cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Possible Link between Autism and Glyphosate Acting as Glycine Mimetic -A Review of Evidence from the Literature with Analysis

The causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not well understood. Only a minority of cases are explainable by specific abnormalities in DNA sequence, whereas the majority are widely assumed to be linked to epigenetic effects, and/or likely impacted by environmental factors. Here, we postulate autism causation via environmental and/or dietary sourced toxin acting intermittently in utero on human fetuses to disrupt neurodevelopment in a nondose dependent manner. Our theory is informed by a mini-review and correlation of selected studies from the research literature related to autism, including radiologic, anatomic, metabolic, neurodevelopmental, pharmacologic and MRI studies. In reviewing and analyzing evidence, we focus on data supporting interaction of the theorized harmful glycine mimetic at one or more of the following calcium inflow regulatory factors for neurons: the N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, the glycine receptor (GlyR) and/or the glycine transporter protein 1 (GlyT1). We postulate this harmful glycine mimetic to act by exerting a direct molecular disruption to calcium regulatory factors for neurons. This disruption appears to occur in a time sensitive, rather than a strictly dose-dependent manner, leading to haphazard disorganizations of the normally carefully choreographed steps of early neuronal migration. Within this analysis, we find support for the contention that a strong candidate for the putative harmful glycine mimetic is glyphosate, the active ingredient in the pervasive herbicide Roundup®. In addition to glyphosate’s molecular similarity to glycine, glyphosate is known to have a propensity to avidly bind minerals such as manganese and magnesium, which minerals are implicated in the normal functioning of several neuronal calcium inflow regulatory factors. Our theory highlights areas deserving of further study.
Renal hemodynamic effects of exogenously administered adenosine and polyadenylic acid

Steady-state intrarenal arterial infusion of adenosine (Ado) suggests that there may be both afferent and efferent arteriolar actions of Ado. This study attempts to further differentiate vascular sites of action of Ado during an intrarenal infusion of Ado. We measured the filtration fraction (FF) during intrarenal infusion of Ado (33.3 nmol.kg-1 x min-1) in anesthetized dogs to determine its transient actions on renal hemodynamics. FF remained unchanged from preinfusion levels (0.42 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.46 +/- 0.01, respectively) at a time when renal blood flow (RBF) was significantly decreased (52 +/- 6% of control). During steady state, RBF was 96 +/- 5% of control, while FF was significantly decreased from control (0.27 +/- 0.02). To determine whether vasoconstriction and dilation to Ado are mediated by receptors accessible from intra- or extravascular compartments, two Ado analogues [oligoadenylic acid (oligo[A]), mol wt 5,000, and polyadenylic acid (poly[A]), mol wt > 100,000] were injected into the renal artery, and RBF response was compared with that of Ado. Poly[A] produced a transient vasodilation (42 +/- 6% increase in RBF), whereas oligo[A] produced a transient vasoconstriction (25 +/- 5% decrease in RBF). Responses to steady-state infusion of poly[A] (10 nmol.kg-1 x min-1) were determined in 11 anesthetized sodium-depleted dogs. Poly[A] produced a sustained significant increase in RBF from 2.83 +/- 0.31 to 3.92 +/- 0.40 ml.g-1 x min-1. This decrease in renal vascular resistance was blocked by an intrarenal infusion of the Ado antagonist theophylline (0.5 mumol.kg-1 x min-1, 2.68 +/- 0.38 vs. 2.85 +/- 0.38 ml.g-1 x min-1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Vaccines: Frontiers in Design and Development

The book by Philippe Moingeon reviews the challenges and opportunities linked with the design and development of novel vaccines. It is a timely publication in light of recent significant advances in the field of vaccinology which go beyond infectious diseases and now include cancers, autoimmune diseases, allergies, neurodegenerative disorders, and metabolic diseases. The editor has assembled a group of 30 scientists from six countries who work in academia, government, or industry and who authored 14 chapters about vaccines.
Pennsylvania Stacks the Deck Against Defendants in Commonwealth v. Alicia, Leaving False Confession Assessments to the Jury

This Note disagrees with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s holding that expert testimony on false confessions intrudes upon the jury’s role as the sole assessor of credibility. It argues the court failed to acknowledge and adhere to exceptions in the case law and improperly ruled in light of recent decisions. Part II provides an overview on the admission of expert testimony in Pennsylvania generally, as well as an overview as to how other jurisdictions specifically approach the admission of expert testimony on false confessions. Part III then sets out the facts and procedure of the case and analyzes the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision-making process in Alicia. Part IV criticizes the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s approach in treating false confessions in Alicia. Finally, Part V asserts the per se inadmissible standard regarding expert testimony on false confessions must be eliminated in Pennsylvania, and admissibility decisions should be left to the discretion of the trial court.
Behçet's disease as psychiatric disorder: a case report.

The author describes a man in whom a progressive psychiatric syndrome was the predominant manifestation of Behcet's disease. Incorrect labelling of his illness as functional may have contributed to the evolution of a permanently disabling dementia from a potentially treatable brain disease.
Arousal disorders in women: complaints and complexities.

■ Female sexual arousal disorders constitute a varied spectrum of difficulties, ranging from the total absence of genital or subjective pleasurable arousal to feelings of persistent genital arousal in the absence of sexual desire. ■ Arousal disorders can be associated with physical factors (eg, vaginal dryness) or psychological factors (eg, anxiety, distraction), or a combination of both. The most common complaint is the absence of subjective sexual excitement or pleasure despite adequate physical arousal (eg, lubrication). ■ Pharmacological and physical treatments include the use of oestrogen, lubricants and vibrators. There may be a place for drugs that increase vasocongestion and vasodilation. ■ Psychological therapy addresses inhibitions, and interpersonal and motivational factors.
Vibra-Tabs® (Pfizer)

This preparation is available as film coated tablets containing doxycycline hyclate equivalent to 100 mg of doxycycline. For further information, see VIBRAMYCIN.
Sex Differences in Pulmonary Anatomy and Physiology: Implications for Health and Disease

Abstract The physiological and pathophysiological impact of inherent sex differences in pulmonary anatomy and the modulating role of sex steroids (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) are being increasingly recognized. Although the importance of estrogen and progesterone in cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and neuronal function is better established, epidemiological, clinical, and bench research data highlight sex differences in the frequency, morbidity and mortality of pulmonary diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, and even pulmonary hypertension. However, the mechanisms of sex steroid signaling and their contribution to pulmonary diseases are still under investigation, with a fundamental question being whether sex steroids are detrimental or beneficial in the context of lung disease. In this chapter, we focus on inherent sex differences in airway structure and function across the age spectrum, and their potential role in airway disease, with discussion of the potential modulatory role of sex steroids on specific airway cell types that lead to altered lung structure and function in the context of disease.
Aggression in Adulthood, Psychology of

Recognizing the many different influences on adult aggression, the paper reviews a number of the most important factors that can contribute to violent assaults. Since research has demonstrated that there are relatively persistent individual differences in the readiness to engage in this behavior, it first considers hereditary and gender-related influences and then looks at the nature and role of personality characteristics associated with the predisposition to violence. This section is followed by a consideration of situational factors that can affect the likelihood of aggressive acts. The effects of aversive conditions, such as frustrations and decidedly unpleasant atmospheric conditions, are examined briefly, and then the article turns to priming effects such as the weapons effect and the transient influences of the violence portrayed in the mass media. It is noted that individual characteristics interact with situational factors in producing aggressive reactions. In conclusion, the paper takes up the role of disinhibitory influences, particularly anonymity and cultural values and beliefs.
Implementation of an Emergency Medicine Research Associates Program: Sharing 20 Years of Experience.

Author(s): Abar, Beau; DeRienzo, Vincent; Glick, Joseph; Wood, Nancy; Shah, Manish N.; Schneider, Sandra; Adler, David | Abstract: Introduction: The use of research associates (RA) programs to facilitate study enrollment in the emergency department was initiated during the mid-1990s. The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) was an early adopting site for this model, which has experienced considerable growth and development over the past 20 years. Methods: Our goal was to detail the Emergency Department Research Associates (EDRA) program processes developed at the URMC that has led to our program’s sustainability and productivity. These processes, and the lessons learned during their development, can assist institutions seeking to establish an RA program or refine an existing program. Results: Defined procedures for selecting, training, and monitoring EDRAs have been created and refined with the goal of maximizing study enrollment and minimizing protocol deviations. Our EDRA program functions as a paid service center for investigators, and our EDRAs engage in a variety of study-related activities including screening and enrolling patients, administering surveys, collecting bio-specimens, and making follow-up calls. Over the past two years, our program has averaged 222 enrollments/month (standard deviation = 79.93), gathering roughly 25 participants per study per month. Conclusion: Our EDRA model has consistently resulted in some of the highest number of enrollments across a variety of recently funded, multi-center studies. Maintaining a high-quality EDRA program requires continual investment on the part of the leadership team, though the benefits to investigators within and outside the department outweigh these costs.
The Development and Implementation of Instruction and Remote Access Components of Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is one of the latest emerging widespread production technologies. Almost any complex-part geometry is easily made using this technology and is usually used reliably. Many implementations of AM exist from areas as diverse as food industry to biomedical engineering; such a broad-spectrum usage of this technology makes it extremely attractive when combined with its low cost, reliability, color range, and complexity abilities.
Computer science meets industrial robotics: a visual servoing project for a computer vision course

This paper describes a visual servoing project that has been incorporated into a traditional upper-level computer vision course in a typical ABET accredited undergraduate computer science curriculum. Traditional computer vision concepts are reinforced in a hands-on industrial robotics setting where students implement a closed-loop vision algorithm using an industrial robotic arm. As industrial robotic arms and other technology become more readily available to academia, it should be investigated as to how this equipment can be integrated into a traditional computer science curriculum in order to: improve the quality of instruction; generate more interest in both fields of computer science and industrial robotics; and train a highly skilled manufacturing workforce.
Data Representations in Learning

This paper examines the effect of varying the coarse-ness (or fine-ness) in a data representation upon the learning or recognition accuracy achievable. This accuracy is quantified by the least probability of error in recognition or the Bayes error rate, for a finite-class pattern recognition problem. We examine variation in recognition accuracy as a function of resolution, by modeling the granularity variation of the representation as a refinement of the underlying probability structure of the data. Specifically, refining the data representation leads to improved bounds on the probability of error. Indeed, this confirms the intuitive notion that more information can lead to improved decision-making. This analysis may be extended to multiresolution methods where coarse-to-fine and fineto-coarse variations in representations are possible.
Hemi, Conventional, and Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty for the Treatment of Proximal Humerus Fractures

Proximal humerus fractures account for 4–5% of all adult fractures. Knowledge of the anatomy is vital in determining treatment and achieving optimal surgical outcome. A thorough history and physical exam is the foundation for correct treatment. Indications for shoulder arthroplasty for proximal humerus fractures in appropriate surgical candidates include three- and four-part fracture-dislocations, head-splitting fractures, impaction fractures of the humeral head with involvement of more than 50% of the articular surface, displaced anatomic neck fractures, and select three- and four-part proximal humerus in which there is a high risk of osteonecrosis or failure of internal fixation. Hemiarthroplasty is performed except in patients who are greater than 70 years old with poor tuberosity bone quality due to osteoporosis or comminution, preexisting chronic rotator cuff tear, or preexisting osteoarthritis of the glenohumeral joint. In such cases, reverse shoulder arthroplasty is preferred. Anatomic or conventional total shoulder arthroplasty is not utilized in acute proximal humerus fractures. Success with shoulder hemiarthroplasty or reverse shoulder arthroplasty for proximal humerus fractures is largely dependent on surgical technique. Goals of either surgery are proper restoration of prosthetic height, proper version, secure tuberosity attachment, and accurate soft tissue balancing of the rotator cuff.
Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA)

REBOA is an endovascular balloon system, which can be used in the emergency room, operating room, or intensive care unit, usually in trauma patients, for temporary bleeding control in the abdomen or pelvis (Fig. 19.1). The REBOA device is inserted using a transfemoral approach, and the balloon is inflated in the lower thoracic or abdominal aorta to establish temporary aortic occlusion and hemorrhage control, acting like an internal aortic cross-clamp. REBOA is used to bridge a patient to definitive treatment in the operating room or the interventional radiology suite. REBOA can be placed within a few minutes. REBOA is contraindicated in patients in cardiac arrest. In these cases a resuscitative thoracotomy with cross-clamp of the aorta and internal cardiac massage should be performed. The procedure is also contraindicated for intrathoracic bleeding and in cases with clinical or radiological suspicion of blunt thoracic aortic injury. REBOA produces distal ischemia and may cause ischemic damage to the kidneys, bowel, and liver if the occlusion is prolonged. Ideally, zone I occlusion should not last longer than 30 min.
Unbundling Production with Decreasing Average Costs

This paper argues that, even in the presence of decreasing average costs of production, monopolies can sometimes be avoided in the interest of market efficiency. It is shown that under certain conditions on the variable cost of production, there is an alternate, viable market structure that reduces the well-known deadweight loss of monopoly: an “upstream” market in which one or more firms own and share the fixed cost of creating and maintaining a distribution network, and a “downstream” market populated by a large number of firms that are charged a unit price for the network’s usage.
Author Correction: Dietary Additives and Supplements Revisited: the Fewer, the Safer for Gut and Liver Health

The original version of this article contained a mistake. The statement “VSL#3 (commercialized as Visbiome®)” is not correct. VSL#3® is not commercialized under the brand Visbiome®. It is currently available in the market with the same brand and is being sold in more than 30 countries.
Patient-Reported Outcomes Reveal Impairments Not Explained by Psychophysical Testing in Patients With Regressed PDR

Purpose We evaluated the correlations between visual deficits and patient-reported symptoms in patients with regressed proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) to determine whether there is a psychophysical basis for vision-related impairments. Methods Visual acuity, reading acuity, contrast sensitivity, frequency doubling perimetry (FDP), Humphrey field analyzer (HFA), and dark adaptation assessed visual function. The National Eye Institute Vision Function Questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25) and Low Luminance Questionnaire (LLQ) assessed quality of life. Results We recruited 30 adults who received panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) for PDR and 15 control subjects; 22 diabetic and 11 control participants completed a second evaluation 5 years later. Visual acuity of the worse-seeing eyes tended to correlate better with NEI VFQ-25 and LLQ than did the acuity of the better-seeing eyes. Other vision measures were generally not associated with either questionnaire, especially responses related to driving ability and mental health. Visual acuity only detected subnormal performance in 43% to 45% of patients, while FDP 24-2, HFA 60-4, and LLQ detected abnormal performance in >80% of patients. Conclusions Poor visual acuity may explain some vision-related impairments in daily function. However, many patients with regressed PDR have normal acuity but reduced visual field and poor quality of life. In these patients, their reported symptoms were not fully explained by visual acuity or any psychophysical tests alone. Translational Relevance Visual acuity is a poor indicator of overall visual function in people with regressed PDR. In clinical settings, visual field tests and patient-reported outcomes may provide more comprehensive assessments of their functional deficits than visual acuity.
Association of baseline inflammatory biomarkers with cancer mortality in the REGARDS cohort

// Tomi Akinyemiju 1 , Justin X. Moore 2 , Daniel Tefera Dibaba 3 , Maria Pisu 4 , Michael Goodman 5 , Virginia J. Howard 6 , Monika Safford 7 , Susan C. Gilchrist 8 , Mary Cushman 9 , LeAnn Long 10 and Suzanne E. Judd 10 1 Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA 2 Division of Public Health Sciences and Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA 3 Tennessee Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA 4 Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham AL, USA 5 Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA 6 Department of Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham AL, USA 7 Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA 8 Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention and Cardiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA 9 Department of Medicine and Vermont Cancer Center, Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA 10 Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Correspondence to: Tomi Akinyemiju, email: tomi.akinyemiju@duke.edu Keywords: inflammatory biomarkers; racial disparities; cancer mortality; obesity Received: December 12, 2018 Accepted: June 29, 2019 Published: August 06, 2019 ABSTRACT This study examines the association between inflammatory biomarkers and risk of cancer mortality by race. Data were obtained from 1,856 participants in the prospective REGARDS cohort who were cancer-free at baseline, and analyzed in relation to cancer mortality prospectively. Biomarkers were log-transformed and categorized into tertiles due to non-normal distributions, and Cox proportional hazard regression models were utilized to compute hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals using robust sandwich methods. Individuals in the highest tertile of IL-6 had over a 12-fold increased risk of cancer mortality (HR: 12.97, 95% CI: 3.46–48.63); those in the highest tertile of IL-8 had over a 2-fold increased risk of cancer mortality (HR: 2.21, 95% CI: 0.86–5.71), while those in the highest tertile of IL-10 had over a 3-fold increased risk of cancer mortality (HR: 3.06, 95% CI: 1.35–6.89). In race-stratified analysis, each unit increase in IL-6 was associated with increased risk of cancer mortality among African-Americans (HR: 3.88, 95% CI: 1.17–12.88) and Whites (5.25, 95% CI: 1.24–22.31). If replicated in larger, racially diverse prospective cohorts, these results suggest that cancer patients may benefit from clinical or lifestyle approaches to regulate systemic inflammation as a cancer prevention strategy.
Centenarians: A Film Review

Have you ever considered asking a centenarian about their sex life? Most likely you have not, however, in the documentary, Centenarians, there are no rules. This short documentary is one episode in...
A microfluidic platform integrating pressure-driven and electroosmotic-driven flow with inline filters for affinity separations

Pancreatic islets of Langerhans release glucagon to maintain blood glucose levels, and release of this peptide is dysregulated in diabetes mellitus. Although the importance of proper secretion of this peptide has been shown, no measurement of its release at the single islet level has been reported. In previous work, a non-competitive assay for glucagon was developed with a 6 pM limit of detection, low enough to measure from a single islet. To incorporate this method in an online assay, a microfluidic system with several distinct features was developed. To maintain appropriate flow rates in the presence of the high concentration of salt that was required for the assay, a piezo-actuated pressure transducer with in-line flow sensors was used to drive sample flow through 80 × 50 μm (width × depth) channels, while electroosmotic flow was used to gate the sample away from 15 × 5 μm separation channel. Flow rates tested with this system were 50 - 200 nL min-1 with relative standard deviations (RSDs) ranging from 1 - 4 %. Use of the pressure-driven flow was found to increase the amount of clogs in the system, so a method to incorporate in-line filters into the channels was developed. A total of 4 low resistance, in-line microfabricated filters were evaluated, with all designs prolonging the operation time of the microfluidic device to more than 4 hours without clogs observed. Use of this system enabled highly reproducible injections (3-6% RSD). During initial incorporation of the noncompetitive assay for glucagon, it was determined that Joule heating was problematic and temperature measurements revealed the separation channel increased to more than 50°C during operation. A 3D-printed manifold was used to hold a Peltier cooler in place on the microfluidic device which produced a 2.6-fold improvement in the amount of the noncovalent glucagon complex that was detected compared to without cooling. These features are expected to be useful for not only long-term monitoring of the glucagon release from islets of Langerhans, but has the potential to be applied to a number of other microfluidic separation-based assays as well.
The role of the cerebellar cortex in the retention of the conditioned eyeblink response with the stimulation of the dorsolateral pontine nuclei as a conditioned stimulus

The present study assessed the effects of lesions of cerebellar cortex on conditioned responses (CRs) using stimulation of the pontine nuclei as a conditioned stimulus (CS). Seven male New Zealand albino rabbits were implanted with stimulating electrodes in and around the dorsolateral pontine nuclei (DLPN). They were then trained to DLPN stimulation-airpuff pairings until they acquired the classically conditioned eyeblink response. Following training, the animals were given a lesion of the paramedian, ansiform, and Larsell’s HVI lobule. They were then retrained to DLPN stimulation. These animals relearned in 1–9 days. One animal with damage to the interpositus nucleus (IP) neither reacquired to DLPN stimulation nor learned to a tone conditioned stimulus (CS). Together with previous studies from our laboratory, these results suggest that the cerebellar cortex plays an important, though not essential, role in the retention of classically conditioned eyeblink responses to tone, light, lateral reticular nucleus stimulation or pontine nucleus stimulation. However, rabbits in the present study did require significantly longer to reach a stable level of performance after the lesion than they did before the lesion, suggesting that the cerebellar cortex plays a particularly important role in DLPN-stimulation conditioning.
Malignant Gliomas: Simplifying the Complexity

The dramatic intertumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity in glioblastoma represents a formidable obstacle to finding effective combination targeted therapy for each individual patient. The article by Wang and colleagues in this issue of Cancer Discovery adds to a growing body of literature that points to these diverse aberrant genomes coalescing onto a very limited number of cellular states, reviving the hope of eventually identifying and therapeutically targeting just a few central gene-regulatory targets in most gliomas.See related article by Wang et al., p. 1708.
Lichens of Iowa's White Pine Hollow State Preserve

A lichen diversity survey of White Pine Hollow State Preserve in Dubuque County, Iowa, revealed the presence of 117 different lichens including 13 previously unrecorded for the state of Iowa, 72 previously unrecorded for Dubuque County, and one recorded in Iowa on only one prior occasion. This increases the number of lichens reported for the state of Iowa to a total of 478 and the number recorded for White Pine Hollow to 123. Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm., an old-growth specialist that is facing declines around the globe, was not amongst the lichens observed although one of the last known collections (1901) of this lichen in Iowa occurred at White Pine Hollow. Efforts to propagate L. pulmonaria in a greenhouse setting as a means of providing insight to whether a reintroduction might be feasible were unsuccessful.
Cutaneous Involvement in Plasma Cell Myeloma.

Objectives Plasma cell myeloma (PCM) involving skin is rare and occurs in 1% to 4% of patients with PCM. We evaluated the clinicopathologic features, cytogenetic findings and clinical follow-up in a series of PCM cases with cutaneous involvement. Methods Cases of PCM with cutaneous involvement were retrospectively reviewed with clinical data. Results Skin involvement in PCM occurred in older individuals (mean, 75 years) and was more frequent in men (7/10 patients). All cases showed bone marrow involvement preceding the cutaneous lesions. Histopathologically, the infiltrate was plasmacytic (n = 5) or primitive or plasmablastic (n = 4), and 1 case showed predominantly lymphoplasmacytic features with cyclin D1 immunoreactivity and CCND1 gene rearrangement. Concurrent amyloid deposition was seen in one biopsy, and another case demonstrated coexisting squamous cell carcinoma. The most common immunophenotype was CD138+, CD20-, and CD56+ with light chain restriction. Cytogenetic analysis (available for 7 cases) showed multiple hyperdiploid abnormalities. Follow-up was available for 8 cases (mean, 42 months; range, 11-156 months) and showed short-term disease-related death in 7 of 8 patients. Conclusions Cutaneous involvement in PCM demonstrates a diverse cytomorphologic spectrum with plasmacytic, plasmablastic, or lymphoplasmacytic features and may show concurrent amyloid deposition or neoplasms such as squamous cell carcinoma. Cutaneous involvement typically occurs late in the course of the disease and likely portends poor outcome.
Clinical impact of interruption in adjuvant Trastuzumab therapy in patients with operable HER-2 positive breast cancer.

Trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity (TIC) can lead to early discontinuation of adjuvant therapy, however there is limited evidence on long-term survival outcomes in patients with operable human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer (BC) experiencing treatment interruption or discontinuation. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate disease-free survival (DFS) in non-metastatic, HER2-positive, female BC patients who experienced treatment interruption or early discontinuation of trastuzumab therapy. Clinical and histopathological data were collected on 400 patients at The Ohio State University, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center between January 2005 and December 2015. Treatment interruption was defined as any delay of ≥2 weeks during trastuzumab therapy, including permanent cessation prior to completing planned therapy. TIC was defined as LVEF 15 points decline from baseline as evaluated by 2D echocardiogram after initiation of (neo) adjuvant therapy. DFS was defined as the time from diagnosis to first recurrence (loco-regional or distant recurrence) including second primary BC or death. Overall survival (OS) was defined as the time from diagnosis to death or last known follow up. OS/DFS estimates were generated using Kaplan-Meier methods and compared using Log-rank tests. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for OS/DFS. A total of 369 patients received trastuzumab therapy; 106 (29%) patients experienced treatment interruption at least once and 42 (11%) permanently discontinued trastuzumab prior to completing planned therapy. TIC was the most common reason for interruption (66 patients, 62%). The median duration of trastuzumab in patients with treatment interruption was 11.3 months (range: 0.5–16.9) with 24 (23%) patients receiving ≤6 months of therapy. This duration includes the time delay related to treatment interruption. Patients with any treatment interruption had worse DFS (aHR: 4.4, p = 0.001) and OS (aHR: 4.8, p < 0.001) after adjusting for age, stage, grade, ER, node status and TIC. Treatment interruption or early discontinuation of trastuzumab therapy in early HER2-positive BC, most often from TIC, is an independent prognostic marker for worse DFS and OS in operable HER2-positive BC. Future prospective studies should consider targeting at-risk populations and optimizing cardiac function to avoid interruption in trastuzumab therapy.
Baby Boomers' use of Facebook and Instagram: uses and gratifications theory and contextual age indicators

Abstract Social media research tends to prioritize how young adults – and college students, in particular – use social network sites. While several studies have focused on how Facebook can help alleviate loneliness among older adults, the motives for using other social media platforms, including Instagram, have not been adequately explored. This study therefore focuses on how a uses and gratifications framework applies to older users of Facebook and Instagram, including the relationship to contextual age. A survey of 414 Baby Boomers and Traditionalists was conducted in the Fall of 2019. The results revealed that older adults rely on Facebook and Instagram to compensate for the lack of social activity and face-to-face interactions in their daily lives. These patterns are consistent with social compensation hypothesis and contradict the findings of studies done with college students. In addition, the older adults' life satisfaction was a negative predictor of using these sites for companionship and diversion. Future research should furthermore explore how other personality traits and social situations might influence older individuals use of social media. This knowledge can be particularly useful in times of health pandemic, such as COVID-19, when so many older individuals are confined to their homes and rely on social media for interaction and entertainment. Insight into intergenerational social media usage differences can also benefit advertisers, policy makers, recreational groups, healthcare and social services.
Rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 using a radiolabeled antibody.

Abstract Purpose Infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19), poses a serious risk to humanity and represents a huge challenge for healthcare systems worldwide. Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been evident that adequate testing is an essential step in limiting and controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we present an accurate, inexpensive, scalable, portable, and rapid detection kit to directly detect SARS-CoV-2 in biological samples that could even be translated for population testing. We have demonstrated that our method can reliably identify viral load and could be used to reach those fractions of the population with limited access to more sophisticated and expensive tests. Procedures The proposed SARS-CoV-2 detection kit is based on the combination of a SARS-CoV-2-targeted antibody (CR3022) that targets spike protein S1 domain on the viral surface. This antibody was radiolabeled with a long-lived isotope (Iodine-125) to allow us to detect bound antibody in samples with SARS-CoV-2. We used a series of in vitro assays to determine sensitivity and specificity and facilitate automation of the testing kit. Bound antibody was extracted from saliva samples via a centrifugation step and a semi-permeable membrane. Our kit was further validated using SARS-CoV-2 virions. Results We were able to accomplish radiosynthesis of [125I]I-CR3022 reliably without loss of binding. The SARS-CoV-2-sensing antibody was shown to maintain its spike S1 affinity and to bind to as low as 2.5–5 ng of spike protein. We then used beads-bound spike S1 to develop a separation kit which proved to be both easy to use and inexpensive. The kit made it possible to extract bound antibody from the saliva-like sample. We were able to validate the separation kit using intact SARS-CoV-2 virions and showed that our kit can detect a viral concentration as low as 19,700 PFU/mL (~ 9.22%TBF) and as high as 1,970,000 PFU/mL (45.04%TBF). Conclusion Here we report the development and validation of a SARS-CoV-2 detection system based on the combination of a specific radiolabeled antibody and a separation membrane. We demonstrate our system to be comparable to other SARS-CoV-2 detection kits already approved by the FDA and believe this technology could be easily deployed to countries with limited resources for the diagnosis of COVID-19. Furthermore, workflows could be easily adapted to target other antigens and therefore other types of diseases.
Endoscopic Transpapillary Gallbladder Drainage for Acute Cholecystitis using Two Gallbladder Stents (Dual Gallbladder Stenting).

Background/aims Endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage (ETPGBD) is gaining popularity for the management of acute cholecystitis (AC) in high-risk patients. However, the stents placed during the procedure are not immune to obstruction. Here we describe a novel technique of stenting with two transpapillary stents and evaluate its technical feasibility, safety, and efficacy in AC. Methods A retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing ETPGBD using dual stents for AC at our institution between November 1, 2017 and August 31, 2020 was conducted. We abstracted patient data to evaluate technical and clinical success, adverse events, and long-term outcomes. Two stents were placed either during the index procedure or during an interval procedure performed 4-6 weeks after the index procedure. Results A total of 21 patients underwent ETPGBD with dual stenting (57.14% male, mean age: 62.14±17.21 years). The median interval between the placement of the first and the second stents was 37 days (range: 0-226 days). Technical and clinical success rates were 100%, with a recurrence rate of 4.76% (n=1) and adverse event rate of 9.52% (n=2) during a mean follow-up period of 471.74±345.64 days (median: 341 days, range: 55-1084 days). Conclusions ETPGBD with dual gallbladder stenting is a safe and effective technique for long-term gallbladder drainage in non-surgical candidates. Larger controlled studies are needed to validate our findings for the widespread implementation of this technique.
Substantia nigra 6-OHDA lesions mimic striatopallidal disruption of syntactic grooming chains: A neural systems analysis of sequence control

It has been suggested that the coordination of complex sequences of behavior requires normal nigrostriatal function. A previous study showed that kainic acid lesions of the corpus striatum can disrupt the performance of natural, untrained stereotyped sequences (syntactic chains), which occur regularly during normal rodent grooming. In this study, intranigral injections of 6-OHDA were used to destroy nigrostriatal dopamine projections in order to deplete the striatum of dopaminergic inputs. Striatal dopamine depletion was found to disrupt the effective completion of syntactic grooming chains. Syntactic chain disruption was correlated with the aphagia that follows dopamine depletion. These data were compared with those from previous studies of chain completion after striatal damage, after sensory deafferentation, and after decerebration at various levels of the brainstem. These comparisons indicated that the loss of either dopamine projections or intrinsic striatal neurons produced equivalent disruption of syntactic grooming chains. It also showed that loss of either component of the nigrostriatal system disrupted chaining to a degree equal to that produced by loss of the entire forebrain. These results suggest that the integrity of nigrostriatal systems is crucial to forebrain implementation of this stereotyped sequence.
Plenary presentations and public citations from The American Association for Thoracic Surgery.

Abstract Objective We examined the impact of work presented in the plenary sessions at the meeting of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS), by determining how frequently the published papers corresponding to the session presentations during the past 20 years, were cited; those that were most cited were identified. Methods We reviewed the AATS meeting programs from the 20-year period from 1994 to 2014 and identified the corresponding publications in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery ( JTCVS ) from all abstracts presented at the plenary sessions. Papers were categorized as cardiac, thoracic, or congenital. References were evaluated for subsequent citation in the Web of Science (WoS), and Google Scholar (GS). We determined both the median number of citations overall, and per year. For comparison, we evaluated numbers of citations in WoS from current JTCVS papers in issues containing the 3 most-cited plenary session papers. Results Among 195 published plenary papers, the median number of citations in WoS and GS was 49 and 76, respectively. The median total number of citations in WoS was as follows: 51 for cardiac-category papers (n = 105); 61 for thoracic (n = 55), and 41 for congenital (n = 35). These values were higher than the median total number of citations for contemporary nonplenary JTCVS papers: cardiac (22, n = 55; P P = .183); and congenital (15.5, n = 24; P = .002) papers published in JTCVS . The median number of citations per year since publication for plenary publications was 5.9 (cardiac), 6 (thoracic), and 3.7 (congenital), respectively. Conclusions Publications corresponding to the plenary sessions of the AATS are highly cited and include some of the seminal studies in our field in the past 20 years.
Dynamic analysis of a segmented telescope testbed

This paper describes the control analysis and simulation of a test rig currently being designed within the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) project. This project is now in the preliminary stage of development and consists in designing a very large optical and infrared telescope with a segmented primary mirror in the range of 10+ meters in diameter. A primary mirror active control system (ACS) will dynamically adjust the segments' positions, for approximating them to an hyperboloid global surface. Under operation, the segmented primary is perturbed by gravity, temperature, and wind effects within a somewhat large frequency spectrum. The telescope structure natural modes limit the bandwidth of the control system. A structure design goal is obtaining a robust, lightweight mirror tube with its lowest resonant mode as high as possible. But the interaction between the segment alignment control system, wind disturbances, and telescope structural dynamics impacts the telescope optical performance. This results in a loss of the optical resolution, in the range of sub-arcseconds. We show the proposed control system structure and the simulations performed on a model of a reduced telescope test platform.
Formation of slow shock pairs associated with coronal mass ejections

The formation of a forward-reverse slow shock pair in the solar corona is presently simulated by an MHD model that uses the Rankine-Hugoniot solution to calculate the flow-property jumps at all shock crossings. The shocks divide the solution-domain into several continuous flow regions whose respective governing characteristics are solved by the method of characteristics. The plasma impact compresses the plasma near the front of the coronal mass ejection (CME); as the CME-associated slow shock pair moves outwards in interplanetary space, it evolves into a pair of fast shocks. All three phenomena are eventually manifested in interplanetary space as a magnetic cloud accompanied by a fast shock pair, with a forward shock preceding the cloud and a reverse shock appearing either within or behind the cloud.
Electronic communication in a geographically dispersed community of forensic scientists

Electronic communication creates new pathways for knowledge sharing, through e-mail, listservers, electronic repositories of information, and web-based forums. This study focuses on two questions in the context of electronic communication in a distributed knowledge intensive community: (1) How do individuals in the community seek answers to their questions? and (2) Why do other individuals answer those questions? Thus, the first question addresses an individual's activities of knowledge seeking, whereas the second question focuses on an individual's willingness to share his or her knowledge with the questioner.
GEOMETRIC ISOMORPHISMS BETWEEN INFINITE DIMENSIONAL TEICHMULLER SPACES

Let X and Y be the interiors of bordered Riemann surfaces with finitely generated fundamental groups and nonempty borders. We prove that every holomorphic isomorphism of the Teichmiiller space of X onto the Teichmiiller space of Y is induced by a quasiconformal homeomorphism of X onto Y. These Teichmiiller spaces are not finite dimensional and their groups of holomorphic automorphisms do not act properly discontinuously, so the proof presents difficulties not present in the classical case. To overcome them we study weak continuity properties of isometries of the tangent spaces to Teichmiiller space and special properties of Teichmiiller disks.
Valuing National Security: Climate Change, the Military, and Society

This Article proposes a hypothesis: By linking a reduction in reliance on fossil fuels to the value of promoting national security, what I have called the Military-Environmental Complex has the potential to change individual attitudes and beliefs, and therefore behavior and political debate, about energy use and climate change. Studies have shown that individuals with certain values or political ideologies are less likely to believe in the existence of scientific consensus about climate change, have positive attitudes toward addressing climate change as an urgent policy matter, and behave in ways that reduce energy use. Connecting climate change to national security risks and reduced fossil fuel use to strengthening the military can affect these individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, and behavior in these arenas. In particular, two aspects of the Military-Environmental Complex can serve as potential drivers of change: first, the military’s role as an unequivocal validator of climate science, and, second, its current efforts to value the true costs and benefits to its mission of energy conservation and increased use of renewables. Although not necessarily its goal, the Military-Environmental Complex thus has the potential to unleash important spillover effects in the sphere of values, behavior, and policy.
Studies of the pH Gradient and Thickness of Frog Gastric Mucus Gel

The role of mucus in protecting the underlying gastric epithelium is unknown. We investigated the pH gradient and thickness of the mucus gel layer in in vitro gastric fundic mucosa mounted in a special chamber using an antimony microelectrode, a slit lamp, and a dissecting microscope (× 40). This system allowed visualization of the tip of the electrode as it entered the mucus gel and as it reached the mucosa. With luminal pH maintained at 3.0-3.5, the maximum pH at interface between mucus and cells was 6.50 ± 0.10 (n = 9). At luminal pH 3.0-3.5, an increase in nutrient [HCO3-] from 17.8 to 47.8 δM resulted in an increase in maximum pH within the mucus from 6.80 ± 0.20 to 7.60 ± 0.20 (p
Big Things Have Small Beginnings: Curating a Large Natural History Collection—Processes and Lessons Learned

INTRODUCTION Digitization of natural history collections is underway in earnest around the world and presented via platforms such as JSTOR Plants. Few natural history digital collections of specimens exist in academic institutional repositories, in spite of the fact that many universities have repositories and also hold extensive natural history collections. At Eastern Illinois University, a mid-sized public university, librarians worked with the Biological Sciences department to develop the means to digitize the 80,000 specimens of the Stover-Ebinger Herbarium collection. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT Setting up digitization of the herbarium collection required meeting with experts associated with important projects in the field, such as Symbiota, and with acquiring the correct digitization equipment. Data management techniques had to be developed to move metadata from an Access database to Symbiota and to the institutional repository platform. These were informative steps to be taken and will enable easier development of future natural history collections. NEXT STEPS Having procured the correct equipment and expert guidance, the library is ready for move forward with digitization of this large collection. The existing 16,000 records in the repository will have images added to them, databasing and imaging will proceed for the remaining 64,000 specimens, and we will be exploring the impact of these specimen records in the “Cited by” notation in Google Scholar, as well as adding specimen field notes to enhance the collection.