cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of asphyxia on the pupils of brain dead subjects.

The pupils dilate following cardiac arrest but the mechanism is unknown. If pupillary dilation represents inadequate blood supply to the midbrain, pupil size might be a rough guide to the adequacy of the resuscitation effort. The brain dead organ harvest patient presents a unique opportunity to study pupillary activity in the absence of an intact midbrain and to examine the effects of asphyxia on the pupil. Because the midbrain is dead in these subjects, the pupil has no supraspinal autonomic control and following aortic cross clamp, no blood can be delivered to the orbit. Ten brain dead patients scheduled for organ harvest were studied. Pupil size was measured from the right eye every minute for 9 min before and every minute for 10 min following aortic cross-clamp. Dapiprazole eye drops were instilled into the left eye at least 1 h before cross clamp in five cases and pupillary measurements were intermittently taken before and after cross clamp. Pupil size was stable before cross clamp. Following cross clamp, the pupil dilated in all cases, reaching 10.6 mm in one case. Mean dilation was 1.8±0.9 mm. Time to peak dilation was 4.3±1.4 min and latency of dilation was 1.4±1.2 min. Dapiprazole eye drops prevented the pupillary dilation in contralateral eye of the five cases in which it was used. The cause of this sympathetic activity is either a short burst of neuronal activity in the peripheral sympathetic system innervating the dilator muscle, or release of stored norepinephine from the presynaptic terminals, as asphyxia intervenes.
Mysteries in a Law Library: The Law in Popular Culture Collection at the University of Texas School of Law

The Law in Popular Culture Collection (LPOP) at the Jamail Center for Legal Research at the University of Texas at Austin houses some 4,000 works of fiction, most of them legal mysteries, and over 600 movies that have an association with the law or lawyers. The LPOP collection includes works of high and low culture and offers unique insights into the public's perception of the lawyer as well as the lawyer's perception of the public and the legal system. This article, an interview with the originator and curator of the LPOP collection, discusses the beginnings of the collection, the philosophy of the collection, and the practicalities of maintaining the collection.
Comparison of embodied energy and environmental impact of alternative materials used in reticulated dome construction

Abstract The reticulated dome structure is a system composed of linear elements arranged in such a way that the forces are transferred in a three-dimensional manner. These dome structures require less amount of materials to be built when compared to continuous surface domes, thereby, reducing the embodied energy of the structure, i.e., the energy used in the manufacture and transportation of materials. However, selecting materials with high embodied energy can significantly impact the energy use and environmental impact of reticulated domes. In line with sustainable construction practices, use of materials that reduces overall embodied energy of the structure is desirable. This paper compares the embodied energy and related environmental impacts of four alternative materials used to construct these structures namely aluminum, steel, laminated veneer lumber, and laminated bamboo. To estimate the quantities required to construct the dome structure, a finite element-based structural analysis software, MSC Patran/Nastran was used. Using the estimated quantities of alternative materials, detailed life cycle inventory was performed using GaBi software. The results of the environmental impact assessment show that aluminum and steel have higher embodied energy when compared to the other two materials. Furthermore, the results show that bamboo has a negative global warming potential outperforming laminated veneer lumber option. Additionally, a simplified life cycle analysis tool, Athena Impact Estimator, was used to compare results obtained from GaBi analysis. Overall, the results indicate that the use of alternative materials can significantly reduce the embodied energy and provide environmentally sound options to address the current environmental challenges.
The hypothalamic hypophysiotropic thyrotropin-releasing factor.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the hypothalamic hypophysiotropic thyrotropin-releasing factor. To write a review on a subject that has occupied many years of one's life is almost an enjoyable proceeding if it can be done in some sort of a post facto manner that is when the major questions that constituted that subject have been satisfactorily answered. Even though no question in science is ever fully answered, there are some times in the evolution of a research program when one can stop for a while and take stock of what has been accomplished. Such a point was recently reached in the efforts of many investigators over the last 20 years at characterizing the “elusive hypothalamic hormones,” with the isolation, determination of the molecular structure, and total synthesis of one of these, the thyrotropin releasing factor (TRF). At the moment, there are no methods available, such as radioimmunoassay or double isotope dilution methods, which would allow direct measurement of TRF in biological fluids.
The Role of Arginine and Lysine in Histone Derived Antimicrobial Peptides

To combat the rapid increase of antibiotic resistant bacteria scientists have turned to antimicrobial peptides. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small proteins within the innate immune system with the ability to kill bacteria, fungi and viruses. Previous research has shown that a greater number of arginine amino acids enhance the antimicrobial activity of some AMPs. This study investigates the role of basic amino acids in three histone derived antimicrobial peptides (HDAPs): buforin II, parasin and DesHDAP1.
Expressing Transgenes That Exceed the Packaging Capacity of Adeno-Associated Virus Capsids

Recombinant adeno-associated virus vectors (rAAV) are being explored as gene delivery vehicles for the treatment of various inherited and acquired disorders. rAAVs are attractive vectors for several reasons: wild-type AAVs are nonpathogenic, and rAAVs can trigger long-term transgene expression even in the absence of genome integration—at least in postmitotic tissues. Moreover, rAAVs have a low immunogenic profile, and the various AAV serotypes and variants display broad but distinct tropisms. One limitation of rAAVs is that their genome-packaging capacity is only ∼5 kb. For most applications this is not of major concern because the median human protein size is 375 amino acids. Excluding the ITRs, for a protein of typical length, this allows the incorporation of ∼3.5 kb of DNA for the promoter, polyadenylation sequence, and other regulatory elements into a single AAV vector. Nonetheless, for certain diseases the packaging limit of AAV does not allow the delivery of a full-length therapeutic protein by a si...
Inter-Coder Agreement in One-to-Many Classification: Fuzzy Kappa.

Content analysis involves classification of textual, visual, or audio data. The inter-coder agreement is estimated by making two or more coders to classify the same data units, with subsequent comparison of their results. The existing methods of agreement estimation, e.g., Cohen’s kappa, require that coders place each unit of content into one and only one category (one-to-one coding) from the pre-established set of categories. However, in certain data domains (e.g., maps, photographs, databases of texts and images), this requirement seems overly restrictive. The restriction could be lifted, provided that there is a measure to calculate the inter-coder agreement in the one-to-many protocol. Building on the existing approaches to one-to-many coding in geography and biomedicine, such measure, fuzzy kappa, which is an extension of Cohen’s kappa, is proposed. It is argued that the measure is especially compatible with data from certain domains, when holistic reasoning of human coders is utilized in order to describe the data and access the meaning of communication.
Harsh parenting, physical health, and the protective role of positive parent-adolescent relationships.

Abstract Rationale Harsh, abusive and rejecting behavior by parents toward their adolescents is associated with increased risk of many developmental problems for youth. Objective In the present study we address behaviors of co-parents that might help disrupt the hypothesized health risk of harsh parenting. Method Data come from a community study of 451 early adolescents followed into adulthood. During early adolescence, observers rated both parents separately on harshness towards the adolescent. Adolescents reported on their physical health at multiple assessments from age 12 through age 20, and on parental warmth. Results Harsh parenting predicted declines in adolescent self-reported physical health and increases in adolescent body mass index (BMI). Although the health risk associated with harshness from one parent was buffered by warmth from the other parent, warmth from the second parent augmented the association between harshness from the first parent and change over time in adolescent BMI. Conclusion As appropriate, preventive interventions should include a focus on spousal or partner behaviors in their educational or treatment programs. Additional research is needed on the association between self-reported physical health and BMI in adolescence.
Thoughts on John Ikerd's The Essentials of Economic Sustainability

First paragraph: The Essentials of Economic Sustainability (EES) provides us with the latest version of Ikerd’s thorough, thoughtful, and intelligent — but economically iconoclastic — analysis of the economic aspects of the most important social issue of our time. Ikerd is a scholar I have long admired for his thinking about the role of economics in modern life and his courage in persevering in the face of the unpopularity of his conclusions among economists and others. I truly enjoyed reading and reflecting on this book. As I read the printed text my mind often conjured up his spoken voice....
Bortezomib Enhances the Efficacy of Fulvestrant by Promoting the Aggregation of the Estrogen Receptor in the Cytoplasm.

Background: Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are standard treatment for Estrogen Receptor (ER)+ breast cancers in post-menopausal women where the main source of estradiol comes from adipose tissue when the aromatase enzyme converts androgens to estrogens. However, in premenopausal women, functioning ovaries flood the body with estrogens, and aromatase inhibitors used alone offer no therapeutic benefit. In addition to tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors, estrogen receptor down-regulators, are a third type of anti-estrogen. The first of this class to be FDA approved is Fulvestrant, which acts by promoting the proteosomal degradation of the ER. Like tamoxifen, fulvestrant binds directly to the ER but while tamoxifen has both antagonist and agonist effects on the ER, fulvestrant is a pure antagonist. Other important advantages of fulvestrant over tamoxifen are that 1) fulvestrant prevents the ER from binding DNA, 2) fulvestrant is not linked to increased risk of endometrial cancer, 3) fulvestrant promotes permanent degradation of the ER.The molecular machinery leading to the degradation of the ER in the nucleus following fulvestrant treatment is well described and correlates with its ubiquitination in the nucleus. A less well-recognized mechanism, is fulvestrant’s ability to promote the aggregation of the newly synthesized ER in the cytoplasm. Understanding that protein aggregates are toxic when not eliminated by the proteasome, we took advantage of this effect of fulvestrant to ask whether combining fulvestrant with the proteasome inhibitor Bortezomib could enhance the efficacy of Fulvestrant.Results: We found that bortezomib enhances the aggregation of the ER in the cytoplasm following treatment with fulvestrant. Further, these aggregates were found to be insoluble and to activate the unfolded protein response (UPR), a stress response that leads to cell death. Further, bortezomib is able to prevent the activation of cytoprotective responses linked to the acquisition of fulvestrant resistance. Furthermore, in a breast cancer mouse model of tamoxifen resistance, the combination induced tumor regression.Conclusion: We conclude that adding bortezomib to fulvestrant enhances its efficacy by taking advantage of a previously poorly recognized mechanism–fulvestrant’s induction of ER aggregation in the cytoplasm. Further, our data suggest that this strategy will block the ability of cells to acquired resistance to fulvestrant. Our group has developed a clinical trial that will test this combination. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 5142.
Mono- and Bisquinoline-Annulated Porphyrins from Porphyrin β,β′-Dione Oximes

An acid-induced reaction of meso-tetraphenyl-2-hydroxyimino-3-oxoporphyrin leads, with concomitant loss of water, to a formal electrophilic aromatic substitution of the ortho-position of the phenyl group adjacent to the oxime, forming a quinoline moiety. Owing in part to the presence of a π-extended chromophore, the resulting meso-triphenylmonoquinoline-annulated porphyrin (λmax = 750 nm) possesses a much altered optical spectrum from that of the starting oxime (λmax = 667 nm). An oxidative DDQ-induced ring-closure process is also possible, generating the corresponding meso-triphenylmonoquinoline-annulated porphyrin quinoline N-oxide, possessing a slightly shifted and sharpened UV–vis spectrum (λmax = 737 nm). The connectivity of the chromophores was conclusively shown by NMR spectroscopy. Both ketone functionalities in meso-tetraphenyl-2,3-dioxoporphyrin can be converted, via the oxime and using the acid- or oxidant-induced reaction pathways, either in one step or in a stepwise fashion, to bisquinoline-a...
Role of chloride in the variable response of the kidney to cyclooxygenase inhibition.

The role of prostanoids in renal function remains unclear, as inhibitors of cyclooxygenase (COX) have contrasting effects. We postulated that these inconsistencies were related to differential effects of the prevailing chloride concentration on COX-dependent mechanisms. In oncotically perfused rat kidneys, in the presence of either high (117 mM) or low (87 mM) chloride with sodium held constant, low chloride resulted in a higher glomerular filtration rate (GFR) than with high chloride, i.e., 1.2 +/- 0.2 and 0.5 +/- 0.1 ml/min, respectively, for the last clearance period. Water and electrolyte excretion and levels of immunoassayable prostaglandins were higher with low chloride. Indomethacin (10 microM) had opposite effects on renal function depending on the chloride levels, although prostaglandin release was inhibited similarly. For example, indomethacin substantially reduced the elevated urine flow and sodium excretion in the low-chloride group, which, by the last period, were reduced from 111 +/- 32 to 37 +/- 3 microliters/min and 8.3 +/- 2.9 to 3.1 +/- 0.6 mu eq/min, respectively, whereas the lower urine flow and sodium excretion in the high-chloride group increased from 32 +/- 8 to 109 +/- 15 microliters/min and 2.5 +/- 0.8 to 7.1 +/- 1.6 mu eq/min, respectively. In summary, inhibition of COX has differential effects depending on the prevailing chloride concentration, or conversely, high and low chloride have contrasting effects on renal function, which are reversed by COX inhibition. We suggest that prohypertensive and antihypertensive COX-dependent mechanisms are linked to chloride; the latter is an integral component in the development of salt-sensitive hypertension.
A strain of RSV-A isolated from the monitoring specimens of avian influenza A (H7N9) virus

Objective To detect and diagnose respiratory pathogens in the monitoring specimens of avian influenza A( H7N9) virus. Methods Nucleic acids of 22 kinds of respiratory pathogens were determined by multiple reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction( RT-PCR). Relative respiratory pathogens were isolated and indentified. Results Among the monitoring specimens of avian influenza A( H7N9) virus,nucleic acid of respiratory syncytial virus A( RSV-A) was determined from a severe pneumonia illness patient. The specimen was isolated by MRC-5,and 1 strain of RSV-A was isolated successfully. Conclusions Multiple RT-PCR could test 22 kinds of respiratory pathogens simultaneously and contributes to diagnose and control the epidemic situation. The isolation of RSV-A would provide a foothold for the further research of respiratory syncytial virus.
Epidemiological Analysis of Norwalk-Like Virus Gastroenteritis Outbreak in Meizhou City

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of Norwalk-like virus gastroenteritis in Meizhou city and provide the scientific basis for Norwalk-like virus gastroenteritis control and prevention.Method Descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze the Norwalk-like virus gastroenteritis reported from 2004 to 2006.Result 382 cases were reported from the schools.All outbreaks were occurred in winter and spring.Nausea,vomiting,abdominal pain,diarrhea and fever were the main symptoms.Norwalk-like virus antigen was detected in some stool samples during the outbreak.Conclusion Norwalk-like virus gastroenteritis mainly occurred in school.Providing clean water for drinking and preventing food contamination are the prevention and control measures for norwalk-like virus gastroenteritis.
Neurologic recovery and neurologic decline after spinal cord injury.

The spinal cord injury (SCI) physician oversees neurologic recovery in patients with traumatic SCI to achieve optimal functional outcomes. The SCI physician establishes a prognosis for neurologic recovery in muscles innervated from the zone of SCI and from below the SCI, and guides the patient and the interdisciplinary rehabilitation team in appropriate interventions to optimize that recovery. Active exercise, central nervous system stimulant medications, managing spinal hyperreflexia, optimizing nutrition, and preventing medical complications are interventions that can enhance recovery. SCI physicians must also monitor for neurologic decline and intervene early for reversible conditions.
SU-F-J-188: Clinical Implementation of in Room Mobile CT for Image Guided Proton Therapy

Purpose: To implement soft-tissue image-guided proton therapy using inroom mobile CT. Methods: Anthropomorphic phantom was first used to determine the setup accuracy using in- room mobile CT. Laser and bbs were used for the initial setup (marked isocenter). CT data was then acquired with in-room mobile CT (daily CT). The shift between the marked isocenter and the planned isocenter (final isocenter) was determined from the daily CT using in-house Computer Assisted Targeting (CAT) software. Orthogonal DRRs of the day was also generated from the daily CT. The phantom was then transferred on the treatment couch top to the treatment machine using a transportation system, and again aligned to the marked isocenter. Couch shifts were made to align the phantom to the final isocenter using the shifts as determined using the CAT software, and verified using orthogonal X-ray images with the daily DRRs. Results: Phantom data suggests that following the setup procedure as described above, targeting accuracy could be within 1 mm. Patient data are being acquired and analyzed. Conclusion: In-room mobile CT is capable of providing soft-tissue image-guided proton therapy.
An immodest proposal

Had I been present at the act of creation I would have had some helpful suggestions. anonymous We can now turn to recommendations. No simple remedies are involved, nor just a few, but hopefully workable ones nonetheless. There is no easy way out of the problems caused by the massive default of education that faces America today, but there are at least some constructive avenues to pursue. We have anticipated these recommendations to a greater or lesser extent. It is time to draw them together into a single, unified proposal. To recap, we argued from the outset in favor of John Dewey's observation (1938/1963) that “the most important attitude that can be formed [in schools] is that of the desire to go on learning” (p. 48). Our analysis of achievement motivation led to a set of instructional guidelines intended to foster the will to learn, which depends largely on viewing motives as goals. Indeed, one of the greatest challenges for schools today is to rearrange the prevailing incentive systems to promote intrinsic goals such as playful curiosity and to establish meaningful payoffs in the struggle for self-improvement (Maehr, 1976, 1989). Then, to complete our analysis, we added a distinctively cognitive element to these motivational concerns, something also anticipated by Dewey (1938/1963) when he remarked that “all which the school can or need do for pupils, so far as their minds are concerned, is to develop their capacity to think” (p. 152).
Open-access policies: A legal quagmire

Many university open-access policies grant a shared copyright to the school for all faculty articles before publication. According to these policies, which are often based on Harvard's model language ([ 1 ][1], [ 2 ][2]), faculty members deposit articles into an institutional open-access repository
Path planning under interface-based constraints for assistive robotics

We present a heuristic-based search method for path planning in shared human-robot control scenarios in which the robot should adhere to specific motion constraints imposed by the human's control interface. This approach to path planning gives special consideration to kinematic and dynamic constraints introduced to reconcile discrepancies between the control space of the user and the control space of the robot. The resulting paths more closely mirror paths produced by users of the same interface; which is helpful, for example, when inferring human intent or for control sharing. Our first insight is to develop a hierarchical finite state machine describing the constrained state space, state transitions and associated costs. We then use this definition to embed the constraints of the interface into our heuristic planning algorithm, named C*, with simple modifications to the A*/D* family of graph search algorithms. This approach allows us to maintain powerful theoretical guarantees such as complexity and completeness. In this paper, we ground our augmented path planning algorithm with an implementation on a robotic wheelchair system and a Sip-and-Puff interface. We demonstrate that the new approach produces paths and control signals that more closely resemble user-generated data and can easily be incorporated into real hardware systems.
Histopathological changes in morphea and their clinical correlates: Results from the Morphea in Adults and Children Cohort V

Background Histopathological features in morphea (localized scleroderma) and their clinical correlates are poorly described. Objective We sought to systematically describe histologic changes of morphea in a large, well-annotated cohort and determine the association between histopathology and clinical features. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 83 patients enrolled in the Morphea in Adults and Children cohort. The main outcome measure was the association of microanatomical location and degree of sclerosis and inflammation seen on histologic samples with patient-reported symptoms and physician-based measures of severity. Results Pattern of sclerosis was associated with morphea subtype, the presence of patient-reported symptoms, and functional limitation. A bottom-heavy pattern of sclerosis was associated with pain and tightness ( P = .0039 and .001, respectively). These symptoms were not associated with a top-heavy pattern. Severe inflammation may be associated with pain and functional limitation ( P = .073 for both). Limitations Small sample size limits ability to detect associations, particularly in subgroups. Conclusions Histopathological examination of morphea may assist in identifying patients who may require additional monitoring and treatment. Features such as patterns of sclerosis and severity of inflammation should be included in pathology reports to help aid in clinical management.
30 Day Readmissions in Patients with Pulmonary Embolism in the United States

Introduction: Pulmonary Embolism (PE) is an important cause of the morbidity and mortality in the United States (US). National estimates of 30-day readmissions in PE patients in the US are unknown. The objective of our study was to estimate readmission rates and identify causes, predictors and cost of readmissions in PE patients. Methods: We used National Readmission Dataset (NRD - the year 2013), Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality which represents one of the largest random sample of discharges from all hospitals, excluding rehabilitation and long-term acute care hospitals. NRD is designed to generate the national estimates of readmission analysis. NRD contains approximately unweighted 14 million discharges and weighted 36 million discharges. Discharge weights were utilized to generate the national estimates. The patients with PE were identified by primary discharge diagnosis with ICD9-CM code 415.1. All cause unplanned 30-day readmission rates were calculated for patients admitted between January and November 2013 by excluding elective readmissions. Deyo9s modification of Charlson comorbidity index was used to define the severity of co-morbid conditions. Using SAS version 9.3, survey procedures were implemented to adjust for stratified cluster design of NRD with DOMAIN, STRATA, CLUSTER and WEIGHT statement. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. The independent predictors of unplanned 30-day readmissions were identified by logistic regression. The cost of readmission was calculated by multiplying total charges with the cost to charge ratio provided by HCUP. Results: The NRD contained 73,754 unique PE patients with 141,678 admissions (weighted N = 332,736) in 2013. After excluding elective readmissions, all cause 30-day readmission rate was 12.8%. The top causes of unplanned readmissions were pulmonary heart disease (11.1%), septicemia (6.6%), pneumonia (5.4%), congestive heart failure (4.4%), phlebitis (3.3%), gastrointestinal hemorrhage (3.1%), nonspecific chest pain (2.6%), respiratory failure (2.6%), cardiac dysrhythmias (2.5%), COPD and bronchiectasis (2.4%). The multivariate predictors for higher 30 day unplanned readmissions were Charlson comorbidity index (OR 1.13, p Conclusions: The unplanned 30-day readmission rates and the cost are high in PE patients in the US. Further research is needed to identify preventable readmissions, strategies to cut down the readmissions and eventually reduce the cost of readmissions in patients admitted with PE. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Why the Civil Society is Not Good Enough

This article distinguishes the communitarian social position from the liberal and conservative ones, and discusses its focus on the good society, which is more expansive than civil society. For communitarians, the good society fosters shared moral understanding and is hence not value-neutral. Indeed, the good society is centered on a core of substantive values. The article suggests that the concept of a good society can fill the normative void inherent in the definition of civil society. Modern societies have increasingly been faced with a moral vacuum; provided societies must uphold some values, the remaining question is — which values?
Promotional Expenditures in U.S. Congressional Elections

This article examines the relationship of party affiliation, incumbency, and promotional expenditures to votes received in U.S. congressional elections. Analysis of covariance revealed that promoti...
Stem Cells in Nonneoplastic Lung Disorders

Over the past decade, our knowledge regarding pulmonary stem cells has undergone dramatic expansion. Research has focused on (1) identifying and characterizing populations of resident pulmonary stem cells and (2) determining whether, and to what extent, bone marrow-derived stem cells contribute to pulmonary repair. It is hoped that the regenerative properties of stem cells can be harnessed to provide a new approach to treatment of diffuse lung diseases that are poorly responsive to current therapies. Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a prime example. Acute respiratory distress syndrome is associated with a mortality rate as high as 60% and leads to pulmonary disability in the majority of survivors. Whether stem cells could be utilized to promote recovery has been a topic of intense interest. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and usual interstitial pneumonia produce chronic lung dysfunction and, in their advanced forms, represent common indications for lung transplantation. Given the lack of curative therapies for these disorders, stem cell-based approaches have been viewed as a potential avenue for development.
Atomic Models List

This chapter lists statements for creating and manipulating atomic models in the MS4 Modeling Environment™. The statements relate to using the constrained natural language for defining Finite Deterministic DEVS models and enhancing these models using tagged code blocks. These blocks add java code to the appropriate slots in the java classes that are autogenerated from the natural language specifications.
Patient opinions regarding surgeon presence, trainee participation, and overlapping surgery.

OBJECTIVES To explore patient opinions and underlying values regarding overlapping surgery (OS) scenarios, specifically evaluating the effect of attending surgeon presence and availability, as well as trainee participation on patient comfort level and willingness to consent. STUDY DESIGN Mixed methods. METHODS Forty adults participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews included vignettes involving three scenarios of OS (1: attending present; 2: attending absent for wound closure; 3: attending absent and unavailable for wound closure, with covering attending), visual analog scale ratings of participants' comfort with scenarios, and cognitive debriefing. Themes and subthemes were identified using hierarchical coding of transcripts, and quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted. RESULTS Quantitative analysis revealed anticipated decreases in comfort with decreasing attending presence/availability (mean comfort level 94% vs. 78% vs. 63% for scenarios 1 vs. 2 vs. 3, P < 0.005), although many patients reported improved comfort with scenario 3 if meeting the covering attending. Participants demonstrated a preference for less trainee involvement (P < 0.005, scenario 1) and greater trainee experience (P < 0.05, all scenarios). However, not all individuals were uncomfortable with attending absence or trainee independence. Themes important for decision making included trust in the surgeon, surgeon experience, trainee involvement, disease severity, cost, and wait time. CONCLUSION Patients varied highly in their willingness to consent to OS scenarios. In settings of trainee independence and covering surgeons, many patients desired meeting these members of the treatment team, which improved comfort for some. For some patients, tradeoffs and incentives of timeliness, cost, and convenience modified their willingness to have OS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 129:1337-1346, 2019.
Platelet rich plasma hydrogels promote in vitro and in vivo angiogenic potential of adipose-derived stem cells.

Abstract Despite great advances in skin wound care utilizing grafting techniques, the resulting severe scarring, deformity and ineffective vascularization remains a challenge. Alternatively, tissue engineering of new skin using patient-derived stem cells and scaffolding materials promises to greatly increase the functional and aesthetic outcome of skin wound healing. This work focused on the optimization of a polyethylene glycol modified (PEGylated) platelet-rich plasma (PRP) hydrogel for the protracted release of cytokines, growth factors, and signaling molecules and also the delivery of a provisional physical framework for stem cell angiogenesis. Freshly collected whole blood was utilized to synthesize PEGylated PRP hydrogels containing platelet concentrations ranging from 0 to 200,000 platelets/µl. Hydrogels were characterized using thromboelastography and impedance aggregometry for platelet function and were visualized using scanning electron microscopy. To assess the effects of PEGylated PRP hydrogels on cells, PRP solutions were seeded with human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) prior to gelation. Following 14 days of incubation in vitro, increased platelet concentrations resulted in higher ASC proliferation and vascular gene and protein expression (assessed via RT-PCR, ELISA, and immunochemistry). Using a rat skin excision model, wounds treated with PRP + ASC hydrogels increased the number of vessels in the wound by day 8 (80.2 vs. 62.6 vessels/mm2) compared to controls. In conclusion, the proposed PEGylated PRP hydrogel promoted both in vitro and transient in vivo angiogenesis of ASCs for improved wound healing. Statement of Significance Our findings support an innovative means of cellular therapy intervention to improve surgical wound healing in a normal wound model. ASCs seeded within PEGylated PRP could be an efficacious and completely autologous therapy for treating patients who have poorly healing wounds caused by vascular insufficiency, previous irradiation, or full-thickness burns. Because wound healing is a dynamic and complex process, the application of more than one growth factor with ASCs demonstrates an advantageous way of improving healing.
Evaluating Nursing Readiness and Competency for Direct Patient Care after Initiation of New Pediatric CAR-T Cell Therapy Program

Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Background/Rationale In March of 2018, a pediatric cellular therapy program was introduced. Interviews with nurses revealed there was a lack of knowledge about CAR-T cell therapy. A nursing education curriculum was developed to address the basics of cellular therapy, its indications, product administration, recognition of toxicities and supportive care. A multi-disciplinary team was established to develop comprehensive clinical guidelines and an educational plan. Methods, Intervention, & Analysis 3 main goals were established: •Develop evidenced based practice guidelines for the program. •Train and ensure clinical competency and readiness of the nursing staff. •Develop educational material for staff and patients The strategies used to accomplish these goals: •All nurses completed product specific REMS training. •Pediatric specific clinical practice guidelines were developed and distributed. •Checklists were developed for thawing, preparation, delivery, and infusion of a CAR-T cells. •Flowsheets and clinician warnings within the electronic medical records (EMR) to optimize documentation. •Discharge instruction pamphlet was developed All nurses were trained to utilize the above tools prior to the treatment of the first patient. After treatment of the first two patients, an electronic survey was emailed to all nurses. The survey consisted of 10 questions assessing the nurse's perception of their competence and preparedness for CAR-T therapy based on the education and training they received. Findings & Interpretation The surveys revealed that 84% of nurses agreed that they are able to recognize side effects, as well as understand their treatment. 93% of nurses indicated they knew who to contact in the event of a complication or reaction. 71% of nurses felt they could adequately utilize the flowsheets built within the EMR to assess and grade toxicities. Overall, 90% of nurses felt prepared to care for a CAR-T cell patient. The results of this survey demonstrated the effectiveness of our comprehensive nursing education program and the strategies implemented. Discussion & Implications New treatment modalities are being developed and brought to the bedside at a rapid pace. Clinical programs must be prepared to mobilize quickly by assessing their current resources, developing evidence based clinical practice guidelines, developing documentation tools within the EMR and providing comprehensive nursing education programs.
Technology standards for the improvement of teaching and learning in community college music programs

Providing standards for music technology use in community college music programs presents both challenges and opportunities for educators in American higher education. A need exists to assess the current use of technology at the community college level for the purpose of improving instruction. Although limited research has been done on the use of technology to support music education K- 12 and in four-year universities, little research on the problem in the community college setting was found. This research employed a Delphi study, a method for the systematic solicitation and collection of professional judgments on a particular subject, to examine existing criteria, “best practices”, and standards, in an effort to develop a set of standards specifically for the community college level. All aspects of a complete music program were considered including: curriculum, staffing, equipment, materials/software, facilities and workforce competencies. The panel of experts, comprised of community college educators from throughout the nation, reached consensus on 50 of the 57 standards. Forty-one or 82%, were identified as minimal standards for the application of music technology in music education. Community college music educators, planning to successfully utilize music technology to improve teaching and learning should implement the 41 standards determined as minimal by the Delphi panel. As the use of music technology grows in our community college programs, the standards used to define the success of these programs will expand and mature through further research.
Gene Replacement Therapy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal, X-linked disease caused by mutations in the massive dystrophin gene that lead to extremely low or non-detectable levels of dystrophin. Conversely, Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is a highly variable and significantly less severe disease that results from truncated or poorly expressed dystrophin variants. Based on the insights from BMD patient mutations and knowledge of the working domains of dystrophin, various miniaturized mini- and micro-dystrophin constructs have been developed for gene therapy and tested in preclinical animal models. Much of the central rod domain can be deleted with minimal loss of function, provided that spectrin-like repeats 16 and 17, which contain the neuronal nitric oxide synthase localization domain, are maintained. The N-terminal actin-binding domain and the C-terminal dystroglycan-binding domain (covering parts of “hinge 4” and the cysteine-rich domain) provide important functions and stability, while the function of the C-terminal domain appears redundant. While a range of viral vectors expressing these miniaturized genes have been utilized for DMD gene therapy, the recent focus has been on recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAV), which have now been tested extensively in mdx mouse and DMD dog models, and have own entered clinical trials. These vectors have shown significant improvement in the DMD pathology of mice and dogs, although complete correction has yet to be attained. Gene editing through exon-skipping oligonucleotides and CRISPR/Cas9 is also being developed, with varying success and a sense that both technologies are still in their infancy. While promising rAAV clinical trials have begun, there is still work to be done to advance the field of gene replacement for DMD.
UUV Operations to Characterize Circulation and Morphology of Tidal Flats

Abstract : We propose to continue our Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) work to investigate circulation and bottom morphology in tidal flats and surrounding environments. While these areas have traditionally been difficult to sample, UUVs with advanced sensor technology afford the opportunity to systematically study the dynamic components of these systems. Our deployments of the REMUS UUV in coastal waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico demonstrate the ability of this platform to operate routinely in VSW environments, including harbors, estuaries, and the near shore/surf zone transition. Highly resolved measurements of circulation patterns, in water components, bottom topography and characterization will be taken in the specific study sites chosen for this DRI. These data will support the general goals of this DRI in identifying and advancing our understanding of mechanisms for morphologic change in tidal mud flats.
A predatory mite, Amblyseius swirskii, and plastic mulch for managing melon thrips, Thrips palmi, in vegetable crops

Abstract Melon thrips, Thrips palmi Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), is a significant pest of vegetable crops and ornamental plants due to feeding and oviposition injury to vegetative and reproductive tissues. As an integrated approach, we evaluated the efficacy of a phytoseiid mite, Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot, and different colored and UV-reflective plastic mulches for managing T. palmi in snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), yellow squash (Cucurbita pepo L.), eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), Jalapeno pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). The five mulch treatments evaluated were: “Shine N′ Ripe” (Metalized top and black bottom), “Can-Shine” (Metalized top and white bottom), “Black” plastic black-on-black (Can-Grow-XSB), black-on-white (Can-Grow XSB), “White” plastic; white-on-black (Can-Grow XSB), and bare soil with no mulch. The number of T. palmi adults and larvae in leaf samples collected from the middle third (stratum) of plants in each treatment was determined. In 2015 at 49 days after planting (DAP), curative release of 40–50 A. swirskii per plant did not suppress T. palmi effectively when the thrips population was high. There were no significant interactions between A. swirskii and crop or A. swirskii and mulch type on the number of T. palmi. However, in 2016 at 15 DAP, preventive release of A. swirskii, reduced the number of T. palmi in each of the mulch and crop treatments. Metalized mulch reduced the number of T. palmi early in the season when plants’ canopy did not shade the mulched area. These results suggest that use of metalized reflective mulch and A. swirskii, each have the potential to manage T. palmi at low population densities.
The Use of Point‐of‐Care Ultrasound to Evaluate Pulsus Paradoxus in Children With Asthma

Pulsus paradoxus (PP) is defined as a fall of systolic blood pressure of greater than 10 mm Hg during the inspiratory phase of respiration. Measurement of PP is recommended by national and international asthma guidelines as an objective measure of asthma severity but is rarely used in clinical practice. Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound with pulsed wave Doppler imaging measuring respiratory-phasic changes of mitral valve inflow velocities is well described in cardiac tamponade as "sonographic" PP. We present 10 cases of acute asthma presenting to an emergency department showing the finding of sonographic determined PP in the apical 4-chamber view of the heart on pulsed wave Doppler imaging.
Preliminary results for glider localization in the Beaufort Duct using broadband acoustic sources at long range

The relatively shallow sound speed minimum known as the Beaufort Duct, present during the Canada Basin Acoustic Propagation Experiment, enabled transmissions from acoustic sources moored within the duct to Seaglider receivers at ranges up to 480 km. The receptions from these broadband sources were used to position the Seagliders at the time of reception both using ranges estimated in real-time and by the acoustic arrival matching (AAM) method, which infers ranges from comparisons with acoustic propagation models in post-processing. Preliminary results indicate that a posteriori data errors are reduced by a factor of 4 or 5 by implementing the AAM localization method.
Starting the Conversation About Interdisciplinary Counselor and Teacher Training

School counselors and special education teachers are most often the professionals called upon to support students with intensive, challenging behavioral and emotional needs. However, research sugge...
Sea-salt Aerosol in Hawaii and the Influence of Large Organized Structures (LOS) or Rolls on Fluxes and Visibility

Abstract : Our long-term goal is to establish an improved understanding of the factors that control the marine aerosol properties and concentrations as they relate to generation processes, mixing processes, their dependence on oceanic and environmental conditions and physicochemical evolution in the marine boundary layer. We expect these efforts to lead to improved modeling and predictability of marine aerosol concentrations and optical properties. One of the components of our work is to describe the chemical composition of submicron, nonrefractory, aerosol over the central Pacific Ocean, a region where little data of this type exists. Our studies involve using an Aerodyne Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (ToF-AMS) to chemically characterize the aerosol. We also seek to address the evolving issue of organic aerosol in the marine environment, and deduce potential sources of these organics. More specifically, we wish to continue our investigation of the marine source of organics to the remote marine atmosphere, and add strength to our hypothesis that little to negligible organics can be associated with a natural marine source. Our activities this past year also include analysis of equatorial Pacific aerosol aircraft data (NCAR C-130 PASE experiment) as part of our studying Large Organized Structures (LOS) or rolls and their role in aerosol processes and the vertical mixing of sea-salt and associated optical extinction.
On Byzantine-Resilient High-Dimensional Stochastic Gradient Descent

We study stochastic gradient descent (SGD) in the master-worker architecture under Byzantine attacks. Building upon the recent advances in algorithmic high-dimensional robust statistics, in each SGD iteration, master employs a non-trivial decoding to estimate the true gradient from the unbiased stochastic gradients received from workers, some of which may be corrupt.We provide convergence analyses for both strongly-convex and non-convex smooth objectives under standard SGD assumptions. We can control the approximation error of our solution in both these settings by the mini-batch size of stochastic gradients; and we can make the approximation error as small as we want, provided that workers use a sufficiently large mini-batch size. Our algorithm can tolerate less than $\frac{1}{3}$ fraction of Byzantine workers. It can approximately find the optimal parameters in the strongly-convex setting exponentially fast, and reaches to an approximate stationary point in the non-convex setting with linear speed, i.e., with a rate of $\frac{1}{T}$, thus, matching the convergence rates of vanilla SGD in the Byzantine-free setting.