cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract A27: Risk of hematopoietic cancer associated mortality among workers in the poultry slaughtering and processing industries.

Objectives: Previous occupational cohort studies among poultry workers have revealed an excess risk of cancer-related mortality, including deaths due to hematopoietic malignancies. However, specific occupational and non-occupational exposures contributing to this excess risk have yet to be identified. Poultry workers are particularly at high risk since an average of 175,000 chickens are killed daily in poultry plants in the United States. This brings poultry workers into intimate contact with their blood, organs, and secretions, which may harbor transmissible oncogenic viruses. Moreover, they are exposed to potentially carcinogenic chemicals that are emitted during packaging and preparation. Hence, our study was conducted to provide preliminary evidence of which specific poultry related and non-poultry related occupational tasks increase the risk of mortality from hematopoietic cancer among poultry workers. Methods: A pilot case-cohort study was conducted using a combined cohort of 30,411 highly exposed poultry workers and 16,408 control subjects. Exposures pertaining to poultry and non-poultry related tasks were self-reported through telephone interviews from controls and next-of-kin for cases. Hematopoietic cancer mortality risk was assessed using logistic regression odds ratios (OR) and proportional hazard ratios (HR). Results: One hundred fifty-two cases of hematopoietic cancer occurred in this cohort between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 2003. Since this is a feasibility study, exhaustive attempts were not made to identify study subjects and their next of kin. Thus, we report here on the first 52 (69%) of the 75 cases whose next-of-kin were traced. Similarly, of the first 214 controls that were traced, 152 (71%) completed interviews. Preliminary analysis is currently underway to identify the specific task exposures contributing to this excess risk. Conclusion: We expect the results of our study will confirm known risk factors related to hematopoietic cancers, and uncover new risk exposures that have yet to be appreciated in the general population due to their low level exposures. Using high-risk unique populations offers an opportunity to better understand molecular mechanisms that investigators may explore to aid in future drug development. Citation Format: Saritha Bangara, Martha J. Felini, Subhash Aryal, David Sterling, Eric S. Johnson. Risk of hematopoietic cancer associated mortality among workers in the poultry slaughtering and processing industries. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Hematologic Malignancies: Translating Discoveries to Novel Therapies; Sep 20-23, 2014; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2015;21(17 Suppl):Abstract nr A27.
Parasitoids of a Stem Weevil, Cylindrocopturus Adspersus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in Sunflower: Incidence and Parasitization Rates in the Northern Great Plains

Three species of Hymenoptera were reared from overwintering larvae of a sunflower stem weevil, Cylindrocopturus Adspersus (LeConte), collected in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota in 1979 and 1980. These included: Nealiolus curculionis (Fitch) (Braconidae); Tetrastichus ainsliei Gahan (Eulophidae); and Mesopolobus sp. (Pteromalidae). N. curculionis was the most prevalent, representing about 90% of the total number of parasitoids. All three species are endoparasitoids, overwintering within the host weevil larva. N. curculionis and Mesopolobus sp. are solitary parasitoids, and T. ainsliei is a gregarious parasitoid, yielding up to 13 adults per host. The percentage of sunflower fields with parasitized C. adspersus larvae averaged 76% in 1979 and 43% in 1980. Rates of parasitization of C. adspersus overwintering larvae by the three parasitoids were higher in 1979 than in 1980, with total means for the three states of 12 and 5%, respectively.
The three G's: meeting the invertebrate cell culture pioneers: Goldschmidt, Gaw, and Grace.

It was my good fortune to meet personally the three invertebrate cell culture pioneers, Richard Goldschmidt, Zan-Yin Gaw, and Thomas D. C. Grace (Fig. 1). In 1951 I met Goldschmidt at a symposium in Cold Spring Harbor, but I only knew that he was a prominent geneticist. I had no idea about his insect cell culture work at Yale University and daily contacts with Ross G. Harrison. In 1959 Zan Yin Gaw in Wuhan successfully cultured monolayers of silkworm cells for more than one year. I reported his breakthrough achievement at the 11th International Congress of Entomology in Vienna in 1960, but his work was completely ignored outside China. In 1982 Gaw invited me to Wuhan where he told me that he studied in the United States in the 1930s, working as postdoctoral scientist at the Rockefeller Institute, where he was daily meeting William Trager, and later at Yale University in the Osborn Laboratory, where he was inspired by Harrison. T. D. C. Grace worked in my laboratory at Rockefeller University during 1957 and 1958, then returned to CSIRO in Canberra, Australia. In 1962 he successfully established a cell line from the ovarian tissues of Antherea eucalypti pupae. The subsequent expansion of invertebrate cell culture involved the Nobel laureate Rita Levi Montalcini. I met her at a Growth Symposium, where I saw Harrison the last time. In 1969 she published the first of a dozen papers on in vitro studies of the embryonic nerve system of Periplaneta americana that led to her milestone discovery of the nerve growth factors. The “3 G-s” insect cell culture pioneers were directly or indirectly influenced and inspired by Harrison. Gaw was the only one who created a large following of insect cell culture researchers, who continued and expanded the work started by him in China.
Abstract 2633: Adenosine analog enhances actions of 17-AAG

Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a molecular chaperone that regulates the functional stability of client oncoproteins, which is driven by the binding and hydrolysis of ATP. The geldanamycin analog, 17-AAG, binds to the ATP pocket of HSP90 leading to the degradation of client proteins. However, 17-AAG also induces transcription of antiapoptotic HSP70 and HSP27 resulting in cell death resistance. The nucleoside analog 8-Chloro-Adenosine (8-Cl-Ado), currently in clinical trial, is a transcription inhibitor that gets metabolized into its cytotoxic form 8-Cl-ATP causing a parallel decrease of the cellular ATP pool. Based on its mechanisms of action we hypothesize that the combination of 17-AAG and 8-Cl-Ado will result in a favorable effect on cytotoxicity. As shown in the Table, simultaneous or sequential combination (rows 6 and 7) were more than additive in multiple myeloma cell lines. With 17-AAG alone, there was a transcriptional induction of HSP90α, HSP90β, HSP70, HSC70 and HSP27 as measured by real time RT-PCR. With the drug combinations, there was no reduction of the 17-AAG-induced HSPs mRNA levels, rather a several fold increase was observed for the stress-inducible HSP70 and HSP27. In accordance, the protein levels of the HSPs were also increased when treated with 17-AAG but remained the same when 8-Cl-Ado was added. This suggests that the transcription inhibition by 8-Cl-Ado was not able to abrogate 17-AAG-mediated HSP induction. The transcript levels for client proteins (STAT3, Akt and c-Raf) remained at endogenous levels when treated with the drugs alone or in combination. However, the combination treatments resulted in a greater decline of the protein expression of STAT3 (1-60%), Akt (42-78%), and Raf-1 (25-85%). This may be due to the reduction in intracellular ATP levels after 8-Cl-Ado treatment, MM.1S (57%), 8226-RPMI (24%), and U266 (56%). Taken together, the increased cytotoxicity of 17-AAG and 8-Cl-Ado combination is mediated by the actions of 8-Cl-Ado on the cellular ATP pool and not due to its effect on transcription. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2633.
Covalent Functionalization of Boron Nitride Nanotubes via Reduction Chemistry.

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) exhibit a range of properties that hold great potential for many fields of science and technology; however, they have inherently low chemical reactivity, making functionalization for specific applications difficult. Here we propose that covalent functionalization of BNNTs via reduction chemistry could be a highly promising and viable strategy. Through density functional theory calculations of the electron affinity of BNNTs and their binding energies with various radicals, we reveal that their chemical reactivity can be significantly enhanced via reducing the nanotubes (i.e., negatively charging). For example, a 5.5-fold enhancement in reactivity of reduced BNNTs toward NH2 radicals was predicted relative to their neutral counterparts. The localization characteristics of the BNNT π electron system lead the excess electrons to fill the empty p orbitals of boron sites, which promote covalent bond formation with an unpaired electron from a radical molecule. In support of our th...
The Increasing Volatility of the Stock Market

This study provides a rigorous examination of historical stock price volatility. We measure changes in the variability of equity returns on a daily and monthly basis and test whether volatility has changed over the period 1926 through 2014. Our results are of importance to practitioners, individual investors, policy makers, and the press and address the widely held perception among market participants and the general public that stock market volatility has increased over time. Our results suggest this belief is accurate, but only when volatility is measured on a daily basis. When measured using monthly increments, there has been no discernable change in return volatility. This is likely good news for both traders and investors. Traders are active on a daily basis and can profit from larger movements in the market, thus the slight increase in daily volatility is likely both important to them and viewed positively. Long-term investors can take comfort that many of the large daily price declines are at least partially offset by similar price increases and that, when measured over longer periods, volatility has not increased.
Analysis of the prevalence of hand,foot,and mouth disease in Nanchang,2008-2010

Objective To investigate the prevalence of hand,foot,and mouth disease(HFMD) in Nanchang City.Methods Data on HFMD outbreaks were collected retrospectively from the National Disease Reporting System for Nanchang City from Jan 1 2008 to Dec 31 2010.All HFMD cases were analyzed to determine when the disease occurred and the patient's location,age,sex,occupation,etc.Results A total of 8 745 cases of HFMD were reported during the period studied.Of these,130 were serious and 12 resulted in death.The ages of patients with HFMD ranged from 10 months to 34 years of age,with most cases(82.33%) occurring in individuals 3 years or younger.Outbreaks peaked between April and June although sporadic cases were reported all year round.EV71 and CoxA16 were the major pathogens isolated in the area.Clustered outbreaks occurred mainly in kindergartens.Conclusion The incidence of HFMD has been increasing over the last 3 years in Nanchang City.Kindergartens should take appropriate measures to prevent disease transmission.Monitoring of outbreaks,health education,and morning physical examinations must be implemented to control the disease.
L-type Ca2+ channels, resting [Ca2+](i), and ET-1-induced responses in chronically hypoxic pulmonary myocytes

In the lung, chronic hypoxia (CH) causes pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) depolarization, elevated endothelin-1 (ET-1), and vasoconstriction. We determined whether, during CH, depolari...
Prisoner Reentry as Secondary Crime Prevention

When thinking about crime deterrence, most people think of primary crime prevention or addressing criminogenic factors early in life to prevent the onset of criminal behavior (Sutton et al. in Crime prevention: principles, perspectives, and practices. Cambridge University Press, New York, 2013). What is equally important to public safety, however, is secondary crime prevention, or our ability to deter the continuation or escalation of criminal behavior. Prisoner reentry programs are but one form of secondary crime prevention currently endorsed by correctional administrators, criminologists, and parole agents (Travis and Petersilia in Crime and Delinquency 47(3):291, 2001). “[Prisoner] Reentry is the process by which individuals return to communities from prison or jail custody” (Thompson in Releasing prisoners, redeeming communities: reentry, race, and politics. New York City Press, New York, 2008, 1), and programs are intended to provide a seamless transition back into society by working with inmates while still institutionalized to prepare them for obtaining housing and employment, reunite with family, and address their addictions within the community (Draine and Herman in J Community Correct 20(1):11–18, 2010). The topic of this chapter focuses on effective reentry and addresses the components of the reentry process, what makes reentry programs “effective, what are the barriers in the reentry process, and how can reentry programs become more “effective” at deterring reoffending.
CODING ANALYSES OF BUNYAVIRUS RNA SPECIES

Publisher Summary The genome of bunya viruses consists of three single-stranded, negative-sense, RNA molecules designated as L, M, and S. For snowshoe hare (SSH) virus, a member of the California encephalitis serogroup of bunyaviruses, it has been demonstrated by genetic, molecular, and DNA sequencing studies that the S RNA (3.3x10 daltons) codes for the structural nucleocapsid polypeptide N (26.3x10 daltons) as well as a nonstructural protein NSs (10.5x10 daltons) that is found in virus infected cells. Tne function of the NSs protein is unknown. The two gene products are read from overlapping open reading frames in the S viral complementary RNA species. The S RNA species and the encoded gene products of SSH and LAC viruses are comparable in sequence. Although most of the 114 nucleotide differences do not predict amino acid changes, there are a total of 22 N and 12 NSs differences. The direct RNA sequencing of SSH and LAC RNA species has demonstrated that the 3' ends of the three viral RNA species (L, M, and S) are conserved, at least for 10–15 nucleotides.
Assessment of MELCOR condensation models with the presence of noncondensable gas in natural convection flow regime

Abstract Condensation of steam vapor is an important mode of energy removal from the reactor containment. The presence of noncondensable gas complicates the process and makes it difficult to model. MELCOR, one of the more widely used system codes for containment analyses, uses the heat and mass transfer analogy to model condensation heat transfer. To investigate previously reported nodalization-dependence in natural convection flow regime, MELCOR condensation model as well as other models are studied. The nodalization-dependence issue is resolved by using physical length from the actual geometry rather than node size of each control volume as the characteristic length scale for MELCOR containment analyses. At the transition to turbulent natural convection regime, the McAdams correlation for convective heat transfer produces a better prediction compared to the original MELCOR model. The McAdams correlation is implemented in MELCOR and the prediction is validated against a set of experiments on a scaled AP600 containment. The MELCOR with our implemented model produces improved predictions. For steam molar fractions in the gas mixture greater than about 0.58, the predictions are within the uncertainty margin of the measurements. The simulation results still underestimate the heat transfer from the gas-steam mixture, implying that conservative predictions are provided.
Sharing beyond Slacktivism: the effect of socially observable prosocial media sharing on subsequent offline helping behavior

ABSTRACTNew forms of youth social and political participation have been termed ‘Slacktivism’ – low-cost online forms of social engagement that decrease subsequent offline participation. Previous experimental work has provided support for a ‘Slacktivism effect,’ but it is unclear if this theoretical model applies to youth media sharing on social networking sites. This study uses a novel sharing simulation paradigm to test the effect of publicly vs. anonymously sharing a social cause video on subsequent willingness to engage in offline helping behavior. Results show that publicly (as compared to anonymously) sharing a selected video on one’s own Facebook wall led to a greater willingness to volunteer for an issue-related cause. Participants’ existing use of social media for engagement in social issues/causes moderated the effect, such that only participants low in use of social media for social engagement were susceptible to the sharing manipulation. Implications for reconceptualizing media sharing as a uni...
Thoreau: A subterranean wireless sensing network for agriculture and the environment

This paper presents the deployment of a working Wireless Underground Sensor Network (WUSN) on a university campus using existing wireless networking technology at 902 MHz. This is the first full system of its kind that is operational over a long time, with the data being gathered available in real time on an open website. Design details of the WUSN are described, including the network architecture, sensor nodes, user interface and power management techniques. Initial results obtained from the sensor network are provided and analyzed, showing information regarding soil properties and their influence on the performance of the wireless transmission.
Pulmonary manifestations in late versus early systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Objectives Phenotypes differ between late- and early-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Prior studies suggested that there may be more pulmonary disease among late-onset patients. Our objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the differences in pulmonary manifestations in late- versus early-onset SLE. Methods We searched the literature using PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE. We excluded studies that did not include American College of Rheumatology SLE classification criteria, an early-onset SLE comparison group, or those that defined late-onset SLE as Results Thirty-nine studies, representing 10,963 early-onset and 1656 late-onset patients with SLE, met eligibility criteria. The odds of developing several pulmonary manifestations were higher in the late-onset group. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) was nearly three times more common (OR = 2.56 (1.27, 5.16)). Pleuritis (OR = 1.53 (1.19, 1.96)) and serositis (OR = 1.31 (1.05, 1.65)) were also more common in the late-onset group. The mean Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Scale score for study quality was moderate (6.3 ± 0.7, scale 0–9). Conclusions Pulmonary manifestations of SLE were more common in late-onset SLE patients compared to their younger peers, in particular ILD and serositis. Age-related changes of the immune system, tobacco exposure, race, and possible overlap with Sjogren’s syndrome should be examined in future studies.
Longitudinal study of the association between thrombocytopenia and retinopathy of prematurity.

Background An association between thrombocytopenia and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) has been suggested but not been studied longitudinally. We sought to identify the time period in postnatal development during which thrombocytopenia and the subsequent development of severe ROP are associated. Methods This was a retrospective case–control study of 100 subjects who received laser photocoagulation for type 1 ROP between 2005 and 2009 and 100 controls with no ROP or only stage 1 ROP. The proportions of infants with thrombocytopenia, defined as a serum platelet level of Results Thrombocytopenia was significantly associated with severe ROP during PMA weeks 24-28 (adjusted OR, 4.7; 95% CI, 2.0-1.1; P = 0.001) and 29-34 (adjusted OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.4-5.6; P = 0.006), but not during weeks 35-38 (adjusted OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 0.9-4.3; P = 0.10). Conclusions Thrombocytopenia from birth through 34 weeks’ PMA was associated with subsequent severe ROP. This time period corresponds to a period of poor retinal vascular growth, suggesting a possible proangiogenic effect of platelets in normal retinal vascular development in infants at risk for ROP.
Trends in the Body Mass Index of Pediatric and Adult Patients Undergoing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Background:The body mass index (BMI) in the United States (US) is rising and may be contributing to increased anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) rates. It is currently unknown whether...
Human Rights and the Global Campaign for Peace Education

L'article decrit l'action globale du GCPE (Global Campaign for Peace Education) au niveau internationale, et plus precisement les differentes initiatives de ce projet qui tente d'encourager et de faciliter l'education aux Droits de l'Homme en donnant l'acces a des informations pedagogiques relatives a la formation des enseignants et au materiel pedagogique.
Control of lymphopoiesis by non-receptor protein tyrosine kinases.

Maintenance of a satisfactory immune system requires the daily generation of millions of lymphocytes from immature progenitor cells that reside (in adult mammals) in the bone marrow. Three fundamental processes underlie lymphopoiesis. First, a small population of hematopoietic stem cells (estimated to represent something less than 0.1% of bone marrow cells) gives rise continuously to mature daughter cells through successive, self-regenerating cell divisions (see ref. 1 for a review of hematopoietic stem cells). Second, cells committed to the lymphoid lineages must colonize specialized stromal cell environments wherein extrinsic cues are provided that direct maturation. The maturation of B cell precursors occurs in mammalian bone marrow and can be observed using in vitro culture systems containing well-characterized bone marrow-derived stromal cells (2). Similarly, T lymphocyte maturation, which for conventional T cells takes place in the thymus, can be modelled in vitro or in fetal thymic organ culture (3). Detailed analysis of T and B cell development has established that precursor cells proceed through a series of clearly defined maturation steps, giving rise to intermediate cell populations that display characteristic cell surface molecules. Thus the third fundamental process underlying lymphopoiesis is the regulated maturation of committed progenitors through discrete developmental checkpoints.
Hemoglobin Synthesis in Murine Virus-induced Leukemic Cells In Vitro. I. Partial Purification and Identification of Hemoglobins

Hemoglobin synthesis in murine Friend virus-induced leukemic cells established in tissue culture has been demonstrated. These cells have exhibited a limited degree of differentiation along the erythroid line throughout their serial passage history. Cloned lines differ in the extent of differentiation as evaluated by benzidine staining and the amount of hemoglobin produced. The hemoglobin present in these cells was identified by its histochemical staining properties, peroxidatic activity, incorporation of 59Fe, absorption spectrum, and characteristic migration pattern during discontinuous electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels. Three hemoglobin components were detected on 10.0 per cent polyacrylamide gels. The electrophoretic pattern of these three hemoglobins appeared similar to that of hemolysates of adult DBA/2J mice, the strain from which the cells originated.
ACRIN 6698 trial: Quantitative diffusion-weighted MRI to predict pathologic response in neoadjuvant chemotherapy treatment of breast cancer.

11520Background: Diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI is a non-contrast technique that can reflect treatment-induced alterations in tumor microstructure and cellularity. ACRIN 6698 was performed as a sub-st...
Two-stage liver transplant for ruptured hepatic adenoma: A case report.

BACKGROUND Only one case of liver transplantation for hepatic adenoma has previously been reported for patients with rupture and uncontrolled hemorrhage. We present the case of a massive ruptured hepatic adenoma with persistent hemorrhagic shock and toxic liver syndrome which resulted in a two-stage liver transplantation. This is the first case of a two-stage liver transplantation performed for a ruptured hepatic adenoma. CASE SUMMARY A 23 years old African American female with a history of pre-diabetes and oral contraceptive presented to an outside facility complaining of right-sided chest pain and emesis for one day. She was found to be in hemorrhagic shock due to a massive ruptured hepatic hepatic adenoma. She underwent repeated embolizations with interventional radiology with ongoing hemorrhage and the development of renal failure, hepatic failure, and hemodynamic instability, known as toxic liver syndrome. In the setting of uncontrolled hemorrhage and toxic liver syndrome, a hepatectomy with porto-caval anastomosis was performed with liver transplantation 15 h later. She tolerated the anhepatic stage well, and has done well over one year later. CONCLUSION When toxic liver syndrome is recognized, liver transplantation with or without hepatectomy should be considered before the patient becomes unstable.
Toward a Corporate Culture of Health: Results of a National Survey

Policy Points The private sector has large potential influence over social determinants of health, but we have limited information about how businesses perceive or engage in actions to promote health and well-being. We conducted a national survey of more than 1,000 businesses of varying sizes and industries to benchmark private sector engagement in employee, environmental, consumer, and community health, which we collectively refer to as a corporate culture of health. Overall, the private sector is taking steps to foster health and well-being but still has substantial opportunity for growth. Context The private sector has a large potential role in advancing health and well-being, but attention to corporate practices around health tends to focus on a narrow range of issues and on large businesses. Systematically describing private sector engagement in health and well-being is a necessary step toward understanding the current state of the field and developing an agenda for businesses going forward. Methods We conducted a national survey of 1,017 private sector organizations to assess current levels of engagement in what we term a culture of health (CoH). We measured corporate CoH along four dimensions, which assess the extent to which businesses promote employee, environmental, consumer, and community health and well-being. We also explored potential explanations for the number of health-related actions taken in each dimension. Findings On average, businesses took 38% of health-related actions included in our survey. For each dimension, we found variation among businesses in the number of actions taken (on average, there were almost fourfold differences between the bottom and top quartiles of businesses in terms of actions taken). Mentioning health and well-being in the corporate mission, having a strategic plan for CoH, and perceiving a positive return on CoH investments were all associated with businesses' actions taken. Fewer than half of businesses, however, perceived a positive return on their CoH investments. Conclusions Overall, the private sector is taking steps to foster health and well-being. However, there remains substantial variation among businesses and opportunity for growth, even among those currently taking the most action. Strengthening the business case for a corporate CoH may increase private sector investments in health and well-being. Actions taken by individual businesses, business groups, industries, and regulators have the potential to improve corporate engagement and impact.
Frailty and Sarcopenia in the Critically Ill Patient with Cirrhosis

Frailty and sarcopenia increase the risk of critical illness among patients with cirrhosis. In this chapter, we review the diagnosis, implication, and management of frailty and sarcopenia in the critical care setting.
Mass Protests in China (III): Summary and Government Response Policy

This issue builds on the two previous issues on Mass Protests in China, drawing on the Ministry of Public Security compilation of provincial reports in 1999. The first issue was focused on reports ...
"I’m Scared because Divorce Sucks": Parental Divorce and the Marital Paradigms of Emerging Adults

Previous studies have suggested that parental divorce influences the relational beliefs and orientation toward marriage of adolescents and emerging adults. Most of this previous work has been limit...
Interactive Data Analysis on Large Data Bases

About 30,000 (June 1986) case histories of kidney transplants are stored in the CTS data base. One purpose of the Trains project is to support the analysis of these data. Due to the typical defects of this kind of medical data only “explorative” data analysis seems to be appropriate, which should be done by the medical researcher himself, because he knows about origin and content of the data. In order to make this analysis task as easy as possible from a technical (i.e. data processing) point of view for the physician, he should be provided with an interactive tool. But how should the realisation of such a tool look like? What are the requirements in detail? What are the technical implications? Especially, how can the speed be achieved allowing interactive analysis of a rather large data base. To study this kind of questions a program was designed and implemented for the computation of survival curves and some related test statistics. The chosen statistical methods are only examples to gain experiences for a more sophisticated tool. Some of the experience will be reported and discussed.
Short term real-world Fingolimod efficacy and safety in Emirati patients with multiple sclerosis.

Abstract In clinical trials, Fingolimod was an efficacious and safe treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite this, few studies have explored its real-world efficacy and safety in the Middle East. The aim of this study was to describe our clinical experience with Fingolimod at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in Emirati patients with MS. We retrospectively collected clinical and brain and spinal cord MRI activity over time in 30 Emirati MS patients [F/M = 22/8, mean (SD) disease duration at treatment initiation = 3.3 (3.6) years, age at onset = 25.9 (6.9) years] who were commenced on Fingolimod from 2015 and followed for 18 months. The proportion of MS patients clinically and radiologically silent after Fingolimod initiation over time was assessed together with annualized relapse rate (ARR) reduction and adverse events (AEs) occurrence. 70% of MS patients who started Fingolimod were naive. The baseline ARR [mean (SD; range)] was [1.2 (0.8; 0–4)] and 23.3% of MS patients had Gadolinium enhancing lesions at baseline MRI. Overall, the ARR was reduced by 72% and, relapses and MRI activity were found in only 24% and 38% of MS patients respectively. Mild to moderate AEs were observed in 33% of MS patients. No severe AEs were recorded. In Emirati MS patients, Fingolimod is safe and efficacious as an early treatment choice.
Predicting compressive strength of consolidated molecular solids using computer vision and deep learning

Abstract We explore the application of computer vision and machine learning (ML) techniques to predict material properties (e.g., compressive strength) based on SEM images. We show that it's possible to train ML models to predict materials performance based on SEM images alone, demonstrating this capability on the real-world problem of predicting uniaxially compressed peak stress of consolidated molecular solids samples. Our image-based ML approach reduces mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) by an average of 24% over baselines representative of the current state-of-the-practice (i.e., domain-expert's analysis and correlation). We compared two complementary approaches to this problem: (1) a traditional ML approach, random forest (RF), using state-of-the-art computer vision features and (2) an end-to-end deep learning (DL) approach, where features are learned automatically from raw images. We demonstrate the complementarity of these approaches, showing that RF performs best in the “small data” regime in which many real-world scientific applications reside (up to 24% lower RMSE than DL), whereas DL outpaces RF in the “big data” regime, where abundant training samples are available (up to 24% lower RMSE than RF). Finally, we demonstrate that models trained using machine learning techniques are capable of discovering and utilizing informative crystal attributes previously underutilized by domain experts.
Do Prolonged Nasogastric Tube Feedings Reduce Gastroesophageal Reflux in Infants

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is common in the neonatal population. While generally benign in infancy, it may lead to adverse respiratory and nutritional outcomes and lengthen hospital stay. Prolonged nasogastric (NG) feeding is frequently used to reduce GER. However, prolonging NG feeds may delay gastric emptying or increase transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation. Multi-channel intraluminal impedance with pH probe (MII-pH) is considered the gold standard for evaluation of GER. To our …
Home language and societal language skills in second-generation bilingual adults:

Aims:Research aims were (a) to test competing predictions regarding the levels of heritage and societal language proficiency among young adults who experienced early exposure to both languages, and...
A cell type annotation Jamboree—Revival of а communal science forum

Cell Atlases are currently being constructed for human tissues as well as several model organisms. New technologies make creation of vast datasets in many species possible, but the value of such data crucially depends on the quality of annotation. The tools of annotating single cell data and creating knowledge representations comparable across organisms have been lagging. We argue that successfully creating Cell Atlases will require a revival of a boot-camp style forum for communal annotation combined with an intensive learning workshop, dubbed a "Jamboree". We report on our experience of successfully developing a structure and curriculum and running such a Jamboree for Xenopus Embryonic Cell Types at the Janelia Farms campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Resilient supply chain to a global pandemic

The design and management of a supply chain (SC) in a global pandemic require a different approach than those used for more spatially restricted risks, such as earthquakes. A successful SC design and management plan should consider pandemic spatiotemporal characteristics as well as its effects on production and logistical operations, and on the SC workforce at risk. In this paper, a stochastic mixed integer linear programming model is developed to maximise the conditional value at risk (CVaR) of SC profit given a set of pandemic scenarios. An exemplar SC network from the literature is utilised, along with randomly generated pessimistic and optimistic pandemic scenarios. The proposed model is demonstrated by obtaining SC designs for different cases pertaining to pandemic influence and strategic policies. The resultant SC designs are used to contrast the performance of management plans across different pandemic scenarios and for different levels of workforce at risk. Supply chains for socially critical products, such as ventilators, are studied separately to examine the impact of SC network expansion on maximizing satisfied demand. Finally, we investigate the effects of diversifying network node locations across different administrative regions on SC performance. Several managerial insights are presented for SC planners to aid in creating viable designs and management plans.
Hypothalamic control of interoceptive hunger

While energy balance is critical to survival, many factors influence food intake beyond caloric need or "hunger." Despite this, some neurons that drive feeding in mice are routinely referred to as "hunger neurons," whereas others are not. To understand how specific hypothalamic circuits control interoceptive hunger, we trained mice to discriminate fasted from sated periods. We then manipulated three hypothalamic neuronal populations with well-known effects on feeding while mice performed this task. While activation of ARCAGRP neurons in sated mice caused mice to report being food-restricted, LHVGAT neuron activation or LHVGLUT2 neuron inhibition did not. In contrast, LHVGAT neuron inhibition or LHVGLUT2 neuron activation in fasted mice attenuated natural hunger, whereas ARCAGRP neuron inhibition did not. Each neuronal population evoked distinct effects on food consumption and reward. After satiety- or sickness-induced devaluation, ARCAGRP neurons drove calorie-specific feeding, while LHVGAT neurons drove calorie-indiscriminate food intake. Our data support a role for ARCAGRP neurons in homeostatic feeding and implicate them in driving a hunger-like internal state that directs behavior toward caloric food sources. Moreover, manipulations of LH circuits did not evoke hunger-like effects in sated mice, suggesting that they may govern feeding more related to reward, compulsion, or generalized consumption than to energy balance, but also that these LH circuits can be powerful negative appetite modulators in fasted mice. This study highlights the complexity of hypothalamic feeding regulation and can be used as a framework to characterize how other neuronal circuits affect hunger and identify potential therapeutic targets for eating disorders.
Mechanisms of age-related endocrine alterations. Part II.

Aging is associated with a myriad of hormonal changes. The mechanisms underlying these changes are variable. Aging is associated with anatomic changes of the endocrine glands, notably as a result of programmed cell death, autoimmune-mediated destruction of the gland, or neoplastic transformation of glandular tissue. Age-related changes in hormonal secretion can also be secondary to physiological changes in circadian and seasonal rhythm, or in frequency or height of hormonal pulses. Some of these changes in hormone secretion are compensatory for the age-related reduction in hormonal clearance, and others are the results of changes in glandular sensitivity to secretagogues or inhibitory stimuli. Age-related changes in hormone action can also be the result of altered bioactivity of hormones, altered transport of hormones to binding receptor sites, altered hormone-receptor interactions or due to postreceptor changes. Within the context of the latter, aging is associated with alterations in plasma membrane properties and intrinsic changes in cellular enzyme activity, and changes in calcium mobilisation and gene expression. Some of these changes are directly related to aging while others are secondary to age-associated diseases and changes in nutritional state. The predominant mechanism in each age-related change varies with the hormone studied. The age-related changes in the mechanisms of endocrine dysfunction are often tissue- and species-specific. Part II will discuss changes in hormone action with age.
The estimation of cardiac output from blood pressure and pulse wave velocity measurements on subjects with cardiovascular disease

Abstract In part I of this report, 1 it was shown that the method of calculating the stroke volume of the heart from measurements of pulse pressure and pulse wave velocity 2 is applicable to patients with various types of cardiovascular disease other than aortic regurgitation. The method is not applicable to patients with aortic regurgitation because the pulse pressure is determined by the volume of blood which returns to the left ventricle, in addition to that which proceeds through the aorta. The values obtained, therefore, do not represent the effective stroke volume. If the cardiac output in a patient with aortic regurgitation is measured by the acetylene method, a comparison of the values so obtained with those obtained by somewhat modified calculations from the pulse pressure supplies an estimate of the degree of regurgitation. This, in turn, permits investigation of the nature and extent of the physiologic handicap which aortic regurgitation imposes upon the heart. The observations to be reported are concerned with the results of this procedure as applied to two subjects.
Coupled multiphase transport, large deformation and phase transition during rice puffing

Abstract Puffing of biomaterials involves mass, momentum and energy transport along with large volumetric expansion of the material. Development of fundamentals-based models that can describe heat and moisture transport, rapid evaporation and large deformations can help understand the factors affecting the puffing processes and optimize them. In this context, salt-assisted puffing of parboiled rice is described. A multiphase porous media model involving heat and mass transfer within the rice kernel undergoing large deformations is developed. The transport model involves different phases and multiple modes of transport. During puffing, intensive heating of rice leads to rapid evaporation of water to vapor resulting in large pressure development. Also, the rice starch undergoes Glass Transition from a rigid, glassy state to a soft, rubbery state. Development of large pressures within a soft matrix results in large volumetric expansion of the kernel causing it to puff. The developed model was validated against moisture changes and volumetric expansion of the rice kernel during the puffing process and good agreement was found. Gas porosity development in puffed rice was determined via 3D reconstruction of micro-CT images of rice puffed at different times which compared favorably well with model predictions. The expansion of the kernel began from the tip of the grain and the model could successfully capture this phenomenon. Expansion ratio, a key quality parameter associated with puffed products, was found to be sensitive to intrinsic permeability and bulk modulus of the solid matrix. The modeling framework for salt-assisted puffing was then extended to the process of gun-puffing (a completely different puffing process) without significant reformulations thus showing the applicability of the framework for a variety of puffing processes. The final expansion after gun-puffing was much higher compared with salt-assisted puffing and was found to be sensitive to the gun opening time.
Primary trastuzumab resistance: new tricks for an old drug

Trastuzumab is the first Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapeutic targeting a HER-family receptor tyrosine kinase (HER2/ErbB2/neu). Although trastuzumab is effective in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer, a substantial proportion of patients will not respond to trastuzumab-based regimens (primary resistance), and those who do respond will often lose clinical benefits (i.e., secondary resistance). Although multiple mechanisms underlying the development of secondary trastuzumab resistance have been identified, few studies have specifically examined the basis of primary trastuzumab resistance. Here, we review these studies, which together demonstrate that trastuzumab induces phenotypic changes in tumor cells, even when they are not growth inhibited by trastuzumab, including changes in gene expression. These changes have important clinical implications, including the sensitization of malignant cells to other therapeutic drugs. In light of these observations, we propose that the conventional definition of resistance as it pertains to trastuzumab and, perhaps, to other targeted therapeutics, may require revision. The results of these studies will be useful in informing the direction of future basic and clinical research focused on overcoming primary trastuzumab resistance.
A 50 MHz microcomputer-based data acquisition and analysis system for ultrasound tissue characterization

The authors present an ultra-high-speed microcomputer-based data acquisition and analysis system to be coupled to an ultrasound scanner machine. The primary application of the system described is to measure the backscattered ultrasound energy from human liver tissue and use this measurement to differentiate between normal and abnormal liver tissue. The system digitizes the ultrasound signal with a sample rate of 50 megasamples/second and stores the digitized data in an intermediate storage. When the storage is full, the data are transferred to an IBM-PC where a fast Fourier transform algorithm is applied to calculate the power spectrum of the ultrasound signal. The measurement of the power spectrum is used to estimate the acoustic attenuation and backscattering coefficients of the tissue as function of the frequency. By investigating these coefficients, the biological status of the tissue (normal or abnormal) can be determined. The six main system components are described in some detail: the conditioning circuit, the analog/digital converter unit, the latching circuit unit, the intermediate storage unit, the communication unit, and the control-delay circuit unit. >
Impact of Array Mutual Coupling on Multiantenna Propagation-Based Key Establishment

While the impact of antenna mutual coupling on multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication performance has been well documented, little work has appeared demonstrating how antenna coupling impacts the performance of multiantenna radios that use reciprocal electromagnetic propagation to establish secret encryption keys. This paper uses network theory to analyze the performance of such systems. The presentation includes an eavesdropper whose antennas may be very near and therefore coupled to the antennas of a legitimate node and further demonstrates the signal and noise model when the systems must remove the impact of nonreciprocal circuit elements through calibration. Representative results obtained with the model quantify the impact of coupling and the type of impedance matching used to connect the antennas to the radio circuitry on the system key establishment performance.
Variable abnormal physiological motility in the proximal upper gastrointestinal tract in gastroparesis.

Background Traditional testing for gastroparesis with gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) likely misses a subset of patients because of the heterogeneous nature of the disease. The primary aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of simultaneously measured transit and pressure abnormalities in patients with gastroparesis. The secondary aim is to assess diagnostic gain realized by measuring antroduodenal pressure and gastric transit with wireless motility capsule (WMC) compared to gastric transit measured by GES. Identification of abnormalities beyond gastric transit delay in gastroparesis may yield novel targets for pharmacological therapies.
Integrating International Issues With Home Economics Subject Matter

Sixty-one food and nutrition professionals were surveyed regarding constructs in nutrition education relative to these professionals' food and nutrition program ming with various cultural groups. Six constructs were tested to identify factors associated with the delivery of programs targeted to improve food and nutrition choices of cultural groups: cultural food experiences, subject content, program evaluation, cultural group characteristics, cultural barriers, and cultural receptiv ity. Two dimensions emerged relative to working with groups similar to or differ ent from those of the food and nutrition professionals: (a) awareness of food experiences of other cultural groups, and (b) sensitivity to more culture-specific food ways, problems, needs, and resources in the family and the community.