cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distribution and Variation of Voles of the Genus Microtus in New Mexico and Adjacent Areas

The voles Microtus montanus, M. longicaudus, M. mexicanus , and M. pennsylvanicus occur in New Mexico and all reach their distributional limits in the general region. The four species differ in degree of ecological and geographic restriction and in amount of geographic variation. Degree of geographic variation seems to be positively correlated with degree of restriction and isolation. A possible case of character displacement resulting from competition of closely related species is discussed. Historical biogeographic factors possibly leading to the present situation are considered.
Sarbin’s way: Overcoming mentalism and mechanism in psychology

This article traces the contributions to psychological theory and practice of Theodore R. Sarbin over a career that began in the 1930s and ended with his death in 2005. His early research on clinical vs. actuarial prediction and on hypnosis reflected a disposition to be critical of received ways of thinking in psychology. He came to think of many of the terms in the psychological vocabulary as ossified metaphors turned into myths. His promotion of role theory within social psychology gave priority to social structure as the key to understanding conduct, and he saw the self and social identity as products of the interaction of the individual with society. He rejected both mentalism and mechanism as adequate approaches to psychology. He turned to contextualism as the preferred world view for psychology, and to narrative as a way of understanding the flow of human life.
Dynamic-MLC Modeling for Monte Carlo dose calculations

In the near future, the Monte Carlo method will be used for simulating intensity-modulated treatments delivered with dynamic multi-leaf collimators (DMLCs). Monte Carlo (MC) dose calculation algorithms are being recognized as the most accurate way of predicting patient dose.1 However, for IMRT delivered with DMLCs, accurate dose calculation is non-trivial, even with Monte Carlo.
Is There Efficacy Beyond Cytotoxic Chemotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and by the year 2020, it is expected to represent the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States, trailing only lung cancer. It remains the most lethal cancer primarily as a result of the advanced stage at the time of diagnosis for the majority of patients and limited treatment options. Although chemotherapy regimens, including FOLFIRINOX (fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin) and gemcitabine and nabpaclitaxel, have improved survival, there remains a paucity of effective therapeutic options beyond these combinations. Over the years, multiple other large, phase III clinical trials have been performed with disappointing results, the most recent of which is the IMPRESS trial, which evaluated the algenpantucel-L vaccine in combination with standard of care as adjuvant treatment (to be published). Varadhachary andWolff have written an excellent review of the literature that describes the evolving therapies for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, from cytotoxic chemotherapy to immunotherapy. Chemotherapy, however, remains the mainstay of treatment. Results of the NAPOLI-1 study were recently reported and demonstrate the efficacy of combination treatment, with nanoliposomal irinotecan, fluorouracil, and leucovorin as a second-line treatment option. As Varadhachary and Wolff state, alternative approaches, including vaccine therapy, agents directed against the dense desmoplastic stroma, agents that target the Janus kinase–signal transducers and activators of transcription pathway, and checkpoint inhibitors, are available via clinical trials. In addition to the extensive review by Varadhachary and Wolff, the National Cancer Institute Pancreatic Specialized Program of Research Excellence projects offer future promising, novel strategies to treat pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. One such project investigates inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) as a treatment option. It has been shown by Eggers et al at the University of Nebraska that the CDK5 gene or its coactivators are amplified in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Furthermore, CDK5 activity is enhanced in the presence of mutant k-ras, a phenomenon that is seen in more than 80% of pancreatic cancers. CDK5 and k-ras together propagate cell growth, invasion, and metastatic potential. Preclinical evidence suggests that CDK5 inhibitors reduce tumor size and vascularity. These inhibitors are currently being evaluated as monotherapy in early-stage animal models in which pancreatitis progresses to pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia. In advanced disease models, combinatorial therapy with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel are being studied. CDK inhibitors may affect nociceptors, which are sensory nerve cells that respond to pain stimuli. This is a clinically hopeful approach, as abdominal pain is a major morbidity for patients with pancreatic cancer.
Evaluation of a Hepatitis C Patient Management Program at a University Specialty Pharmacy.

Background: The University of Rochester (UR) Specialty Pharmacy hepatitis C patient management program offers a unique advantage of being integrated within the same health system as the University ...
On the Seasonality of Arctic Black Carbon

AbstractArctic haze has a distinct seasonal cycle with peak concentrations in winter but pristine conditions in summer. It is demonstrated that the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) atmospheric general circulation model (AM3) can reproduce the observed seasonality of Arctic black carbon (BC), an important component of Arctic haze. The model is used to study how large-scale circulation and removal drive the seasonal cycle of Arctic BC. It is found that despite large seasonal shifts in the general circulation pattern, the transport of BC into the Arctic varies little throughout the year. The seasonal cycle of Arctic BC is attributed mostly to variations in the controlling factors of wet removal, namely the hydrophilic fraction of BC and wet deposition efficiency of hydrophilic BC. Specifically, a confluence of low hydrophilic fraction and weak wet deposition, owing to slower aging process and less efficient mixed-phase cloud scavenging, respectively, is responsible for the wintertime peak of BC. ...
GeNGA: a generalization of natural gradient ascent with positive and

Natural gradient ascent (NGA) is a popular optimization method that uses a positive definite metric tensor. In many applications the metric tensor is only guaranteed to be positive semidefinite (e.g., when using the Fisher information matrix as the metric tensor), in which case NGA is not applicable. In our first contribution, we derive generalized natural gradient ascent (GeNGA), a generalization of NGA which allows for positive semidefinite non-smooth metric tensors. In our second contribution we show that, in standard settings, GeNGA and NGA can both be divergent. We then establish sufficient conditions to ensure that both achieve various forms of convergence. In our third contribution we show how several reinforcement learning methods that use NGA without positive definite metric tensors can be adapted to properly use GeNGA.
Bone healing in an aged murine fracture model is characterized by sustained callus inflammation and decreased cell proliferation.

Geriatric fractures take longer to heal and heal with more complications than those of younger patients; however, the mechanistic basis for this difference in healing is not well understood. To improve this understanding, we investigated cell and molecular differences in fracture healing between 5-month-old (young adult) and 25-month-old (geriatric) mice healing utilizing high-throughput analysis of gene expression. Mice underwent bilateral tibial fractures and fracture calluses were harvested at 5, 10, and 20 days post-fracture (DPF) for analysis. Global gene expression analysis was performed using Affymetrix MoGene 1.0 ST microarrays. After normalization, data were compared using ANOVA and evaluated using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), CTen, heatmap, and Incromaps analysis. PCA and cross-sectional heatmap analysis demonstrated that DPF followed by age had pronounced effects on changes in gene expression. Both un-fractured and 20 DPF aged mice showed increased expression of immune-associated genes (CXCL8, CCL8, and CCL5) and at 10 DPF, aged mice showed increased expression of matrix-associated genes, (Matn1, Ucma, Scube1, Col9a1, and Col9a3). Cten analysis suggested an enrichment of CD8+ cells and macrophages in old mice relative to young adult mice and, conversely, a greater prevalence of mast cells in young adult mice relative to old. Finally, consistent with the PCA data, the classic bone healing pathways of BMP, Indian Hedgehog, Notch and Wnt clustered according to the time post-fracture first and age second. Clinical significance Greater understanding of age-dependent molecular changes with healing will help form a mechanistic basis for therapies to improve patient outcomes. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:149-158, 2018.
Cardiovascular Health During Pregnancy: Future Health Implications for Mothers

Healthy pregnancy requires profound maternal vascular, immune, and metabolic adaptations to support placentation and fetal growth. It is now well established that an impaired ability to mount these adaptations contributes to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Pregnancy now can be viewed as a “stress test,” with adverse pregnancy outcomes being a harbinger of excess cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Thus, we review the current evidence that links pregnancy features to maternal CVD risk. The most recent work demonstrates that cardiovascular risk is detectable within 1 to 5 years after pregnancy. Rates of hypertension as soon as 1 year post-partum are quite high in women with gestational hypertension, and cardiac structure differences can be detected as soon as 5 years post-partum following preeclampsia. Pregnancy complications can identify CVD risk during the reproductive years and provide opportunities to improve women’s health. We summarize the next steps needed to leverage pregnancy as a window to improved maternal cardiovascular health.
Abstract P254: Dementia and Use of Cardiac Catheterization and Angioplasty in Elderly ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients

Introduction_ Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the first line of treatment for ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI). Few studies addressed dementia as a barrier to receiving PCI. We...
Human Performance Enhancement

Performance aiding and training have been viewed historically as distinct approaches to human performance enhancement. But should they be treated as distinct? In this chapter, I argue that these approaches are complementary and, in fact, can be viewed as lying on a continuum with aiding at one end and training at the other end. Realizing this vision has become possible with the advent of shareable content objects and the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) framework, which essentially enables making content portable and potentially “repurposable” [1]. In this sense, the SCORM framework/standard is a key enabler of convergence between performance aiding and training. This chapter presents the methodology for integrating aiding and training using Sharable Content Objects (SCOs). With the introduction of the concept of repurposable content, human performance aiding and training can be viewed as the two ends of a human performance enhancement continuum. This chapter presents the history of performance aiding versus training along with aiding-training trade-offs. It then presents the parameterization of the aiding-training continuum, followed by the system concept and architecture for an integrated aiding-training system. It discusses content authoring and presents the criteria for evaluating the aiding-training system. It concludes with the reminder that this capability embodies the convergence of decision science, artificial intelligence, and training psychology.
Wide-reaching effects of and concerns regarding geographic localization of hospitalist units

The unit-based hospitalist model implemented and studied by Dr Bryson and colleagues [1] in their article ‘Geographical assignment of hospitalists in an urban teaching hospital: feasibility and imp...
A surprising link between the inflammasome and the centrosome

The NLRP3 inflammasome is a multisubunit protein complex of the innate immune system that senses and responds to a broad range of cell-intrinsic, pro-inflammatory stimuli. Upon activation in non-mitotic cells, NLRP3 aggregates with the inflammasome subunits ASC and Caspase-1 to assemble a single perinuclear superstructure. However, the processes and mechanisms that orchestrate inflammasome assembly and drive pyroptosis are largely unknown. Here, we show that the inflammasome recruits and colocalizes with known centrosome-associated proteins, γ-Tubulin and Centrin, in a Caspase-1 dependent manner. While the NLRP3 inflammasome does not colocalize with the centrosome itself, we show that the inflammasome assembles in close proximity to the centrosome early after NLRP3 activation. Furthermore, inflammasome formation results in a breakdown of the microtubule network as well as decreased γ-Tubulin and Pericentrin staining at the centrosome. These observations are strengthened by our proteomic studies identifying >30 centrosomal interacting with NLRP3 and/or Caspase-1. One protein in particular is Nek7, a serine/threonine kinase required for the recruitment of γ-Tubulin and Pericentrin to the centrosome, suggesting that inflammasome activation phenocopies Nek7 loss. Finally, depletion of Nek7 inhibits pyroptotic cell death. Therefore, these data reveal a novel link between the inflammasome and centrosome, possibly bridged by NEK7, and provide mechanistic insight into inflammasome formation and pyroptosis.
Predicting Wobbe Index and methane number of a renewable natural gas by the measurement of simple physical properties

Abstract This study describes a fuel quality prediction strategy that predicts the fuel quality parameter and component composition of Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) containing CH4, C2H6 and CO2. Onsite measurement of the gas properties in a renewable natural gas (RNG) fuel is necessary to ensure an expected level of quality, which must be maintained for better combustion efficiency. The Wobbe Index (WI) and methane number (MN) are the natural gas quality indicators used. To predict the WI, MN, and component composition, a data set that consists of WI, MN, thermal conductivity and sound velocity of the gaseous fuel mixture as a function of its temperature, pressure and composition, was created. Through a regression analysis of the data set, a model that estimates the WI, MN and composition of the gaseous fuel mixture from its physical properties (temperature, pressure, thermal conductivity and sound velocity), was developed. The results of the study including the data set and the prediction model that can accurately estimate the WI, MN, and gas composition, is presented in this paper.
Waveguides and RF Cavities

In the previous chapter we studied propagation of electromagnetic waves in free space. Free space is an idealization which can be used when the waves propagate far from material boundaries. If this is not the case, one has to take into account the interaction of the electromagnetic field with the medium. In this chapter we will study one example that is especially important for accelerator applications, when the medium can be modeled as a perfectly conducting metal whose boundaries reflect the electromagnetic field without losses. The impact of resistive losses can often be treated perturbatively, as we have seen in Chap. 12. We will consider cylindrical waveguides and resonant cavities. We will also discuss how cavity eigenmodes can be excited by relativistic beams of charged particles.
Examining a Brief Measure of Parent Involvement in Children’s Education

The current study is a preliminary investigation of the psychometric properties of a brief seven-item Parent Involvement Survey (PIS) as developed by the researcher, that could potentially be used in schools. In an effort to test for construct validity, the relation of the PIS to elementary-aged students’ receptive vocabulary skills and four familial factors (family functioning and resiliency, social support, concrete support, and nurturing and attachment) was examined. The sample included 182 parents that completed the PIS, which was available in English and Spanish. Approximately 60% of the parents completed the Spanish version and 40% completed the English version. Additionally, there were 102 preschool and kindergarten children whose receptive vocabulary was measured with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Fourth Edition (PPVT-4). A series of exploratory factor analyses on the PIS indicated a one-factor solution with five items to be the best model fit for the observed data. The final, five-item PIS assessed parents’ current levels of values, school-, and home-based involvement in their children’s education. Bivariate correlations indicated that three familial factors were significantly related to the PIS, and parent involvement was significantly related to student receptive vocabulary scores on the PPVT-4. The findings of this study provide preliminary evidence supporting the psychometric properties of the PIS and its relation with academic outcomes and familial factors. Implications are discussed regarding how school psychologists can use this brief parent involvement measure in practice.
THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF FUNCTIONAL SPECIALIZATION IN MUSCLE AS INDUCED BY THE INNERVATION

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the molecular basis of functional specialization in muscle as induced by the innervation. According to some embryological and cytological investigations, the genetic information is in general completely present in the somatic nuclei of differentiated tissues. Thus, large parts of it are rendered irreversibly inactive, as long as the nuclei remain present in the cytoplasmic surrounds of the differentiated tissues. The chapter highlights that at least in the mammalian limb muscles investigated, further differentiation is effected and maintained throughout adulthood, by formative influences exerted by the nervous system and this selective gene restriction is not irreversible. The chapter explores the subject of selective gene choices made constantly by activities within the nervous system, connecting physiology with molecular, neuro- and developmental biology. This specialization refers to the existence, within one individual and species of functionally different myonal types, which may exist side-by-side within one muscle or may, conveniently for the experimenter, be segregated quite purely into separate anatomical muscles.
Exploring Local Public Health Workflow in the Context of Automated Translation Technologies

Despite the growing limited English proficiency (LEP) population in the US, and federal regulations requiring multilingual health information be available for LEP individuals, there is a lack of available high quality multilingual health promotion materials. The costs and personnel time associated with creating high quality translations serve as barriers to their creation, especially in resource limited public health settings. To explore the potential adoption of novel machine translation and document dissemination technologies for improving the creation and sharing of translated public health materials, we interviewed key health department personnel in Washington State. We analyzed translation workflow, elucidated key themes regarding public health translation work, and assessed attitudes towards electronic document exchange and machine translation. Public health personnel expressed the need for human quality assurance and oversight, but appreciated the potential of novel information technologies to assist in the production and dissemination of translated materials for public health practice.
Zinc Retention in Relationship to Fat-Free Body and Calcium Accretion in Early and Late Pregnancy

In studies of zinc retention during pregnancy, the measured rates of retention are generally greater than the predicted needs. The predicted daily zinc need is about 0.2 mg/day in the first half of gestation and 0.6 mg/day in the last halfl. Zinc retentions of pregnant women tend to be 3 to 7 times the predicted need after correcting for integumental losses2–5. It is unclear why measured rates of zinc retention are so much higher than predicted needs. Possibly, zinc retention was overestimated by the balance technique, or the predicted need for zinc may be underestimated. Also, pregnant women may retain more zinc than needed if intake is in excess.
A Watershed and Ecosystem Approach for Transboundary Wastewater Management in the Tijuana River Catchment

The Tijuana River Watershed (TRW) lies in the westernmost section of the United States (US)-Mexico border, encompassing portions of the City and County of San Diego in the United States and the Municipio de Tijuana in Mexico. The drainage basin of the Tijuana River is 1,735 square miles in size and contains four main tributaries, Cottonwood Creek, Tecate Creek, Rio de las Palmas, and Rio de Alamar; approximately 30% of the basin lies in the US and 70% lies in the Republic of Mexico. (Fig. 1 provides a locational map of the region, (Pryde, 1986)).
U.S. Geological Survey toxic Waste-Groundwater Contamination Program, fiscal year 1985

In fiscal year 1982, the U S Geological Survey began an interdisciplinary research thrust entitled Toxic Waste-Groundwater Contamination Program The objective of the thrust was to provide earth sciences information necessary to evaluate and mitigate existing groundwater contamination problems resulting from the planned or inadvertant disposal of wastes and from certain land-use practices, and to improve future waste disposal and land-use practices The program supports process-oriented and interdisciplinary field research, and regional groundwater quality studies This article provides an overview of the current (Fiscal Year 1985) activities of the Toxic Waste Program
Independent Association of Male Sex with Presentation and Clinical Outcomes in Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

INTRODUCTION: The chronic MPN, essential thrombocytosis (ET), polycythemia vera (PV) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF), share mutations of JAK2, MPL and CALR, but vary widely with regard to sex distribution, age at diagnosis, disease evolution and outcomes. Given that age at diagnosis influences presenting phenotype, disease progression and clinical outcome, the impact of sex remains undefined. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of sex in presenting phenotype, disease progression, complications and mortality in a well-defined, prospective observational cohort. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 630 individuals with ET, PV or PMF were enrolled in our observational cohort between 2005-2015. Median disease duration at the time of evaluation was 7.23 years, whereas 152 were enrolled within one year of diagnosis. All individuals were genotyped for neutrophil JAK V617F variant allele frequency (VAF), and JAK2 V617F-negative individuals were studied for other JAK2 mutations, CALR or MPL mutations. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate associations of sex, age and molecular characteristics with presenting phenotype; multivariable cox regression was used to evaluate associations of sex, age, presenting phenotype, and molecular characteristics with mortality, and survival curves were generated using the Kaplan Meier method. RESULTS: The cohort comprised 630 individuals (246 males and 384 females) with 6819 patient-years of follow up. Over a median follow up of 9 (Q25-75% 6, 15) years, 185 individuals died. Males had a higher mean age of presentation (52.9 versus 48.8 years, P=0.002). Compared with females, males were more likely to present with PMF than PV or ET (P 40 and ≤60 years, and >60 years) (Figure 1A). In a multivariable logistic regression model, male sex was significantly associated with PMF as presenting phenotype (P CONCLUSIONS: Males with MPN have inferior survival compared to females with MPN, even when adjusted for age at presentation, presenting phenotype, and molecular characteristics. Further, males present more frequently with PMF while females present more frequently with ET. These striking sex-based differences in MPN presentation and outcomes demonstrate that male sex is associated with more aggressive disease biology independent of other factors, and further study to dissect the molecular mechanisms are warranted. Moreover, sex stratification should be considered in MPN prognostic risk algorithms and when designing and interpreting results from clinical trials. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The relation of parental emotionality and related dispositional traits to parental expression of emotion and children's social functioning

The purpose of this study was to test relations between parental temperamental emotionality and regulation or related personality characteristics and parental behavior, children's regulation, and children's social functioning. Mothers and fathers reported on their own personality and/or temperament and expressivity in the family (mothers only); parents and teachers rated children (71 girls and 99 boys; M age = 73 months) on their temperamental regulation, social competence, and problem behavior. Mothers also were observed interacting with their child, and behavioral measures of children's regulation were obtained. In general, high parental regulation and low negative emotionality were associated with positive developmental outcomes in children and more positive parental behaviors, and mothers' expression of positive emotion in the family mediated some of the relations of their dispositions to children's socioemotional functioning.
STEM Diversity and Inclusion Efforts for Women of Color: A Critique of the New Labor System

There are sustained international efforts to increase the number and percentage of people of color who pursue STEM education and careers. These initiatives are widely justified as means to provide human capital for technology companies. Particularly for women of color (African American, Native American, Latinx) in the US, far too many digital inclusion endeavors entrench women of color, sometimes unwittingly, in a labor system that treats them merely as commodities. As a result, women of color either avoid lives in computing or leave them. To display and critique some of the aspects of this phenomenon, we discuss it in comparison to the labor system of sharecropping in the southern US after the Civil War. We challenge those who fund, design, implement, and evaluate efforts at diversity and inclusion to see women of color not as commodities, but as agents with interests in social and economic emancipation and autonomy.
On analytic solutions of (1+3)D relativistic ideal hydrodynamic equations

Abstract In this paper, we find various analytic ( 1 + 3 ) D solutions to relativistic ideal hydrodynamic equations based on embedding of known low-dimensional scaling solutions. We first study a class of flows with 2D Hubble embedding, for which a single ordinary differential equation for the remaining velocity field can be derived. Using this equation, all solutions with transverse 2D Hubble embedding and power law ansatz for the remaining longitudinal velocity field will be found. Going beyond the power law ansatz, we further find a few solutions with transverse 2D Hubble embedding and nontrivial longitudinal velocity field. Finally we investigate general scaling flows with each component of the velocity fields scaling independently, for which we also find all possible solutions.
Evaluation of dosing and safety outcomes of low-dose prophylactic warfarin in children after cardiothoracic surgery

PURPOSE Prophylactic warfarin with an International Normalized Ratio (INR) goal of 1.5 to 2.0 is one antithrombotic therapy utilized in children after cardiothoracic surgery (CTS); published sources suggest a dose of 0.1 mg/kg per day to achieve this goal. However, few studies have evaluated dosing in this population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate dosing and safety outcomes in children receiving warfarin after CTS. METHODS A descriptive, retrospective review was conducted to evaluate warfarin dosing and INR outcomes in patients 18 years of age or younger who underwent CTS and received prophylactic warfarin with an INR goal of 1.5 to 2.0 from January 2014 through December 2018. The primary objective was to determine the median initial warfarin dose. Secondary objectives included identifying the percentage of documented INR values that were outside the therapeutic range, the percentage of patients with therapeutic INRs at discharge, and the 30-day readmission rate. RESULTS Twenty-six patients were included in the review. The median initial warfarin dosage was 0.07 mg/kg/d (interquartile range [IQR], 0.05-0.10 mg/kg/d). Of the total of 177 INR values collected during the entire study period, 67 (37.9%) were therapeutic, 64 (36.2%) were subtherapeutic, and 46 (26.0%) were supratherapeutic. Eighteen patients (69.2%) had at least 1 supratherapeutic INR at any point during the study period, most frequently on days 2 through 4 of therapy. At discharge, 11 patients (42.3%) had therapeutic INRs. Four patients (15.4%) were readmitted within 30 days, with bleeding documented in 2 patients during their readmission. CONCLUSION The majority of patients received an initial warfarin dose less than that specified in published recommendations but still had a supratherapeutic INR at least once during the study period. When initiating warfarin after CTS, a dosage of <0.1 mg/kg per day and frequent monitoring may be needed to achieve an INR goal of 1.5 to 2.0.
Gendered Expectations, Gatekeeping, and Consumption in Craft Beer Spaces:

While women are drinking more craft beer in the United States, the association between masculinity and beer remains intact. Yet sparse research has considered how involvement in craft beer culture ...
Fatal and Non-Fatal Firearm Injuries in US Children: A Chronological Analysis of Trends and Outcomes from the National Trauma Data Bank

Purpose: Firearm injuries are the third leading cause of death in children between 0-17 years of age. Approximately 5% of children in the US have been witness to a shooting related incident. This study aims to examine the prevalence of pediatric firearm injuries presenting to US trauma centers and to examine the intent and outcomes of such incidents. Methods: The National Trauma Data Bank (2007-2012) was queried for pediatric patients (<18 …
Assessing the Ability of Developmentally Precocious Estrogen Signaling to Recapitulate Ovarian Transcriptomes and Follicle Dynamics in Alligators from a Contaminated Lake

Background: Concern has grown in recent decades over anthropogenic contaminants that interfere with the functioning of endocrine hormones. However, mechanisms connecting developmental processes to ...
Ketorolac after colectomy for ulcerative colitis: an analysis of narcotic use and post-operative complications

Background: Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) remains controversial in patients with ulcerative colitis. Some evidence suggests NSAID use in patients with IBD may precipitate disease flares or increase surgical complications, and many clinicians prohibit their use. In the post-operative setting, ketorolac has been utilized to improve pain control since pathologic tissue has been removed. The clinical outcomes and narcotic requirements of children who receive ketorolac in …
Entrepreneurs of color in Wisconsin: Bridging the gap in resources to mobilize potential

Despite their substantial contribution to economies, little is known about how entrepreneurs of color in rural areas leverage resources to start ventures. This study examined the experiences of the...
One Nanometer Wide Functional Patterns with a Sub-10 Nanometer Pitch Transferred to an Amorphous Elastomeric Material.

Decades of work in surface science have established the ability to functionalize clean inorganic surfaces with sub-nm precision, but for many applications, it would be useful to provide similar con...
Financial worry and psychological distress among cancer survivors in the United States, 2013-2018.

A growing proportion of cancer survivors experience financial toxicity. However, the psychological burden of cancer costs and associated mental health outcomes require further investigation. We assessed prevalence and predictors of self-reported financial worry and mental health outcomes among cancer survivors. Data from the 2013–2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for adults reporting a cancer diagnosis were used. Multivariable ordinal logistic regressions defined adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of reporting financial worry by relevant sociodemographic variables, and sample weight-adjusted prevalence of financial worry was estimated. The association between financial worry and psychological distress, as defined by the six-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale was also assessed. Among 13,361 survey participants (median age 67; 60.0% female), 9567 (71.6%) self-reported financial worry, including worries regarding costs of paying for children’s college education (62.7%), maintaining one’s standard of living (59.7%), and medical costs due to illness or accident (58.3%). Female sex, younger age, and Asian American race were associated with increased odds of financial worry (P < 0.05 for all). Of 13,218 participants with complete responses to K6 questions, 701 (5.3%) met the threshold for severe psychological distress. Participants endorsing financial worry were more likely to have psychological distress (6.6 vs. 1.2%, AOR 2.89, 95% CI 2.03–4.13, P< 0.001) with each additional worry conferring 23.9% increased likelihood of psychological distress. A majority of cancer survivors reported financial worry, which was associated with greater odds of reporting psychological distress. Policies and guidelines are needed to identify and mitigate financial worries and psychologic distress among patients with cancer, with the goal of improving psychological well-being and overall cancer survivorship care.
Quantitative magnetic resonance angiography to assess post embolization hemodynamics following pipeline embolization.

IntroductionDelayed intraparenchymal hemorrhage is a known complication of the Pipeline Embolization device (PED); however, its etiology is unclear and some have suggested it is a flow related phen...
Modification of the Association Between Severe Hypoglycemia and Ischemic Heart Disease by Surrogates of Vascular Damage Severity in Type 1 Diabetes During ∼30 Years of Follow-up in the DCCT/EDIC Study.

OBJECTIVE Literature suggests that severe hypoglycemia (SH) may be linked to cardiovascular events only in older individuals with high cardiovascular risk score (CV-score). Whether a potential relationship between any-SH and cardiovascular disease exists and whether it is conditional on vascular damage severity in a young cohort with type 1 diabetes (T1D) without apparent macrovascular and no or mild-to-moderate microvascular complications at baseline is unknown. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We evaluated data of 1,441 Diabetes Control and Complications Trial/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications study volunteers (diabetes duration 1-15 years) followed for ∼30 years. Time-dependent associations between any-SH and ischemic heart disease (IHD: death, silent/nonfatal myocardial infarct, revascularization, or confirmed angina) and associations between interactions of any-SH with surrogates of baseline micro-/macrovascular damage severity and IHD were analyzed. Diabetes duration, steps on DCCT Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study severity scale (DCCT-ETDRS), Diabetes Complications Severity Index (DCSI), and CV-scores were considered as surrogates of baseline micro-/macrovascular damage severity. RESULTS Without interactions, in the minimally adjusted model controlling for confounding bias by age and HbA1c, SH was a significant IHD factor (P = 0.003). SH remained a significant factor for IHD in fully adjusted models (P < 0.05). In models with interactions, interactions between SH and surrogates of microvascular complications severity, but not between SH and CV-score, were significant. Hazard ratios for IHD based on SH increased 1.19-fold, 1.32-fold, and 2.21-fold for each additional year of diabetes duration, DCCT-ETDRS unit, and DCSI unit, respectively. At time of IHD event, ∼15% of 110 participants with SH had high CV-scores. CONCLUSIONS In a young cohort with T1D with no baseline macrovascular complications, surrogates of baseline microvascular damage severity impact the effect of SH on IHD. Older age with high CV-score per se is not mandatory for an association of SH with IHD. However, the association is multifactorial.
Posthuman physics

The question of embodiment is at once the question that makes posthuman theory so exciting, and the area in which posthuman discourse sometimes stumbles over its own false alternatives. In order to consider the body of the posthuman, and the modes of corporeality available to posthumanity, we need to develop a more expansive body theory that can encompass nonhuman as well as human bodies. The place to start is with early modern physics, which is the study of what we would consider today both physics and physiology. This article dwells on the figure of the Echo in John Webster's Duchess of Malfi and Arthur Golding's translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses, arguing that reading the scene through the lens of early modern physics illustrates an alternative mode of corporeality for the posthuman.
Chapter 1 Cell Patterning in Vertebrate Development: Models and Model Systems

Publisher Summary Developing systems involve large numbers of cells, each carrying out a sequence of behaviors mediated by the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Understanding the means by which these behaviors meld to evolve as multicellular structures has remained a vexing problem. Introduction of cell autonomous lineage markers into developing embryos provides insights into the clonal nature of embryo construction. However, there has been little success in extracting anything but rudimentary information from these cell patterns, especially in mammals. As another approach, the chapter devises a simulation model that can reveal and evaluate the mechanisms underlying pattern generation and mimic cell patterns seen in experimental material. Although highly schematized, this model is capable of reproducing the very different amphibian and mammalian cell patterns. With a more robust tissue representation (for example, tensile and compressive forces), the model may be applied to other, more complex developmental systems. The use of modeling to understand the evolution and function of complex systems has a rich history in biology and the other sciences.
SU-E-T-539: Maximum Energy of Helium and Carbon Ions Clinically Needed for Spine, Lung, Prostate and Pancreas Cancer

Purpose: Maximum available kinetic energy of accelerated heavy ions is a critical parameter to consider during the establishment of a heavy ion therapy center. It dictates the maximum range in tissue and determines the size and cost of ion gantry. We have started planning our heavy ion therapy center and we report on the needed ion range. Methods: We analyzed 50 of random SBRT-spine, SBRT- lung, prostate and pancreatic cancer patients from our photon clinic. In the isocentric axial CT cut we recorded the maximum water equivalent depth (WED4Field) of PTV’s most distal edge in four cardinal directions and also in a beam direction that required the largest penetration, WEDGantry. These depths were then used to calculate the percentage of our patients we would be able to treat as a function of available maximum carbon and helium beam energy. Based on the Anterior-Posterior WED for lung patients and the maximum available ion energy we estimated the largest possible non-coplanar beam entry angle φ (deviation from vertical) in the isocentric vertical sagittal plane. Results: We found that if 430MeV/u C-12, equivalently 220MeV/u He-4, beams are available, more than 96% (98%) of all patients can be treated without any gantry restrictions (inmore » cardinals angles only) respectively. If the energy is reduced to 400MeV/u C-12, equivalently 205MeV/u He-4, the above fractions reduce to 80% (87%) for prostate and 88% (97%) for other sites. This 7% energy decrease translates to almost 5% gantry size and cost decrease for both ions. These energy limits in combination with the WED in the AP direction for lung patients resulted in average non-coplanar angles of φ430MeV/u = 68°±8° and φ400MeV/u = 65°±10° if nozzle clearance permits them. Conclusion: We found that the two worldwide most common maximum carbon beam energies will treat above 80% of all our patients.« less
Effect of cattle age, forage level, and corn processing on diet digestibility and feedlot performance.

Three experiments were conducted to determine the effects of cattle age and dietary forage level on the utilization of corn fed whole or ground to feedlot cattle. In Exp. 1, 16 steers were used to investigate the effects of cattle age and corn processing on diet digestibility. Two cattle age categories were evaluated (weanling [254 +/- 20 kg BW] and yearling [477 +/- 29 kg BW]; eight steers per group), and corn was fed either ground or whole to each cattle age category. Cattle age and corn processing did not affect (P > 0.10) diet digestibility of DM, OM, starch, CP, NDF or ADF, and no interactions (P > 0.10) between these two factors were detected. In Exp. 2, the effects of forage level and corn processing on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics were evaluated. One hundred eighty steers (310 +/- 40 kg BW) were allotted to 24 pens, and were fed one of the following diets: high-forage (18.2% corn silage) cracked corn (HFCC); high-forage shifting corn (whole corn for the first half of the trial, then cracked corn until harvest; HFSC); high-forage whole corn (HFWC); low-forage (5.2% corn silage) cracked corn (LFCC); low-forage shifting corn (LFSC); and low-forage whole corn (LFWC). For the high-forage diets, steers fed cracked corn had 7% greater DMI than those fed whole corn, whereas for the low-forage diets, grain processing did not affect DMI (interaction; P = 0.02). No interactions (P > 0.10) between forage level and corn processing were found for ADG and G:F. Total trial ADG and G:F, and percentage of carcasses grading USDA Choice, and carcass yield grade were not affected (P > 0.10) by corn processing. Cattle with fewer days on feed grew faster and more efficiently when cracked corn was fed, whereas cattle with longer days on feed had greater ADG and G:F when corn was fed whole (interaction; P 0.10) between forage level and corn processing were detected for starch digestibility. Forage level and corn processing (grinding) did not affect (P > 0.10) diet DM, OM, starch, CP, and NDF digestibility. Processing corn did not provide additional benefits to feedlot cattle performance under these experimental conditions.
First National Maintenance Corp. v. National Labor Relations Board: Eliminating Bargaining for Low-Wage Service Workers

The Supreme Court decision finds an employer privileged not to bargain with the union over a decision to eliminate a portion of operations (by not renewing a contract with a particular customer), undertaken entirely for economic reasons turning not at all on labor costs, and without animus to the union. No such case has ever been presented to the National Labor Relations Board, and interviews with the principals reveals that these were not the facts of First National Maintenance either. The case was a carefully-constructed hypothetical that omitted key facts, such as the employer's history of illegal conduct to avoid recognizing the same union at other locations. Subsequent Board cases reveal that all real-world examples of employers that refuse to bargain over downsizing, also involve some combination of union animus, planning to do the work at another location, or attempts to avoid bargaining over clearly bargainable issues. The application of FNM to such cases remains conjectural. The drafting of the opinion is traced through Supreme Court memoranda and drafts and reveals no clear decision on the issues that actually arise. Issues that arise today involving union representation of janitors arise outside the FNM framework, notably whether to follow Canadian practice and typically find janitors employed, jointly or individually, by the owners of the building they clean.
Block idempotents and normal $p$-subgroups

In the theory of modular representations of a finite group G in an algebraically closed field Ω of characteristic p , Brauer has proved a useful reduction theorem for blocks [2, §§11, 12], [5, (88.8)], which can be reformulated as follows: THEOREM 1 (Brauer). Let P bean arbitraryp-subgroup of G ; let N = N G (P ) and W = PC G (P).
Low-dose enoximone improves exercise capacity in chronic heart failure

OBJECTIVES This study was designed to evaluate the effects of low-dose enoximone on exercise capacity. BACKGROUND At higher doses the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, enoximone, has been shown to increase exercise capacity and decrease symptoms in heart failure patients but also to increase mortality. The effects of lower doses of enoximone on exercise capacity and adverse events have not been evaluated. METHODS This is a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial (nine U.S. centers) conducted in 105 patients with New York Heart Association class II to III, ischemic or nonischemic chronic heart failure (CHF). Patients were randomized to placebo or enoximone at 25 or 50 mg orally three times a day. Treadmill maximal exercise testing was done at baseline and after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, using a modified Naughton protocol. Patients were also evaluated for changes in quality of life and for increased arrhythmias by Holter monitoring. RESULTS By the protocol-specified method of statistical analysis (the last observation carried-forward method), enoximone at 50 mg three times a day improved exercise capacity by 117 s at 12 weeks (p = 0.003). Enoximone at 25 mg three times a day also improved exercise capacity at 12 weeks by 115 s (p = 0.013). No increases in ventricular arrhythmias were noted. There were four deaths in the placebo group and 2 and 0 deaths in the enoximone 25 mg three times a day and enoximone 50 mg three times a day groups, respectively. Effects on degree of dyspnea and patient and physician assessments of clinical status favored the enoximone groups. CONCLUSIONS Twelve weeks of treatment with low-dose enoximone improves exercise capacity in patients with CHF, without increasing adverse events.
Comparison of modeling methods for the determination of effective porosities and diffusion coefficients in through-diffusion tests.

[1] Diffusion coefficients and effective, or transport, porosities are important parameters in the assessment of the fate and transport of contaminants in fractured rock systems and when contaminant transport needs to be considered in zones of low to negligible advective flows. This study presents and discusses various solutions, analytical and semianalytical, to Fick's law for the typical through-diffusion experiment and applies these solutions to the results of three through-diffusion experimental data sets. These through-diffusion experiments were conducted on two natural breccia samples, with bulk measured porosities of approximately 13.7% and 16.8%, and one manufactured porous plate sample with a bulk measured porosity of 40.9%, such that the samples displayed order of magnitude differences in their diffusivities. For each experiment, the derived effective porosities and intrinsic diffusion coefficients for each method are compared. It was shown that the semianalytical solution provides an improved method for reliably estimating the effective porosity from through-diffusion experimental data; however, there is little difference between methods in the derived intrinsic diffusion coefficients.