cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Guided by 18 F-FDG PET in Resectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers: The NEOSCAN Trial

Abstract Introduction Although perioperative chemotherapy improves survival in patients with resectable lung cancers, systemic recurrence remains common. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy permits response assessment and an opportunity to switch treatment regimens. Response measured by fludeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) correlates with clinical outcomes better than computed tomography (CT) does. This trial assessed PET-measured response rate to alternative chemotherapy in patients with a suboptimal PET response after two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Methods This phase II study enrolled patients with resectable stage IB–IIIA lung cancers (primary tumor ≥ 2 cm and peak standard uptake value [SUV peak ] ≥ 4.5). Patients had a pretreatment 18 F-FDG PET/CT scan before two cycles of cisplatin (or carboplatin) plus gemcitabine (squamous cell carcinoma) or pemetrexed (adenocarcinoma) and then a repeat PET/CT scan. If SUV peak in the primary tumor decreased by at least 35%, patients continued the initial chemotherapy. Individuals with less than a 35% PET response were switched to vinorelbine plus docetaxel. Postoperative radiotherapy was recommended to all patients with positive N2 nodes. A Simon's optimal two-stage design was used to evaluate the primary end point of a PET Response in Solid Tumors–defined response rate to vinorelbine plus docetaxel in previously nonresponding patients. Results Forty patients were enrolled. Fifteen patients (38% [95% confidence interval: 38–53]) had less than a 35% decrease in SUV peak , and 13 received vinorelbine plus docetaxel. The study met its primary end point with 10 of 15 PET metabolic responses to alternate therapy (67%). Chemotherapy toxicities never precluded surgical exploration. Conclusions Utilizing 18 F-FDG PET/CT to assess response and change preoperative chemotherapy in nonresponding patients can improve radiographic measures of response. This adaptive approach can also be used to test new drugs, attempting to optimize perioperative chemotherapy to achieve better long-term outcomes.
Structural Basis of Outer Hair Cell Motility or Where’s the Motor?

The search for the molecular basis of outer hair cell electromotility would be facilitated by knowledge of where the motor mechanism is located. While there is little question that electromotility is associated with the elegantly organized lateral wall, neither the precise location within the lateral wall nor the physical mechanism responsible is known. The most popular hypothesis proposes a motor based on an unknown protein that resides in the lateral wall plasma membrane. The rationale for this proposal derives from two considerations. The first is that the mechanism must be located in a part of the cell with large potential gradients. The plasma membrane is a safe candidate because, in most cells, it is the locus of the largest electrical potential gradients. The second consideration centers on the presence of tightly packed intramembrane particles in the plasma membrane (see the Ashmore and Kachar chapters in this volume for arguments that favor a plasma membrane-based mechanism). This chapter reviews evidence against an area-motor mechanism located in the plasma membrane.
Management of severe pediatric head trauma.

Except for prevention, nothing can alter the primary damage to the central nervous system tissues and blood vessels caused by the impact of traumatic forces over a few milliseconds. However, damage to nervous system tissues secondary to transient reversible brain dysfunction may occur and lead to failure of respiration and circulation. Brain swelling and intracranial hypertension can develop and interfere with oxygen delivery and cellular metabolism of vital central nervous structures. A team approach with simultaneous treatment of the various disorders and recurrent evaluation is the hallmark of successful management.
Diffuse Large B-cell lymphoma: Prognostic markers and their impact on therapy

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). DLBCL is clinically, pathologically and molecularly heterogeneous disease. Various clinical, pathological and molecular markers have been developed to characterize the disease. Based on these characterizations, new targeted agents are being investigated to optimize the treatment and improve the outcomes of DLBCL. Enhanced molecular understanding, invention of targeted agents and immunotherapy has opened the doors for improvement in the treatment of DLBCL. In this review, we will discuss various prognostic markers of DLBCL and their potential therapeutic implications.
Abstract T P238: Microglial CX3CR1 Required for M2 Polarization and Recovery After Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Introduction: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) results in the activation of microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system. Microglia may polarize into an M1, pro-inflammatory phenotype, or an M2 phenotype associated with repair. CX3CR1 is a chemokine receptor on microglia and monocyte subsets. CX3CR1-null microglia have been shown to have dysregulated inflammation. We hypothesize that CX3CR1-null microglia have a prolonged M1 phenotype, contributing to worse functional outcome after ICH. Methods: ICH was modeled by injection of 20μl of blood into the right striatum. Neurological deficit was quantified using digital gait analysis, cylinder test, and beam walking. Mice were sacrificed 14 days after ICH; brains were harvested for flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry (IHC). C57BL/6 (WT) and CX3CR1GFP/GFP (CX3CR1-null)mice were irradiated and reconstituted with bone marrow from WT mice carrying the congenic marker CD45.1 to generate bone marrow chimeras (CD45.1WT or CD45.1CX3CR1-null). M1 microglia were identified as expressing MHCII and M2 microglia with CD206. Results: The CD45.1CX3CR1-null mice show worse functional outcome 14 days after ICH by cylinder test (p=0.002), beam walking (p=<0.001) and gait analysis (p=0.02). By flow cytometry, few peripheral leukocytes remain in the brain at 14 days, indicating that F4/80+ and CD11b+ cells visualized by IHC are likely microglia, not peripheral macrophages. By IHC, CD45.1 CX3CR1-null mice have significantly more amoeboid F4/80+MHCII+ cells per field (M1 microglia) than CD45.1WT mice (p=0.02). CD45.1 CX3CR1-null mice have significantly fewer CD11b+CD206+ cells per field (M2 microglia) compared to CD45.1WT mice (p=0.04). Conclusions: Our results suggest microglial CX3CR1 signaling is necessary for microglia to transition from M1 to M2 and contribute to recovery after ICH. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Maximum Likelihood Estimation for Stochastic Differential Equations Using Sequential Kriging-Based Optimization

Stochastic Differential Equations (SDEs) are used as statistical models in many disciplines. However, intractable likelihood functions for SDEs make inference challenging, and we need to resort to simulation-based techniques to estimate and maximize the likelihood function. While sequential Monte Carlo methods have allowed for the accurate evaluation of likelihoods at fixed parameter values, there is still a question of how to find the maximum likelihood estimate. In this article we propose an efficient Gaussian-process-based method for exploring the parameter space using estimates of the likelihood from a sequential Monte Carlo sampler. Our method accounts for the inherent Monte Carlo variability of the estimated likelihood, and does not require knowledge of gradients. The procedure adds potential parameter values by maximizing the so-called expected improvement, leveraging the fact that the likelihood function is assumed to be smooth. Our simulations demonstrate that our method has significant computational and efficiency gains over existing grid- and gradient-based techniques. Our method is applied to modeling the closing stock price of three technology firms.
Educating the forensic psychiatrist.

Historically, the forensic psychiatrist has been a physician with a special interest in medicolegal aspects of psychiatry, sometimes but not necessarily supplemented by individual study, specialized training, and appropriate experience. Even today, any physician is free to declare himself a forensic psychiatrist and to deliver forensic psychiatric services with no specialized training or supervision, though few non-psychiatrists would do so, and most psychiatrists would at least read a few books on what they believe to be the subject.
Characterization in mice of a turkey ornithosis virus of low virulence.

lated from turkeys by Boney et al (1) although its presence had been suspected earlier (10). Since the original isolation of the virus, it has been recovered from turkeys by other workers (2, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13). These viruses have been the highly virulent or toxic strains. In addition to the virulent strains, avirulent strains of turkey virus have also been recovered (5, 15). Both types of virus have been found in the same
Lick rates in cats

Lick rates in three kittens and two adult cats were measured for milk amd water under 6, 12, and 24 hr. deprivation, and for 4%, 8%, 16%, and 32% sucrose solutions under 12 hr. deprivation. Mean lick rate was found to be constant for all Ss, and to be independent of age, sex, level of deprivation, and type of fluid consumed.
Neonatal Brain Protection in Cardiac Surgery and the Role of Intraoperative Neuromonitoring

Improving mortality rates in children undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease has enabled a shift in focus to improving morbidity, particularly with respect to neurological complications. Various factors have been implicated in influencing neurological outcomes. We share our experience in formulating a customized cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) protocol based on currently available evidence. Theoretical advantages of intraoperative neuromonitoring during CPB, specifically use of near-infrared spectroscopy, will be discussed in the context of methodologies to monitor cerebral perfusion during surgery.
Untwisting and Unzipping: Magnetic Tweezers Based Measurements of DNA Processing Enzymes

Magnetic tweezers provide a versatile tool enabling the application of force and torque on individual DNA molecules. We have developed a high-resolution, actively-stabilized, magnetic tweezers to measure the activity of DNA topoisomerases and DNA helicases.
Bombus spp. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as Pollinators of Male-Sterile Upland Cotton on the Texas High Plains

Efficient pollination of male-sterile (MS) cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., remains a key factor for the commercial production of hybrid cotton seed. A study was conducted to investigate the importance and potential use of Bombus species as cotton pollen vectors on the Texas High Plains. A survey of 13 counties showed that Bombus pennsylvanicus (DeGeer) was the predominant species. Bumble bees visited cotton flowers throughout the blooming season, and they foraged for both nectar and pollen. More foragers were present on MS than isoline male-fertile (MF) flowers, but visitation to the MS flowers was restricted primarily to morning hours. Nectar and pollen foragers collected in MF flowers carried large amounts of cotton pollen on their body (5,586 to 16,235 grains per forager). Both types of foragers also visited MS flowers, although the quantity of pollen they carried was significantly less (82 to 4,138 grains per forager). Bumble bees carried more cotton pollen than honey bees on MS and MF lines. Wooden domiciles provided an acceptable means for moving bumble bee nests into an area needing pollination, but subsequent visitation to the target fields by the imported bees was low. All colonies in domiciles were parasitized by Psithyrus variabilis (Cresson) during the season. In a cage study, cotton bolls harvested on MS lines had more seeds per boll when Bombus was used as pollinators than when honey bees, Apis mellifera L., were used. This indicates that nests of Bombus species could be used effectively to pollinate small crossing blocks of MS cotton isolated under cages. It also suggests that, on an individual basis, bumble bees are more efficient pollinators of MS cotton than honey bees, which is consistent with the greater cotton pollen load found on Bombus.
A novel piezoelectric microstage with embedded sensor for dual axes confocal endomicroscopy (Conference Presentation)

A piezoelectric microactuator previously proposed by the authors for laser scanning in dual axes confocal endomicroscopy meets two primary challenges for dual axes confocal imaging: large out-of-plane actuation (~500μm) and a relatively high bandwidth (>100Hz). In order to further reach stage positioning error better than desired imaging resolution of 5 μm and to improve the robustness of actuator performance, a closed-loop controller and thus on-chip sensing, are being incorporated and integrated with system modeling. This work presents these thin-film PZT based microstages where piezoelectric unimorphs are used not only to actuate its central platform but also to estimate its vertical motion. Initial results from on-chip piezoelectric sensing are presented. Although sensing output shows some feed-through from the actuation signal, testing shows detection of AC motion from various vibration modes of the stage. Meanwhile, 3D profiles of the entire actuator structure at different DC voltage levels were obtained and used to form a nonlinear optimization problem to estimate all forces and moments that each component of the device experiences for the prediction of its deflection. A comparison between modeled and experimental deflection of the actuation beams is included. These results will be used to describe the dynamic behavior of the actuation beams, where the sensors are embedded, and to estimate sensing outputs in order to implement a close-loop controller. Prototype stages are currently being assembled into a handheld dual axes confocal imaging system.
Analysis for the results of individual radiation dosage surveillance in staff involved in radiation emission in 2010 and its uncertainty evaluation

Objective To examine technical level of individual radiation dosage to guarantee its quality.Methods According to the requirements of "the national comparison protocol for individual dosage surveillance system in radiation emission staff",the reference dosimeter was prepared and then sent to the organizer of surveillance system and determined,and the reported results were compared in the laboratory of Beijing Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Results Both single unit determination and comprehensive determination of comparison results of the reference dosimeters between three groups was qualified and their uncertainty were evaluated reasonably.Conclusion Technical level of the surveillance system of individual radiation emission dosage in this laboratory meets the requirements of the national related standards.
ECHO Autism A New Model for Training Primary Care Providers in Best-Practice Care for Children With Autism

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have complex medical problems, yet they are at high risk for unmet health care needs. Primary care providers are perfectly positioned to meet these needs; however, they often lack training in ASD. This pilot project developed and tested a new model for training primary care providers in best-practice care for ASD using the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) framework. The 6-month ECHO Autism pilot project consisted of 12 biweekly clinics focused on screening and identification of ASD symptoms and management of medical and psychiatric comorbidities. Participants completed measures of practice behavior and self-efficacy in screening and management of children with ASD at baseline (pretest) and after 6 months of ECHO Autism (posttest). Statistically significant improvements were observed in self-efficacy, in adherence to ASD screening guidelines, and in use of ASD-specific resources. Participants also reported high satisfaction with the program.
The drug resistance study of HIV anti-virus treatment of Henan province

Objective:To understand the effect of HIV anti-virus and the treatment affection of HIV drug resistance strain appearance.Methods: Choose 3 counties that have more AIDS patients as research sites,select HIV patients not only that receive anti-virus treatment but also those haven't receive treatment.Take personal interview and follow up fill in investigate form.Check the change of cd-4 lymphocyte count.Observe blood plasma virus load,laboratory evaluate anti-virus treatment effect.HIV-1 pol gene was amplified by PT-PCR,analyze it's genetic drug-resistance.Results: Results labortary evaluate and analyze of anti-virus treatment indicate HIV patients that receive reatment insist on taking medicine,their symptom much better than before.And drug compliancy have great effect to patient's condition change.(P0.05).The CD~+-4 lymphocyte count of patients indicate that patients receive treatment much higher than patients that haven't receive treatment(P0.05).The blood plasma virus load drop greatly after receive treatment.The virus drug resistance change shows that HIV has higher drug-resistance straina of NNRTI.On the base of this situation,in succession appear lower and potential drug resistance virus strains for NRTI medicine.Conclusion: The appearance of HIV drug-resistance strains in part of Henan province reach high level.In this situation,improve drug compliance of AIDS patients have great meaning to slow down the appear and epidemic of drug resistance strains,ensure AIDS anti-virus treatment successful.
Study of Total Electric Field of DC Lines Converted From Double-Circuit AC Lines

As electricity demand increases rapidly, transmission capacity needs to be enhanced. In some cases,converting existing AC transmission lines to DC lines can increase the transmission capacity and reduce the construction investment. The upstream finite element method was expanded to calculate the total electric field of same tower multi-circuit DC lines converted from double-circuit AC lines, and its validity was confirmed by experiments. In case of a DC line converted from a typical 500 k V double-circuit AC line, the surface electric field of bundle conductor and the ground total electric field in different pole conductor bundles arrangements were calculated and analyzed, and the minimum height of pole conductor bundles and corridor width of DC lines in residential and non-residential area were determined. The results indicate that for DC lines converted from common 500 k V double-circuit AC lines, the ground total electric field could meet the requirements of corresponding standard with appropriate pole conductor bundles arrangements.
A preliminary study on testing hogwash oil by gas chromatography

Objective:To study an analytical method for detection of hogwash oil by GC.Methods: Hogwash oil was differentiated by finding the characteristic peak of fatty acid produced by animal fat.Results: Characteristic peak of fatty acid existing in hogwash oil was determined primarily.Conclusion:The method is simple and practical,which can lay a good basis for the further study on detection of hogwash oil.
Crystal structure of piperazinium oleate at -150 degrees C.

The crystal structure of piperazinium oleate ([C4H12N2]2+.2[C18H34O2]-) has been determined from X-ray diffraction data at -150 degrees C in order to study the oleate chain conformation and molecular packing. Differential scanning calorimetry shows three reversible crystalline state phase transitions (54.5, -34.8, and -54.8 degrees C) in the range from the melting point (84.8 degrees C) to -160 degrees C. The cell constants for a flash-frozen crystal at -150 degrees C are a = 5.630(2), b = 14.900(2), c = 24.825(4) A, alpha = 88.77(2), beta = 88.12(2), gamma = 80.38(2) degrees; Z = 2, space group P1; Dc = 1.05 g cm-3, m.p. = 84.8 degrees C. The cell constants are similar at room temperature except for a doubling of b at -150 degrees C. The crystal structure at -150 degrees C has been refined to R(F2) = 0.116 for 8410 independent reflections. There are two independent oleate anions (A and B), both having an overall extended conformation except for kinks that are different at the cis olefin group. The oleate A chain is ordered while the oleate B chain is disordered in two regions. Because of different torsion angles at bonds adjacent to the double bond, the B-chain olefin group adopts two configurations, one of which is predominant. From the olefin group to the terminal methyl group, the B-chain adopts one of two all-trans configurations with equal probability. It cannot be determined whether the two kinds of disorder are correlated. Taking into account the centrosymmetrically related oleate chains, the crystal structure contains at least six and possibly eight extended chain conformers with different kinks at the olefin group. Third and fourth order displacement parameters have been determined for the partially resolved atomic sites in the oleate B chain and these have been used to map probability density functions for the disordered atoms. The piperazinium cations are in a chair conformation. Each is hydrogen bonded to four oleate anions, forming an infinite ribbon parallel to (025). These ribbons are stacked upon each other to form a monolayer 24.8 A thick parallel to (001).
Reversal of portacaval shunting normalizes brain energy consumption in most brain structures

The cerebral metabolic rate of glucose consumption (CMRGlc) was measured throughout brains of rats with 1) portacaval shunts created for 2 wk, followed by restoration of normal blood circulation for 2 wk; 2) portacaval shunts created for 2 wk, followed by a sham operation and 2 wk of recovery; 3) two sham operations, each with 2 wk of recovery times. Portacaval-shunted rats had diminished CMRGlc (decreases of 7-23%) throughout the brain in agreement with previous studies. After restoration of normal liver blood flow, the CMRGlc of most structures returned to near-normal values, although a few structures, notably the hippocampus, remained 11-13% lower. These data suggest that the consequences of portacaval shunting to brain energy metabolism can be markedly improved, if not completely reversed, by restoring the normal pattern of blood flow to an otherwise healthy liver. Other metabolic and physical data collected (liver weight, liver-to-body weight, plasma ammonia) returned to normal except plasma glucose concentrations, which remained lower by 11%, suggesting a persistent, albeit mild, defect in glucose homeostasis.
Performance modeling and optimization for on-chip interconnects in STT-MRAM memory arrays

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis on the limits interconnects impose on the performance, power dissipation, and lifetime of Spin-Transfer-Torque (STT) memory chips. Various approaches and memory architectures are investigated to minimize the interconnect delay and the total memory latency. In addition, the reliability challenges of interconnects in STT-MRAM are studied. Finally, a potential alternative cell structure and its impacts on the memory capacity, area and performance are investigated. The results indicate that interconnects account for a major fraction of the overall delay and power dissipation.
Molecular signatures of sepsis: multiorgan gene expression profiles of systemic inflammation.

During sepsis the host's system-wide response to microbial invasion seems dysregulated. Here we explore the diverse multiorgan transcriptional programs activated during systemic inflammation in a cecal ligation/puncture model of sepsis in rats. Using DNA microarrays representing 7398 genes, we examined the temporal sequence of sepsis-induced gene expression patterns in major organ systems including lung, liver, kidney, thymus, spleen, and brain. Although genes known to be associated with systemic inflammation were identified by our global transcript analysis, many genes and expressed sequence tags not previously linked to the septic response were also elucidated. Taken together, our results suggest activation of a highly complex transcriptional response in individual organs of the septic animal. Several overlying themes emerged from our genome-scale analysis that includes 1) the sepsis response elicited gene expression profiles that were either organ-specific, common to more than one organ, or distinctly opposite in some organs; 2) the brain is protected from sepsis-induced gene activation relative to other organs; 3) the thymus and spleen have an interesting cohort of genes with opposing gene expression patterns; 4) genes with proinflammatory effects were often balanced by genes with anti-inflammatory effects (eg, interleukin-1β/decoy receptor, xanthine oxidase/superoxide dismutase, Ca 2+ -dependent PLA 2 /Ca 2+ -independent PLA 2 ); and 5) differential gene expression was observed in proteins responsible for preventing tissue injury and promoting homeostasis including anti-proteases (TIMP-1, Cpi-26), oxidant neutralizing enzymes (metallothionein), cytokine decoy receptors (interleukin-1RII), and tissue/vascular permeability factors (aquaporin 5, vascular endothelial growth factor). This global perspective of the sepsis response should provide a molecular framework for future research into the pathophysiology of systemic inflammation. Understanding, on a genome scale, how an organism responds to infection, may facilitate the development of enhanced detection and treatment modalities for sepsis.
The Inner City Intern, Part II: The Moral Geography of Conduct Disorder

As my internship continued, I was able to deepen my connection with a wide variety of social networks within the community and, in so doing, began to come into greater ethical conflict with the Eurocentric paradigms that dominate mainstream psychological discourse and that could not account for the historical catastrophe of the colonial encounter and ongoing institutionalized oppression. In the previous chapter, I mentioned that I had begun to work with a young man named William, under the supervision of Ron. Many of the conversations I had with William were focused on the destructive racial ideologies toward young African American males. William, in his wisdom, demanded that I refuse simplistic diagnoses; he did not want to be regarded as a person who acted out as a result of unresolved trauma, nor did he want to be judged as an unreachable “conduct-disordered juvenile.” Rather, he insisted that I follow him into the complicated cultural, political, moral, and geographic terrain of his daily existence. William consistently pointed out the misperceptions that routinely occurred when authority figures and the media attempted to interpret the behaviors of people associated with the urban ghettos, or what Wacquant (2001, 2002) calls the “hyperghetto.”
Diagnosing the most common odontogenic cystic and osseous lesions of the jaws for the practicing pathologist

Odontogenic cysts and osseous lesions are often seen as challenging diagnostic lesions but the majority of them are easily classified. This article outlines the diagnostic features required for separating the most common of odontogenic cysts and select osseous lesions of the jaws. Clinical and radiographic findings of these jaw lesions often lead to a differential diagnosis that only the histologic findings will clarify. Dentigerous cyst, keratocystic odontogenic tumor, and certain ameloblastomas that have cystic change, may have identical radiographic findings, with only separation by their specific histologic features leading to the significantly different treatments required for each. Conversely, some cystic lesions can appear histologically identical and cannot be diagnosed without the radiographic findings. Certain osseous lesions of the jaws are particularly problematic for diagnosis without the appropriate radiographic findings, and the diagnosis should probably not be attempted on the histologic findings alone. This article will integrate the necessary clinical, radiographic, and histologic findings required to address the most common odontogenic lesions.
Tariffs and Carbon Emissions

International trade and the environment are uneasy partners. Both environmentalists and free traders worry that the pursuit of one goal may obstruct the other. Nowhere is this tension more evident ...
The impact of pathogen burden on leukocyte telomere length in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Several infections have been linked to telomere shortening and in some cases these associations have varied by sex. We assessed the association between seropositivity to four persistent pathogens (cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus-1, Helicobacter pylori, Chlamydia pneumoniae), and total pathogen burden on leukocyte telomere length in a diverse US sample. Data came from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, a population-based cohort study. We utilized cross-sectional survey data, and biological samples from participants tested for pathogens and telomere length (N = 163). Linear regression was used to examine the association between seropositivity for individual pathogens as well as total pathogen burden and telomere length, adjusting for various confounders. CMV seropositivity and increased total pathogen burden level were significantly associated with shorter telomere length among females (β = -0·1204 (standard error (s.e.) 0·06), P = 0·044) and (β = -0·1057 (s.e. = 0·05), P = 0·033), respectively. There was no statistically significant association among males. Our findings suggest that prevention or treatment of persistent pathogens, in particular CMV, may play an important role in reducing telomere shortening over the life course among women. Future research is needed to confirm these novel findings in larger longitudinal samples.
The Low Morale Experience of Academic Librarians: A Phenomenological Study

A dynamic body of knowledge about workplace bullying and burnout in academic libraries exists; however, there is a significant shortage of library and information science (LIS) literature regarding...
Nonsmooth Analysis and Optimization for a Class of Nonconvex Mappings

A class of nonconvex operators from a Banach space to an order complete vector lattice, referred to as order Lipschitz mappings, is introduced. Relations with other Lipschitz-type mappings are mentioned and a derivative in the spirit of Clarke’s generalized gradient is presented. Necessary and sufficient optimality conditions are obtained for constrained programming problems whose data functions are order Lipschitz.
Model Predictions of Effects of Impoundment on Particulate Organic Matter Transport in a River System

Seston may be defined as all organic and inorganic matter suspended in water (Ruttner, 1963). The organic fraction of seston, including both living and nonliving material, is generally known as particulate organic matter (POM). A substantial number of studies over the last quarter-century have demonstrated that POM is extremely important in the energetics of freshwater, marine, and estuarine ecosystems. The concern in this paper is with the dynamics of POM in stream ecosystems and the effects of impoundment on POM dynamics in a river system.
The Art and Science of Decision Making: The Analytic Hierarchy Process

This paper presents an overview of the philosophy and methodology which underlies the Analytic Hierarchy Process. After introducing the method through a series of examples, the theoretical basis of the method is described along with a summary of its mathematical underpinnings. Several recent methodological extensions are also described along with a brief description of several major and illustrative applications. The paper concludes with a summary of the progress to date in the continuing development and application of this important decision-aiding methodology.
Observation of Molecular Rotors on Surfaces by ESDIAD: Studies of PF3 and NH3 Chemisorption on Ni Surfaces

We demonstrate in this paper that ESDIAD (electron stimulated desorption ion angular distribution) can give detailed information about the dynamical behavior of chemisorbed species and about the intermolecular forces which modify the dynamical motions of these species. Traditionally, spectroscopic methods have been used to study the dynamical behavior of molecules in gases, liquids, and in the adsorbed layer. In studies of the adsorbed molecular rotors H2, HD, and D2, EELS has been used to observe transitions between essentially free rotational states present on Cu(100) [1]. For CO hydrogen-bonded to OH groups on SiO2 surfaces, rotational wings have been observed by IR [2]. Recently, the axial rotation of adsorbed methoxy species (CH3O) on Al2O3 surfaces has also been studied in detail by IR [3]. These spectroscopic methods detect transitions between librational/rotational levels, but do not give information about the directionality of the surface forces which determine the barrier for hindered rotational motion. To provide this type of geometrical information, the ESDIAD method, by virtue of its ability to image chemical bond directions, has been employed here to observe hindered rotation in a chemisorbed layer. In addition, the freezing of the rotational motion of adsorbed molecules through the action of intermolecular forces between neighbor molecules has been directly observed using ESDIAD.
Reporter Selection for Nanotags in Multiplexed Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Assays

We report a quantitative evaluation of the choice of reporters for multiplexed surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). An initial library consisted of 15 reporter molecules that included commonly used Raman dyes, thiolated reporters, and other small molecules. We used a correlation matrix to downselect Raman reporters from the library to choose five candidates: 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene, 4-mercaptobenzoic acid, 3,5-dichlorobenzenthiol, pentachlorothiophenol, and 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid). We evaluated the ability to distinguish the five SERS reporters in a dipstick immunoassay for the biomarker human IgG. Raman nanotags, or gold nanostars conjugated to the five reporters and anti-human IgG polyclonal antibodies were constructed. A linear discriminant analysis approach was used to evaluate the separation of the nanotag spectra in mixtures of fixed ratios.
Monetary Control when Demand for Cash is Unpredictable A Proposal for Stabilizing the Money Multiplier in Portugal

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on a proposal for stabilizing the money multiplier in Portugal. Duck and Sheppard proposed a new system for controlling the UK money supply. In textbook terminology, it involves controlling the case base, B, and stabilizing partially the money multiplier, m, in the money supply function M = mB. A system designed to stabilize the money multiplier in Portugal was proposed originally in 1976 and modified slightly in 1977 and 1978. It was drawn up for a central bank facing unpredictable cash demands and long lags in data compilation. Furthermore, the Banco de Portugal was at the time considering unprecedented increases in deposit rates of interest and so anticipating an interest rate-induced shift in the composition of the money stock. The scheme prepared for the Banco de Portugal might be of interest also to central banks in some of the developing countries with foreign exchange systems—flexible exchange rates and/or exchange control— which allow monetary independence. The chapter discusses the basic elements of the proposed system which was designed so that it could be implemented in easy stages.
Genome Sequences of Cluster K Mycobacteriophages Deby, LaterM, LilPharaoh, Paola, SgtBeansprout, and Sulley

Mycobacteriophages Deby, LaterM, LilPharaoh, Paola, SgtBeansprout, and Sulley were isolated from soil using Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155. Genomic analysis indicated that they belong to subclusters K1 and K5. Their genomic architectures are typical of cluster K mycobacteriophages, with most variability occurring on the right end of the genome sequence.
The Brief Case: Erysipelothrix bacteremia and endocarditis in a 59-year-old immunocompromised male on chronic high-dose steroids

A 59-year-old male with a past medical history of rheumatoid arthritis for which he was on high-dose prednisone (20 mg daily) for more than 3 years, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic lower back pain, lower extremity neuropathy, gout, and hypertension presented to the emergency
Point-to-CAD 3D Registration Algorithm for Relative Navigation Using Depth-Based Maps

This paper presents an end-to-end 3D registration algorithm for relative navigation between known objects based on a point-to-CAD iterative closest point (ICP) principle. The objective of this method is to take in a measured point cloud extracted from a depth or disparity map – such as the ones obtained from stereo cameras, time-of-flight cameras, LiDARs, or depth from defocus sensors - and calculate the rigid body transformation that best aligns the measured data with a corresponding 3D CAD model. By leveraging the geometric information encoded into stereolithography (STL) files, it is sought to address the computational intractability imposed by the naive generation of dense target point clouds solely based on the target's known surface. To this end, the proposed approach computes a bijective projection onto the known triangular mesh to obtain a target point cloud with which to use ICP techniques for incremental alignment; the projection step is then carried on recursively until the convergence criteria are met, yielding a relative 6DOF pose between the two objects to be used within the estimation pipeline. Demonstrations of the algorithm are presented using simulated datasets; results include time complexity analyses for real-time operation cases, performance variation assessments with respect to CAD model complexity, and sensitivity analysis for determining the tolerance to distinct noise levels and spurious measurements. The design and implementation of the algorithm makes use of the open-source Point Cloud Library, and access to its source code is included within this work.
Influence of pH, ionic strength and natural organic matter concentration on a MIP-Fluorescent sensor for the quantification of DNT in water

Abstract The effect of sample water chemistry on a carbon dot labeled molecularly imprinted polymer (AC-MIP) sensor for the detection of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) was investigated. Hydrogel MIP films were fabricated and tested in DNT solutions in various matrices, representative of natural water conditions, to assess applicability of the sensors to real water samples. The effect of pH, natural organic matter (NOM), ionic strength and cation type on the swelling of the hydrogel and fluorescence quenching was investigated. An increase in ionic strength from 1 mM to 100 mM produced a quenching amount of MIPs decreased of about 19% and 30% with NaCl and CaCl2 respectively. In the range of pH tested, from 4 to 9, quenching was higher at basic environment for both MIPs and non-imprinted polymers (NIPs) due to increased hydrogel swelling. NOM contributed to the background quenching, but the effect could be addressed by an adjusted calibration equation. In both lake and tap water, DNT concentrations read by the sensors were close to the values measured by HPLC, within 72%–105% of true values. The AC-MIP films fabricated in this work are promising materials for the detection of water contamination in the field and the quantitative analysis of DNT concentration.
“Wedding Marches”: Louisa May Alcott, Marriage, and the Newness of Little Women

In early 1869, after completing the second part of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott wrote to her editor, Thomas Niles: “I can only think of the following titles, ‘Little Women Act Second.’ ‘Leaving ...
Comment on “Suspended-sediment concentrations and loads in the lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers decreased by half between 1980 and 2015” by Scott V. Mize, Jennifer C. Murphy, Timothy H. Diehl, and Dennis K. Demcheck, Journal of Hydrology 564 (2018) 1–11

Abstract The author read with much interest the publication by Mize et al. (2018) on the decrease in suspended-sediment concentrations and loads in the lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers between 1980 and 2015. Researchers interested in sediment dynamics in the lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers also should be aware that sediment data previously reported for the lower Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) were affected by a systematic error in the fines fraction (particle sizes less than 0.063 millimeter) of the suspended-sediment concentration. This error affected results reported from October 1973 through February 2015 for two sites on the main stem of the Mississippi River, three sites on the Atchafalaya River, one site on the Old River Outflow Channel, and one site on the Red River. The USGS and USACE identified the error and have revised the results for samples collected from October 1989 through February 2015, as reported by Norton et al. (2019a) and Norton et al. (2019b). The significant conclusions of Mize et al. (2018) and sediment loads modeled using the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) method were unaffected by the systematic error because the models used data from unaffected sites; however, the background information provided in tables 1 and 2 of Mize et al. (2018) included references to several previous studies that contained results affected by the error. This comment paper identifies which references in Mize et al. (2018) were affected by the error and alerts readers to implications of the data revision.
Understanding Persistence Using a Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory

Objective: Despite significant enrollment in community colleges, persistence and graduation rates are quite low. This study aims to better understand how students’ person–environment relationships ...
Surface water detection in the Caucasus

Abstract The Caucasus is an important global diversity hotspot and hosts a wide variety of surface water features, including major transboundary wetlands, in addition to large areas with irrigated agriculture and newly developed fishponds. In this study, we aim to establish the best performing methodology to produce surface water maps with a high degree of accuracy in the Caucasus. We evaluate optical data from Landsat 8 in both the dry and wet season for three study areas in the Caucasus. We test the performance of four different optical water indices derived from Landsat data, a method by Zou et al. (2017) also applied to Landsat data, and the European Commission Joint Research Centre (ECJRC) Global Surface Water dataset. We evaluate the performance of each water index using 5744 land cover validation/training points over all three study areas, which we manually classified by evaluating imagery from Google Earth. Using all validation points from all three study areas and both the wet and dry season, we find that the application of a logistic regression model using an optical surface water index (MNDWI) resulted in the most accurate open surface water maps. This approach achieved an overall accuracy of 93.0%, which is better than was found for freely available global surface water products.
Categorisation of patients based on immune profiles: a new approach to identifying candidates for response to checkpoint inhibitors.

Objectives Inhibitors to the checkpoint proteins cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) are becoming widely used in cancer treatment. However, a lack of understanding of the patient response to treatment limits accurate identification of potential responders to immunotherapy. Methods In this study, we assessed the expression of PD-1 and CTLA-4 on 19 leucocyte populations in the peripheral blood of 74 cancer patients. A reference data set for PD-1 and CTLA-4 was established for 40 healthy volunteers to determine the normal expression patterns for these checkpoint proteins. Results Unsupervised hierarchical clustering found four immune profiles shared across the solid tumor types, while chronic lymphocytic leukaemia patients had an immune profile largely unique to them. Furthermore, we measured these leucocyte populations on an additional cohort of 16 cancer patients receiving the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab in order to identify differences between responders and non-responders, as well as compared to healthy volunteers (n = 20). We observed that cancer patients had pre-treatment PD-1 and CTLA-4 expression on their leucocyte populations at different levels compared to healthy volunteers and identified two leucocyte populations positive for CTLA-4 that had not been previously described. We found higher levels of PD-1+ CD3+ CD4- CD8- cells in patients with progressive disease and have identified it as a potential biomarker of response, as well as identifying other significant differences in phenotypes between responders and non-responders. Conclusion These results are suggestive that categorisation of patients based on immune profiles may differentiate responders from non-responders to immunotherapy for solid tumors.
Rapid Cycle Implementation and Retrospective Evaluation of a SARS-CoV-2 Checklist in Labor and Delivery.

Background Preparedness efforts for a COVID-19 outbreak required redesign and implementation of a perioperative workflow for the management of obstetric patients. In this report we describe factors which influenced rapid cycle implementation of a novel comprehensive checklist for the perioperative care of the COVID-19 parturient. Methods Within our labour and delivery unit, implementation of a novel checklist for the COVID-19 parturient requiring perioperative care was accomplished through rapid cycling, debriefing and on-site walkthroughs. Post-implementation, consistent use of the checklist was reported for all obstetric COVID-19 perioperative cases (100% workflow checklist utilization). Retrospective analysis of the factors influencing implementation was performed using a group deliberation approach, mapped against the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Results Analysis of factors influencing implementation using CFIR revealed domains of process implementation and innovation characteristics as overwhelming facilitators for success. Constructs within the outer setting, inner setting, and characteristic of individuals (external pressures, baseline culture, and personal attributes) were perceived to act as early barriers. Constructs such as communication culture and learning climate, shifted in influence over time. Conclusion We describe the influential factors of implementing a novel comprehensive obstetric workflow for care of the COVID-19 perioperative parturient during the first surge of the pandemic using the CFIR framework. Early workflow adoption was facilitated primarily by two domains, namely thoughtful innovation design and careful implementation planning in the setting of a long-standing culture of improvement. Factors initially assessed as barriers such as communication, culture and learning climate, transitioned into facilitators once a perceived benefit was experienced by healthcare teams. These results provide important information for the implementation of rapid change during a time of crisis.