cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia treated with first-line idelalisib plus rituximab after cessation of treatment for toxicity.

BACKGROUND More active therapies are needed for older and unfit patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who are not eligible for chemoimmunotherapy with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab. The phosphyotidylinositol-3-kinase δ inhibitor idelalisib is effective in patients with treatment-naive and relapsed/refractory CLL as monotherapy and in combination with rituximab, but it can be associated with treatment-limiting adverse events, particularly diarrhea/colitis. The outcomes for patients who cease treatment for adverse events have not been previously described. METHODS The authors analyzed long-term follow-up data from 40 treatment-naive patients aged ≥65 years who received treatment at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center on a phase 2 study of idelalisib plus rituximab for CLL. RESULTS In patients who permanently ceased treatment because of toxicity, the time to subsequent disease progression was analyzed according to baseline characteristics. Fifteen patients permanently ceased therapy (PCT) because of toxicity (PCTTOX), most commonly diarrhea/colitis (n = 7), at a median of 11 months after commencing treatment. PCTTOX was associated with a higher risk of subsequent disease progression (hazard ratio, 6.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.77-16.15) relative to that observed in patients who remained on therapy. Ten patients subsequently progressed, and 7 required salvage therapy; 5 patients remained progression-free at a median of 23.3 months (range, 8.5-28.6 months). Patients who were positive for ζ-associated protein-70 had more rapid disease progression after treatment cessation (P = .048). There were no CLL-related deaths. CONCLUSIONS PCTTOX is the major determinant of PFS in patients who receive first-line idelalisib-based treatment. However, a subgroup of patients with favorable biologic characteristics has prolonged PFS, even after PCTTOX. The absence of CLL-related deaths indicates that salvage treatment is generally successful after PCTTOX. Cancer 2016;000:000–000. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Cationic Liposome Gene Transfer

Development of safe and effective technology for delivering functional DNA into cells in an intact organism is crucial to broad applications of gene therapy to human disease. Both viral and nonviral vectors have been developed. Of the technologies currently being studied, liposomal delivery system is particularly attractive. Cationic liposome mediated gene transfection (lipofection), a relatively new technique pioneered by Felgner and coworkers (1), was highly efficient for transfecting cells in culture. The liposomes were composed of an equimolar mixture of a synthetic cationic lipid N-[1-(2,3,-dioleyloxy).
Economic Decision-Making in a Poisson Demand Space

The attention of economists has been so fixated upon the notion of demand as a continuous function of price, with quantities purchased rather fully within the discretion of the buyer, that they have ignored other important demand regimes. One such type may be characterized as ‘rare-event’ contingency demand, in which sudden, unexpected interruptions in the individual’s routine occur, initiating demands for goods or services to correct the situation with little discretion for denial or delay. Such events range from the truly catastrophic — the occurrence of death, sudden illness or accident, fire or crime — to the annoyance of a breakdown in important durable appliances in modern living.
flowVS: channel-specific variance stabilization in flow cytometry

Comparing phenotypes of heterogeneous cell populations from multiple biological conditions is at the heart of scientific discovery based on flow cytometry (FC). When the biological signal is measured by the average expression of a biomarker, standard statistical methods require that variance be approximately stabilized in populations to be compared. Since the mean and variance of a cell population are often correlated in fluorescence-based FC measurements, a preprocessing step is needed to stabilize the within-population variances. We present a variance-stabilization algorithm, called flowVS, that removes the mean-variance correlations from cell populations identified in each fluorescence channel. flowVS transforms each channel from all samples of a data set by the inverse hyperbolic sine (asinh) transformation. For each channel, the parameters of the transformation are optimally selected by Bartlett’s likelihood-ratio test so that the populations attain homogeneous variances. The optimum parameters are then used to transform the corresponding channels in every sample. flowVS is therefore an explicit variance-stabilization method that stabilizes within-population variances in each channel by evaluating the homoskedasticity of clusters with a likelihood-ratio test. With two publicly available datasets, we show that flowVS removes the mean-variance dependence from raw FC data and makes the within-population variance relatively homogeneous. We demonstrate that alternative transformation techniques such as flowTrans, flowScape, logicle, and FCSTrans might not stabilize variance. Besides flow cytometry, flowVS can also be applied to stabilize variance in microarray data. With a publicly available data set we demonstrate that flowVS performs as well as the VSN software, a state-of-the-art approach developed for microarrays. The homogeneity of variance in cell populations across FC samples is desirable when extracting features uniformly and comparing cell populations with different levels of marker expressions. The newly developed flowVS algorithm solves the variance-stabilization problem in FC and microarrays by optimally transforming data with the help of Bartlett’s likelihood-ratio test. On two publicly available FC datasets, flowVS stabilizes within-population variances more evenly than the available transformation and normalization techniques. flowVS-based variance stabilization can help in performing comparison and alignment of phenotypically identical cell populations across different samples. flowVS and the datasets used in this paper are publicly available in Bioconductor.
Ankle-foot orthoses: Effect on energy expenditure of gait in spastic diplegic children

This study examined the effect of conventional plastic bilateral ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) on the energy expenditure of ambulation in spastic diplegic cerebral palsy patients. Eighteen subjects (aged 8.3 +/- 2.83 years) ambulated five minutes at freely chosen velocities with and without their AFOs. Heart rate (beats per minute) and distance (meters) ambulated were recorded for each minute. A physiologic cost index was calculated by determining the ratio of walking heart rate to velocity [(HRamb-HRrest) divided by meters per minute]. The mean physiologic cost indexes for the last three minutes of ambulation with and without orthoses were 1.34 +/- 0.69 beats per meter and 1.51 +/- 0.79 beats per meter, respectively (p less than 0.05). Ambulation heart rate, velocity and total distance traveled were not statistically different between the two trials. The results indicated that energy expenditure of ambulation at self-selected speeds in spastic diplegic children was reduced by the application of conventional AFOs. However, each child should be evaluated on a single-case basis because of individual differences.
Vanadium K-Edge X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy as a Probe of the Heterogeneous Lithiation of V2O5: First-Principles Modeling and Principal Component Analysis

Understanding the diffusion mechanisms of Li ions through host materials and the resulting phase evolution of intercalated phases is of paramount importance for designing electrode materials of rechargeable batteries. The formation of lithiation gradients and discrete domains during intercalation leads to the development of strain within the host material and is responsible for the observed capacities of most cathode materials being well below theoretically predicted values. Such mesoscale heterogeneity has also been implicated in the loss of capacity upon cycling. Due to their inherent complexity, the analysis of such heterogeneity is rather complex and precise understanding of the evolution of metal sites remains underexplored. In this work, we use phase-pure, single-crystalline V2O5 nanowires with dimensions of 183 ± 50 nm and lengths spanning tens of microns as a model cathode material and demonstrate that V K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure can be used as an effective probe of the local val...
Effect of Compound Modification and Cooling Rate on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-25%Si Alloy

The effect of phosphorus on primary silicon, phosphorus and mischmetal (Ce-50La) modification on primary and eutectic silicon and cooling rate on microstructure of Al-25%Si are investigated. The results show that, with the addition of phosphorus, the size of primary silicon decreases from 93.6μm to 24.75μm. The morphology of primary silicon changes from irregular to polygonal. When Al-25%Si is modified by phosphorus and mischmetal, primary and eutectic silicon all change effectively. Addition of mischmetal on the basis of phosphorus modification have no influence to primary silicon, but it can make morphology of eutectic silicon change from lamellar to short rod-like when the content of mischmetal reaches 0.5%. The cooling rate curves show the change of temperature in different height of wedge-shaped mould. When cooling rate increases, microstructure of Al-25%Si refines, the size of primary silicon decrease to 22.7μm. The results obtained from mechanical testing demonstrate that the addition of mischmetal and increasing of cooling rate increase hardness value of Al-25%Si alloy.
How Should You Get the Autistic Child into the Operating Room When the Mother Objects to Intramuscular Ketamine

Freddy is a 15-year-old autistic obese teenager who presents for elective circumcision due to phimosis. His mother is present in the preoperative area and is quite concerned about the induction of anesthesia. Her friend, who also has an autistic child, told her that Freddy will have to have an intramuscular injection of medicine in order to “go to sleep” for surgery. Based on prior experiences at the dentist’s office the mother explains that as soon as someone comes near him with a needle he becomes agitated; using a needle for induction of anesthesia would be challenging. When you go to see Freddy he is sitting in a chair with his mother and sister at his side. As you approach him, Freddy gets up and tries to walk out, but his mother tells him to sit down again. He seems to listen to her directions well.
Reflexive encounters with embodied resistance to relational forgiveness

AbstractTroubling relationships with our parents may raise unanswered questions and anxieties. Over time, our bodies harbor these sensations in ways that often may go unrecognized. In this autoethnographic account, I examine memories of my childhood and recent past to understand emotionally disturbing episodes tainting my relationship with my father. Interrogating my reflective habits, I probe meanings left undetected by my preconceived sense-making routines. At the same time, I notice and voice the embodied resistance I encounter when opening up and deconstructing intimate layers of deeply rooted pains associated with my father. In doing so, I demonstrate how reflective practices summon a dialogue between embodied emotions and re-engagements with past understandings. Such dialogue generates potential for reimagining relational meanings and apprehending possibilities for forgiveness.
Abstract 2612: BET-protein bromodomain antagonist-based combinations against ibrutinb-sensitive or resistant human Mantle Cell Lymphoma cells

Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) cells demonstrate genetic alterations involving cyclin D1, CDK4, CDKN2A, MYC, BCL2, as well as in the Toll-like receptor, B-cell receptor (BCR) and NFkB signaling genes. Increased BCR signaling and transcriptional activity of NFkB is documented in MCL cells. Ibrutinib (IB) is an inhibitor of Bruton9s tyrosine kinase (BTK) clinically effective against MCL, but long-term durable remissions and cure following IB treatment remains uncertain. We have previously reported that treatment with the BET protein bromodomain antagonist (BA) JQ1 disrupts the binding of the BET-protein BRD4 to the enhancers and promoters and inhibits the mRNA and protein levels of the oncogenes MYC, BCL-2 and CDK4/6 in MCL cells. BRD4 has also been shown to be essential for NFkB activity. Consistent with this, here, we determined that treatment with JQ1 (250 to 2000 nM) reduced the nuclear localization of RelA and attenuated the expression of the NFkB target genes, including TNFα, TNFAIP3 (A20), c-FLIP, cIAP2, XIAP and Bcl-xL in the cultured MCL Mino and MO2058 cells. Notably, JQ1 treatment also reduced the mRNA and protein levels of BTK, along with inhibition of the levels of p-BTK, p-PLCγ2 and p-AKT levels in the MCL cells. Concomitantly, JQ1 dose-dependently inhibited cell growth and exerted lethal activity against cultured (MO2058 and Mino, Z138 and JeKo-1) and patient-derived, primary MCL (pMCL) cells, while relatively sparing normal CD19+ B cells and CD34+ bone marrow progenitor cells. Importantly, co-treatment with JQ1 and IB also markedly inhibited the nuclear RelA levels and attenuated the levels of p-BTK and BTK and reduced NFkB target gene expressions. Co-treatment with JQ1 and IB also synergistically induced apoptosis of the cultured and pMCL cells (CI values 20-fold resistant), following continuous exposure to IB. As compared to the parental control Mino, Mino/IR cells expressed markedly higher levels of AKT, CDK6, BCL2, Bcl-xL, and XIAP. JQ1 treatment (1.0 μM) was able to inhibit the growth and induce apoptosis of Mino/IR cells. Notably, co-treatment with JQ1 and panobinostat (pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor) or palbociclib (CDK4/6 inhibitor) or ABT199 (BCL2 antagonist), or carfilzomib (CZ) (proteasome inhibitor) synergistically induced apoptosis of not only Mino but also Mino/IR cells. Taken together, these findings identify BA-based rational combinations that need to be further evaluated for their in vivo efficacy against IB-sensitive and IB-resistant MCL. Citation Format: Baohua Sun, Bhavin Shah, Warren Fiskus, Jun Qi, Santhana G. T. Devaraj, Swaminathan P. Iyer, Sunil Sharma, James E. Bradner, Youli Zu, Kapil N. Bhalla. BET-protein bromodomain antagonist-based combinations against ibrutinb-sensitive or resistant human Mantle Cell Lymphoma cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2612. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2612
Autoimmune AQP4 Channelopathy and Bradycardia: Expanding the NMOSD Spectrum (P5.306)

Objectives: To report bradycardia as an accompaniment of “attacks” in Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD). Background: Attacks of intractable nausea, vomiting and hiccups in NMOSD may be the heralding symptom in up to 12[percnt] of patients. Area postrema (AP) is rich in aquaporin-4(AQP4) and has fenestrated capillaries allowing the free passage of peripheral IgG. Binding of AQP4-IgG causes inflammatory non-destructive lesions, potentially disrupting the AP’s connections with brainstem/hypothalamic areas involved in autonomic and endocrine regulation. Design: We searched our clinical database of 728 seropositive NMOSD patients for history of bradycardia concurrent with a clinical “attack”. Results: Thirteen (1.8[percnt]) NMOSD patients (10 females, 3 males) reported bradycardia occurring in the context of an “attack”. Clinical information pertaining to attack type at time of bradycardia was available in 11 patients. A majority of patients (7) developed bradycardia in the setting of an attack of nausea, vomiting or hiccups: alone in 2 or in combination with other manifestations in 5 [at least 1 of longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM, 3), optic neuritis (ON, 2), SIADH (1), ataxia/diplopia (1) or amenorrhea (1)]. The remaining 4 patients developed bradycardia in the context of ON (2), LETM (1) or LETM with hypophagia (1). Bradycardia developed during the onset attack in 5 patients (45[percnt]). Bradycardia was complicated by hypotension in 3 patients (all with nausea, vomiting or hiccups), severe enough to warrant ICU admission in 1. Conclusions: Bradycardia encountered in nearly 1 in 50 NMOSD patients mostly occurred concurrent with symptoms reflecting AP involvement. Astrocytes at the level of the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) may play a role in modulating baroreflex function. We suspect that binding of IgG to AQP4 leads to disruption of astrocyte function including glutamate buffering, thereby contributing to the high prevalence of bradycardia via excitatory effects of the NTS on caudovagal neurons. Disclosure: Dr. Majed has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lucchinetti stands to receive royalty payments for commercial assays. Dr. Benarroch has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for being a section editor for Neurology. Dr. Sagen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pittock has received (royalty or license fee or contractual rights) payments from Peripherin-Specific Autoantibodies as a Marker for Neurological and Endocrinological Disease.
Highland Brewing Company: A Case of Product and Experience Design

In this chapter, we dissect the complex product and experience entanglement that is craft beer, highlighting that this product is about much more than what goes into the bottle. In doing so, we anchor our investigation within a real-life case study of Highland Brewing Company (HBC), the first legal craft brewery in Asheville (est. 1994). Through in-depth interviews with HBC’s executive team, brewmasters, and functional leaders, along with rigorous analysis of the industry context, we show how HBC has wrestled with these issues and how their perception of value has evolved from the bottle to include, and even emphasize, the HBC experience. Doing so will not only provide a company-centric perspective of the craft beer tourism industry and the opportunity it affords, but will also help managers across varied contexts conceptualize the multidimensionality of a firm’s value proposition and experience. In today’s world, great products are not enough to differentiate brands and compete in hyper-competitive industries (Kilian, Sarrazin, & Yeon, 2015). Instead, organizations must encapsulate them with great services and experiences to create heightened levels of value to achieve long-lasting competitive advantage. Furthermore, representatives from the local tourism industry can benefit from a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges that craft brewers face, so that they might more effectively package their own value propositions to support richer interactions and facilitate higher levels of value co-creation. We begin the chapter by providing needed background information on HBC, its founder Oscar Wong, and the craft beer industry. We then begin the exploration into the HBC experience in an effort to appreciate its complexity and multidimensionality.
POMDPs.jl: a framework for sequential decision making under uncertainty

POMDPs.jl is an open-source framework for solving Markov decision processes (MDPs) and partially observable MDPs (POMDPs). POMDPs.jl allows users to specify sequential decision making problems with minimal effort without sacrificing the expressive nature of POMDPs, making this framework viable for both educational and research purposes. It is written in the Julia language to allow flexible prototyping and large-scale computation that leverages the high-performance nature of the language. The associated JuliaPOMDP community also provides a number of state-of-the-art MDP and POMDP solvers and a rich library of support tools to help with implementing new solvers and evaluating the solution results. The most recent version of POMDPs.jl, the related packages, and documentation can be found at https://github.com/JuliaPOMDP/POMDPs.jl.
Micro-Analysis of Wear-Patterns on Projectile Points and Knives from the Jurgens Site, Kersey, Colorado

Based on a sample of 76 artifacts of the Paleo-Indian Tradition from the Jurgens Site, Kersey, Colorado, the problem of functional diversity within a single morphological category of Plano (Jenning...
Electricity distribution system resilient control system metrics

In order to assess the resilience of a system, a set of measures must be defined. Varying control architecture while considering such a system of metrics targeted at resilience can determine the relative merit of the architectures with respect to the resilience of the system. Traditionally, electricity distribution is concerned with delivery of power from transmission or sub transmission to consumer loads with basic control of tap changing transformers and capacitor banks to regulate delivered voltage and provide reactive power support, respectively. In the near future, modern distribution systems architecture are anticipated to include substantially more controllable assets enabling more complicated control architectures to optimized based on reliability and economics. This paper reports on the definition of resilience metrics developed for modern distribution systems for delivery of electricity. Specifically, the metrics are focused on adaptive capacity related to the scale for which the system is able to resist, respond, recover and restore after disturbances in real or reactive power and time requirements to respond and restore the system to a complete normalcy.
Centralizing Marginality, Marginalizing the Center in the WSCA 2018 Presidential Address

This essay is the presidential address delivered at the 89th annual Western States Communication conference. Guided by the 2017 WSCA conference theme of “Centralizing Marginality, Marginalizing the...
Ischemic Preconditioning of Myocardium: Effect of Adenosine

Recently, it was suggested that adenosine is involved in the cardioprotection of ischemic preconditioning (PC). If PC is mediated via adenosine, then administration of adenosine antagonists should abolish the cardioprotection, and exogenous administration of adenosine agonists should provide tolerance to ischemia. We tested these hypotheses in anesthetized rabbits (n = 40) which underwent 30 min coronary artery occlusion and 3 h reperfusion. PC was elicited by 5 min coronary artery occlusion and 10 min reperfusion before the 30-min coronary artery occlusion. PD115,199 (3 mg/kg iv), a nonselective adenosine antagonist (henceforth referred to as PD), was given 5 min before the first ischemic episode. R(–) N6-(2-phenylisopropyl)-adenosine (R-PIA, 200μg/kg/min iv) an adenosine A1 agonist, or CGS 21680 (CGS, 16μg/kg/min iv) an adenosine A2 agonist, were administered in place of PC. Infarct size (IS) was measured with tetrazolium and expressed as a percentage of the area-at-risk (mean ± SEM). Blockade of adenosine receptors attenuated the PC-induced infarct reduction (IS 34.5 ± 5.1% control [CON], 5.3 ± 1.8%* PC, 30.5 ± 9.0% PD, and 22.6 ± 5.3% PC + PD; *P < 0.05 vs CON), while administration of R-PIA resulted in a reduction in infarct size (R-PIA 18.7 ± 4.7% vs CON 34.5 ± 5.1%, P < 0.05) that was not different from PC hearts (R-PIA 18.7 ± 4.7% vs PC 5.3 ± 1.8%, P = NS). CGS did not confer any cardioprotection (IS CGS 40.9 ± 14.8% vs CON 34.5 ± 5.1%, P = NS). Since (a) administration of an adenosine antagonist attenuated the infarct-reducing effect of PC, and (b) administration of an A1—but not of an A2—agonist in place of transient ischemia mimicked the infarct-reducing effect of PC, we conclude that the activation of adenosine A1 receptors is involved in ischemic preconditioning.
Correcting the smoothing effect of estimators : A spectral postprocessor

The postprocessing algorithm introduced by Yao for imposing the spectral amplitudes of a target covariance model is shown to be efficient in correcting the smoothing effect of estimation maps, whether obtained by kriging or any other interpolation technique. As opposed to stochastic simulation, Yao's algorithm yields a unique map starting from an original, typically smooth, estimation map. Most importantly it is shown that reproduction of a covariance/semivariogram model (global accuracy) is necessarily obtained at the cost of local accuracy reduction and increase in conditional bias. When working on one location at a time, kriging remains the most accurate (in the least squared error sense) estimator. However, kriging estimates should only be listed, not mapped, since they do not reflect the correct (target) spatial autocorrelation. This mismatch in spatial autocorrelation can be corrected via stochastic simulation, or can be imposed a posteriori via Yao's algorithm.
Nouvelles techniques de monitorage en réanimation pédiatrique — Monitorage cérébral par l’électroencéphalogramme d’amplitude (aEEG)

L’evaluation de la fonction cerebrale s’avere indispensable et evidente dans des situations de detresse neurologique en soins intensifs pediatriques : coma, etat de mal epileptique, traumatisme crânien severe... Monitorer l’activite corticale permet d’aider a poser les indications therapeutiques adaptees. Par ailleurs, les autres pathologies motivant une hospitalisation en reanimation peuvent avoir des repercussions corticales suite a des agressions inflammatoires, metaboliques et anoxo-ischemiques. La aussi, le monitorage cerebral a une place evidente dans le depistage de ces complications chez des enfants intubes et sedates, pour lesquelles l’evaluation neurologique clinique reste restreinte a l’examen des reflexes du tronc cerebral. Depuis plus de 50 ans, l’electroencephalogramme standard (EEG) reste un outil de reference pour l’analyse de la fonction cerebrale mais avec un manque de disponibilite 24 heures sur 24 et une necessite d’expertise (pose des electrodes et interpretation). L’interet de l’EEG d’amplitude (aEEG), methode directement derivee de l’EEG avec un nombre d’electrodes restreint a deux ou quatre, est son accessibilite a toute heure et la lecture simplifiee du trace, rendant possible un monitorage cerebral de longue duree [1].
Exploring the influence of food safety climate indicators on handwashing practices of restaurant food handlers

Abstract Recent models have conceptualized food safety climate as a subcomponent of food safety culture that consists of the shared values and perceptions of employees. The present study sought to understand how food safety climate indicators including commitment, role overload, and contingent rewards affect handwashing frequency of restaurant food handlers (n = 124). Managerial commitment was the only variable significantly correlated with handwashing frequency r(120) = .313, p
The effect of poor source code lexicon and readability on developers' cognitive load

It has been well documented that a large portion of the cost of any software lies in the time spent by developers in understanding a program's source code before any changes can be undertaken. One of the main contributors to software comprehension, by subsequent developers or by the authors themselves, has to do with the quality of the lexicon, (i.e., the identifiers and comments) that is used by developers to embed domain concepts and to communicate with their teammates. In fact, previous research shows that there is a positive correlation between the quality of identifiers and the quality of a software project. Results suggest that poor quality lexicon impairs program comprehension and consequently increases the effort that developers must spend to maintain the software. However, we do not yet know or have any empirical evidence, of the relationship between the quality of the lexicon and the cognitive load that developers experience when trying to understand a piece of software. Given the associated costs, there is a critical need to empirically characterize the impact of the quality of the lexicon on developers' ability to comprehend a program. In this study, we explore the effect of poor source code lexicon and readability on developers' cognitive load as measured by a cutting-edge and minimally invasive functional brain imaging technique called functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS). Additionally, while developers perform software comprehension tasks, we map cognitive load data to source code identifiers using an eye tracking device. Our results show that the presence of linguistic antipatterns in source code significantly increases the developers' cognitive load.
Correlation of elastic wave attenuation and scattering with volumetric grain size distribution for polycrystals of statistically equiaxed grains

Abstract This study establishes an explicit relation between spatial two-point correlation function (TPCF) and volumetric (or three-dimensional) grain size distribution for aggregates of statistically equiaxed grains by extending a prior study (Sha, JASA, 2018). This relation is further validated by applying it to available TPCF and volumetric grain size distribution in the literature. Based on this relation, analytical attenuation coefficients for longitudinal and transverse waves, accounting for volumetric grain size distribution, are derived under Born approximation for macroscopically isotropic polycrystals of equiaxed triclinic grains. These attenuation models are applicable for whole frequency range except geometric region. Moreover, scattering coefficients for a polycrystal of equiaxed triclinic grains with a volumetric grain size distribution are obtained. Finally, the analytical attenuation model for the longitudinal wave is verified by comparison with existing 3D finite element simulation results in the literature. This theoretic study has practical applications to the inverse determination of volumetric grain size distribution from ultrasonic measurements.
Report of Committee on Lakes, 1945–46

The Committee on Lakes has continued during the past year without change in membership. While it has not had any directly sponsored committee program, some of its members have been active in the field of the Committee's subject matter. Phil E. Church has continued his work on temperatures and other items in Lake Michigan. The results have been presented In publications of the University of Chicago and before technical societies. Church's paper at the Annual Meeting of 1945 indicated the scope of this work and some of its results.
Year in review 2014: basic science and epidemiology

### Another good year for biomarkers Identification of a systemic molecular signature facilitating early diagnosis and enabling targeted therapy is the Holy Grail for the investigators of many pulmonary diseases, particularly those with heterogeneous presentation such as chronic obstruction pulmonary disease (COPD) or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Genome-wide gene expression profiling of large groups of patients has revealed a clear gene signature for elastogenesis during COPD and identified fibulin-5 as a potential molecular target.1 Genetic regulation of gene expression patterns was investigated by integrative genomics which identified cystatin C (CST3) and CD22 as causal genes for airflow obstruction.2 The fact that these gene expression patterns in COPD are dynamic during treatment, reflecting disease severity, highlights the potential of this approach for the development of molecular phenotype-driven therapy for COPD.3 Similarly, a coordinated approach was used to assess the relationship between gene expression patterns, pathological features and systemic biomarkers to identify indicators of disease severity in patients with IPF. MMP3 and CXCL13 emerged as systemic biomarkers that reflect brochiolisation and lymphoid aggregates and are predicted to be of clinical value as prognostic or surrogate markers of disease severity in these patients.4 An alternative method of predicting cancer risk in patients presenting with endobronchial squamous metaplasia is the identification of DNA copy number aberration. This technique has proved a highly accurate biomarker for assessment of disease progression and could assist in deciding which patients with endobronchial lesions may benefit from more aggressive treatment or closer surveillance.5 ### Smoking and steroids Further evidence that smoking is bad for you—and your immune system—stems from a series of papers examining the effect of cigarette smoke on innate immune function. Tobacco smoke blunted secretion of key innate cytokines such as interferon γ and tumour necrosis factor α and impaired the ability of macrophages derived from peripheral blood or the airways to …
The impact of PBRM1 mutations on overall survival in greater than 2,100 patients treated with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB).

666Background: PBRM1 is the second most commonly mutated gene in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). We have previously shown favorable outcomes in PBRM1-mutated ccRCC tumors treated with vasc...
Speckle-structured illumination for 3D phase and fluorescence computational microscopy

High-content biological microscopy targets high-resolution imaging across large fields-of-view, often achieved by computational imaging approaches. Previously, we demonstrated 2D multimodal high-content microscopy via structured illumination microscopy (SIM) with resolution >2× the diffraction limit, using speckle illumination from Scotch tape. In this work, we extend the method to 3D by leveraging the fact that the speckle illumination is in fact a 3D structured pattern. We use both a coherent and an incoherent imaging model to develop algorithms for joint retrieval of the 3D super-resolved fluorescent and complex-field distributions of the sample. Our reconstructed images resolve features beyond the physical diffraction-limit set by the system’s objective and demonstrate 3D multimodal imaging with ∼0.6×0.6×6 μm 3 resolution over a volume of ∼314×500×24 μm 3.
Selective Production of Naphthalene from Methanol by Photocatalysis on Nanostructured Cobalt Particles

Abstract The environmental impact associated with carbon dioxide emissions has prompted a wide array of research projects aimed at the chemical reduction of CO2 or its conversion to useful feedstocks with solar energy. Using simple starting reagents, we have demonstrated that when methanol is exposed to visible light overnight in a glass reaction chamber pressurized with carbon dioxide and containing nanostructured cobalt particles, the overwhelmingly major nonpolar semi-volatile product is naphthalene. Naphthalene is the simplest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, and can be used as a precursor to many other complex aromatics. Current industrial processes remove it from coal tar or petroleum during the refining and distillation steps. The process reported here is much greener, albeit on a much smaller scale. The cobalt particles were synthesized from a cobalt salt to exhibit surface nanostructures, and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). After irradiation, any products generated in the reaction chamber were extracted with dichloromethane and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS).
Duplex Ultrasound for Diagnosis of Failing Stents Placed for Lower Extremity Arterial Occlusive Disease.

ABSTRACT Objective Non-invasive diagnostic testing may be beneficial to identify stenotic (failing) stents placed for occlusive lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (LEPAD), especially if subsequent intervention proves useful in maintaining prolonged stent patency. We previously documented the benefit of surveillance duplex ultrasonography (DU) for peripheral covered stents (stent grafts). The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether DU can reliably diagnose failing bare metal stents placed in iliac, femoral and popliteal arteries for LEPAD. Methods Between January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2016, 172 stents were placed for LEPAD in 119 arterial segments (1.4 stents/stenotic artery) in 110 patients who underwent one or more DU surveillance study documenting stent patency. Post-stent DU surveillance was performed in our Inter-societal Accreditation Commission accredited non-invasive vascular lab at one week and then every six months. DU measured peak systolic velocities (PSVs) and ratio of adjacent PSVs (Vr) every 2.0 cm within the stent(s) and adjacent arteries. We retrospectively classified the following factors as “abnormal DU findings”: focal PSVs > 300 cm/s, uniform PSVs 3.0. Results During average follow-up of 22 months (range, 1 week - 48 months), all three of these DU criteria were “normal” in 62 (52%) of the 119 stented segments. Of the other 57 (48%) stented arterial segments that had one or more abnormal DU finding, 40 underwent prophylactic intervention, 12 patients did not undergo intervention and subsequently occluded (5 patient refusal, 4 surgeon-decision, 3 shortened surveillance interval), and 5 remained patent after mean follow-up of 7.2 months. Of the 12 arterial segments that occluded, 6 patients chose not to have further intervention, 4 failed additional endovascular intervention and required an arterial bypass, and 2 required amputation. Therefore, of the 17 stented arterial segments with one or more abnormal DU finding that did not undergo intervention, 12 (70%) went on to occlude vs. 2 of 62 (3%) with normal DU findings demonstrating an odds ratio (OR) of 72.0 (95% CI 12.5 – 415.6, P Conclusion DU surveillance can predict LEPAD stent occlusion. While PSV > 300cm/sec alone is not a statistically significant predictor of stent failure, Vr > 3.0, and most importantly, uniform PSVs
KV2.1 mediates spatial and functional coupling of l-type calcium channels and ryanodine receptors in mammalian neurons

The voltage-gated K+ channel Kv2.1 serves a major structural role in the soma and proximal dendrites of mammalian brain neurons, tethering the plasma membrane (PM) to endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Although Kv2.1 clustering at neuronal ER-PM junctions (EPJs) is tightly regulated and highly conserved, its function remains unclear. By identifying and evaluating proteins in close spatial proximity to Kv2.1-containing EPJs, we discovered that a significant role of Kv2.1 at EPJs is to promote the clustering and functional coupling of PM L-type Ca2+ channels (LTCCs) to ryanodine receptor (RyR) ER Ca2+ release channels. Kv2.1 clustering also unexpectedly enhanced LTCC opening at polarized membrane potentials. This enabled Kv2.1-LTCC-RyR triads to generate localized Ca2+ release events (i.e., Ca2+ sparks) independently of action potentials. Together, these findings uncover a novel mode of LTCC regulation and establish a unique mechanism whereby Kv2.1-associated EPJs provide a molecular platform for localized somatodendritic Ca2+ signals in mammalian brain neurons.
The significance of surgically modifying soft tissue phenotype around fixed dental prostheses: An American Academy of Periodontology best evidence review.

Background This systematic review endeavored to investigate the effect of soft tissue phenotype modification therapy (PhMT-s) at sites with a tooth or an implant supported fixed dental prosthesis. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted by two independent examiners to identify relevant studies reporting differences in clinical, esthetic, or radiographic outcomes of interest between sites underwent PhMT-s and sites that remained untreated. Risk of bias assessment was calculated for all included studies. Meta-analyses involving endpoints of interest were performed when feasible. Results No controlled studies pertaining to tooth sites were identified. A total of six articles reporting on the outcomes of buccal soft tissue phenotype modification around implants were selected, of which, five were included in the meta-analyses. Quantitative analyses showed a weighted mean difference (WMD) of 0.98 mm (95% CI = 0.25 to 1.72 mm, P = 0.009) for change of tissue thickness; a WMD of -4.87% (95% CI = -34.27 to 24.53%, P = 0.75) for bleeding on probing (BOP); a WMD of 0.36 mm (95% CI = 0.12 to 0.59 mm, P = 0.003) for mucosal recession (MR); a WMD of 0.13 mm (95% CI = -0.11 to 0.36 mm, P = 0.30 for probing depth (PD); a WMD of 1.08 (95% CI = -0.39 to 2.55, P = 0.15) for pink esthetic score (PES), and a WMD of 0.40 mm (95% CI = -0.34 to 1.14 mm, P = 0.28) for marginal bone loss (MBL). Conclusions Surgical modification of peri-implant soft tissue phenotype via PhMT-s may decrease the amount of MR. Future clinical trials are needed to warrant the clinical benefits of modifying soft tissue phenotype around tooth-supported restorations.
Evolutionary Distance of Gene-Gene Interactions: Estimation under Statistical Uncertainty

Consider the functional interaction of gene A to an interaction subject X; for instance, it is the gene-gene interaction if X represents for a gene, or gene-tissue interaction (expression status) if X for a tissue. In the simplest case, the status of this A-X interaction is r=1 if they are interacted, or r=0 otherwise. A fundamental problem in molecular evolution is, given two homologous (orthologous or paralogous) genes A and B, to what extent their functional overlapping could be by the means of interaction networks. Given a set of interaction subjects (X1,...XN), it is straightforward to calculate the interaction distance (IAB) between genes A and B, by a Markov-chain model. However, since the high throughput interaction data always involve a high level of noises, reliable inference of r=1 or r=0 for each gene remains a big challenge. Consequently, the estimated interaction distance (IAB) is highly sensitive to the cutoff of interaction inference which is subject to some arbitrary. In this paper we will address this issue by developing a statistical method for estimating IAB based on the p-values (significant levels). Computer simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of different p-value transformations against the uncertainty of interaction networks.
Carotid Artery Stenting for Recurrent Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis with Contralateral Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion

Late recurrent carotid stenosis (6.5 months) following carotid endarterectomy occurred distally in the internal carotid artery in a patient with contralateral internal carotid artery occlusion. Carotid artery stenting was performed with satisfactory outcome.
Endotoxin Potentiates The Procoagulant Effects Of Tissue Factor

Tissue Factor is the initiator of the extrinsic pathway of blood coagulation. It is generated in blood as a result of a variety of diseases and conditions and is, in part, responsible for the majority of morbidity and mortality in humans. In spite of this potential release during major trauma or diseases, there are few rapid clinical whole blood coagulation tests that can monitor the early generation of tissue factor. This study will evaluate whether endotoxin enhances the procoagulant effects of tissue factor on human blood and plasma.
Accumulation and effects of microplastic fibers in American lobster larvae (Homarus americanus)

The effects of microplastic fibers (MPF) on the survival, molting and oxygen consumption rates of larval (I-III) and post-larval (IV) stages of the American lobster, Homarus americanus, were quantified as a function of MPF concentration and food availability. Only the highest MPF concentration decreased early larval survival. MPF did not affect the timing or rate of molting across MPF treatments. While all larval and post-larval stages accumulated MPF under the cephalothorax carapace, stage II larvae and stage IV post-larvae showed the highest and lowest accumulation, respectively. MPF ingestion increased with larval stage and with MPF concentration; under starvation conditions, stage I larvae only ingested them at low MPF concentrations. Oxygen consumption rates were lower only in later larval stages when exposed to high MPF concentrations. Combined, our results indicate that MPF interactions and effects on American lobster larvae are dependent on larval stage, MPF concentration, and presence of food.
How do we define homelessness in large health care data? Identifying variation in composition and comorbidities

Limited research exists on the health of the homeless population, and often relies on large health care datasets and varied methods, with little work to understand how the choice of measurement, such as an address-based indicator versus diagnosis code, affects the estimates of demographics and comorbidity burden of this population. Using state-wide hospital discharge data, we identified homeless individuals three ways: via ICD-10 Z59.0, an administrative indicator, and those with both. From 2,427,549 discharges, 17,479 individuals were identified via only Z-code, 9183 via only the indicator, and 4578 had both. There were differences in the race, sex, payer, and admission type between the groups. Similarly, comorbidity profiles were different, with the differences reaching 11.4% for alcohol abuse. The difference in the size, composition, and comorbidities between these groups suggests that researchers, clinicians, and policy experts should be wary of current methods to identify homeless individuals and continue to improve capture of this determinant of health. Simply, if we are unable to accurately identify the group of interest and their potential health needs we are equally unable to effectively intervene and provide appropriate and relevant care.
Equity-Based Gifted and Talented Education to Increase the Recruitment and Retention of Black and Other Underrepresented Students

An ongoing and unjust issue in the United States is the underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic students in gifted and talented education. In this chapter, we discuss barriers to recruiting and retaining these students, with a concerted focus on deficit thinking among teachers and other educators. Several theories and models are shared that are grounded in equity and cultural responsiveness in order to address human-made barriers head on and to support educators. We share our sense of urgency in helping educators be introspective, along with equity-minded and culturally responsive.
Trout-like multifunctional piezoelectric robotic fish and energy harvester

This work presents our experimental studies on a trout-inspired multifunctional robotic fish as an underwater swimmer and energy harvester. Fiber-based flexible piezoelectric composites with interdigitated electrodes, specifically Macro-Fiber Composite (MFC) structures, strike a balance between the deformation and actuation force capabilities to generate hydrodynamic propulsion without requiring additional mechanisms for motion amplification. A pair of MFC laminates bracketing a passive fin functions like artificial muscle when driven out of phase to expand and contract on each side to create bending. The trout-like robotic fish design explored in this work was tested for both unconstrained swimming in a quiescent water tank and under imposed flow in a water tunnel to estimate the maximum swimming speed, which exceeded 0.25 m/s, i.e., 0.8 body length per second. Hydrodynamic thrust characterization was also performed in a quiescent water setting, and it was found that the fin can easily produce tens of mN thrust, similar to its biological counterpart for similar swimming speeds. Overall, the prototype presented here generates thrust levels higher than other smart material-based concepts (such as soft polymeric material-based actuators which provide large deformation but low force), while offering simple design, geometric scalability, and silent operation unlike motor-based robotic fish (which use bulky actuators and complex mechanisms). Additionally, energy harvesting experiments were performed to convert flow-induced vibrations at the wake of a cylindrical bluff body (for different diameters) in a water tunnel. The shed vortex frequency range for a set of bluff body diameters covered the first vibration mode of the tail, yielding an average electrical power of 120 μW at resonance for a flow speed around 0.3 m/s and a bluff body diameter of 28.6 mm. Such low-power electricity can find applications to power small sensors of the robotic fish in scenarios such as ecological monitoring, among others.