cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Spider Mite (Acari: Tetranychidae) Injury on Essential Oil Metabolism in Peppermint

Studies were conducted to examine the effects of injury by the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, on metabolism of essential oil components (monoterpenes) in peppermint, Mentha piperita L. Mite injury increased the relative amounts of menthol and neomenthol and decreased the amount of pulegone in oil extracted from single leaves, thereby effecting more rapid oil “maturation.” We believe this resulted from accelerated enzymatic reduction of pulegone to the menthol isomers brought about by increased availability of soluble carbohydrate to oil-producing epidermal gland cells. Osmotic adjustment, utilizing soluble carbohydrate, in response to mite-induced leaf water stress, is the probable mechanism operating to increase carbohydrate levels. Reduction of pulegone to menthol and neomenthol requires reducing power in the form of NADPH and thus is dependent on the energy status of the gland cells in which monoterpene metabolism occurs. Increased supply of carbohydrate from surrounding water-stressed mesophyll cells may provide the additional energy needed for the acceleration of pulegone reduction to menthol isomers in mite-injured peppermint leaves.
Generation of conditional knockout mice

Conditional knockout mouse models are powerful tools to examine the biological and molecular function(s) of genes in specific tissues. The general procedure to generate such genetically engineered mouse models consists of three main steps. The first step is to find the appropriate genomic clone of the gene of interest and to design the cloning and Southern blot strategies. The second step is the cloning of the gene-targeting vector with all its essential components including positive and negative selection cassettes and the insertion of LoxP sites. Although conventional methods are still being widely used for DNA cloning, we describe in this book chapter the use of λ Red phage-based homologous recombination in Escherichia coli to capture the genomic DNA of the gene of interest and to assemble the gene-targeting vector. This new method provides several advantages as it does not require the presence of restriction sites within the gene of interest to insert LoxP-flanked DNA fragments. In the final step, the gene-targeting vector is transferred into embryonic stem (ES) cells, and successfully targeted ES cell clones are injected into mouse blastocysts to generate conditional knockout mice.
Effects of dilation with a balloon catheter on the endothelium of the internal thoracic artery.

Controlled dilation of the internal thoracic artery with a balloon catheter has been reported to effectively treat intraoperative arterial spasm. It has been shown in laboratory animals that dilation of the internal thoracic artery at prescribed shear force levels will not cause intimal damage. Using scanning electron and light microscopy, we have examined the effects of calibrated balloon dilation on the endothelium of the human internal thoracic artery. In 10 patients with bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting, the artery was dilated with a Fogarty IMAG balloon catheter (Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Edwards Division, Santa Ana, Calif.) that was withdrawn at tensions of 20 or 30 gm. Arterial segments and nondilated control specimens were prepared for scanning electron microscopy. The intimal surface of each internal thoracic artery was evaluated by assigning a score (from 0 to 3) to 10 examined scanning electron microscopy fields; subsequently the arterial tissue was viewed by light microscopy with paraffin-embedded sections stained for elastic tissue. Arteries were obtained from three additional patients so that the microscopic appearance of the arteries could be observed after rough manipulation or removal of the balloon without shearing. The results of this study are as follows: (1) By scanning electron microscopy, dilated internal thoracic arteries yielded consistently higher scores than the control arteries, reflecting severe, tension-dependent alterations of the endothelium, which included marked desquamation of endothelial cells, with extensive areas of complete denudation and pronounced attachment of platelets to these areas; (2) endothelial injury occurred by inflation alone, without shearing by the inflated balloon; (3) by light microscopy, the internal thoracic arteries showed (a) fenestrations of the internal elastic lamina with occasional transmigration of smooth muscle cells through these gaps and (b) foci of intimal thickening without overt atherosclerotic lesions. We conclude that the endothelium of human internal thoracic arteries is highly vulnerable to balloon dilation, which can severely injure the intimal surface. For this reason we prefer not to include this procedure in our protocol for preparing the internal thoracic artery. (J T horac C ardiovasc S urg 1992;103:375—80)
Civil Law and Personal Injury

Forensic experts often perform psychological evaluations in various stages in civil personal injury cases. In these cases, the State has not brought criminal charges against an individual. Rather, an individual (or group), who is called the Plaintiff(s) files suit against another individual (or group) who is called the defendant(s) alleging that the defendant(s) breached some duty or obligation to him or her (them) and that, as a result of that breach of duty, some harm or injury has occurred. The plaintiff will file with the court ‘pleadings’ or a list of ‘causes of action’, which are allegations of what the defendant(s) did to (or failed to do for) the plaintiff. The defense will usually file motions trying to dismiss the claims based on both legal and substantative reasons. Sometimes the defense will file for ‘summary judgment’ to dismiss the lawsuit if it contends that there is no legal basis for the claim or claims. If summary judgment is not granted, then the long process of civil litigation begins.
Bending and Twisting Effects in the Three-dimensional Finite Deformations of an Inextensible Network

A theory is presented for bending and twisting effects in three-dimensional deformations of an inextensible network. The networks are modeled as material surfaces endowed with kinematical variables representing bending and non-standard fiber twisting effects. By using the minimum-energy principle, the Euler-Lagrange equations and boundary conditions are derived. Also, the compatibility conditions are obtained. Finally, the Euler-Lagrange equations are simplified and then specialized to obtain the equilibrium equations of Wang and Pipkin (1986a) and those for an inextensible rod.
Evaluation of Vibrotactile Warning Systems for Supporting Hazard Awareness and Safety of Distracted Pedestrians

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS We evaluated prototype vibrotactile warning systems for supporting pedestrian awareness of approaching hazards. Mobile devices are used by people on the move for leisure and essential task activities in many work domains. While they can be a source of distraction, they also offer sensing capabilities and computing power that can detect and direct attention to approaching hazards. By presenting vibrations from devices distributed around the body, as if embedded in personal protective equipment, these systems can quickly and intuitively convey the risk of collision with a hazard and its approach direction to guide avoidance maneuvers. Results of a simulator study suggest these vibratory warnings improve response time to and avoidance of true hazards, especially when conducting distracting secondary tasks. Future developments of such systems offer promise for increasing safety for distracted pedestrians, as well as for workers in domains that impose high demand on visual and/or audi...
Perceptions of harm and reasons for misuse of prescription opioid drugs and reasons for not seeking treatment for physical or emotional pain among a sample of college students

ABSTRACTBackground: Since the early 1990s, the United States has seen a significant increase in the prevalence of prescription opioid misuse. Despite benefits prescription opioids provide, misuse can be fatal. Objectives: The current study was designed to investigate the prevalence of prescription opioid misuse, perceived harm of misuse, and reasons for misuse for physical or emotional pain instead of seeking professional medical or mental health treatment. Methods: Survey data were collected in the fall of 2013 via an online survey to a random sample of 668 students from a public Midwestern university. Results: Lifetime prevalence of prescription opioid misuse was 9.5%. Misusers of prescription opioid drugs generally reported lower ratings of perceived harm as compared to individuals not reporting misuse of prescription opioid drugs. Primary reasons for misuse of prescription opioid drugs was to relieve pain (33.9%), “to feel good/get high” (23.2%) and experimentation (21.4%). Lifetime misuse of a prescr...
On the structure of Selmer groups of p-ordinary modular forms over Zp-extensions

Abstract We prove analogues of the major algebraic results of [GV00] for Selmer groups of p-ordinary newforms over Z p -extensions which may be neither cyclotomic nor anticyclotomic, under a number of technical hypotheses, including a cotorsion assumption on the Selmer groups. The main complication which arises in our work is the possible presence of finite primes which can split completely in the Z p -extension being considered, resulting in the local cohomology groups that appear in the definition of the Selmer groups being significantly larger than they are in the case of a finitely decomposed prime. We give a careful analysis of the Λ-module structure of these local cohomology groups and identify the relevant finiteness condition one must impose to make the proof of the key cohomological surjectivity result [GV00, Proposition 2.1] work in our more general setting.
Using reflection to identify dissonance, consonance, and interest in teaching: Comparing definitions and stories to resolve conflict

This work-in-progress paper investigates how interest in teaching develops. Through a reflective process prompted by interview questions, study participants define teaching and share narratives about their teaching and learning experiences. By comparing participants' cognitive constructs of teaching with their descriptions of teaching as an action, we identify two emergent discourses: consonant discourses, in which theoretical and practical models of teaching are aligned, and dissonant discourses, in which definitions and actions are in tension with each other. Preliminary analyses indicate a connection between an observed interest in teaching and consonance, as well as between reflection and development of consonance.
The application of web of data technologies in building materials information modelling for construction waste analytics

Predicting and designing out construction waste in real time is complex during building waste analysis (BWA) since it involves a large number of analyses for investigating multiple waste-efficient design strategies. These analyses require highly specific data of materials that are scattered across different data sources. A repository that facilitates applications in gaining seamless access to relatively large and distributed data sources of building materials is currently unavailable for conducting the BWA. Such a repository is the first step to developing a simulation tool for the BWA. Existing product data exchange ontologies and classification systems lack adequate modelling of building materials for the BWA. In this paper, we propose a highly resilient and data-agnostic building materials database. We use ontologies at the core of our approach to capture highly accurate and semantically conflicting data of building materials using the Resource Description Framework (RDF) and Web Ontology Language (OWL). Owing to the inherent capabilities of RDF, the architecture provides syntactical homogeneity while accessing the diverse and distributed data of building materials during the BWA. We use software packages such as Protege and Oracle RDF Graph database for implementing the proposed architecture. Our research provides technical details and insights for researchers and software engineers who are seeking to develop the semantic repositories of similar kind of simulation applications that can be used for building waste performance analysis.
The Distribution of Macromolecular Principles throughout Introductory Organic Chemistry

Many of the principles of organic polymer chemistry are direct extensions of the information contained in the standard introductory organic chemistry course. Often, however, the discussion of macromolecules is relegated to a chapter at the end of the organic chemistry text and is covered briefly, if at all. Connecting the organic-chemical principles of macromolecules to those of small molecules at the time these principles are first presented demonstrates some of the practical implications of organic chemistry, including medical applications. Making these connections can serve as a motivator to many students who are interested in medical applications of organic chemistry. Several examples of how macromolecular principles can be distributed throughout an introductory organic chemistry course to connect basic concepts to everyday life are discussed.
Preventive nephrology in the era of “I” evidence: should we screen for chronic kidney disease?

In this issue, Ferguson and colleagues demonstrate that chronic kidney disease (CKD) screening in populations burdened with CKD may be cost effective. Whether we should screen for CKD, however, continues to be debated despite the availability of effective clinical strategies that mitigate the risks of CKD progression. This study highlights the need for pragmatic trials to test the effectiveness of early CKD detection combined with optimization of clinical management and calls for innovation to tackle CKD.
Using size exclusion chromatography to monitor the synthesis of melanins from catecholamines.

Abstract We have employed size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to the study of the auto- and Cu2+-mediated oxidation of the catecholamines, dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine, into melanins. We observed that, due to non-size exclusion-mediated effects, the catecholamines and some of the low molecular mass intermediates generated during the oxidation reactions, could be resolved from each other and from the high molecular mass pigment generated. Thus, SEC allowed us to monitor the disappearance of the catecholamine starting compounds, the appearance and subsequent disappearance of the low molecular mass chromophores generated in the initial phase of the reactions and the appearance of the high molecular mass melanins. In the process of this research, we observed that many, mostly anionic polysaccharides (PS), enhanced both the auto- and Cu2+-mediated oxidation of all three catecholamines. SEC analyses of reaction mixtures involving PS suggested that very high molecular mass aggregates between PS and melanins can be generated. In addition, SEC analysis allowed us to verify the efficiency of the dialysis purification process employed to obtain pure and dried melanin materials for cell-biological studies.
Abstract 1120: Chronopharmacology of cisplatin: role of the circadian rhythm in modulating cisplatin-induced toxicity in melanoma mouse model

Purpose: The goal of this research is to highlight novel and divergent molecular mechanisms of the circadian system in modulating the response of cisplatin therapy against melanoma tumors. Cisplatin is one of the most commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs in treating a variety of tumors including cancers of ovaries, testis, lungs, blood and solid tumors of the head and neck, and is more recently under clinical trials for potential application in melanoma tumors. However, the major limitation of cisplatin as a chemotherapeutic drug is its tumor resistance and nephrotoxicity. Hence, improving the effectiveness and reducing the toxicities associated with cisplatin therapy are desirable outcomes. Studies on human models have shown decreased renal and blood toxicity by time-of-the-day. Consequently, our project seeks to study the chronopharmacological effects and understand the mechanisms that have been successfully demonstrated in human models. We hypothesize a mechanistic, circadian rhythm-based cause for these outcomes. Experimental Design: Studies were done on B16F10 melanoma mouse models of wild-type and circadian disrupted Per1/2 -/- animals treated with 3 doses of 5 mg/kg cisplatin in the morning (7 AM) and evening (5 PM). Animal weights and tumor sizes were measured regularly post-treatment. Upon sacrifice, tissues (skin, kidney, and tumor) were harvested and analyzed for cisplatin-induced toxicities and DNA damage responses using H & E staining, western blot, and KIM-1 and immuno-slot blot assays. Results: Weight measurements show a clock-regulated response to cisplatin toxicity. AM-treated wild-type animals showed significant weight loss compared to PM-treated wild-type animals. This treatment time differential is lost in the Per1/2 -/-. On a molecular level, kidney tissue DNA samples showed clock-controlled cisplatin-DNA repair activity in wild-type animals compared to Per1/2 -/-. These initial findings strongly suggest that nephrotoxicity and DNA damage response function might be regulated by the circadian rhythm. Conclusions: These findings indicate a possible mechanism for the chronopharmacology of cisplatin in minimizing the toxicity associated with it and reveal a target for future study of additional mechanistic causes of circadian dosing changes in cisplatin and other genotoxic stress-mediated anti-cancer agents. Citation Format: Panshak Dakup, Kenneth Porter, Rajendra Gajula, Shobhan Gaddameedhi. Chronopharmacology of cisplatin: role of the circadian rhythm in modulating cisplatin-induced toxicity in melanoma mouse model [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1120. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1120
Quantum cascade lasers transfer-printed on silicon-on-sapphire

We demonstrate coupling of the laser mode into a passive waveguide by transfer-printing fully processed mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers onto a silicon-on-sapphire platform. The laser waveguide mode is coupled into a silicon waveguide via an adiabatic taper. The experimentally achieved coupling efficiency of the taper is estimated to be ∼10%, and theoretical calculations show that coupling efficiency over 75% is achievable by reducing the adhesive layer thickness to below 100 nm. Light coupling to silicon waveguides is confirmed by images taken at the output facet of a 3-mm-long passive Si waveguide with a mid-infrared camera. Our technique enables the development of heterogeneous photonic systems integrated with a wide range of fully processed semiconductor laser devices, including buried-heterostructure lasers, which was not previously possible.
Private information retrieval with side information: The single server case

We study the problem of Private Information Retrieval (PIR) in the presence of prior side information. The problem setup includes a database of K independent messages possibly replicated on several servers, and a user that needs to retrieve one of these messages. In addition, the user has some prior side information in the form of a subset of M messages, not containing the desired message and unknown to the servers. This problem is motivated by practical settings in which the user can obtain side information opportunistically from other users or has previously downloaded some messages using classical PIR schemes. The objective of the user is to retrieve the required message without revealing its identity while minimizing the amount of data downloaded from the server. We focus on achieving information-theoretic privacy in two scenarios: (i) the user wants to protect jointly its demand and side information; (ii) the user wants to protect only the information about its demand, but not the side information. To highlight the role of side information, we focus on the case of a single server. We prove that, in the first scenario, the minimum download cost is K-M messages, and in the second scenario, it is ⌈K/M+1⌉ messages. This is a significant improvement compared to the minimum cost of K messages in the setting where the user has no side information. Our proof techniques use a reduction from the PIR with side information problem to an index coding problem. We leverage this reduction to prove converse results, as well as to design achievability schemes.
Evaluating Remapped Physical Reach for Hand Interactions with Passive Haptics in Virtual Reality

Virtual reality often uses motion tracking to incorporate physical hand movements into interaction techniques for selection and manipulation of virtual objects. To increase realism and allow direct hand interaction, real-world physical objects can be aligned with virtual objects to provide tactile feedback and physical grasping. However, unless a physical space is custom configured to match a specific virtual reality experience, the ability to perfectly match the physical and virtual objects is limited. Our research addresses this challenge by studying methods that allow one physical object to be mapped to multiple virtual objects that can exist at different virtual locations in an egocentric reference frame. We study two such techniques: one that introduces a static translational offset between the virtual and physical hand before a reaching action, and one that dynamically interpolates the position of the virtual hand during a reaching motion. We conducted two experiments to assess how the two methods affect reaching effectiveness, comfort, and ability to adapt to the remapping techniques when reaching for objects with different types of mismatches between physical and virtual locations. We also present a case study to demonstrate how the hand remapping techniques could be used in an immersive game application to support realistic hand interaction while optimizing usability. Overall, the translational technique performed better than the interpolated reach technique and was more robust for situations with larger mismatches between virtual and physical objects.
You are measuring the decision to be fast, not inattention: the Sustained Attention to Response Task does not measure sustained attention.

The Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) has been widely used in psychological literature as a measure of vigilance (the ability to sustain attention over a prolonged period of time). This task uses a Go/No-Go paradigm and requires the participants to repetitively respond to the stimuli as quickly and as accurately as possible. Previous literature indicates that performance in SART is subjected to a “speed–accuracy trade-off” (SATO) resulting from strategy choices and from the failures of controlling motor reflexes. In this study, 36 participants (n = 36) performed a series of four SARTs. The results support the perspective of strategy choice in SART and suggest that within-subjects SATO in SART should also be acknowledged in attempting to explain SART performance. The implications of the speed–accuracy trade-off should be fully understood when the SART is being used as a measure or tool.
Toward a Theory of Information Processing in Auditory Cortex

The primary goal of auditory science is to provide a full account of how humans and animals hear sounds of all kinds: the sounds of everyday life, environmental sounds, speech, and music. A comprehensive, neurally grounded theory of hearing is needed that explains precisely how we hear what we hear. This chapter discusses cortical function in the context of such a theory. The first half of the chapter (Sections 13.2 and 13.3) outlines the basic structure of hearing (what is to be explained) and the various aspects of neural information processing that are needed for adequate explanations of auditory function (the terms of the explanations). The second half (Section 13.4) lists some of the fundamental outstanding experimental and theoretical problems that need to be solved.
Mode of Action of Flucytosine in Aspergillus Species

The mode of action of flucytosine (5-FC, 5-fluorocytosine) in Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger was studied. Pyrimidines, purines and nucleosides were found to have an antagonistic effect on 5-FC activity and evidence for a common purine-pyrimidine uptake system was found. Only a small amount, 7 to 17 per cent, of 5-FC taken up by the aspergilli was incorporated in RNA and none was incorporated in DNA. DNA content of cells grown in the presence of 5-FC was from 4 to 10 times that of control cells. These data are not compatible with the scheme proposed for the mode of action of 5-FC in yeasts and it is suggested that 5-FC in the Aspergilli may inhibit DNA synthesis.
Radiological Evidence of Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion

The objective of posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) is bony arthrodesis or an anatomic fusion. There has been no clear acceptance concerning what roentgenologically constitutes a fusion or arthrodesis in PLIF. Conceptually, there are two objectives in PLIF. The first as proposed by Collis [1] is lumbar disk replacement by means of biocompatible bone grafting, or osteointegration. The second objective of PLIF is bony arthrodesis, or an anatomic fusion.
2 – Endocrinology and Growth in Children and Adolescents

This chapter discusses pediatric endocrinology used in studying sexual development and growth patterns in children and adolescents. The predominant factor underlying gender- or sex-specific events is the different hormonal milieus to which males and females are exposed. In this regard, pediatric endocrinology is concerned with the fetal determination and development of the two sexes, and the different hormonal environments experienced by each from fetal life through puberty and adolescence to adulthood. These differences include the testosterone-rich environment of the male fetus and neonate, the subtle hormonal differences between the two sexes during childhood, the differences in growth before and during sexual maturation, and variations in and implications of the timing of sexual maturation. The effects such childhood differences may have on adult gender-related disorders are poorly understood until today. This chapter discusses genetic and hormonal etiologies of pathologic growth and briefly mentions skeletal and environmental etiologies.
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia: its effects upon the heart and lungs

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is one of the most significant sequelae of prematurity, affecting the pulmonary and cardiovascular structures especially. From the first weeks of life, there exists a close anatomical and functional relationship between these two systems. Changes in intrathoracic pressure or pulmonary vascular resistance greatly impact both the left and right sides of the heart. In turn, increasing afterload and decreasing preload affect blood flow through the lung, as well as the state of oxygenation and ventilation. BPD affects the function, growth, and development of the heart and lung, due to the hypoxia, acidosis, hyperoxia, and fibrosis associated with the fibroproliferative repair process. Significance of clinical findings and the role of the bedside caregiver are also discussed.
Management of Adverse Events During Laparoscopic and Robotic Hernia Repair

Over 350,000 ventral hernia repairs are performed annually each year in the United States, accounting for more than $3.2 billion in costs. However, when adverse events occur during or following hernia repair, those costs increase dramatically, and patient quality of life is directly impacted. Meticulous surgical technique and judgment is necessary to avoid or reduce the risk of adverse events during hernia repair. Every hernia surgeon must know how to appropriately treat complications when they arise. Herein, this chapter details the management of intraoperative and perioperative adverse events for the Hernia Surgeon.
Federating XDMoD to Monitor Affiliated Computing Resources

The XD Metrics on Demand (XDMoD) tool was designed to collect and present detailed utilization data from the XSEDE network of supercomputers. XDMoD displays a wealth of information on computational resources. Its metrics report accounting and performance figures for computational jobs, including resources consumed, wait times, and quality of service. XDMoD can aggregate this information over an ensemble of jobs, or report it for individual jobs. Its web-based interface supports charting, exploration, and reporting for any time range, across all computing resources. Over the last eight years, we have open-sourced XDMoD, generalizing and packaging it to produce Open XDMoD. Open XDMoD may be installed, configured, and run on any computing cluster, and we have extended and refined it to include support for storage, cloud resources, science gateways, and more. In this paper, we describe the federation of XDMoD instances. This new functionality makes it possible to associate and monitor networks of related resources, using the full power of XDMoD to aggregate and display data from disparate XDMoD installations. Charting and reports from XDMoD federations can encompass anything ranging from a single resource to the entire network. The federation capability is flexible; federated resources can be coupled loosely or tightly, and a variety of different information sharing and authentication paradigms are supported. We also highlight new functionality that incorporates storage and cloud facilities into XDMoD federations. Federation will enable XDMoD users to monitor and manage ever more diverse computing resources.
Neurological Complications of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: a case series (P4.159)

Objective: Describe the incidence, spectrum, management and long-term outcomes of neurological immune related adverse events (IRAEs) of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Background: ICIs are promising anticancer treatments that are associated with IRAEs. Literature regarding neurological IRAEs associated with ICIs is limited. In large registration studies, neurological IRAEs were rare; the prevalence in clinical practice is poorly described. Design/Methods: Patients treated at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center with ICIs from 2005–2017 were retrospectively reviewed. 482 patients were identified and screened for new neurological ICD codes during or after treatment. Comprehensive medical record review was conducted of 53 candidate patients to identify neurological IRAEs causally linked to ICI treatment. Results: Three patients met criteria for inclusion. All received nivolumab; two in combination with ipilimumab. Patient #1 had metastatic melanoma treated with 4 cycles of nivolumab/ipilimumab and developed CTCAE grade 4 transverse myelopathy. Symptoms improved with intravenous methylprednisolone followed by oral prednisone taper. Mild residual lower extremity numbness persisted, and re-challenge with nivolumab alone upon tumor progression was successful. Patient #2 had squamous cell lung carcinoma treated with 3 cycles of nivolumab and developed grade 2 oculomotor nerve palsy. Treatment with oral corticosteroid taper led to symptom resolution. Patient #3 with metastatic melanoma developed grade 4 sensorimotor demyelinating polyneuropathy following cycle #2 of nivolumab/ipilimumab. He responded minimally to intravenous methylprednisolone and IV immunoglobulin. He remained wheelchair bound, and died from complications of a urinary tract infection. Conclusions: In this retrospective study, the incidence of severe IRAEs from ICIs was 0.6% (n=3/482). For each patient, ICIs were held and one was successfully re-challenged. Corticosteroid response varied; patients treated with nivolumab/ipilimumab combination suffered more severe AEs. This study focused on CTCAE Grade 2–4 IRAEs and Grade 1 AEs may have been missed. Although rare, neurological IRAEs can be severe and should be identified and managed promptly. Disclosure: Dr. Mancone has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lycan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ahmed has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dothard has nothing to disclose. Dr. Topaloglu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Petty has nothing to disclose. Dr. Strowd has nothing to disclose.
Fruit color stability, anthocyanin content, and shelf life were not correlated with ethylene production rate in five primocane raspberry genotypes.

Abstract In order to determine the role of ethylene in post-harvest darkening of berries among raspberry genotypes the relationship between ethylene production, color stability, anthocyanin content, postharvest quality, and shelf life was examined in five raspberry genotypes during storage at + 1 °C and + 7 °C. The genotypes differed significantly in regard to fruit ethylene production, which ranged from 0.5 to 2.3 ng kg−1 s−1 after harvest. A negligible increase in ethylene production during storage was observed in ‘Heritage’ and ‘Nantahala’, while a pronounced increase occurred in ‘Crimson Treasure’ and breeding selection NY 10–24. Shelf life was, however, not correlated with the ethylene production rate in the genotypes. Fruit surface color at harvest did not predict darkening in storage. NY 10–24 was darker than the other genotypes at harvest. During storage especially ‘Heritage’ but also NY 10–24 darkened significantly resulting in darker fruit surface color than in the other genotypes. ‘Heritage’ had the highest total anthocyanin content at harvest. Anthocyanin concentration increased during storage with the mean increase across all genotypes after 8 d being 45% at + 1 °C, and 80% at + 7 °C, while an increase of 128% was observed in ‘Heritage’ at + 7 °C. Optical density of fruit juice was highly correlated with the concentration of anthocyanins in the whole fruit samples. Both berry sugar and titratable acidity content differed significantly between the genotypes. The highest sugar to acid ratio was found in ‘BP1’, being about two times higher than in ‘Heritage’ or’ Crimson Treasure’. While sugar content did not change, titratable acidity decreased during storage. This study demonstrated that genotypic differences in fruit ethylene production rate did not explain differences in color change (darkening) during storage or in shelf life of primocane raspberry genotypes, nor was color stability in storage directly correlated to anthocyanin content or fruit color at harvest.
Critical Race Science and Critical Race Philosophy of Science

Over several decades, feminist philosophy of science has revealed the ways in which much of science has proceeded from “mainstream” assumptions that privilege men and other hierarchically superordinate groups and existing socially constructed conceptions of gender. In doing so, it has produced a research program that, while rooted in the postKuhnian philosophy and sociology of science that has been taken up by many students of scientific method more generally, has been used to critique great swathes of modern science and to reveal both the biases of the mainstream, and the transformative potential of a science that proceeds from the epistemic standpoints of women as well as men and from the research questions and concerns that arise from the goal of promoting equality between men and women. By contrast, there is not yet a consolidated research program that could fall under the name “critical race philosophy of science” (or, perhaps more accurately and certainly more inclusively, “critical race science studies”).1
Acid-Base Disorders in Surgical Patients

Acid-base disorders are rather common in surgical patients. These disorders occur in perioperative (preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative) periods. Disturbances in all four primary acid-base balances have been reported in surgical patients. However, these disturbances are less severe in healthy patients undergoing elective surgery compared to those who undergo emergent surgery.
Who Ultimately Pays for and Who Gains from the Electricity Network Upgrade for EVs to Support the UK's Net Zero Carbon Ambition?

The UK and Scottish Governments commitments to the mid-century net zero targets present a significant challenge that requires systemic changes in how we live and do business. The questions/concerns around investment in Electric Vehicles (EVs), EV rollout and the upcoming 2035 UK-wide restriction on sales of new conventional vehicles is a key focus of net zero priorities and futures. In this context, a central and crucial question focuses on how and to what extent the level and timing of investment to support the projected EV rollout not only enables targeted emission reduction, but also affects the pathways and nature of economic expansion and economic wellbeing. In that, the decarbonisation transportation needs to be achieved in a way that is sustainable and in line with the ‘just transition’ focus of internationally agreed emission reduction
An added boost in pyrogenic carbon when wildfire burns forest with high pre-fire mortality

Wildfires produce pyrogenic carbon (PyC) through the incomplete combustion of organic matter, and its chemical characterization is critical to understanding carbon (C) budgets and ecosystem functions in forests. Across western North American forests, fires are burning through landscapes with substantial tree mortality from insect outbreaks, often referred to as short-interval disturbances. These short-interval disturbances often result in beetle-killed snags (snags that subsequently burn) that are heavily charred, while their fire-killed (alive at time of fire) counterparts are lightly charred. We investigated whether the chemical signature of PyC on heavily charred beetle-killed snags differs from lightly charred fire-killed snags. We evaluated differences in PyC chemical concentrations and condensation on beetle-killed (n = 3) and fire-killed snags (n = 3) with the benzene polycarboxylic acid (BPCA) molecular marker method. Beetle-killed snags exhibited over five times the grams of BPCA per kilogram of C, and over seven times the grams of BPCA per kilogram of material compared to fire-killed snags, indicating higher concentrations of PyC. PyC concentrations were greater in samples from beetle-killed snags compared to fire-killed snags, pointing to an important compound effect from the interaction of beetle outbreak and wildfire in forest ecosystems. While this study was limited to a single fire event and sampling in individual trees, it provides insight into PyC on snags with different disturbance histories. The abundance of heavily charred snags from a fire burning through landscapes with high levels of existing mortality from drought, insect outbreaks, and previous wildfire events is becoming a more common legacy for contemporary western North American forests. Accordingly, the distinct wood-based PyC legacy could influence ecosystem functions: C sequestration, water purification, soil nutrient supply, and resources for wildlife.
Remifentanil-food choice follows predictions of relative subjective value.

Abstract Background Preclinical studies into drug vs. nondrug choice have emerged to better model and investigate the neurobehavioral mechanisms underlying drug preference. Current literature has suggested that drugs of abuse have inherently low value, thus promoting food preference. Herein, we examined remifentanil vs. food choice to test both the relative value hypothesis and the ‘direct effects’ (pharmacological effects of drugs on alternative reinforcers) hypothesis of opioid preference. Methods Adult male rats were trained under two choice procedures (controlled vs. uncontrolled reinforcer frequency) for remifentanil vs. food choice. Furthermore, a series of procedural manipulations known to affect drug reinforcement were tested under both choice procedures. Using remifentanil self-administration data, pharmacokinetic profiles were calculated and analyzed to determine if opioid intake was related to opioid preference. Results Both choice procedures produced dose-dependent preference. Moreover, procedural manipulations produced comparable changes in remifentanil preference under both choice procedures. In addition, calculated pharmacokinetic data revealed that preference was dissociable from intake under the controlled reinforcer frequency choice procedure. Conclusions When compared to the ‘direct effects’ hypothesis, remifentanil preference was better predicted by the relative value hypothesis, formalized in generalized matching. Use of a controlled reinforcer frequency schedule successfully removed the drug preference-intake confound found in most drug-choice procedures. Importantly, drug preference under the controlled reinforcer frequency schedule remained sensitive to procedural manipulations known to affect drug reinforcement. Thus, given that differential drug intake itself affects neurobiological measurements, future use of controlled reinforcer frequency schedules may help to better isolate the neurobehavioral mechanisms that mediate opioid preference.
Target patterns in a 2D array of oscillators with nonlocal coupling

We analyze the effect of adding a weak, localized, inhomogeneity to a two dimensional array of oscillators with nonlocal coupling. We propose and also justify a model for the phase dynamics in this system. Our model is a generalization of a viscous eikonal equation that is known to describe the phase modulation of traveling waves in reaction–diffusion systems. We show the existence of a branch of target pattern solutions that bifurcates from the spatially homogeneous state when , the strength of the inhomogeneity, is nonzero and we also show that these target patterns have an asymptotic wavenumber that is small beyond all orders in . The strategy of our proof is to pose a good ansatz for an approximate form of the solution and use the implicit function theorem to prove the existence of a solution in its vicinity. The analysis presents two challenges. First, the linearization about the homogeneous state is a convolution operator of diffusive type and hence not invertible on the usual Sobolev spaces. Second, a regular perturbation expansion in does not provide a good ansatz for applying the implicit function theorem since the nonlinearities play a major role in determining the relevant approximation, which also needs to be 'correct' to all orders in . We overcome these two points by proving Fredholm properties for the linearization in appropriate Kondratiev spaces and using a refined ansatz for the approximate solution which was obtained using matched asymptotics.
The Year That Has Passed Us By: Animals in Our Life of COVID-19

The year 2020 has been a dreadful one: a living nightmare that has changed and impacted the lives of many [...].
White matter plasticity in healthy older adults: The effects of aerobic exercise.

Abstract White matter deterioration is associated with cognitive impairment in healthy aging and Alzheimer's disease. It is critical to identify interventions that can slow down white matter deterioration. So far, clinical trials have failed to demonstrate the benefits of aerobic exercise on the adult white matter using diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Here, we report the effects of a 6-month aerobic walking and dance interventions (clinical trial NCT01472744) on white matter integrity in healthy older adults (n = 180, 60–79 years) measured by changes in the ratio of calibrated T1- to T2-weighted images (T1w/T2w). Specifically, the aerobic walking and social dance interventions resulted in positive changes in the T1w/T2w signal in late-myelinating regions, as compared to widespread decreases in the T1w/T2w signal in the active control. Notably, in the aerobic walking group, positive change in the T1w/T2w signal correlated with improved episodic memory performance. Lastly, intervention-induced increases in cardiorespiratory fitness did not correlate with change in the T1w/T2w signal. Together, our findings suggest that white matter regions that are vulnerable to aging retain some degree of plasticity that can be induced by aerobic exercise training. In addition, we provided evidence that the T1w/T2w signal may be a useful and broadly accessible measure for studying short-term within-person plasticity and deterioration in the adult human white matter.
Predicting Hourly Energy Consumption in Buildings

Predicting energy consumption in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings based on square foot, geometry, load profile, and weather conditions is a challenging task. To effectively manage the energy demand, forecasting has become a key element for operators and buildings’ owners to monitor their energy usage. Predicting the energy demand patterns on a monthly and yearly basis helps improve buildings’ energy management. This research work contains data sets from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) on building types such as educational, offices and residential users. Based on one-year training data, authors were able to predict the next two-year energy demand of 1500 buildings using three different forecasting models: Light-GBM, Artificial Neural Network, and Linear Regression. The preliminary findings indicate that Light GBM outperforms other models.
TU-G-BRD-05: Results From Multi-Institutional Measurements with An Anthropomorphic Spine Phantom

Purpose: To analyze the results from an anthropomorphic spine phantom used for credentialing institutions for National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsored clinical trial. Methods: An anthropomorphic phantom that contains left and right lungs, a heart, an esophagus, spinal cord, bony material and a PTV was sent to institutions wishing to be credentialed for NCI trials. The PTV holds 4 TLD and radiochromic film in the axial and sagittal planes. The heart holds one TLD. Institutions created IMRT plans to cover ≥90% of the PTV with 6 Gy and limit the cord dose to <0.35cc receiving 3.75 Gy and <1.2cc receiving 2.63 Gy. They were instructed to treat the phantom as they would a patient, including making plan specific IMRT/SBRT QA measurements before treatment. The TLD results in the PTV were required to be within ±7% of the plan dose. A gamma calculation was performed using the film results and the submitted DICOM plan. ≥85% of the analyzed region was required to pass a 5%/3 mm criteria. Results: 176 institutions irradiated the spine phantom for a total of 255 results. The pass rate was 73% (187 irradiations) overall. 44 irradiations failed only the gamma criteria, 2 failed only the dose criteria and 22 failed both. The most used planning systems were Eclipse (116) and Pinnacle (52) and they had pass rates of 76% and 71%, respectively. The AAA algorithm had a pass rate of 77% while superposition type algorithms had a 71% pass rate. The average TLD measurement to institution calculation ratio was 0.99 (0.04 std dev.). The average percent pixels passing the gamma criteria for films was 89% (12% std dev.) Conclusion: Results show that this phantom is an important part of credentialing and that we have room for improvement in IMRT/SBRT spine treatments. This work was supported by PHS CA180803 and CA037422 awarded by NCI, DHHS.
Motor Cortex Inhibition is Increased During a Secondary Cognitive Task

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a cognitive task on motor cortex excitability and inhibition. Transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex was performed on 20 healthy individuals (18-24 years; 9 females) to measure motor evoked potentials (MEPs) and cortical silent periods at baseline, during, and following a secondary cognitive task. The MEP amplitude increased from 0.50 ± 0.09-0.87 ± 0.50 mV during a secondary cognitive task (p = .04), and returned to baseline (0.48 ± 0.31 mV; p = .90) posttask. The CSP duration also increased from 93.48 ± 28.76-113.6 ± 33.68 ms (p = .001) during the cognitive task, and returned to baseline posttask (89.0 ± 6.9 ms; p = .88). In the presence of a cognitive task, motor cortex excitability and inhibition were both increased relative to baseline. The increase in inhibition may help to explain the motor deficits experienced while performing a secondary cognitive task.