cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatial distribution and temporal progression of T2 relaxation time values in knee cartilage prior to the onset of cartilage lesions – data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI)

Summary Purpose To investigate compositional changes of knee cartilage at the site of newly appearing cartilage lesions and the surrounding cartilage 1–4 years prior to lesion onset using quantitative T2-measurements. Methods Fifty-seven cartilage plates with newly appearing cartilage lesions from 45 knees (cases) and 52 plates from 26 control knees from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) cohort (controls) were evaluated. Using MRI T2-mapping, composition of local (the site of future lesions) and surrounding cartilage (remainder of the cartilage plate) was assessed 1–4 years prior to lesion onset. Analogous cartilage ROIs in control plates without cartilage lesions were assessed over 1–4 years. Mixed models were used to compare T2-means and change rates between local and surrounding cartilage within cases and controls, and to compare change rates in local and surrounding cartilage between cases and controls, adjusting for covariates. Results Four years prior to lesion onset, we found that local cartilage ROIs had higher T2-values compared to the surrounding cartilage. No such differences were found in control plates. In cases mean local T2-values were persistantly elevated compared to the surrounding cartilage prior to lesion onset reaching significance 1 year prior (+2.94 ms, p = 0.012). T2-values of the surrounding cartilage were also persistantly higher in cases compared to controls, reaching significance 2 years prior to lesion onset (+3.61 ms, p = 0.003). Conclusion The findings of our study support the concept of compositional cartilage changes as a mechanism for cartilage degradation and that both diffuse and focal changes of cartilage composition within a cartilage plate precede the development of cartilage lesions.
Death inducing ligands are critical for the selective vulnerability of the inner retina to transient global ischemia.

P72 We have previously demonstrated that the delayed cell death that occurs in the inner retina following transient global ischemia is in part apoptotic.In non-neuronal cells, death-inducing ligands(DILs) such as TNF-α and FasL are important in the induction of apoptosis.The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of DILs in the selective vulnerability of the inner retina to ischemic injury. Four groups of mice were subjected to transient global retinal ischemia (high intraocular pressure model) for a period of 45 minutes : wild type, TNFR(p55)-knock out, TNFR(p75)-knock out and lpr(loss of function of Fas receptor). The degree of retinal damage was assessed by measuring the thicknesses of the inner retinal layers. Additionally, electrophysiology (ERG) was performed following ischemia to assess functional outcome. There were TUNEL positive cells within the vulnerable inner retina seen maximally at 24 hours following ischemia. At 7 days subsequent to ischemia,in all groups of mice there was marked thinning of the inner retinal layers with morphological characterstics of apoptosis. ERG at 7 days demonstrated diminished amplitude of the ERG-b wave.In all three groups of mutant mice, there was significantly less morphological damage(mean inner retinal thickness) as well as significant preservation of the ERG-b wave as compared to the wild type animals.The lpr animals demonstrated the greatest protection.These data suggest that DILs play a critical role in the selective vulnerability of the inner retina to transient global ischemia and offer new strategies for the treatment of ischemic neuronal injury.
Central bank interventions in a dollarized economy: managed floating versus inflation targeting

Effects of interventions by the Banco Central de Reserva del Peru (BCRP) on the sol/USD exchange rate are studied. The BCRP is currently committed to following an inflation-targeting (IT) regime to intervene in the foreign exchange market only to reduce exchange-rate volatility and during specific segments of the day and to make these interventions public information. We find that interventions in the foreign exchange market by the BCRP have been effective in moving the sol/USD in the intended direction during both the past managed floating regime and the current IT regime. Interventions have, however, increased the volatility of the sol/USD, and this increase has continued very strongly under the IT regime. A conclusion is that the BCRP might not yet have gained a sufficiently strong reputation to effectively reduce the exchange-rate volatility.
Writing About Political Science and Politics for a General Audience: A How (and Why) Guide for Academics

Writing about political science and politics for a non-academic audience is rewarding and challenging in roughly equal measures. This piece offers suggestions for academics interested in branching ...
Simulation-Based Optimality Tests for Stochastic Programs

Assessing whether a solution is optimal, or near-optimal, is fundamental in optimization. We describe a simple simulation-based procedure for assessing the quality of a candidate solution to a stochastic program. The procedure is easy to implement, widely applicable, and yields point and interval estimators on the candidate solutions optimality gap. Our simplest procedure allows for significant computational improvements. The improvements we detail aim to reduce computational effort through single- and two-replication procedures, reduce bias via a class of generalized jackknife estimators, and reduce variance by using a randomized quasi-Monte Carlo scheme.
The Dyspnea Clinic

Healthcare delivery is increasingly divided into subspecialty domains that are often organ specific. This works well for some organ-centric disease states and provides a comfort level for specialists as far as diagnostic approach and therapeutic decision making. However, this may not work well for complaints such as dyspnea. Dyspnea is a common, nonspecific symptom that presents to primary care provider (PCP) and subspecialty offices. Many patients require a thorough diagnostic evaluation to establish the underlying cause, which can remain elusive after a determined evaluation. The patient often falls into the chasm between subspecialists telling the patient it is not their lungs so back to the cardiologist, or it is not their heart and back to the pulmonologist; patients can bounce between specialists for upward of 2 years.1 The time and cost for the evaluation of dyspnea can be significant and frustrating for both clinician and patient.2 It is for these reasons that there is increasing interest in establishing dyspnea clinics (DCs), which are centered on symptoms, rather than on organ systems. When a patient is referred to a DC, he or she often has had an evaluation initiated by a PCP (Figure). Typically, the PCP (or subspecialist) makes the referral, although self-referrals also occur. DC staff develop a …
Toward a Value Inclusive Theory of Economic Decision-Making: A 'New Science' Model

This paper explores one option for the development of a theoretical approach to economic decision-making that goes beyond the mechanical-mathematical models based on the assumptions of rational self-interest and utility maximization. The proposed model incorporates facts, values, relationships, cooperation, learning, and other factors into economic decision-making and applies to both the micro- and macroeconomic levels. While the model is descriptive in nature, it has predictive potential to establish a menu of alternative outcomes or “opportunity sets.” The goal of this discussion is to move the language of economic decision-making away from the mid-nineteenth century language of science toward the concepts associated with the complex systems approach of the new science.
A Firm's Choice between Direct and Indirect Export Channel of Exports by: A Study of Manufacturing Firms in Sub Saharan African Economies

In this study, we analyze a manufacturing firm's discrete decision of exporting using either direct or indirect channels. We investigate the factors that affect a firm's choice by comparing the payoff in each mode of exports. We formulate a theoretical model for a single firm that can successfully choose from either of the channels due to changes in efficiency level. Using data from manufacturers in 38 sub-Saharan African countries, we find empirical evidence that support our theoretical findings. The results also indicate that factors such as size of the firm, being a subsidiary of a multi-plant firm, access to information technology, perceptions of obstacles to current operation in the forms of lack of access to finance and corruption affect firm's choice.
Prying open the file drawer.

The bias for publishing positive clinical-research results can cause physicians to question journal articles as dependable sources of product information. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Succinylcholine-Induced Ventricular Fibrillation in the Paralyzed Urology Patient

A myelotomy patient with succinylcholine-induced hyperkalemia and ventricular fibrillation was succesfully resusciated. The urologist and anesthetist can prevent this problem by using non-depolarizing muscle relaxants in patients with denervated skeletal muscle.
Continuous Neural Spikes and Information Theory

Can information theory be used to understand neural signaling? Yes, but assumptions have to be made about the nature of that signaling. The traditional view is that the individual neural spike is an all-or-none phenomenon, which allows neural spikes to be viewed as discrete, binary pulses, similar in kind to the signals in digital computers. Under this assumption, the tools of information theory can be used to derive results about the properties of neural signals. However, new results from neuroscience demonstrate that the precise shape of the individual spike can be functionally significant, thus violating the assumption that spikes can always be treated as a binary pulse. Instead, spikes must sometimes be viewed as a continuous signal. Fortunately, information-theoretic tools exist for the study of continuous signals; unfortunately, their use in the continuous domain is very different from their use in the discrete domain, and not always well understood. Researchers interested in making precise claims about the nature of the information used, stored, and processed in neural systems must pay careful attention to these differences.
Mechanism of shear thickening in suspensions of rigid spheres in Boger fluids. Part I: Dilute suspensions

The mechanism for shear thickening of the viscometric functions of rigid non-Brownian sphere suspensions in highly elastic fluids is studied numerically. Particular focus is placed on the particle-induced fluid stress, which is the dominant contribution to the shear thickening behavior, especially at moderate to high Weissenberg numbers. We determine the Weissenberg number scaling for both the magnitude of the particle-induced fluid stress and the volume containing most of the particle-induced fluid stress to understand the overall suspension behavior at moderate Weissenberg numbers. Furthermore, we analyze the flow type in the regions of significant polymer-induced fluid stress and find that the stretch of polymers in strain-dominated flow within closed streamlines around the particles generates the large stresses that contribute to the thickening behavior. Thus, understanding the response of the suspending fluid to extensional deformation is important for predicting the shear rheology of the bulk suspension. Lastly, we explore the effect of polymer viscosity and polymer extensibility on the behavior of the particle-induced fluid stress.The mechanism for shear thickening of the viscometric functions of rigid non-Brownian sphere suspensions in highly elastic fluids is studied numerically. Particular focus is placed on the particle-induced fluid stress, which is the dominant contribution to the shear thickening behavior, especially at moderate to high Weissenberg numbers. We determine the Weissenberg number scaling for both the magnitude of the particle-induced fluid stress and the volume containing most of the particle-induced fluid stress to understand the overall suspension behavior at moderate Weissenberg numbers. Furthermore, we analyze the flow type in the regions of significant polymer-induced fluid stress and find that the stretch of polymers in strain-dominated flow within closed streamlines around the particles generates the large stresses that contribute to the thickening behavior. Thus, understanding the response of the suspending fluid to extensional deformation is important for predicting the shear rheology of the bulk suspen...
Shifting Age of Peak Binge Drinking Prevalence: Historical Changes in Normative Trajectories Among Young Adults Aged 18 to 30.

Background This study examined the extent to which the developmental pattern of prevalence of binge drinking in the past 2 weeks from ages 18 through 30 has changed across 29 cohorts of U.S. young adults, and whether the changes differed by gender. Methods Analyses used national longitudinal data from 58,019 12th-grade students (from graduating high school classes 1976 to 2004) participating in the Monitoring the Future study followed through modal age 30 (with age 29/30 data collected from 1987 to 2016). Weighted time-varying effect modeling was used to model cohort group differences in age-related patterns of binge drinking. Results The age of peak binge drinking prevalence increased across cohorts (from age 20 in 1976 to 1985 to 22 in 1996 to 2004 for women, and from 21 in 1976 to 1985 to 23 in 1996 to 2004 for men). Historical change in the developmental pattern of binge drinking across all ages of young adulthood differed for men and women. Even after controlling for key covariates, women in the more recent cohort group reported significantly higher binge drinking prevalence than women in earlier cohorts from ages 21 through 30. Men in the more recent cohort group reported higher binge drinking prevalence at ages 25 to 26, but prevalence levels then converged to those seen in earlier cohort groups by age 30. Conclusions An older age of peak binge drinking and a decreased rate of decline in the prevalence of binge drinking in later young adulthood among more recent cohorts have resulted in an extension of individual and societal risks associated with binge drinking, particularly for women, across young adulthood. High-risk alcohol use prevention efforts are needed throughout at least the third decade of life.
Feasibility of X-ray Fluorescence Computed Tomography (XFCT) Imaging of Human Lung Tumors loaded with Gold Nanoparticles: A Monte Carlo Study

We present a novel Monte Carlo model of x-ray fluorescence (XRF) computed tomography (XFCT) imaging of human lung tumors loaded with gold nanoparticles (GNPs). In this model, the lung phantom derived from CT images was excited using a fan/cone beam of x-rays and the XRF/Scatter photons were detected using linear array detectors coupled with parallel-hole collimators. Whereas 1 wt. % GNP regions located at ~4–5 centimeter depths within the phantom could be detected reliably under the current conditions, it became challenging to detect such GNP regions present at deeper depths. Nevertheless, this study opened up the possibility to apply XFCT techniques for human lung cancer detection in conjunction with GNPs.
Morality as a Cosmopolitan Art

In this chapter, I elucidate Descartes’s account of virtue, in two parts. First, I argue that Descartes conceives of morality as an eclectic cosmopolitan art of natural beatitude, and I explain why his account of morality is not a science and is only problematically regarded as Stoic. Second, I show how Descartes intends this art to be applied, explaining how he tries to advance beyond the theories of the ancient moralists by developing both an adequate account of virtue and an accurate account of the techniques, or “remedies,” that one can employ to acquire virtue. In so doing, I show how Descartes’s attempts to provide his readers with the principal truths necessary to facilitate their development from having merely the passion of generosity to possessing the virtue of wisdom, in its highest degree, and, consequently, to enjoying natural beatitude.
A Search For Root-Multiples.

MOST MATHEMATICS students are familiar with various divisibility tests in the setting of decimal arithmetic. Tests using the integers 2 through 9 as divisors are es pecially well known. Those for divisors of 2 and 5 are rather intuitive and arouse no curiosity. The test for 9, however, is in another category. Not only is it simply stated, it is rather remarkable and serves as an attention-getter in any arithmetic discus sion. It reads "A positive integer is divisible by 9 if and only ifits digital root is a multi ple of 9." The digital root of a positive in teger is the digit obtained by summing all digits in the number's representation. Con sider, for example, the numbers 27 or 261 or 8577, all of which are divisible by 9. Such numbers will now be classified as root multiples in that the number in each case is a multiple of its digital root.
Factors Related to Intention to Leave and Job Satisfaction Among Registered Nurses at a Large Psychiatric Hospital

Introduction: Current shortages of registered nurses working in psychiatric hospitals in the United States are exacerbated by turnover. Aim: This research describes factors that are associated with intent to leave among nurses working in a large inpatient psychiatric hospital. Method: This was a descriptive, correlational study. Results: 75% of respondents (n = 94) reported that they were satisfied with their current positions. 36% (n = 34) reported actively seeking employment elsewhere. Intent to leave correlated with perceptions about workplace relationships and work environment factors. Discussion: Work relationships, opportunity for education, and recognition for education were factors that were primarily related to intent to leave.
Let Earth Rebound! Conservation’s New Imperative

The status quo of a human-possessed and humanized ecosphere might be viewed as a shared “blueprint” in being widely regarded as given, normal, and even desirable. The blueprint consists of a physical and ideational apparatus of planetary ownership that includes an array of types of owning (private, nation-state, international, and commons), along with the entrenched normalcy of the endless stream of uses and practices that human possession entitles. Importantly, the blueprint of a physical-ideational apparatus of Earth ownership is what social theorists call hegemonic: it operates, or more precisely is, by virtue of broad human consent.
Hyperuricemia and Gout

Abstract Uric acid is a product of purine metabolism. In humans and higher-order primates, there is a tendency to retain high levels of serum uric acid due to the loss of akey enzyme, uricase, which converts uric acid to water soluble allantoin. Elevated concentrations of uric acid in serum (hyperuricemia defined by serum uric acid concentration >7 mg/dL in men and >6 mg/dL in women), or elevated urinary uric acid concentrations (hyperuricosuria) can lead to gout and uric acid nephrolithiasis and increase the risk for hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease. Uric acid is a powerful scavenger of reactive oxygen species and is considered a key antioxidant in humans. However, high serum uric acid concentration is also associated with several diseases, including several linked to increased oxidative stress. Thus, the paradoxical role of uric acid as anti- and/or prooxidant has been the subject of an ongoing debate. Serum levels of uric acid are regulated by the balance between its production and excretion and is regulated by genetic and dietary factors. This chapter describes the biomedical importance of uric acid and health implications of hyperuricemia and gout.
Missouri Constitution: A Simple Suggestion for Overriding the Line-Item Veto

This article suggestions governors, legislators, and courts have misunderstood Missouri’s line-item veto. To override a line-item veto, a simple majority vote of the legislature is required rather than the supermajority two-thirds vote many believe is required. The history, text, constitutional structure, and purpose of the line-item veto all suggest only a simple majority is required. Although the article specifically addresses Missouri’s constitutional provision, the overall purpose of the line-item veto suggests other states should require only simple majority overrides.
Multivariate Time-Series Prediction for Traffic in Large WAN Topology

Network traffic behavior is noisy and random, making it difficult to find patterns and predict future behavior. In this paper, we develop statistical models that use multivariate data model, incorporating seasonality, peak frequencies, and link relationships to improve future predictions. Using Fourier Transforms to extract seasons and peak frequencies from individual traces, we perform seasonality tests and ARIMA measures to determine optimal parameters to use in our prediction model. We develop a SARIMA multivariate model using real network traces to show improved prediction accuracy with better RMSE and smaller confidence intervals when compared to univariate approaches.
Naloxone Administration by Untrained Community Members.

STUDY OBJECTIVE Access to naloxone is a priority for reducing opioid deaths. Although community members who complete naloxone training are able to administer nasal naloxone successfully and rapidly, little is known about the ability of community members to administer naloxone without training. The objective of this study was to assess the ability of untrained individuals to administer naloxone successfully in a simulated opioid overdose setting. DESIGN Prospective single-site open-label randomized usability assessment. SETTING Scenario station at a large state fair during August and September 2017. PARTICIPANTS A total of 207 healthy adults who were randomly assigned to administer naloxone using a nasal spray (NS) device (69 participants), an intramuscular (IM) kit (68 participants), or an improvised nasal atomizer (AT) kit (70 participants). INTERVENTION Participants were instructed to administer the device to a high-fidelity mannequin in a public environment with distractions to mimic those that might be present in an actual overdose. No device instructions or administration materials were provided. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Participants were assessed by trained study team members who directly observed all naloxone administrations using the predetermined end-point criteria. Individual participant perceptions were evaluated immediately following the naloxone administration using a standardized questionnaire form. The primary outcome was successful administration, defined as administration within 7 minutes and without critical errors. Secondary outcomes were time to successful naloxone administration and ease of use of the device. The NS (66.7%, p<0.001) and IM (51.5%, p<0.001) devices had higher rates of successful administration than the improvised nasal AT device (2.9%). The NS device was administered more rapidly (median 16 sec) than the IM device (median 58 sec, p<0.001) or improvised nasal AT device (median 113 sec, p=0.012) devices, and it was the easiest to use. CONCLUSION In this study of naloxone administration, participants administered the NS and IM devices more successfully than the AT device. The NS device was administered most rapidly and was easiest to use.
The future of robotic surgery in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery

Robotic surgery for management of head and neck pathologies has only been in practice for little more than a decade. Since then, there has been a rapid development in the field of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and robotic surgery in otolaryngology. TORS has emerged as a tool in the treatment of both malignant and benign oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal, and laryngeal disease. TORS is also a critical component of ongoing clinical trials seeking to improve the treatment of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, it's application has expanded to treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, thyroid and parathyroid disease, and skull base pathologies. This review will provide an overview of the current application of robotics in otolaryngology as well as highlight the developing robotic platforms and technologies, and future of the field.
The federal funds network and monetary policy transmission: Evidence from the 2007–2009 financial crisis

Abstract Using a network approach, we show how the federal funds market was transformed during the financial crisis through the collapse of the ABCP market in 2007, changes in monetary policy implementation, and an increase in counterparty credit risk. For both aggregate and bank-level network metrics, we find that increases in counterparty and liquidity risk are associated with reduced lending activity within the network. We also provide evidence that network peer effects are strong and influence banks’ holdings of reserve balances and rates paid in the federal funds market. Finally, we document how these changes to the network structure dampened the transmission of monetary policy.
The Organizational Risks Of Cross-Sector Partnerships: A Comparison Of Health And Human Services Perspectives.

What factors do health and human services leaders assess when considering collaborative opportunities, and what do they worry about? How organizational decision makers perceive risk can influence t...
Risk-based condition assessment and maintenance engineering

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a paper that illustrates how probabilistic physics-based models can be used for risk-based condition assessment and life prediction of aircraft components—including the uncertainties in maintenance activities. Probabilistic modeling includes all significant uncertainties that affect engine reliability, such as flight conditions, loading history, manufacturing deviations, material properties, and behavior under random loading and maintenance activities. Maintenance uncertainties include those related to NDI techniques and operator's skills. This paper shows the uncertainty effects of different NDI techniques, maintenance intervals, and operator skills on engine reliability. Unscheduled maintenance rates are computed for given a maintenance schedule. STI has developed a physics-based stochastic approach to maintenance engineering that is based on the detailed integration of all design and post-design aspects and uncertainties that include manufacturing variabilities, maintenance activities, and cost aspects. By developing physics-based stochastic models for idealizing the operating environment, aero-thermal loading, structural behavior, and material progressive damage under variable loading, the maintenance engineering and cost analysis is approached from an advanced physical understanding and modeling of the engine behavior. Only by using such a physics-based stochastic approach, the engine life-cycle cost process can be adequately understood and controlled from the design stage.
9 – Operating Personnel-Intensive Programs

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the macro level of managing people in functioning programs. It considers two significant categories of security employment—security officers and investigators—and the programs that make them productive and efficient. Consequently, the optimally performing manager will seek to assure that security functions are achieved with the minimum number of people required. Proprietary and contract security services both have advantages therefore, managers sometimes plan to employ both in large operations. Software programs specifically written for security applications have improved accountability and decreased costs since their introduction. A request for proposal (RFP) is a bureaucratic, costly, and burdensome means of selecting a security services vendor. However, the process sets out a fair basis for identifying the best security company for the client and also helps to determine the most favorable arrangements for the client. The alarm monitoring and installation business is an important part of the security industry. Some of the typical aspects to an alarm monitoring contract include: terms of agreement, notification for termination, and ownership of the security system.
Abstract A13: Neoadjuvant PD-1 mAb treatment induces postoperative immune memory responses against both immunodominant and immunorecessive antigens

Induction of T-cell responses to immunorecessive tumor antigens may be important for generation of polyclonal responses capable of eliminating immunoedited tumor cells that have lost immunodominant antigens. We hypothesized that neoadjuvant PD-1 mAb immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) before surgery could induce polyclonal T-cell responses and lead to immunologic memory capable of preventing engraftment upon challenge with tumor cells lacking immunodominant antigen. Antigen immunodominance was established in two models of oral cancer using ELISpot and cytotoxicity assays with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) cultured from tumors. Mice bearing tumors harboring both immunodominant and immunorecessive antigens were treated with PD-1 or isotype control mAb before surgical extirpation. Forty days after surgery, mice were challenged with tumor cells harboring immunorecessive antigens with or without immunodominant antigens. Following neoadjuvant treatment with control mAb, mice readily engrafted progressing tumors upon challenge with tumor cells lacking immunodominant antigens. Following neoadjuvant treatment with PD-1 mA, mice failed to engraft tumors upon challenge with tumor cells lacking immunodominant antigens. TIL cultured from tumors following treatment with PD-1 mAb killed tumor cells lacking immunodominant antigens, whereas TIL cultured from tumors treated with control mAb did not. T cells harvested from tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLN) 40 days after resection were assessed for antigen-specific interferon (IFN) production. Mice treated with neoadjuvant PD-1 mAb displayed antigen-specific responses against both immunodominant and immunorecessive antigens, whereas mice treated with control mAb did not. Further, mice treated with neoadjuvant PD-1 mAb developed immunodominant and immunorecessive tetramer-positive CD44+CD62L- effector memory T cells in the periphery, whereas mice treated with control mAb did not. Taken together, these data suggest that neoadjuvant PD-1 mAb is capable of inducing antigen-specific T-cell responses against both immunodominant and immunorecessive antigens. This effector response before surgery leads to the development of antigen-specific memory that is capable of resisting challenge with tumor cells that have lost the immunodominant antigen. This work provides a mechanism previously not described for PD-1 mAb treatment and strongly supports the use of PD-blocking ICIs in the neoadjuvant setting before surgery for head and neck cancer. Citation Format: Clint T. Allen, Jay Friedman, Paul Zolkind, Ravindra Uppaluri. Neoadjuvant PD-1 mAb treatment induces postoperative immune memory responses against both immunodominant and immunorecessive antigens [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-AHNS Head and Neck Cancer Conference: Optimizing Survival and Quality of Life through Basic, Clinical, and Translational Research; 2019 Apr 29-30; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(12_Suppl_2):Abstract nr A13.
Mind wandering, fantasy, and pretend play: a natural combination

Abstract Mind wandering is a natural component of pretend play in children. We can conceptualize much of the ideation that is expressed in play as thoughts, images, memories, and fantasies that are experienced in a spontaneous fashion. Ideas drift and flow, and pretend play provides an outlet for this content. Pretend play involves self-generated thought. This conceptualization of play is consistent with recent neurological findings of the default network as being active in spontaneous thought and creativity. Pretend play is related to measures of creativity in many studies. Mind wandering and pretend play involve spontaneous associations. Remote associations occur and can be combined and manipulated into new patterns. In pretend play, these thoughts are expressed and put into a narrative that is coherent and meaningful. Thus, pretend play utilizes fantasy and associations by integrating them into a narrative. In that sense, play involves both divergent thinking and convergent thinking. The child is going back and forth between illogical, emotion-laden fantasy and bringing critical evaluative thinking to that content. In psychoanalytic theory, this switching back and forth between illogical and logical thought is termed adaptive regression, which relates to creativity. Creativity scholars agree that both types of processes are involved in creativity. Research in the area is reviewed, and examples of play are presented. Through pretend play, children learn to become comfortable with ideas and fantasy, especially with affect-laden thoughts, to express it, and to utilize it in creative acts.
Perceived harms of and exposure to tobacco use and current tobacco use among reproductive-aged women from the PATH study

Data for this study were obtained from reproductive-aged women (aged 18–44 years, at wave 1) from waves 1 (2013–2014) and 2 (2014–2015) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study (n =...
The Association Between Facebook Use and Student Involvement: The Moderating Role of Shyness

Research suggests that social networking sites may provide a viable context for promoting student involvement. We examined the relations between social and academic Facebook use and undergraduates’...
The impact of dispositional optimism and depression on post-operative motor functioning following deep brain stimulation surgery for Parkinson's disease.

Abstract Introduction The primary goal of subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) is to improve motor function. Dispositional optimism has been associated with better physical outcomes following a rehabilitation program in PD but has not been investigated in relation to STN-DBS. This study investigated the influence of dispositional optimism on motor outcomes following STN-DBS in individuals with PD. Methods A retrospective data analysis of 33 individuals with PD who underwent STN-DBS was conducted. Linear regression was used to determine whether dispositional optimism, measured by the Life Orientation Test-Revised questionnaire, predicted change in motor symptoms following DBS surgery, as assessed by the Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified PD Rating Scale, Part III. Self-reported levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms were included as co-variates. Results Higher pre-operative dispositional optimism combined with less self-reported depressive symptoms predicted greater post-operative improvement in motor symptoms from the baseline OFF-medication to post-operative ON-medication/ON-stimulation state, accounting for 38.8% of the variance in post-operative change. Conclusion The large percentage of variance in post-STN-DBS motor change predicted by pre-operative dispositional optimism and depressive symptoms suggests that assessment of these variables prior to surgery may provide valuable information for clinicians regarding the surgery's ultimate initial motor benefit for individuals with PD. If modifiable, these variables may provide cost-effective targets to improve motor outcomes of STN-DBS in PD.
Management of recurrent patellofemoral instability with patella alta in the skeletally immature

Abstract A significant contributing factor to recurrent patella instability in the skeletally immature child is patella alta. Tibial tubercle transfer is contraindicated in the skeletally immature child due to the significant risk of anterior tibial growth arrest. In this review article, we explore the clinical findings, investigations and the past and present treatments used to manage patella alta in the skeletally immature child. We also explore the use of medial patella femoral ligament reconstruction and future considerations in this field.
Alcohol outlets, drug paraphernalia sales, and neighborhood drug overdose.

Abstract Background Alcohol outlets have been associated with various forms of injury and may contribute to neighborhood disparities in drug overdose. Few studies have examined the associations between alcohol outlets and drug overdose. This study investigated whether alcohol outlets were associated with the neighborhood drug overdose rate and whether the sale of drug paraphernalia contributes to this association. Methods A cross-sectional ecological spatial analysis was conducted within census block groups in Baltimore City (n = 653). Outcomes were counts of EMS calls for any drug overdose in 2015 (n = 3,856). Exposures of interest were counts of alcohol outlets licensed for off-premise and on-premise consumption and the proportion of off-premise outlets selling drug paraphernalia (e.g., blunt wrappers, baggies, pipes). Negative binomial regression was used to assess the relationship between outlet count and overdose rate, and if paraphernalia sales altered this relationship, controlling for other neighborhood factors. Spatial autocorrelation was assessed and regression inference adjusted accordingly. Results Each additional off-premise alcohol outlet was associated with a 16.6% increase in the neighborhood overdose rate (IRR=1.17, 95%CI=(1.11, 1.23)), adjusted for other neighborhood variables. On-premise alcohol outlets were not significantly associated with overdose rate when adjusting for off-premise alcohol outlets (IRR=1.01, 95% CI=(0.97, 1.06)). The proportion of off-premise outlets that sold drug paraphernalia was negatively associated with overdose rate (IRR=0.55, 95% CI=(0.41, 0.74)) and did not alter the relationship between off-premise outlets and overdose. Conclusion This study provides preliminary public health evidence for informing policy decisions about alcohol outlet licensing and zoning. Alcohol outlets could be potential community partners for harm reduction strategies such as health communication in identifying overdose symptoms or Good Samaritan Laws.
Clinical outcomes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients with underlying autoimmune disease (AID).

e16233Background: Chronic inflammation from AID and the resultant immunosuppression from treatment increases the risk of various malignancies. Risk of PDAC is increased in patients (pts) with AID, ...
Animal Models of Multiple Sclerosis

Animal models with high translational validity are essential tools in understanding disease pathogenesis and in the development of therapeutic strategies. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system characterized by progressive neurological deficits and socioeconomic burden. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is the most extensively utilized animal model of MS, with well-characterized rodent and non-human primate variants. The EAE model is typically induced by either active immunization with myelin-derived proteins or peptides in adjuvant or by passive transfer of activated myelin-specific CD4+ T lymphocytes. To date, the EAE model has been an essential tool in the development of at least seven U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved immunomodulatory drugs for the treatment of MS, including glatiramer acetate, fingolimod, and natalizumab. However, the translational validity of the EAE model is frequently compromised due to poor study design, inconsistent clinical scoring endpoints, and inappropriate statistical calculations. No single animal model accurately reflects the complexity of human MS pathogenesis. Beyond EAE, multiple additional animal models are described, including Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus and cuprizone-induced demyelination, which facilitate the study of pathogen-induced CNS autoimmunity and remyelination, respectively. This overview summarizes several of the most frequently used animal models of MS and highlights key factors that significantly influence the experimental outcome and affect translational validity. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Mental health in the head catch

Similar to cattle in the head catch, mental illness and its effects are not going anywhere in the veterinary field. This paper addresses mental health stigma in the veterinary field and provides both concrete tools to address this challenge as well as recommendations for future direction. After a brief literature review of mental health in the veterinary field, a constructive critique is offered regarding how the field appears to be minimizing and distorting the effects of mental illness. There appears to be an imbalance between emphasizing “wellbeing” and euphemizing mental illness. Lastly, some concrete tools and recommendations are provided by encouraging the use of local resources, national resources and actively working to build empathy versus apathy for those who struggle with mental illness. In this light, two brief and true case studies are presented as means to generate empathy versus apathy.
Enhanced brainstem phase-locking in low-level noise reveals stochastic resonance in the frequency-following response (FFR).

Abstract In nonlinear systems, the inclusion of low-level noise can paradoxically improve signal detection, a phenomenon known as stochastic resonance (SR). SR has been observed in human hearing whereby sensory thresholds (e.g., signal detection and discrimination) are enhanced in the presence of noise. Here, we asked whether subcortical auditory processing (neural phase locking) shows evidence of SR. We recorded brainstem frequency-following-responses (FFRs) in young, normal-hearing listeners to near-electrophysiological-threshold (40 dB SPL) complex tones composed of 10 iso-amplitude harmonics of 150 Hz fundamental frequency (F0) presented concurrent with low-level noise (+20 to −20 dB SNRs). Though variable and weak across ears, some listeners showed improvement in auditory detection thresholds with subthreshold noise confirming SR psychophysically. At the neural level, low-level FFRs were initially eradicated by noise (expected masking effect) but were surprisingly reinvigorated at select masker levels (local maximum near ∼ 35 dB SPL). These data suggest brainstem phase-locking to near threshold periodic stimuli is enhanced in optimal levels of noise, the hallmark of SR. Our findings provide novel evidence for stochastic resonance in the human auditory brainstem and suggest that under some circumstances, noise can actually benefit both the behavioral and neural encoding of complex sounds.
240°-Clamped PWM in Three Phase Grid-Connected PV Converter Application

This paper presents the control scheme for a two-stage, grid connected Photovoltaic (PV) inverter that uses a low-loss PWM method called 240°-Clamped PWM (240CPWM) in the DC-AC stage. The main advantage of using 240CPWM is that it results in at least 86% less switching loss with similar THD as compared to conventional space vector PWM (CSVPWM). In a typical grid connected PV converter with conventional PWM methods, the DC-DC stage is responsible for Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) and DC-AC stage controls the DC link voltage and injects sinusoidal currents into the grid. With 240CPWM in the inverter, DC-DC stage can no longer track the MPP because it needs to control the DC link voltage dynamically in a six-pulse pattern. So, the DC-AC stage is designed to track the MPP with an outer slower loop and control the grid currents accordingly with an inner faster loop. Simulation and experimental results with a 10-kW prototype are shown with THD close to 5% and efficiency of the DC-AC stage with 240CPWM greater than 99%.
Recurrent aphthous ulcers in association with HIV infection: Description of ulcer types and analysis of T-lymphocyte subsets☆

This study was conducted to characterize the recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU) found in association with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, to examine evidence for increased severity of the ulcers with HIV disease, and to determine whether increased severity is associated with abnormalities of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets. Seventy-five HIV-seropositive patients with RAU were followed for up to 2 years, and lymphocyte subsets were analyzed in 42. Minor, herpetiform, and major ulcer types were seen, but unexpectedly, 66% of the patients had the usually uncommon herpetiform and major types. These types were temporally associated with symptomatic HIV disease. Patients with major RAU were significantly more immunosuppressed than those with minor or herpetiform RAU in that they had fewer CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes (p less than 0.05). The lesion of RAU is considered to represent a local breakdown in immunoregulation. The systemic immune imbalance seen with HIV disease may amplify the local defect and lead to more severe ulcers.
Delayed skin test reaction to injectable collagen implant (Zyderm). The histopathologic comparative study.

Ten cases of persistent positive test site responses to enzyme-digested purified bovine collagen solution (EPC; Zyderm Collagen Implant) were reviewed. Specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Gomori's trichrome, colloidal iron, elastic van Gieson, Snook's reticulum, and polarized light. These granulomatous-like reactions were compared with cases of granuloma annulare, hypertrophic scarring, keloids, and rheumatoid nodules. These studies make it possible to differentiate a normal EPC implant from normal reticular dermis. The granulomatous reaction around the EPC implant can be differentiated from granuloma annulare, scars and keloids, and rheumatoid nodules. It is our conclusion that the granulomatous material is probably a combination of EPC and small amounts of altered human collagen.
Examining the Relationships Among Personality Traits, IT-specific Traits, and Perceived Ease of Use.

The ease of use perception of an information technology has been shown to be an important factor in technology acceptance. This study extends prior research by presenting and testing a new theoretical model of the determinants of perceived ease of use by linking personality traits and IT-specific traits to the ease of use perception. Specifically, our research model theorizes that two broad traits of personality from the Big Five taxonomy, openness to experience and emotional stability, influence the perception of ease of use via three IT-specific traits: personal innovativeness in the domain of information technology (PIIT), computer anxiety, and computer playfulness. The research model was tested using PLS on data from a cross-sectional survey of 111 new users of a spreadsheet software package. The findings indicate a strong effect of openness to experience on PIIT and confirm PIIT as particularly important in influencing computer anxiety, compute playfulness, and perceived ease of use.
DNA synthesis during development of adventive embryos of wild carrot

Embryo development in cultured wild carrot tissue was studied by considering the relationship between DNA biosynthesis and embryo morphogenesis. Autoradiographic data of3H-thymirdine incorporation indicated a higherpercentage of cells undergoing DNA synthesis in adventive embryos than in proembryonic masses. A definite pattern of DNA synthesis was observed during the transition from a proembryonic mass to the torpedo stage of embryogenesis. In particular the labeling pattern for both the heart and torpedo stages was found to be coincident with specific morphogenetic events.