cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Novel Approaches of Chemoradiotherapy in Unresectable Stage IIIA and Stage IIIB Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Approximately one third of patients with non-small cell lung cancer have unresectable stage IIIA or stage IIIB disease, and appropriate patients are candidates for chemoradiotherapy with curative intent. The optimal treatment paradigm is currently undefined. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy, compared with sequential chemotherapy and thoracic radiation therapy (TRT), results in superior overall survival outcomes as a result of better locoregional control. Recent trials have revealed efficacy for newer chemotherapy combinations similar to that of older chemotherapy combinations with concurrent TRT and a lower rate of some toxicities. Ongoing phase III trials will determine the roles of cisplatin and pemetrexed concurrent with TRT in patients with nonsquamous histology, cetuximab, and the L-BLP25 vaccine. It is unlikely that bevacizumab will have a role in stage III disease because of its toxicity. Erlotinib, gefitinib, and crizotinib have not been evaluated in stage III patients selected based on molecular characteristics. The preliminary results of a phase III trial that compared conventionally fractionated standard-dose TRT (60 Gy) with high-dose TRT (74 Gy) revealed an inferior survival outcome among patients assigned to the high-dose arm. Hyperfractionation was investigated previously with promising results, but adoption has been limited because of logistical considerations. More recent trials have investigated hypofractionated TRT in chemoradiotherapy. Advances in tumor targeting and radiation treatment planning have made this approach more feasible and reduced the risk for normal tissue toxicity. Adaptive radiotherapy uses changes in tumor volume to adjust the TRT treatment plan during therapy, and trials using this strategy are ongoing. Ongoing trials with proton therapy will provide initial efficacy and safety data.
The rat as a viable model for human cervical biomechanics: A quantitative anatomy study

With the increase in rat modeling for injury biomechanics, it is necessary to characterize the bony anatomy of the cervical spine of that species in order to evaluate it as a potential model system mimicking human injury. MicroCT images were acquired from rats and used to quantify several bony characteristics in the axial plane and across intervertebral levels. This study also developed scaled ratios of anatomical parameters to enable comparison to the human cervical spine, based on values reported in the literature. The normalized axial area of the vertebral body is similar in both the rat and human, but the aspect ratio of the vertebral body in the sagittal plane suggests the rat to have a more slender cervical spine than the human.
An Evaluation of FAS 159 Fair Value Option: Evidence from the Banking Industry

Whether the fair value option (FVO) of FAS 159 should be permitted is a controversial issue. I examine three research questions using a sample from the banking industry. First, I examine what factors are associated with the adoption of the FVO. Second, I examine whether firms use the FVO as intended by the FASB: reducing earnings volatility and simplifying hedge accounting treatments. Finally, I examine the value relevance of unrealized gains and losses recognized due to the FVO. I find that the determinants of using the FVO are associated with opportunistic motivation, such as earnings management and restructuring portfolios. Second, I find that banks (1) exploit the transitional adjustment provision allowed by FAS 159 to remove available-for-sale securities with loss positions without reporting the losses in earnings, and (2) report higher earnings than the target earnings by managing earnings through the FVO. Finally, I find that unrealized losses recognized due to the FVO are priced, whereas unrealized gains are not. Overall, the FVO seems to induce undesirable effects.
Socially Optimal Queuing Control in Cognitive Radio Networks Subject to Service Interruptions: To Queue or Not to Queue?

The main challenge to cognitive radio is the emergence of primary users, which can be considered as the service interruptions in a queuing system. The service interruption can incur significant delays for secondary users' data packets which are considered as secondary customers. Therefore, a secondary customer needs to decide whether to join the queue or leave for other means of transmission. It is shown that the individually optimal strategy for joining the queue is characterized by a threshold of queue length. When the current queue length is above this threshold, the secondary customer should leave; otherwise it should join the queue. The socially optimal threshold of queue length is also obtained and is numerically shown to be smaller than the individually optimal one, which implies that the individually optimal strategy does not yield the socially optimal one. To bridge the gap between the individually and socially optimal strategies, a pricing mechanism is proposed to toll the service of each secondary customer, thus equalizing the two optimal strategies. When the channel statistics are unknown, an online learning procedure, based on the Kiefer-Wolfowitz algorithm, is proposed. The proposed algorithms are then demonstrated using numerical simulations.
Cannabinoid Receptor Agonist Efficacy for Stimulating [35S]GTPγS Binding to Rat Cerebellar Membranes Correlates with Agonist-induced Decreases in GDP Affinity

Abstract The relationship between GDP and cannabinoid-stimulated [35S]guanosine-5′-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) ([35S]GTPγS) binding was investigated in rat cerebellar membranes. Kinetic analyses showed that [35S]GTPγS binding reached steady-state levels and that the association rate was increased by the agonist WIN 55212-2 proportional to the concentration of GDP. Dissociation of [35S]GTPγS occurred with two rates (t½ = 7 and 170 min), and WIN 55212-2 increased the proportion of sites exhibiting the faster rate. Without GDP, [35S]GTPγS bound to membranes with high and low affinity, and WIN 55212-2 had no effect. With 30 μm GDP, [35S]GTPγS bound to low and intermediate affinity sites, and WIN 55212-2 induced high affinity [35S]GTPγS binding without affecting low affinity sites. GDP competed for high affinity [35S]GTPγS binding with high and intermediate affinity in the absence of WIN 55212-2 and with high and low affinity in the presence of WIN 55212-2. Cannabinoid ligands displayed differential abilities to maximally stimulate [35S]GTPγS binding in the presence of GDP. Efficacy differences among ligands increased with increasing GDP concentrations. GDP competition curves revealed that agonists induced low affinity GDP K i values that were proportional to agonist E max values, indicating that agonist efficacy is determined by displacement of GDP from G-proteins.
Digital soil mapping of a red clay subsoil covered by loess

article i nfo Article history: A red clay subsoil iscommonly found inthe soils of the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, USA. The red clay is buried by alayerofloessandoccursonuplandsunderlainbydolostone.Itisassumedtohavederivedfromtheimpuritiesof the weathered dolostone. The red clay has implications for groundwater recharge and lateral flow of water through the landscape as well as the fixation of excess phosphorus from animal manure and inorganic fertilizers. Here we have produced digital soil maps at different levels of probability of the red clay presence, the depth to the red clay, and its thickness. Five hundred and sixty-one soil observations were made in a 7000 ha study area and were used to investigate the relationship of the red clay to landscape characteristics and short range soil variability. Soil observations and environmental data were used to create digital soil maps using regression models and kriging. Compared to the described soil series for the study area it was found that the red clay is less red, about 10 cm thinner and contains 15% less clay. At 60% probability, the model predicts 2600 ha with red clay compared to 3300 ha from the Soil Survey Geographic database (SSURGO), 2000 ha with a 30 to 55 cm loess cover (vs. 1600 ha from SSURGO) and 1700 ha with greater 15 cm red clay thickness (vs. 3300 ha from SSURGO). It is concluded that SSURGO overestimates the total area with red clay and the thickness of the clay. This study also showed how a clay subsoil can be mapped at different levels of probability. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Engineering surface-emitting annular Bragg lasers for single-mode, high-efficiency, high-power applications

Including the effect of vertical resonant emission, we analyze modal properties of surface-emitting annular Bragg lasers and suggest design guidelines with numerical demonstration of large-area, high-efficiency, single-mode lasing in such lasers.
A Multidisciplinary First-Year Seminar about Tuberculosis

In 1995, more people died of TB than in any other year in history. At least thirty million people will die from tuberculosis in the next ten years if current trends continue. Millions more will watch helplessly as friends and family members waste away, racked with coughing and sweating with fever. They may wish that medical science could cure this terrible disease. The truth is, medical science can. Since 1952, the world has had effective and powerful drugs that could make every single TB patient well again.
A Comparison of Older vs. Newer Over-the-Counter (OTC) Nonprescription Drug Labels on Search Time Accuracy

The present study evaluated response time and accuracy to answer a series of questions of information in 16 (8 older and 8 newer ‘Drug Facts’) over-the-counter (OTC) drug labels. The newer labels include aspects, based on previous research, which should benefit performance. The results indicated that participant's response times were significantly faster with the newer labels compared to the older ones. However, this was not true of all OTC product samples. Accuracy was high (error rate low) for both label formats. Response times for females were significantly faster than males for both label types. The benefits of formatting text for facilitating information acquisition from drug labels and other kinds of printed information are discussed.
Analysis for Science Librarians of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: DNA Repair Mechanisms

ABSTRACTThe 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recognized three scientists for their contributions to understanding the mechanisms of DNA repair. Tomas Lindahl discovered the mechanism—base excision repair—by which individual bases, damaged by degradation, for example, are repaired. Paul Modrich showed how DNA repairs mismatched bases that occur during DNA replication. Aziz Sancar elucidated the complete mechanism for nucleotide excision repair, the process by which DNA damaged by UV irradiation or other mutagenic agents is fixed. Without these mechanisms, life as we know it would not exist due to the number of errors and mutations that appear in DNA.
Dispersion of Ceramic Particles in Organic Liquids

Good dispersion of oxide ceramics in organic solvents can be achieved using many different dispersants. Several types of dispersants, including fatty acids, coupling agents, polar aromatic compounds and polymers, are discussed to illustrate the important phenomena. Many new problems arise in actual slips during ceramics processing; these are briefly discussed.
Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition of Zn-In-Sn-O and Ga-In-Sn-O Transparent Conducting Oxide Thin Films

The metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technique has been successfully applied for growth of Sn-doped transparent, conducting Zn-In-O and Ga-In-O films using Sn(acac) 2 , In(dpm) 3 , Ga(dpm) 3 , and Zn(dpm) 2 , as volatile precursors. The 25 °C electrical conductivity of the as-grown films is as high as 1030 S/cm (n-type, carrier density N = 4.5 × 10 20 cm −3 , mobility µ = 14.3 cm 2 /V•s) for the Zn-In-O series and 700 S/cm (n-type, N = 8.1 × 10 19 cm −3 , µ = 55.2 cm 2 /V•s) for the Ga-In-O series. After Sn-doping, the Zn-In-O series exhibits 25 'C electrical conductivities as high as 2290 S/cm with a higher carrier mobility, while the Ga-InO series exhibits higher electrical conductivity (3280 S/cm at 25 °C) and much higher carrier density, but with diminished mobility. All films show broader optical transparency windows than that of commercial ITO films. Reductive annealing, carried out at 400-425 °C in a flowing gas mixture of H 2 (4%) and N 2 , results in increased carrier density and mobility as high as 64.6 cm 2 /V•s for films without Sn doping, but lowered carrier density for the Sn-doped films. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, micro diffraction, and high-resolution X-ray analysis show that all films with good conductivity have cubic, homogeneously doped In 2 O 3 -like crystal structures.
Portal Venous Occlusion An Unusual Cause of Ascites in a Patient with Jejunoileal Bypass

Morbidly obese patients are significantly more susceptible to clotting phenomena, including recurrent deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary emboli, inferior vena caval thrombosis, and renal vein thrombosis. The patient described in this report developed the sudden onset of massive ascites two years following jejunoileal bypass for morbid obesity. Occlusion of the portal vein and its tributaries was demonstrated. Our experience and one previous report suggest that portal vein thrombosis may be a rare complication of this surgical procedure.
Characterization of Calmodulin Binding to the Ryanodine Receptor by Solution and Solid-State NMR

Calmodulin (CaM) is a 16.7 kDa, Ca2+-sensing protein that regulates a number of cellular targets based on the amount of Ca2+ available in a cell. One of CaM's cellular targets is the ryanodine receptor (RyR), a tetrameric Ca2+ channel involved in Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in myocytes. CaM's regulation of the RyR has been shown to be disrupted due to both oxidative modification and naturally occurring mutations in CaM, however the structural aspects of CaM's binding to the full RyR, and how this binding is disrupted in disease states, has not been completely characterized.By applying a combination of solution and solid-state NMR techniques we are able to characterize the structure and dynamics of CaM's binding interaction with the RyR on a residue-specific basis in a biologically relevant environment. Solution-state NMR experiments provide an assessment of the changes in fast timescale dynamics with exposure to the SR, while magic angle spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR in both extracted SR and reconstituted lipids characterize conformational and topological changes with CaM in the presence of the RyR. Our results indicate that CaM does exhibit changes in chemical shift and dynamics in the presence of the RyR, and that oxidation and disease mutations of CaM exhibit structural and dynamics changes compared to WT CaM. These results are being applied toward the determination of a structural model for CaM bound to the RyR, and structural models of how this interaction is altered in the development of disease states.
Multiphase CFD Simulation of Flow Inside Liquid Seal Drums of the Refinery Flare System

The present work deals with improving the reliability of the liquid seal drum in the refinery flare system. CFD (based on volume of fluid concept) as well as theoretical modeling have been used for...
Antarctic subglacial lakes drain through sediment-floored canals: theory and model testing on real and idealized domains

Abstract. Over the past decade, satellite observations of ice surface height have revealed that active subglacial lake systems are widespread under the Antarctic Ice Sheet, including the ice streams. For some of these systems, additional observations of ice-stream motion have shown that lake activity can affect ice-stream dynamics. Despite all this new information, we still have insufficient understanding of the lake-drainage process to incorporate it into ice-sheet models. Process models for drainage of ice-dammed lakes based on conventional R-channels incised into the base of the ice through melting are unable to reproduce the timing and magnitude of drainage from Antarctic subglacial lakes estimated from satellite altimetry given the low hydraulic gradients along which such lakes drain. We have developed an alternative process model, in which channels are mechanically eroded into the underlying deformable subglacial sediment. When applied to the known active lakes of the Whillans–Mercer ice-stream system, the model successfully reproduced both the inferred magnitudes and recurrence intervals of lake-volume changes, derived from Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) laser altimeter data for the period 2003–2009. Water pressures in our model changed as the flood evolved: during drainage, water pressures initially increased as water flowed out of the lake primarily via a distributed system, then decreased as the channelized system grew, establishing a pressure gradient that drew water away from the distributed system. This evolution of the drainage system can result in the observed internal variability of ice flow over time. If we are correct that active subglacial lakes drain through canals in the sediment, this mechanism also implies that active lakes are typically located in regions underlain by thick subglacial sediment, which may explain why they are not readily observed using radio-echo-sounding techniques.
Composite flywheel material design for high-speed energy storage

Lamina and laminate mechanical properties of materials suitable for flywheel high-speed energy storage were investigated. Low density, low modulus and high strength composite material properties were implemented for the constant stress portion of the flywheel while higher density, higher modulus and strength were implemented for the constant thickness portion of the flywheel. Design and stress analysis were used to determine the maximum energy densities and shape factors for the flywheel. Analytical studies along with the use of the CADEC-online software were used to evaluate the lamina and laminate properties. This study found that a hybrid composite of M46J/epoxy–T1000G/epoxy for the flywheel exhibits a higher energy density when compared to known existing flywheel hybrid composite materials such as boron/epoxy–graphite/epoxy. Results from this study will contribute to further development of the flywheel that has recently re-emerged as a promising application for energy storage due to significant improvements in composite materials and technology.
Independent Power Measures

Let G be a locally compact abelian group with dual group Γ and μ ∈ M(G). The measure μ has independent powers, or μ is i.p., if μm ⊥ μn whenever 0 ≤ m < n < ∞. The measure μ has strongly independent powers, or μ is strongly i.p., if δ(x)*μ m ⊥ μ n for 0 ≤m < n < ∞ and all x ∈ G. The measure μ is tame if for each ψ ∈ ΔM(G) there exist a ∈ C and γ ∈ Γ such that ψ μ = aγ a.e. dμ. The measure μ is monotrochic if for each ψ ∈ ΔM(G) there exists r ∈ [0, 1] such that |ψ μ | = r a.e. dμ. The measure μ is strongly tame or strongly monotrochic if the preceding holds for all ψ ∈ ΔN where N is the L-subalgebra of M(G) generated by μ. The measure μ is Hermitian if \(\tilde{\mu }\) = μ.
Postoperative Arrhythmias: Diagnosis and Management

Postoperative arrhythmias are common and a major source of comorbidity. Atrial fibrillation is by far the commonest arrhythmia. Patients with underlying structural heart disease are the most at risk. Increased catecholamine state, fluid imbalance, myocardial ischemia, and electrolyte abnormalities are important predisposing factors. The primary focus in addressing any postoperative arrhythmia should be on the patient and the clinical situation. Patients with pacemakers or implantable defibrillators may require preoperative reprogramming of their device. In this chapter, we review the etiologies, general approach, and diagnosis and management of arrhythmias in the postoperative period.
Life satisfaction, overweightness and obesity

Abstract: Many economists share the view that the rise in obesity is largely the result of rational decision-making by individuals who compare risks and benefits. A dominant view among economists is that there is no economic justification for government intervention unless there is a market failure. However, recent developments in behavioral economics suggests that people often fail to make optimal decisions, and that public welfare may be improved by government interventions even when there is no externality. This paper examines the association between one’s body weight and life satisfaction by utilizing data on self-reported life satisfaction, which approximates individual utility, after briefly reviewing the economics of obesity and discussing the rationale and justification of obesity-related policies. Using a large data set (N = 1,465,219), it is found that life satisfaction of people who are overweight or obese is lower. The adverse life satisfaction effect of obesity remains statistically significant, even when socioeconomic factors and obesity-related health variables are controlled. The findings suggest that many overweight and obese people may be making sub-optimal decisions when it comes to eating. While the findings are not causal and thus do not necessarily suggest that government intervention will be welfare-enhancing even in the absence of negative externalities, effective anti-obesity policies may lead to higher life satisfaction among many overweight people who are struggling with self-control problems.
DXNN: A Case Study

This chapter presents a case study of a memetic algorithm based TWEANN system that I developed in Erlang, called DXNN. Here we will discuss how DXNN functions, how it is implemented, and the various details and implementation choices I made while building it, and why. We also discuss the various features that it has, the features which we will eventually need to add to the system we’re building together. Our system has a much cleaner and decoupled implementation, and which by the time we’ve reached the last chapter will supersede DXNN in every way.
Flipping Health Sciences

Clinical Chemistry and Instrumentation is a senior-level course in the Idaho State University (ISU) Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) program. The aim of the MLS program is to provide required theoretical and practical knowledge for the MLS professional. Clinical Chemistry and Instrumentation involves theoretical and applied aspects of clinical chemistry and emphasizes development, validation, and diagnostic use of lab tests.
Sarcomere Lengthdependent Effects on the Ca2+-Troponin Regulation in Skinned Myocardial Fiber from Titin RBM20 Deletion Mice

The length dependent activation of the myofilaments has been considered the cellular basis underlying the Frank-Starling law of the heart trough dynamic and complex interplays between a multitude of thick- and thin-filament components. Among these components, both troponin and giant protein titin are likely key players, but the mechanism, by which the length dependent myofilament Ca2+ regulation is linked functionally to titin, is elusive. In this study we investigate the link using in situ FRET technique to monitor how the length dependent Ca2+-induced conformational change of the N-domain of cTnC within myocardium is modulated by alteration of titin compliance that directly determines the passive tension of myocardium. To achieve the objective, FRET donor and acceptor modified cTnC(13C/51C)AEDANS-DDPM was reconstituted into chemically-skinned myocardial fibers from wild-type mice and RBM20 deficient mice that expresses more compliant N2BA titin. The Ca2+-induced conformational change in cTnC under different conditions were quantitatively characterized using time-resolved FRET measurements. Our results from wild type myocardium showed that sarcomere length dependent enhancement of Ca2+-troponin regulation was found to be directly associated with strong crossbridge and it was diminished when the strong crossbridge was inhibited. When measurements were performed with skinned myocardial fibers from RBM20 deletion animals, the length dependent change was blunted. These results support that titin based passive tension development of myocardium is indeed involved in sarcomere length modulated Ca2+-troponin regulation and that the strong crossbridge plays an important role in linking the modulatory effect of titin compliance to Ca2+-troponin regulation.
In between leaving and being left behind: mediating the mobilities and immobilities of Indonesian non‐migrants

In this article, I consider how and why some non-migrants partially inhabit migrant subjectivities. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Central Java, Indonesia, I describe the experiences of those who embarked on pre-departure migration processes, but failed to leave the country. Men were often victims of fraud; women typically ran away from the confines of training centres. When redirected away from the border spaces of airports and recruitment centres, they typically identify themselves and are perceived by kin and neighbours as ‘former’ transnational migrants. I analyse how migration infrastructure – intersecting institutions, agents and technologies – produces such subjectivities in-between conventional migrant and non-migrant categories. These positions in between leaving and staying illuminate the infrastructural conditions that enable, constrain and mediate transnational mobilities. These cases of non-departure show the expansive social and spatial effects of migration infrastructure beyond the facilitation of transnational movement. Such less considered (im)mobilities of non-migrants point to the diverse ways in which migration institutions and agents mediate the circulation of persons between and within national borders.
Dose as a Tool for Planning and Implementing Community-Based Health Strategies.

A major challenge in community-based health promotion is implementing strategies that could realistically improve health at the population level. Population dose methodology was developed to help understand the combined impact of multiple strategies on population-level health behaviors. This paper describes one potential use of dose: as a tool for working collaboratively with communities to increase impact when planning and implementing community-level initiatives. Findings are presented from interviews conducted with 11 coordinators who used dose for planning and implementing local efforts with community coalitions. During early-stage planning, dose was used as a tool for strategic planning, and as a framework to build consensus among coalition partners. During implementation, a dose lens was used to revise strategies to increase their reach (the number of people exposed to the intervention) or strength (the relative change in behavior for each exposed person) to create population-level impact. A case study is presented, illustrating how some community coalitions and evaluators currently integrate dose into the planning and implementation of place-based healthy eating and active living strategies. Finally, a planning checklist was developed for program coordinators and evaluators. Supplement information This article is part of a supplement entitled Building Thriving Communities Through Comprehensive Community Health Initiatives, which is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, Community Health.
Multi-layered Born scattering model for 3D phase imaging with multiple scattering objects

We demonstrate a 3D phase imaging model for scattering objects with intensity-only measurements taken with patterned illumination in an LED array microscope. 3D refractive index (RI) of polystyrene beads is recovered, and the preliminary results indicate that the proposed model outperforms existing methods in terms of quantitative accuracy of RI.
Testing as Feedback to Inform Teaching

Beginning with a procedure that bypasses the linear-dependency problem with alternative-answer scoring, this chapter proposes a way to use large-scale testing for both summative (administrative) and formative (diagnostic) purposes. It builds a model for the dynamics of learning using an adaptation of the multinomial procedure to obtain estimates of the proportion of variability explained. This alternative to current test scoring is based on cross-tabulating all answers. It trebles the information available from large-scale testing. Interview-based interpretations and actual student responses are used to provide examples of learning patterns derived from response evaluation interpretation. Illustrations of how RSE scoring can inform teaching are presented.
Separation of highly charged (+5 to +10) amphipathic α-helical peptide standards by cation-exchange and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract We are currently examining the potential of amphipathic cationic α-helical peptides as a new generation of peptide standards for both cation-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography and reversed-phase chromatography. Thus, amphipathic peptides are particularly suitable for high-performance liquid chromatography standards due to the preferred binding of the non-polar face to the hydrophobic stationary phase of reversed-phase packings or the preferred binding of the polar face to the charged/hydrophilic stationary phase of cation-exchange packings. The ability of different reversed-phase or cation-exchange matrices to separate mixtures of peptide standards with only subtle hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity variations in both the non-polar and polar face of the peptides can then be assessed. Currently, we have designed de novo a mixture of six 26-residue all D-conformation amphipathic cationic α-helical peptides with a single, positively charged lysine residue in the center of the non-polar face and an increasing number of lysine residues (4–9 residues) replacing neutral residues in the polar face, resulting in an overall net positive charge of +5 to +10. Thus, the non-polar, preferred reversed-phase chromatography binding face remains constant, with only the polar face varying in hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity. Interestingly, even with the non-polar face remaining constant, reversed-phase columns of varying functional group properties (e.g., C8, C18, phenyl, polar endcapped, polar embedded) and porosity (porous versus superficially porous) were able to separate the six peptides in aq. TFA/acetonitrile gradients, albeit with different selectivities. The value of the standards in cation-exchange chromatography was expressed by monitoring the requirement of acetonitrile (0–40% in the mobile phase) to overcome hydrophobic interactions of the peptides with the cation-exchange matrix matrix when eluting with sodium perchlorate gradients at pH 6.5. Interestingly, the resolution of the higher charged peptides (+8,+9,+10) was particularly sensitive to acetonitrile levels. Our results clearly demonstrate the excellent potential of these novel peptide standards to enable optimal column choice and mobile phase conditions for reversed-phase chromatography and cation-exchange chromatography for peptide separations.
Roman1 Catholic Pastoral Theology: An Adolescent Ministry Scholar’s Perspective

The article demonstrates a need and placement of Roman Catholic pastoral theology and serves to offer important revelations about the state of pastoral theology in the Catholic tradition. The overa...
Evolving from Single Disciplines to Renaissance Teams

Over 25 years, a capstone engineering course has evolved and refined into a User-Centered Interdisciplinary Concurrent System Design Methodology (UICSM) that integrates students from multiple disciplines to design and implement a unified system to meet the constraints of a real customer. This chapter sketches the origins of the methodology, outlines UICSM, illustrates the interactions between disciplines, demonstrates monitoring of the design process, and summarizes lessons learned.
Post-Transplant Discharge to Rehabilitation Facility Is Associated with Increased All-Cause and Non-Relapse Mortality

Introduction Stem cell transplant (SCT) is associated with deconditioning and variable need for assistance in instrumental activities of daily living at discharge. Discharge to a rehabilitation facility (RF, [e.g.: skilled nursing (SNF) or inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF)]) is preferentially avoided due to immunocompromised state and lack of post-transplant expertise. Despite this risk, there are no published reports of poor patient outcomes in SCT recipients discharged to RF. We hypothesized that patients discharged to RF following SCT would experience increased non-relapse mortality (NRM) and decreased overall survival (OS) compared to those discharged to home. Methods A retrospective, matched case-control study was conducted using a case-control ratio of 1:4. The study period included 2007-2017 and cases included patients discharged to SNF or IRF following initial hospital admission for SCT. Controls were matched by autologous or allogeneic source and date of transplant. Pre- and during transplant risk factors for RF discharge were explored. NRM and OS were described via Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test. Results Over the 10 year period, 2245 transplants were performed with 56 cases identified (3% incidence; 2% allogeneic, 3% autologous). Increasing age, decreasing albumin, female sex, reduced-intensity conditioning regimen, and high risk hematopoietic cell transplant comorbidity index (HCT-CI) score were associated with increased risk of RF discharge (table 1). During transplant, culture-positive or serologically confirmed infection (odds ratio [OR]: 2.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.36 – 4.69, p=0.0027) and new or worsening arrhythmia (OR: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.39 – 6.16, p=0.0058) were associated with increased risk of RF discharge. One-year OS and NRM were better for home compared to RF discharged patients (OS: 88.8% [95% CI: 83.6-92.4%] v. 70.5% [95% CI: 55.8% - 81.1%], p = 0.0055; NRM: 4.9% [95% CI: 2.6% - 8.9%] v. 14.6% [95% CI: 7.2% - 28.4%], p = 0.0237). OS for allogeneic RF discharges was 82.4% at 100 days (95% CI: 54.7% - 92.9%) and 38.8% at 1 year (95% CI: 16.3% - 61.1%). OS and NRM are shown in Figures 1 and 2. Discussion We have demonstrated greater odds of all-cause and non-relapse mortality associated with RF compared to home discharge. Early OS for autologous RF discharges is similar to allogeneic home discharges. The risk of RF discharge may be reduced by mitigating pre-transplant factors including nutritional status and HCT-CI. In cancer care, pre-habilitation is any intervention prior to cancer-directed therapy designed to increase tolerability. Our identification of pre-transplant risk factors for RF discharge warrants further prospective study of pre-habilitation, especially as it relates to nutritional status. Exploring the role of caregiver status for female gender transplant recipients requires further exploration.
Multilayer hyperbolic metamaterial based on alternating TiO2/Cu layers

A multilayer hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM), fabricated from alternating thin films of metal and dielectric, displays a hyperbolic, anisotropic dispersion relation due to the coupling of excited surface plasmons. The design, fabrication, and characterization of an HMM based on TiO2 / Cu alternating layers with a metal-to-dielectric fill factor of 67% is presented. The layers were deposited onto glass and silicon substrates using physical vapor deposition (PVD) with an electron beam evaporator and then characterized using ellipsometry. According to the effective medium theory, this design shows an epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) line near the Helium-Neon wavelength of 633 nm. Our experimental measurements are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.
Approximate maximum entropy principles via Goemans-Williamson with applications to provable variational methods

The well known maximum-entropy principle due to Jaynes, which states that given mean parameters, the maximum entropy distribution matching them is in an exponential family has been very popular in machine learning due to its “Occam’s razor” interpretation. Unfortunately, calculating the potentials in the maximum entropy distribution is intractable [BGS14]. We provide computationally efficient versions of this principle when the mean parameters are pairwise moments: we design distributions that approximately match given pairwise moments, while having entropy which is comparable to the maximum entropy distribution matching those moments. We additionally provide surprising applications of the approximate maximum entropy principle to designing provable variational methods for partition function calculations for Ising models without any assumptions on the potentials of the model. More precisely, we show that we can get approximation guarantees for the log-partition function comparable to those in the low-temperature limit, which is the setting of optimization of quadratic forms over the hypercube. ([AN06])
Transcriptome analysis of Sézary syndrome and lymphocytic-variant hypereosinophilic syndrome T cells reveals common and divergent genes

Sezary syndrome (SS) is an aggressive cutaneous T cell lymphoma with pruritic skin inflammation and immune dysfunction, driven by neoplastic, clonal memory T cells in both peripheral blood and skin. To gain insight into abnormal gene expression promoting T cell dysfunction, lymphoproliferation and transformation in SS, we first compared functional transcriptomic profiles of both resting and activated CD4+CD45RO+ T cells from SS patients and normal donors to identified differential expressed genes. Next, a meta-analysis was performed to compare our SS data to public microarray data from a novel benign disease control, lymphocytic-variant hypereosinophilic syndrome (L-HES). L-HES is a rare, clonal lymphoproliferation of abnormal memory T cells that produces similar clinical symptoms as SS, including severe pruritus and eosinophilia. Comparison revealed gene sets specific for either SS (370 genes) or L-HES (519 genes), and a subset of 163 genes that were dysregulated in both SS and L-HES T cells compared to normal donor T cells. Genes confirmed by RT-qPCR included elevated expression of PLS3, TWIST1 and TOX only in SS, while IL17RB mRNA was increased only in L-HES. CDCA7 was increased in both diseases. In an L-HES patient who progressed to peripheral T cell lymphoma, the malignant transformation identified increases in the expression of CDCA7, TIGIT, and TOX, which are highly expressed in SS, suggesting that these genes contribute to neoplastic transformation. In summary, we have identified gene expression biomarkers that implicate a common transformative mechanism and others that are unique to differentiate SS from L-HES.
Timing of Adjuvant Radiation Therapy and Risk of Wound-Related Complications Among Patients With Spinal Metastatic Disease

Study Design:This was an epidemiological study using national administrative data from the MarketScan database.Objective:To investigate the impact of early versus delayed adjuvant radiotherapy (RT)...
High-affinity recognition of specific tRNAs by an mRNA anticodon-binding groove

T-box riboswitches are modular bacterial noncoding RNAs that sense and regulate amino acid availability through direct interactions with tRNAs. Between the 5' anticodon-binding stem I domain and the 3' amino acid sensing domains of most T-boxes lies the stem II domain of unknown structure and function. Here, we report a 2.8-A cocrystal structure of the Nocardia farcinica ileS T-box in complex with its cognate tRNAIle. The structure reveals a perpendicularly arranged ultrashort stem I containing a K-turn and an elongated stem II bearing an S-turn. Both stems rest against a compact pseudoknot, dock via an extended ribose zipper and jointly create a binding groove specific to the anticodon of its cognate tRNA. Contrary to proposed distal contacts to the tRNA elbow region, stem II locally reinforces the codon-anticodon interactions between stem I and tRNA, achieving low-nanomolar affinity. This study illustrates how mRNA junctions can create specific binding sites for interacting RNAs of prescribed sequence and structure.
Aerosol Acidity Sensing via Polymer Degradation.

The acidity of atmospheric aerosols is a critical property that affects the chemistry and composition of the atmosphere. Many key multiphase chemical reactions are pH-dependent, impacting processes like secondary organic aerosol formation, and need to be understood at a single particle level due to differences in particle-to-particle composition that impact both climate and health. However, the analytical challenge of measuring aerosol acidity in individual particles has limited pH measurements for fine (<2.5 μm) and coarse (2.5-10 μm) particles. This has led to a reliance on indirect methods or thermodynamic modeling, which focus on average, not individual, particle pH. Thus, new approaches are needed to probe single particle pH. In this study, a novel method for pH measurement was explored using degradation of a pH-sensitive polymer, poly(e-caprolactone), to determine the acidity of individual submicron particles. Submicron particles of known pH (0 or 6) were deposited on a polymer film (21-25 nm thick) and allowed to react. Particles were then rinsed off, and the degradation of the polymer was characterized using atomic force microscopy and Raman microspectroscopy. After degradation, holes in the PCL films exposed to pH 0 were observed, and the loss of the carbonyl stretch was monitored at 1723 cm-1. As particle size decreased, polymer degradation increased, indicating an increase in aerosol acidity at smaller particle diameters. This study describes a new approach to determine individual particle acidity and is a step toward addressing a key measurement gap related to our understanding of atmospheric aerosol impacts on climate and health.
KAONIC MASS BY CRITICAL ABSORPTION OF KAONIC-ATOM X-RAYS

The energy of x rays from the transition $6h\ensuremath{\rightarrow}5g$ in kaonic atoms of potassium falls on the $K$ absorption edge of erbium. Measurement of the kaonic-x-ray attenuation in a precisely calibrated set of Er foils yields the x-ray energy 57 458.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}6.3 eV. The kaon mass is related to energy through the Klein-Gordon equation plus corrections for radiative effects, electron screening, and other effects. The negative-kaon mass was found to be 493.640\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.054 ${\mathrm{M}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathit{c}}^{2}$ in agreement with the currently accepted value 493.669\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.018 ${\mathrm{M}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathit{c}}^{2}$ which was determined from x rays emitted by high-$Z$ atoms where the corrections were larger than for $Z=19$.
Variability in Experience Performing Lower Extremity Amputations Between Surgical Residents: An Examination Of ACGME Case Logs.

Background There is a wide array of indications for lower extremity amputation (LEA) and inherent variability in operative experiences between surgical residents. Significant variation in resident surgical experience performing LEAs is possible. Objective To identify inter- and intra-specialty trends and variability in LEA experience in graduating orthopedic surgery, general surgery, and vascular surgery residents from 2007-2017. Methods Publicly available ACGME case log data for above knee amputation, below knee amputation, and transmetatarsal/ digital amputation procedures from accredited orthopaedic surgery, general surgery, traditional (5+2) vascular surgery and integrated (0+5) vascular surgery residencies was reviewed from 2007-2017. Linear regression analysis was used to identify temporal trends, with statistical significance set at p<0.05. Results From 2007-2017, the mean number of total LEA, AKA, and BKA performed by graduating orthopaedic surgery residents did not change significantly. The mean number of total LEAs logged by graduating general surgery and integrated (0+5) vascular surgery residents did not change significantly over time (p=0.98, p=0.23, respectively). The mean number of total LEAs logged by traditional (5+2) vascular surgery residents increased from 16.0 to 32.6 (p<0.01). As study year increased, graduating integrated (0+5) and traditional (5+2) vascular surgery residents logged more LEAs relative to graduating orthopaedic surgery and general surgery residents (p<0.01). Conclusions There is significant variation in resident experience in LEAs between surgical specialties. Integrated vascular surgery residents logged the most LEAs, followed by traditional vascular surgery residents, orthopaedic surgery residents, and general surgery residents. Experience of orthopaedic surgery residents in LEAs has been relatively stable over time.Level of Evidence: IV.
Effect of bowel preparation volume in inpatient colonoscopy. Results of a prospective, randomized, comparative pilot study.

Inpatient status has been shown to be a predictor of poor bowel preparation for colonoscopy; however, the optimal bowel preparation regimen for hospitalized patients is unknown. Our aim was to compare the efficacy of bowel preparation volume size in hospitalized patients undergoing inpatient colonoscopy. This prospective, single blinded (endoscopist), randomized controlled trial was conducted as a pilot study at a tertiary referral medical center. Hospitalized patients undergoing inpatient colonoscopy were assigned randomly to receive a high, medium, or low-volume preparation. Data collection included colon preparation quality, based on the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale, and a questionnaire given to all subjects evaluating the ability to completely finish bowel preparation and adverse effects (unpleasant taste, nausea, and vomiting). Twenty-five colonoscopies were performed in 25 subjects. Patients who received low-volume preparation averaged a higher mean total BBPS (7.4, SD 1.62), in comparison to patients who received high-volume (7.0, SD 1.41) and medium-volume prep (6.9, SD 1.55), P = 0.77. When evaluating taste a higher score meant worse taste. The low-volume group scored unpleasant taste as 0.6 (0.74), while the high-volume group gave unpleasant taste a score of 2.2 (0.97) and the medium-volume group gave a score of 2.1 (1.36), P < 0.01. In this pilot study we found that low-volume colon preparation may be preferred in the inpatient setting due its better rate of tolerability and comparable bowel cleanliness when compared to larger volume preparation, although we cannot overreach any definitive conclusion. Further more robust studies are required to confirm these findings. The Affect of Low-Volume Bowel Preparation for Hospitalized Patients Colonoscopies. Trial registration: NCT01978509 (terminated). Retrospectively registered on November 07, 2013.
Numerical Study of a Dual Representation of the Integer Quantum Hall Transition

We study the critical properties of the noninteracting integer quantum Hall to insulator transition (IQHIT) in a "dual" composite-fermion (CF) representation. A key advantage of the CF representation over electron coordinates is that at criticality CF states are delocalized at all energies. The CF approach thus enables us to study the transition from a new vantage point. Using a lattice representation of CF mean-field theory, we compute the critical and multifractal exponents of the IQHIT. We obtain ν=2.56±0.02 and η=0.51±0.01, both of which are consistent with the predictions of the Chalker-Coddington network model formulated in the electron representation.