cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of an exercise intervention on body composition, fat distribution, and weight in breast cancer survivors

590 Background: Recent research has demonstrated that obesity increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer recurrence. Although the mechanism is not well understood, it is known that obese women have ...
High-speed modulation in ladder transitions in Rb atoms using high-pressure buffer gas

Modulators using atomic systems are often limited in speed by the rate of spontaneous emission. One approach for overcoming this limit is to make use of a buffer gas such as Ethane, which causes rapid fine structure mixing of the P(1/2) and P(3/2) states, and broadens the absorption spectra of the D1 and D2 lines in alkali atoms. Employing this effect, we show that one can achieve high speed modulation using ladder transitions in Rubidium. We demonstrate a 100-fold increase, due to the addition of the buffer gas, in the modulation bandwidth using the 5S-5P-5D cascade system. The observed bandwidth of ~200 MHz is within a factor of 2.5 of the upper bound of ~0.51 GHz for the system used, and is limited by various practical constraints in our experiment. We also present numerical simulations for the system and predict that a much higher modulation speed should be achievable under suitable conditions. In combination with a tapered nano fiber or a SiN waveguide, it has the potential to be used for high-speed, low-power all-optical modulation.
Pemetrexed overcomes primary and secondary resistance to erlotinib in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines

17040 Background: Erlotinib (E) and pemetrexed (P) have proven single agent activity in advanced NSCLC after first-line chemotherapy. The presence of K-Ras or EGFR T790M mutations in NSCLC tumors h...
Neuroinflammation: a precursor and promoter of oncogenesis

*Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37212, USA; MyGenetx Clinical Laboratories, Franklin, TN 37067, USA; Tel.: +1 615 550 5880; david.j.vigerust@vanderbilt.edu
Verifying quantum superpositions at metre scales.

While the existence of quantum superpositions of massive particles over microscopic separations has been established since the birth of quantum mechanics, the maintenance of superposition states over macroscopic separations is a subject of modern experimental tests. In Ref. [1], T. Kovachy et al. report on applying optical pulses to place a freely falling Bose-Einstein condensate into a superposition of two trajectories that separate by an impressive distance of 54 cm before being redirected toward one another. When the trajectories overlap, a final optical pulse produces interference with high contrast, but with random phase, between the two wave packets. Contrary to claims made in Ref. [1], we argue that the observed interference is consistent with, but does not prove, that the spatially separated atomic ensembles were in a quantum superposition state. Therefore, the persistence of such superposition states remains experimentally unestablished.
CLINICAL PROBLEM-SOLVING. Prevention as Precipitant.

Two days after undergoing uncomplicated bilateral total knee arthroplasties, a 72-year-old man had a temperature of 101°F and a pruritic, erythematous rash that originated on his trunk and spread peripherally to his arms and upper thighs over the course of 24 hours.
The Senate Has No Constitutional Obligation to Consider Nominees

After the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, Senate Republicans announced they would refuse to consider any nomination for his seat on the Supreme Court prior to the next presidential election. In response, some have argued that the Senate has a constitutional obligation to act on a Supreme Court nomination. This argument finds no support in the relevant constitutional text, constitutional structure, or the history of judicial nominations. While there are strong policy and prudential arguments that the Senate should promptly consider any and all nominations to legislatively authorized seats on the federal bench, and on the Supreme Court in particular, the argument that the Senate has some sort of constitutional obligation to take specific actions in response to a judicial nomination is erroneous.
The Difference a Whole Woman Makes: Protection for the Abortion Right After Whole Woman's Health

In this essay we consider the implications of Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt for the future of abortion regulation. We draw on our recent article on health-justified abortion restrictions — Casey and the Clinic Closings: When “Protecting Health” Obstructs Choice, 125 Yale L.J. 1428 (2016) — to describe the social movement strategy and the lower court rulings that led to the Supreme Court’s decision. We show that in Whole Woman’s Health the Court applies the undue burden framework of Planned Parenthood v. Casey in ways that have the potential to reshape the abortion conflict. In Whole Woman’s Health, the Court insisted on an evidentiary basis for a state’s claim to restrict abortion in the interests of protecting women’s health. The Court required judges to balance the demonstrated benefit of the law against the burden that a shrunken abortion infrastructure will have on the ability of women to exercise their constitutional rights. A crucial aspect of the Court’s decision in Whole Woman’s Health is the guidance it provides judges in determining the burdens and benefits to balance in the Casey framework. Particularly notable, even unexpected, is the Court’s capacious understanding of “burden” as the cumulative impact of abortion regulation on women’s experience of exercising their constitutional rights. By clarifying what counts as a burden and what counts as a benefit to be balanced within the Casey framework, the decision constrains regulations explicitly aimed at protecting fetal life as well as those ostensibly intended to protect women’s health. In these and other ways, Whole Woman’s Health robustly reaffirms judicial protection for the abortion right.
Microbial fuel cell fed by Barnett Shale produced water: Power production by hypersaline autochthonous bacteria and coupling to a desalination unit

Abstract Hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas production can generate large volumes of highly saline produced waters that pose a significant disposal challenge and a potential opportunity for reuse. Here, we report on a microbial fuel cell (MFC) fed with produced water (Barnett Shale), which produced power (47 mW/m2) and accomplished a COD removal efficiency of 68% (influent COD 10,520 ± 1340 mg/L). Bacterial population analysis showed two autochthonous halophilic species colonizing the anode, H. praevalens and M. hydrocarbonoclasticus. In addition, we demonstrated that hypersaline MFCs (100 g/L NaCl) can produce electricity to power a capacitive deionization (CDI) device for desalination, with a salt adsorption capacity of up to 40 mg of salt per g of carbon electrode. This is the first report of a MFC operating with hypersaline produced water, and illustrates the potential to couple MFCs with CDI to enable desalination and reuse of hypersaline wastewaters.
The Privilege of Induction Avoidance and Calcineurin Inhibitors Withdrawal in 2 Haplotype HLA Matched White Kidney Transplantation.

BACKGROUND White recipients of 2-haplotype HLA-matched living kidney transplants are perceived to be of low immunologic risk. Little is known about the safety of induction avoidance and calcineurin inhibitor withdrawal in these patients. METHODS We reviewed our experience at a single center and compared it to Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) registry data and only included 2-haplotype HLA-matched white living kidney transplants recipients between 2000 and 2013. RESULTS There were 56 recipients in a single center (where no induction was given) and 2976 recipients in the OPTN. Among the OPTN recipients, 1285 received no induction, 903 basiliximab, 608 thymoglobulin, and 180 alemtuzumab. First-year acute rejection rates were similar after induction-free transplantation among the center and induced groups nationally. Compared with induction-free transplantation in the national data, there was no decrease in graft failure risk over 13 years with use of basiliximab (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.86; confidence interval [CI], 0.68-1.08), Thymoglobulin (aHR, 0.92; CI, 0.7-1.21) or alemtuzumab (aHR, 1.18; CI, 0.72-1.93). Among induction-free recipients at the center, calcineurin inhibitor withdrawal at 1 year (n = 27) did not significantly impact graft failure risk (HR,1.62; CI, 0.38-6.89). CONCLUSIONS This study may serve as a foundation for further studies to provide personalized, tailored, immunosuppression for this very low-risk population of kidney transplant patients.
The Politics of Medicaid: Most Americans Are Connected to the Program, Support Its Expansion, and Do Not View It as Stigmatizing

Policy Points: More than half of Americans are connected to the Medicaid program—either through their own coverage or that of a family member or close friend—and are significantly more likely to view Medicaid as important and to support increases in spending, even among conservatives. This finding helps explain why Affordable Care Act repeal efforts faced (and will continue to face) strong public backlash. Policymakers should be aware that although renaming programs within Medicaid may have increased enrollment take-up, this destigmatization effort might have also increased program confusion and reduced support for Medicaid even among enrollees who say the program is important to them. Context Since the 1980s, Medicaid enrollment has expanded so dramatically that by 2015 two-thirds of Americans had some connection to the program in which either they themselves, a family member, or a close friend is currently or was previously enrolled. Methods Utilizing a nationally representative survey—the Kaiser Family Foundation Poll: Medicare and Medicaid at 50 (n = 1,849)—and employing ordinal and logistic regression analyses, our study examines 3 questions: (1) are individuals with a connection to Medicaid more likely to view the program as important, (2) are they more likely to support an increase in Medicaid spending, and (3) are they more likely to support adoption of the Medicaid expansion offered under the Affordable Care Act? For each of these questions we examine whether partisanship and views of stigma also impact support for Medicaid and, if so, whether these factors overwhelm the impact of connection to the program. Findings Controlling for the strong effect of partisanship, people with any connection to the Medicaid program are more likely to view the program as important than those with no connection. However, when it comes to increasing spending or expanding the program, the type of connection to the program matters. In particular, adults with current and previous Medicaid coverage and those with a family member or close friend with Medicaid coverage are more likely to support increases in spending and the Medicaid expansion; but, those connected to Medicaid only through coverage of a child are no more likely to support Medicaid than those with no connection. Conclusions Future research should probe more deeply into whether people with different types of connection to Medicaid view the program differently, and, if so, how and why. Moreover, future research should also explore whether state-level attempts to destigmatize Medicaid by renaming the program also serves to reduce knowledge and support for Medicaid.
A novel control strategy for microgrid voltage and frequency regulation with electronic converters

This work proposes a novel control strategy based on the output regulation theory, for achieving voltage and frequency regulation in a standalone microgrid system. The distributed generation of the microgrids includes both conventional generation types and battery energy storage systems coupled with power electronic converters. The fast-response power electronic converters play an important role for both tracking voltage and frequency set point targets and ensuring the system dynamic performance. Simulation case studies shows that the proposed control schemes can effectively track system voltage and frequency set points while mitigating the system transients under disturbances.
Examining the Role of Summer Camps in Developing Academic and Workplace Readiness

Summer camps are an effective setting for youth to develop skills essential for academics and the workplace yet are often not recognized as such. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to investigate learning outcomes from camp most applicable to academics and workplace readiness. As a secondary aim, the researchers sought to identify the mechanisms at camp that support this learning. Youths’ primary learning outcomes include relationship skills, teamwork, how to live with peers, self-confidence, organization, responsibility, independence, perseverance, career orientation, and emotion regulation. In general, mechanisms that supported participants’ learning of outcomes included experiential learning, camp as separate time and space, camp schedules, the role of counselors, communal living, safe and supportive environments, and diversity of people. The implications for camp staff include furthering their programming efforts by placing an emphasis on the mechanisms that elicit academic and workplace readiness. With intentional effort, summer camp can be an important setting for youth to learn valuable skills that are beneficial for them to succeed in academics and work.
Phenomenological Considerations of Sex Tracking Technology

Romantic relationships can be at times exhilarating, frustrating, rewarding, and devastating. Quantified Relationship (QR) technology promises to yield better relationships in part thanks to the te...
Lymph Node Cytology

Lymph nodes are among the most commonly sampled organs. The common causes of lymphadenopathy include metastatic cancers, reactive hyperplasia due to various stimuli, infections, and lymphomas. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of a lymph node is a safe, relatively simple, and effective modality in the evaluation of lymphadenopathy. Diff-Quik stain offers rapid provisional assessment and can guide the further workup for the patient. Diff-Quik stain also provides information on cytoplasm and extracellular matrix. Papanicolaou stain reveals nuclear details. Cell block allows histologic sections and immunohistochemical studies. FNA can provide samples for ancillary studies such as flow cytometric analysis and cytogenetic and molecular studies. Ancillary studies are complementary to morphology and can further improve the diagnostic accuracy. This chapter summarizes the cytological features of various lymph node lesions and defines the roles of ancillary studies in the diagnosis and prognosis.
Resection of the Superior Mesenteric-Portal Vein Confluence During Pancreaticoduodenectomy

The current management of patients with pancreatic cancer at our institution involves: (1) a selective approach to the use of laparotomy based on accurate preoperative radiographic imaging techniques and the availability of reliable minimally invasive techniques for biliary decompression, (2) the use of multimodality therapy in all patients with localized, potentially resectable disease, and (3) a standardized approach to surgery and perioperative patient management. The goals of this approach are to maximize length and quality of patient survival while minimizing treatment-related toxicity and limiting the social and economic impact of complicated, multimodality therapy. This chapter focuses on our technique for resection and reconstruction of the superior mesenteric-portal vein (SMPV) confluence at the time of pancreaticoduodenectomy. Our data suggest that tumors invading the SMPV confluence are not associated with histologic parameters suggesting a poor prognosis, and patients who undergo venous resection have a survival similar to patients who undergo standard pancreaticoduodenectomy. Tumor invasion of the SMPV confluence is a function of tumor location rather than an indicator of aggressive tumor biology.
Truth and Meaning

In contemporary philosophy, theories of truth take two main forms. One form aims to provide an analysis of truth that illuminates the content of claims that x is true or not true, that explains the uses to which the notion of truth is legitimately put, and that can be employed to diagnose and resolve paradoxes involving truth, such as the liar. The other main form taken by contemporary theories of truth is found in semantics, where theories of truth are used to interpret, or give the meanings of, sentences. When we use theories of truth to play this role, we are not attempting to provide an analysis of truth, or to specify the content of the truth predicate. Rather, we take truth for granted, and use it to illuminate the meanings of sentences by giving their truth conditions. Here it is usually taken for granted either that the meaning of a sentence consists of nothing more than its truth conditions, or that truth conditions constitute a central component of that meaning. As a result, theories of meaning are sometimes taken to be nothing more than theories of truth, while at other times theories of truth are viewed as central subcomponents of theories of meaning.
Utility of the PHYTOCHEMECO database.

The phytochemical/ecogeographic database (PHYTOCHEMECO) of the National Germplasm Resources Laboratory (NGRL), U.S. Department of Agriculture, is a unique blend of phytochemical, taxonomic, ecological, geographic and climatic aspects, and yields information and germplasm databases in a UNIX minicomputer environment. The phytochemical database contains information about 16,332 chemical compounds found in 1,164 plants of economic importance, including quantitative data where available, as well as localization and specific activities (1,517 activities of 4,329 chemicals) of the compounds.1,2 The taxonomic, ecological and yield databases contain plant names of 8,771 taxa, growing locations of 6,242 taxa, and crop yields of 239 taxa, respectively. The geographic and climatic3 databases contain specific information about more than 18,000 world-wide locations, including latitude, longitude, elevation, soil type, rainfall, temperature and lifezones. The Germplasm Resources Information Network database (GRIN) lists accessions of plant clonal and seed material available for study through the National Plant Germplasm System.
Race and Exercise Engagement: Investigating the High-Calorie-Burning Activities of White and Black Collegiate Women

Previous research has documented the comprehensive health benefits of regular physical activity. However, just over a third of Black women report meeting the suggested amount of physical activity p...
Memorization in Overparameterized Autoencoders

The ability of deep neural networks to generalize well in the overparameterized regime has become a subject of significant research interest. We show that overparameterized autoencoders exhibit memorization, a form of inductive bias that constrains the functions learned through the optimization process to concentrate around the training examples, although the network could in principle represent a much larger function class. In particular, we prove that single-layer fully-connected autoencoders project data onto the (nonlinear) span of the training examples. In addition, we show that deep fully-connected autoencoders learn a map that is locally contractive at the training examples, and hence iterating the autoencoder results in convergence to the training examples. Finally, we prove that depth is necessary and provide empirical evidence that it is also sufficient for memorization in convolutional autoencoders. Understanding this inductive bias may shed light on the generalization properties of overparametrized deep neural networks that are currently unexplained by classical statistical theory.
Simulating early Mars hydrology with the MARSSIM landform evolution model: New insights from an integrated system of precipitation, infiltration, and groundwater flow

Abstract The MARSSIM landform evolution model has been used successfully over the past three decades to simulate sediment transport on the surface of Mars. The model relies on an advection–diffusion relation that has been used to describe the difference in scale efficiency and profile concavity in landscapes. Beyond this, MARSSIM has also been used to simulate groundwater flow, eolian transport, and impact cratering. We first describe the history of the model in the published literature, followed by an in-depth analysis of the physical theory on which it is based. We review the successes and limitations of the current model and how these have been addressed. Other parts of the model included in the source code have been rarely used, so we also investigate new applications in these areas. Finally, we propose a modification to the model that would allow for an integrated system of precipitation, infiltration, and groundwater flow, and provide a practical example on a simulated cratered terrain similar to those found in past MARSSIM studies. We find that the introduction of an integrated model has noticeable effects on erosion patterns within the simulation domain compared to cases of either complete infiltration or complete runoff.
High-power, continuous-wave, phase-locked quantum cascade laser arrays emitting at 8 µm

We report a room-temperature eight-element phase-locked quantum cascade laser array emitting at 8 µm with a high continuous-wave power of 8.2 W and wall plug efficiency of 9.5%. The laser array operates primarily via the in-phase supermode and has single-mode emission with a side-mode suppression ratio of ~20 dB. The quantum cascade laser active region is based on a high differential gain (8.7 cm/kA) and low voltage defect (90 meV) design. A record high wall plug efficiency of 20.4% is achieved from a low loss buried ridge type single-element Fabry-Perot laser operating in pulsed mode at 20 °C.
Binge and Cannabis Co-Use Episodes in Relation to White Matter Integrity in Emerging Adults

Background: Growing evidence suggests that cannabis and alcohol (and especially binge alcohol drinking) use independently alters neural structure and functioning, particularly during sensitive deve...
Global estimates of mammalian viral diversity accounting for host sharing

Present estimates suggest there are over 1 million virus species found in mammals alone, with about half a million posing a possible threat to human health. Although previous estimates assume linear scaling between host and virus diversity, we show that ecological network theory predicts a non-linear relationship, produced by patterns of host sharing among virus species. To account for host sharing, we fit a power law scaling relationship for host-virus species interaction networks. We estimate that there are about 40,000 virus species in mammals (including ~10,000 viruses with zoonotic potential), a reduction of two orders of magnitude from present projections of viral diversity. We expect that the increasing availability of host-virus association data will improve the precision of these estimates and their use in the sampling and surveillance of pathogens with pandemic potential. We suggest host sharing should be more widely included in macroecological approaches to estimating biodiversity.
Results from a Quality Improvement Project to Decrease Infection-Related Ventilator Events in Trauma Patients at a Community Teaching Hospital:

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is linked to increased morbidity and mortality and clinical protocols (VAP bundles) have evolved to minimize VAP. In 2009, a quality improvement project was implemented at our institution to decrease VAP rates in adult trauma patients. A VAP prevention committee was developed, and formal evidence-based education for the nursing and physician staff was introduced. During the study period (2009-2016), 2380 patients required ICU admission to our Level II trauma center. The mean Injury Severity Score was 33 + 12, and there were 17 per cent penetrating and 83 per cent blunt injuries. The early compliance (2010) with the VAP bundle was 65 per cent. Within one year of the implementation of VAP prevention, the compliance increased to >90 per cent. Compliance has been carefully trended and has remained at 100 per cent. All of the aforementioned interventions have resulted in a sustained dramatic decline in VAP, from 12 per cent in 2009 to 0 per cent in 2016. Ongoing education and ICU policy development has become the mainstay of our trauma ICU program. The introduction of evidence-based care education imparted a culture of excellence resulting in favorable outcomes in high-risk trauma patients related to VAP prevention. Ongoing monitoring and education is required to sustain these promising outcomes.
Abstract B032: Proteomic analysis reveals alterations in apoptotic signaling machinery in HPV-associated cancers and identifies BRD4 and BCL2 as potential therapeutic targets in HPV-positive HNSCCs

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are among the most common viral causes of cancer; infections account for a majority of cervical squamous cell carcinomas and endocervical adenocarcinomas (CESCs) and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. HPV-positive cancers demonstrate well-established differences in histopathology and clinical outcome compared to HPV-negative cancers, yet the biological mechanisms underlying these differences are not fully characterized. In this analysis, we highlight key pathways and candidate targets differentially expressed in HPV-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) and CESCs and investigate potential contributors to these differences, including microRNA (miRNA). Methods: We conducted an analysis of mRNA and protein expression in HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCCs and CESCs from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to investigate the potential pathways that are differentially expressed between HPV-positive and HPV-negative cancers. mRNA levels were measured by RNA Seq and protein levels by reverse phase protein arrays (RPPA). We also analyzed miRNA levels for both HNSCCs and CESCs, then used TargetScan to identify potential targets for miRNA that were differentially expressed. Results: Proteins involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) adherence including Paxillin and Fibronectin were higher in HPV-negative HNSCCs and CESCs (Paxillin’s p-value= 0.04 for CESCs and p-value Citation Format: Claudia Heymach, Robert Cardnell, Lixia Diao, Jing Wang, Kwok-Shing Ng, Lauren Byers. Proteomic analysis reveals alterations in apoptotic signaling machinery in HPV-associated cancers and identifies BRD4 and BCL2 as potential therapeutic targets in HPV-positive HNSCCs [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2019 Oct 26-30; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2019;18(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B032. doi:10.1158/1535-7163.TARG-19-B032
Sociological Theory in the Digital Age

What is the role of sociological theory in the information age? What kinds of theories are best suited to analyzing the social uses of digital technologies, and for using digital technologies in new ways to study the social? This book contributes to several ongoing conversations on how the social sciences can best adapt to contemporary information technologies and information societies. Focusing on practical or ‘usable theory,’ it surveys the challenges and opportunities of conducting social science in the information age, as well as the theoretical solutions that sociologists have developed and applied over the last two decades. With specific attention to three theoretical approaches in digital social research—critical theory, forensic theory and Bourdieusian theory—the author provides an overview of the history and main tenets of each, surveys its use in sociological research, and evaluates its successes and limitations. Taking a long-term view of theoretical development in evaluating schools of thought and considering their productivity in analyzing and using contemporary digital communication technologies, this book thus treats theory as a tool for empirical research and the development of theory as inseparable from research practice. As such, it will appeal to scholars of sociology and social theory with interests in research methods, the development of theory and digital technologies.
Modeling and Problem Formulation

This chapter provides the system dynamics model for control design in continuous and discrete time and space variables for traffic flow and also develops the basic framework for the control design. The problem is formulated as a feedback control design for the traffic as a distributed parameter system, i.e., in terms of Partial Differential Equations (PDE). DTR formulation for two alternate routes and then generalized for n routes is developed. Space discretization of the model results in Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE) representation, and its further time discretization produces difference equations. System dynamic equations for sample problems are developed, and a simple control law is also shown with computer simulation results.
Statistical Implementations of Agent‐Based Demographic Models

A variety of demographic statistical models exist for studying population dynamics when individuals can be tracked over time. In cases where data are missing due to imperfect detection of individuals, the associated measurement error can be accommodated under certain study designs (e.g. those that involve multiple surveys or replication). However, the interaction of the measurement error and the underlying dynamic process can complicate the implementation of statistical agent-based models (ABMs) for population demography. In a Bayesian setting, traditional computational algorithms for fitting hierarchical demographic models can be prohibitively cumbersome to construct. Thus, we discuss a variety of approaches for fitting statistical ABMs to data and demonstrate how to use multi-stage recursive Bayesian computing and statistical emulators to fit models in such a way that alleviates the need to have analytical knowledge of the ABM likelihood. Using two examples, a demographic model for survival and a compartment model for COVID-19, we illustrate statistical procedures for implementing ABMs. The approaches we describe are intuitive and accessible for practitioners and can be parallelised easily for additional computational efficiency.
Perioperative Outcomes and 5-year Survival After Open versus Thoracoscopic Sleeve Resection for Lung Cancer.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) approach on outcomes in patients who underwent sleeve lobectomy for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Outcomes of patients with cT1-T3, N0-N2, M0 NSCLC who underwent sleeve lobectomy in the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) from 2010-2015 were assessed using Kaplan–Meier, propensity score-matching, and Cox proportional hazards analyses. An “intent-to-treat” analysis was performed. In the NCDB, 210 sleeve lobectomy patients met inclusion criteria (VATS 44 [21%], thoracotomy 166 [79%]). Nine (20%) of the VATS cases were converted to open. Compared to an open approach, VATS was associated with no significant differences in lymph nodes examined (median 9.5 vs 9.0; p = 0.72), length of stay (median 6 days vs 6 days; p = 0.36), 30-day mortality (4.5% vs 1.8%; p = 0.28), and 90-day mortality (6.8% vs 4.8%; p = 0.70). There were no significant differences in 5-year survival between the VATS and open groups in both the entire cohort (VATS [85%] vs open [79%]; log-rank p = 0.91) and in a propensity score-matched analysis of 86 patients (log-rank p = 0.75). Furthermore, a VATS approach was also not associated with worse survival in multivariable analysis (HR = 0.64; 95% CI [0.23-1.78]; p = 0.39). In this national analysis, a VATS approach for sleeve lobectomy for NSCLC was not associated with worse short-term or long-term outcomes when compared to an open approach.
Personal stories in migration museums and our notions of hospitality: A case study from France’s National Museum of the History of Immigration:

The number of migration museums is growing all over the world. These new museums seek to actively shape debates about immigration, and they often rely on immigrants’ personal stories to engage muse...
Patient, medical and legal perspectives on reentry: the need for a low-barrier, collaborative, patient-centered approach.

BACKGROUND Worldwide, the United States has the highest incarceration rate per capita. Thousands of people are released from US correctional facilities each year, including many who are impacted by HIV infection and substance use disorder (SUD), two frequently comorbid conditions that present multiple challenges upon reentry. Reentry and care engagement research involving justice-involved people with HIV (PWH) with comorbid SUD has been largely limited to the perspective of those released. To formulate effective interventions for this population aimed at maintaining health and reducing recidivism, it is crucial to collect data from formerly incarcerated individuals with firsthand experience of the reentry process as well as other actors within the reentry framework. Insights from medical and legal service providers working in reentry systems have the potential to address key implementation concerns. To inform an intervention aimed at helping recently-released individuals PWH and SUD, we conducted a qualitative study to assess barriers and facilitators to community reentry from the perspectives of diverse consumers and providers of medical, legal, and reentry services. RESULTS Fifteen stakeholders within XXX County participated in in-person interviews. Results indicated that 1) Patients/clients emphasized psychosocial support and individual attitude more than medical and legal participants, who chiefly focused on logistical factors such as finances, housing, and transportation; 2) Patients/clients expressed both medical and legal needs during the reentry period, though medical providers and participants from legal entities mainly expressed concerns limited to their respective scopes of work; 3) All three participant groups underscored the need for a low-barrier, collaborative, patient-centered approach to reentry with the goal of achieving self-sufficiency. CONCLUSIONS Findings support and extend existing literature detailing the barriers and facilitators to successful reentry. Our findings underscore the notion that an effective reentry intervention addresses both medical and legal needs, includes an individualized approach that incorporates psychosocial needs, and focuses on establishing self-sufficiency.
Wastewater Recharge and Dispersion in Porous Media

For steady flow between a recharging and a pumping well, in an infinite, confined aquifer of homogeneous, isotropic media, theoretical expressions are developed for the spatial and temporal distributions of a conservative substance, introduced at the recharge well. From these expressions, the relative influences of convection, dispersion, and diffusion on the substance distribution are deduced. To test the analytical results, experimental measurements of the distribution of a dilute salt-water tracer in a sand model are presented. The model tests and field problem show that lateral dispersion has a negligible influence on the substance distribution, and molecular diffusion, while not important in the model tests, may be important in field problems. Longitudinal dispersion is important in determining the shape of the tracer distribution within the aquifer, but it has a significant influence on the concentration in the pumping well only for small times when the concentration, c/c\D0\N < 0.1.
Technical Aspects of the Digital Library of Mathematical Functions

The NIST Digital Library of Mathematical Functions (DLMF) Project, begun in 1997, is preparing a handbook and Web site intended for wide communities of users. The contents are primarily mathematical formulas, graphs, methods of computation, references, and links to software. The task of developing a Web handbook of this nature presents several technical challenges. We describe the goals of the Digital Library of Mathematical Functions Project and the realities that constrain those goals. We propose practical initial solutions, in order to ease the authoring of adaptable content: a LaTeX class which encourages a modestly semantic markup style; and a mathematical search engine that adapts a text search engine to the task.
How Good Can We Get? Using mathematical models to predict the future of athletics

Track and field world records have risen and fallen throughout the history of the sport. A recent rash of record-breaking performances has prompted the question: "How good can we get?". This article offers a review of several attempts to answer this question, based on mathematical modeling of key physiological processes. The predictions are compared with present-day world records, and a discussion of the future of athletics ensues...
Nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion in protein solutions: V. Bovine erythrocyte superoxide dismutase

Abstract The paramagnetic contribution Rp to the spin-lattice relaxation rate of solvent protons in aqueous solutions of bovine erythrocyte superoxide dismutase has been measured for magnetic fields in the range 5 Oe to 12 kOe and temperatures in the range 0 °C to 25 °C. We find a peak in Rp as a function of magnetic field, as has been observed recently by several investigators for Mn2+-macromolecular complexes, indicating that the spin-lattice relaxation time τs of the Cu2+ electron spin moments is magnetic field dependent. τs is approx. 5·10−10 s at low field and begins to increase above approx. 750 Oe. From the magnitude of Rp and its qualitative behavior with magnetic field and temperature, combined with previous EPR and inhibition studies, we conclude that there is at least one rapidly exchanging water molecule (exchange time τM in the range 4·10−6 to 10−8 s) on each of the two Cu2+ per protein molecule. We speculate that the water binding sites on the Cu2+, with a Cu—O bond distance approx. 2.0 A, are similarly accessible to the superoxide anion and are the loci for the catalytic activity of the enzyme.
The Role of Echocardiography in Acute Myocardial Infarction

The indications for echocardiography in the setting of acute myocardial infarction are to identify wall motion abnormalities, to evaluate left and right ventricular function, and to exclude complications such as pericarditis, mitral regurgitation, and ventricular rupture. Doppler echocardiography can provide important hemodynamic information. In the near future, contrast echocardiography can be expected to delineate myocardial perfusion and three-dimensional echocardiography to better define infarct size.
Two serine residues in Pseudomonas syringae effector HopZ1a are required for acetyltransferase activity and association with the host co-factor

Summary Gram-negative bacteria inject type III secreted effectors (T3SEs) into host cells to manipulate the immune response. The YopJ family effector HopZ1a produced by the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae possesses acetyltransferase activity and acetylates plant proteins to facilitate infection. Using mass spectrometry, we identified a threonine residue, T346, as the main autoacetylation site of HopZ1a. Two neighboring serine residues, S349 and S351, are required for the acetyltransferase activity of HopZ1a in vitro and are indispensable for the virulence function of HopZ1a in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), we observed a conformational change of HopZ1a in the presence of inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6), which acts as a eukaryotic co-factor and significantly enhances the acetyltransferase activity of several YopJ family effectors. S349 and S351 are required for IP6-binding-mediated conformational change of HopZ1a. S349 and S351 are located in a conserved region in the C-terminal domain of YopJ family effectors. Mutations of the corresponding serine(s) in two other effectors, HopZ3 of P. syringae and PopP2 of Ralstonia solanacerum, also abolished their acetyltransferase activity. These results suggest that, in addition to the highly conserved catalytic residues, YopJ family effectors also require conserved serine(s) in the C-terminal domain for their enzymatic activity.
Characteristics associated with Regional Health Information Organization viability

Objective Regional Health Information Organizations (RHIOs) will likely play a key role in our nation's effort to catalyze health information exchange. Yet we know little about why some efforts succeed while others fail. We sought to identify factors associated with RHIO viability. Design Using data from a national survey of RHIOs that we conducted in mid-2008, we examined factors associated with becoming operational and factors associated with financial viability. We used multivariate logistic regression models to identify unique predictors. Measurements We classified RHIOs actively facilitating data exchange as operational and measured financial viability as the percent of operating costs covered by revenue from participants in data exchange (0–24%, 25–74%, 75–100%). Predictors included breadth of participants, breadth of data exchanged, whether the RHIO focused on a specific population, whether RHIO participants had a history of collaborating, and sources of revenue during the planning phase. Results Exchanging a narrow set of data and involving a broad group of stakeholders were independently associated with a higher likelihood of being operational. Involving hospitals and ambulatory physicians, and securing early funding from participants were associated with a higher likelihood of financial viability, while early grant funding seemed to diminish the likelihood. Conclusion Finding ways to help RHIOs become operational and self-sustaining will bolster the current approach to nationwide health information exchange. Our work suggests that convening a broad coalition of stakeholders to focus on a narrow set of data is an important step in helping RHIOs become operational. Convincing stakeholders to financially commit early in the process may help RHIOs become self-sustaining.
Spectral two-photon absorption in the range of 1.3-1.75 /spl mu/m for GaAs

For the first time we have measured the spectrum of two-photon absorption coefficient for GaAs based on Z-scan technique. We have observed a peculiar feature in the spectrum and compared our results with the two previous discrete values.
Effect of caffeine on spinal reflexes.

SummaryThe effect of caffeine on spinal reflexes has been studied by electrophysiological methods. The monosynaptic reflex evoked by stimulating the biceps-semitendinosus nerves does not show consistent change with doses of caffeine up to 100 mg/kg. The time course of direct inhibition of the monosynaptic reflex is not affected by caffeine. The polysynaptic reflex evoked by stimulation of the sural nerve shows a marked increase. The minimum effective dose is approximately 5 mg/kg. The input-output relationship of the polysynaptic reflex after caffeine suggests that the effect of caffeine is to recruit neurones at all levels of input rather than to shift all neurones toward the same threshold.
Glottal source estimation: Methods of applying the LF-model to inverse filtering

The incorporation of the LF model into closed-phase inverse filtering based estimation of glottal source waveforms is considered. The LF model is a five-parameter model representing the effective voice source over open and closed glottal phases. Three techniques for LF model fitting are described: two based on Prony's method and one using gradient descent. The estimation methods are evaluated using glottal flow waveforms obtained synthetically and through inverse filtering. Under appropriate conditions, all of the estimation methods produce good fits of the LF model to the inverse filtered waveform. In noise, gradient descent produces more consistent fits than the more tractable Prony-based techniques. >
Molecular Tools for Staphylococcus aureus Typing: Basic and Clinical Aspects

Advances in molecular techniques for bacterial strain typing have enhanced our understanding of disease epidemiology and provided insight into the evolution of bacterial pathogens. A number of strain typing methods have been developed to explore the genotypes of Staphylococcus aureus, one of the most common pathogenic organisms responsible for a wide variety of infectious syndromes. However, each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, so the optimal method of bacterial strain typing depends on the objectives of data collection and available resources1. For instance, if the goal is to characterize a local or outbreak investigation, the techniques with high discriminatory power (an ability to distinguish between epidemiologically-unrelated bacterial strains) should be chosen. However, bacteria will inevitably accumulate mutations, an essential mechanism that plays a central role in bacterial evolution, in their genomes over time. As a result, if the goal is to investigate at a global level or monitor the long-term evolution of bacteria, the sequence-based techniques that analyze more stable genetic markers, such as housekeeping genes, should be used in order to recognize ancestral relationships among bacterial strains. Here, we summarize some of the key tools for S. aureus typing, and their applications for healthcare providers.
Synthesis of highly conducting polystyrene-polyacetylene copolymers

Abstract Polystyrene-polyacetylene block copolymers were synthesized, via an anionic-to-Ziegler-Natta catalysis, where the amount of polystyrene in the copolymer is well controlled by controlling the monomer concentration at a fixed anionic catalyst concentration. The iodine doped films of the copolymers exhibit very interesting electrical properties, and their electrical conductivities are in the metallic regime for a ratio of polystyrene copolymer ⩽20% . This can be understood as a percolation phenomena supporting a variable range hopping transport mechanism in metallic polyacetylene.
Perceptions of Overprotection in III Adults1

Several studies have suggested that chronically ill adults who receive overprotective care are more depressed and less motivated in rehabilitation therapy. However, for this area of research to proceed, a standard definition and measurement of perceptions of overprotection are needed. In the present study, long and short forms of a scale (the OPSA) to assess perceptions of being overprotected in chronically ill adults were developed. The scale's psychometric properties were tested with a sample of 161 community-dwelling older adults. It was found to have good internal reliability, to correlate highly with an established retrospective measure of overprotection in adults, and to be distinct from ratings of quantity and quality of social support. As expected, overprotection was associated with poorer adjustment: Respondents who felt overprotected were more depressed.