cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preparation and Characterization of Homopolymer Polyacrylonitrile-Based Fibrous Sorbents for Arsenic Removal

Abstract This research investigated the modification of homopolymer polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers for use as an adsorbent for removing arsenic from drinking water. Fibers were chemically modified and cross-linked using combinations of hydrazine hydrate and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) before being loaded with ferric hydroxide using two different iron loading procedures. Effects of reagent concentrations and reaction times on degree of chemical modification and fiber properties were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ion-exchange measurements. Arsenate adsorption was a function of both the iron loading and the properties of the underlying fiber. For fibers treated with only a single reagent, both Fe3+ and arsenate adsorption could be understood in terms of ion-exchange properties of the fiber surfaces. However, for fibers treated with both hydrazine and NaOH, the ion-exchange properties of the surface could not explain the Fe3+ and arsenate adsorption behavior. The best arsenate rem...
Attractants for Synanthropic Flies: Evaluation of Chemical Attractants and Coattractants Against the Eye Gnat Hippelates collusor (Diptera-Chloropidae)

To study the influence of individual attractants and coattractants, their concentrations, p H, and age-efficacy relationship, various attractant mixtures were prepared and bioassayed against field populations of the eye gnat, Hippelates collusor (Townsend). An aqueous mixture of trimethylamine, ammonia, linoleic acid, indole, and acetic acid showed the greatest attractancy at p H 6.0. All these compounds were essential in inducing a high level of response in these insects. A simultaneous increase in the concentrations of trimethylamine, ammonia, indole, and acetic acid did not increase the attractancy. On the contrary, the attractancy significantly declined at very high concentrations. Aging of attractant mixtures at various strengths did not affect activity at 26–28°C for 72 h, but the attractancy of the mixtures decreased somewhat at 32.2°C after 24–120 h. Studies on the effects of the concentration of each attractant and coattractant on the activity showed that optimum concentrations of trimethylamine, ammonia, linoleic acid, and indole were 0.1–5.0, 0.5–5.0, 0.01–0.05, and 0.001–0.01%, respectively. n -Butyric acid at 1% concentration also enhanced the attractancy. This information is basic to the development of potent synthetic attractant formulations for the control of Hippelates eye gnats.
347 EFFECT OF RENAL MASS REDUCTION ON ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATE BINDING CASSETTE A-1 AND SCAVENGER RECEPTORS SR-A1 AND SR-B1 IN THE KIDNEY.

Significant losses of nephrons due to various diseases in humans or subtotal nephrectomy in experimental animals trigger a cascade of events that lead to hypertension, oxidative stress, dyslipidemia, proteinuria, progressive glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial injury, and eventually end-stage renal disease. The associated glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial lesions are accompanied by and in part mediated by accumulation of lipids/lipoproteins and foam cell formation in the mesangium and tubulointerstitium of the diseased/remnant kidneys. In the tissue, macrophages remove modified lipoproteins via SR-A1 and extrude free cholesterol and phospholipids for uptake and disposal by HDL via adenosine triphosphate binding cassette A-1 (ABCA-1) transporter. In addition, these cells express SR-B1, which mediates bidirectional flux of cholesterol into and out of the cell. In view of the above considerations, we tested the hypothesis that accumulation of lipids and foam cell formation in the remnant kidney may be associated with dysregulation of the above receptors, which are central to the maintenance of cellular cholesterol balance. To this end, we determined protein abundance of ABCA-1, SR-A1, and SR-B1 (by Western blot analysis) in the kidney tissues of rats 6 week after 5/6 nephrectomy or sham operation. As expected renal mass reduction resulted in azotemia, hypertension, proteinuria, and increased serum total/HDL cholesterol concentration ratio. This was associated with severe reductions of ABCA-1 and a marked increase in SR-B1 but no significant change in SR-A1 abundance in the kidneys of rats with renal mass reduction compared to the control animals. In conclusion, renal mass reduction results in significant down-regulation of ABCA-1 protein abundance in the remnant kidney. This abnormality can contribute to glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial injury by limiting HDL-mediated retrieval of surplus cholesterol and phospholipids from these tissues.
Opportunities for Smallholder Spinach Farmers in Nigeria: A Profit Efficiency Analysis

This study applied the stochastic frontier profit function to evaluate the profit ef ficiency of smallholder spinach farmers in Benue State, Nigeria in order to examine the opportunities available to farmers in the state. The average profit efficiency was 89 percent suggesting that an estimated 1 1 percent of the profit was lost owing to a mixture of both technical and allocative inefficiency in spinach production among the sampled farmers. In other words, profit ef ficiency among the sampled spinach farmers can be increased by 11 percent through improved use of existing production resources, given the current state of technology. Results further showed that the profit ef ficiency of the spinach farmers were positively influenced by educational level, farming experience, access to credit and access to extension services. Consequently , investments in farmers' education through effective extension delivery program and provision of credit will help farmers to increase their profit ef ficiency.
Waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) control under drought stress with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and glyphosate

Waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) is a common and troublesome weed in cropping systems throughout the United States. With the potential for future periods of low rainfall or drought, the need for improved weed control under drought stress is necessary. Drought stress typically reduces herbicide efficacy by reducing the foliar uptake of herbicides and their translocation. The objectives of this research were to determine the efficacy of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and glyphosate, applied alone or when tank-mixed, on waterhemp under varying levels of drought stress, the effect of the timing of drought stress in relation to herbicide application and the absorption and translocation of each herbicide in drought-stressed waterhemp. At reduced herbicide rates, 2,4-D had a greater level of control of waterhemp under drought stress, compared to glyphosate. The level of herbicide efficacy was lower when the amount of water that was applied to the plants was reduced. The level of waterhemp control was greatest when drought stress occurred before the herbicide application and when the plants were watered to saturation after the application, compared to when drought stress occurred after the herbicide application or restricted watering levels occurred throughout the entire study. Glyphosate absorption and translocation were reduced in the drought-stressed plants, but 2,4-D absorption and translocation were not altered. The absence of a reduction in 2,4-D translocation in the drought-stressed weeds has not been previously reported. Applying herbicides prior to a rainfall event could increase the weed control level, even if the weed is stressed. Determining how and why 2,4-D absorption and translocation levels, compared to those of glyphosate, are unaffected by drought stress in waterhemp can aid in improving the control of drought-stressed weeds with other postemergence herbicides.
The Value of a Behavioral Analysis of Language for Autism Treatment

The Applied Behavior Analysis/Verbal Behavior (ABA/VB) model has strong foundations in the work of B. F. Skinner. A thorough historical background of the intervention approach as a basis for explaining the conceptual underpinnings and foundational aspects of ABA/VB is presented. The focus of this model relies heavily on the systematic development of functional communication skills in a sequence that draws heavily from research on human development. The ABA/VB approach also seeks to reduce language, learning, and social barriers that can interfere with the development of these skills. This chapter provides an analysis of speaker and listener behavior and outlines the foundational elements that evoke mands, tacts, and intraverbals with suggested applications. The comprehensive Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) is also outlined, which is an assessment tool of 170 milestones across 16 language, play, and social domains that are developmentally matched to the expectations for typical children. There is also assessment of 24 language, learning, and social barriers that could impede progress, as well as a transition assessment to determine what educational format might be most beneficial to a child. Examples of the use of such assessments and implementation of the approach are summarized in detail, along with the evidence base that supports the ABA/VB approach.
Modeling Cell Signaling Networks with Prize-Collecting Subhypernetworks

Cell signaling pathways are important tools used by biologists to model how signals are transduced through cells. Though signaling pathways can be (and often are) modeled using graphs, we instead use a generalization known as directed hypergraphs. We find directed hypergraphs to be a useful alternative to standard graphs, because hypergraphs give us a way to represent complex biological reactions that may have more than one reactant or product. Prior work analyzing cell signaling as hypergraphs sought structures called hyperpaths. We develop the notion of a hypershrub, a multi-source, multi-target generalization of a hyperpath. We create a formulation that finds specific, prize-dense hypershrubs that may be representative of biological phenomena that went previously unnoticed in standard graph representations of the same signaling pathways. To build our graphs, we introduce a weighting scheme that uses differential expression data to assign weights to nodes, representative of proteins and protein complexes, based on confidence that a given node is differentially regulated between conditions. This method is agnostic about whether or not a node is up-regulated or down-regulated between conditions, allowing us to find pathways that may involve both positive and negative regulation. We apply this formulation to the human Hedgehog signaling pathway, using data from Basal Cell carcinoma (BCC), to analyze the effectiveness of our algorithm on real data.
A Method for Classifying User-Reported Electronic Cigarette Liquid Flavors.

Background Along with the growth in popularity of electronic cigarette devices (e-cigs), the variety of e-cig liquids (e-liquid) available to users has also grown. Although some studies have published data about the use of flavored e-liquid, there is no standardized way to group flavors, making it difficult to interpret the data and replicate results across studies. The current study describes a method to classify user-reported e-liquid flavors and presents the resulting proportion of users in each flavor group in a large online survey of e-cig users. Methods Three thousand seven hundred sixteen participants completed an online survey about their e-cig use and responded to the following open-ended question regarding their use of e-liquid, "What is your favorite flavor and what brand of flavored liquid do you prefer?" Researchers used a 3 step method to determine the flavor attributes present in the e-liquids reported using an online search engine. Once all flavor attributes were identified, researchers used the constant comparative method to group the flavor attributes and delineate how to classify flavors with mixed components (eg, cinnamon Red Hots as a candy not a spice). Results The resulting classification scheme and proportions of e-liquids in each category were as follows: Tobacco (23.7%), Menthol/mint (14.8%), Fruit (20.3%), Dessert/sweets (20.7%), Alcohol (2.8%), Nuts/spices (2.0%), Candy (2.1%), Coffee/tea (4.3%), Beverage (3.1%), Unflavored (0.4%), and Don't Know/Other (5.8%). Conclusion To better understand the use of flavored e-liquids, standardized methods to classify the flavors could facilitate data interpretation and comparison across studies. This study proposes a method for classifying the characterizing flavors in e-liquids used most commonly by experienced e-cig users. Implications Current studies on the use of flavored e-liquid have used unclear methods to collect and report information on the use of flavors. This study adds a proposed method for classifying the flavors in the e-liquids used most commonly by experienced e-cig users. With a clear and explicit method for classifying self-reported flavors, future study results may be more easily compared.
Improved cold-finger measurement of heat flux through solidified mould flux

A new, more accurate approach to estimate thermal properties of mould fluxes is presented, based on the cold-finger technique. This new approach aims to circumvent the dominant effect of convection...
Bioinspired Sensory Systems for Shear Flow Detection

Aquatic organisms such as copepods exhibit remarkable responses to changes in ambient flows, especially shear gradients, when foraging, mating and escaping. To accomplish these tasks, the sensory system of the organism must decode the local sensory measurements to detect the flow properties. Evidence suggests that organisms sense differences in the hydrodynamic signal rather than absolute values of the ambient flow. In this paper, we develop a mathematical framework for shear flow detection using a bioinspired sensory system that measures only differences in velocity. We show that the sensory system is capable of reconstructing the properties of the ambient shear flow under certain conditions on the flow sensors. We discuss these conditions and provide explicit expressions for processing the sensory measurements and extracting the flow properties. These findings suggest that by combining suitable velocity sensors and physics-based methods for decoding sensory measurements, we obtain a powerful approach for understanding and developing underwater sensory systems.
Designing and implementing digital visitor experiences in New York State: The case of the Finger Lakes Interactive Play (FLIP) project

Abstract This paper provides insight into the challenges of implementing digital experiences through a marketing development project intended to generate interest and awareness in historic visitor attractions located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. I Love New York Empire State Development's initiative sponsored this marketing development project (FLIP) to promote historic visitor attractions in New York State. A case study is used to examine the interaction of stakeholders between destination marketing organizations and visitor attractions in implementing digital marketing strategies through the New York Path Through History initiative. The findings of this case provide understanding of the challenges related to organizational architecture and capacity in the development and implementation of an interactive visitor app to generate a digital experience for 12 historic visitor attractions located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. This case provides an opportunity to highlight the complexities of implementing digital marketing efforts of a regional destination through a diverse set of stakeholders. The findings of this case study are useful in understanding the organizational, human and technological requirements for implementing digital marketing strategies involving mobile technologies and augmented reality experiences. Stakeholders may consider investing equal effort in assessing both their organizational ability for effective participation in destination marketing projects and technological capacity for implementing digital experiences as they do in securing financial support for digital marketing endeavors.
Inhibition of thyroid hormone receptor locally in the retina is a therapeutic strategy for retinal degeneration.

Thyroid hormone (TH) signaling regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, and metabolism. Recent studies have implicated TH signaling in cone photoreceptor viability. Using mouse models of retinal degeneration, we demonstrated that antithyroid drug treatment and targeting iodothyronine deiodinases (DIOs) to suppress cellular tri-iodothyronine (T3) production or increase T3 degradation preserves cones. In this work, we investigated the effectiveness of inhibition of the TH receptor (TR). Two genes, THRA and THRB, encode TRs; THRB2 has been associated with cone viability. Using TR antagonists and Thrb2 deletion, we examined the effects of TR inhibition. Systemic and ocular treatment with the TR antagonists NH-3 and 1-850 increased cone density by 30-40% in the Rpe65-/- mouse model of Leber congenital amaurosis and reduced the number of TUNEL+ cells. Cone survival was significantly improved in Rpe65-/- and Cpfl1 (a model of achromatopsia with Pde6c defect) mice with Thrb2 deletion. Ventral cone density in Cpfl1/Thrb2-/- and Rpe65-/- /Thrb2-/- mice was increased by 1- to 4-fold, compared with age-matched controls. Moreover, the expression levels of TR were significantly higher in the cone-degeneration retinas, suggesting locally elevated TR signaling. This work shows that the effects of antithyroid treatment or targeting DIOs were likely mediated by TRs and that suppressing TR protects cones. Our findings support the view that inhibition of TR locally in the retina is a therapeutic strategy for retinal degeneration management.-Ma, H., Yang, F., Butler, M. R., Belcher, J., Redmond, T. M., Placzek, A. T., Scanlan, T. S., Ding, X.-Q. Inhibition of thyroid hormone receptor locally in the retina is a therapeutic strategy for retinal degeneration.
Competition for Open‐Access Resources: A Class Exercise That Demonstrates the Tragedy of the Commons

Abstract Open-access resources, such as fisheries, often suffer from overexploitation due to competition among individuals. To help students appreciate this phenomenon, we developed a laboratory exercise that uses a computer model of a commercial fishery to illustrate the inevitability of overexploiting open-access resources. Our model contained two identical populations that were fished simultaneously: one on an individual, competitive basis and the other on a collective, cooperative basis. Both populations were governed by identical relationships for recruitment and catch-per-effort, and had constant growth and natural mortality rates. Competition within the individually-run fishery invariably led to population collapse whereas the cooperative group usually maintained sustained yields. This exercise demonstrated that optimal resource use was impossible in a purely competitive fishery and helped students understand fish population biology and commercial fishing strategies. The exercise can show how chang...
Hilar Parenchymal Oversew: A novel technique for robotic partial nephrectomy hilar tumor renorrhaphy

ABSTRACT Introduction A renorrhaphy technique which is effective for hemostasis but does not place undue tension on the branch vessels of the renal sinus remains one of the challenging steps after hilar tumor resection during robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN). The published V-hilar suture (VHS) technique is one option for reconstruction after an RPN involving the hilum. The objective of this video is to show a novel renorrhaphy technique, Hilar Parenchymal Oversew that has been effective for such cases. Materials and Methods We present two cases of RPN for renal hilar tumors. The first case depicts use of the VHS renorrhaphy technique for a tumor that abuts the renal hilum along 20% of its diameter. The second case demonstrates tumor resection and reconstruction for a tumor that has >50% involvement of the hilum along its diameter. After tumor resection, individual sinus vessels can be selectively oversewn with 2-0 Vicryl suture on SH needle. The remaining exposed parenchyma is controlled using the Hilar Parenchymal Oversew technique with a #0 Vicryl on CT-1 needle. Results For the Hilar Parenchymal Oversew surgery operative time was 225 min, estimated blood loss was 140 ml, warm ischemia time was 19 minutes, and there were no intraoperative complications. Pathology was consistent with clear cell renal cancer with negative margins. Conclusion Robotic partial nephrectomy with the Hilar Parenchymal Oversew technique is a good alternative to VHS renorrhaphy in the management of renal hilar tumors “bulging” into the renal sinus with >50% of the tumor diameter abutting the hilum.
Risk factors for 30-day readmission in patients with congestive heart failure.

Abstract Background Risk of readmission is elevated in patients congestive heart failure (CHF), and clinical decision makers need to better understand risk factors for 30-day readmissions. Objective To identify risk factors for readmission in patients with CHF. Methods We studied all admissions for patients with CHF during 2011 using a statewide discharge data set from Pennsylvania. The primary outcome was readmission to any Pennsylvania hospital within 30 days of discharge. Results Of 155,146 CHF patients admitted, 35,294 (22.8%) were readmitted within 30 days. Male sex, black race, coverage by Medicare, comorbidities, discharge to a skilled nursing facility or with a home nurse, a longer length of stay (LOS), admission from another facility, and emergent admission (all p Conclusions Comorbidities, sociodemographic factors including male sex, age, black race and Medicare coverage, and prolonged length of stay are associated with increased risk of readmission in patients with CHF.
Defects and 3D structural inhomogeneity in electron beam additively manufactured Inconel 718

Abstract Material structure and defects created during additive manufacturing contribute to the variability in mechanical properties of these parts, limiting their use for critical applications. Three-dimensional crystallographic, structural, and chemical information in electron beam melted Inconel 718 was collected from the sub-micron to the millimeter scale using the TriBeam tomography system. The relationship of defects to the surrounding microstructure has been studied in detail. Lack of fusion defects created sharp discontinuities in the grain morphology that extended several build layers beyond the layer where the defect originated. Nitrides and carbides in the size range of 1.25 μm to 10 μm were observed throughout the volume, with pronounced nitride clustering. The similarities between solidification in additive manufacturing and traditional manufacturing processes are demonstrated by the comparable size and distribution of carbides measured for industrial-scale samples of 718. Defects created during additive manufacturing cannot be easily remedied via standard post-processing techniques, and will likely diminish the mechanical performance of additively manufactured parts.
The interaction between actin filaments and the cytoskeleton-membrane attachment site protein talin

Talin, a protein localized primarily in cell-matrix type adherens junctions, is involved in linking the cytoskeleton to the cell membrane. The major objectives of my study were to (1) determine the structural basis for the effect of pH and ionic strength on the direct talin-actin interaction, (2) examine the effects of other factors, such as specific phospholipids, on the talin-actin interaction, and (3) compare abilities of human platelet and avian smooth muscle talins to interact with actin. Negative staining results showed that at pH 6.4 and low ionic strength, talin extensively crosslinked actin filaments into both tight networks and bundles. Some of the bundles consisted of parallel actin filaments with an interfilament spacing of -13 nm, and talin crossbridges spaced at ~ 36 nm intervals along the actin bundles. As pH and/or ionic strength was increased, talin's actin bundling activity was decreased first, then its networking activity. Chemical crosslinking indicated that talin was present primarily as a dimer of two ~ 225 kDa subunits under all ionic conditions tested. Talin crosslinked actin filaments into networks and bundles after only five minutes of actin polymerization, with no evidence of shorter actin filaments formed in comparison to actin controls. Talin also crosslinked preformed actin filaments as well as it did actin filaments polymerized in its presence. The ~ 190 kDa talin fragment was able to crosslink actin filaments into networks and bundles, but required a slightly lower pH than did intact talin. The phosphoinositides, PIPj, PIP, or PI, but not ff 3 or the phosphoglycerides, PS or PC, greatly inhibited the ability of talin to crosslink actin filaments. The phosphoinositides bound talin to form talin/phosphoinositide complexes, which prevented talin from effectively
Family and Child Welfare in Norway: An Analysis of the Welfare State’s Programs and Services

Norway is one of the leading countries in the world pertaining to family and Child Welfare Services. While there is no umbrella term for family life education programs in place, there are numerous programs and services offered through the publicly funded health-care service system. The Ministry of Children, Equality, and Social Inclusion oversees family services in Norway (Bufetat, Organisasjon. An underlying agency, the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth, and Family Affairs (Bufdir, The Norwegian child welfare services, oversees services pertaining to families and children and is responsible for services relating to child welfare, family counseling, adoption, violence in close relationships, equality, and nondiscrimination. This chapter presents a summary of the child welfare and family programs and services provided by the Norwegian government as part of the public health-care scheme.
Radiographic and Hormonal Regression in Prolactinomas: An Analysis of Treatment Failure.

Objective First-line treatment for prolactin-producing pituitary adenomas is dopamine agonist (DA) therapy. This is the first study to analyze the rate of radiographic and hormonal regression of prolactinomas in response to DA therapy to better understand what time frame we consider DA treatment failure. Methods We searched the electronic medical records of 3 tertiary care medical institutions for patients with prolactinomas. The primary outcome was tumor volume and prolactin (PRL) levels at various time points. The secondary outcome was indicators of treatment failure. Modeling by both linear and exponential models was tested to determine potential predictors of response magnitude and treatment failure by multivariate and regression analyses respectively. Results There were 99 patients (53% male) included in this analysis. The mean patient age was 42.7 years ± 14.5, and mean width/volume of tumor at diagnosis was 12.3 mm and 1.3 cm3, respectively. The mean PRL level at diagnosis was 593.2 ng/mL (79–7913). Modeling indicated a plateau at 68.2% initial volume (95% confidence interval 61.7–73.5) by 12.6 months and a PRL plateau of 21.4 ng/mL (95% confidence interval 0–92.5) by 3.3 months. Multivariate analyses revealed male sex (odds ratio 0.168; P = 0.036) to be a predictor of faster PRL response to DA therapy. Conclusions Prolactinomas plateau in PRL levels and the rate of size regression within the first year of DA treatment. Prolactinomas with lack of size regression and failure to reach normalization of PRL levels by 12 months may be considered for other management strategies.
Enhancing the medical consultation with prior questions including ideas, concerns and expectations.

Prior questions have the potential to make a consultation more focused, efficient and effective. This study aimed to design and assess the impact of a set of pre-consultation questions based on models of good consultations. Pre-consultation questions were written based on existing principles of negotiation, education and being patient centred. These were piloted with doctors and patients. They were modified then applied to 100 consecutive consultations in two primary care settings over 2 weeks in September 2016. At consecutive routine primary care clinics question sheets were given to patients …
P160 Does the Cooking Matters Curriculum Improve Participant Food Security

Background Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) has demonstrated improvement in nutrition behavior among participants. Food insecurity affects many SNAP-Ed participants, and questions remain about solutions. Further, disparities in food security are known to exist among racial groups. Objective To determine the effect of Cooking Matters (CM) curriculum on food security among SNAP-Ed participants in Florida stratified by race. Study Design, Settings, Participants CM is a six-week series offered by Florida SNAP-Ed and is evaluated using pre-post surveys. Food security is measured using the following question from the USDA Adult Food Security Module: “How often do you worry food will run out before you have money to buy more?” Participants answer using a five-point scale (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Always). Nutrition behavior is measured using a Likert scale for weekly consumption of various food groups. Participants who completed six-week CM classes between November 2016 and October 2018 were included in the analysis (N = 687). Measureable Outcome/Analysis Food security change and changes in nutrition behavior were measured using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results were then stratified by sociodemographic variables and analyzed using chi-square tests with pre-post food security change measured as a categorical variable (positive change, negative change and no change). Logistical regression was conducted using these same variables. Results Changes in food security were not significant overall (pre-mean = 3.27, post-mean = 3.24, Wilcoxon signed-rank test = 1977.5, P = .21), despite significant improvements in nutrition behaviors. Significant differences were found for race in food security change, as White Hispanics were more likely to show negative change compared to Whites. In contrast, fruit/vegetable and soda intake improved similarly among races. In regression models, the number of children in a household and age are significant predictors of improvement in food security. Conclusion These results demonstrate the inequitable nature of food insecurity with regards to race and the need for policy and environmental changes to accompany nutrition education. For Florida SNAP-Ed, nutrition education is being equitably delivered across races and ethnicities. However, work remains to be done to address food insecurity. Funding None.
The IL-1 family of cytokines and receptors in rheumatic diseases.

More than any other cytokine family, the 11 members of the IL-1 family are associated with innate immune responses, which occur in acute inflammation and chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatic diseases. In many rheumatic diseases, the severity of the condition can result from the balance between the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory members of the IL-1 family. Pro-inflammatory family members (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-18, IL-33, IL-36α, IL-36β and IL-36γ) are found in the articular environment during arthritis and often correlate with the degree of inflammation present. IL-1β has emerged as pivotal for promoting inflammation, particularly in autoinflammatory diseases, whereas IL-1α and the IL-36 subfamily are associated with skin diseases. IL-33 regulates T helper 2 (TH2) cell-mediated diseases, in sharp contrast to IL-18, which mainly regulates TH1 cell-mediated responses. The IL-1 family also contains four members that suppress inflammation: two specific receptor antagonists (IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and IL-36 receptor antagonist (IL-36Ra)), and two members that broadly suppress innate inflammation by non-specifically reducing several cytokines and chemokines (IL-37 and IL-38). In this Review, each of the eleven IL-1 family cytokines and their receptors are discussed, along with their putative roles in rheumatic disease and therapeutic options for targeting or promoting these cytokines. Cytokines from the IL-1 family perform important functions in innate immune reactions, but can also be involved in chronic inflammatory diseases. This Review highlights the roles of IL-1 family members in rheumatic diseases and potential therapeutic approaches to targeting them.
The Science and (Lost) Art of Psoralen Plus UVA Phototherapy

PUVA phototherapy is the therapeutic use of psoralens and UVA light to treat inflammatory skin diseases, with psoriasis the prototype disease. Naturally occurring phototoxic compounds, psoralens interact with UVA to suppress DNA synthesis and cell proliferation and induce apoptosis of inflammatory cells. Well-developed therapeutic protocols for psoriasis guide psoralen and UVA doses, treatment frequency, and safety measures, and these protocols also may be used to treat other inflammatory dermatoses.
Sleep and academic performance: measuring the impact of sleep

Sleep impacts academic performance. Past studies focused on the negative influence of shorter sleep duration and poor sleep quality on GPA. New novel sleep measures have emerged. Sleep consistency measures how likely a student is to be awake or asleep at the same time each day. Students with greater sleep consistency have better academic performance. A morning circadian preference and earlier classes are associated with higher grades. Later high school start times may increase sleep duration, but do not consistently increase GPA, but improve mood and well-being. If a student is struggling academically, screening for a sleep disorder is vital. Devices are under development which may allow students to better monitor their sleep habits, sleep consistency, chronotype and sleep behaviors. For the proactive student, these devices may enhance sleep behaviors and academic performance. Schools need to develop sleep friendly policies and interventions to promote healthy sleep for their students.
Breast cancer after treatment of Hodgkin disease: Clinical outcome of 38 cases in 27 patients

11059 Background: Many studies showed that women who are cured of HD have an increased risk of developing BC. Our purpose is to evaluate detection, pathology, management and prognosis of BC occurri...
Arteriovenous Malformations: Surgery Perspective

An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a congenital, nonhereditary defect of the vascular system, where a normal capillary system does not exist between an artery and a vein, and arterial blood passes directly into the venous system. In this localized arteriovenous shunt exists a tangle of vascular channels and veins with fibrointimal thickening and elastic tissue destruction [1]–[5]. AVMs begin to develop in utero and grow unpredictably over time. Although AVMs may occur anywhere along the neuraxis, they most commonly occur in the brain and may be detected using computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Cerebral angiography confirms the diagnosis.
Nasoseptal Flap Necrosis After Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery in the Setting of COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background A novel viral strain known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has created a worldwide pandemic known as coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Early reports from China have highlighted the risks associated with performing endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery in patients with SARS-CoV-2. We present a rare complication of nasoseptal flap (NSF) necrosis associated with COVID-19, further emphasizing the challenges of performing these procedures in this era. Case Description A 78-year-old man underwent an extended endoscopic endonasal transplanum resection of a pituitary macroadenoma for decompression of the optic chiasm. The resulting skull base defect was repaired using a pedicled NSF. The patient developed meningitis and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak on postoperative day 13, requiring revision repair of the defect. Twelve days later, he developed persistent fever and rhinorrhea. The patient was reexplored endoscopically, and the NSF was noted to be necrotic and devitalized with evident CSF leakage. At that time, the patient tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Postoperatively, he developed acute respiratory distress syndrome complicated by hypoxic respiratory failure and death. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of NSF necrosis in a patient with COVID-19. We postulate that the thrombotic complications of COVID-19 may have contributed to vascular pedicle thrombosis and NSF necrosis. Although the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 and its effect on the nasal tissues is still being elucidated, this case highlights some challenges of performing endoscopic skull base surgery in the era of COVID-19.
Ethics in an Age of Savage Inequalities by James J. Winchester

Winchester, James J. Ethics in an Age of Savage Inequalities. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2015.
Dermatologists' Perceptions and Confidence in Cosmetic Care for Male Patients.

Background Despite a growing interest in nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in men, the utilization of aesthetic treatments remains comparatively low, suggesting the presence of barriers to care. Objective To describe barriers to cosmetic intervention for male patients from the perspective of dermatologists. Materials and methods An anonymous, online survey was distributed through a listserv made available by the American Academy of Dermatology. Results Dermatologist respondents perceived a low utilization of cosmetic services in male patients (5%) and a lack of opportunity (72.3%) to provide such services. Respondents also perceived a lack of sufficient education/training (40.9%), experience (20.5%), and a lack of evidence in the field (20.5%) for dermatologists as potential barriers to cosmetic care for male patients. Presence of targeted messaging and in-office educational materials for male patients was found to be associated with increased utilization of cosmetic treatments by male patients (p = .012, p = .012, respectively). Dermatologists reported strong confidence in delivering various noninvasive cosmetic treatments to male patients. Conclusion Despite dermatologists' reported confidence in performing cosmetic procedures in men, many perceive insufficient education/training and experience with this population which may create barriers to cosmetic care for male patients. Increasing educational materials and targeted messaging to male patients may decrease barriers for patients to receive desired cosmetic care.
Effectiveness of corticosteroids in patients with sepsis or septic shock using the new third international consensus definitions (Sepsis-3): A retrospective observational study.

Background The effects of intravenous corticosteroids in patients with sepsis remain controversial due to mixed results from randomized trials. Moreover, updated definitions of sepsis, Sepsis-3, were proposed in 2016, and findings related to the effects of corticosteroids in patients defined by the Sepsis-3 criteria are scarce. Objective To investigate the effectiveness of corticosteroids in patients with sepsis or septic shock using real-world data to complement the findings of randomized controlled trials, and to determine whether the treatment effects differ by sepsis definitions. Methods We conducted this study by utilizing a large, multi-center healthcare database, eICU, in which we identified patients with sepsis admitted to 208 intensive care units across the US from 2014 to 2015 based on two different definitions: prior explicit definitions (i.e., based on diagnosis codes) and the Sepsis-3 definitions (i.e., based on SOFA score). The association between intravenous corticosteroids and in-hospital survival up to 50 days in patients with sepsis was retrospectively analyzed. A parametric hazard model with stabilized inverse probability of treatment weight adjustment was used to control for baseline confounders. Results Of the 7,158 patients identified based on the explicit definition, 562 (7.9%) received corticosteroids; of the 5,009 patients identified based on the Sepsis-3 definition, 465 (9.3%) received corticosteroids. In the explicit cohort, adjusted in-hospital survival at day 50 was 0.62 in the treated vs 0.57 in the non-treated, with a survival difference of 0.05 (95%CI: -0.11, 0.17). Similar results were seen in the Sepsis-3 cohort (0.58 vs 0.56 in treated and non-treated, respectively), with a 50-day survival difference of 0.02 (95%CI: -0.19, 0.17). Conclusions In patients with sepsis or septic shock, intravenous corticosteroids were not associated with a higher in-hospital survival up to 50 days regardless of the sepsis definitions. Further research may be necessary to definitively confirm effectiveness in real-world practice.
Das Problem mit den Schaben sind wir

Sie konnen sich entweder fur die Sie umgebenden Insekten interessieren und realisieren, dass die meisten dieser Gliederfuserarten faszinierend und weitgehend unerforscht sind und dass sie keine Schadlinge sind, sondern uns vielmehr bei deren Bekampfung helfen – oder Sie konnen einen Kriegszug beginnen. Die moderne Kriegsfuhrung gegen Insekten beruht auf chemischen Stoffen, aber dieser Ansatz birgt grose Risiken, denn ein Krieg mit chemischen Waffen ist ein auserst ungleicher Kampf. Bei jedem neuen Chemieeinsatz entwickeln sich die angegriffenen Insekten uber die naturliche Selektion weiter.
An investigation at the intersection of the sharing economy and supply chain management: a strategic perspective

Research on the sharing economy (SE) frequently addresses consumer-facing logistics firms, but the broader supply chain remains under researched. In this study, we examine the effects of the SE on ...
The pH Dependence of Niclosamide Solubility, Dissolution and Morphology Motivates a Potentially More Bioavailable Mucin-Penetrating Nasal and Throat Spray for COVID19, it's Contagious Variants, and Other Respiratory Viral Infections

Motivation: With the coronavirus pandemic still raging, prophylactic nasal and early treatment throat sprays could help prevent infection and reduce viral load. Niclosamide has the potential to treat a broad range of viral infections if local bioavailability is optimized as mucin penetrating solutions as opposed to more traditional microparticle based sprays that cannot penetrate the mucin. Experimental: pH dependence of supernatant concentrations and dissolution rates of niclosamide were measured in buffered solutions by Nanodrop UV Vis spectroscopy for niclosamide from different suppliers, as precipitated material, and as cosolvates. Data was compared to predictions from Henderson Hasselbalch and precipitation pH models. Optimal microscopy was used to observe the morphologies of precipitated and converted niclosamide. Results: Supernatant concentrations of niclosamide increased with increasing pH, from 1.77uM at pH 3.66 to 30uM at pH 8, and more rapidly from 90uM at pH8.5 to 300uM at pH 9.1, reaching 641uM at pH 9.5. Logarithmic rates for dissolution increased by 3x for pHs 8.62 to 9.44. However, when precipitated from supersaturated solution, niclosamide equilibrated to much lower final supernatant concentrations, reflective of more stable polymorphs at each pH that were also apparent for niclosamide from other suppliers and cosolvates. Conclusions: Given the activity of niclosamide against COVID19, its more contagious variants, and other respiratory viral infections, these niclosamide solutions, that put the virus in lockdown, could represent universal prophylactic nasal and early treatment throat sprays. As solutions they would be the simplest and potentially most effective formulations from both an efficacy standpoint as well as manufacturing and distribution, with no cold chain. They now just need testing.
An atypical presentation of lemierre syndrome of urogenital source.

Abstract Lemierre syndrome has classically been described as septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular veins resulting from primary oropharyngeal disease caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum. However, many cases have been reported of the syndrome originating from other primary sites of infection, resulting in limited utility of the diagnostic criteria and increased difficulty in making the diagnosis. We describe a 22-year-old female who developed the syndrome through a Fusobacterium infection which originated from a Bartholin gland abscess, a phenomenon that has not yet been described in the literature. Understanding and recognizing the variable forms of Lemierre syndrome allows us to better define the condition and provide optimal care to patients.
Novel structure for asynchronous multi-user CDMA detector

Summary form only given, as follows. A code division multiple access (CDMA) detector that employs a combination of a decorrelator and an adaptive interference canceller was proposed previously, for a synchronous channel. For the asynchronous channel the one-shot approach was suggested. It requires a (2 K-1) dimensional decorrelator and a canceller, (K is the number of users) and must be repeated once for every user if adequate performance for all users is sought. The present paper proposes a decorrelator, data combiner, canceller, data combiner arrangement. Using maximum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) combining at both data combining stages, we show that the resulting decorrelator canceller performs with an asynchronous channel and for the synchronous case.
Optimal fault-tolerant event detection in wireless sensor networks

In this paper, we propose an optimal fault-tolerant algorithm for distributed event detection in wireless sensor networks. Two important problems are addressed: 1. How to handle both the noise-related measurement error and sensor fault simultaneously in fault-tolerant detection? 2. How to choose a proper neighborhood size n for a sensor node in fault correction such that the maximum energy could be conserved? Both theoretical analysis and experimental results confirm the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
Lumped elements characterize Q in dielectric resonators

It has been earlier observed (Podcameni et al., 1981) that, as the coupling factor between a microstrip-coupled dielectric resonator and the line becomes much larger than unity, the unloaded quality factor (Q) of the resonator decreases. In this paper it is shown that this effect can be explained using lumped-element models of the coupling line, when the dielectric resonator is either overcoupled or undercoupled to the line.