cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Common threads between sample size recalculation and group sequential procedures

Sample size recalculation (SSR) methods ensure that a study closely achieves the required power by allowing for the original sample size to be modified through updating misspecified nuisance parameters. Some SSR procedures extend this concept by incorporating information on the estimated treatment difference as well. While group sequential methodology allows for early stopping of a study in the context of repeated hypothesis tests, SSR usually involves the extension of a study to accommodate misspecified design parameters. This work describes these methods and places them in a common framework. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multifocal pull-through endovascular cannulation technique of ambulatory phlebectomy.

background. New treatment indications and improved technique modifications have made ambulatory phlebectomy increasingly popular in the management of intermediate and large truncal varicosities. objective. To describe a new technique of ambulatory phlebectomy that combines a multifocal incisional and endovascular cannulation approach. This study compares this newly described technique to the previously described “pulling maneuver.” methods. A double-blinded study consisting of 50 patients who were treated by the conventional pulling maneuver and 50 patients treated by the multifocal pull-through endovascular cannulation technique was conducted. This newly described technique was compared to the previously described “pulling maneuver” in terms of length of vessel avulsed per puncture site, intraoperative time, and complication profile. An average of 20 cm of diseased venous segment was avulsed in each patient subgroup. Results were analyzed utilizing the paired t test (P < .05). results. A 36% increase in vessel avulsion length per puncture site was achieved in the endovascular pull-through cannulation subgroup compared to the classic pulling maneuver population. The number of puncture sites in the 20 cm segment of veins in the classic pulling maneuver population was 4.50 versus 3.04 in the multifocal pull-through subgroup. The mean operative time was 20% less in the pull-through cannulation population versus the classic pulling technique. Side effect profiles were similar in the two patient subgroups. conclusion. The multifocal pull-through cannulation technique allows extraction of large segments of diseases varicose veins with fewer puncture sites in a more efficient fashion than previously described techniques.
Evaluation in information retrieval

In this talk I summarize the components of a traditional laboratory-style evaluation experiment in information retrieval (as exemplified by TREC), and discusses some of the issues around this form of experiment. Some kinds of research questions fit very well into this framework; others much less easily. The major area of difficulty for the framework is the area concerned with the user interface and user information-seeking behaviour. I go on to discuss a series of experiments conducted at City University with the Okapi system, both of the traditional form and of a more user-oriented type. I then discuss the current TREC filtering track, which does not present quite such severe problems, but is nevertheless based on a simple model of how users might interact with the system; this has some effect on the experimental methodology.
Physician Perspectives on Obesity Screening in Hospitalized Children

Nearly one-third of the children in the United States are obese or overweight and face associated physical and mental health issues.(1,2) Parents often misperceive and underreport their child's weight status.(3-5) This misperception is a major barrier to increasing healthy lifestyle choices, such as limiting screen time, increasing physical activity, improving diet, and participating in prevention programs.(6-8) Increasing parental awareness of children's weight status is an important initial step in addressing the obesity epidemic.
Separation of ions in nanofluidic channels with combined pressure-driven and electro-osmotic flow.

Separation of ionic species with the same electrophoretic mobility but different valence in electrolyte systems can occur within nanometer-scale channels with finite electrical double layers (EDLs). This is because EDL thicknesses are a significant fraction of slit height in such channels and can create transverse analyte concentration profiles that allow for unique separation modalities when combined with axial fluid flow. Previous work has shown such separation to occur using either pressure-driven flow or electro-osmotic flow separately. Here, we develop a Poisson–Boltzmann model to compare the separation of such ions using the combination of both pressure-driven and electro-osmotic flow. Applying a pressure gradient in the opposite direction of electro-osmotic flow can allow for zero or infinite retention of analyte species, which we investigate using three different wall boundary conditions. Furthermore, we determine conditions in fused silica nanochannels with which to generate optimal separation be...
Distribution of Fall Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Egg Masses on Cotton

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), oviposited on plants in all phenological stages (presquaring, squaring, early bloom, full bloom, mature boll, and open boll) of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., studied in field cages. Studies of within-plant distribution of egg masses indicated that most (>84.5%) fall armyworm oviposition occurred in the middle to lower portions of the plant. Most (92.4%) of the egg masses were found on the under surface of leaves. More egg masses were deposited on leaves emerging directly from the main stem than on leaves emerging from branch nodes. In general, the highest number of egg masses was located near the main stem of the plant.
Assigning transition rates to unit models with incomplete data for power system reliability analysis

In power system reliability evaluation, one of the basic data needed is the transition rates between various states of components such as generators, transmission lines and circuit breakers. These data are used to build the transition rate matrix for the components which can then be used to find state probabilities and interstate frequencies. There are some situations when a transition rate matrix for a unit is needed but data is available only for the computation of state probabilities and data for transition rates is either not available, is incomplete or in error. An important case is that some commercial software, especially those using sequential Monte Carlo simulation need transition rates but the available data is either incomplete or lacking to determine transition rates but is sufficient to compute state probabilities. This is often a result of data keeping practices. This paper discusses this problem and proposes a solution for finding transition rate matrix for a component model when data is available to calculate the state probabilities but data for the estimation of transition rates is either incomplete or unavailable. The ideas can also be used to make corrections when the data is available but in error.
Analysis of Epidemic Characteristics and Prevention and Control Measures of HFRS in Zixing City from 1971 to 2012

Objective To analyze the monitoring data of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS) and provide a basis for the formulation of the HFRS prevention and control measures.Methods The monitoring data of the epidemic characteristics,host animals and incidence in general population of HFRS in Zixing from 1971 to 2012 were collected and analyzed.Results Totally,1,045 cases and 62 mortalities of HFRS were reported during the past 42 years.The average annual incidence and related mortality were 7.42/100,000 and 5.93%,respectively.The patients aged 20 to 60 years accounted for 81.34%,and 80.11% of the cases were farmers.HFRS occurred all through the year,mainly in winter and spring.The rat density ranged from 6.76% to 9.5%.The virus carried rate was 3.67%-7.63% in Apodemusagrarius and 1.83%-5.29% in Rattus norvegicus.The recessive infection rate of HFRS in the general population was 2.67%-24.65%.The seroconversion rate after vaccination was 81%.Conclusions Zixing is the natural focus for the wild-rat types and house-rat types of HFRS.The Apodemus agrarius and Rattus horvegicus are the main host animals and infection sources.Strengthening HFRS monitoring,developing vaccination in the key populations,and deratization and controlling rodents are main effective measures for the prevention and control of HFRS.
AIDS knowledge,attitude and sexual behavior among school students in Xinchang County

Objective To explore and analyze the situation of sexual behavior among school students and to provide bases for making suitable sexual education in the future.Methods A cluster random sampling method was adopted to make a health risk behavior survey of randomly selected 17classes of 7junior high schools and 2high schools.Results The awareness rate of middle school students about AIDS pathogen was 60.47%,boys(61.70%)higher than girls(60.39%),with a statistically significant difference(χ2=5.137,P=0.023).The awareness rate of senior high school students' about AIDS knowledge was 75.20%,higher than that of the junior high school students(48.01%)(χ2=120.419,P=0.000).Knowledge and attitudes were positively related(r=0.421,P=000).4.42% students reported ever having had sex,boys(4.82%)higher than girls(4.02%).The reported rates were in such sequence as vocational high school(10.81%),high school(5.77%)and middle school students(1.83%).The reported rates of boys and girls increased with grade.Conclusions Scientific,suitable HIV prevention and sexual education is necessary among middle school students.Appropriate intervention measures should be taken according to different population.
An Introduction to Regeneration

This chapter discusses the physiological regeneration in life forms, describing its various types, and how it is accomplished by varied means. Physiological regeneration, the natural replacement of extruded or worn-out body parts, is a process that occurs in many of our body systems and is often studied in the form of cellular turnover. An important characteristic of many varieties of physiological regeneration is that their intensity can be adjusted to meet physiological needs. One of the most dramatic examples is the greatly increased output of red blood cells after hemorrhage or ascent into high altitudes. Reparative regeneration is the term that has been applied to most varieties of post-traumatic regeneration. Reparative regeneration can occur at levels from the single cell to major parts of the body. One of the most fascinating processes in nature is the way in which the stump of an amputated amphibian limb deals with its loss by mobilizing cells at the amputation surface to form a regeneration blastema that then goes on to produce an almost exact replica of the amputated limb.
pH and conductivity control in an integrated biomanufacturing plant

This paper designs pH and conductivity control systems for a biomanufacturing platform that specializes in the production of biologically derived medicines on demand. Dynamic models and control strategies are presented for a buffer mixing unit that must produce high quality buffers for use within various production steps including a perfusion bioreactor and chromatography separation train. As salt addition does not affect the pH of the buffer, we separate the conductivity and pH control problems. The buffer conductivity is controlled using a PID controller tuned for robustness. The reaction-invariant method is used to overcome inherent nonlinearities in the titration curve such that good closed-loop performance can be obtained for any pH setpoint. Maximum a posteriori estimation is used to estimate parameters online in order to adapt the model in the presence of plant-model mismatch. Lastly, a dual mixer system is proposed to accurately estimate any bias in the inlet flowrates, which is a common fault in these types of systems. The effectiveness of this control strategy is demonstrated in a relevant case study.
Abstract A41: The RNA binding protein HuR enhances exosome secretion in colorectal cancer

Enhanced secretion of extracellular vesicles such as microvesicles and exosomes by cancer cells has been recently recognized as a new means of transferring oncogenic information within the tumor microenvironment. Through their ability to carry specific RNA and protein cargo, tumor-derived exosomes can directly impact neighboring cells to support tumor progression. However, it remains unclear what regulates exosome production in tumor cells and the factors influencing loading of tumor-promoting RNA cargo. Our prior work has established that colorectal cells (CRC) and tumors overexpress the key RNA-binding protein HuR early in GI tumor development. When overexpressed and present in the cytoplasm, HuR can promote mRNA stabilization of tumor-promoting genes through binding of 39UTR AU-rich elements (ARE). While the ability of HuR overexpression to promote gene expression is well recognized, our understanding of how HuR communicates this information within the tumor microenvironment is limited. To test if HuR overexpression could impact exosomes, Tet-regulated HuR-inducible HeLa cells were used to demonstrate that cytoplasmic HuR overexpression promoted a 4-fold increase in exosomes produced. Furthermore, HuR was detected in exosomes produced only from HuR-overexpressing cells. The presence of HuR in exosomes directly impacted mRNA cargo, as selective uptake of ARE-containing mRNAs were observed in exosomes derived from HuR overexpressing cells. To test if these effects were seen in CRC cells that endogenously overexpress HuR, exosome levels from CRC cells were compared to normal primary human intestinal epithelial and myofibroblast cells. When normalized to total cell numbers, CRC cells secrete ~3-fold greater exosome levels than normal cells and enhanced exosome production was dependent upon HuR. Knockdown of HuR in CRC cells directly impacted exosome secretion to levels observed in normal cells. HuR was also only detected in exosomes produced from CRC cells. Using an inducible model of RasV12-mediated transformation of intestinal epithelial cells, endogenous HuR overexpression was observed concomitant with 4-fold greater levels of exosomes containing HuR as cargo. These findings were reflected in vivo where GI-tumor bearing APCMin/+ mice produced ~3-fold more serum exosomes, with HuR as exosomal cargo in APCMin/+ mice whereas no expression of exosomal HuR was detected in wild-type mice. This work has identified a novel connection between HuR-mediated post-transcriptional regulation and tumor-derived exosome production, along with providing the first evidence indicating the presence of exosomal HuR as a serum-based CRC biomarker. Citation Format: Ranjan Preet, Shufei Zhuang, Wei-Ting Hung, Lane K. Christenson, Dan A. Dixon. The RNA binding protein HuR enhances exosome secretion in colorectal cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Function of Tumor Microenvironment in Cancer Progression; 2016 Jan 7–10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(15 Suppl):Abstract nr A41.
Accounting for Stock Price Movements

Until recent years, most finance economists believed that expected stock returns were constant through time. This belief implied that unexpected stock returns were driven by news about future dividends. Since finance theory has little to say about the economic forces behind dividend expectations, finance economists were generally content to treat unexpected stock returns as exogenous, and to work instead on the determination of mean returns given risk aversion and exogenous variances and covariances of returns. Fama (1970) is a particularly clear survey of this traditional approach to finance.
An analytical thermohydraulic model for discretely fractured geothermal reservoirs

In discretely fractured reservoirs such as those found in Enhanced/Engineered Geothermal Systems (EGS), knowledge of the fracture network is important in understanding the thermal hydraulics, i.e., how the fluid flows and the resulting temporal evolution of the subsurface temperature. The purpose of this study was to develop an analytical model of the fluid flow and heat transport in a discretely fractured network that can be used for a wide range of modeling applications and serve as an alternative analysis tool to more computationally intensive numerical codes. Given the connectivity and structure of a fracture network, the flow in the system was solved using a linear system of algebraic equations for the pressure at the nodes of the network. With the flow determined, the temperature in the fracture was solved by coupling convective heat transport in the fracture with one dimensional heat conduction perpendicular to the fracture, employing the Green's function derived solution for a single discrete fracture. The predicted temperatures along the fracture surfaces from the analytical solution were compared to numerical simulations using the TOUGH2 reservoir code. Through two case studies, we showed the capabilities of the analytical model and explored the effect of uncertainty in the fracture apertures and network structure on thermal performance. While both sources of uncertainty independently produce large variations in production temperature, uncertainty in the network structure, whenever present, had a predominant influence on thermal performance. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Channel Stress and Ballistic Performance Advantages of Gate-All-Around FETs and Inserted-Oxide FinFETs

Detailed stress modeling of various three-dimensional (3-D) MOSFET designs reveals that the “inserted-oxide” FinFET and gate-all-around (GAA) stacked-nanowire MOSFET (GAAFET) exhibit increased longitudinal stress and decreased transverse stress in both p-channel and n-channel devices, as compared against the bulk FinFET. By combining 3-D electrostatics modeling with mid-channel Schrodinger–Poisson calculations for transport characteristics, it is projected that these changes in stress profile together with the addition of (100)-oriented channel surfaces in the iFinFET and GAAFET affect the carrier effective mass and therefore injection velocity, enhancing the electron transport, but retarding hole transport. Combining the effect on injection velocity with the effect of improved electrostatic integrity, the GAAFET and iFinFET are each found to have a higher drive current for the same off current, relative to the bulk FinFET, with the iFinFET trading some drive current relative to the GAAFET for a substantially shorter gate stack height and simpler structure. These results suggest the iFinFET is a strong candidate for continued MOSFET scaling.
Chemical Trends in Solid Alkali Pertechnetates.

Insight into the solid-state chemistry of pure technetium-99 (99Tc) oxides is required in the development of a robust immobilization and disposal system for nuclear waste stemming from the radiopharmaceutical industry, from the production of nuclear weapons, and from spent nuclear fuel. However, because of its radiotoxicity and the subsequent requirement of special facilities and handling procedures for research, only a few studies have been completed, many of which are over 20 years old. In this study, we report the synthesis of pure alkali pertechnetates (sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium) and analysis of these compounds by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES and EXAFS), solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (static and magic angle spinning), and neutron diffraction. The structures and spectral signatures of these compounds will aid in refining the understanding of 99Tc incorporation into and release from nuclear waste glasses. NaTcO4 shows aspects of the relatively higher el...
Advances in peripheral nerve regeneration as it relates to VCA

ABSTRACTVascularized composite allotransplant (VCA) offers functional, social, and quality of life improvements for patients who have exhausted traditional reconstructive options. Unlike solid organ transplant, VCA success is not only based upon the quality of perfusion and level of immunosuppression, but also on the success of nerve regeneration within the transplanted part. This paper will summarize the present state of peripheral nerve regeneration in the context of VCA and will explore the latest research advances that will affect the future of the field. These advances offer promising future strategies to improve patient outcomes in VCA.
Abstract 258: Human 450delACryAB Overexpression Associated with Protein Aggregation Uncovers a Novel Mechanism for Inheritable Myofibrillar-Sparing Cardiomyopathy in Mice

Desmin-related cardiomyopathy (DRC) belongs to the family of myofibrillar diseases characterized by the presence of toxic desmin-positive aggregates and degeneration at Z-disk structures. DRC has been linked to the mutations in the desmin, αBcrystallin (CryAB), or myotilin genes. Several human CryAB mutations cause multisystem disorders and experimental models of R120GCryAB in transgenic mice strikingly recapitulate similar phenotype observed in patients. In this context, we have generated the 450delACryAB linked to inheritable cataracts in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and mice hearts. 450delACryAB formed aggregates or aggresomes, and recruited HSP25 into the insoluble fraction in the cardiomyocytes. However, heart-specific 450delA CryAB overexpression neither causes desmin-related cardiomyopathy nor exacerbates pressure overload-induced hypertrophy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of compensation to protein aggregates formation abrogates the development of cardiomyopathy and suggests possible insights into disease-specific susceptibility and resistance. We found that there are several different characteristics between 450delACryAB and R120GCryAB. First, 450delACryAB formed much less soluble oligomers than R120GCryAB in cardiomyocytes, and translocated almost into the insoluble fraction when overexpressing in the hearts. Secondly, 450delACryAB aggregates displayed small pattern without either disturbance of desmin striated network or sequestration of desmin into the insoluble fraction, although 450delACryAB interacts with desmin in the heart. Thirdly, doxycycline treatment did not suppress 450delACryAB aggregates. Nonetheless, 450delACryAB aggregates caused the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins and subsequently upregulated autophagy activity in mice heart, which is similar to R120GCryAB aggregates. The interaction of 450delACryAB with AKT, p62 and Beclin 1 might contribute to impaired UPS dysfunction and activation of autophagy. The findings reported here suggest that such differences contribute to the variable penetrance and pathogenesis in humans.
Amplification of chromosome 8q22 and metastasis of breast cancers

4297 Introduction. Metastasis is the major cause of the deaths of patients with breast cancer. However, the detailed mechanism and genetic basis for tumor recurrence and metastasis is still not completely understood. Gene amplification is a common mechanism for oncogenic activation causing tumor initiation and progression. The present study is to search for gene amplification associated with metastasis potential of primary breast cancers. Methods. A cohort of 121 unselected primary tumors with at least 24 months clinical follow-up (median 48 months) were examined for gene expression on Affymetrix U133 plus 2.0 arrays. A subset of 39 high-grade cases were further studied for DNA copy number changes on Affymetrix 10K SNP arrays. Supervised analyses compared cases with metastatic recurrence within 24 months, to cases with no recurrence for at least 24 months. Amplification was confirmed by fluorescence in situhybridization (FISH) on fixed tissue sections. Results. SNP array analysis of 39 high-grade tumors revealed frequent copy number gains on 8q, with a minimum 6MB amplified region on 8q22.1-q22.2. The 8q22 amplification was verified by FISH analysis using a BAC probe to this region. examination of gene expression array data highlighted several genes in this region with positive correlation between copy number gain and increased gene expression including, but not limited to, Cyclin E2, Metadherin, and LAPTM4B. By analysis of gene expression array dataset of 121 cases, we find the 8q22 amplification/gene over-expression is present in 10% of unselected breast cancers, and is particularly associated with high tumor grade (11/69 grade III, 16% vs. 1/52 grade I or II, 2%; p= 0.012) and estrogen receptor negativity (10/51 ER-, 20% vs.2/70 ER+, 3%; p= 0.0038). Cases with 8q22 amplification were significantly more likely to have distant metastatic recurrence within 24 mo. than cases without the 8q22 amplification (7/13, 54% vs.8/108, 7%; p= 0.0001). The association with metastasis was also significant among the smaller subset of high-grade tumors (7/12, 58% vs.5/57, 9%; p= 0.0004) and among ER-negative tumors (6/11, 55% vs. 5/40, 13%; p= 0.007). Conclusions: Our results suggest that 8q22 amplification and over-expression is associated with high tumor grade, estrogen receptor negativity and with increased distant metastasis potential. Possible target genes of this amplification include Cyclin E2, Metadherin, LAPTM4B, and others.
Pilot study: an acute bout of high intensity interval exercise increases 12.5 h GH secretion

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that high-intensity interval exercise (HIE) significantly increases growth hormone (GH) secretion to a greater extent than moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MOD) in young women. Five young, sedentary women (mean ± SD; age: 22.6±1.3 years; BMI: 27.4±3.1 kg/m2 ) were tested during the early follicular phase of their menstrual cycle on three occasions. For each visit, participants reported to the laboratory at 1700 h, exercised from 1730-1800 h, and remained in the laboratory until 0700 h the following morning. The exercise component consisted of either 30-min of moderate-intensity continuous cycling at 50% of measured peak power (MOD), four 30-s "all-out" sprints with 4.5 min of active recovery (HIE), or a time-matched sedentary control using a randomized, cross-over design. The overnight GH secretory profile of each trial was determined from 10-min sampling of venous blood from 1730-0600 h, using deconvolution analysis. Deconvolution GH parameters were log transformed prior to statistical analyses. Calculated GH AUC (0-120 min) was significantly greater in HIE than CON (P = 0.04), but HIE was not different from MOD. Total GH secretory rate (ng/mL/12.5 h) was significantly greater in the HIE than the CON (P = 0.05), but MOD was not different from CON or HIE. Nocturnal GH secretion (ng/mL/7.5 h) was not different between the three trials. For these women, in this pilot study, a single bout of HIE was sufficient to increase 12.5 h pulsatile GH secretion. It remains to be determined if regular HIE may contribute to increased daily GH secretion.
Convergence and overwriting: Toward an interdisciplinary study of memory:

This article turns to the debate that followed Paul Connerton’s “Seven Types of Forgetting” to demonstrate how a cultural theory of forgetting can be updated to agree with cognitive science. The ar...
What Predicts Health Care Transitions for Older Adults Following Introduction of LTSS

Objective: To determine predictors of health care transitions (i.e., acute care service use, transfers from lower to higher intensity services) among older adults new to long-term services and supports [LTSS]. Method: 470 new LTSS recipients followed for 24 months. Multivariable Poisson regression modeling within a generalized estimating equation framework. Results: Being male, having multiple chronic conditions, lower self-reported physical health ratings and lower quality of life ratings at baseline were associated with increased risk of health care transitions. Older adults in assisted living communities and nursing homes experienced decreases in health care transitions over time, while LTSS recipients at home had no change in risk. LTSS recipients who had orders to receive therapy, compared with those who did not, had a lower relative risk of transitions over time. Discussion: Predictors of future health care transitions support the need for LTSS providers to anticipate and monitor this risk for LTSS recipients.
Black on Red: Late-Nineteenth and Early-Twentieth-Century New World Black Interpretative Uses of Native American Political Experience

In an effort to address the dearth of literature regarding how African American political theorists have historically interpreted the meaning of Native political experience to make sense of their own, we chart what four influential New World Black writers, from the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, say about Native Americans. While there is some diversity among the particular interpretive foci of these historical works, each generally invokes Native Americans as having a shared experience of oppression with Blacks that warrants resistance; being crushed by circumstances in which African-descended people have survived and thrived; exemplifying oppression that has no redemptive power; providing evidence of the ongoing possibility of Black extinction; and as racially inferior to Blacks and thus in need of Black ladies’ supposedly civilizing qualities. This paper uses these historical Africana perspectives on Indigenous and Black relations to explore the political implications of forging individual and shared identities at the intersection of race and gender.
Current and future trends in clostridioides (clostridium) difficile infection management.

Abstract Current and future management of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) including antibiotic treatment is increasingly focused on preventive strategies, either prevention of recurrent CDI (rCDI) or primary prevention of CDI. In addition to newer narrow spectrum antibiotics and pulse dosing of antibiotic treatment, multiple widely differing approaches to prevention of CDI and rCDI are under clinical development or recently approved for clinical use. They include immunologics, both passive monoclonal antibodies and active vaccines targeted at C. difficile toxins, approaches to reduce antibiotic dysbiosis in the gut, microbiome restoration using fecal microbiome transplants (FMT) or biotherapeutic bacterial derivatives, and substitution of non-toxigenic C. difficile (NTCD) for toxigenic C. difficile. Newer antibiotics, monoclonal antibodies, and FMT are targeted at reducing rCDI whereas vaccines and reduction of antibiotic dysbiosis in the gut are targeted at prevention of primary CDI. Biotherapeutics may be used for prevention of either primary CDI or rCDI. Approaches such as monoclonal antibodies, FMT, and biotherapeutics provide rapid but transient preventive benefits, whereas vaccines require weeks to months to be effective, but will presumably provide long term prevention. More rapid but transient prevention strategies such as FMT and biotherapeutics could be used in combination with vaccines to provide both rapid and durable CDI prevention.
Lernentwicklungsgespräche – Umsetzung lernunterstützender Rückmeldung

Im Beitrag wird von einer Studie berichtet, die untersucht, inwiefern in Lernentwicklungsgesprachen (LEG) eine lernunterstutzende Ruckmeldung umgesetzt wird. Hierzu wurden in einem querschnittlichen Design in den Jahrgangsstufen 1 bis 3 LEG teilnehmend beobachtet und Kinder, Eltern und Lehrkrafte befragt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass grundsatzlich lernunterstutzende Ruckmeldungen gegeben werden, wenngleich die Umsetzung einzelner Elemente aus Sicht der Beobachtung und der am Gesprach Teilnehmenden unterschiedlich wahrgenommen wird. Grunde hierfur und Desiderata fur weitere Forschung werden diskutiert.
Which patient reported outcome domains are important to the rheumatologists while assessing patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) aid in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management, but it is not well understood which measures would be most relevant to the rheumatologists for making treatment decisions. We recruited rheumatologists nationally to participate in moderated structured group teleconference discussions using the nominal group technique. Participants in each group generated lists of the elements from patient’s history and signs that they use to make treatment recommendations for RA. Each participant then selected the three most important elements from the generated list. The results of each group were then combined and summarized. Twenty-five rheumatologists participated in 4 groups (group size ranged from 4 to 8) and 150 available ranking votes across all groups. The statements generated across the 4 groups were categorized into 13 topics (including symptoms, physical function, comorbidities, social aspects, physical findings, response to treatment, treatment adherence, pain management, side effects, tests, access to care, contraception, and organ involvement), 10 of which received ranking votes. Symptoms received the highest ranking (46% of votes), followed by physical function (16%), and physical findings (13%). Among the unranked topics, social aspects had the highest number of statements (8 statements). Rheumatologists highly valued patient-reported RA symptoms and physical function to inform their treatment decisions, even above objective data such as physical findings and test results. These results can guide the selection of validated PRO measures to assess these domains to inform the clinical care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Perspectives on the role of exercise in the treatment of pediatric type 1 diabetes

BACKGROUND Studies demonstrate that children with type 1 diabetes may not be meeting exercise recommendations. This, coupled with the lack of data on the determinants of exercise promotion in youth, may indicate a need for additional focus on exercise guidelines and promotion in youth with type 1 diabetes. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to understand provider perspectives regarding exercise promotion in children with type 1 diabetes. SUBJECTS AND METHODS An online survey regarding perspectives on exercise was emailed to Pediatric Endocrine Society members. RESULTS Of the 84 respondents, 85.5% believe counseling regarding exercise recommendations is a priority. However, 87.8% did not identify Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) guidelines correctly and 79.3% did not identify American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines correctly. Providers who exercised regularly (P = .009) and providers who identified ODPHP guidelines correctly (P = .004) were more likely to identify ADA guidelines correctly. Providers who identified ADA guidelines correctly were 4.21 times (OR 4.21; 95% CI 1.30-13.7) more likely to make good recommendations and those who discussed recommendations at diagnosis were 6.10 times (OR 6.10; 95% CI 1.76-21.2) more likely to make good recommendations. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate provider perspectives of exercise promotion in children with type 1 diabetes. We found provider recommendations were not consistent with ADA exercise guidelines and most providers were not fully aware of the recommendations. Future research should address increasing provider education regarding exercise guidelines and developing exercise promotion tools.
Nonlinear Field Dependent Conductivity Materials for Electric Field Control within Next-Generation Wide Bandgap Power Electronics Modules

We are witnessing an excitement in the research community to develop next-generation wide bandgap (WBG) power electronics. The superior characteristics of WBG materials regarding their operational capability at higher voltages, temperatures (200°C) and switching frequencies in comparison with commercial Silicon devices, has made them auspicious materials for the future power electronics. Increased voltage blocking capability and at the same time, an interest in high-power density designs can enhance the local electric field, in particular, at the edges of the metalized substrate. The increased electric field can become large enough to lead to severe partial discharges (PDs) within the module and thus the failure and reduction of the reliability of the insulation system. This paper shows that applying nonlinear field dependent conductivity (FDC) materials as a coating applied to highly stressed regions combined with a protruding substrate design can well address high field issue within high-voltage high-power-density modules.
Etiological and clinical characteristics of severe hand, foot and mouth disease in Xi′an in 2018

Objective To understand the etiological and clinical characteristics of children with severe hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Xi′an in 2018, and to provide the evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods The children with severe HFMD admitted at Xi′an Children′s Hospital from January to December 2018 were selected as the research objects.Clinical data were collected, and the anal swab were detected by adopting real time(RT)-polymerase chain reaction(PCR). Results Ninety-five cases of HFMD were treated in Xi′an Children′s Hospital in 2018, of which 92 cases were severe and 3 cases were critical.Eighty-seven cases were positive for enterovirus nucleic acid, 30 cases were enterovirus 71(EV71)(31.6%), 39 cases were coxsackievirus A6(CA6) (41.0%), 3 cases were CA16(3.2%), 2 cases were CA10(2.1%) and 13 cases were other enteroviruses (13.7%). Among 95 patients, the ratio of male to female was 1.1∶1.0; the peak period of incidence of HFMD was from May to July, and the main age of onset of severe HFMD was under 3 years old.The main clinical manifestations were mental retardation, vomiting, irritability, lethargy and convulsion.Severe cases of CA6 are prone to convulsion.The main form of rash in CA6 cases was bullous rash, and demethylation may occur in recovery period.The rash in EV71 cases was small, thick, hard and few.After active treatment, only one child with EV71 infection died because of severe cerebral dysfunction, frequent convulsions and neurogenic pulmonary edema.The other child was discharged with hemiplegia and language dysfunction.The other severe children were cured and discharged from hospital. Conclusions In 2018, CA6 was the main pathogen of severe HFMD in Xi′an, with bullae was the main manifestation of skin rash, and nail removal could occur during convalescence.Critical and death cases were still caused by EV71. Key words: Severe hand, foot and mouth disease; Clinical characteristics; Etiology; Coxsackievirus A6
Student-Athlete Development and Winning Success: An Analysis of Directors’ Cup Standings

The success of an athletic program is often defined by wins and losses. According to the sporting success framework (De Bosscher et al., 2006) as well as the athlete development literacy (ADL) model (Livengood et al., 2015), athlete development contributes to athletic achievement. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between athlete development personnel resources and winning success at NCAA Division I institutions. A total of 150 universities were included in this study. Utilizing the ADL model (Livengood et al. 2015) of personal and player development literacies, athletic department personnel selected for this study included: academic advisors, athletic trainers, doctors, learning specialists, nutritionists, mental health professionals, physical therapists, sport psychologists, as well as strength and conditioning coaches. Winning success was measured using the final 2017-18 Learfield IMG Directors’ Cup standings (Directors’ Cup, 2019). The results suggest that athletic trainers, learning specialists, and sport psychologists significantly contribute to winning success. As such, athletic departments should appropriately invest in athlete development specialists.
Extraction of a large vaginal calculus utilizing an ear, nose, throat mallet and osteotomes.

BACKGROUND Previous case reports on vaginal calculi extraction have described the removal of small calculi facilitated via episiotomy or transabdominal incision. This surgical video demonstrates a novel technique of transvaginal extraction of a large calculus utilizing an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) mallet and osteotomes. CASE An 86-year-old female with urgency incontinence and limited mobility presented with obstipation and was found to have an 8.8 cm vaginal calculus. She had a history of prior vaginal mesh exposure after a mid-urethral sling that was managed expectantly without surgical resection. Cystourethroscopy and anoscopy excluded fistula. The calculus was extracted utilizing an ENT mallet and osteotomes in < 90 min, and no recurrent vaginal mesh exposure was identified. CONCLUSION An ENT mallet and osteotomes can be safely utilized to expedite extraction of a vaginal calculus.
Doppler Signature Separation of Mixed O/X-Mode Over-The-Horizon Radar Signals

In this paper, we consider the Doppler signatures of local multipath target signals in an over-the-horizon radar and the objective is to separate signals corresponding to the ordinary (O) and extraordinary (X) propagation modes. As signals of these two modes are reflected at different ionosphere heights, the rendered Doppler signatures are more complicated and cannot be directly analyzed for parameter estimation using conventional local multipath models which are developed for a single propagation mode. We consider a mixed O/X-mode signal model and analyze the resulting Doppler signatures comprising of more signal components. It is shown that sparsity-based methods estimate the Doppler components with improved resolution and accuracy. Moreover, the proposed group sparsity-based strategy enables separation of the resolved Doppler components corresponding to the two propagation modes. We present the simulation results for a challenging scenario where the multipath Doppler signatures corresponding to the two modes are interlaced.
Memory like NK cells display stem cell like properties after Zika virus infection.

NK cells have been shown to display adaptive traits such as memory formation akin to T and B lymphocytes. Here we show that Zika virus infection induces memory like NK cells that express CD27. Strikingly, these cells exhibit stem-like features that include expansion capacity, self-renewal pathway, differentiation into effector cells, longer telomeres and gene signature associated with hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) progenitors. This subset shared transcriptional and epigenetic changes with memory CD8 T cells, stem cells and stem like T cells. These NK cells with memory and stem cell features, which we term "NK memory stem cells", demonstrated greater antiviral potential than CD27- or naive CD27+ NK when adoptively transferred to Zika infected mice. Our results also suggest a role for the transcription factor TCF-1 in memory and stemness features of this NK subset. This study defines a unique TCF1hi CD27+ NK subset with memory capacity and stem cell features that play a role in antiviral immunity.
Comparison of myeloablative and reduced intensity conditioning unrelated donor allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplant outcomes for AML using thymoglobulin for GVHD prophylaxis

A head-to-head comparison of outcomes of unrelated donor allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for AML between reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) and myeloablative conditioning (MAC) regimens using thymoglobulin for GVHD prophylaxis is limited. We evaluated outcomes of 122 AML patients who received either busulfan (Bu)/fludarabine (Flu)/low-dose total body irradiation (TBI) as RIC (n = 64, 52%) or Bu/Flu as MAC (n = 58, 48%), and thymoglobulin 4.5 mg/kg total dose between day - 3 to - 1 for GVHD prophylaxis. Grades III-IV acute GVHD (aGVHD) was lower with Bu/Flu/TBI compared with Bu/Flu (6.2% vs 26.1%, p = 0.009). At 1 year, Bu/Flu/TBI was associated with similar chronic GVHD (41.2% vs 44.8%, p = 0.75), OS (61.9% vs 56.9%, p = 0.69), relapse rate (29.9% vs 20.7%, p = 0.24), relapse-free survival (52.8% vs 50%, p = 0.80), non-relapse mortality (17.4% vs 29.3%, p = 0.41), and GVHD-free relapse-free survival (24.2% vs 27.5%, p = 0.80) compared with Bu/Flu. Multivariable analysis did not reveal any difference in outcomes between both regimens. In summary, thymoglobulin at 4.5 mg/kg did not have any adverse impact on survival when used with RIC regimen. Both Bu/Flu/TBI and Bu/Flu conditioning regimens yielded similar survival.
Balance Across Firms: Exploration and Exploitation in Alliances Between Platform Participants

The literature identifies four modes of balancing exploration/exploitation activities within a single firm. We develop a framework for examining alliances noting that whether an alliance represents exploration or exploitation for a partner depends on the activity relative to that partner’s past activities. Balancing these activities across firms in distinct domains can achieve the benefits of multiple modes while avoiding some pitfalls. We find that alliances in which one partner explores while the other exploits outperform, on average, those alliances in which partners conduct symmetric activities. Also, alliances with both partners exploiting outperform those when both partners explore. Bridging the longstanding exploration/exploitation literature to the platform literature, we also develop and test hypotheses about the relationships among alliance performance, platform characteristics and partnership characteristics.
Motion Planning for Collision Avoidance via Cylindrical Models of Rigid Bodies

This paper presents a novel methodology for motion planning to avoid collisions. Right circular cylinders are used to model the bodies of interest in the workcell. This algorithm uses line geometry and dual number algebra to exploit the geometry of right circular cylindrical objects to facilitate the detection of collisions. First, the rigid bodies are modelled with infinite length cylinders and an efficient necessary condition for collision is evaluated. If the necessary condition is not satisfied then the two bodies do not collide. If the necessary condition is satisfied then a collision between the bodies may occur and we proceed to the next stage of the algorithm. In the second stage the bodies are modelled with finite cylinders and a definitive necessary and sufficient collision detection algorithm is employed. The result is a straight-forward and efficient means of detecting collisions of cylindrically shaped bodies moving in three dimensions. This methodology is then employed in a traditional motion planning algorithm. A case study is included.
Alteration of circulating mitochondrial DNA concentration after irradiation.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is maternally inherited and controls the oxygen-related production of adenosine-5′-triphosphate, which is transported from the mitochondria to other cellular compartments and used as energy for cellular activities. The mtDNA is physically separated from nuclear DNA (nDNA). Ionizing radiation (IR) causes the release of both mtDNA and nDNA into circulation. Our previous study demonstrated that nDNA has potential to be a biodosimeter. In this study, branched DNA technology was used to explore the alteration pattern of mtDNA after IR. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 0, 1.5, 3, 6, 8, or 10 Gy total body irradiation; thereafter, plasma mtDNA was assessed with samples collected at 3, 6, 9, 15, 24, 48, 72, or 168 h. We found that: (1) the designed probesets were specific for mtDNA extracted from the liver, and they recognized the small amount of mtDNA mixed in the nDNA; (2) plasma mtDNA exhibited a statistically significant increase only at 6 h after 8 Gy irradiation. The alteration of mtDNA was not dose-dependent or time-dependent; hence, it is unlikely to be an effective biodosimeter.