cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiotherapy for cutaneous malignancies of the head and neck

Radiation therapy plays an important role in the multidisciplinary treatment of head and neck skin cancers, including melanoma, cutaneous squamous cell cancer (cSCC), basal cell cancer (BCC), sebaceous cancers, and Merkel cell carcinoma. Radiotherapy can be used in the potentially curative setting, both as an adjuvant to surgery or as an alternative to surgery, and in the palliative setting. The indications for radiotherapy are dependent on multiple factors, including patient and tumor characteristics. This review will attempt to serve as a broad introduction to radiotherapy, including its indications, processes of delivery, toxicity, and outcomes.
Intentional overstress trimming of active semiconductor devices

An alternative methodology for adjusting the performance of electronic systems to ensure that they are operating according to the required specifications is described. Intentional electrical overstress is employed to systematically adjust the performance of integrated devices and circuits. It is shown that such an approach can trim selected circuits even after they have been assembled into packages. The trimming approach discussed is based upon the introduction of systematic and repeatable changes in transistor parameters by energetic pulses applied between appropriate terminals of the device. A preliminary reliability assessment of the technique has been performed, and the available results are discussed. >
Who is receiving survivorship care plans? Findings from the 2012 LIVESTRONG survey.

26 Background: There are more than 14 million cancer survivors in the US – a number that is on the rise. Care coordination resources will be essential to provide support to this growing population. Key stakeholders, including the Commission on Cancer (CoC) and the Institute of Medicine, have proposed survivorship care plans (SCPs) as a way to extend support. However, limited research has been conducted to date on SCPs. Methods: In 2012, the LIVESTRONG Foundation (LIVESTRONG) administered a survey to understand the role of a treatment summary (TS) and SCPs and how they fit into survivors’ care. Logistic regression models were conducted to identify factors associated with receiving SCPs or TS. Results: 5,303 survivors responded to these questions. While 92% of these respondents received information about where to return to for cancer check-ups, only 51% reported receiving a TS and 17% reported receiving a SCP. Survivors who were more likely to receive SCPs if they had a navigator (p<.001) and if they were m...
Three Highly Recommended Apps

It can be a challenge to wade through the various apps hoping to find one that works well, making it worthy to take more precious storage space on one’s phone, iPad, and so on. Despite being relatively inexpensive, there is also consideration of the possible expense of these apps. In this article, I review three favorite apps: Pro Metronome, Guitar Tuna, and DocScan.
Inadvertent Epidural Administration of Atracurium and Lidocaine Mixture: A case report

Epidural administration of opioid and/or local anesthetics during general anesthesia is widespread method for postoperative pain control. Despite of its availability, inadvertent administration of non-epidural medications into epidural space can be associated with serious neurologic sequelae. We report a case of accidental epidural atracurium injection.
Influence of hydrocortisone acetate on the chemical composition of experimental granulomas.

SummaryGranulomas were induced by the bilateral implantation of weighed sterile cotton sponges in the dorsum of male Sherman rats. Hydrocortisone acetate (300 μg) impregnation significantly inhibited granuloma growth for approximately 5 days. In addition, steroid treatment significantly reduced the total amount and concentration of collagen, total protein, DNA and RNA. Water content was increased by about 4% in the steroid treated granulomas. Hydrocortisone acetate (300 μg) impregnation resulted in significant reduction of both total C14-L-proline incorporation and specific activity (cpm/μg protein), measured at 12 and 24 hours after implantation.
Research Progress on Genetic Diversity of Oryza rufipogon in China

Common wild rice(Oryza rufipogon Griff.) is recognized to be the ancestor of Asian cultivated rice(Oryza sativa L.).As one of the origins of Asian cultivated rice,China is rich of genetic resources of common wild rice.In order to provide scientific bases for studies on the origin,evolution and variety improvement of Asian cultivated rice as well as the conservation of common wild rice,a lot of studies on genetic diversity of common wild rice in China have been carried out to reveal the distribution of genetic diversity,population structure and evolutionary way of common wild rice for the last decades.This paper introduced the research methods and the application history of markers used in genetic diversity studies of common wild rice,systematically summarized the main characteristics of genetic diversity of common wild rice in China in several aspects including the abundance of genetic diversity of common wild rice,comparison of genetic diversity between common wild rice and Asian cultivated rice,the influence of geographic conditions and environments as well as gene flow from cultivated rice to the common wild rice.Based on the analyses of present studies,the authors provided their own opinion about the key points in the future research on genetic diversity of common wild rice in China.
Analog optical computing

The concept of optical computing is reintroduced with an important new twist — optical computing not as a digital machine, but as an analog engine able to serve as a hardware accelerator for existing electronic computers.
Training Concept, Evolution Time, and the Maximum Entropy Production Principle

The maximum entropy production principle (MEPP) is a type of entropy optimization which demands that complex non-equilibrium systems should organize such that the rate of the entropy production is maximized. Our take on this principle is that to prove or disprove the validity of the MEPP and to test the scope of its applicability, it is necessary to conduct experiments in which the entropy produced per unit time is measured with a high precision. Thus we study electric-field-induced self-assembly in suspensions of carbon nanotubes and realize precise measurements of the entropy production rate (EPR). As a strong voltage is applied the suspended nanotubes merge together into a conducting cloud which produces Joule heat and, correspondingly, produces entropy. We introduce two types of EPR, which have qualitatively different significance: global EPR (g-EPR) and the entropy production rate of the dissipative cloud itself (DC-EPR). The following results are obtained: (1) As the system reaches the maximum of the DC-EPR, it becomes stable because the applied voltage acts as a stabilizing thermodynamic potential; (2) We discover metastable states characterized by high, near-maximum values of the DC-EPR. Under certain conditions, such efficient entropy-producing regimes can only be achieved if the system is allowed to initially evolve under mildly non-equilibrium conditions, namely at a reduced voltage; (3) Without such a “training” period the system typically is not able to reach the allowed maximum of the DC-EPR if the bias is high; (4) We observe that the DC-EPR maximum is achieved within a time, Te, the evolution time, which scales as a power-law function of the applied voltage; (5) Finally, we present a clear example in which the g-EPR theoretical maximum can never be achieved. Yet, under a wide range of conditions, the system can self-organize and achieve a dissipative regime in which the DC-EPR equals its theoretical maximum.
Prefrontal and Hippocampal Brain Volume Deficits: Role of Low Physical Activity on Brain Plasticity in First-Episode Schizophrenia Patients.

Objective Our objective in the present study was to conduct the first empirical study to examine regular physical activity habits and their relationship with brain volume and cortical thickness in patients in the early phase of schizophrenia. Relationships between larger brain volumes and higher physical activity levels have been reported in samples of healthy and aging populations, but have never been explored in first-episode schizophrenia patients.
Aspirin prescribing patterns for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in geriatric patients with diabetes: Survey of prescribers based on experience

Abstract Evidence and guidelines provide conflicting recommendations regarding the use of aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, particularly in geriatric patients with diabetes. The objective of this study is to identify aspirin-prescribing patterns and determine if it is consistent with the 2013 American Diabetes Association and American Geriatrics Association guidelines. A survey was distributed to attending physicians, fellow physicians, and mid-level practitioners in internal medicine, geriatric, cardiology, and endocrinology clinics in Detroit, MI, USA. Most providers (88%) indicated that they would give aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Of those who chose to give aspirin, all chose to prescribe a dose of 81 mg. Most providers elected to prescribe aspirin based on patient age (86%) and comorbidities (98%). Aspirin is routinely prescribed for geriatric patients with diabetes for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. The guidelines provide conflicting recommendations; therefore, provider education is needed to guide decision-making in the elderly.
Numerical technology application in solid propellant development and production

The application of numerical calculation technology in the development and production of solid propellants is reviewed, including computer aided design of formulation, specific impulse prediction for solid propellant, energetic material molecular design, computer aided organic synthesis and computer aided manufacturing of solid propellant.
Soil Temperature Variability in Complex Terrain Measured Using Fiber-Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing

Soil temperature ( T s) exerts critical controls on hydrologic and biogeochemical processes, but the magnitude and nature of T s variability in a landscape setting are rarely documented. Fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (DTS) systems potentially measure T s at high density across a large extent. A fiber-optic cable 771 m long was installed at a depth of 10 cm in contrasting landscape units (LUs) defined by vegetative cover at Upper Sheep Creek in the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed (RCEW) and Critical Zone Observatory in Idaho. The purpose was to evaluate the applicability of DTS in remote settings and to characterize T s variability in complex terrain. Measurement accuracy was similar to other field instruments (±0.4°C), and T s changes of approximately 0.05°C at a monitoring spatial scale of 1 m were resolved with occasional calibration and an ambient temperature range of 50°C. Differences in solar inputs among LUs were strongly modified by surface conditions. During spatially continuous snow cover, T s was practically homogeneous across LUs. In the absence of snow cover, daily average T s was highly variable among LUs due to variations in vegetative cover, with a standard deviation (SD) greater than 5°C, and relatively uniform (SD < 1.5°C) within LUs. Mean annual soil temperature differences among LUs of 5.2°C was greater than those of 4.4°C associated with a 910-m elevation difference within the RCEW. In this environment, effective T s simulation requires representation of relatively small-scale (<20 m) LUs due to the deterministic spatial variability of T s.
Elucidating a Unified Mechanistic Scheme for the DBU-Catalyzed Ring-Opening Polymerization of Lactide to Poly(lactic acid).

The synthesis of poly(lactic acid), PLA, is facile in the presence of the cyclic, organic amidine catalyst 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene, DBU. Since DBU’s catalytic capability was first reported by Lohmeijer and colleagues in 2006 for ring-opening polymerizations (ROP), there have been numerous studies conducted by a variety of groups on the catalytic functioning of DBU in the ROPs of cyclic esters resulting in a large body of ununified material from a mechanistic standpoint. This lack of clarity will hamper engineering polymers with desired characteristics from cyclic ester and lactone monomers. The work outlined in this paper seeks to propose a unified picture of the mechanisms in the DBU-catalyzed ROP of lactide. In providing this unified picture of the ROP, our work encompassed (i) proposing a detailed reaction network scheme, (ii) conducting syntheses of lactide and DBU over a range of initial concentrations, and (iii) kinetic modeling to further support the proposed reaction network. As a resul...
Abstract 2433: Loss of chd5-mediated gene repression synergizes with MYCN to accelerate neuroblastoma tumorigenesis in zebrafish

Neuroblastoma is a malignancy of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system (PSNS) and accounts for 10-15% of cancer deaths among children. For the 40% of patients presenting with high-risk disease, current therapeutic approaches are insufficient and long-term survival is less than 50%. Along with genomic amplification of the MYCN oncogene, hemizygous loss of the 1p36 chromosomal region is a major risk factor in neuroblastoma. The human CHD5 gene is a neuronal specific chromatin remodeling helicase that maps to 1p36, and is thus frequently lost in high-risk neuroblastoma. Our laboratory has previously generated a faithful model of pediatric neuroblastoma in the zebrafish driven by overexpression of the MYCN oncogene in the PSNS (dbh:MYCN). Additionally, zebrafish chd5 mutant alleles were created using the newly developed gene editing technologies TALEN and CRISPR-Cas9. The resulting chd5 mutant fish exhibit abnormal development of the PSNS in the form of expansion of the superior cervical ganglia and enlargement of the interrenal gland (adrenal medulla). Haploinsufficiency for Chd5 combined with dbh:MYCN expression accelerates the onset and increases the penetrance of neuroblastoma tumorigenesis in zebrafish, indicating a tumor suppressive function. Elevated p-ERK and PCNA+ cells in tumor tissue indicates that loss of Chd5, cooperates with MYCN overexpression to accelerate neuroblast proliferation in vivo. Chd5 (in addition to Chd3 and Chd4) is a core member of the epigenetic regulatory NuRD complex, which also contains HDAC1-2, MTA1-3, MBD2-3, GATAD2A/B and RBBP4/7. The conserved biological function of Chd5 is to silence gene expression through the maintenance of a repressed chromatin state. Tumors deficient for Chd5 expression exhibit reduced levels of the H3K27me3 histone modification, a marker of facultatively repressed genes. Future studies will further explore the mechanism and function of Chd5 so that the pathways mediating tumor suppression can be elucidated and that essential proteins in these pathways can be targeted in ways that exploit the synthetic lethal relationships that are established. Citation Format: Mark W. Zimmerman, Shuning He, Jimann Shin, Shizhen Zhu, Feng Guo, Marc Mansour, Deepak Reyon, J Keith Joung, Jinhua Quan, Timur Yusufzai, A Thomas Look. Loss of chd5-mediated gene repression synergizes with MYCN to accelerate neuroblastoma tumorigenesis in zebrafish. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2433.
An exploratory study: mobile device use for academics

This exploratory study surveyed how undergraduate students and higher education instructors at two small faith-based universities in Southern California used mobile devices in and outside of the class for academic purposes. The researcher cross-referenced the results from the two groups to make correlations. The results of this study showed that nearly all instructor participants had multiple devices and almost half of the student participants had two or more devices as well. Those devices are being used in and outside of formal class for academics in very basic and emerging way that are just touching the surface of their capabilities. This study found that students use their devices in class to read, reference, or search materials. Faculty reported using their devices as presentation devices most often.
Water Pollution Arising from Solid Waste (Coal, Fly Ash, Slag) Disposal, and Measures to Prevent Water Pollution

This paper reviews the pathways that large volume utility wastes can take which can cause environmental effects. Potential interactions of the environment with land-disposed utility wastes include: (1) effects on local air quality, (2) efforts on soils and vegetation, (3) phytotoxicity, (4) groundwater effeccts, (5) effects on surface waters, and (6) disposal site washout. Both natural and engineered mitigating mechanisms are reviewed.
Drosophila CG2469 Encodes a Homolog of Human CTR9 and Is Essential for Development

Conserved from yeast to humans, the Paf1 complex participates in a number of diverse processes including transcriptional initiation and polyadenylation. This complex typically includes five proteins: Paf1, Rtf1, Cdc73, Leo1, and Ctr9. Previous efforts identified clear Drosophila homologs of Paf1, Rtf1, and Cdc73 based on sequence similarity. Further work showed that these proteins help to regulate gene expression and are required for viability. To date, a Drosophila homolog of Ctr9 has remained uncharacterized. Here, we show that the gene CG2469 encodes a functional Drosophila Ctr9 homolog. Both human and Drosophila Ctr9 localize to the nuclei of Drosophila cells and appear enriched in histone locus bodies. RNAi knockdown of Drosophila Ctr9 results in a germline stem cell loss phenotype marked by defects in the morphology of germ cell nuclei. A molecular null mutation of Drosophila Ctr9 results in lethality and a human cDNA CTR9 transgene rescues this phenotype. Clonal analysis in the ovary using this null allele reveals that loss of Drosophila Ctr9 results in a reduction of global levels of histone H3 trimethylation of lysine 4 (H3K4me3), but does not compromise the maintenance of stem cells in ovaries. Given the differences between the null mutant and RNAi knockdown phenotypes, the germ cell defects caused by RNAi likely result from the combined loss of Drosophila Ctr9 and other unidentified genes. These data provide further evidence that the function of this Paf1 complex component is conserved across species.
Variable effects of chronic intermittent ethanol exposure on ethanol drinking in a genetically diverse mouse cohort.

Abstract The BXD family of mice were generated by crossing and inbreeding ethanol-preferring C57BL/6J and ethanol-avoiding DBA/2J strains that differ greatly in genome sequence and other behaviors. This study evaluated variations in the level of voluntary ethanol intake in a cohort of 42 BXD strains and both progenitor strains using a model of alcohol dependence and relapse drinking. A total of 119 BXDs (85 males, 34 females) ( n ∼ 4 per genotype; 1/genotype/sex/group) were evaluated along with males from both progenitor strains ( n = 14–15/genotype). Mice were evaluated for intake using limited access (2 h/day) 2-bottle (15% v/v ethanol vs. water) model for 6 weeks (baseline intake). Each animal received 4 weekly cycles of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor exposure (CIE group) or air control exposure (CTL group) (16 h/day × 4 days) interleaved by 5-day drinking test cycles. Blood ethanol concentrations (BEC) ranged from 150 to 300 mg/dl across genotypes. Baseline intake varied greatly among cases—from ∼0.8 to ∼2.9 g/kg. As expected, CIE exposure induced a significant increase in ethanol drinking in C57BL/6J relative to baseline as well as air controls that remained relatively stable over the four test cycles. In contrast, DBA/2J cases did not show a significant increase in consumption. Heritability of variation in baseline consumption, calculated from C57BL/6J and DBA/2J strains is about 54% but this increases following treatment to 60–80%. As expected from the marked difference between progenitors, ethanol intake and level of escalation varied greatly among BXDs after exposure (∼−1.3 to 2.6 g/kg). Interestingly, the magnitude and direction of changes in ethanol intake did not relate to BEC values of the preceding CIE exposure cycle. Overall, these data indicate significant variation in consumption and even escalation, much of it under genetic control, following repeated CIE treatment.
Sulfone-Metal Exchange and Alkylation of Sulfonylnitriles.

The first general sulfonyl metal-exchange is described. Treating substituted 2-pyridylsulfonylacetonitriles with BuLi or Bu3MgLi generates metalated nitriles that alkylate a variety of electrophiles to efficiently install quaternary centers. The 2-pyridylsulfone is critical for the sulfone-metal exchange, anchoring the organometallic proximal to the electrophilic, tetrasubstituted sulfone to override complex-induced deprotonation. Alkylating commercial 2-pyridinesulfonylacetonitrile with mild bases, K2CO3 or DBU, followed by alkylation-sulfonyl-metal exchange rapidly assembles quaternary nitriles through three alkylations, only one of which requires an organometallic.
Risk factors associated with periprosthetic joint infection after total elbow arthroplasty.

BackgroundFor patients undergoing total elbow arthroplasty (TEA), the present study aimed to investigate: (i) what risk factors are associated with periprosthetic elbow infection; (ii) what is the ...
Improving Android application security for intent based attacks

Inter-Process Communication (IPC) is an Android functionality that enables one application to use a component of another application. The IPC uses so called Intents, which is a message passing mechanism in Android, for this purpose. We examine the Android communication model to analyze the vulnerabilities pertaining to Intents during Inter-Process Communication by performing hybrid analysis and use the results obtained from the analysis to improve the overall application security and privacy from such vulnerabilities. Simulation results show how hybrid analysis and use of Intent certificates can improve the overall security of an Android application.
Sexual Harassment, Racial Harassment, and Well-being among Asian American Women: An Intersectional Approach

Harassment of Asian American (AA) women has received little attention in popular culture and academic research despite their long legacy of sexualized racial stereotyping (e.g., Geisha, sexually su...
Laparoscopic management of an internal hernia in a pregnant woman with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Management of abdominal pain in a pregnant patient with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass presents unique challenges. A misdiagnosis or delay in management can result in lethal maternal–fetal outcomes. We present a 30-year-old woman at 21 weeks of pregnancy presented with abdominal pain. She had a history of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass performed 3 years earlier. The clinical examination was remarkable for epigastric pain and tenderness. The vital signs and laboratory examinations were unremarkable. The CT scan was suggestive of an internal hernia. On an exploratory laparoscopy, the distal common small bowel was found to be herniating through the jejunojejunostomy mesenteric defect, causing intestinal obstruction with dilatation of the Roux limb and the biliopancreatic limb. The internal hernia was reduced, and no bowel resection was required. The mesenteric defect was closed with 3-0 silk sutures in a continuous fashion. The patient was discharged after 3 days and delivered a healthy baby at 40 weeks of gestation.
Decarbonylation Reactions Using Transition Metal Complexes

The decarbonylation of aldehydes, acyl halides, aroyl halides, alcohols, or ketones is a useful and important reaction in organic synthesis. (1,2,3) Although several methods not utilizing transition metals are known(4,5) (including various deformylation reactions and thermal and photochemical decarbonylations), they are not general and not usually applicable under mild conditions where undesirable side reactions are minimized.(1)
Implications of Financial Concerns for College Goal Commitment among Undergraduate Students in the United States.

Financial stress and student loan debt are on the rise among today’s college students. This study examined the associations between financial factors and students’ college goal commitment. A multi-institutional survey was used to assess students’ financial stress, estimated student loan debt, and the perceived importance of career, economic, academic, and co-curricular college goals. Logistic regression analyses found that, after controlling for demographic and academic factors, students with significant financial stress and high levels of debt were more likely to prioritize career, economic, and academic goals for college. Significant interactions between students’ demographic characteristics and their financial concerns were also found.
Getting Students Involved from the Get-Go: Summer Reading Programs across the Country’:

About Campus asked Dorothy Fidler at the University of South Carolina to do an informal survey of colleges to learn more about their summer reading programs. Here is what she found.
Use of a wrist-mounted device for continuous outpatient physiologic monitoring after transsphenoidal surgery: a pilot study.

Patients who undergo transsphenoidal surgery can experience hormonal, electrolyte, and fluid disturbances in the postoperative period leading to outpatient readmissions for medical management. Our goal was to determine whether use of a wrist-mounted physiologic tracking device is feasible in this setting and whether changes or trends in these parameters after discharge can help predict aberrant physiology in these patients. Wrist-mounted physiologic tracking devices that transmit data via Bluetooth to a mobile device were used to monitor patients. Preoperative baseline data and postoperative data were aggregated daily to compare within-patient and between-patient trends. Of 11 patients enrolled in the study, 1 was readmitted for symptomatic hyponatremia. Device data completeness ranged from 78 to 93% with the exception of oxygen saturation (25% completeness). The patient with hyponatremia had a significantly lower baseline level of activity compared with other patients. Nonreadmitted patient activity variables (steps, calories, and distance) decreased by 48–52% after the operation (P < 0.001). The activity variables for the patient with hyponatremia were statistically unchanged after the operation; however, the patient did experience a significant decrease in heart rate compared with baseline. Deployment of a wrist-based physiologic tracking device is feasible for surgical patients in elective clinical practice. Overall, the device was associated with good patient adherence and high patient satisfaction. Patient activity significantly decreased after surgery. A significant decrease in heart rate was detected in a patient with hyponatremia who required readmission, which reflects the known intravascular volume expansion in this state.
Outcomes in MAGE+ cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma with perineural invasion treated with surgery followed by postoperative radiation therapy.

e21043Background: Perineural invasion (PNI) is associated with a high risk for recurrence and metastasis from cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Recommendations vary regarding use of post-op...
Myocardial Infarct Size and Mechanisms of Ventricular Tachycardia

Aim and Methods: To analyze the relationship of Purkinje and endocardial focal VT versus epicardial reentry VT to varying ischemic size (IS), one hundred seven alpha chloralose anesthetized dogs we...
Low Probability of Detection QS-MC-DS-CDMA for Low VHF

Tactical military ad-hoc networks usually rely on easily and quickly deployable infrastructure. In such systems reliable communication may be compromised due to imperfect synchronization. QS-MC-DS-CDMA is a solution that allows loose synchrony by employing, so called, LS-codes that are characterized by a zero-correlation zone (ZCZ) that enables preserving code orthogonality in the presence of delay within that zone. Another highly desirable characteristic of tactical networks is low probability of detection (LPD). CDMA inherently favors LPD due to its property to spread the signal in the frequency domain thus making it look like noise. However, manmade signals have periodic characteristics that render them detectable using advanced techniques. Our goal is to reduce the patterns in such signals by employing random dithering in time, i.e. by introducing small random delays that do not affect orthogonality as long as they remain within the ZCZ. In addition to the ZCZ size, the amount of dithering that can be performed is also limited by the time uncertainty/synchronization requirement of the system. The periodic characteristic reduction is quantified using the Degree of Cyclostationarity (DCS) and simulation results are presented. We advocate the implementation of such a system in the lower VHF band due to its favorable channel characteristics and and especially its reduced multipath and frequency offset sensitivity. The latter is the key to our strategy towards increasing LPD protection via time dithering under time uncertainty.
Opioid epidemic in the United States: empirical trends, and a literature review of social determinants and epidemiological, pain management, and treatment patterns

Objectives: Dramatic increases in opioid and drug overdose mortality have occurred in the United States (US) over the past two decades. To address this national public health crisis and identify gaps in the literature, we analyzed recent empirical trends in US drug overdose mortality by key social determinants and conducted a selective review of the recent literature on the magnitude of the opioid crisis facing different racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, and rural-urban segments of the US population. Methods: We used the 1999-2017 mortality data from the US National Vital Statistics System to analyze trends in drug overdose mortality by race/ethnicity, age, and geographic area. Log-linear regression was used to model mortality trends. Using various key words and their combinations, we searched PubMed and Google Scholar for select peerreviewed journal articles and government reports published on the opioid epidemic between 2010 and 2018. Results: Our original analysis and review indicate marked increases in drug overdose mortality overall and by race/ethnicity and geographic regions, with adolescents and young adults experiencing steep increases in mortality between 1999 and 2017. Our selective search yielded 405 articles, of which 39 publications were selected for detailed review. Suicide mortality from drug overdose among teens aged 12-19 increased consistently between 2009 and 2017, particularly among teen girls. The rise of efficient global supply chains has increased opioid prescription use and undoubtedly contributed to the opioid epidemic. Many other important contributing factors to the epidemic include lack of education and economic opportunities, poor working conditions, and low social capital in disadvantaged communities. Conclusions and Global Health Implications: Our analysis and review indicate substantial disparities in drug overdoses and related mortality, pain management, and treatment outcomes according to social determinants. Increases in drug overdoses and resultant mortality are not only unique to the US, but have also been observed in other industrialized countries. Healthcare systems, community leaders, and policymakers addressing the opioidepidemic should focus on upstream structural factors including education, economic opportunity, social cohesion, racial/ethnic disadvantage, geographic isolation, and life satisfaction. Key words:
System Co-Design Inclusive of Connectivity for 3DIC and Wafer-Level Packaging

With the drive towards adding more functionality on a system and the era of artificial intelligence and IoT in play, the semiconductor industry has responded by moving away from the Moore's law approach of shrinking the chip and instead focusing on 3D integration of dies and/or packages. While by itself this poses significant challenges in the manufacturing and testing of these new architectures, there is also a need to address the issues this creates for the design flow itself. The key difference in design flow is the increasing number of iterations, not only of designs, but also the combination of designs. One die may be used across multiple packages or PCBs. This necessitates the need to create flows which are cognizant of variations. Added to this is the complexity of having to tackle new architectures like fan out wafer-level packaging or 3D ICs. The classical methodology of passing the design information from the between chip/package and package/PCB teams will be much too restrictive, costly and potentially the key to faster time-to-market product. This paper explores the solution to this the complex system connectivity optimization challenge and further demonstrates a way to track and verify connection changes throughout the design process.
Xpert MTB/RIF assay for diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The Xpert® MTB/RIF assay (Xpert; Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) is a cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification assay for rapidly diagnosing tuberculosis and assessing antibiotic sensitivity. Although previous evidence supports the use of Xpert for diagnosing extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) in adults, information regarding the accuracy of Xpert for EPTB only in children is lacking. This meta-analysis was performed to assess the accuracy of Xpert for detecting EPTB in children. We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group Specialized Register from January 1, 2010 to July 16, 2019 for studies of the diagnostic performance wherein Xpert was analyzed against cultures or composite reference standards for < 18-year-old children with EPTB. In only pediatric studies, 8 studies including 652 samples were selected. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of Xpert for all samples were 71% (95% CI 0.63–0.79) and 97% (95% CI 0.95–0.99), respectively. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curve was 0.89. For lymph node tissues or aspirates, the pooled sensitivity and specificity of Xpert were 80% (95% CI 0.70–0.88) and 94% (95% CI 0.89–0.97), respectively; for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), these values were 42% (95% CI 0.22–0.63) and 99% (95% CI 0.95–1.00), respectively. Overall, Xpert displayed high specificity but modest sensitivity across various samples for diagnosing pediatric EPTB compared to the composite reference standard. Xpert sensitivity varied with the sampling site and was especially lower in CSF samples. Positive Xpert results may be considered to indicate a presumptive case of pediatric EPTB, whereas negative test results indicate that the possibility of pediatric EPTB should not be excluded.
The Roles of Social Acceptance and Sustainable Identity on Young Consumers’ Aesthetic Judgments and Behavioral Responses Towards Transformable Dress

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}Consumers’ perceptions towards sustainable clothing can be conditioned by their social interaction and sustainable identity. No prior research has examined consumers’ social and personal motives on one type of sustainable clothing, here transformable dress. Thus, using transformable dress as the study stimuli, the purpose of this study is to: (a) examine the impact of consumers’ need for social acceptance and sustainable identity on their aesthetic judgment, sustainable clothing behavior, and purchase intention; and (b) investigate whether the combined influence of these two variables can lead to a change in the above judgments and behavioral responses. An online survey was conducted with a nationwide sample of 287 female consumers. Results revealed that consumers with a high need for social acceptance and a high sustainable identity have higher aesthetic judgments and purchase intention towards transformable dress, and more sustainable clothing behavior. Furthermore, consumers who have either a low or high sustainable identity with a high need for social acceptance demonstrate more positive sustainable clothing behavior than those with a low need for social acceptance. This study shows that social proof as a form of social validation of acceptable products is a powerful guide to sustainable clothing behavior even when people’s own identity is less sustainable. Marketers are encouraged to implement social proof in their marketing strategy through normative information and create momentum towards sustainable products such as transformable clothing.p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}span.s1 {font: 8.0px Helvetica}p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}span.s1 {font: 8.0px Helvetica}p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
An Evaluation of Adaptations Made to Tier 2 Social Skill Training Programs.

Within a three-tiered intervention framework, such as School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Tier 2 interventions were initially conceived as employing a standard protocol acro...
Non-reciprocal polarization rotation using dynamic refractive index modulation

One of the most prominent classes of non-reciprocal devices relies upon the effect of non-reciprocal polarization conversion, such as those observed in Faraday isolators. This effect is usually achieved with the use of magneto-optical materials. Here, we introduce a waveguide type optical isolator based on non-reciprocal polarization conversion, without the use of magneto-optical materials. Our isolator is based on spatial-temporal dynamic refractive index modulation, which is more readily amenable for on-chip integration. We numerically demonstrate our design with both first-principle multi-frequency electromagnetic simulations and the vectorial coupled mode theory formalism.
Correction to: Expressing a Z-disk nebulin fragment innebulin-deficient mouse muscle: effects on muscle structure and function.

Following the publication of this paper [1], it was brought to the authors’ attention that one of the contributing authors was left off of the paper. The authors apologize for the unfortunate oversight. In this correction paper, they have included Dr. Paola Tonino in the author list section.
User Experiences with Two New Wheelchair Securement Systems in Large Accessible Transit Vehicles

Wheelchair securement designs for fixed route, large accessible transit vehicles (LATVs) often create difficulties for passengers who use wheelchairs and operational inefficiencies for public trans...
Adverse childhood experiences and co-occurring psychological distress and substance abuse among juvenile offenders: the role of protective factors.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to estimate associations between cumulative exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), protective factors, and co-occurrence among male and female juvenile offenders. Study design Cross-sectional study. Methods Validated measures of ACEs, internal resilience, external youth assets, psychological distress, and substance abuse were collected from 429 youths involved in the juvenile justice system in Nevada. A three-level outcome variable was created using the psychological distress and substance use measures: no problems, one problem, or co-occurring problems. Hierarchical multinomial logistic regression models were used to determine the independent, direct, and moderating impact of the protective factors on ACEs and the outcome. Results Internal resilience, family communication, school connectedness, peer role models, and non-parental adult role models were associated with lower odds of co-occurrence compared to having no problems (adjusted odds ratios [AORs] ranged from 0.11 to 0.33). When ACEs were added to the model, internal resilience and all assets except for one (non-parental adult role models) continued to offer protection against co-occurrence. Internal resilience was the only protective factor that significantly moderated the association between ACEs and co-occurrence (AOR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.06, 0.99). Conclusion Most protective factors decreased co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems in the presence of ACE exposure and internal resilience moderated the relationship between ACEs and co-occurrence. Juvenile justice systems should use positive youth development approaches to help prevent co-occurrence among youths.
High quality, phased genomes of Phytophthora ramorum clonal lineages NA1 and EU1

Phytophthora ramorum is the causal agent of sudden oak death in West Coast forests and currently two clonal lineages, NA1 and EU1, cause epidemics in Oregon forests. Here, we report on two high-quality genomes of individuals belonging to the NA1 and EU1 clonal lineages respectively, using PacBio long-read sequencing. The NA1 strain Pr102, originally isolated from coast live oak in California, is the current reference genome and was previously sequenced independently using either Sanger (P. ramorum v1) or PacBio (P. ramorum v2) technology. The EU1 strain PR-15-019 was obtained from tanoak in Oregon. These new genomes have a total size of 57.5 Mb, with a contig N50 length of ~3.5-3.6 Mb and encode ~15,300 predicted protein-coding genes. Genomes were assembled into 27 and 28 scaffolds with 95% BUSCO scores and are considerably improved relative to the current JGI reference genome with 2,575 or the PacBio genomes with 1,512 scaffolds. These high-quality genomes provide a valuable resource for studying the genetics, evolution, and adaptation of these two clonal lineages.
Pan-Cancer Survival Classification With Clinicopathological and Targeted Gene Expression Features:

Prognostication for patients with cancer is important for clinical planning and management, but remains challenging given the large number of factors that can influence outcomes. As such, there is ...
Chapter 15 – Venus: Surface and Interior

Venus provides a unique window into the evolution of terrestrial planets. It is essentially identical to Earth in size and bulk composition, yet its geologic history is entirely different. This chapter discusses impact craters and resurfacing history, interior processes, surface composition, volcanism, and tectonics of Venus.
Lectures on Representation Theory and Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov Equations

Introduction Representations of finite-dimensional and affine Lie algebras Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations Solutions of the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations Free field realization Quantum groups Local systems and configuration spaces Monodromy of the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations Quantum affine algebras Quantum Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations Solutions of the quantum Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations for $\mathfrak {sl}_2$ Connection matrices for the quantum Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations and elliptic functions Current developments and future perspectives References Index.
Solution of kinematic equations for robot manipulators

The paper derives kinematic equations of a general robot manipulator presented in the form of an open kinematic chain. Kinematic modelling is based on placing Cartesian-type local coordinate systems on segments of the manipulator and on calculation of their mutual transformations. Equations are written in a form suitable for programming on a digital computer. The given mathematical apparatus represents the basis of a complex mathematical modelling of a robot manipulator and is outstanding for its simplicity, efficiency, and engineering usefulness.
AMPK Activators Cause Different Vasoconstrictor Responses in Small and Large Muscular Arteries

The metabolic sensor/effector AMP kinase (AMPK) responds to vasoconstrictors and metabolic stress, but the role of these stimuli and AMPK activators to modulate AMPK in large and small arteries during trauma is unclear. We tested the ability of multiple agents (angiotensin II (Ang II), phenylephrine (PE), U-46619 (U-46) and vasopressin (VP)) to contract femoral (FA) or epigastric (EA) vessels with or without classic (AICAR, A769662) or putative (metformin (MET), berberine (BBR), simvastatin (SIM)) AMPK agonists. Artery rings were removed from euthanized rabbits and secured to a wire myograph for tension analyses. Tissues were quick-frozen and processed to measure AMPK-pT172, Raptor-pS792, MLC-p20, and MYPT-pT850. Compared to EA, FA responded strongly and potently to all agents. In FA but not EA, AICAR caused a significant right shift in the PE and U46-induced phasic concentration-response curve (CRC), but inhibited steady-state (30 min) tension induced by PE in EA. AMPK-pT172 and Raptor-pS792 significantl...
Nerve injuries and the fixed dystonias of CRPS.

Nerve injury is a known precipitant of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). However, is nerve injury a primary cause of CRPS dystonia? In 2009, Oaklander and her colleagues [1] reviewed peripheral aspects of CRPS, asking whether diverse symptoms of this neuropathic pain disorder are linked to small-fiber neuropathies. These authors also described a possible role for large-fiber neuropathies in the etiology of CRPS-fixed dystonias. This hypothesis adds a valuable new perspective to one of the most controversial topics in neurology: the fixed dystonias of CRPS. During, and after, the American Civil War, Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell described both intense burning pain (causalgia) and fixed dystonias in a subset of wounded Union soldiers, as well as civilians, who had suffered nerve injuries [2]. In a number of these patients, remission of the CRPS comorbidities occurred within days to weeks after therapies were initiated (e.g., passive movement and splinting of inflamed/immobilized joints, massage and electrical stimulation of contracted muscles, and chemical blistering of causalgic skin). The rapid onset and rapid remission of …
The Secure Remote Password Protocol.

This paper presents a new password authentication and key-exchange protocol suitable for authenticating users and exchanging keys over an untrusted network. The new protocol resists dictionary attacks mounted by either passive or active network intruders, allowing, in principle, even weak passphrases to be used safely. It also o ers perfect forward secrecy, which protects past sessions and passwords against future compromises. Finally, user passwords are stored in a form that is not plaintext-equivalent to the password itself, so an attacker who captures the password database cannot use it directly to compromise security and gain immediate access to the host. This new protocol combines techniques of zero-knowledge proofs with asymmetric key exchange protocols and o ers signi cantly improved performance over comparably strong extended methods that resist stolen-veri er attacks such as Augmented EKE or B-SPEKE.
Epidemiological and genetic analysis concerning the coxsackievirus A6 related endemic outbreak of hand–foot–mouth disease in Taizhou, China, during 2013

A total of 1,098 strains of human enteroviruses (HEV), falling into 14 serotypes were detected upon analysis of 1,509 hand–foot–mouth disease (HFMD) samples collected in Taizhou during the period from July 2010 to December 2013. And a CV-A6 related HFMD outbreak was identified in Taizhou during 2013. Phylogenic analyses of complete VP1 sequences indicate that this outbreak of HFMD in Taizhou is closely related to the global outbreaks of CV-A6 related HFMD since 2008, but the analyses also indicate that the outbreak in Taizhou is rather an endemic outbreak in which a phylogenic sub-group of CV-A6 was identified whose members commonly acquired a mutation RK at site 254 of VP1 protein. It is interesting that the emergence of the sub-group was inferred to contribute to the endemic outbreak in Taizhou in 2013. J. Med. Virol. 87:2000–2008, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.