >5-fold decrease in SCF and Epo co-signaling was reproducibly observed for Kit-F567 progenitor cell preparations. These novel findings therefore lend new evidence to the case that PY567, in fact, contributes in important ways to Kit’s erythropoietic biofunction.
Assessment of Chicken Carcass Microbiome Responses During Processing in the Presence of Commercial Antimicrobials Using a Next Generation Sequencing Approach

The purpose of this study was to 1) identify microbial compositional changes on chicken carcasses during processing, 2) determine the antimicrobial efficacy of peracetic acid (PAA) and Amplon (blend of sulfuric acid and sodium sulfate) at a poultry processing pilot plant scale, and 3) compare microbial communities between chicken carcass rinsates and recovered bacteria from media. Birds were collected from each processing step and rinsates were applied to estimate aerobic plate count (APC) and Campylobacter as well as Salmonella prevalence. Microbiome sequencing was utilized to identify microbial population changes over processing and antimicrobial treatments. Only the PAA treatment exhibited significant reduction of APC at the post chilling step while both Amplon and PAA yielded detectable Campylobacter reductions at all steps. Based on microbiome sequencing, Firmicutes were the predominant bacterial group at the phyla level with over 50% frequency in all steps while the relative abundance of Proteobacteria decreased as processing progressed. Overall microbiota between rinsate and APC plate microbial populations revealed generally similar patterns at the phyla level but they were different at the genus level. Both antimicrobials appeared to be effective on reducing problematic bacteria and microbiome can be utilized to identify optimal indicator microorganisms for enhancing product quality.
Splash behaviour and oily marine aerosol production by raindrops impacting oil slicks

The high-speed impact of a droplet on a bulk fluid at high Weber number (We) is not well understood but is relevant to the production of marine aerosol by raindrop impact on the sea surface. These splashes produce a subsurface cavity and a crown which closes into a bubble canopy, but a floating layer of immiscible oil, such as a crude oil slick, alters the splash dynamics. The effects of oil layer fluid properties and thickness, droplet size and impact speed are examined by high-speed visualization. Oil layer rupture and crown behaviour are classified by dimensional scaling. The subsurface cavity volume for impact on thick layers is shown to depend on the Reynolds number (Re), although canopy formation at high Re introduces a competing We effect since rapid canopy closure is found to retard cavity expansion. Time-resolved kinematic measurements show that thin crude oil slicks similarly alter crown closure and cavity growth. The size and spatial distributions of airborne droplets are examined using high-speed holographic microscopy. The droplets have a bimodal distribution with peaks at 50 and and are clustered by size at different elevation angles. Small droplets ( ) are ejected primarily at shallow angles, indicating production by splashing within the first and by breakup of microligaments. Larger droplets ( ) are found at steeper elevation angles, indicating later production by capillary instability acting on large ligaments protruding upward from the crown. Intermittent droplet release while the ligaments grow and sweep upward is thought to contribute to the size-dependent spatial ordering. Greater numbers of small droplets are produced at high elevation angles when a crude oil layer is present, indicating satellite droplet formation from ligament breakup. A crude oil layer also increases the target fluid Ohnesorge number, leading to creation of an intact ejecta sheet, which then ruptures to form aerosolized oil droplets.
Communicating science through visualization in an age of alternative facts

Cinematic scientific visualization demystifies complex scientific concepts for general audiences, which helps them defend themselves against misinformation in popular media. Researchers from the University of Illinois will show techniques for representing data accurately while making it not only approachable, but beautiful and compelling to experts and non-experts alike.
Observation Status, Poverty and High Financial Liability among Medicare Beneficiaries

Abstract Background Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized under observation status are subject to cost-sharing with no spending limit under Medicare Part B. Because low-income status is associated with increased hospital use, there is concern that such beneficiaries may be at increased risk for high use and out-of-pocket costs related to observation care. Our objective was to determine whether low-income Medicare beneficiaries are at risk for high use and high financial liability for observation care compared with higher-income beneficiaries. Methods We performed a retrospective, observational analysis of Medicare Part B claims and US Census Bureau data from 2013. Medicare beneficiaries with Part A and B coverage for the full calendar year, with 1 or more observation stay(s), were included in the study. Beneficiaries were divided into quartiles representing poverty level. The associations between poverty quartile and high use of observation care and between poverty quartile and high financial liability for observation care were evaluated. Results After multivariate adjustment, the risk of high use was higher for beneficiaries in the poor (Quartile 3) and poorest (Quartile 4) quartiles compared with those in the wealthiest quartile (Quartile 1) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.31; AOR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.16-1.33). The risk of high financial liability was higher in every poverty quartile compared with the wealthiest and peaked in Quartile 3, which represented the poor but not the poorest beneficiaries (AOR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.10-1.24). Conclusions Poverty predicts high use of observation care. The poor or near poor may be at highest risk for high liability.
Existence of Reserve Quiescent Stem Cells in Adults, From Amphibians to Humans

Several theories have been proposed to explain the phenomenon of tissue restoration in amphibians and higher order animals. These theories include dedifferentiation of damaged tissues, transdifferentiation of lineage-committed stem cells, and activation of quiescent stem cells. Young and colleagues demonstrated that connective tissues throughout the body contain multiple populations of quiescent lineagecommitted progenitor stem cells and lineage-uncommitted pluripotent stem cells. Subsequent cloning and cell sorting studies identified quiescent lineage-uncommitted pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells, capable of forming any mesodermal cell type, and pluripotent epiblastic-like stem cells, capable of forming any somatic cell type. Based on their studies, they propose at least 11 categories of quiescent reserve stem cells resident within postnatal animals, including humans. These categories are pluripotent epiblastic-like stem cells, pluripotent ectodermal stem cells, pluripotent epidermal stem cells, pluripotent neuronal stem cells, pluripotent neural crest stem cells, pluripotent mesenchymal (mesodermal) stem cells, pluripotent endodermal stem cells, multipotent progenitor stem cells, tripotent progenitor stem cells, bipotent progenitor stem cells, and unipotent progenitor stem cells. Thus, activation of quiescent reserve stem cells, i.e., lineage-committed progenitor stem cells and lineage-uncommitted pluripotent stem cells, resident within the connective tissues could provide for the continual maintenance and repair of the postnatal organism after birth.
Yttrium-90 radioembolization and the prolonged life expectancy of colorectal cancer patients.

2702 Objectives Yttrium-90 (Y-90) radioembolization is a treatment option utilized on patients who do not react to first-line treatments of colorectal cancer. This includes chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical resection. The objective of this study is to provide a statistical analysis on how Y-90 radioembolization extends the survival rate of metastatic colorectal cancer patients and nuclear medicine’s role in treatment. Methods Potential candidates completed an intra-hepatic Technetium-99 MAA scan prior to treatment of Y-90 radioembolization to assess the arterial perfusion of the liver and the fraction remaining in the tumor. Once patients were considered viable for Y-90 radioembolization, the dose was administered and patients were categorized under a single therapy of Y-90 radioembolization or Y-90 radioembolization accompanied by chemotherapy. A nuclear medicine SPECT scan was performed of the abdominal area to confirm Bremsstrahlung radiation of Y-90; which confirmed metastases within the liver. Results Patients treated with Y-90 radioembolization as monotherapy, had a survival proportion ranging from 37% to 59% (about 15 months survival expectancy). While the patients treated with Y-90 radioembolization with chemotherapy, ranged from 43%-74% (about 29 months survival expectancy); in comparison to patients having received a traditional form of treatment. Conclusions Y-90 radioembolization is an effective treatment option in patients who have shown resistance to traditional treatment methods in metastatic colorectal cancer. Patients who have been treated with Y-90 radioembolization treatment show a greater overall survival rate, in comparison to a colorectal cancer patient with metastases of the liver, having no consistent treatment, or in comparison to patients having traditional forms of treatment, which have a life expectancy of less than six months.
Mobile Healthcare and mHealth Apps

Over the past decade, technologies have transformed society, education, entertainment, business and now healthcare. Today, these technologies are reaching a level of maturity needed to support the robust and broad scope of healthcare. It has only been recently that smart phones, tablets, wearable information and communication devices as well as smart home hubs for automation and control, environmental sensors, cloud computing, interfacing with high-speed networks have vastly expanded the technological foundation associated with healthcare. This Special Thematic Session will address mHealth for people with disability from several disease, disorder and technology perspectives.
BOX GIRDER MODEL STUDIES

AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE STRESSES IN A BOX GIRDER SUBJECTED TO CONCENTRIC AND TORSIONAL LOADING CONFIGURATION IS DESCRIBED. TESTS WERE CONDUCTED ON A PLEXIGLAS MODEL TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF INTERIOR DIAPHRAGMS IN REDUCING THE WARPING AND DISTORTION STRESSES CAUSED BY DEFORMATION OF THE CROSS SECTION. THE TEST RESULTS ARE COMPARED WITH THE PREDICTIONS BASED ON THE "B.E.F. ANALOGY," A METHOD OF ANALYSIS WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR THE WARPING AND DISTORTION STRESSES. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT DEFORMATION OF A BOX GIRDER CROSS SECTION MAY CAUSE SUBSTANTIAL WARPING AND DISTORTION STRESSES, AND THAT THESE STRESSES CAN BE EFFECTIVELY CONTROLLED BY PRUDENT DIAPHRAGM PLACEMENT. /AUTHOR/
Problem based learning in introduction to programming courses

With the decrease of student enrollment in Computer Science and Information Systems programs, we need to change the way we deliver first-year computer programming curricula. Introductory courses have the potential to attract and to retain students. This session will describe the use of Problem Based Learning (PBL) and game design in an introduction to programming course. The course is divided into three parts with approximately five weeks each: (1) introduction to Programming, (2) introduction to Object-Oriented programming and Graphical Unit Interface (GUI) programming, and (3) the final project, which includes the design and implementation of a computer game. The computer language used in the course is JAVA. The course is designed with Problem Base Learning to incentive students' creativity and learning. The course provides the students with opportunities to engage in problem solving, team discussions, collaborative work, and critical thinking. In addition, the students are challenged to identify and find solutions to their programming problems. This approach should help to prepare students to enter in a field that is rapidly changing, and where they will be required to constantly learn new things and to take initiative. The session will present some samples of class assignments and final projects as well as a summary of the survey conducted with students enrolled in the course.
Use of Rician Distributions to Predict the Distributions of Ultrasonic Flaw Signals in the Presence of Backscattered Noise

In assessing the probability of detection (POD) of flaws during ultrasonic inspection, one needs to know the distribution of signal strengths that would be produced by flaws of the same nominal size [1]. Several factors contribute to creating such a distribution, including variations in flaw morphology, variations in the position of the flaw with respect to the insonifying beam, modifications of the beam by the microstructure, and the interaction between the flaw signal and noise signal backscattered from microstructural inhomogeneities. This paper deals with the latter mechanism, developing models which predict the distribution of signal in the presence of noise in terms of independent measures of the noise and the noise free flaw response.
West Mexico Postclassic

relative time period: Follows the West Mexico Classic tradition, precedes the Spanish colonial period.
Enrichment of midsized RNAs with manganese chloride precipitation.

Abstract Enrichment of specific RNAs is important for RNA analysis. MnCl2 has been used previously to enrich viroid RNA fractions from total RNA from infected plants. We have expanded this method to show that MnCl2 can enrich single-stranded as well as structured RNAs of 450 nt and below from a total RNA preparation. We have applied this method to map the transcription start sites of a PSTVd transcript from total RNA from yeast under conditions where the RNA was previously undetectable.
A sensitive bioanalytical method for quantitative determination of resiniferatoxin in rat plasma using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry and its application in pharmacokinetic study.

Abstract Resiniferatoxin (RTX) is a daphnane diterpene isolated from the latex of Euphorbia resinifera O. Berg, a potent activator of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TrpV1), with a potency 103-105 times greater than pure capsaicin. Intravenous administration of RTX at very low concentration improves urodynamic parameters in patients with neurogenic detrusor overactivity and also reduces bladder pain in patients. Herein, a simple, rapid, selective and sensitive method for determination of RTX with silydianin as an internal standard was developed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization source (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS) in multiple reaction monitoring mode. The mass spectrometer was operated in positive electrospray ionization ((+) ESI) mode. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode was performed with ion pairs of m/z: 629.23→283.2 for RTX and 483.24→153.1 for IS. The limit of detection achieved in this method for RTX was 0.05 ng/mL and had good linearity in calibration range of 0.2–50 ng/mL ( r2 = 0.99). Precision and accuracy values were found to be
Transdermal Scopolamine as an Adjunct to Multimodal Pain Management in Patients Undergoing Total Joint Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after surgery degrades patient experience, tolerance of pain medication, rehabilitation progress, and functional outcomes. Given the importance of early rehabilitation following total joint arthroplasty (TJA), we asked whether transdermal scopolamine is effective in reducing rates of PONV and improving functional outcomes following TJA. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 1580 consecutive patients who underwent TJA between 2014 and 2017 and compared patients before the addition of the scopolamine patch (control group) to those after the addition (study group). Patients were given the scopolamine patch in the holding area unless contraindicated. A total of 495 patients were excluded. Charts were reviewed for PONV, demographic information, surgical time, length of stay, distance walked with physical therapy, and Visual Analog Scale pain scores. Student t-test was used to compare continuous data and chi-square was used for categorical variables. Results The incidence of PONV was significantly lower in the study group compared to the control group (14.4% vs 29.3%, P Conclusion Use of a scopolamine patch was associated with significant reduction in PONV and improvement in functional outcomes following TJA. These data support the use of transdermal scopolamine as part of a multimodal, perioperative pain protocol in patients undergoing TJA.
Teen driver licensure provisions, licensing, and vehicular fatalities.

Abstract Between 1996 and 2015, vehicular fatalities per capita involving 16- to 17-year-old drivers declined by 68.7%. During this same period, states enacted teen driver licensure provisions in an a la carte fashion, now collectively referred to as graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs, that restricted teen driving. While the literature demonstrates that ‘good’ GDL programs reduce vehicular fatalities, how these reductions occur remains open. In this study, separate GDL provisions and no pass, no drive laws are studied to understand reduction mechanisms. The evaluation is based on a state-by-year panel and uses difference-in-difference and triple-difference specifications to identify causal impacts on rates of licensing, vehicular fatalities, and fatalities per licensee. The empirical results find that the minimum intermediate licensing age of 16.5 or older provision reduces licensing of 16- to 17-year-old teens by 20.1%, and no other licensure provision consistently impacts licensing. In addition, vehicular fatalities decrease from the minimum intermediate licensing age of 16.5 or older provision by 22.7%, the driver’s education reduces supervised hours provision by 5.9%, and no pass, no drive laws by 7.3%, while vehicular fatalities increase from the supervised driving hours required provision by 6.3%. Furthermore, only teen driver cellphone or texting bans have impacts on vehicular fatalities per 16- to 17-year-old licensed female and few long-term impacts are identified on those ages 18–20 who ‘graduated’ from licensing programs. This research suggests that GDL programs affect vehicular fatalities mostly through incapacitation, rather than programmatically.
Testing for Hydrogen Environment Embrittlement: Primary and Secondary Influences

A somewhat phenomological overview of the hydrogen embrittlement process, both internal as well as external, is presented in a effort to make more clear the type of parameters which must be considered in the selection of a test method and test procedure so that the resulting data may be meaningfully applied to real engineering structures. What are believed to be the three primary influences on the embrittlement process are considered - the original location and form of the hydrogen, the transport reactions involved in the transport of hydrogen from its origin to some point it can interact with the metal to cause embrittlement, and the embrittlement interaction itself. Additionally, a few of the large number of secondary influences on the embrittlement process are discussed, for example, the influence of impurity species in the environment, surface hydride films, and surface oxide films.
Modeling the Rocking and Sliding of Free-Standing Objects Using Rigid Body Dynamics

A rigid body dynamics algorithm is presented in this paper to simulate the interaction between two rigid bodies, a free-standing rigid object, and a pedestal that has infinite mass, in the presence of static and kinetic friction forces. Earlier algorithms led to different solutions for the contact forces when parameters external to problem description, such as the ordering of contact points, are changed. This paper addresses the issue of selecting an appropriate solution for the contact forces and impulses from the infinite set of solutions by picking the solution that is closest to the previous state of the rigid body. The capability of this algorithm in simulating pure rocking, pure sliding, and coupled rocking-sliding response modes of a rectangular block is validated using analytical/semianalytical results. This validated algorithm is later used to identify the various response modes of a rectangular block, which is given an initial tilt and then released.
Evaluation of Autogenous Vaccine Use in Mitigating Salmonella in Lymph Nodes from Feedlot Cattle in Texas.

ABSTRACT Managing the presence of Salmonella in ground beef has been an ongoing challenge for the beef industry. Salmonella prevalence can vary regionally, seasonally, and within the animal, making the development of interventions difficult. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of an autogenous Salmonella vaccine in mitigating Salmonella in lymph nodes (LNs) of feedlot cattle. An autogenous vaccine was developed using the most common Salmonella enterica serovars (Salmonella Kentucky, Salmonella Anatum, Salmonella Muenchen, Salmonella Montevideo, and Salmonella Mbandaka) identified from cattle managed at a South Texas feedlot with historically high Salmonella prevalence. Fifty-five heifers were selected for even distribution across five groups: (i) BASE, which received no autogenous vaccinations and were harvested after the stocker stage, (ii) CNTRL, which received no autogenous vaccinations, (iii) FARM, which received autogenous vaccinations at the ranch only, (iv) SPLIT, which received autogenous vaccinations at both the ranch and feedlot, and (v) YARD, which received vaccinations at the feedlot only. One heifer each from the BASE and CNTRL groups did not complete the study. All treatment groups except BASE were harvested after reaching market weight. Left and right superficial cervical and subiliac LNs from each carcass were collected and analyzed for Salmonella presence, and positive samples were serotyped. No salmonellae were recovered from LNs derived from BASE, FARM, SPLIT, or YARD groups. Cattle in the BASE group were expected to have a low occurrence of Salmonella based on previous research. However, the percentage of Salmonella-positive animals in the CNTRL group was 20.0% (2 of 10), which is lower than expected based on historical data from the same feeding location. There could be several causes of decreased Salmonella presence in the LNs of control cattle, creating an opportunity for future investigation into the development of preharvest interventions to combat Salmonella in feedlots. HIGHLIGHTS
The Impact of Local-Level Factors on Voter Registration Success

In this chapter, I empirically assess the institutional, electoral, and seasonal factors that impact the success rates of voter registration applications during the 2018 election cycle in the state of Florida. I utilize monthly voter registration data from Florida’s Election Division and demonstrate that there is a strong relationship between the timing of voter registration and the overall likelihood of new voter registration rejections across Florida’s counties. The preferred method of voter registration varies significantly over time, with notable substitution effects between in-person and mail voter registration and OVR, indicating that OVR is becoming the registration method of choice as the state’s voter registration deadline nears.
A Fractal Representation for Systems

To facilitate the design of evolving systems, tools are needed to capture all performance issues and evaluate design ideas and proposals quickly during the conceptual stage, so that better designs can be generated. By using such tools, engineers can quickly identify and understand how their design decisions impact and are impacted by choices made concerning other components in the system. Thus, rational design decisions will be made during conceptual design, minimizing if not eliminating the need to address design problems during implementation.
Design of Unintuitive Antenna Geometries Using Additive Manufacturing Techniques

Using 3D printing, it is possible to create antenna geometries which are not practically feasible through traditional subtractive manufacturing techniques. There are numerous possible ways to design these geometries, such as body of revolution or extrusion methods. With the aid of multiobjective optimization, these structures can be designed for various goals. Examples include wide bandwidth, high gain, strong circular polarization, and compact size. Additionally, 3D printed antennas can offer reduced cost and weight without compromising these performance goals.