cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microbial Monitoring in Hygiene Sampling Inspection in Xishan District of Wuxi City during 2006—2008

[Objective]To understand the status of hygiene sampling and microbial monitoring in health-related products,so as to raise control measures and provide reliable basis for carrying out supervision and monitoring in future.[Methods]Monitoring samples of food,water,supplies in public places ,tableware in Xishan District during 2006—2008 were conducted microbial detection,according to national standards. The evaluation results of all samples were analyzed statistically.[Results]Totally 5328 samples of food,water,supplies in public places were monitored during 2006—2008; the total qualified rate of 84.91%(4524/5328) was generally low. The differences of qualified rates between 3 years were significant. The qualified rate of food,water,supplies in public places and was 86.87%(3169/3648),64.29%(135/210) and 82.49%(1220/1479) respectively. Although the qualified rate of tableware increased gradually,the value was only 52.85%(12 968/24 538); the qualified rate of meat and meat products which occupied 20% of food was low (72.81%(747/1026)).[Conclusion]Microbial contamination of health-related products was serious in this district; health authorities and health supervision departments should attach great importance to health supervision,and develop related control measures to enhance the health level of related products.
Barley varieties for finishing steers: II. Ruminal characteristics and rate, site, and extent of digestion.

Four ruminally and abomasally cannulated steers were used to evaluate the effects of barely variety on rate, site, and extent of digestion of high-concentrate diets. The treatments compared were 1) corn, 2) Gunhilde barley (GUN), Harrington barley (HAR), and 4) Medallion barley (MED). Diets were balanced to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Ruminal OM digestion was greater (P = .04) in steers fed corn than in those fed GUN, HAR, and MED (61.9 vs average 53.7%). No differences (P > .10) were seen in ruminal starch digestion (average 92.8%) or in starch flow to the abomasum (average 199 g/d) between diets. Total tract digestion of starch was greater (P = .09) in steers fed barley than in those fed corn (average 98.6 vs 95.7%). Total and nonammonia N presented to the abomasum were greater (P < .05) for steers fed HAR and GUN than for those fed MED and corn. Microbial N flow was lowest (P = .01) in corn-fed steers, highest in steers fed GUN and HAR, and intermediate in steers fed MED. Microbial efficiency was 59% greater (P = .03) in steers fed barley than in steers consuming corn. Ruminal acetate: propionate was lower (P = .002) in steers fed corn and HAR than in those fed GUN and MED. Compared to GUN, HAR, and MED barleys, corn had a lower (P < .03) rate (-.11 vs average -.47) and extent (15 h; 70.3 vs average 98.1%) of in situ starch disappearance. Differences in digestive characteristics found between barley varieties may contribute to differences in animal performance.
Modeling Small Body Environments

Before motion in the small body environment is studied it is first necessary to define this environment. There exist many different scientific taxonomies for asteroids and comets, and we refer the interested reader to the “Asteroids and Comets” series of texts for a larger view of these bodies [48, 102, 14, 197, 41]. As our focus is on the dynamics of vehicles at these bodies, only a sub-set of all the properties of these bodies needs to be specified. Thus in the following we describe the orbits of small bodies in the solar system, the rotations of these bodies, their gravitational fields and shapes, and the forces that act on a spacecraft or particle in their vicinity.
The Efficacy of Strasbourg Law

This article explores what we seem to know and what it might be useful to know about the efficacy of the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.' It concludes that, though we know quite a lot of detail about compliance with Strasbourg law, we should be a little more careful about claiming too much success for the system. For an international legal system, Strasbourg law is, from what we can tell, remarkably efficacious, but it is far from (anything but relatively) perfect.
Fast & Furious: The Misregulation Of Driverless Cars

The United States is on the cusp of a revolution in transportation. The sale and widespread use of both semi-autonomous and fully autonomous vehicles, also known as “driverless cars,” are both imminent and likely to significantly change the way in which citizens commute, interact, and travel. While there is substantial concern amongst state lawmakers and the general public about the overall safety and desirability of these vehicles, experts predict that fully autonomous cars will dramatically improve highway safety, reduce traffic, increase productivity, and enhance the independence of individuals who are unable to obtain licenses. Lawmakers, however, motivated by irrational fears and unfounded assumptions that human drivers are far superior to automated technologies, have begun passing driverless car laws that create significant liability issues while doing very little to enhance road safety. These laws ignore the differences between semi-autonomous and fully autonomous vehicles, chill technological advancement, impose unwarranted liability on human drivers in many circumstances, and may actually incentivize human driver behavior that is less safe than letting vehicles drive autonomously. Both “operator” and override provisions – two very common types of driverless car laws – make these mistakes. These laws should be revised significantly or struck down and replaced with laws and regulations that are both carefully tailored to particular levels of autonomous technologies and informed by the growing amount of empirical research suggesting that fully autonomous vehicles are far safer than those controlled by human drivers.
Elephantiasis Nostras Verrucosa. Excision with full-thickness skin grafting of the penis, scrotum, and perineal area

Background: Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa is a rare cutaneous complication of chronic lymphatic obstruction. It is most commonly caused by bacterial infection, trauma, neoplasia, obesity, and venous stasis. Main observations: In this report, we describe a case of elephantiasis nostras verrucosa involving the scrotum and perineal area in a 32-year-old. The lesions were excised, and full-thickness skin grafting of the penis, scrotum, and perineal skin was performed. Conclusion: This case demonstrates the efficacy of excision with full-thickness skin grafting of the penis, scrotum, and perineal area in a patient with elephantiasis nostras verrucosa confined to the scrotum and perineal region. ( J Dermatol Case Rep . 2016; 10(2): 32-34)
MEDULLOBLASTOMA IN ADULTS

Purpose : To examine the relationship between extent of disease and outcome in adults with medulloblastoma. Methods and Materials : We reviewed the records of all patients over 15 years old with newly diagnosed or recurrent medulloblastoma treated by or referred to the University of California, San Francisco, and recorded demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms, radiographic findings, extent of resection, staging, myelography, computerized tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance (MR) images of the spine, histopathological assessment, treatment received, treatment response, recurrence patterns, and survival duration. Results : A total of 47 patients were identified, 26 of whom were designated poor-risk because they had < 75% removal of tumor, metastatic disease, or brain-stem or leptomeningeal invasion. All patients had radiation therapy ; 32 had adjuvant chemotherapy. Twenty-two patients (47%) died of tumor progression, 19 are progression-free, and 6 are alive with disease. The median survival time was 282 weeks in poor-risk patients and has not been reached in good-risk patients. Overall and disease-free 5-year survival rates differed significantly between the two groups (81% vs. 54%, p = 0.03 and 58% vs. 38%, p = 0.05, respectively). Tumors most often recurred in the posterior fossa. The median survival time from recurrence was 77 weeks (range 44 to 89 weeks). Conclusion : These findings are similar to those reported for children. Therefore, staging and treatment in adults should be approached the same way as in children : staging should include cerebrospinal fluid assessment and spinal imaging. Treatment should be based on staging, and should include craniospinal irradiation ; additional chemotherapy should probably be reserved for poor-risk patients.
Disciplinarity and Transdisciplinarity in the Study of Knowledge

Scholarly inquiry about the nature and significance of knowledge has been shaped by disciplinary traditions and priorities that define “knowledge” differently and result in disconnected literatures. In the mid to late twentieth century, library science educator Jesse Shera sought to bridge the conceptual gap between epistemological and sociological approaches to knowledge in proposing a new discipline he called social epistemology. Around the same time, long-term projects by the economist Fritz Machlup and the physical chemist turned philosopher of science Michael Polanyi did not merely combine existing disciplinary approaches but transcended conventional frameworks for conceptualizing knowledge. These scholars can be viewed in retrospect as bringing to the study of knowledge the germs of a transdisciplinary approach. The concept of transdisciplinarity gained traction only after these authors produced their works and has been applied mainly to scientific and technological topics such as climate change, nanotechnology, and sustainability. However, such an approach is highly applicable in studying the meanings, uses, and roles of knowledge in an environment that has changed with the advent of computer-enabled communication networks. Transdisciplinary accounts of knowledge ought to foster a dialogue between liberal arts and applied, client-oriented disciplines.
Effect of High Si Content on U 3 Si 2 Fuel Microstructure

The development of U3Si2 as an accident-tolerant nuclear fuel has gained research interest because of its promising high uranium density and improved thermal properties. In the present study, three samples of U3Si2 fuel with varying silicon content have been fabricated by a conventional powder metallurgical route. Microstructural characterization via scanning and transmission electron microscopy reveals the presence of other stoichiometry of uranium silicide such as USi and UO2 in both samples. The detailed phase analysis by x-ray diffraction shows the presence of secondary phases, such as USi, U3Si, and UO2. The samples with higher concentrations of silicon content of 7.5 wt.% display additional elemental Si. These samples also possess an increased amount of the USi phase as compared to that in the conventional sample with 7.3 wt.% silicon. The optimization of U3Si2 fuel performance through the understanding of the role of Si content on its microstructure has been discussed.
Cohort profile: the Emory Cardiovascular Biobank (EmCAB).

Purpose The Emory Cardiovascular Biobank (EmCAB) is an ongoing prospective registry of patients undergoing cardiac catheterisation, which was established to identify novel factors associated with the pathobiological process and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Participants Individuals aged 18 years and older undergoing cardiac catheterisation at three Emory Healthcare sites in Atlanta are asked to participate in this prospective registry. Around 95% agree to participate. Around 7000 unique patients have been enrolled. The current data set contains detailed phenotyping, patient outcomes, genomics, protein biomarkers, regenerative markers, transcriptomic analysis, metabolomics profiling and longitudinal follow-up for adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Findings to date Thus far, the EmCAB has approximately 3000 major cardiovascular events. About 48% of the EmCAB participants have more than 5 years of follow-up. It is a great resource for discovery of novel predictive factors for cardiovascular disease outcomes, including genomics, transcriptomics, protein biomarkers, oxidative stress markers and circulating progenitor cells. Several circulating inflammatory markers have shown to improve risk prediction metrics beyond standard risk factors. Future plans Future integrative –omics analyses will provide the cardiovascular research community opportunities for subsequent mechanistic confirmation studies, which will promote the development of effective personalised therapy that leads to clinical care tailored to the individual patient.
Discrimination, Mental Disorders, and Suicidal Ideation in Latino Adults: Decomposing the Effects of Discrimination

Experiences of discrimination and mental disorder have been recognized as risks for suicidality. Yet, few studies have examined the direct and indirect effects of discrimination on suicidal ideation through mental disorder among Latino adults in the U.S. This study aimed to examine whether everyday discrimination and racial/ethnic discrimination is associated with suicidal ideation and if mental disorder (i.e., DSM-IV depressive, anxiety, and substance use) mediates the association. Discrimination was operationalized with self-reported discriminatory experience. This study applied a mediation analysis to the data from National Latino and Asian American Survey, 2002-2003. The key findings are: (a) everyday discrimination had an independent association with suicidal ideation as well as exerted an indirect effect through anxiety disorder. (b) Racial/ethnic discrimination was not directly associated with suicidal ideation, but its adverse effect on suicidal ideation was mediated by the depressive disorder.
Individual Microparticle Measurements for Increased Resolution of Thermoluminescent Temperature Sensing

Typically when microsensor particles are used to monitor temperatures in harsh environments, a statistical number of particles are collected and measured in aggregate. While this method is undoubtedly the most practical method for the rapid acquisition of overall temperature data, the limitations of collective measurements of numbers of particles versus individual ones has never been explored. In this paper, the thermoluminescent (TL) magnesium borate microparticles are used to measure temperatures inside the periphery of explosions with collective and individual behavior contrasted. It is found that individual measurement indicate that some particles undergo extreme temperature while others seem to have had no exposure to high temperature at all. The microparticles were irradiated with 200Gy of gamma radiation to fill the traps in the band gap. Several grams of the irradiated microparticles were placed at various distances from the source of the detonation. After the microparticles were collected the TL curve was measured for microparticles that were in the detonation and a control group of microparticles not in the detonation. The TL curve of an individual microparticle was measured by placing the microparticle ranging in size from $25~\mu \text{m}$ to $75~\mu \text{m}$ on a microheater with an area of $300\,\,\mu \text {m} \times 300\,\,\mu \text{m}$ . The microheater was then used to heat the microparticle at a linear rate while the thermoluminescence of the microparticle was measured. A summation of first-order kinetics curves were used to do a fit to the thermoluminescence curves of the microparticles that were in the detonation and the control group. By comparing the ratio of first-order kinetic curve peaks of the particles that were in the detonation to the control group the temperature that the particles in the explosion were calculated. This process was carried out for many different particles that were in the same detonation and collected from the same location in the explosive test chamber. Individual extracted temperatures from the microparticles show a large distribution ranging from room temperature to 516°C, but in aggregate, the microparticles show a clustering of temperatures around 290°C.
Fundamental Tools of Optoelectronics: Maxwell’s Equations

There are many tools available to analyze or design an optical device. Imagine trying to characterize the optical behavior of a simple magnifying lens. We might first project an image of an object onto a screen. Using a ray picture, we could describe the magnification, focal length, principal planes, and so forth (Fig. la) of the lens. This characterization is called geometric optics [I]. If we were very perceptive, we might notice that different colors form images at slightly different distances from the lens (Fig. lb). To adequately describe this effect, we would have to understand and explore the material and dispersion properties of the lens [2]. This is called physical optics.
Low-temperature synthesis and processing of electronic materials in the BaO-TiO2 system

The BaO-TiO2 system contains several technologically important electronic materials. BaTiO3, a ceramic with high dielectric constant, is useful for the manufacture of multilayer ceramic capacitors, thermistors and electro-optic components. Titania rich compounds in this system (such as BaTi4O9 and Ba2Ti9O20) are suitable for the manufacture of miniaturized microwave resonators. Conventional processing of these ceramics relies on the solid-state reactions between readily available raw materials (typically TiO2 and BaCO3) and tends to produce coarse, impure, inhomogeneous and multiphase powders. Low temperature, wet chemical routes offer an exciting possibility for the synthesis of high purity, homogeneous, ultrafine and multicomponent powders from which electronic components with tailored and predictable properties could be prepared. A review of new and emerging techniques for the low temperature, wet chemical synthesis of barium titanates is presented. Salient features of several of these processes based on the use of alkoxides, acetates, citrates, chlorides, hydroxides and oxalates of barium and titanium, and combinations thereof, are described. The reaction pathways for the formation of barium titanates are discussed. A comparative summary of the powder characteristics and electrical properties of the barium titanates obtained by different techniques is presented along with a brief discussion of the economic viability of these processes.
Postanesthetic Hemorrhagic Myelopathy or Myelomalacia

Hemorrhagic myelopathy or myelomalacia is an uncommon cause of failure to stand after general anesthesia. Affected horses are usually young and have been anesthetized for relatively short times in dorsal recumbency. Clinical signs involve the hind limbs and include loss of deep pain perception. Etiology of this condition is not known. Differentiation from other forms of neuropathy and myopathy is important to the prognosis.
The du Pont F21 149°C (300° F) Accelerated Stability Test

The du Pont F21 149°C (300°F) Accelerated Stability Test has been used for many years to monitor stability properties of distillate fuels. The test (or variations of it) is the most commonly used in the petroleum industrybecause, of the many tests available, it is easiest to carry out. A small fuel sample is heated to 149°C (300°F) for 90 min or more, cooled, and filtered; degradation is qualitatively determined by visual or instrumental evaluation of the filter pad-without the need for gravimetric procedures. In our laboratory it is usually the first of several tests to evaluate fuel stability; results guide further work. The test is also used to monitor fuel stability during production, distribution, and storage. Variations, refinements, applications, and limitations of the test are discussed. Severity is modified by varying the 149°C (300°F) aging period from 90 min to 4½ h. Sensitivity is varied by changing the porosity of the filter paper. Test results are precisely rated by measuring filter pad light reflection. The reproducibility of the test is considered, along with factors which affect results. Data are presented which show the relationship of test results with actual long-term storage stability of fuels.
Abstract 3841: Biologic evaluation of heterocyclic pyrimidines as novel tubulin inhibitors targeting the colchicine binding site

Interfering with tubulin dynamics is an attractive strategy for cancer therapy, and tubulin-targeting agents are some of the most widely used chemotherapeutic drugs. Current FDA-approved tubulin inhibitors target either the taxane site (e.g., paclitaxel) or the vinca alkaloid site (e.g., vinblastine). However, their clinical efficacy is often limited by the development of multidrug resistance and a narrow therapeutic index. Tubulin inhibitors interacting with the colchicine site have shown potent anticancer activities, are generally less susceptible to multidrug resistance, and can disrupt tumor vasculature, leading to rapid tumor cell apoptosis. Here, we report on the biologic evaluation of heterocyclic pyrimidines as a new class of tubulin inhibitors targeting the colchicine binding site with a significantly improved therapeutic index. One of the most promising compounds of the series, SB157, was able to strongly inhibit tubulin polymerization and induce cytotoxicity in cancer cells in vitro. We have also obtained the high-resolution X-ray crystal structure for SB157, confirming its direct binding to the colchicine binding site in tubulin, and elucidated the detailed molecular interactions. SB157 significantly inhibited tumor growth in an A375 melanoma xenograft model, and the tumors revealed elevated apoptotic activity and extensive disruption of tumor vasculature. Finally, we demonstrated that SB157 significantly overcame clinically relevant multidrug resistance in a paclitaxel-resistant PC-3/TxR prostate cancer xenograft mouse model. Collectively, these studies provide preclinical proof of concept and structural basis to support the continued development of SB157 and optimization of this scaffold as an improved class of tubulin inhibitors for cancer therapy. Citation Format: Kinsie Arnst. Biologic evaluation of heterocyclic pyrimidines as novel tubulin inhibitors targeting the colchicine binding site [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3841.
Dynamic stress distribution around the wellbore influenced by surge/swab pressure

Abstract The calculation of dynamic stress distribution around the wellbore under surge/swab pressure is an unsolved issue. The conventional method to calculate wellbore stress is only applicable to the steady state without considering the coupled effect of deformation-diffusion. In this paper, an elastodynamics model and a poroelastodynamics model have been established to overcome these deficiencies. The numerical solution is provided by the implicit finite difference method, and it is verified by the analytical solution achieved from Laplace transform and Crump inversion. Through sensitivity analysis, it shows that the period of the sine function (inner boundary condition), Biot coefficient, hydraulic diffusivity, and rock types could influence the stress distribution. Then the dynamic surge/swab pressure predicted based on Lubinski's method is implemented into these two models. Two field cases with different depths have been analyzed, and it demonstrates that the surge/swab pressure is more significant for a shallow formation because the static formation pressure and in-situ stresses are relatively small. If the tripping velocity is high, the stress distribution will be significantly changed. Finally, the stress calculated by these two models is compared with the stress obtained using the conventional solution. The comparison shows that the poroelastodynamics solution is different from the elastodynamics solution because pore pressure is significant in the poroelastodynamics solution. The poroelastodynamics solution is also significantly distinguishable from the conventional solution, which demonstrates the importance of the poroelastodynamics model. Overall, it fills the gap in calculating dynamic wellbore stress under tripping conditions, which can be applied to wellbore stability analysis and contribute to a reduction in both tripping time and drilling costs.
Dust settles, we don’t: The electrodynamic screen—A self-cleaning technology for concentrated solar power mirrors and photovoltaic panels

The review article describes the composition, working, and benefits of the electrodynamic screen (EDS) film, a self-cleaning surface technology that can be retrofitted onto solar and thermal energy collectors. The EDS film avoids the use of water and robotic parts that are the common cleaning techniques used in solar/thermal power plants and thus emerges as a viable and scalable solution to the soiling problem faced recurrently by these plants. The article summarizes different experiments conducted to improve the efficiency of the EDS film in terms of reflectivity and performance. Field test results are also included to underscore the success of the EDS film operation. Dust build-up or soiling on thermal and solar energy collector surfaces is a major problem and its cleaning is a major issue for solar energy conversion. Here, a self-cleaning technology is described as a scalable and viable solution to clear the surfaces. EDS film technology does not require water, manual labor, or moving parts to function, and the power needed to operate EDS is almost negligible and can be derived from the harvesting device itself. The EDS films thereby help mitigate the energy loss caused by soiling in solar and thermal harvesting systems. An EDS film with reflective or transparent electrodes can be retrofitted on concentrated solar power mirrors and on photovoltaic (PV) panels to sustain and aid their unhindered reflection and absorption of incident sunlight, respectively. We report experiments and describe methods used to increase the reflectivity of the electrodes of an EDS film. Results obtained from lab test setups and field test units that define the functionality, reflectivity, and stability of the electrodes on the EDS films are also presented. Field test results that compare and report the performance of PV panel output current over long periods of testing, with and without EDS films are also discussed. Test results from 3-month outdoor testing, which demonstrate recovery back to >95% of the pristine system, after decrease to 80–90% before EDS film activation, are also shown.
Thermal resistance and heat capacity in hafnium zirconium oxide (Hf1–xZrxO2) dielectrics and ferroelectric thin films

We report on the thermal resistances of thin films (20 nm) of hafnium zirconium oxide (Hf1–xZrxO2) with compositions ranging from 0 ≤ x ≤ 1. Measurements were made via time-domain thermoreflectance and analyzed to determine the effective thermal resistance of the films in addition to their associated thermal boundary resistances. We find effective thermal resistances ranging from 28.79 to 24.72 m2 K GW−1 for amorphous films, which decreased to 15.81 m2 K GW−1 upon crystallization. Furthermore, we analyze the heat capacity for two compositions, x = 0.5 and x = 0.7, of Hf1–xZrxO2 and find them to be 2.18 ± 0.56 and 2.64 ± 0.53 MJ m−3 K−1, respectively.
Documentation of Palliative and End-of-Life Care Process Measures Among Young Adults Who Died of Cancer: A Natural Language Processing Approach

Few studies have investigated palliative and end-of-life care processes among young adults (YAs), aged 18-34 years, who died of cancer. This retrospective study used a natural language processing algorithm to identify documentation and timing of four process measures in YA cancer decedents' medical records: palliative care involvement, discussions of goals of care, code status, and hospice. Among 2878 YAs, 138 had a recorded date of death. In this group, 54.3% had at least one process measure documented early (31-180 days before death), 18.0% had only late documentation of process measures (0-30 days), and 27.5% had none documented.
Curricula for empathy and compassion training in medical education: A systematic review

Background Empathy and compassion are vital components of health care quality; however, physicians frequently miss opportunities for empathy and compassion in patient care. Despite evidence that empathy and compassion training can be effective, the specific behaviors that should be taught remain unclear. We synthesized the biomedical literature on empathy and compassion training in medical education to find the specific curricula components (skills and behaviors) demonstrated to be effective. Methods We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL using a previously published comprehensive search strategy. We screened reference lists of the articles meeting inclusion criteria to identify additional studies for potential inclusion. Study inclusion criteria were: (1) intervention arm in which subjects underwent an educational curriculum aimed at enhancing empathy and/or compassion; (2) clearly defined control arm in which subjects did not receive the curriculum; (3) curriculum was tested on physicians (or physicians-in-training); and (4) outcome measure assessing the effect of the curriculum on physician empathy and/or compassion. We performed a qualitative analysis to collate and tabulate effects of tested curricula according to recommended methodology from the Cochrane Handbook. We used the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias. Results Fifty-two studies (total n = 5,316) met inclusion criteria. Most (75%) studies found that the tested curricula improved physician empathy and/or compassion on at least one outcome measure. We identified the following key behaviors to be effective: (1) sitting (versus standing) during the interview; (2) detecting patients’ non-verbal cues of emotion; (3) recognizing and responding to opportunities for compassion; (4) non-verbal communication of caring (e.g. eye contact); and (5) verbal statements of acknowledgement, validation, and support. These behaviors were found to improve patient perception of physician empathy and/or compassion. Conclusion Evidence suggests that training can enhance physician empathy and compassion. Training curricula should incorporate the specific behaviors identified in this report.
Thyroid disease in end-stage renal disease

Purpose of reviewHypothyroidism is a highly prevalent endocrine disorder in the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population, yet many cases may remain latent and undiagnosed.Recent findingsEpidemiologic data show that there is a nearly five-fold higher prevalence of hypothyroidism in advanced chronic
Stochastic analysis of feedback control by molecular sequestration

Sequestration of a protein by another decoy molecule, such that the protein is no longer available to perform its biological function, forms a fundamental layer of regulation in biomolecular systems. To quantify how fluctuations in protein level is controlled by decoys, we formulate a model where both proteins and decoys are stochastically expressed, with fast binding/unbinding of the protein to the decoy. Our analysis reveals that when the noise in the decoy copy number is small, the noise in the free protein numbers (as quantified by the Fano factor) monotonically decreases to the Poisson limit with the increasing average number of decoys. In contrast, for a high noise in decoys production, the response becomes nonmonotonic - the noise level in protein counts is amplified at first with the increasing decoy numbers, before attenuating back to the Poisson limit. Motivated by recent biological examples, we next implement feedback control in the sequestration process by having the free proteins upregulate the decoy synthesis. Thus any random increase in the abundance of free proteins also results in higher decoy numbers, and hence more sequestered proteins. Intriguingly, our results show that as before, noise in free protein levels can get amplified with increasing decoys, albeit with a lesser magnitude as compared to the no feedback case. In summary, molecular decoys can play a key role in either amplifying or dampening the stochastic fluctuation of protein levels, and this study systematically quantifies this behavior across parameter regimes.
Pancreatic cancer and intake of meat, fish, eggs and fats

5820 Background: Intake of meat and fats has been linked to increased risk for many cancers. However, their association with pancreatic cancer has been examined in few studies. Methods: In a population-based case-control study in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, 532 cases and 1701 age and sex-matched controls were examined to determine the relation between dietary intake and pancreatic cancer. Data on dietary factors was collected using the Harvard 131-item food-frequency questionnaire during in-person interviews. No proxy interviews were conducted. Intake of total fat and types of fat were computed from the food-frequency questionnaire. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to compute odds ratios (OR) as estimates of the relative risk (hereafter called risk) and to compute 95% confidence intervals (CI). Energy intake, sex, cigarette smoking, Body Mass Index and physical activity were evaluated as confounders. Results: The estimated risk of pancreatic cancer was related to total meat consumption with ORs of 1.0, 1.2, 1.2, and 1.4 (p-for-trend=0.06) from the lowest to the highest quartile of intake. Red meat (i.e. pork, beef, lamb) significantly increased the risk (OR=1.8, 95% CI=1.3-2.5), whereas white meat (i.e. turkey, chicken) lowered the risk (OR=0.68, 95% CI=0.50-0.91) for the highest quartile of intake. Egg intake showed a 1.6-fold increased risk (95% CI: 1.1-2.3) for the highest quartile. There was no association with fish consumption. Analysis of fats and types of fat revealed a positive trend of risk with increasing total fat intake (OR=1.0, 1.2, 1.6, and 1.8 from the lowest to highest quartiles; p-for-trend
Custodiol cardioplegia solution compared to cold blood cardioplegia in pediatric cardiac surgery: a single-institution experience:

Objective:Custodiol is an intracellular, crystalloid cardioplegia solution that is a single-dose alternative to multi-dose cold blood cardioplegia; however, there is scarce data regarding its use i...
The concentration of fetal red blood cells in first-trimester pregnant women undergoing uterine aspiration is below the calculated threshold for Rh sensitization.

Abstract Objectives To calculate the minimum fetal red blood cell concentration required to cause maternal Rh sensitization; validate the use of a flow cytometry protocol below that concentration; preliminarily assess the concentrations of fetal red blood cells in pregnant women before and after uterine aspiration. Study design Using pre-existing literature, we calculated the lowest concentration of fetal red blood cells found to cause sensitization within adult female circulation. We validated a two-color flow cytometry protocol using fluorescently labeled antibodies to Hemoglobin F (expressed by fetal red blood cells and adult F cells) and Carbonic Anhydrase (expressed in red blood cells during the third trimester and postnatally) by titrating second trimester cord blood into non-pregnant adult blood. We applied this flow cytometry protocol in a prospective cohort study of 42 pregnant women at 5–12 weeks gestational age undergoing uterine aspiration for induced or spontaneous abortion. Results The calculated threshold for causing Rh sensitization was 250 fetal red blood cells per 10 million total red blood cells. We showed a linear relationship between observed and expected fetal red blood cell fractions in titrated samples. Fetal red blood cell counts were more reliable when samples acquired by flow cytometry contained at least 1 million red blood cells. All 37 subjects with evaluable paired samples demonstrated fetal red blood cell concentrations below the calculated threshold for Rh sensitization both pre- and post-procedure. The fetal RBC concentrations increased from a mean of 4.5 (median 0, range 0–57) fetal RBCS pre- to a mean of 8.6 (median 2, range 0–32) fetal RBCs post- per 10 million total RBCs (p Conclusions Flow cytometry was capable of separately quantifying fetal red blood cells and maternal F cells to very dilute concentrations. Fetal red blood cell exposure in the first trimester was well below the calculated threshold for maternal Rh sensitization in our cohort. Larger studies are warranted to confirm our pilot study findings, fill this evidence gap and inform universal guidelines for administering Rh immunoglobulin after first trimester uterine aspiration. Implications Fetal red blood cell exposure following first trimester uterine aspiration is well below the calculated threshold for maternal Rh sensitization in our cohort.
Abstract PHA05: Strategies to improve engineering cancer-associated SNVs with base editing

Base editing (BE) is a powerful tool for engineering single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and has been used to create targeted mutations in cell lines, organoids, and animal models. Recent development of new BE enzymes has provided an extensive toolkit for genome modification; however, unlike Cas9, which shows remarkable efficacy in creating homozygous disruptive mutations following DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), BE is relatively inefficient and identifying and isolating edited cells for analysis has proved challenging. To enable simple identification and enrichment of base editing events, we developed a “Gene On” (GO) reporter system that indicates precise cytosine or adenine base editing in situ with high sensitivity and specificity. We validate GO using an activatable GFP and use it to measure the kinetics, efficiency, PAM specificity, and fidelity of a range of new BE variants. Further, GO is flexible and can be easily adapted to induce expression of numerous genetically encoded markers, antibiotic resistance genes, or enzymes such as Cre recombinase. With these tools, GO can be exploited to functionally link BE events at endogenous genomic loci to cellular enzymatic activities in human and mouse cell lines and organoids. We further demonstrate the application of GO in detecting in vivo BE activity using a newly generated mouse model with inducible and reversible base editor expression that will enable generation of novel cancer models in vivo. GO provides a powerful approach to increase the practicality and feasibility of implementing CRISPR BE in biomedical research. This abstract is also being presented as Poster A45. Citation Format: Alyna Katti, Miguel Foronda, Jill Zimmerman, Bianca Diaz, Maria Paz Zafra, Sukanya Goswami, Elena Piskounova, Lukas E. Dow. Strategies to improve engineering cancer-associated SNVs with base editing [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Evolving Landscape of Cancer Modeling; 2020 Mar 2-5; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(11 Suppl):Abstract nr PHA05.
Risk Factors for Peri-intubation Cardiac Arrest in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

Objectives Cardiac arrest is a significant complication of emergent endotracheal intubation (ETI) within the pediatric population. No studies have evaluated risk factors for peri-intubation cardiac arrest (PICA) in a pediatric emergency department (ED) setting. This study identified risk factors for PICA among patients undergoing emergent ETI in a pediatric ED. Methods We performed a nested case-control study within the cohort of children who underwent emergent ETI in our pediatric ED during a 9-year period. Cases were children with PICA within 20 minutes of ETI. Controls (4 per case) were randomly selected children without PICA after ETI. We analyzed potential risk factors based on published data and physiologic plausibility and created a simple risk model using univariate results, model fit statistics, and clinical judgment. Results In the cohort of patients undergoing ETI, PICA occurred in 21 of 543 subjects (3.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2-5.9%), with return of spontaneous circulation in 16 of 21 (76.2%; 95% CI, 52.8-91.8%) and survival to discharge in 12 of 21 (57.1%; 95% CI, 34.0-78.2%). On univariate analysis, cases were more likely to be younger, have delayed capillary refill time, systolic or diastolic hypotension, hypoxia, greater than one intubation attempt, no sedative or paralytic used, and pulmonary disease compared with controls. Our 4-category risk model for PICA combined preintubation hypoxia (or an unobtainable pulse oximetry value) and younger than 1 year. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for this model was 0.87 (95% CI, 0.77-0.97). Conclusions Hypoxia (or an unobtainable pulse oximetry value) was the strongest predictor for PICA among children after emergent ETI in our sample. A simple risk model combining pre-ETI hypoxia and younger than 1 year showed excellent discrimination in this sample. Our results require independent validation.
Abstract 981: Lymphocytic inflammation is a distinct feature of squamous metaplastic breast carcinomas and is associated with metastasis

Metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC) is a rare subtype of triple negative breast carcinoma with frequent metastasis and poor response to chemotherapy. MBCs are defined by the presence of “metaplastic” components of spindle, squamous, or sarcomatoid histology (e.g. chondroid, osseous). To elucidate the molecular determinants of MBC, our lab analyzed the proteomics landscape of MBC which revealed that squamous MBC are significantly enriched for proteins that mediate inflammation and leukocyte activation, compared to spindle and sarcomatoid MBC. The presence and the significance of inflammation in MBC has not been investigated. To evaluate this, we retrieved 36 MBCs resected from 1988-2015 at our institution. Tumor sections were reviewed by three pathologists, and used to develop a tissue microarray (TMA) in duplicate. HE 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 981.
What Is Digital Journalism? Defining the Practice and Role of the Digital Journalist

Through the lens of theories of field and normalization process, this research seeks to understand technology’s current role in how self-identifying digital journalists define the field. The defini...
Sensory Neurobiology: A New Crossroads Deep in the Cortex.

Summary Self-generated movements elicit concomitant sensory responses that are beneficial to ignore. Combining state-of-the-art physiology, behavior, and anatomy, a new study discovers a neural crossroads in the deepest layer of auditory cortex where pre-lick ramping activity suppresses peri-lick sound responses across layers.
Improved departure from nucleate boiling prediction in rod bundles using a physics-informed machine learning-aided framework

Abstract The critical heat flux (CHF) corresponding to the departure from nucleate boiling (DNB) crisis is a regulatory limit for the licensing of pressurized water reactors (PWRs) worldwide. Despite the abundance of predictive tools available to the reactor thermal-hydraulics community, the path for an accurate CHF model remains elusive. This work approaches the prediction of DNB through a physics-informed machine learning-aided framework (PIMLAF) with the objective of achieving superior predictive capabilities for a rod bundle. In view of the limitations in existing macro-scale physics-driven tools, an improved mechanistic model is first proposed, leveraging key concepts in the liquid sublayer dryout and bubble crowding mechanisms. The proposed mechanistic model is able to predict DNB in different heater geometries for a broad range of flow conditions without the need for recalibration. This model is then incorporated as the physics-informed component of the hybrid framework PIMLAF, which takes advantage of established understanding in the field (i.e., domain knowledge [DK]) and uses machine learning (ML) to capture undiscovered information from the mismatch between the actual and DK-predicted output. Two bundle-related case studies using the PWR subchannel and bundle tests (PSBT) database are carried out to illustrate the PIMLAF’s improved performance over traditional approaches for both interpolation and extrapolation purposes. In light of the PIMLAF’s promising potential to reduce prediction error, reactor vendors are encouraged to leverage their in-house experimental efforts and apply the hybrid framework to potentially achieve margin reductions in the minimum DNB ratio (MDNBR) for the designs of interest.
Pragmatic Design of Randomized Clinical Trials for Heart Failure: Rationale and Design of the TRANSFORM-HF Trial

Abstract Randomized clinical trials are the foundation of evidence-based medicine and central to practice guidelines and patient care decisions. Nonetheless, randomized trials in heart failure (HF) populations have become increasingly difficult to conduct and are frequently associated with slow patient enrollment, highly selected populations, extensive data collection, and high costs. The traditional model for HF trials has become particularly difficult to execute in the United States, where challenges to site-based research have frequently led to modest U.S. representation in global trials. In this context, the TRANSFORM-HF (Torsemide Comparison with Furosemide for Management of Heart Failure) trial aims to overcome traditional trial challenges and compare the effects of torsemide versus furosemide among patients with HF in the United States. Loop diuretic agents are regularly used by most patients with HF and practice guidelines recommend optimal use of diuretic agents as key to a successful treatment strategy. Long-time clinical experience has contributed to dominant use of furosemide for loop diuretic therapy, although preclinical and small clinical studies suggest potential advantages of torsemide. However, due to the lack of appropriately powered clinical outcome studies, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that torsemide should be routinely recommended over furosemide. Given this gap in knowledge and the fundamental role of loop diuretic agents in HF care, the TRANSFORM-HF trial was designed as a prospective, randomized, event-driven, pragmatic, comparative-effectiveness study to definitively compare the effect of a treatment strategy of torsemide versus furosemide on long-term mortality, hospitalization, and patient-reported outcomes among patients with HF. (TRANSFORM-HF: ToRsemide compArisoN With furoSemide FORManagement of Heart Failure [TRANSFORM-HF]; NCT03296813 )
Abstract P865: Pediatric Stroke Algorithm Revision: Focus on Education Process

Background: While the incidence of Pediatric stroke is low at 2.3 to 13 per 100,000 children, our institution saw a need for a pediatric stroke algorithm to provide guidance when children present w...
Peak Discharge Frequency from Rainfall Information

A method is formulated for deriving a peak discharge frequency curve using regional rainfall frequencies and historic rainfall information. The method provides a means for obtaining a design discharge with a desired design frequency for small drainage basins where no streamflow data are available. The variables used in the method are rainfall volume, rainfall duration, the temporal distribution of the rainfall and antecedent rainfall, where the latter is used as a basin loss coefficient. The method formulates the probability of a given peak discharge in terms of a finite number of mutually exclusive joint probabilities, where each joint probability represents the simultaneous occurence of given values of these variables.