cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel phantom and procedure providing submillimeter accuracy in daily QA tests of accelerators used for stereotactic radiosurgery

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) places great demands on spatial accuracy. Steel BBs used as markers in quality assurance (QA) phantoms are clearly visible in MV and planar kV images, but artifacts compromise cone-beam CT (CBCT) isocenter localization. The purpose of this work was to develop a QA phantom for measuring with sub-mm accuracy isocenter congruence of planar kV, MV, and CBCT imaging systems and to design a practical QA procedure that includes daily Winston-Lutz (WL) tests and does not require computer aid. The salient feature of the phantom (Universal Alignment Ball (UAB)) is a novel marker for precisely localizing isocenters of CBCT, planar kV, and MV beams. It consists of a 25.4mm diameter sphere of polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA) containing a concentric 6.35mm diameter tungsten carbide ball. The large density difference between PMMA and the polystyrene foam in which the PMMA sphere is embedded yields a sharp image of the sphere for accurate CBCT registration. The tungsten carbide ball serves in finding isocenter in planar kV and MV images and in doing WL tests. With the aid of the UAB, CBCT isocenter was located within 0.10 ± 0.05 mm of its true positon, and MV isocenter was pinpointed in planar images to within 0.06 ± 0.04mm. In clinical morning QA tests extending over an 18 months period the UAB consistently yielded measurements with sub-mm accuracy. The average distance between isocenter defined by orthogonal kV images and CBCT measured 0.16 ± 0.12 mm. In WL tests the central ray of anterior beams defined by a 1.5 × 1.5 cm2 MLC field agreed with CBCT isocenter within 0.03 ± 0.14 mm in the lateral direction and within 0.10 ± 0.19 mm in the longitudinal direction. Lateral MV beams approached CBCT isocenter within 0.00 ± 0.11 mm in the vertical direction and within -0.14 ± 0.15 mm longitudinally. It took therapists about 10 min to do the tests. The novel QA phantom allows pinpointing CBCT and MV isocenter positions to better than 0.2 mm, using visual image registration. Under CBCT guidance, MLC-defined beams are deliverable with sub-mm spatial accuracy. The QA procedure is practical for daily tests by therapists.
How Red Blood Cells Process Nitric Oxide: Evidence for the Nitrite Hypothesis.

Article, see p 166 Basal and shear-mediated blood flow is regulated in large part by nitric oxide (NO) produced by the endothelial NO synthase. This oxygen- and l-arginine–dependent process regulates 25% of resting blood flow and is further activated by the shear stress of exercise-induced metabolic vasodilation to enhance NO-dependent vasodilation of conduit vessels.1 NO that is produced under basal conditions and enhanced by exercise shear-activated NO synthase not only vasodilates but also is oxidized in plasma to form nitrite and S-nitrosothiol compounds.2 How these NO metabolites contribute to blood flow and endocrine NO signaling has been the subject of active research and debate over the last 15 years.3 Two dominant theories have been proposed, both of which require red blood cell and deoxyhemoglobin-dependent bioactivation. The S-nitroso-hemoglobin (SNO-Hb) hypothesis posits that NO binds covalently to the conserved cysteine 93 residue of hemoglobin and during deoxygenation releases an intermediate (still not defined) that is exported from the red blood cell as a low-molecular-weight S-nitrosothiol, leading to hypoxic vasodilation.4 The nitrite reductase hypothesis posits that the endocrine reservoir is nitrite, and during arterial-to-venous (A-V) transit, the nitrite reacts with the deoxyheme of hemoglobin to form NO (and N2O3), which produces hypoxic vasodilation.5,6 The latter hypothesis has been supported by experimental data showing that other globins, including myoglobin, cytoglobin, neuroglobin, and globin X, signal via nitrite reduction.7–9 This signaling has been shown to modulate hypoxic vasodilation, …
Error-prone meiotic division and subfertility in mice with oocyte-conditional knockdown of pericentrin.

ABSTRACT Mouse oocytes lack canonical centrosomes and instead contain unique acentriolar microtubule-organizing centers (aMTOCs). To test the function of these distinct aMTOCs in meiotic spindle formation, pericentrin (Pcnt), an essential centrosome/MTOC protein, was knocked down exclusively in oocytes by using a transgenic RNAi approach. Here, we provide evidence that disruption of aMTOC function in oocytes promotes spindle instability and severe meiotic errors that lead to pronounced female subfertility. Pcnt-depleted oocytes from transgenic (Tg) mice were ovulated at the metaphase-II stage, but show significant chromosome misalignment, aneuploidy and premature sister chromatid separation. These defects were associated with loss of key Pcnt-interacting proteins (γ-tubulin, Nedd1 and Cep215) from meiotic spindle poles, altered spindle structure and chromosome–microtubule attachment errors. Live-cell imaging revealed disruptions in the dynamics of spindle assembly and organization, together with chromosome attachment and congression defects. Notably, spindle formation was dependent on Ran GTPase activity in Pcnt-deficient oocytes. Our findings establish that meiotic division is highly error-prone in the absence of Pcnt and disrupted aMTOCs, similar to what reportedly occurs in human oocytes. Moreover, these data underscore crucial differences between MTOC-dependent and -independent meiotic spindle assembly.
Biomarkers as Diagnostic and Predictive Tools in Transplantation: Discoveries at the Bench and Challenges to Bedside Integration

Solid organ transplantation is a lifesaving procedure performed to treat a multitude of health conditions. Unfortunately, transplant rejection—an inflammatory response mediated by the recipient’s immune system—remains a major and devastating challenge in the field. Because the individual transplant recipient possesses a very unique immunological landscape, much work has gone into making post-transplant care more personalized through the use of biomarkers that can herald rejection before it occurs or diagnose rejection more accurately than standard biopsy techniques. This review paper explores the intersection of science, health, and society with regard to the development of noninvasive and reliable biomarkers in transplantation. The paper examines 1) the motivation and need for biomarkers in transplantation, 2) advancements in high-throughput “omics” technology that have catalyzed recent biomarker discovery, and 3) the complex regulatory challenges in translating scientific discovery at the bench to patient care at the bedside. Through an analysis of the most recently published literature in the field, it becomes evident that the integration of biomarker technology into routine clinical care in transplantation will depend on the concerted efforts of many societal branches, including basic science researchers, technologists, clinicians, industry leaders, and regulatory agencies worldwide.
ADJUSTED ODDS OF INPATIENT MORTALITY FOR NON-ST ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IS NOT AFFECTED BY DAY OF ADMISSION: A NATIONWIDE ANALYSIS

Background: Day and month of admission has been shown to be an important predictor in other cardiac related admissions. We aim to show the impact of admission day in patients hospitalized for non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) in the United States. Methods: This was a retrospective
A comparative study on polypropylene separators coated with different inorganic materials for lithium-ion batteries

Coating commercial porous polyolefin separators with inorganic materials can improve the thermal stability of the polyolefin separators and hence improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries. Several different inorganic materials have been studied for the coating. However, there lacks a study on how different inorganic materials affect the properties of separators, in terms of thermal stability and cell performance. Herein, we present such a study on coating a commercial polypropylene separator with four inorganic materials, i.e., Al2O3, SiO2, ZrO2 and zeolite. All inorganic coatings have improved thermal stability of the separators although with differences. The coating layers add 28%–45% of electrical resistance compared with the pure polypropylene separator, but all the cells prepared with the coated polypropylene separators have the same electrical chemical performance as the uncoated separator in terms of rate capability and capacities at different temperatures.
Performance and return to sport in elite baseball players and recreational athletes following repair of the latissimus dorsi and teres major

Background Tears of the latissimus dorsi (LD) and teres major (TM) are rare but disabling injuries in the overhead athlete. Methods All patients who underwent an LD and/or TM repair between January 1, 2010, and June 6, 2016, with more than 12 months' follow-up were included. Demographic information and postoperative range of motion were recorded. Patients were contacted via phone and answered questions to provide the following: Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic (KJOC) shoulder and elbow outcome score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) shoulder score, and visual analog scale (VAS) score. Performance data for professional athletes were recorded preoperatively and postoperatively and compared by paired t tests. Results Eleven male patients aged 29.9 ± 12.4 years were included; 86% were right hand dominant, 86% underwent surgery on the dominant side, and 73% were pitchers (7 professional and 1 collegiate). The mean time from injury to repair was 389 ± 789 days; 36% of repairs were performed within 6 weeks of injury. At final follow-up, the VAS score was 0.7 ± 1.9, the ASES score was 100 ± 0, and the KJOC score was 93 ± 5. Professional (major and minor league) pitchers had a mean total time participating in professional baseball of 6.6 ± 3.9 years, with 3.9 ± 2.3 years before surgery and 2.7 ± 1.8 years after surgery. Among professional pitchers, the VAS pain score was 0.0 ± 0.0, the ASES score was 100 ± 0, and the KJOC score was 89 ± 2. All professional pitchers returned to the same level of play. No significant differences existed between any preoperative and postoperative performance metrics for pitchers (P > .05). Conclusion Repair of LD and TM tears in both professional and recreational athletes produces reliable functional recovery with minimal pain and the ability to return to preoperative athletic activity, even among elite throwing athletes.
An essential understanding of physician-patient communication. Part I.

Part I of this article, which appeared in the July/August (15:1) issue of this journal, explored the question of whether a communication or relational problem exists between patient and physicians. The answer was a resounding, "Yes." Part 2 explores why effective patient-physician relationships should be important to physicians, health care administrators, and managed care organizations and what can be done to improve patient-physician communication and relationships. It describes the results of improved communication, which include increased patient satisfaction, enhanced patient compliance with medication and treatment regimens, and improved clinical outcomes. It outlines the major research and training organizations active in the area of patient-physician interaction and describes the courses offered by each.
A tolerance function for the multiobjective set covering problem

The multiobjective set covering problem (MOSCP), an NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem, has received limited attention in the literature from the perspective of approximating its Pareto set. The available algorithms for approximating the Pareto set do not provide a bound for the approximation error. In this study, a polynomial-time algorithm is proposed to approximate an element in the weak Pareto set of the MOSCP with a quality that is known. A tolerance function is defined to identify the approximation quality and is derived for the proposed algorithm. It is shown that the tolerance function depends on the characteristics of the problem and the weight vector that is used for computing the approximation. For a set of weight vectors, the algorithm approximates a subset of the weak Pareto set of the MOSCP.
Estimating Recent Local Impacts of Sea-Level Rise on Current Real-Estate Losses: A Housing Market Case Study in Miami-Dade, Florida

Sea-Level Rise (SLR) Projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) indicate increasing, and imminent, risk to coastal communities from tidal flooding and hurricane storm surge. Building on recent research related to the potential demographic impacts of such changes (Hauer et al. 2016, in Nat Clim Chang 3:802–806, 2017; Neumann et al. 2015; Curtis and Schneider in Popul Environ 33:28–54, 2011), localized flooding projections in the Miami Beach area (Wdowinski et al. in Ocean Coast Manag 126:1–8, 2016) and projected economic losses associated with this rise in projected SLR (Fu et al. Ocean Coast Manag 133:11–17, 2016); this research investigates the accrued current cost, in terms of real-estate dollars lost, due to recurrent tidal flooding and projected increases of flooding in Miami-Dade County. Most directly related to this line of research, Keenan et al. (2018) have recently produced results indicating that Climate Gentrification is taking place in Miami, FL with higher elevations in flood prone areas appreciating at a higher rate. In that vein of thinking, we seek to answer a question posed by such research: What is the actual accrued loss to sea-level rise over the recent past? To answer this question, we replicate well-documented estimation methods by combining publicly available sea-level rise projections, tide gauge trends, and property lot elevation data to identify areas regularly at risk of flooding. Combining recent patterns of flooding inundation with future forecasts, we find that properties projected to be inundated with tidal flooding in 2032 have lost $3.08 each year on each square foot of living area, and properties near roads that will be inundated with tidal flooding in 2032 have lost $3.71 each year on each square foot of living area. These effects total over $465 million in lost real-estate market value between 2005 and 2016 in the Miami-Dade area.
Organizational Climate and Student Achievement: A Parsimonious and Longitudinal View:

Health and openness metaphors are used to develop measures of organizational climate. In addition to socioeconomic status, Environmental Press, Collegial Leadership, Teacher Professionalism, and Ac...
Quantitative Determination of Bcl-2 Expression in AML Cell Lines and in Normal and Leukemic Progenitor Cell Compartments by Laser Scanning Cytometry: Comparison with Flow Cytometry and Western Blot

Laser Scanning Cytometry (LSC) is a newly developed microscope-based and computerized system that directly analyzes up to 3- color fluorescence simultaneously from single cells attached to slides. It permits correlations of quantitative cytometric data with morphology and with cytogenetic abnormalities determined by FISH. The data generated by LSC is equivalent to those obtained by flow cytometry in principle. In this study, Bcl-2 expression was measured in five leukemia cell lines by flow cytometry (FCM), LSC, and western blot. The order of Bcl-2 expression in cell lines from highest to lowest is HL60- DOX, OCI/AML3, HL60, MO7E, and TF-1. There was an excellent correlation of results of LSC vs. western blot, R2=0.97; FCM vs. western blot, R2=0.85; FCM vs. LSC, R2=0.83 (all p values <0.05). We then studied Bcl-2 expression in normal and AML progenitor cell populations. Bcl-2 expression was measured by LSC and western blot for CD34+/CD38+ and CD34+/CD38- cells after FACS-sorting. In normal bone marrow, Bcl-2 was significantly higher in CD34+/CD38+ than in CD34+/CD38- cells (p=0.009). Significant differences in Bcl-2 expression levels were noted in CD34+/CD38- cells between AML and normal bone marrow (NBM) populations (p=0.02), and AML-PB and NBM (p=0.005). All sorted populations contained 25% to 76.5% leukemia cells, based on FISH analysis. We conclude that LSC is a powerful technique for the analysis of gene expression in small numbers of FACS-sorted progenitor cells. It also allows correlations with morphology and cytogenetic abnormalities. The differential overexpression of Bcl-2 protein in CD34+/CD38- AML vs. normal bone marrow cells supports the concept of Bcl-2 as a novel target in the treatment of AML.
A Copper-Mediated Conjugate Addition Approach to Analogues of Aconitine-Type Diterpenoid Alkaloids.

A copper-mediated conjugate addition of electron-rich aryl groups into a complex vinyl nitrile using arylmagnesium bromides is reported. The conjugate addition adducts were advanced toward the synthesis of designed aconitine-type analogues. The variation in oxygenation patterns on the arene coupling partner, introduced through the current conjugate addition approach, may ultimately provide insight into structure–activity relationships of the diterpenoid alkaloids.
Criminalization of Corruption in Bolivia

As the first democratically elected mayor of La Paz, Bolivia, I received a bankrupt institution ravaged by the hyperinflation of the early 1980s that had depleted most of the city’s revenues and had left employees practically unpaid for months. Consequently, most employees had turned to corruption to gain a living, effectively “privatizing” city hall. Unable to turn thousands of employees over to the judicial authorities, I had to invent other means to limit corruption. Thus I discovered that by changing the institutional design and the incentive structure, I could eradicate the real causes of corruption, reform a corrupt system, and even keep most of the formerly “corrupt” employees. Similar national institutional reforms were carried out during that period in Bolivia, but after Evo Morales became president, the institutional reforms were reversed and the nation lapsed back into its customary throes of corruption, which this chapter describes. Paradoxically, Morales has criminalized corruption to persecute his political opposition. I also suggest that more attention should be put to battling corrupt systems, than to locking up corrupt individuals.
Deference Conservation—FOIA's Lessons for a Chevron-Less World

The increasingly real debate in the Judiciary, Congress, and the academy over the future of the Chevron doctrine fails to acknowledge that statutory deference is but one form of deference. This Essay contends that the practical implications Chevron—and relatedly, its abrogation—cannot be understood in isolation. Rather, Chevron exerts a dynamic force on other areas of litigation, demanding that any analysis of its effects consider litigation as a whole. Viewed in this light, this Essay contends that courts engage in deference conservation: where Congress or the Supreme Court forecloses one mode of deference, alternative forms become more pronounced. This Essay supports this contention by looking to FOIA litigation, one of the few areas of administrative law where Congress has demanded de novo review. There, courts have shifted deference to other areas of litigation, including factual and procedural issues, preserving the pre-existing win rate while formally maintaining the de novo standard of review. Due to the common law thrust of its jurisprudential development, APA litigation is highly amenable to deference conservation. Indeed, courts have already responded to discretion increasing, deference reducing measures in ways that mirror their actions in FOIA. The upshot of this realization is that debates over Chevron’s legitimacy should shift from their current statutory focus and towards the quasi-constitutional dimensions that actually underlie deference conservation. Doing so would more accurately assess the rationale surrounding judicial deference, broadening the conversation regarding deference to agencies.
Understanding visitors’ spatial behavior: a review of spatial applications in parks

The integration of spatial concepts with social science data in natural resource management has progressed rapidly over the past 15 years. There is now a foundational understanding, and supporting ...
The novel cannabinoid CB 1 receptor agonist AM11101 increases food intake in female rats.

Background and purpose Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) acts via cannabinoid CB1 receptors to increase feeding. Here, we assessed the orexigenic effect of AM11101, a novel CB1 receptor agonist designed to have a more favourable pharmacodynamic profile than THC. Experimental approach The acute, orexigenic effects of AM11101 and THC were compared in female rats. Food intake and meal patterns were also examined following once daily treatment with AM11101 and THC for 7 days. Key results AM11101 (0.01-0.1 mg·kg-1 ) increased food intake during the first hour following both acute and chronic treatments in pre-fed and freely feeding animals. This orexigenic effect persisted for up to 4 hr, with no compensatory decrease in feeding during the subsequent 4-22 hr. THC (1 mg·kg-1 ) increased 1-hr food intake in pre-fed animals, but was less reliable than AM11101 in increasing 1-hr food intake in freely feeding animals following both acute and chronic administration. The orexigenic effect of both compounds was due to an increase in meal size, not meal number. Conclusions and implications Our study provides the first demonstration that AM11101 increases short-term food intake via a selective increase in meal size. AM11101 promotes a more reliable orexigenic effect than THC in freely feeding animals, with no subsequent compensatory decrease in feeding. AM11101 may offer a greater efficacy than THC and its congeners in stimulating food intake in underweight clinical populations.
Effect of heparin and its derivatives on the progression of tumor growth in mouse Lewis lung carcinoma model.

e13115 Background: Preclinical evidence suggests that heparins have an effect on tumor progression independent of their anticoagulant activity. Heparins have also been shown to exhibit interactions...
Developing preclinical models of neuroblastoma: driving therapeutic testing

Despite advances in cancer therapeutics, particularly in the area of immuno-oncology, successful treatment of neuroblastoma (NB) remains a challenge. NB is the most common cancer in infants under 1 year of age, and accounts for approximately 10% of all pediatric cancers. Currently, children with high-risk NB exhibit a survival rate of 40–50%. The heterogeneous nature of NB makes development of effective therapeutic strategies challenging. Many preclinical models attempt to mimic the tumor phenotype and tumor microenvironment. In vivo mouse models, in the form of genetic, syngeneic, and xenograft mice, are advantageous as they replicated the complex tumor-stroma interactions and represent the gold standard for preclinical therapeutic testing. Traditional in vitro models, while high throughput, exhibit many limitations. The emergence of new tissue engineered models has the potential to bridge the gap between in vitro and in vivo models for therapeutic testing. Therapeutics continue to evolve from traditional cytotoxic chemotherapies to biologically targeted therapies. These therapeutics act on both the tumor cells and other cells within the tumor microenvironment, making development of preclinical models that accurately reflect tumor heterogeneity more important than ever. In this review, we will discuss current in vitro and in vivo preclinical testing models, and their potential applications to therapeutic development.
CHAPTER 11 – Atomic Energy

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on atomic energy. A nuclear power plant is very much like a conventional steam power plant. The only difference is that the heat, used to heat the steam that runs the steam turbines and the electric generator, is not obtained by burning coal, gas, or oil, but is derived from controlled nuclear reactions. During this process of decomposition, the substances give off rays of small particles of high velocity, and gamma rays that are a form of penetrating invisible light rays. After a long period of time, the final, stable product of this decomposition is lead. The subatomic particles composing an element are held together by a very large binding energy. Once an element is split up into pieces, some of this energy is released. Modern reactors use uranium pellets that are enriched to contain more U-235 as fuel. The enrichment is done in special gaseous diffusion plants. Operation of these gaseous diffusion plants, for uranium enrichment, requires a considerable amount of energy. The operation of a nuclear reactor is provided by an array of cruciform control rods that can be moved in and out of the reactor core between the fuel rods. The control rods contain neutron-absorbing elements, such as boron.
How Are We Interconnected

This chapter focuses works that challenge the questions of space and entanglement of time. The concepts of time-reversibility, irreducibility, indeterminism, and non-locality emerge through analysis of the works of Augusto Marquet and Gabriel Wolfson’s Anacron: Hipotesis de un producto todo; Rodolfo J.M.’s hypertext detective/police novel Tatuaje; Yolanda de la Torre, Raquel Gomez, and Monica Nepote’s Umbrales; and Santiago Ortiz’s Bacterias argentinas. Analyses of Karen Villeda and Denise Audirac’s poetic virtual installation POETuiteame reflect the interconnectedness of our human condition. These works experiment with observing mind and the object of observation, a metaphor for how quantum entanglement and probability give us the conception of poetry as a universe, a cosmology; metaphors of a universal consciousness, they form a consensus of life as network.
Engineered Cell-Membrane-Coated Nanoparticles Directly Present Tumor Antigens to Promote Anticancer Immunity

The recent success of immunotherapies has highlighted the power of leveraging the immune system in the fight against cancer. In order for most immune-based therapies to succeed, T cell subsets with the correct tumor-targeting specificities must be mobilized. When such specificities are lacking, providing the immune system with tumor antigen material for processing and presentation is a common strategy for stimulating antigen-specific T cell populations. While straightforward in principle, experience has shown that manipulation of the antigen presentation process can be incredibly complex, necessitating sophisticated strategies that are difficult to translate. Herein, the design of a biomimetic nanoparticle platform is reported that can be used to directly stimulate T cells without the need for professional antigen-presenting cells. The nanoparticles are fabricated using a cell membrane coating derived from cancer cells engineered to express a co-stimulatory marker. Combined with the peptide epitopes naturally presented on the membrane surface, the final formulation contains the necessary signals to promote tumor antigen-specific immune responses, priming T cells that can be used to control tumor growth. The reported approach represents an emerging strategy that can be used to develop multiantigenic, personalized cancer immunotherapies.
Power Quality Evaluation of Six-Step Commutation Brushless DC Motor Implemented on 32-Bit ARM Cortex Microcontroller

Electronic speed controller (ESC) is an important sub-system in drones, which is used to control and regulate the speed of its electric motor. For low-cost drones, simple control scheme such as six-step commutation brushless DC (6S-BLDC) control is used. This paper presents an analysis method to study the power quality delivered by 6S-BLDC control based on discrete Fourier transform (DFT) over the measured motor current. As proof of concept, a 6S-BLDC ESC implemented in a generic 32-bit microcontroller is studied. Findings show that the power quality and motor dynamic performance of 6S-BLDC ESC depends on motor speed, gate driver modulation period but is relatively insensitive to microcontroller supply voltage and clock frequency used in the prototype.
Beyond BMI: The value of more accurate measures of fatness and obesity in social science research

Virtually all social science research related to obesity studies a person's body mass index (BMI). Yet there is wide agreement in the medical literature that BMI is seriously flawed because it does not distinguish fat from fat-free mass such as muscle and bone. This paper studies data that include multiple measures of fatness and finds that many important patterns, such as who is classified as obese, group rates of obesity, and correlations of obesity with social science outcomes, are all sensitive to the measure of fatness and obesity used. We show that, relative to percent body fat, BMI misclassifies substantial fractions of individuals as obese or non-obese; in general, BMI is less accurate classifying men than women. Furthermore, when percent body fat instead of BMI is used to define obesity, the gap in obesity between white and African American men increases substantially but the gap in obesity between African American and white women is cut in half. Finally, total body fat is negatively correlated with employment for some groups and fat-free mass is not significantly correlated with employment for any group, a difference that was obscured in previous research that studied BMI. In the long run, social science datasets should include more accurate measures of fatness. In the short run, estimating more accurate measures of fatness using height and weight is not possible except by making unattractive assumptions, but there is also no reason to adhere uncritically to BMI as a measure of fatness. Social science research on obesity would be enriched by greater consideration of alternate specifications of weight and height and more accurate measures of fatness.
Toward immersive spacecraft trajectory design: Mapping user drawings to natural periodic orbits

Abstract This paper presents an immersive spacecraft trajectory design application within the cislunar space domain. The long-term goal of this application is to enable users to design spacecraft trajectories by drawing curves while immersed in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual reality replica of the Earth–Moon system. In this framework, visual memory or understanding of orbit dynamics may be directly linked to the creation of trajectory baselines for preliminary mission design with 3D drawings. An orthogonal-collocation-based optimizer maps user-drawn curves to approximate orbit solutions that are feasible under the natural dynamics of the Earth–Moon system. The natural dynamics of the Earth–Moon system are modeled using a circular-restricted three-body problem (CR3BP) model. Two experiments are conducted to initially assess the feasibility of the proposed trajectory design framework and to determine the robustness of the optimizer in the presence of user-induced distortions within the 3D user drawings. The first experiment establishes that it may be feasible to map a user-drawn curve to a close natural CR3BP trajectory. In fact, during the experiment, sample user-drawn curves were mapped to natural CR3BP orbits with a seventy-five percent success rate. The second experiment establishes baseline statistics for user-induced distortions over one hundred and three user-drawn traces of a sample L 2 halo reference orbit. Based on these statistics, a final analysis provides a quantitative measure in verification of the robustness of the optimizer when user-induced distortions are present. Hence the proposed immersive computing framework is deemed suitable for further development for trajectory design in cislunar space.
TIME LOSS INJURIES AMONG FORMER COLLEGIATE GYMNASTS: THE INFLUENCE OF FEMALE ATHLETE TRIAD SYMPTOMS:

Background:Female college gymnasts have one of the highest injury rates in the NCAA and are at risk for female athlete triad syndrome. While female athlete triad syndrome leads to bone stress injur...
COVID-19: Perceived Infection Risk and Barriers to Uptake of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Vaccines Among Community Healthcare Workers.

The health and economic ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic have prompted the need for a timely and effective vaccine development. While the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in record time is being hailed as a scientific feat, skepticism about the safety, side effects, and even its long-term effects remain. Acceptance of the vaccine may therefore be a challenge among healthcare workers (HCWs), whose role is considered a proxy to determining the COVID-19 vaccine uptake response by the general population. In December 2020, prior to the arrival and receipt of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, we conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess the readiness for vaccine uptake among HCWs at three community-based, university-affiliated health centers. A total of 205 (82%) respondents out of 250 completed the questionnaire. Fifty-four percent of respondents agreed to receive vaccine once available. Females (odds ratio (OR) =0.22, p=0.014), non-Hispanic Blacks (OR=0.066, p=0.010), and Hispanics (OR=0.11, p=0.037) were less likely to accept the vaccine. Respondents with moderate-risk perception were more likely to accept (OR=2.79, p=0.045) compared to those with low-risk perception while no association was found between high-risk perception and vaccine acceptance (p=0.226). After adjusting for perceived risk, sex, race/ethnicity, and age, acceptance in non-Hispanic Black population remained statistically significant (adjusted OR=0.07, p=0.014), with Hispanic (AOR=0.12, p=0.051) showing a trend. Enthusiastic acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine is lacking among surveyed HCWs of certain racial/ethnic groups. Provision of resources and public health interventions targeting underserved, minority populations are necessary to halt opposition to vaccine uptake.
Multiaxial Real-Time Hybrid Simulation for Substructuring with Multiple Boundary Points

AbstractReal-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) results from the integration of numerical modeling with experimental testing of structural systems. In substructured RTHS tests, a reference structure may...
Association of Acute Kidney Injury During Diabetic Ketoacidosis With Risk of Microalbuminuria in Children With Type 1 Diabetes.

Importance Diabetic kidney disease is among the most important causes of end-stage kidney disease worldwide. Risk factors for diabetic kidney disease remain incompletely defined. Recent studies document a high frequency of acute kidney injury (AKI) during diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in children, raising the question of whether these AKI episodes might contribute to future risk of diabetic kidney disease. Objective To determine whether episodes of AKI occurring during DKA in children are associated with increased risk of development of microalbuminuria. Design, setting, and participants This retrospective review of medical records included children with type 1 diabetes with 1 or more urine albumin levels measured during routine diabetes care from 2 university-affiliated urban tertiary children's hospitals in the United States from January 2006 to December 2019. Age at diagnosis of diabetes, hemoglobin A1c levels, episodes of DKA, pH and creatinine levels during DKA, and urine albumin and creatinine measurements were analyzed. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to identify variables affecting the hazard rate for microalbuminuria development. Analyses began January 2021 and ended May 2021. Exposures Episodes of DKA and episodes of AKI occurring during DKA. Main outcomes and measures AKI occurrence and AKI stage were determined from serum creatinine measurements during DKA using Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria. Microalbuminuria was defined as urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio of 30 mg/g or more or excretion of 30 mg or more of albumin in 24 hours. Results Of 2345 children, the mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 9.4 (4.4) years. One or more episodes of DKA occurred in 963 children (41%), and AKI occurred during DKA in 560 episodes (47%). In multivariable models adjusting for the associations of age at diagnosis and mean hemoglobin A1c level since diagnosis, each episode of AKI during DKA was associated with a hazard ratio of 1.56 (95% CI, 1.3-1.87) for development of microalbuminuria. Four or more episodes increased the hazard rate by more than 5-fold. DKA episodes without AKI did not significantly increase the hazard rate for microalbuminuria development after adjusting for other covariates. Conclusions and relevance These data demonstrate that episodes of AKI occurring during DKA in children with type 1 diabetes are significantly associated with risk of developing microalbuminuria. Greater efforts are necessary to reduce the frequency of DKA.
Effects of epidural anesthesia on splanchnic capacitance.

Publisher Summary Splanchnic veins play an important role in the active control of total body circulatory capacitance. This chapter summarizes several studies that demonstrate that epidural anesthesia produces hypotension, mesenteric venodilatation, and interruption of sympathetic activity. Maximal changes of these parameters have been comparable in the three epidural dosage groups but have been more prolonged with increasing dose. High-dose systemic lidocaine causes smaller changes in arterial pressure and sympathetic acitivity. It is hypothesized that decreased sympathetic activity to the veins during blockade is the principal factor causing mesenteric venodilatation during epidural anesthesia. Further experiments on the mechanism of splanchnic venodilatation have showed that passive vein distension and effects of circulating lidocaine or catecholamines are not likely contributing factors. In a clinical setting, different hemodynamic responses are seen with blockade of different ranges of spinal nerves. Minimal changes take place with blocks isolated to the lower extremities. Extensive blocks involving the splanchnic innervation result in hypotension and hypoperfusion, indicating the pivotal nature of the splanchnic vascular bed. Blocks limited to thoracic segments, but including the origin of splanchnic preganglionic fibers, produce comparable mesenteric venodilatation and sympathetic interruption as extensive thoracolumbar blocks. Blocks limited to lumbar segments, however, have showed mesenteric venoconstriction and increased splanchnic sympathetic activity. The variable responses in splanchnic capacitance with the onset of epidural anesthesia are the result of the competing influences of increased sympathetic activity from decreasing blood pressure and blockade of sympathetic fibers to the splanchnic veins.
Style, Gender, and Fantasy in Nineteenth-Century American Women's Writing

Introduction: Highly wrought style 1. Florid fantasies: Fuller, Stephens and the 'other' language of flowers 2. Sensing the soul: mesmerism, feminism, and highly wrought writing 3. Harriet Prescott Spofford's Philosophy of Composition 4. Pauline Hopkins' Baroque Folds: the styled form of Winona 5. Coda: the value of ornament: Gilman and Wharton Endnotes Bibliography.
Conformation Resulting from Selection for Milk Yield of Holsteins

Abstract Conformation from official Holstein classification program of daughters sired by bulls with high estimates of Predicted Difference milk was compared with conformation of daughters sired by bulls near breed average for milk in 1964 to investigate correlated response to selection for milk yield. In 1964, foundation cows were paired by sire and randomly assigned to two genetic groups, selection and control, for one experimental herd. Selection group was mated to four sires highest for Predicted Difference milk each year. Control group was mated to 20 bulls near breed average for milk in 1964. Conformation was recorded for final score, four scorecard categories, and 11 descriptive traits by Holstein Association classifiers. Data from 320 cows were collected from 1968 to 1982. When a lower boundary of 60 points was placed on final score with a range from 50 to 100, the selection group exceeded controls for final score from first classification. Compared with controls, selection cows rated higher for dairy character and body capacity. For descriptive traits, selection cows excelled controls for stature, front ends, and rear udders. Controls did not have a significant advantage for any trait.
Complexity and synchronicity of resting state blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional MRI in normal aging and cognitive decline.

Author(s): Liu, Collin Y; Krishnan, Anitha P; Yan, Lirong; Smith, Robert X; Kilroy, Emily; Alger, Jeffery R; Ringman, John M; Wang, Danny JJ | Abstract: PurposeTo explore the use of approximate entropy (ApEn) as an index of the complexity and the synchronicity of resting state blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in normal aging and cognitive decline associated with familial Alzheimer's disease (fAD).Materials and methodsResting state BOLD fMRI data were acquired at 3T from two independent cohorts of subjects consisting of healthy young (age 23 ± 2 years, n = 8) and aged volunteers (age 66 ± 3 years, n = 8), as well as 22 fAD associated subjects (14 mutation carriers, age 41.2 ± 15.8 years; and eight nonmutation carrying family members, age 28.8 ± 5.9 years). Mean ApEn values were compared between the two age groups and correlated with cognitive performance in the fAD group. Cross-ApEn (C-ApEn) was further calculated to assess the asynchrony between precuneus and the rest of the brain.ResultsComplexity of brain activity measured by mean ApEn in gray and white matter decreased with normal aging. In the fAD group, cognitive impairment was associated with decreased mean ApEn in gray matter as well as decreased regional ApEn in right precuneus, right lateral parietal regions, left precentral gyrus, and right paracentral gyrus. A pattern of asynchrony between BOLD fMRI series emerged from C-ApEn analysis, with significant regional anti-correlation with cross-correlation coefficient of functional connectivity analysis.ConclusionApEn and C-ApEn may be useful for assessing the complexity and synchronicity of brain activity in normal aging and cognitive decline associated with neurodegenerative diseases.
Mitochondrial Protein Synthesis in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii y-l: POLYPEPTIDE PRODUCTS OF MITOCHONDRIAL TRANSCRIPTION AND TRANSLATION IN VIVO AS REVEALED BY SELECTIVE LABELING WITH [3H]LEUCINE

Abstract The incorporation of [3H]leucine into polypeptides within intact cells of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii y-1 was analyzed by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels and was compared with the incorporation of [14C]arginine. Labeled arginine was a useful agent for tracing general protein synthesis in these cells, as the pattern of radioactivity that resulted from the incorporation of this amino acid was nearly identical with the pattern of protein stain. In contrast, the incorporation of [3H]leucine produced patterns of radioactivity that differed markedly from the pattern of protein stain. When the concentration of leucine in the medium was low (5 x 10-8 to 10-7 m), relatively few polypeptides became labeled with [3H]leucine. Synthesis of these polypeptides was not affected by cycloheximide, an inhibitor of cytoplasmic ribosomes, but was inhibited by chloramphenicol and other inhibitors of the ribosomes within mitochondria and the chloroplast of this alga. However, the following results demonstrated that the site of incorporation of [3H]leucine was on mitochondrial rather than on chloroplast ribosomes. (a) The large subunit of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase, a marker of chloroplast protein synthesis, was not detectably labeled with [3H]leucine, although this polypeptide became prominently labeled with [14C]arginine. (b) Streptolydigin, acriflavine, and ethidium bromide prevented the incorporation of [3H]leucine, but these drugs had no specific effect on the incorporation of [14C]arginine into the bulk of the cellular polypeptides, including incorporation into the large subunit of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase. Also, streptolydigin had no effect on the synthesis of chlorophyll. (c) When the concentration of leucine in the medium was increased from 10-7 m to 2 x 10-5 m, labeling of polypeptides synthesized on cytoplasmic ribosomes was observed in addition to those made on mitochondrial ribosomes, but labeling of the large subunit of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase still was barely noticeable. These characteristics of the incorporation of [3H]leucine, apparently resulting from an unusual accessibility of this amino acid to the mitochondria, have permitted an analysis of the polypeptides synthesized specifically by this organelle within a plant cell. Furthermore, these results indicated that the synthesis of most if not all polypeptides on mitochondrial ribosomes in C. reinhardtii required continuous transcription of mitochondrial DNA.
Hope in Pastoral Care and Counseling, by Andrew D. Lester

Andrew D. Lester's Hope in Pastoral Care and Counseling explores the use of future-focused narratives in counseling within the pastoral setting. Lester's pastoral, supervisory, and professorial exp...
Sleep deprivation causes behavioral, synaptic, and membrane excitability alterations in hippocampal neurons

Although the function of sleep remains elusive, several lines of evidence suggest that sleep has an important role in learning and memory. In light of the available data and with the prevalence of sleep deprivation (SD), we sought to determine the effect of SD on neuronal functioning. We found that the exposure of rats to 72 hr of primarily rapid eye movement SD impaired their subsequent performance on a hippocampus-dependent spatial learning task but had no effect on an amygdala-dependent learning task. To determine the underlying cellular level mechanisms of this hippocampal deficit, we examined the impact of SD on several fundamental aspects of membrane excitability and synaptic physiology in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons and dentate gyrus granule cells. We found that neuronal excitability was severely reduced in CA1 neurons but not in granule cells and that the production of long-term potentiation of synaptic strength was inhibited in both areas. Using multiple SD methods we further attempted to differentiate the effects of sleep deprivation from those associated with the nonspecific stress induced by the sleep deprivation methods. Together these data suggest that failure to acquire adequate sleep produces several molecular and cellular level alterations that profoundly inhibit hippocampal functioning.
Approach to en bloc resection and reconstruction of primary masticator space malignancies

Objectives/Hypothesis The aim of this study was to present our experience with management of malignant lesions arising within the masticator space, and to describe a technique of en bloc resection and reconstruction. Study Design Case series and case report. Methods Eight cases of masticator space malignancies treated surgically with en bloc resection and free flap reconstruction were retrospectively reviewed. Results Tumor extirpation was carried out through a parotidectomy approach with mobilization and protection of the facial nerve. Primary reconstruction was accomplished with vascularized bone containing free flaps, fibula (n = 4), scapula (n = 2), and scapula with latissimus dorsi muscle (n = 2). Mean follow-up was 62.5 months (range, 18–132 months). Conclusions En bloc resection of masticator space malignancies can be consistently accomplished through an extended parotidectomy approach. The defect is best reconstructed with a vascularized bone and soft tissue free flap. Favorable functional and aesthetic outcomes can be successfully achieved using the techniques described in this series. Level of Evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 2015