cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Occupationally Related Disorders

Occupational disease is responsible each year in the United States for 50,000 to 70,000 deaths and for approximately 350,000 new cases of illness. Occupational diseases affect all organ systems and include pulmonary disease, musculoskeletal injuries, occupational cancer, traumatic injuries, occupationally induced cardiovascular disease, disorders of reproduction, neurotoxic disorders, noise-induced hearing loss, dermatologic conditions, and psychological disorders. Occupational diseases may be very difficult to diagnose. Pathognomonic signs and symptoms are rare; most occupational diseases are clinically indistinguishable from disease of other etiologies. Diagnosis is complicated further by the long latency typical between a toxic occupational exposure and the appearance of illness. Further, there is widespread lack of information on the toxicity of most chemical substances in use in American workplaces, and workers frequently are not informed of the nature or the hazards of the materials with which they work. The occupational history is the principal clinical instrument for the diagnosis of occupational disease. All patients should undergo at least a brief occupational history that inquires about the current job, including both industry and occupation, the longest-held previous jobs, and any toxic occupational exposures to chemicals, fumes, gases, dust, noise, or radiation. Proper diagnosis of occupational disease permits proper treatment of the affected patient and also provides a basis for recognition of other similarly employed persons who may also be at risk of toxic exposure. Occupational diseases are highly preventable. Prevention is most efficiently achieved by removing hazardous materials from the workplace and replacing them with less hazardous substances. Other approaches to prevention include ventilation, alteration in work practices, and use of personal protective equipment. Physicians in the United States are for the most part not well trained to recognize occupational illness. At the same time, there is a great lack of qualified specialists in occupational medicine. The majority of care of patients with occupational disease will therefore continue to be the responsibility of primary care physicians, and these physicians must become more highly attuned to the possibility that their patients may have diseases induced by toxic exposures encountered at work. The development of a heightened sensitivity of primary care providers to occupationally induced disease is an urgent priority.
Spatial Abilities and Reading Deficits in Visual Art Students

This study investigated the hypothesis that artists are characterized both by strengths in spatial visualization and problems in reading. In addition, we investigated whether such a profile is most likely to describe nonright-handed artists. A test of spatial visualization ability and a self-report questionnaire assessing reading problems were administered to students majoring in the visual arts. Art students were compared to those majoring in other spatial fields (mathematics and science) and to those majoring in verbal fields that do not call for spatial skill (humanities and social sciences). While both art and mathematics/science students excelled in spatial visualization relative to those in verbal fields, the mathematics/science students outperformed the art students. Nonright-handers did not differ from right-handers in spatial ability. However, it was the nonright-handers among the artists who were most likely to report reading difficulties. Results suggest that individuals choose spatial fields b...
Viscous Effects on the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability of Rapidly Expanding Spherical Material Interfaces

The viscous effects on the instability of a rapidly-expanding material interface produced by a spherical shock tube are investigated through the employment of a high-order WENO scheme. The flow structure is characterized by a forward moving primary shock, a backward moving secondary shock, and a spherical contact interface in-between. We consider herein the linear regime and demonstrate how the development of the viscous three-dimensional perturbations can be obtained by solving a one-dimensional system of partial differential equations. Numerical simulations are performed to illustrate the viscous effects on the growth of the disturbances for various wave numbers. Results show that the viscous effects reduce the instability’s growth rate at large wave numbers. Consequently, for the viscous case, a peak-amplification wave number is reached, beyond which further increase in the wave number results in a reduction of the growth rate. Unlike the viscous case, the inviscid growth rate reaches an asymptotic value at large wave numbers.
Vietnamese Refugees in America: Toward a Theory of Spontaneous International Migration

This article proposes a model describing the spontaneous migration pattern of the Vietnamese refugees compared to the more traditional immigration pattern of other Asians in the United States. This...
Density-dependent regulation of year-class strength in age-0 juvenile striped bass (Morone saxatilis)

Abundance of age-0 striped bass (Morone saxatilis) exhibits 50-fold variability in Chesapeake Bay. Processes that act to reduce and thus regulate this variability were investigated. The potential for density-dependent regulation of growth and mortality in the early juvenile stage and its causes were investigated. Data from multiple seine and trawl surveys in upper Chesapeake Bay and tributaries were analyzed to construct growth and mortality indices having a high degree of spa- tial and temporal resolution. Age-0 mean lengths in September were inversely related to density, ranging from 67.8 mm in 1994, when mean density was 0.036·m -2 , to 104.5 mm in 1992, when mean density was 0.003·m -2 . Except for the Potomac River, evidence for density-dependent growth was consistent across subpopulations. Bioenergetics modeling indicated that prey consumption was limiting except in low-abundance years. Mortality increased with respect to abundance and also was density-dependent. The significant interaction between age-0 juvenile length in September and subsequent winter tempera- ture on mortality indicated that density-dependent growth leads to size-selective overwinter mortality. A statistical model in- cluding age-0 abundances, age-0 lengths, and winter temperature explained a substantial fraction of variability and the mechanisms for regulation of striped bass recruitment.
Body composition and muscular strength as predictors of bone mineral density in African American women with metabolic syndrome.

Our cross-sectional study investigated the relationships between regional bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition variables, including total body lean mass (LM) and fat mass (FM), as well as muscular strength in overweight and obese African-American (AA) women with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Forty-four women ranging in age from 39 to 61 years participated. Upper and lower body strength measurements were assessed using chest press and leg extension exercises, respectively. Body composition and BMD of the total body, spine (L2-L4), hip, and radius were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. LM was positively correlated with total body, spine, hip, and radius BMD ( r =.338–.603, all P <.05), and FM was positively correlated with total body BMD ( r =.343, P <.05). In multiple linear regression analyses after controlling for age, height, total energy, and calcium intake, LM was a significant positive determinant of BMD at various skeletal sites (P,.05), while FM was negatively related to BMD of total hip ( P <.05). Our results indicate that LM is an independent predictor of total body, spine, hip, and total radius BMD. In contrast, FM is a negative predictor of total body and hip BMD in overweight or obese AA women with MetS ( P <.05). Upper and lower body muscular strength measures were not associated with BMD at any skeletal sites. These results suggest an important role for LM in preventing the development of osteopenia and osteoporosis. ( Ethn Dis . 2014;24[3]:356–362)
Outcomes After Patch Use in Rotator Cuff Repair.

Purpose To provide a comprehensive review of clinical outcomes and retear rates after patch use in rotator cuff repair, and to determine the differences between available graft types and techniques. Methods A systematic review was conducted from database (PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Embase) inception to January 2015 for English-language articles reporting outcome data with 9 months' minimum follow-up. Studies were assessed by 2 reviewers who collected pertinent data, with outcomes combined to generate frequency-weighted means. Results Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. The frequency-weighted mean age was 61.9 years with 35.4 months' follow-up. The mean improvements in postoperative range of motion in the forward elevation, abduction, external rotation, and internal rotation planes were 58.6°, 66.2°, 16.6°, and 16.1°, respectively, and postoperative abduction strength improved by 3.84 kg. American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, University of California–Los Angeles, Constant, Penn, and Oxford scores improved by 39.3, 10.7, 40.8, 34.4, and 17.6, respectively. Augmentation and interposition techniques showed similar improvements in range of motion, strength, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs), whereas xenografts showed less improvement in PROs compared with other graft types. Studies reported improvements in pain and activities of daily living (ADLs), with greater than 90% overall satisfaction, although few patients (13%) were able to return to preinjury activity. Whereas interposition and augmentation techniques showed similar improvements in pain and ADLs, xenografts showed less improvement in ADLs than other graft types. The overall retear rate was 25%, with rates of 34% and 12% for augmentation and interposition, respectively, and rates of 44%, 23%, and 15% for xenografts, allografts, and synthetic grafts, respectively. Conclusions We report improvements in clinical and functional outcomes, with similar results for augmentation and interposition techniques, whereas xenografts showed less improvement than synthetic grafts and allografts in PROs and ADLs. Retear rates may be lower with the interposition technique or in patients with synthetic grafts or allografts. Level of Evidence Level IV, systematic review of Level II through IV studies.
Prevalence of dental caries among primary and middle school students in Dali in 2010

Objective To investigate the prevalence of dental caries among students of Bai and Han nationality in primary and middle schools in Dali,and to provide scientific guidance for prevention and control of dental caries.Methods Health survey data of 2087 students of Bai and Han nationality from primary and middle schools in 2010 were collected and analyzed in terms of the prevalence of dental caries.Results The prevalence rates of DMFT,caries,loss of decayed tooth and decay filling of primary teeth all declined among Bai and Han students aged 7-12 years,while these prevalence rates of permanent teeth constantly increased among children at age of 7 to 17 years.The prevalence of primary decay was 70.00%-76.85% at age of 7 to 9 years.Meanwhile among children over 12 years old,the primary and permanent decay were 0.33 and 0.31 of Bai students and 0.13 and 0.37 of Han students respectively.There were no significant differences between Bai and Han children regarding the incidence of caries and loss of teeth due to caries,and also sex was not found to be a factor of dental decay.However the filling rates of both primary and permanent decay among 7 to 12 years Bai children were lower than those among Han children.Also the mixed rates of caries in children from urban and rural areas showed no big differences.However the loss rate of mixed caries was higher among children from rural area,in contrast,the filling rate was higher among those from urban area.Conclusions Dental health care should be focused on younger children,and the dental health of elementary and middle school students especially those from rural area and Bai nationality children needs to be improved.
Study on requirements and process of sterilization of ophthalmic preparations

As drugs directly applied to eyes,ophthalmic preparations have always received attention to their quality control and safety.Sterility is required of all ophthalmic preparations in Appendix of Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2005.This article introduces the rationality,necessity,and importance of sterilization for ophthalmic preparation.At the same time it explores the problems in documents of drug application.
Living status of leprosy affected people in Wenzhou,Zhejiang

Objective To understand the living status of people affected by leprosy in Wenzhou,Zhejiang province and provide evidence to eliminate leprosy hazards and reduce the disease burden caused by leprosy.Methods Based on national criteria and standardized method,survey was conducted among leprosy affected people registered in Wenzhou to collect their demographic information,including family status,work ability,disability situation,rehabilitation needs.Results Among 62 people surveyed,43 were males and 19 were females,who were aged from 23 years to 91 years(average 63.7 years).Eighteen people lived alone and 57 people lost work abilities or only could do light physical works.The rate of grade 2 disability was 30.6%.The disability time ranged from 59 months to 635 months(average298.78 months).Fifteen people take no basic protective measures.Conclusion The living status of the leprosy affected people in Wenzhou is poor.It is necessary to provide basic medical aid and living assistance for them to reduce the disease burden caused by leprosy and eliminate leprosy hazards.
The Nature of Science and the Next Generation Science Standards: Analysis and Critique

This paper provides a detailed analysis of the inclusion of aspects of nature of science (NOS) in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). In this new standards document, NOS elements in eight categories are discussed in Appendix H along with illustrative statements (called exemplars). Many, but not all, of these exemplars are linked to the standards by their association with either the “practices of science” or “crosscutting concepts,” but curiously not with the recommendations for science content. The study investigated all aspects of NOS in NGSS including the accuracy and inclusion of the supporting exemplar statements and the relationship of NOS in NGSS to other aspects of NOS to support teaching and learning science. We found that while 92 % of these exemplars are acceptable, only 78 % of those written actually appear with the standards. “Science as a way of knowing” is a recommended NOS category in NGSS but is not included with the standards. Also, several other NOS elements fail to be included at all grade levels thus limiting their impact. Finally, NGSS fails to include or insufficiently emphasize several frequently recommended NOS elements such as creativity and subjectivity. The paper concludes with a list of concerns and solutions to the challenges of NOS in NGSS.
Attitudes and Purchase Intentions for Smart Clothing: Examining U.S. Consumers’ Functional, Expressive, and Aesthetic Needs for Solar-Powered Clothing

This research extends the technology acceptance model with apparel design attributes and examines factors influencing consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions of smart clothing, specifically, s...
Myosin light chain kinase phosphorylation in swine carotid artery contraction and relaxation

We investigated the role of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) phosphorylation in regulating the sensitivity of vascular smooth muscle myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation to intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). 32PO4-loaded swine carotid arteries were stimulated with histamine or high K+, MLCK was isolated, and the relative phosphorylation of tryptic peptides was measured. In nonlabeled tissues, we measured [Ca2+]i with aequorin, MLCK activity ratio, MLC phosphorylation, and force. A comparison of MLCK phosphorylation on peptide A (mol P in site A/mol MLCK) and MLCK activity ratio showed an inverse relation, suggesting that MLCK site A phosphorylation can regulate the Ca2+ sensitivity of MLCK. MLCK site A phosphorylation and MLCK activity ratio depended on [Ca2+]i. Histamine stimulation yielded greater MLC phosphorylation than high K+ stimulation over a range of [Ca2+]i; however, there were no apparent stimulus-dependent differences in MLCK phosphorylation, suggesting that stimulus-dependent differences in the Ca2+ sensitivity of MLC phosphorylation are not based on differences in MLCK phosphorylation. We also determined whether MLCK phosphorylation was involved in adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate-mediated relaxation. In histamine-contracted tissues, forskolin decreased [Ca2+]i, MLC phosphorylation, and force. MLCK phosphorylation decreased to an extent consistent with the decrease in [Ca2+]i. In KCl-stimulated tissues, forskolin did not alter [Ca2+]i or increase MLCK phosphorylation but forskolin did decrease MLC phosphorylation. Thus, in swine carotid artery, MLCK phosphorylation appears to be regulated exclusively by Ca2+ and plays little role in stimulus-dependent differences in Ca2+ sensitivity of MLC phosphorylation or in mediating forskolin-induced relaxation.
Severe Metabolic Acidosis as a Complication of Intravenous Tetracycline Therapy

AbstractTetracycline generally is believed to be a safe drug with relatively minor side effects. Serious irreversible renal damage and metabolic acidosis can occur in patients with azotemia. While the exact mechanism is unknown, the commonly reported nephrotoxic and metabolic effects of tetracycline are reviewed and an illustrative case is presented.
Model-based diagnosis using causal networks

This paper rests on several contributions. First, we introduce the notion of a consequence, which is a boolean expression that characterizes consistency-based diagnoses. Second, we introduce a basic algorithm for computing consequences when the system description is structured using a causal network. We show that if the causal network has no undirected cycles, then a consequence has a linear size and can be computed in linear time. Finally, we show that diagnoses characterized by a consequence and meeting some preference criterion can be extracted from the consequence in time linear in its size. A dual set of results is provided for abductive diagnosis.
PTBP1 and PTBP2 Repress Nonconserved Cryptic Exons

The fidelity of RNA splicing is maintained by a network of factors, but the molecular mechanisms that govern this process have yet to be fully elucidated. We previously found that TDP-43, an RNA-binding protein implicated in neurodegenerative disease, utilizes UG microsatellites to repress nonconserved cryptic exons and prevent their incorporation into mRNA. Here, we report that two well-characterized splicing factors, polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (PTBP1) and polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 2 (PTBP2), are also nonconserved cryptic exon repressors. In contrast to TDP-43, PTBP1 and PTBP2 utilize CU microsatellites to repress both conserved tissue-specific exons and nonconserved cryptic exons. Analysis of these conserved splicing events suggests that PTBP1 and PTBP2 repression is titrated to generate the transcriptome diversity required for neuronal differentiation. We establish that PTBP1 and PTBP2 are members of a family of cryptic exon repressors.
The Mechanics of Dispersion in Natural Streams

A method is given for predicting longitudinal dispersion coefficients in natural streams. The analysis is based on recognition that transverse velocity gradients (rather than the previously considered vertical velocity gradients) are the primary dispersive mechanism. The method consists of measuring the average shear and cross-sectional velocity distribution of the particular stream in the field. An integral formula can then be applied to predict the dispersion coefficient. Laboratory experiments are described which verify the theoretical results in flows whose velocity distributions are similar to those found in natural streams. Experiments in real streams will be described in future papers.
Nanoscale Data Storage Devices Capacity and Encoding Schemes

Crossbar switching networks formed by nanowire arrays and ohmic switches are promising future data storage devices. This paper presents the information capacity limits of these devices as well as simple encoding schemes that can be used to store and recover the data. It is shown that for large array sizes N,M, capacity asymptotically approaches (N+ M)log2(N + M) bits. The proposed encoding scheme allows for using N log2(M) bits (NlesM) using low complexity combinatorial circuitry
Enacted cultural critique: Examining everyday violence in Garo Hills.

ABSTRACTThis article is a critical ethnographic illustration of community psychology praxis as enacted cultural critique. Community psychology praxis involves cultural critique so as to challenge, subvert, resist, and transform disempowering cultural constructions. Although it is important to appreciate and attend to cultural norms, there are many contexts where existing norms serve to marginalize communities. Drawing from a youth participatory action research initiative in the Garo Hills region of Northeast India, we examine the implications of community psychology praxis as enacted cultural critique in the context of endemic ethnic conflict. Enacted cultural critique in such a context entails deliberate, self-conscious efforts to interpret or make sense of the existing cultural context and create new ones. This creative activity involves collectively imagining, saying, writing, sculpting, fashioning and/or building new ways of being in and understanding our shared world. Our approach is characterized by...
Exploring Discovery: The Front Door to Your Library’s Licensed and Digitized Content edited by Kenneth J. Varnum: (2016). Chicago, IL: ALA Editions, 304 pages, $95.00, softcover, ISBN: 978-0-08389-1414-4

Mergers have turned libraries into library systems that now serve multitudes of users, whereby user-experience has become a driving force of decision making for information discovery. Discovery and...
An experimental study on the characterization of electric charge in electrostatic dust removal

Abstract Automatic dust removal using the electrostatic forces of electrodynamic screen (EDS) is an emerging method for mitigation of energy yield losses caused by dust accumulation on solar collectors. Both electric field distribution and dust particles' charge acquired during the removal process play pivotal roles in thorough evaluation of EDS performance. Previous studies have comprehensively analyzed the electric field distribution in EDS. In this paper we have conducted a number of experiments to examine how two EDS design parameters, electrode width and inter-electrode spacing, and two operational parameters, applied voltage and relative humidity, affect dust particles' charge. Sixteen EDS prototypes in two sets were developed and tested in a laboratory environment to study the acquired charge by dust particles via charge-to-mass ratio measurements. It has been shown that the charge-to-mass ratio is directly affected by the electric field intensity on an EDS surface. Furthermore, we have shown the detrimental impact of relative humidity on EDS performance. The results are advantageous in the evaluation of EDS design and its optimization to attain maximum dust removal efficiency.
Status and the Challenge of Rising Powers

The rise of China and other great powers raises important questions about the persistence and stability of the 'liberal international order'. This book provides a new perspective on these questions by offering a novel theory of revisionist challenges to international order. It argues that rising powers sometimes seem to face the condition of 'status immobility', which activates social psychological and domestic political forces that push them toward lashing out in protest against status quo rules, norms, and institutions. Ward shows that status immobility theory illuminates important but often-overlooked dynamics that contributed to the most significant revisionist challenges in modern history. The book highlights the importance of status in world politics, and further advances a new understanding of this important concept's role in foreign policy. This book will be of interest to researchers in international politics and security, especially those interested in great power politics, status, power transitions, revisionism, and order.
Reduction of anxiety sensitivity in relation to nicotine withdrawal symptoms during smoking cessation: an examination among successful quitters

Anxiety sensitivity has been implicated as a potential risk factor for post-quit withdrawal symptoms. The present study examined relations between the extent of change in anxiety sensitivity and the course of nicotine withdrawal symptoms experienced during the initial two weeks of a quit attempt among treatment-seeking smokers. The sample consisted of 29 adult daily smokers (34% female; Mage = 47.7, SD = 13.1) who successfully quit and maintained their abstinence. After adjusting for the effects of gender, treatment condition, use of nicotine replacement therapy, nicotine dependence, alcohol use problems, baseline levels of anxiety sensitivity, and reductions in negative affect, greater reductions in anxiety sensitivity were related to faster decreases in withdrawal symptoms. The current data suggest that there may be merit to employ anxiety sensitivity reduction methods for the management of emergent withdrawal symptoms in smoking cessation treatment.
The incremental value of a geriatric assessment-derived three-item scale on estimating overall survival in older adults with cancer.

Abstract Objective A geriatric assessment (GA) assesses functional age of older patients with cancer and is a well-established tool predictive of toxicity and survival. The objective of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of individual GA items. Materials and Methods 546 patients with cancer ≥ 65 years completed GA from 2009 to 2014 and were followed for survival status for a median of 3.7 years. The GA consisted of function, nutrition, comorbidity, cognition, psychological state, and social activity/support domains. GA items with p Results Median age was 72 years, 49% had breast cancer, and 42% had stage 3–4 cancer. Three GA items were significant prognostic factors, independent of traditional factors (cancer type, stage, age, and Karnofsky Performance Status): (1) “limitation in walking several blocks”, (2) “limitation in shopping”, and (3) “≥ 5% unintentional weight loss in 6 months”. A three-item prognostic scale was constructed with these items. In comparison with score 0 (no positive items), hazard ratios for OS were 1.85 for score 1, 2.97 for score 2, and 8.67 for score 3. This translated to 2-year estimated survivals of 85%, 67%, 51% and 17% for scores of 0, 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Conclusions This three-item scale was a strong independent predictor of survival. If externally validated, this could be a streamlined tool with broader applicability.
Determinants and Effects of Cultural Context: A Review, Conceptual Model, and Propositions

Edward Hall's pioneering work on “Silent Languages” of time, space, material possessions, friendship patterns, and agreements and his conceptualization of cultures as low-context and high-context h...
Stock Prices Matter

Based on traditional finance theory, nominal stock prices should be inconsequential. However, the effect of nominal prices is not illusory once the price is not confounded with size. In this paper, we find that, controlled for size, high price stocks significantly outperform low price stocks by an abnormal 4.32% per year. Furthermore, high price stocks are less sensitive to market movements, display lower idiosyncratic volatility, lower idiosyncratic skewness, and lower illiquidity. Using a unique dataset, we observe that the number of individual shareholders is higher for low price stocks than for high price stocks in the same size decile, while institutional ownership is greater for high price stocks. The return differential between high and low price stocks is robust to various specifications and tests, controlling for idiosyncratic volatility, and using price cut-offs of $1 and $5. In addition to cross-sectional analyses, similar results are obtained in a longitudinal setting following stock splits. The difference in returns is partially explained by idiosyncratic volatility though the price effect continues to remain important.
Principles of Economic Planning

Discussing the problems arising from a mixed economy, Principles of Economic Planning argues for a system of controls that combine and encourage the best features of laissez faire and state planning. Chapters covering the following are included:* Money* Investment* Foreign Trade* Mobility* The Social Control of Business* NationalizationAppendices on economic union and planning in developing countries are also included.
Constraining Aging Processes of Black Carbon in the Community Atmosphere Model Using Environmental Chamber Measurements

The direct radiative forcing of black carbon aerosol (BC) on the Earth system remains unsettled, largely due to the uncertainty with physical properties of BC throughout their lifecycle. Here we show that ambient chamber measurements of BC properties provide a novel constraint on the crude BC aging representation in climate models. Observational evidence for significant absorption enhancement of BC can be reproduced when the aging processes in the four-mode version of the Modal Aerosol Module (MAM4) aerosol scheme in the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 are calibrated by the recent in situ chamber measurements. An observation-based scaling method is developed in the aging timescale calculation to alleviate the influence of biases in the simulated model chemical composition. Model sensitivity simulations suggest that the different monolayer settings in the BC aging parameterization of MAM4 can cause as large as 26% and 24% differences in BC burden and radiative forcing, respectively. We also find that an increase in coating materials (e.g., sulfate and secondary organic aerosols) reduces BC lifetime by increasing the hygroscopicity of the mixture but enhances its absorption, resulting in a net increase in BC direct radiative forcing. Our results suggest that accurate simulations of BC aging processes as well as other aerosol species are equally important in reducing the uncertainty of BC forcing estimation.
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Obesity and Inflammatory Genes in African Americans with Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the world and has one of the highest mortality rates among all cancers. In the USA, a racial disparity exists in CRC with the highest incidence and worst survival in African Americans compared to other races. This disparity persists even after taking into account the stage of CRC at diagnosis, treatment differences, or socioeconomic status. Some argue that African Americans may have more risk factors for CRC such as higher rates of obesity and insulin resistance. However, when adjusted for diet, physical inactivity, or central obesity, increased risk factors present in African Americans are not fully explained. These observations suggest that there may be genetic or biological differences between races that confer worse CRC outcomes in African Americans. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which occur in a race-specific manner, influence development of obesity, insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and CRC. SNPs alter levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines and growth promoting hormone peptides while modifying response to environmental stimuli. SNPs that occur distinctly in African American populations may provide important insights into the racial disparities observed in CRC incidence and survival. This chapter provides an overview of racial disparities in CRC and the potential contribution of SNPs in obesity and inflammatory related genes.
Nutrition and Cellular Growth

Traditionally, growth of the whole body or of individual organs has been measured by weight gain alone (Donaldson, 1924; Dunn et al., 1947). This measurement, however, does not take into account the contribution made by various cellular and noncellular components. More recently, the finding that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is located almost entirely within the nucleus and that the amount of DNA is constant within the diploid nucleus of any species (Boivin et al., 1948; Mirsky and Ris, 1949; Thomson et al., 1953) has enabled Enesco and LeBlond (1962) to reexamine postnatal growth.
Inhibition of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase blocks lactate utilization and impairs tumor growth in colorectal cancer

Metabolic reprogramming is a key feature of malignant cells. While glucose is one of the primary substrates for malignant cells, cancer cells also display a remarkable metabolic flexibility. Depending on nutrient availability and requirements, cancer cells will utilize alternative fuel sources to maintain the TCA cycle for bioenergetic and biosynthetic requirements. Lactate was typically viewed as a passive byproduct of cancer cells. However, studies now show that lactate is an important substrate for the TCA cycle in breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer. Metabolic analysis of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells was performed using a combination of bioenergetic analysis and 13C stable isotope tracing. We show here that CRC cells use lactate to fuel the TCA cycle and promote growth especially under nutrient-deprived conditions. This was mediated in part by maintaining cellular bioenergetics. Therefore targeting the ability of cancer cells to utilize lactate via the TCA cycle would have a significant therapeutic benefit. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) is an important cataplerotic enzyme that promotes TCA cycle activity in CRC cells. Treatment of CRC cells with low micromolar doses of a PEPCK inhibitor (PEPCKi) developed for diabetes decreased cell proliferation and utilization of lactate by the TCA cycle in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we observed that the PEPCKi increased nutrient stress as determined by decreased cellular bioenergetics including decreased respiration, ATP levels, and increased AMPK activation. 13C stable isotope tracing showed that the PEPCKi decreased the incorporation of lactate into the TCA cycle. These studies highlight lactate as an important substrate for CRC and the use of PEPCKi as a therapeutic approach to target lactate utilization in CRC cells.
ML-Pushback: Machine Learning Based Pushback Defense Against DDoS

DDoS attack has been a consistent threat for network security over the past two decades, and they are growing more prevalent and stronger. Pushback was proposed a mechanism for defending against DDoS attacks by throttling the offending traffic near the source of the attacks. In this paper, we redesign the Pushback mechanism to leverage the power of the advanced machine learning techniques, and implement a framework in the programmable network systems, called ML-Pushback. Our preliminary results demonstrate that ML-Pushback could identify the patterns of the offending traffic accurately. Meanwhile, ML-Pushback does not introduce significant overhead to enable efficient data collections in the switches.
Acute kidney injury and workload in a sample of California agricultural workers

Background Kidney damage is associated with an increased workload in high ambient temperatures and may represent a pathway to chronic kidney disease of unknown origin in agricultural workers. We tested the associations of workload and heat with acute kidney dysfunction in California agricultural workers. Methods We recruited a convenience sample of 471 agricultural workers from 29 farms in California during two summer harvest seasons. The sustained 3-minute maximum workload was estimated using accelerometer data collected from Actical monitors and individual heat load through elevations in core body temperature. Acute kidney injury (AKI) was defined by a change in serum creatinine of ≥0.3 mg/dL or ≥1.5 times the preshift creatinine over the course of the work shift. Associations between AKI and workload were modeled using logistic regression, controlling for demographic, physiologic, and occupational variables. Results Of the total, 357 workers (75.8%) had accelerometer readings in the moderate workload category, 93 (19.7%) had readings in the vigorous category. 177 (36%) had elevations of core body temperature ≥1°C; 72 workers (14.9%) demonstrated evidence of AKI after a single day of agricultural work. The workload category was associated with an increased adjusted odds of AKI (1.92; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-3.51). Piece-rate work was also associated with increased adjusted odds of AKI (3.02; 95% CI, 1.44-6.34). Conclusions Heavy occupational workload and piece-rate work were associated with acute effects on the renal health of agricultural workers. This indicates that occupations requiring high physical effort put workers at risk for AKI, possibly independent of ambient and core body temperature. Changes to agricultural practices may reduce the risk of renal disorders for these workers.
Urban irrigation in the modeling of a semi-arid urban environment: Ballona Creek watershed, Los Angeles, California

Ballona Creek watershed in Los Angeles, California provides a unique combination of heterogeneous urban land cover, a semi-arid environment, and a large outdoor water-use flux that presents a chall...
A Survey of Eating Attitudes and Behaviors in Adolescents and Adults With Phenylalanine Hydroxylase Deficiency

Introduction Phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency, commonly known as phenylketonuria (PKU), is an inborn error of metabolism that manifests in severe neurological damage when left untreated. Routine newborn screening has made early identification and treatment of affected individuals possible, changing the prognosis of PKU from devastating to excellent. The most effective treatment for PKU involves lifelong dietary restriction of protein, nutrition supplementation via medical foods, and frequent monitoring of amino acid levels in the blood. However, it has been observed that imposing strict medical control over daily dietary habits can lead to destructive attitudes towards eating and body image. This study investigated whether people with PKU are at increased risk of disordered eating behaviors and attitudes. Methods Fifteen patients with PKU between the ages of 12 and 35 from the University of Wisconsin (UW) Biochemical Genetics Clinic were surveyed about their metabolic management and eating attitudes and behaviors. Results While this study was too small to make conclusions of clinical significance, our findings did suggest that patients with poor metabolic control exhibited symptoms of disordered eating at a higher frequency than those with good metabolic control. Conclusions There is currently no validated screening tool to evaluate for disordered eating behaviors in individuals with PKU, which makes identifying and treating disordered eating and related conditions difficult. The development of this project emphasized the importance of tailored screening and provider awareness for disordered eating for populations with chronic illnesses.
Tele-robotic Interface Design in Context: A Case for Recursive Design

Satellites have useful lifetimes of only a few decades; however, these could easily be extended if consumable resources could be replaced. Many groups are now exploring the possibility of using unmanned orbital robots to perform satellite servicing operations. These orbiting robots are currently semi-autonomous and require monitoring and control by highly trained ground teams in order to complete their activities. This provides for a unique and tightly constrained operating environment with very particular interface needs. Here, we document the process we used for developing a tele-robotic interface specific to NASA's Restore-L mission, and describe the choices and considerations we weighed when implementing our designs. We discuss the technical and mission parameters as well as the social and operational context of our work, and articulate the need for a design framework that is capable of better connecting these two domains.
A Wavelet-Based Technique for Sea Wind Extraction from SAR Images

-We present the follow-up of our previously published work, where we described a wavelet-based method to characterize the sea surface backscatter structures in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images. The method relies on the ability of the 2-D continuous wavelet technique to detect the spatial structure of the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MABL) and to isolate wind-related cells and features. The analysis of the cells' geometry, molded by the radiometric characteristics of the sea surface, permits the identification of the wind direction inside the cells, due to the along-wind asymmetry of backscatter structures, and thus the computation of the wind speed through standard algorithms. Twenty-one SAR images (ERS-2 and Envisat ASAR Wide Swath) over the Mediterranean Sea have been analyzed, and the results are compared with satellite wind fields. The images cover a range of meteorological conditions from low to moderate winds. Comparison of the SAR-derived wind fields with those provided by satellite scatterometers indicates a good score of success (roughly 70%-80%). The developed methodology, once tested over an adequate number of images to derive statistically reliable results, could be routinely used to enrich SAR images with the wind field as well as to characterize the MABL in terms of size, distribution, and shape of the backscatter cells.
Listen to E-scooter riders: Mining rider satisfaction factors from app store reviews

Abstract In this study, app store reviews from two major micromobility companies are investigated using machine learning techniques to identify the factors that influence rider satisfaction. The Latent Dirichlet Allocation model is applied to over 12,000 rider-generated reviews to identify twelve topics discussed within the reviews. These topics cover areas such as pricing, safety, customer service, map, refund, payment, app interface, and ease of use, to name a few. Using logistic regression, the most significant factors influencing rider satisfaction were identified. Moreover, name-centered gender prediction analysis is employed to identify rider gender and then discover differences in review content and factors of satisfaction across gender. Results suggest rider satisfaction levels tend to vary across topics and gender. Women were more satisfied with the services and exhibited more positive sentiment than men. Yet, scooter is still a male dominated mode of transportation. Findings contribute to the existing literature by demonstrating the use of app store reviews in a transportation mobility study. The development of a method to assess factors contributing to rider satisfaction offers the ability to evaluate e-scooter rider needs and barriers. An apparent policy opportunity to increase scooter ridership includes an emphasis on contributing factors such as ease of use, safety (speed and riding lane), as well as app issues that showed significant influence on user satisfaction. It is recommended that a policy approach focused on improving rider satisfaction and delivering service improvements incorporate opinion mining as a methodology.
Unveiling the neuroimaging-genetic intersections in the human brain.

Purpose of review The prevalence of new public datasets of brain-wide and single-cell transcriptome data has created new opportunities to link neuroimaging findings with genetic data. The aim of this study is to present the different methodological approaches that have been used to combine this data. Recent findings Drawing from various sources of open access data, several studies have been able to correlate neuroimaging maps with spatial distribution of brain expression. These efforts have enabled researchers to identify functional annotations of related genes, identify specific cell types related to brain phenotypes, study the expression of genes across life span and highlight the importance of selected brain genes in disease genetic networks. Summary New transcriptome datasets and methodological approaches complement current neuroimaging work and will be crucial to improve our understanding of the biological mechanism that underlies many neurological conditions.
Factors associated with new nurses' career choice as advanced practice nurses: Implications for managing organizational turnover

Abstract Purpose Staff nurse turnover is a costly problem for healthcare managers, which has been extensively studied. Now, managers are facing a new challenge attributed to nurses leaving their current positions to become advanced practice nurses. We aimed to identify factors associated with new nurses' career choice as advanced practice nurses. Methods We used descriptive comparative design to analyze data from 946 nurses who reported working as new staff nurses in 2006 and 10 years later reported working as advanced practice nurses. Results We add to the topic of nurses' turnover by identifying the factors associated with nurses leaving their jobs to become advanced practice nurses. The factors include being younger, not married, enrolled into a formal education program, and having a bachelor's degree at entry into nursing practice. Conclusions To better manage staff nurse turnover due to nurses becoming advanced practice nurses, managers should monitor educational policy trends on bachelor's entry into practice, new nurses' enrollment status into formal education program upon hire, and new nurses' demographics.
Evaporation and Condensation Heat Transfer Enhancement for Alternative Refrigerants Used in Air-Conditioning Machines

The new advanced heat transfer tube called “Herringbone Heat Transfer Tube”, having a unique inner surface geometry, has been experimentally investigated with the aim to enhance the heat transfer and improve the heat exchanger performance with R407C. Experimental examinations have been carried out to obtain the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop for R407C flowing inside the horizontal herringbone tube, and the data have been compared with those for the existing inner-grooved tube. The heat transfer enhancement mechanism for the herringbone tube has been proposed in that the thin film layer spots that occur inside the tube could cause the heat transfer enhancement. The heat exchanger performances of the herringbone tube and the standard inner-grooved tube are compared toassess thire impact on energy conservation. The heat transfer coefficients for the herringbone tube are much larger than those for the standard tube, but the significant increase in heat transfer has been accomplished with an increase in pressure drop. The circumferential local heat transfer measurements have suggested that the heat transfer mechanism proposed by the authors is qualitatively verified, but the quantitative verification of the enhancement for the herringbone tube is not sufficiently clarified. The practical comparison of the heat exchanger performance showed that the evaporator performance is improved only at relatively high refrigerant flow rates, while the condenser using the herringbone tube seems to be better than that using the standard inner-grooved tube for all the refrigerant flow rates.