cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Inflated Seating Cushions on Engagement in Preschool Circle Time

Inflatable balls and cushions made of non-latex rubber can provide alternatives to sitting on the floor/ground or classroom chairs. This study tested the effect of inflatable cushions (wiggle cushions) placed on the floor for seating during circle time in typical preschool classrooms. The effect on attention was tested using alternating periods of usual seating and wiggle cushions. Four preschool classrooms (n = 25) were utilized, with two randomly assigned to the intervention condition (n = 15) and two as control (n = 10). Circle time was led by classroom teachers. Preschoolers’ engagement was rated using five subscales of the Child Behavior Rating Scale (Mahoney and Wheeden 1999), a five-point Likert-type scale, from video recordings of a uniformly structured seven-minute period at the beginning of circle time. With use of wiggle cushions, there were statistically significant improvements in Attention and Persistence subscales (p = .002, .026 respectively). Teachers provided positive feedback for the intervention, indicating social validity. Results provide support for the use of wiggle cushions to enhance engagement during preschool circle time.
Isolated Organometallic Nickel(III) and Nickel(IV) Complexes Relevant to Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation Reactions.

Nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions are experiencing a dramatic resurgence in recent years given their ability to employ a wider range of electrophiles as well as promote stereospecific or stereoselective transformations. In contrast to the extensively studied Pd catalysts that generally employ diamagnetic intermediates, Ni systems can more easily access various oxidation states including odd-electron configurations. For example, organometallic NiIII intermediates with aryl and/or alkyl ligands are commonly proposed as the active intermediates in cross-coupling reactions. Herein, we report the first isolated NiIII–dialkyl complex and show that this species is involved in stoichiometric and catalytic C–C bond formation reactions. Interestingly, the rate of C–C bond formation from a NiIII center is enhanced in the presence of an oxidant, suggesting the involvement of transient NiIV species. Indeed, such a NiIV species was observed and characterized spectroscopically for a nickelacycle system. Overall,...
Identifying and Understanding the Health Information Experiences and Preferences of Individuals With TBI, SCI, and Burn Injuries.

Introduction:Traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and burn injury can cause lifelong disability and changes in quality of life. In order to meet the challenges of postinjury life, various types of health information are needed. We sought to identify preferred sources of health information and services for persons with these injuries and discover how accessibility could be improved.Methods:Thirty-three persons with injury participated in semistructured interviews. Responses to interview questions were coded using NVivo.Results:Participants’ difficulties accessing health information varied by injury type and individually. The majority of respondents found information via the Internet and advocated its use when asked to describe their ideal health information system. Nearly all participants supported the development of a comprehensive care website. When searching for health information, participants sought doctor and support group networks, long-term health outcomes, and treatments specific to their i...
Avoiding Transitions, Layering Change: The Evolution of American Energy Policy

During the 1970s, the American government created policies to engineer a transition away from oil, sparking a bitter debate over form of the new system. Since 1992, US policy makers again implemented policies to change the energy system but avoided articulating the details of a new energy system, calling for a vague, new “clean energy economy.” The process incrementally layered new institutional rules on top of existing institutions and catalyzed the growth of one of the largest renewable energy industries in the world. However, in contrast to the German approach, American policy seeks to expand all energy sources, an “all of the above” strategy. Veto points and players in the US political system led to a less ambitious program for the development of renewable energy.
Fighting fat in AML

In this issue of Blood , Dany et al demonstrate a critical role of the ceramide-regulated signaling pathway in inducing mitophagy to cause cell death and overcome drug resistance of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells carrying internal tandem duplication (ITD) of the Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) gene. 1 Inhibition of FLT3-ITD signaling through altering ceramide-involved lipid metabolism provides a new strategy for treating FLT3-ITD–positive AML and overcoming drug resistance by pharmacologically blocking FLT-3-ITD downstream signaling to enhance ceramide-mediated mitophagy.
Retention, Antiretroviral Therapy Use and Viral Suppression by History of Injection Drug Use Among HIV-Infected Patients in an Urban HIV Clinical Cohort.

Compared to HIV-infected persons who do not inject drugs (non-IDU), persons who inject drugs (PWID) experience disparities in linking to medical care, initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) and achieving viral suppression. There has been little attention to changes in these disparities over time. We estimated the proportion of PWID and non-IDU retained in care, on ART, and virally suppressed each year from 2001–2012 in the Johns Hopkins HIV Clinical Cohort (JHHCC). We defined active clinic patients as those who had ≥1 clinical visit, CD4 cell count, or viral load between July 1 of the prior year, and June 30 of the analysis year. Within a calendar year, retention was defined as ≥2 clinical visits or HIV-related laboratory measurements >90 days; ART use was defined as ≥1 ART prescription active ≥30 days; and viral suppression was defined as ≥1 HIV viral load <400 copies/mL. While PWID were less likely to be retained in earlier years, the gaps in retention closed around 2010. After 2003–2004, PWID and non-IDU retained in care had similar probability of receiving a prescription for ART and PWID and non-IDU on ART had similar probability of viral suppression.
Outpatient Surveillance at the Dialysis Center

This chapter details the approach to outpatient hemodialysis access monitoring and surveillance. Close monitoring, evaluation, assessment, and timely intervention can reduce the high rate of primary failure in hemodialysis access. Patient should be seen by healthcare team once every 2 weeks after the surgery, both to assess the progress of maturation process and any complications caused by the creation of access such as tissue ischemia or venous hypertension. Lack of maturation process should direct the focus on determining the cause such as channeling of blood to accessory veins, presence of stenotic area on the target vein, etc. Further diagnostic work such as sonography followed by appropriate intervention usually leads to success. Surveillance is helpful, if conducted properly and focused on the trend of any change. Static Vp and Vp/MAP ratio as well as Ap and ratio is recommended since this can be done every dialysis and does not require any special device. Serial blood flow directly or indirectly may be helpful but requires special device and staff training, and its value is controversial. Upon physical examination, pre-pump Ap and Ap/MAP ratio appear to be more sensitive for AVF and Vp more sensitive for AVG problems. Good access monitoring and surveillance program at the dialysis units and by nephrologists are invaluable in maintaining a well-functioning access.
Analytical Modeling for Computing Lead Stress in a Novel Epicardial Micropacemaker

Implantation and maintenance of a permanent cardiac pacing system in children remains challenging due to small patient size, congenital heart defects and somatic growth. We are developing a novel epicardial micropacemaker for children that can be implanted on the epicardium within the pericardial space via a minimally-invasive technique. The key design configurations include a novel open-coiled lead in which living tissue replaces the usual polymeric support for the coiled conductor. To better understand and be able to predict the behavior of the implanted lead, we performed a radiographic image-based modeling study on a chronic animal test. We report a pilot study in which two mechanical dummy pacemakers with epicardial leads were implanted into an adult pig model via a minimally invasive approach. Fluoroscopy was obtained on the animal on Post-Operative Days #9, #35 and #56 (necropsy). We then constructed an analytic model to estimate the in vivo stress conditions on the open-coil lead based on the analysis of orthogonal biplane radiographic images. We obtained geometric deformation data of the implanted lead including elongation magnitudes and bending radii from sequenced films of cardiac motion cycles. The lead stress distribution was investigated on each film frame and the point of maximum stress (Mean Stress = 531.4 MPa; Alternating Stress = ± 216.4 MPa) was consistently where one of the leads exited the pericardial space, a deployment that we expected to be unfavorable. These results suggest the modeling approach can provide a basis for further design optimization. More animal tests and modeling will be needed to validate whether the novel lead design could meet the requirements to withstand ~200 million cardiac motion cycles over 5 years.
Exploring the Change in Strategy Formulation and Performance Measurement Practices Under Turbulence

ABSTRACTThis article adds to the growing literature exploring the impact of cutbacks and environmental turbulence on organizational operations by studying the changes in strategy formulation and performance measurement practices in the public sector in the wake of the Great Recession. Survey data were collected from public transit agencies in small and medium-sized cities at the beginning of the recession in 2009 and again in 2013. The analyses found that transit agencies dealt with the fallout from the economic crisis by increasing their use of logical incrementalism approaches to strategy formulation through negotiating with organizational stakeholders and responding to newly emerging information through continuing changes in strategy. Agencies also placed greater emphasis on performance measurement practices. While the use of formal strategic planning itself remained constant under turbulence, the blended approach of formal strategic planning and logical incrementalism showed significant increase. Theo...
Aestivation and Ionic Regulation in Two Species of Pomacea (Gastropoda, Prosobranchia)

1. The ionic composition of the haemolymph, and the concentrations of uric acid and protein, have been determined for the amphibious prosobranchs Pomacea lineata and P. depressa . Ionic composition of the haemolymph is similar to that of freshwater gastropods. 2. The urine is decidedly hypo-osmotic to the haemolymph, reabsorption of ions occurring in the anterior chamber of the kidney. The rate of production of urine is approximately 1 µl./g./min. at 25° C. 3. The onset of aestivation appears to be related to a loss of 20% of the normal wet weight of the tissues. The loss of weight during aestivation averages 0.009% of the initial wet weight/hr., and aestivation may continue for over 400 days. 4. During aestivation the osmotic pressure of the haemolymph may rise to twice its normal value; but this is 30 mM/l. NaCl less than that predicted from weight losses. The relative composition of the haemolymph alters little, except that the percentages of sodium and chloride increase. 5. Uric acid accumulates round the blood vessels during aestivation, especially in the lung. Relatively little accumulates in the two chambers of the kidney, and only that in the posterior chamber is excreted later. Since the volume of fluid in the posterior chamber falls to about 10% of its normal value, while the total loss of weight of the snail is about 50%, the fluid in the posterior chamber acts as a water reserve. 6. Recovery from aestivation occurs in about 24 hr., when the snails are placed in water. The posterior chamber of the kidney excretes high concentrations of uric acid during this time. 7. The characteristics of aestivation are discussed, and compared with those shown by the Pulmonata. Contribution No. 898 from the Marine Laboratory, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Miami.
Religion and Free Speech: Michael Capek. Minneapolis, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2016. 112 pp. Hardcover. $24.95. ISBN 978-1-62403-902-7.

Religion and Free Speech by Michael Capek provides an overview of the topic of freedom of expression as it relates to religion. This title is part of Abdo Publishing's “Special Reports” series, whi...
Prognostic value of CA20, a score based on centrosome amplification-associated genes, in breast tumors

Centrosome amplification (CA) is a hallmark of cancer, observable in ≥75% of breast tumors. CA drives aggressive cellular phenotypes such as chromosomal instability (CIN) and invasiveness. Thus, assessment of CA may offer insights into the prognosis of breast cancer and identify patients who might benefit from centrosome declustering agents. However, it remains unclear whether CA is correlated with clinical outcomes after adjusting for confounding factors. To gain insights, we developed a signature, “CA20”, comprising centrosome structural genes and genes whose dysregulation is implicated in inducing CA. We found that CA20 was a significant independent predictor of worse survival in two large independent datasets after adjusting for potentially confounding factors. In multivariable analyses including both CA20 and CIN25 (a gene expression-based score that correlates with aneuploidy and has prognostic value in many types of cancer), only CA20 was significant, suggesting CA20 captures the risk-predictive information of CIN25 and offers information beyond it. CA20 correlated strongly with CIN25, so a high CA20 score may reflect tumors with high CIN and potentially other aggressive features that may require more aggressive treatment. Finally, we identified processes and pathways differing between CA20-low and high groups that may be valuable therapeutic targets.
Cultural impacts on nursing unit design: A comparative study on Chinese nursing unit typologies and their U.S. counterparts using space syntax:

This study attempts to understand cultural impacts on nursing unit design through a comparative study on Chinese nursing unit typologies and their U.S. counterparts. The focus is to investigate whe...
Abstract 2355: Palbociclib enhances the antitumor activity of taxanes by abrogating cell cycle checkpoints and alleviating hypoxia in squamous cell lung cancer

Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality. Squamous cell lung cancer (SqCLC) is the second most common subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and is responsible for ~100,000 deaths in the US and EU. Most SqCLC patients receive chemotherapy as 1st line treatments and have a high un-met medical need for new therapies. Therapeutic approaches that enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy would therefore improve clinical outcomes for this patient population. CDK inhibitors comprise a class of drugs that target the dysregulated cell cycle in malignant cells. Treatment of tumor cells with the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib inhibits tumor growth by decreasing retinoblastoma (RB) protein phosphorylation and inducing cell cycle arrest at the G1/S phase transition. Based on promising clinical trial results, palbociclib in combination with letrozole was granted accelerated approval by the US FDA for the treatment of postmenopausal women with ER-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. Like hormone receptor positive breast cancer patients, the vast majority of SqCLC patients harbor wild type RB and thus may also benefit from palbociclib treatment. Previously, we reported robust cytotoxicity and antitumor effects of palbociclib plus taxanes, including nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (Nab-PTX) or docetaxel (DTX), in several preclinical models of SqCLC. In the present study, we extended our efficacy studies of this combination to additional RB+ SqCLC models with diverse molecular genetic backgrounds. In search of mechanisms of action underlying the observed combinatorial effects, we identified several novel mechanisms, including cell cycle checkpoint abrogation as well as reduction of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α). Decrease in HIF-1α protein led to strong modulation of downstream genes involved in angiogenesis, resulting in reduced blood vessel size in tumor vasculature. Our results suggest that palbociclib enhances the antitumor activity of taxanes by abrogating cell cycle checkpoints and alleviating hypoxia in SqCLC. Citation Format: Joan Cao, Zhou Zhu, Hui Wang, Tim Nichols, Edward Rosfjord, Christine Hopf, Erik Upeslacis, Paul Rejto, Scott Weinrich, Todd Vanarsdale, James Hardwick, Ping Wei. Palbociclib enhances the antitumor activity of taxanes by abrogating cell cycle checkpoints and alleviating hypoxia in squamous cell lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2355. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2355
Au Exchange or Au Deposition: Dual Reaction Pathways in Au–CsPbBr3 Heterostructure Nanoparticles

We have designed a facile synthetic strategy for the selective deposition of Au metal on all-inorganic CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals that includes the addition of PbBr2 salt along with AuBr3 salt. PbBr2 is necessary because the addition of Au3+ to solutions of CsPbBr3 nanocrystals otherwise results in the exchange of Au3+ ions from solution with Pb2+ cations within the nanocrystal lattice to produce Cs2AuIAuIIIBr6 nanocrystals with a tetragonal crystal structure and a band gap of about 1.6 eV, in addition to Au metal deposition. Including excess Pb2+ ions in solution prevents the exchange reaction. Au metal deposits on the surface of the nanocrystals to produce the Au–CsPbBr3 heterostructure nanoparticles with an Au particle diameter determined by the Au3+ ion concentration. Fluorescence quenching caused by Au deposition monotonically increases with deposition size, but the fluorescence quantum yield (QY) is significantly greater than if any cation exchange has occurred. An optimized synthesis can produ...
Performance assessment of 700-bar compressed hydrogen storage for light duty fuel cell vehicles

Abstract Type 4 700-bar compressed hydrogen storage tanks were modeled using ABAQUS. The finite element model was first calibrated against data for 35-L subscale test tanks to obtain the composite translation efficiency, and then applied to full sized tanks. Two variations of the baseline T700/epoxy composite were considered in which the epoxy was replaced with a low cost vinyl ester resin and low cost resin with an alternate sizing. The results showed that the reduction in composite weight was attributed primarily to the lower density of the resin and higher fiber volume fraction in the composite due to increased squeeze-out with the lower viscosity vinyl ester resin. The system gravimetric and volumetric capacities for the onboard storage system that holds 5.6 kg H 2 are 4.2 wt% (1.40 kWh/kg) and 24.4 g-H 2 /L (0.81 kWh/L), respectively. The system capacities increase and carbon fiber requirement decreases if the in-tank amount of unrecoverable hydrogen is reduced by lowering the tank “empty” pressure. Models of an alternate tank design showed potential 4–7% saving in composite usage for tanks with a length-to-diameter (L/D) ratio of 2.8–3.0 but no saving for L/D of 1.7. A boss with smaller opening and longer flange does not appear to reduce the amount of helical windings.
Theoretical Studies of Thymine–Thymine Photodimerization: Using Ground State Dynamics to Model Photoreaction

Excited electronic states of DNA are extremely important in biology and yet most of these states have lifetimes of ∼ 1 ps. This short lifetime allows for very little nuclear rearrangement during dissipation. In particular, photoinduced thymine-thymine (TT) dimer formation has been found to be a picosecond process. The most prevalent TT dimer is formed by a [2+2] addition of the C5–C6 double bonds of the dimerizing thymines. Given the topochemical rules known for photoinduced [2+2] addition of organic compounds in the solid state, a similar set of rules is presented for TT dimerization in solution phase DNA. It is found that a single ground state geometric parameter (the distance, d,between the C5–C6 double bonds) is sufficient as a constraint on when dimers can form such that accurate TT dimer quantum yields can be predicted. The electronic basis of such a model is examined along with calibration of the model for dT20 and dA20dT20. The application and validity of this model to a variety of double and single stranded DNA systems is then discussed.
The Effect of Music Therapy Entrainment on Physiologic Measures of Infants in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit: Single Case Withdrawal Pilot Study

Background Although evidence suggests music therapy lowers the heart rate of ill adults undergoing painful procedures and premature infants in the NICU, the effect of music therapy interventions on physiologic response in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) being cared for in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) has not been explored. Objective The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of the music therapy entrainment on physiologic responses of infants with CHD in the CICU. Methods Five infants in the CICU received music therapy entrainment 3-5 times per week for up to 3 weeks. Sessions took place both prior to and after the infant's surgical cardiac repair. Heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturations were recorded every 15 seconds for 20 minutes prior to the intervention (baseline), during the 20-minute music therapy entrainment (intervention), and for 20 minutes after the intervention (return to baseline). Comparisons of baseline to intervention measures were based on means, standard deviations, and derivatives of the signal. Results Four of 5 infants experienced a decrease in average heart and respiratory rates as well as improvement in the derivative of the heart rate signal. Greater improvements were found when infants were located in the open bay and were receiving sedatives or narcotics. Conclusions Our findings provide initial evidence that music therapy entrainment may be a valuable intervention to support improved physiologic stability in infants with CHD.
Music Therapy: Bettering Lives One Note at a Time

The present chapter discusses the field of music therapy and the benefits that individuals of all ages and levels of functioning obtain from participating in music therapy sessions. A literature review pertaining to music therapy with the clinical populations of oncology , mental health , gerontology, medical/surgical , and developmentally disabled was presented. Music therapy is an effective adjunct therapeutic modality that can support clients in achieving goals of a cognitive, physical, emotional, and social nature. Music therapy professionals are highly skilled clinicians trained in the areas of general music, psychology, and therapeutic principles. Their broad education supports them in designing unique and creative music-based interventions. While music therapists view the profession as a dynamic, therapeutic process consisting of interactions among the music, therapist, and client, it is impossible to deny the intrinsic qualities of music and its benefits upon the human spirit. The present chapter ends with a discussion regarding the use of music in our personal lives.
Radiocarbon measurements of ecosystem respiration and soil pore-space CO 2 in Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Alaska

Abstract. Radiocarbon measurements of ecosystem respiration and soil pore space CO2 are useful for determining the sources of ecosystem respiration, identifying environmental controls on soil carbon cycling rates, and parameterizing and evaluating models of the carbon cycle. We measured flux rates and radiocarbon content of ecosystem respiration, as well as radiocarbon in soil profile CO2 in Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Alaska, during the summers of 2012, 2013, and 2014. We found that radiocarbon in ecosystem respiration ( Δ14CReco ) ranged from +60.5 to −160 ‰ with a median value of +23.3 ‰. Ecosystem respiration became more depleted in radiocarbon from summer to autumn, indicating increased decomposition of old soil organic carbon and/or decreased CO2 production from fast-cycling carbon pools. Across permafrost features, ecosystem respiration from high-centered polygons was depleted in radiocarbon relative to other polygon types. Radiocarbon content in soil pore-space CO2 varied between −7.1 and −280 ‰, becoming more negative with depth in individual soil profiles. These pore-space radiocarbon values correspond to CO2 mean ages of 410 to 3350 years, based on a steady-state, one-pool model. Together, these data indicate that deep soil respiration was derived primarily from old, slow-cycling carbon, but that total CO2 fluxes depended largely on autotrophic respiration and heterotrophic decomposition of fast-cycling carbon within the shallowest soil layers. The relative contributions of these different CO2 sources were highly variable across microtopographic features and time in the sampling season. The highly negative Δ14C values in soil pore-space CO2 and autumn ecosystem respiration indicate that when it is not frozen, very old soil carbon is vulnerable to decomposition. Radiocarbon data and associated CO2 flux and temperature data are stored in the data repository of the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEE-Arctic) at http://dx.doi.org/10.5440/1364062 and https://doi.org/10.5440/1418853 .
Modeling Dynamical Phenomena in the Era of Big Data.

As the world around us gets equipped with widespread sensing, computing, communication, and actuation capabilities, opportunities to improve the quality of life arise. Smart infrastructures promise to dramatically increase safety and efficiency. While data abounds, the modeling and understanding of large-scale complex systems, such as energy distribution, transportation, or communication networks, water management systems, and buildings, presents several challenges. Deriving models from first principles via white or gray box modeling is infeasible. Classical black-box modeling is also not practical as model selection is hard, interactions change over time, and evolution can be observed passively without the chance to conduct experiments through data injection or manipulation of the system. Moreover, the causality structure of such systems is largely unknown.
Bystander Intervention to Abusive Behavior on Social Networking Websites

The current study assessed which bystander intervention behaviors individuals reported they would engage in when exposed to abuse in their online network and the correlates of these behaviors. Data...
Case 36-2018: A 29-Year-Old Man with an Incidentally Discovered Renal Mass.

A Man with an Incidentally Discovered Renal Mass A 29-year-old man was evaluated for a new, self-identified left testicular mass. Genitourinary ultrasonography revealed a varicocele on the left sid...
Accepting Things at Face Value: Insurance Coverage for Transgender Health Care.

Alex Dubov and Liana Fraenkel (2018) argue that facial feminization surgery (FFS) is a medically necessary treatment to permit transgender women to “pass” and should be covered by insurance. While ...
Driving While 'Intexticated': Texting, Driving, and Punishment

In this short article, we argue that texting while driving presents a special danger to society for which preventive solutions are needed. Although a variety of societal responses might be possible, and some other (softer) approaches should generally be preferred (e.g., education), since this is a symposium on homicide, it is appropriate to note that there will be situations when a prosecutor might justifiably (and probably should) bring murder or manslaughter charges against a driver whose texting causes a fatal accident. This article outlines the problems associated with texting, explains the legal basis on which homicide charges might be brought, and suggests some less drastic alternatives for dealing with the problem.
Nodal downstaging as a treatment goal for node-positive pancreatic cancer.

Abstract Background Nodal metastases portend a poor prognosis in patients with localized pancreatic cancer. Neoadjuvant therapy is associated with pathologic nodal downstaging in up to 38% of patients. However, the optimal type of neoadjuvant therapy for achieving nodal downstaging is unclear. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with nonmetastatic, clinically node-positive pancreatic cancer treated with neoadjuvant therapy and surgery identified in the National Cancer Database (2006–2014). Patients were stratified based on the neoadjuvant therapy regimens they received: multiagent chemotherapy; single-agent chemotherapy; multiagent chemotherapy with radiation; and single-agent chemotherapy with radiation. Associations between nodal downstaging and the type of neoadjuvant therapy received and overall risk of death were evaluated using multivariable regression analyses. Results Among the 603 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients treated with neoadjuvant therapy, 400 received multiagent chemotherapy (202 with radiation) and 203 received single agent chemotherapy (151 with radiation). Relative to multiagent chemotherapy, single-agent chemotherapy was associated with a lower likelihood of nodal downstaging (relative risk ratio 0.38 [95% CI 0.17–0.85]). Use of radiation was associated with a significantly greater likelihood of nodal response (single-agent chemotherapy with radiation: relative risk ratio 1.77 [1.36–2.30]; multiagent chemotherapy with radiation: relative risk ratio 1.91 [1.49–2.45]; radiation use overall (versus no radiation): relative risk ratio 2.12 [1.68–2.68]). Compared with patients who remained pathologically node positive after neoadjuvant therapy, node negative status was associated with a significantly lower risk of death (hazard ratio 0.61 [0.49–0.76]) regardless of whether radiation was used (hazard ratio 0.63 [0.48–0.82]) or not (hazard ratio 0.45 [0.29–0.72]). Conclusion Nodal downstaging is associated with a survival benefit in patients with node-positive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and is most likely to be achieved with neoadjuvant therapy that includes radiation. Single-agent chemotherapy neoadjuvant therapy was least likely to result in nodal downstaging.
Cardiovascular disease risk is associated with middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity in older adults.

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of cardiovascular disease (CVD) on middle cerebral blood flow velocity (MCAv) at rest and during exercise. A secondary aim was to explore the relationship between MCAv and 1) the presence of white matter lesions and 2) cognitive function. Methods We recruited individuals who were cognitively normal older adults. CVD risk was assessed by the Pooled Cohort atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound measured middle cerebral artery at rest and during a bout of moderate intensity exercise. We quantified white matter lesions from MRI and cognitive function outcomes included executive function, language, processing speed, and attention. Results Seventy-two participants 70.1 ± 4.7 years of age completed the study protocol. ASCVD risk score was significantly associated with resting and exercise MCAv (p 0.468). We observed a significant association between resting and exercise MCAv and language processing (p=0.010) but not other cognitive domains. Conclusion In cognitively normal older adults, higher ASCVD risk score was associated with blunted resting and exercise MCAv and with lower language processing performance. These results highlight the need for CVD risk management to maintain optimal brain health.
Virtual Surgical Planning and Patient Specific Surgical Templates and Precontoured Bone Plates

Virtual Surgical Planning (VSP) based on CT data has become widely used for orthognathic surgery, distraction osteogenesis, cancer reconstruction, trauma, and custom bone plate fabrication. Software planning utilizing 3D images provides surgeons with unparalleled visual tools for the understanding of patient’s deformities, pathology, and defects for surgical treatment. Surgeons can visualize and plan precise segmented images of cut bone segments and their repositioning, the creation of sectioned bone grafts, placement of dental implants, and develop facial and cranial implants.
Computational aberration correction of VIS-NIR multispectral imaging microscopy based on Fourier ptychography

Due to the chromatic dispersion properties inherent in all optical materials, even the best-designed multispectral objective will exhibit residual chromatic aberration. Here, we demonstrate a multispectral microscope with a computational scheme based on the Fourier ptychographic microscopy (FPM) to correct these effects in order to render undistorted, in-focus images. The microscope consists of 4 spectral channels ranging from 405 nm to 1552 nm. After the computational aberration correction, it can achieve isotropic resolution enhancement as verified with the Siemens star sample. We image a flip-chip to show the promise of our system to conduct fault detection on silicon chips. This computational approach provides a cost-efficient strategy for high quality multispectral imaging over a broad spectral range.
Using Modeled Cyber-Physical Systems for Independent Review of Intrusion Detection Systems.

In this paper, the author proposes a methodology to perform comparison and validation of proposed intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPSs) designed for cyber-physical systems (CPSs). This approach consists of a software model of a CPS, as well as a variety of sample cyber attacks and a metric for comparing IDS/IPS performance. Securing critical infrastructure from cyber attack is an important step in reducing the likelihood of a system failure and the resulting losses of property and human life. Independent review is necessary in the scientific research process to determine the viability of proposed solutions, their reproducibility, and their usefulness when compared to other potential defenses. The design of the model and test attacks are complex enough to show their impacts, yet simplistic enough to allow researchers to easily reproduce them and to focus instead on the results of their testing.
Novel Intervertebral Technologies

Surgical procedures, such as spinal fusion and disk replacement, are commonly used for treatment following failure of conservative treatment in degenerative spine disease. However, there is growing consensus that currently available surgical technologies may have long-term inefficacy for successful management. Intervertebral disk degeneration is the most common manifestation of degenerative spine disease, hence, replacement/repair of this tissue is an important component of surgical treatment. Restoration of spinal alignment and preservation of natural kinematics is also essential to a good outcome. This article reviews novel intervertebral implant technologies that have the potential to significantly impact elective spine surgery for degenerative spine disease.
Anti-Fett-Politik Übergewicht und staatliche Interventionspolitik in den USA

Der Aufruf des Surgeon Generals 2 beginnt dramatisch: „Ubergewicht und Adipositas haben epidemische Ausmase erreicht.…“ (Satcher zit. nach Mokdad 2001). Wissenschaftler, Regierungssprecher, Medienexperten, Journalisten und Lobbygruppen stimmen zunehmend lauter in diesen alarmistischen Chor ein. Im Gegensatz aber zu vielen anderen Public-Health-Problemen ist Adipositas zu grosen Teilen individuellen Verhaltensweisen wie Essen und Trinken geschuldet. In den Vereinigten Staaten mit ihrer starken Kultur des Individualismus wird Privates oft als Tabuzone fur staatliche Interventionen betrachtet: „Die Regierung sollte sich aus den personlichen Entscheidungen, die ich treffe, heraushalten“, schreibt der Washingtoner Universitatsprofessor Robert Russel, „meine bzw. deine Essgewohnheiten rechtfertigen nicht, dass mir die Regierung in den Kochtopf guckt“ (zit. nach St. Louis Dispatch: 21.03.2002).
Processing a Right to Education

I advocate for recognizing a constitutional right to education. I draw inspiration from John Hart Ely’s political process theory but take it a step deeper. While I embrace clearing the channels of access to the political process, I reject Ely’s premise that we should treat our current process as presumptively fair. A superficial focus on access does nothing to help those who have not been taught how to swim in those channels’ currents. But effective public education does. Thus, I contend that a constitutional right to education naturally extends the political process theory because it represents a practical realization of our democratic values. This paper proceeds in four parts. First, I briefly detail how our nation’s education systems fail many children and the consequent harm this inflicts on our democratic processes. Second, I describe the Sixth Circuit’s decision in Gary B. v. Whitmer, which recognized a fundamental right to literacy education. Next, I defend the decision on political process grounds. Finally, I analyze a fundamental right to education against a theory of populist constitutionalism.
Proteolytic activation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike S1/S2 site: a re-evaluation of furin cleavage

Abstract The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) uses its spike (S) protein to mediate viral entry into host cells. Cleavage of the S protein at the S1/S2 and/or S2’ site is known to activate the S protein for viral entry, which can occur at either the cell plasma membrane or the endosomal membrane. Previous studies show that SARS-CoV-2 has a unique insert at the S1/S2 site that can be cleaved by furin, which expands viral tropism to lung cells. Here, we analyze the presence of a furin S1/S2 site in related CoVs and offer thoughts on the implications of SARS-CoV-2’s unique insert on its origin. We also utilized viral pseudoparticles to study the impact of the S1/S2 cleavage on infectivity. Our results demonstrate that S1/S2 pre-cleavage is essential for plasma membrane entry into Calu-3 cells, a model lung epithelial cell line, but not for endosomal entry Vero E6 cells, a model cell culture line, and that other proteases in addition to furin are responsible for processing SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2.
Measure-theoretic bounds on the spectral radius of graphs from walks

Abstract Let G be an undirected graph with adjacency matrix A and spectral radius ρ. Let w k , ϕ k and ϕ k ( i ) be, respectively, the number walks of length k, closed walks of length k and closed walks starting and ending at vertex i after k steps. In this paper, we propose a measure-theoretic framework which allows us to relate walks in a graph with its spectral properties. In particular, we show that w k , ϕ k and ϕ k ( i ) can be interpreted as the moments of three different measures, all of them supported on the spectrum of A. Building on this interpretation, we leverage results from the classical moment problem to formulate a hierarchy of new lower and upper bounds on ρ, as well as provide alternative proofs to several well-known bounds in the literature.
Meta-Analytic Findings on Reading in Children With Cochlear Implants

This meta-analysis study aims to quantify the group differences in reading skills between children with cochlear implants and their hearing peers and between children with cochlear implants and children with hearing aids (aged between 3 and 18 years old). Of the 5,642 articles screened, 47 articles met predetermined inclusion criteria (published between 2002 and 2019). The robust variance estimation based meta-analysis models were used to synthesize all the effect sizes. Children with cochlear implants scored significantly lower than their hearing peers in phonological awareness (g = -1.62, p < 0.001), vocabulary (g = -1.50, p < 0.001), decoding (g = -1.24, p < 0.001), and reading comprehension (g = -1.39, p < 0.001), but not for fluency (g = -0.67, p = 0.054). Compared to children with hearing aids, children with cochlear implants scored significantly lower in phonological awareness (g = -0.30, p = 0.028). The percentage of unilateral cochlear implant negatively impacts the group difference between children with cochlear implants and their hearing peers. Findings from this study confirm a positive shift in reading outcomes for profoundly deaf children due to cochlear implantation. Some children with cochlear implants may need additional supports in educational settings.
Barter and Cash Sale on Lake Titicaca: A Test of Competing Approaches

The coexistence of barter and cash sale offers an intriguing theme for economic anthropologists to explore. Two examples of this pattern are found in southern highland Peru. In the marketplaces, villages, and fields around Lake Titicaca, some vendors sell fish for cash and others barter them for potatoes and grains. In the snow capped cordilleras that ring the lake, herders load their llamas and donkeys with dried meat, wool, and textiles and travel from the high grasslands to agricultural valleys often a number of days away and thousands of meters below to barter their products for maize and other agricultural foodstuffs.The presence of barter in a peasant economy may not seem unusual, but close inspection of these cases raises questions. In the case of exchange of fish, why is barter concentrated among the poorer peasants and in the area adjacent to the lake? Why are native fish bartered more often than introduced species? The herders appear more difficult to understand, since they derive income from the sale of wool and could purchase needed foodstuffs. They complain of the rigors of their trips, whether through muddy insect-infested canyons to the upper reaches of tributaries of the Amazon or across bleak arid wastes to the oasis valleys in the Pacific coastal desert. They could obtain more maize with less difficulty by selling instead of bartering more of their products. Why do they reject this opportunity? An explanation might also be sought for the persistence of barter in the face of the expansion of marketplace systems in the highland Andes in the last several decades. Pryor (1977:158) points out one difficulty of barter by stating that "as trade expands, it becomes increasingly difficult for a person wishing to barter A for Z to find another person wishing to barter Z for A, a problem enshrined in the phrase 'the double coincidence of wants.'" The advantages of money as a medium of exchange are numerous: it is divisible and storable and can be exchanged for a wide variety of goods. Why has barter continued at all? Is it to be explained solely as a relic, an example of cultural lag?Economic anthropology offers several ways to examine cases such as these. This article adopts a double task: to explain the patterning of barter and cash sale in the Andes and to use this patterning to evaluate rival approaches in economic anthropology. The latter endeavor is relatively unusual, since debate within economic anthropology has tended to be carried out at a theoretical rather than an empirical level. The particular case in hand, the exchange of fish for money and foodstuffs in the Lake Titicaca area in Peru, is of interest because it lends itself well to the testing of rival explanations. Before undertaking the comparison, this article reviews briefly some developments in economic anthropology that have made such efforts infrequent. It explains the formation of the competing hypotheses. Then it presents some background information on the Lake Titicaca region, discusses data collection, tests the hypotheses, and offers some evaluations of the different approaches.
Miller, Quinlan. Camp TV: Trans Gender Queer Sitcom History: Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2019. 232 pp. $24.95 (paperback). 978-1-4780-0303-8.

Primetime television comedies in the 1950s and 1960s are generally thought of as portraying conservative, heteronormative families and friendships, yet Quinlan Miller’s Camp TV focuses on those sit...
Visualization for Villainy.

Visualization has long been seen as a dependable and trustworthy tool for carrying out analysis and communication tasks -- a view reinforced by the growing interest in applying it to socially positive ends. However, despite the benign light in which visualization is usually perceived, it carries the potential to do harm to people, places, concepts, and things. In this paper, we capitalize on this negative potential to serve an underrepresented (but technologically engaged) group: villains. To achieve these ends, we introduce a design space for this type of graphical violence, which allows us to unify prior work on deceptive visualization with novel data-driven dastardly deeds, such as emotional spear phishing and unsafe data physicalization. By charting this vile charting landscape, we open new doors to collaboration with terrifying domain experts, and hopefully, make the world just a bit worse.
Indirect assessment of biomass accumulation in a wastewater-based Chlorella vulgaris photobioreactor by pH variation

Algae bloom in coastal waters is partly supported by residual nutrients in treated wastewater (WW) released from coastally located treatment plants. In response, a Chlorella vulgaris-based photobioreactor was recently proposed for lowering nutrient levels in WW prior to release. However, the solution requires maintaining biomass accumulation to within a photobioreactor capacity for optimum operation. For high density Chlorella vulgaris suspensions, this is easily done by monitoring turbidity increase, a property directly related to biomass accumulation. For low density suspensions however, direct turbidity measurement would require a cumbersome process of concentrating large volumes of Chlorella vulgaris suspensions. Here, we demonstrate that by measuring pH of the suspensions, turbidity (T) can be estimated indirectly by the following wastewater-dependent expression: pH = aT + pH0, hence avoiding the need to concentrate large volumes. The term pH0 is the initial pH of the suspensions and a, a wastewater-dependent constant, can be computed independently from a = − 0.0061*pH0 + 0.052. In the event %WW is unknown, the following wastewater-independent Gaussian expression can be used to estimate T: pH = 8.71*exp(− [(T − 250)2]/[2*1.26E05]). These three equations should offer an avenue for monitoring the turbidity of dilute Chlorella vulgaris suspensions in large, stagnant municipal Chlorella vulgaris-based wastewater treatment system via pH measurements.