cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antidiabetic Medications and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: Antidiabetic medications (ADM) may modify colorectal cancer risk in patients with diabetes mellitus. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis, evaluating the effect of metformin, thiazolidinediones (TZD), sulfonylureas, and insulin on colorectal cancer risk in diabetic patients. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of multiple bibliographic databases, up to September 2012, for articles that evaluated exposure to metformin, TZD, sulfonylureas, and insulin, reported colorectal cancer risk in patients with diabetes mellitus, and reported OR or provided data for their estimation. Summary OR estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using the random-effects model. Results: Fifteen studies reporting 13,871 cases of colorectal cancer in 840,787 patients with diabetes mellitus were included. Meta-analysis of observational studies showed an 11% reduction in colorectal cancer risk associated with metformin use ( n = 9 studies; OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.81–0.99), whereas TZD use was not associated with colorectal cancer risk ( n = 5 studies; OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.87–1.05). Conversely, a trend toward higher colorectal cancer risk was observed with sulfonylurea ( n = 7 studies; OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.97–1.26) and insulin ( n = 9 studies; OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.91–1.94) use, although these associations were not statistically significant. There was considerable heterogeneity across studies, partly explained by study location and adjustment for concomitant use of other ADMs. Post-hoc analysis of randomized controlled trials did not reveal any significant association between ADM and colorectal cancer risk. Conclusions: Meta-analysis of published studies supports a protective association between metformin use and colorectal cancer risk in patients with diabetes mellitus. Impact: Clinical trials on the chemopreventive effect of metformin against colorectal cancer are warranted. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(12); 2258–68. ©2013 AACR .
Tapping and Fostering Students' Emotional Intelligence through Service-learning Experiences

Today’s business students will chart their career paths through a rapidly changing, highly interdependent world of relationships and networks. In addition to traditional business school knowledge, students need cognitive, behavioral and affective skill sets, along with opportunities for civic engagement. This exploratory study of course-embedded service-learning, incorporating Cherniss and Goleman’s emotional intelligence construct, found that students’ service-learning experiences tapped and fostered the personal and social emotional intelligence competencies associated with professional effectiveness. Incorporating service-learning, with a focus on increasing emotional intelligence, offers a promising approach for business schools to reinforce and increase students’ civic values as well as to enrich their personal and inter-personal emotional intelligence insights and skill development. This approach will strengthen the curricula and teaching practices of business schools to better prepare students for their roles as responsible leaders in creating and managing sustainable businesses and partnerships for our global-collective future.
Validation of a brief telephone battery for neurocognitive assessment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Background The effects of pulmonary arterial hypertension on brain function are not understood, despite patients' frequent complaints of cognitive difficulties. Using clinical instruments normally administered during standard in-person assessment of neurocognitive function in adults, we assembled a battery of tests designed for administration over the telephone. The purpose was to improve patient participation, facilitate repeated test administration, and reduce the cost of research on the neuropsychological consequences of acute and chronic cardiorespiratory diseases. We undertook this study to validate telephone administration of the tests.
Violent Victimization in the Prison Context An Examination of the Gendered Contexts of Prison

Currently there are few published, multilevel studies of physical assault victimization of prisoners. This study builds on the extant research by utilizing a nationally representative sample of correctional facilities (n = 326) and inmates (n = 17,640) to examine the impacts of a large set of theoretically and empirically derived individual- and contextual-level variables on prison victimization, including how the gendered context of prison impacts victimization. Results support the lifestyles/routine activities approach. Inmates who were charged with a violent offense, were previously victimized, were smaller in size, were not married, were without a work assignment, misbehaved, did not participate in programs, used alcohol or drugs, and those who had a depression or personality disorder were more likely to be victimized. In addition, the data suggest that 8% of the variance in victimization is due to the prison context. Prisons with high proportions of violent offenders, males, inmates from multiracial backgrounds, and inmates with major infractions had increased odds of victimization. Moreover, the sex-composition of the prison has significant main and interactive effects predicting victimization. Specifically, we find that the effects of being convicted of a drug crime, drug use, military service, major infractions, and diagnosed personality disorders are all gendered in their impacts on victimization.
Compensatory Role of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Central Polypurine Tract Sequence in Kinetically Disrupted Reverse Transcription

We tested whether the additional positive-strand DNA synthesis initiation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) from the central polypurine tract (cPPT) facilitates efficient completion of kinetically disturbed proviral DNA synthesis induced by dysfunctional reverse transcriptase (RT) mutants or limited cellular deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) pools. Indeed, the cPPT enabled the HIV-1 vectors harboring RT mutants with reduced dNTP binding affinity to transduce human lung fibroblasts (HLFs), without which these mutant vectors normally fail to transduce. The cPPT showed little effect on wild-type HIV-1 vector transduction in HLF, whereas it significantly enhanced vector transduction in HLFs engineered to contain reduced dNTP pools, suggesting a novel compensatory role for cPPT in viruses harboring kinetically impaired RT.
INTEGRATED OPERATIONS: A PROPOSAL FOR OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT TEACHING AND RESEARCH

This paper, addressed to professors of operations management (om) in research institutions, suggests that the long-term academic viability of our discipline requires the generation of a theory uniquely associated with the practice of OM. Such a theory will rest on foundations laid by other disciplines, but must find its own unique synthesis that attends to the problems of OM practice. The paper proposes a framework that recognizes physics, social psychology and philosophy as foundational disciplines for an integrative theoryof OM and suggests which concepts from those disciplines may find voice in such a theory.
SERINC3 and SERINC5 restrict HIV-1 infectivity and are counteracted by Nef

HIV-1 Nef and the unrelated mouse leukaemia virus glycosylated Gag (glycoGag) strongly enhance the infectivity of HIV-1 virions produced in certain cell types in a clathrin-dependent manner. Here we show that Nef and glycoGag prevent the incorporation of the multipass transmembrane proteins serine incorporator 3 (SERINC3) and SERINC5 into HIV-1 virions to an extent that correlates with infectivity enhancement. Silencing of both SERINC3 and SERINC5 precisely phenocopied the effects of Nef and glycoGag on HIV-1 infectivity. The infectivity of nef-deficient virions increased more than 100-fold when produced in double-knockout human CD4(+) T cells that lack both SERINC3 and SERINC5, and re-expression experiments confirmed that the absence of SERINC3 and SERINC5 accounted for the infectivity enhancement. Furthermore, SERINC3 and SERINC5 together restricted HIV-1 replication, and this restriction was evaded by Nef. SERINC3 and SERINC5 are highly expressed in primary human HIV-1 target cells, and inhibiting their downregulation by Nef is a potential strategy to combat HIV/AIDS.
Target Enrichment Improves Mapping of Complex Traits by Deep Sequencing

Complex traits such as crop performance and human diseases are controlled by multiple genetic loci, many of which have small effects and often go undetected by traditional quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping. Recently, bulked segregant analysis with large F2 pools and genome-level markers (named extreme-QTL or X-QTL mapping) has been used to identify many QTL. To estimate parameters impacting QTL detection for X-QTL mapping, we simulated the effects of population size, marker density, and sequencing depth of markers on QTL detectability for traits with differing heritabilities. These simulations indicate that a high (>90%) chance of detecting QTL with at least 5% effect requires 5000× sequencing depth for a trait with heritability of 0.4−0.7. For most eukaryotic organisms, whole-genome sequencing at this depth is not economically feasible. Therefore, we tested and confirmed the feasibility of applying deep sequencing of target-enriched markers for X-QTL mapping. We used two traits in Arabidopsis thaliana with different heritabilities: seed size (H2 = 0.61) and seedling greening in response to salt (H2 = 0.94). We used a modified G test to identify QTL regions and developed a model-based statistical framework to resolve individual peaks by incorporating recombination rates. Multiple QTL were identified for both traits, including previously undiscovered QTL. We call our method target-enriched X-QTL (TEX-QTL) mapping; this mapping approach is not limited by the genome size or the availability of recombinant inbred populations and should be applicable to many organisms and traits.
Thermal nociception potentiates the release of ACTH and norepinephrine by blood loss

Neuroendocrine and autonomic responses were assessed in chloralose-anesthetized cats after nociceptor activation and after acute blood loss, two of the sensory components that accompany injury. Plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), catecholamines (peripheral and adrenal), and cardiovascular responses were examined after corneal thermal stimulation (52 degrees C), after hemorrhage (10 ml/kg), and after simultaneous presentation of these two stimuli. Corneal heat during hemorrhage evoked an exaggerated increase in plasma ACTH (+185 +/- 76 pg/ml, P less than 0.01) and in peripheral plasma norepinephrine (+0.41 +/- 0.11 ng/ml, P less than 0.01) compared with the responses seen after either stimulus alone. A peripheral origin of norepinephrine was indicated, since the adrenal secretion of catecholamines increased similarly after all stimuli. Extracellular levels of norepinephrine, collected by push-pull perfusion, within raphe pallidus increased after corneal heat but not after blood loss and did not reflect the interaction between these two stimuli. Results indicated that physiological stimulation of nociceptive and cardiovascular receptors interact to potentiate the release of ACTH and norepinephrine into peripheral blood, effects that were not predicted from the responses to either sensory input alone.
Printing Functional Protein Microarrays Using Piezoelectric Capillaries

The use of piezoelectric dispensers for the fabrication of protein biochips has become a popular approach owing to its inherent advantages of noncontact with the printing surface and the opportunity for recovery of unused sample. Despite the inherent advantages of this printing method, little attention has been devoted to the quantitative aspects of dispensing small volumes of dilute protein solutions from the borosilicate glass capillaries employed by piezoelectric dispensers. Here, a method is detailed that demonstrates the benefits of using a low-ionic-strength phosphate printing buffer containing the carrier protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) to deposit capture antibody microspots. When this buffer is used to deposit biotinylated capture antibodies, 3.6- to 44-fold more protein is delivered to an avidin-coated surface compared to when the antibodies are deposited in standard phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) in the absence of BSA. Further, this method results in the deposition of capture antibodies that adopt a more uniform spot morphology.
Gruppe der Paramyxoviren

Zu den Paramyxoviren zahlt man die Mumps-, Masern- und Rotelviren, ferner die Parainfluenzaviren sowie das „respiratory syncytial“(RS-)Virus und das Newcastle disease-Virus.
Observations of Mineral Dust with AIRS

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on board NASA's Aqua satellite platform is the first of a new generation of high-spectral resolution temperature and humidity sounders for numerical weather prediction and climate change studies. AIRS radiances are impacted by airborne mineral dust over wide portions of the globe. We present here an in-depth analysis of a dust storm in the eastern Mediterranean in October 2002. Using Mie scattering theory with a fast two stream model optimized for the AIRS instrument, dust optical depths were retrieved in order to demonstrate the utility of AIRS for the characterization of airborne dust. Results are compared to MODIS observations of the same storm. These results highlight the capability of infrared hyperspectral sensors to retrieve dust optical parameters at night, unlike near-IR and visible sensors. We will also present global observations of dust, over ocean, using AIRS to illustrate how dust contamination may affect a significant fraction of operational sounder observations.
ToxEvaluator: an integrated computational platform to aid the interpretation of toxicology study-related findings

Attempts are frequently made to investigate adverse findings from preclinical toxicology studies in order to better understand underlying toxicity mechanisms. These efforts often begin with limited information, including a description of the adverse finding, knowledge of the structure of the chemical associated with its cause and the intended pharmacological target. ToxEvaluator was developed jointly by Pfizer and the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (http://ctdbase.org) team at North Carolina State University as an in silico platform to facilitate interpretation of toxicity findings in light of prior knowledge. Through the integration of a diverse set of in silico tools that leverage a number of public and proprietary databases, ToxEvaluator streamlines the process of aggregating and interrogating diverse sources of information. The user enters compound and target identifiers, and selects adverse event descriptors from a safety lexicon and mapped MeSH disease terms. ToxEvaluator provides a summary report with multiple distinct areas organized according to what target or structural aspects have been linked to the adverse finding, including primary pharmacology, structurally similar proprietary compounds, structurally similar public domain compounds, predicted secondary (i.e. off-target) pharmacology and known secondary pharmacology. Similar proprietary compounds and their associated in vivo toxicity findings are reported, along with a link to relevant supporting documents. For similar public domain compounds and interacting targets, ToxEvaluator integrates relationships curated in Comparative Toxicogenomics Database, returning all direct and inferred linkages between them. As an example of its utility, we demonstrate how ToxEvaluator rapidly identified direct (primary pharmacology) and indirect (secondary pharmacology) linkages between cerivastatin and myopathy.
Characteristics analysis on food poisoning of Vibrio parahaemolyticus,2009-2012

Objective To explore the causes and control measures of Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning by under- stangding the status of Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning from 2009 to 2012. Methods the data of Vibrio para- haemolyticus food poisoning from 2009 to 2012 were analyzed with retrospective epidemiological method. Results In 2009 ~2012, a bacterial food poisoning case number 35 cases, Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning case number 11 cases, Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning case number ratio is 34%. Conclusion Vibrio parahaemolyticus food poi- soning is the current food safety issues, to Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria with high rates of sea products from the pro- curement, storage, processing, cooking and other links to strengthen supervision, Reduce the incidence of food poisoning.
Consumption of iodized salt monitoring results of analysis of the residents in Ledu 2005-2009

Objective:To master the Ledu County residents in 2005-2009 consumption of iodized salt conditions,for the elimination of iodine deficiency prevention and control work to provide scientific basis.Methods:In accordance with the "national iodized salt monitoring program" and the "salt of Qinghai Province to monitor the implementation details," a sample of households consume iodized salt monitoring results were analyzed.Results:The detection of Ledu County in 2005-2009 years,consumption of iodized salt are 288 residents,non-iodized salt were 3.81%,2.77%,1.73%,0.73%,0;salt passing rate was 94.44%,94.09%,94.44%,96.18%,96.88%;iodized salt coverage of 96.84%,respectively,97.22%,98.26%,99.31%,100%;qualified iodized salt consumption rates were 90.62%,91.13%,92.70%,95.49%,96.88%;the rate of non-iodized salt has fallen steadily,2005-2009 pass rate and the qualified iodized salt iodized salt consumption rates over the 2005 average has improved significantly.Conclusion:To strengthen the monitoring of consumption of iodized salt and the right households for consumption,continuously improve the rate of qualified iodized salt,iodine deficiency disease prevention to enhance the knowledge and propaganda and education.
Optic phonon bandwidth and lattice thermal conductivity: The case of L i 2 X ( X = O , S, Se, Te)

We examine the lattice thermal conductivities $({\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{l})$ of $\mathrm{L}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}X(X=\mathrm{O},\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{S},\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{Se},\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{Te})$ using a first-principles Peierls-Boltzmann transport methodology. We find low ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{l}$ values ranging between 12 and 30 $\mathrm{W}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{K}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ despite light Li atoms, a large mass difference between constituent atoms, and tightly bunched acoustic branches, all features that give high ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{l}$ in other materials including BeSe (630 $\mathrm{W}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{K}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$), BeTe (370 $\mathrm{W}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{K}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$), and cubic BAs (3170 $\mathrm{W}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{K}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$). Together these results suggest a missing ingredient in the basic guidelines commonly used to understand and predict ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{l}$. Unlike typical simple systems (e.g., Si, GaAs, SiC), the dominant resistance to heat-carrying acoustic phonons in $\mathrm{L}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}\mathrm{Se}$ and $\mathrm{L}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}\mathrm{Te}$ comes from interactions of these modes with two optic phonons. These interactions require significant bandwidth and dispersion of the optic branches, both present in $\mathrm{L}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}X$ materials. These considerations are important for the discovery and design of new materials for thermal management applications and give a more comprehensive understanding of thermal transport in crystalline solids.
Impact of Socioeconomic Status and Distance from Treatment Center on Survival in Patients Receiving Remission Induction Therapy for Newly Diagnosed Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML).

Abstract Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) and distance from a treatment center are prognostic factors in chronic malignancies, such as head and neck or breast cancer, where relative disease latency enables patients with greater means to travel to receive their care. Little is known about the influence of these demographics on patient outcomes in rapidly-growing cancers, such as AML. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all patients receiving remission induction therapy for AML at the Cleveland Clinic between January 1997 and December 2005. Race and residential zipcodes were obtained from information disclosed by patients in their electronic medical records. Average annual household income in a zipcode and distance from the treatment center were obtained using web-based databases ( www.melissadata.com , www.zip-codes.com ). Data on known prognostic factors (age, WBC at diagnosis, cytogenetic risk groups (as defined by CALGB 8461) and AML etiology (de novo vs. secondary AML)) were collected and controlled for in multivariable analyses. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the association between distance and income assessed using the Spearman rank correlation. Results: Anthracycline-based remission induction chemotherapy was administered to 281 patients: 132 (47%) were female, with a median age at diagnosis of 60 years (range 17–80). Median WBC at diagnosis was 9.9 k/uL (range:0.4–550 k/uL). Cytogenetics were favorable in 33 patients (11.7%, 10 of whom had t(15;17)), intermediate in 137 (48.8%), unfavorable in 73 (26%), and unknown in 38 (13.5%). Ninety patients (32%) had secondary AML. The ethnic distribution was consistent with other AML series: 252 (90.6%) were Caucasian (C), 22 (7.9%) were African American (AA), and 4 (1.4%) were neither (non-AA non-C). The median distance from the treatment center was 24.4 miles (range: 0.9–2058), and median average household income was $38,972 (range: $17,496-$143,220). Overall survival (OS) was 30.2% at a median of 22.6 months of follow-up. There was no significant correlation between distance and income. In both univariable and multivariable analyses, age ≥60 years, unfavorable cytogenetics, increased WBC count at presentation and secondary AML were all found to adversely affect survival (p Conclusion: Contrary to their impact on chronic malignancies, neither SES nor distance from treatment facility affect outcome in patients with AML treated at the same hospital. This supports referring patients for treatment to tertiary facilities skilled at managing AML, even when they live at great distances from those facilities.
Medicaid Stage 1 Meaningful Use EHR Incentive Payments Are Associated With Higher Quality but Not Improvements in Quality

This was a retrospective cohort study of ambulatory care quality by physicians who received payment for Medicaid Stage 1 Meaningful Use (MU) in 2012 using New York State Medicaid Claims (2010-2013). Eight quality measures were used to compare performance of physicians who received payments to Adopt, Implement, or Use (AIU) an electronic health record in 2011 but not for MU in 2012 (AIU-only group) and physicians who cared for Medicaid patients but received no payments (no-incentive group), using propensity score-weighted difference-in-difference logistic regression analyses, clustering by physician. In all, 13 697 physicians and 913 476 patients were studied. In 2010, the MU group scored higher than both groups (vs AIU-only in 3 of 8 measures, 0.8-1.3 adjusted percentage points; vs no-incentive, 2 of 8 measures, 0.9-2.0 adjusted percentage points). The difference-in-difference analysis found no additional improvements in quality over time relative to either control group. Longer follow-up is needed to determine the effects of Stage 2 MU.
SiGe BiCMOS technologies for power amplifier applications

Silicon-germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS technology has advanced in many areas. In this paper, we discuss and illustrate the key device design issues for SiGe BiCMOS HBTs suitable for wireless power amplifier applications. The experimental results for high-breakdown SiGe HBTs built in several generations of BiCMOS technology are presented with focus on the 0.5 /spl mu/m SiGe BiCMOS node. Implications of recent high-performance SiGe HBT scaling achievements for BiCMOS technologies targeting wireless power amplifier applications are considered.
A Decision Theoretic Framework for Ranking using Implicit Feedback

This paper presents a decision theoretic ranking system that incorporates both explicit and implicit feedback. The system has a model that predicts, given all available data at query time, different interactions a person might have with search results. Possible interactions include relevance labelling and clicking. We define a utility function that takes as input the outputs of the interaction model to provide a real valued score to the user’s session. The optimal ranking is the list of documents that, in expectation under the model, maximizes the utility for a user session. The system presented is based on a simple example utility function that combines both click behavior and labelling. The click prediction model is a Bayesian generalized linear model. Its notable characteristic is that it incorporates both weights for explanatory features and weights for each querydocument pair. This allows the model to generalize to unseen queries but makes it at the same time flexible enough to keep in a ‘memory’ where the model should deviate from its feature based prediction. Such a click-predicting model could be particularly useful in an application such as enterprise search, allowing on-site adaptation to local documents and user behaviour. The example utility function has a parameter that controls the tradeoff between optimizing for clicks and optimizing for labels. Experimental results in the context of enterprise search show that a balance in the tradeoff leads to the best NDCG and good (predicted) clickthrough.
Exploratory Analysis of a Blended-Learning Course Redesign for Developmental Writers.

ABSTRACTThis quasiexperimental investigation describes the relative effects of a technology-driven course redesign on retention and achievement in a developmental writing program at a large, urban community college in the southwest United States. The new program focused on student learning and included online as well as face-to-face components that allowed students to complete the program in half the usual time in most cases. On average, students enrolled in the new program had lower placement test scores compared to students in the old program, but the gap was closed in the subsequent test and English course. Details of the redesign and challenges to conducting educational research and data analysis in community colleges are provided for other 2-year colleges considering course redesigns intended to impact student success.
Folic acid use by women with epilepsy: Findings of the Epilepsy Birth Control Registry

Abstract Purpose To determine the prevalence and predictors of folic acid (FA) use by women with epilepsy (WWE) at risk of unintended pregnancy. Methods These retrospective data come from the Epilepsy Birth Control Registry (EBCR) web-based survey of 1144 WWE in the community, 18–47 years, who provided demographic, epilepsy, AED, contraception, pregnancy, healthcare visits and FA data. We report prevalence and predictors of FA use in relation to risk of pregnancy (not at risk, at risk, seeking pregnancy, pregnant), demographics, seizure types and AED and contraception categories. Results 368 (47.6%) of the 773 WWE at risk of unintended pregnancy in the EBCR took FA supplement. Being at risk was a significant predictor in comparison to WWE not at risk (OR = 1.464 [1.103–1.944], p = 0.008). In comparison to WWE at risk, FA use trended greater for WWE actively seeking pregnancy (29/47, 61.7% v 368/773, 47.6%; p = 0.0605) and was greater for pregnant WWE (17/19, 89.5% v 368/773, 47.6%; p = 0.0007). Demographic predictors for WWE at risk were race (p = 0.003), education (p = 0.012) and income (0.043) with significantly greater FA use by Caucasians than minorities and direct correlations between FA use and levels of education and household income. Seizure type, AED use, category and dosage, polytherapy and contraceptive category were not predictors. A healthcare provider visit during the year prior to the survey was not a predictor. Prevalence of FA use was similar following visits with gynecologists - 51.7%, neurologists – 48.7% and primary care – 48.6%. FA supplementation by prescription was greater for WWE at risk on AED versus no AED (190/355, 53.5% v 3/13, 23.1%; p = 0.045). Conclusion Low prevalence of preconception FA use may reflect a need for more education. In addition, further research is needed to provide definitive evidence that FA reduces congenital malformations in the offspring of WWE.
Adaptive Observer Application to the Estimation of Nonlinear Biotechnological Processes

Abstract This paper describes the problems concerning computer modeling, simulation, and unmeasurable state estimation of nonlinear biotechnological fermentation processes. First, the mathematical model of a batch ethanol fermentation processes is investigated. Next the model linearization and discretization are studied. Finally, the adaptive observer application to the estimation of unmeasurable states in the processes is discussed.
Focal Therapy Eligibility Determined by Magnetic Resonance Imaging/Ultrasound Fusion Biopsy.

Purpose: We assessed focal therapy eligibility in men who underwent multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and targeted biopsy with correlation to whole mount histology after radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: Subjects were selected from among the 454 men in whom targeted biopsy proven prostate cancer was derived from regions of interest on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging from 2010 to 2016. Focal therapy eligibility was limited to a maximum Gleason score of 4 + 3 in regions of interest with or without other foci of low risk prostate cancer (Gleason score 3 + 3 and less than 4 mm). Men who did not meet NCCN® intermediate risk criteria were classified as ineligible for focal therapy. Of the 454 men 64 underwent radical prostatectomy and biopsy findings were compared to final pathology findings.Results: Of the 454 men with a biopsy proven region of interest 175 (38.5%) were eligible for focal therapy. Fusion biopsy, which combined targeted and template biopsy, had 80.0% sensitivity (...
Abstract 18441: 3d Printing is a Powerful Tool in the Management of Adult Patients With Congenital Heart Disease

Introduction: 3D printing is a promising technology that yields highly accurate replicas of a patient’s anatomy. We describe the use of 3D printing in adult patients with congenital heart defects (...
A Method for Stereological Determination of the Structure Function From Histological Sections of Isotropic Scattering Media

The frequency-dependent ultrasonic backscatter coefficient (BSC) from tissues, a fundamental parameter estimated by quantitative ultrasound (QUS) techniques, contains microstructure information useful for tissue characterization. To extract the microstructure information from the BSC, the tissue under investigation is often modeled as a collection of discrete scatterers embedded in a homogeneous background. From a discrete scatterer point of view, the BSC is dependent on not only the properties of individual scatterers relative to the background but also the scatterer spatial arrangement [described by the structure function (SF)]. Recently, the 2-D SF was computed from histological tissue sections, and was shown to be related to the volumetric SF extracted from QUS measurements. In this paper, a stereological method is proposed to extract the volumetric (3-D) SF from 2-D histological tissue sections. Simulations and experimental cell pellet biophantom studies were conducted to evaluate the proposed method. Simulation results verified the proposed method. Experimental results showed that the volumetric SF extracted using the proposed method had a significantly better agreement with the QUS-extracted SF than did the 2-D SF extracted in the previous study. The proposed stereological approach provides a useful tool for predicting the SF from histology.
From HRMS to Phoenix: Up from the Ashes

The story of NASA and SETI begins with John Billingham, whose chapter (most appropriately) precedes mine. John was an RAF physician who worked on the Apollo missions to the moon, and came to the Life Sciences division at NASA Ames research center in Mountain View, CA. There, he became interested in SETI. In 1970, he invited Barney Oliver, then Vice President of Research and Development at Hewlett Packard, to head up a summer engineering study called Project Cyclops. The goal of Project Cyclops was to design a system to detect Earth-level technology at a distance of 1000 light years.
Compliance with Antituberculosis Regimens and the Role of Behavioral Interventions

The history of tuberculosis (TB) in the United States and its most recent resurgence beginning in 1985 has been well documented (Comstock, 1994). Incidence rates had been on the decline since 1950, with a low of 9.1 per 100,000 population during the early 1980s (Wilson, 1990). Between 1985 and 1992, however, the number of cases of TB in the United States increased by 20% (Johnson, 1994). Freudenberg (1994) further notes that as many as 19 million persons in the United States have latent TB that has the possibility of becoming active.
A Model for Correlating Damage and Ultrasonic Attenuation in Composites

Ultrasonic attenuation data measured by the pulse-echo technique have been obtained versus load for two graphite-epoxy laminates and are presented. The attenuation-load data display distinct changes at load values associated with the initiation of transverse cracks in the weakest plies and with the knee in the bilinear stress-strain curve. It was intended to determine if a simplified diffraction model could be used to account for the attenuation changes. The basis of the diffraction model is that transverse cracks or delaminations, or both, initiating and progressing in the specimen under the area covered by the ultrasonic transducer would cause diffraction of the ultrasonic beam and changes in the measured attenuation.
Galindo, A. / Ujaldón, E. (2016): Diez mitos de la democracia. Contra la demagogia y el populismo, Córdoba: Almuzara.

Resena del libro de A. Galindo y E. Ujaldon, "Diez mitos de la democracia" (Almuzara, 2017).
The Metabolic Syndrome, Cardiovascular Fitness and Survival in Patients With Advanced Systolic Heart Failure.

The metabolic syndrome (MetS), which incorporates insulin resistance, visceral adiposity, and dyslipidemia, is an independent risk factor for incident heart failure (HF), but the impact on survival is uncertain. We sought to determine the relation between the metabolic syndrome and survival in ambulatory systolic HF patients and the impact of MetS on cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). We identified adults with ejection fraction ≤40% who underwent CPETs between 2000 and 2011. Baseline MetS status was defined by 3 or more of: (1) Triglycerides ≥150 mg/dl; (2) High density lipoprotein
Nuclear Hydrogen Production Plants

Hydrogen is an environmentally friendly energy carrier that, unlike electricity, can be stored in large quantities. It can be converted into electricity in fuel cells, with only heat and water as by-products. It is also compatible witdecreases sharply with temperature. At ah combustion turbines and reciprocating engines to produce power with near-zero emission of pollutants, as discussed in Chap. 2 and 3. Therefore, hydrogen could play a major role in energy systems and serve all sectors of the economy, substituting for fossil fuels and helping mitigate global warming. The quest for better and cheaper production of this clean substance for consumption is an important task for engineers and scientists, who are working toward zero emissions and a decarbonized environment for the present and future generations.
A Toll-like receptor (TLR) 5 agonist entolimod mediates anti-metastatic activity via NK cell-dependent T cell activation (TUM2P.1029)

Directing innate immunity against cancer is a promising but poorly developed approach to immunotherapy due to the risk of acute inflammation induced by innate immunity activators. In this regard, TLR5 is a unique innate immune receptor with a distinct tissue specificity of expression and induction of a specific cytokine profile upon activation by its agonist bacterial flagellin that is significantly safer than that induced by other TLR agonists. Entolimod is an optimized Salmonella flagellin derivative with demonstrated safety and efficacy in protecting normal cells from stresses such as radiation or chemotherapy, while not protecting or stimulating tumors. We show here that systemic administration of entolimod has potent antitumor effects in mouse syngeneic colon (CT26) and breast (4T1) cancer models, including suppression of liver metastases and development of CD8 T cell memory. In these models, entolimod treatment leads to blood-borne homing of NK cells to the liver followed by activation of CD4 and CD8 T cells. Antibody-mediated depletion and adoptive transfer experiments showed that all three of these cell types are essential for entolimod’s antitumor effects and demonstrate a pivotal role for NK cell-mediated CD8 and CD4 T cell activation and formation of CD8 T cell memory. Therefore, entolimod has strong promise as a safe, effective and broadly applicable immunotherapeutic agent against liver metastases, which are currently a major cause of cancer-associated mortality.
Missed Opportunities in Identifying Cardiomyopathy Etiology Prior to Advanced Heart Failure Therapy

Purpose In October 2018, a new US adult heart allocation scheme was enacted in which the etiology of cardiomyopathy can play a significant role in the prioritization of patients listed for transplantation. Given this, we embarked on a review of the diagnoses of patients who underwent therapy for advanced heart failure at our center. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the etiology of cardiomyopathy of patients receiving either durable ventricular assist device (VAD) or orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York, NY between January 2011 and October 2018. We evaluated for discrepancies between the primary HF diagnosis at time of operation with the ultimate diagnosis, combining both clinical follow-up data and cardiac pathology. Results During the study period, a total of 110 patients were treated with advanced therapies, of which the majority (74.5%) were male. 40.9% were African American, 35.4% Caucasian, 4.5% Asian, and 23.6% Hispanic. 86.3% underwent VAD and 22.0% underwent OHT. The average age of those undergoing OHT and VAD were 58 and 61 respectively. The most common reported etiology of HF was dilated cardiomyopathy (57.3%), followed by ischemic (36.3%), familial DCM (1.8%), amyloidosis (1.8%), restrictive cardiomyopathy (1.8%), and sarcoidosis (0.9%). On final review of the diagnoses in these patients, 14 (12.7%) had a final diagnosis that was inconsistent with the prior reported one. 5 were clerical errors, but 9 were significant deviations from the prior diagnosis. The most common diagnoses that were misidentified prior to VAD or OHT were cardiac sarcoidosis (2), cardiac amyloidosis (2), and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (2). Among those 9 patients, 7 patients received VAD with 5 eventually requiring OHT (median days to OHT = 248); 2 patients directly received OHT. All of those are alive except one patient who was lost to follow-up (transferred care to another center). Patients in whom the diagnosis was misidentified prior to VAD or OHT had smaller LV dimensions on transthoracic echocardiography on average than other LVAD or OHT patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. Conclusions In this single-center review, we found that the majority of HF patients undergoing VAD and OHT had a correct diagnosis for their heart failure prior to treatment, although notably 8.1% had a missed diagnosis at time of intervention (VAD or OHT). Appropriately identifying the subtype of cardiomyopathy remains challenging especially in advanced HF patients but can significantly impact waiting list time in the current organ allocation scheme. A normal or minimally increased LV dimension on echocardiogram in a patient with advanced non-ischemic cardiomyopathy may warrant further workup for another diagnosis.
An adaptive sigma-point Kalman filter with state equality constraints for online state-of-charge estimation of a Li(NiMnCo)O2/Carbon battery using a reduced-order electrochemical model

Abstract A new SOC estimation method is proposed based on a reduced-order electrochemical model using an adaptive square-root sigma-point Kalman filter (ASR-SPKF) with equality state constraints. The constraints derived from the principle of charge conservation are introduced to improve the accuracy of both anode and cathode SOC estimations. Furthermore, the cathode SOC is estimated to represent the cell SOC for its fast convergence speed, which is due to the high magnitude of the cathode equilibrium potential. Approaches used to adaptively updating the covariance parameters of the filter based on the covariance matching method are also incorporated. As a result, the covariance matrix of process noise is adjusted automatically. Comparative studies of three nonlinear filters concerning estimation accuracy, error bounds, recovery time from an initial offset, and computational time revealed that the ASR-SPKF has the most outstanding performance. That is, 30% more accurate and 88% shorter the convergence time than the AEKF, and, computationally, 23% and 19% faster than the AEKF and ASPKF, respectively. Then, the proposed method was tested at different temperatures using a large-format lithium-ion battery with a nominal capacity of 42 Ah where the voltage and SOC error remained less than 22 mV and 2%, respectively. Finally, the proposed method was implemented in a battery-in-the-loop test station using a fast charging and a driving cycle profile, and the estimated voltage and SOC were compared with the experimental results.
Incorporating Calibrated Numerical Models in Estimating Moduli of Compacted Geomaterials from Integrated Intelligent Compaction Measurements and Laboratory Testing

Proof rolling after completion of compaction of earthwork using intelligent compaction (IC) technology can be used to assess the uniformity of the compacted geomaterials and to identify less stiff ...
Elective egg freezing: what is the vision of women around the globe?

Aim: The interest in oocyte cryopreservation (OC) for nonmedically indicated reasons is increasing. Knowing women’s beliefs and knowledge from various geographic regions could help providers to und...
National Imaging Trends in Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury and Hydrocephalus.

Objective Reduction in use of computed tomography (CT) in favor of rapid-sequence magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to decrease pediatric radiation exposure has varied across institutions in the United States. The aims of this study were to understand national trends in CT and rapid-sequence MRI usage and identify variables affecting imaging practices and obstacles to CT reduction. Methods This was a retrospective review of deidentified discharge data for children with hydrocephalus and traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database in 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, and 2016. Utilization of MRI without contrast and CT was extracted using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, and International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes. Hospital region and age cohorts were extracted and used to categorize data. χ2 tests and logistic regression were used for analysis. Results Hospitalizations utilizing CT decreased (P Conclusions Nationwide, the average number of discharges after hospitalizations utilizing CT in patients with hydrocephalus and TBI has decreased, while discharges after hospitalizations utilizing MRI as an alternative imaging modality have increased. Despite successful overall CT reduction, significant regional variation exists within this trend showing inconsistent reduction of CT use.
A Paradigm for the Proper Use of Pre-Majority Conduct in Prosecuting Criminal Offenses

Minors sometimes break the law. In order to insulate them from the rigorous regime of adult prosecution, which almost entirely discounts rehabilitation as a goal, the federal government, like the several states, generally redresses ostensibly criminal behavior by persons younger than eighteen years old in a juvenile system. Of course, not all minors and pre-majority conduct, that is, conduct of persons under eighteen years old, are excluded from the federal criminal justice system. A young person’s record of transgressions and the characteristics of the offense are logical considerations that might weigh in favor of adult treatment. Geography, however, is not as natural a factor; yet, because of a long-standing split among the United States Circuit Courts of Appeals, geography plays a larger role than it should in determining whether and to what extent some minors might be punished for criminal behavior that spans their eighteenth birthdays. This article examines the conflict among the circuits regarding the intersection of the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Act and continuing offenses; it then presents a four-part paradigm for handling these cases.
Applied digital library project management: Using Pugh matrix analysis in complex decision‐making situations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define and describe Pugh matrix analysis as a method for decision making when there are multiple criteria that must be factored into a decision. Design/methodology/approach – Using theory and example, the author relates the use of Pugh matrix analysis to the successful selection of prioritized criteria in digital library projects. Findings – Pugh matrix analysis (PMA) is useful as a method for determining a course of action as well as gaining consensus with a project team. Because it is based on multiple criteria decision analysis techniques, PMA can help a team understand the relationship of multiple issues within a project as well as the individual perspectives project team members and the user community bring to the issues at hand. Originality/value – This paper fills a gap in the digital library project management literature by providing an overview of a useful tool to prioritize the issues, factors, and courses of action within a project that has multiple criteria decision points.