cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What Is Social and Global Justice to Bioethics or Bioethics to Social and Global Justice

What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, that he should weep for her? (Hamlet, II, ii) Justice has always been a value woven tightly into the bioethics agenda. Yet bioethics is also a pragmatic discipline. It has self-consciously cultivated methods of moral reflection that try to generate reasons for action without recapitulating longstanding theoretical divisions. It has also sought to facilitate change through direct engagement with the health care and research institutions most directly influencing relevant ethical issues. Although this blend of reflective engagement has been very successful, it has also generated an almost principled aversion to more institutionally diffuse or more philosophically foundational issues of social and distributive justice. In "Equity and Population Health: Toward a Broader Bioethics Agenda," Norman Daniels lays out an ambitious plan for expanding and deepening bioethics' engagement with some far-reaching issues of social and distributive justice. He notes the growing empirical evidence that racial, economic, and other disparities among social groups can have a bad effect on the health of people in the most disadvantaged groups, even when they have access to health care services. He then challenges bioethics to dedicate more time and energy to working out what the proper response to such inequalities should be from the standpoint of population health. He also prompts the field to focus more intently on the issue of intergenerational equity, which will only become more acute, especially in the developing world, with the aging of the world's population. Finally, he asks that bioethics devote more energy to questions about when inequalities between communities are unjust, what those of us in wealthy countries owe to the most burdened communities in the developing world, and the proper mechanisms to rectify these inequalities. This is an important agenda for bioethics. Here I simply want to note three respects in which it poses fundamental challenges to the discipline. First, bringing about social change in these areas will require bioethics to move outside of its familiar institutional bulwarks and engage a range of social and political institutions that are not traditionally associated with health care or scientific research. For example, if the social determinants of health have a profound influence on individual and community health, and if the policies of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank play a crucial role in influencing the distribution of some of those determinants in the developing world, then bioethicists must become more engaged with these global institutions. …
Compositional Averaging of Continuum Intensities in Multielement Compounds

We find no physical basis for traditional mass-fraction weighted averaging of X-ray continuum measured in pure elements to estimate continuum production from compounds. Measurements of continuum from pairs of stable isotopes demonstrate that mass alone (the presence of more or fewer neutrons) has no effect on continuum production in electron probe microanalysis. Electron-fraction weighted averaging, which is based on the relative contribution of each constituent element to the electron (or proton) composition of a compound, proved superior to mass-fraction weighted averaging, in predicting the continuum of a compound from the measured continuum of its elements.
Between Researcher and Researched An Introduction to Countertransference in Qualitative Inquiry

When doing research on topics that are sensitive and involve core dimensions of the researcher’s identities and subjectivities, the process of inquiry is likely to generate significant emotions, attachments, and reactions that transgress traditional forms of data and research positions. If embraced and addressed, the researcher’s emotional reactions can be an important source of reflexivity and data as well as creativity, motivation, and engagement. This relational aspect of the research parallels psychotherapists’ experience of reacting to their clients’ concerns and narrations. This process—called countertransference (CT)—may leave the researcher open to vulnerability and the need to account for the necessary presence of personal biographies and identities in qualitative inquiry. From my research with refugees, I provide examples of my CT reactions and interpretations and the ways in which they became crucial assets to the study.
Beyond Histology: Novel Tools to Diagnose Allograft Dysfunction

Kidney biopsy is the gold standard procedure for the assessment of allograft dysfunction. The differential diagnosis for both acute and chronic dysfunction can encompass a number of different causes, and a biopsy frequently can suggest a specific cause. However, many of these causes are difficult to distinguish on morphologic basis alone, and the information that is obtained from a biopsy is limited with regard to functional and prognostic importance. Additional methods therefore are needed to guide the diagnosis and the treatment of allograft dysfunction, and numerous methods have been studied. Potential markers include protein and gene expression profiles in the peripheral blood, the urine, and the graft itself, all compartments that are relevant to the alloimmune response. Recent comprehensive sequencing of the human genome has led to an unprecedented opportunity to develop these genetic and proteomic techniques, and ongoing evaluations of potential tests have led to an improved understanding of the complexity of immune responses. The future challenge for promising tests is validation in larger patient populations to facilitate their addition to the diagnostic armamentarium.
Optical true time delay for phased-array antennas: demonstration of a quadratic White cell

We have demonstrated a proof-of-concept optical device that can produce true time delays for a phased-array radar. This device combines White cells of differing lengths with a spatial light modulator to select between the paths on multiple bounces of a given beam. The approach can handle thousands of light beams and produce hundreds of different delays. The number of delays is proportional to the square of the number of bounces.
Epithelial Cell Segmentation via Shape Ranking

We present a robust and high-throughput computational method for cell segmentation using multiplexed immunohistopathology images. The major challenges in obtaining an accurate cell segmentation from tissue samples are due to (i) complex cell and tissue morphology, (ii) different sources of variability including non-homogeneous staining and microscope specific noise, and (iii) tissue quality. Here we present a fast method that uses cell shape and scale information via unsupervised machine learning to enhance and improve general purpose segmentation methods. The proposed method is well suited for tissue cytology because it captures the the morphological and shape heterogeneity in different cell populations. We discuss our segmentation framework for analysing approximately one hundred images of lung and colon cancer and we restrict our analysis to epithelial cells.
Yield and failure criteria for composite materials under static and dynamic loading

Abstract To facilitate and accelerate the process of introducing, evaluating and adopting new material systems, it is important to develop/establish comprehensive and effective procedures of characterization, modeling and failure prediction of structural laminates based on the properties of the constituent materials, e. g., fibers, matrix, and the single ply or lamina. A new failure theory, the Northwestern (NU-Daniel) theory, has been proposed for predicting lamina yielding and failure under multi-axial states of stress including strain rate effects. It is primarily applicable to matrix-dominated interfiber/interlaminar failures. It is based on micromechanical failure mechanisms but is expressed in terms of easily measured macroscopic lamina stiffness and strength properties. It is presented in the form of a master failure envelope incorporating strain rate effects. The theory was further adapted and extended to the prediction of in situ first ply yielding and failure (FPY and FPF) and progressive failure of multi-directional laminates under static and dynamic loadings. The significance of this theory is that it allows for rapid screening of new composite materials without extensive testing and offers easily implemented design tools.
Geologic Modelling of External and Internal Reservoir Architecture of Fluvial Depositional Systems

An integrated study of a petroleum reservoir was conducted to delineate the facies and sequence-stratigraphic architectures, and structural framework for generation of 3D geologic models for use in improved estimates of reserves, flow-simulation studies, and field-development planning. The study incorporated information from 3D seismic interpretations, well-log correlations, facies and petrophysical analyses of cored intervals, and interpretations derived from outcrop exposures of the reservoir interval.
Diffusion and Pore Structure in Portland Cement Pastes Blended with Low Calcium Fly Ash

Effective coefficients for the diffusion of Cs+ and Cl− ions accross hardened plates of Portland cement and Portland cement-fly ash blend pastes were measured at 27°, 38° and 60° for samples cured up to 28 d. The porosity and pore size distributions of the same hardened plates were also determined. The fly ash blends show lower anion and cation diffusion rates at higher temperatures, although the porosity is not significantly different from the neat paste. The finer pore size is considered responsible for the slower diffusion in the blends. The electronegative nature of the pore surfaces also contributes to the slower cation diffusion.
Anticounterfeit Protection of Pharmaceutical Products with Spatial Mapping of X-ray-Detectable Barcodes and Logos

Counterfeit pharmaceutical products are a global threat to public health, and they undermine the credibility and the financial success of the producers of genuine products. The escalating circulation of counterfeit drugs demands new anticounterfeit measures that permit rapid screening, are nondestructive, and cannot be circumvented easily. Herein we describe a micro-X-ray diffraction (μ-XRD) protocol for this purpose capable of reading barcodes and logos fabricated on various substrates using soft-lithography stamping of compounds that can be read by X-ray diffraction but are invisible to the naked eye or optical microscopy. This method is demonstrated with barcodes and logos of compounds, approved by the Food and Drug Administration, printed on flat substrates as well as commercial aspirin and ibuprofen tablets. The μ-XRD protocol is nondestructive, automated, and user-friendly and can be used to certify the authenticity of drug tablets by mapping hidden patterns printed under the tablet coating and on p...
Communicating Other/Wise: A Paradigm for Empowered Practice

For all the time and effort expended on empowerment and participation ‘programmes’, many fail each year. This paper argues that the cause is a faulty view of communication widespread among managers and their teachers: the conduit, transmission model. It frustrates participation and is an ideology of management control. It rests on untenable beliefs about meaning and how language relates to the world. The paper proposes a new model of communication in terms of ‘communicating other/wise’ and offers examples of how it can be practised in management education and by managers aiming to bring empowered and participatory workplaces into being.
MNGO-04PHASE II TRIAL OF BEVACIZUMAB IN PATIENTS WITH SURGERY AND RADIATION REFRACTORY PROGRESSIVE MENINGIOMA

BACKGROUND: Systemic treatment options are limited for meningioma that progress following surgery and radiotherapy. VEGF is associated with neovascularization, tumor growth, and edema in meningioma. This prospective phase II study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of bevacizumab (BEV), a VEGF ligand binding monoclonal antibody in patients with progressive benign (BM), atypical (AM), and malignant meningioma (MM) as measured by 6-month progression free survival (PFS-6). Secondary endpoints included median progression free survival (mPFS), median overall survival (mOS), and radiographic response rate (RR). METHODS: Patients with histologically confirmed BM, AM, or MM with radiographic progression were eligible. There was no limit on prior therapies. BEV was administered 10 mg/kg intravenously every two weeks. After 6 months of therapy, stable patients were eligible to switch to an every 3-week schedule of BEV (15 mg/kg). Clinical examination and imaging were performed every 4 and 8 weeks respectively for the first 6 months then every 6-12 weeks. Responses were graded using the Macdonald criteria. RESULTS: 40 patients were treated: 15 BM, 22 AM, and 13 MM. Median KPS was 80. Median age was 54 (23-81) years. Median number of BEV infusions was 16 (2-62). Best responses were stable disease (BM: 100%; AM: 86%; MM: 82%); partial response (BM: 0%; AM: 5%; MM: 0%), progressive disease (BM: 0%; AM: 5%; MM:18%). PFS-6, mPFS, and mOS were 87%, 22.5 months, 35.6 months for BM; 77%, 15.3 months, not reached for AM, and 46%, 3.7 months, 12.4 months for MM. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of progressive meningioma with BEV commonly leads to disease stabilization. The results are promising compared to a contemporary meta-analysis, in which PFS6 was 29% and 27% for BM and AM/MM respectively, but require confirmation. Toxicity was minimal and expected for BEV notwithstanding prolonged drug exposure.
Fractures of the dorsal and lumbar spine.

SUMMARY A study of 60 children with thoracic and lumbar spine injuries indicates that the child's response to trauma is unique. It is concluded that the potential for growth and development and the presence of healthy tissues separate these injuries from comparable injuries in adults. The epiphyseal growth partly or completely restores vertebral body height, leads to a mild spinal deformity in stable injuries, and can contribute to rapidly progressive spinal deformity in unstable injuries with or without paralysis. Healthy intervertebral discs account for the multiple compression fractures and lack of long term degenerative changes of the spine. On the basis of this review, a practical approach to patient care is presented.
Flood hazards impact on neighborhood house prices: A spatial quantile regression analysis

Abstract This study examines whether being located within a 100-year floodplain has an impact on the price of residential single-family house sales using house sales data in the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Statistical Area between 2000 and 2013. A spatial quantile regression is applied to investigate the flood hazards impact on conditional higher- vs lower- priced homes, while accounting for spatial autocorrelation. The findings show that the location within a floodplain reduces property value. Furthermore, the negative impact of flood hazards on property values are stronger among lower-priced homes, and weaker among higher-priced homes. In addition, the study examines if a major flood in 2009 had an impact on the home buyers' perception about flood risk. The results show that about a year after the major flood, home buyers responded the most, however, the effect quickly diminished after 2010. Across quantiles, the 2009 flood had more effect on lower-priced than higher-priced homes.
Die Erziehung des Industriearbeiters

Die deutsche Industrie hat sich in den letzten vier Jahrzehnten geradezu sprunghaft, jedenfalls im Hinblick auf die Armut unseres Landes an Rohprodukten beispiellos entwickelt. Als Beleg brauche ich nur einige Zahlen zu geben. Die deutsche Eisenerzeugung hat 1872 rd. 2,0 Millionen t, das sind auf den Kopf der Bevolkerung 49 kg, betragen, bis zum Jahre 1912 stieg sie auf rd. 17,5 Millionen t, das sind auf den Kopf der Bevolkerung 262 kg, also mehr als das Funffache. Der Verbrauch fur den Kopf der Bevolkerung stieg in der gleichen Zeit von rd. 60 auf 183 kg. Aus diesen Zahlen ergibt sich fur 1872 eine nicht unerhebliche Mehreinfuhr gegn die Ausfuhr, dagegen 1912 ein ganz bedeutender Uberschus der Ausfuhr gegen die Einfuhr.
A unified software framework for deriving, visualizing, and exploring abstraction networks for ontologies

Display Omitted A tool for creating summaries of ontologies called abstraction networks is described.Ontologies in various formats are represented using a generic ontology framework.Abstraction networks can be derived for many ontologies using the same tool.A generic partial-area taxonomy abstraction network derivation is introduced.Live partial-area taxonomies, which update as an ontology is edited, are introduced. Software tools play a critical role in the development and maintenance of biomedical ontologies. One important task that is difficult without software tools is ontology quality assurance. In previous work, we have introduced different kinds of abstraction networks to provide a theoretical foundation for ontology quality assurance tools. Abstraction networks summarize the structure and content of ontologies. One kind of abstraction network that we have used repeatedly to support ontology quality assurance is the partial-area taxonomy. It summarizes structurally and semantically similar concepts within an ontology. However, the use of partial-area taxonomies was ad hoc and not generalizable. In this paper, we describe the Ontology Abstraction Framework (OAF), a unified framework and software system for deriving, visualizing, and exploring partial-area taxonomy abstraction networks. The OAF includes support for various ontology representations (e.g., OWL and SNOMED CT's relational format). A Protege plugin for deriving "live partial-area taxonomies" is demonstrated.
Psychosocial Effects of Environmental Factors

In the 1960s, Michael Harrington, in the landmark book, The Other America, opened our eyes to the plight of the “invisible poor” among us and the impact of the environment on their lives. This book helped to launch the war on poverty (Harrington, 1963). Twenty-five years later, Jonathan Kozol awakened us to the state of homelessness among families with children in his work, Rachel and Her Children—Homeless Families in America. In this work, the chapter titled “The Road to Potter’s Field” documented the lament and sorrow of Holly, her family, and their exceptional infant named Benjamin who lived in and out of homeless shelters and welfare hotels. Benjamin, a low-birth-weight infant, contracted a perinatal viral infection that “left him partially blind, brain damaged, deaf and hydrocephalic” (Kozol, 1988). In the course of his short life he also developed a seizure disorder, which was inadequately treated, and suffered from repeated illnesses that led to multiple hospitalizations and his eventual death before his 1st birthday. This vignette exemplifies the difficulty faced by families with exceptional children. In spite of Holly’s best efforts to secure the most basic human essentials such as food, shelter, clothing, and access to adequate health and social service support, the system was unable to respond.
Interobserver Agreement on Arteriovenous Malformation Diffuseness Using Digital Subtraction Angiography

Background Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) diffuseness has been shown to be prognostic of treatment outcomes. We assessed interobserver agreement of AVM diffuseness among physicians of different specialty and training backgrounds using digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Methods All research protocols were approved by the institutional review board for this retrospective chart review. In a single-blinded setting, 2 attending neurosurgeons, 1 attending interventional neuroradiologist, and 1 senior neurosurgical resident rated 80 DSA views of 36 AVMs as either compact or diffuse. Individual interobserver agreement and subgroup agreement were analyzed using κ agreement and intraclass correlation coefficient. Results Disagreement regarding AVM diffuseness occurred in 43.8% of all DSA views ( n = 80). Interobserver κ agreement on AVM diffuseness using DSA views among 4 physicians ranged from fair (κ = 0.40 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.22–0.58]) to substantial (κ = 0.65 [95% CI = 0.48–0.81]), whereas total intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.81 (95% CI = 0.73–0.87). For the 36 AVMs, κ agreement ranged from fair (κ = 0.36 [95% CI = 0.13–0.60]) to moderate (κ = 0.57 [95% CI = 0.35–0.79]), whereas intraclass correlation coefficient among all 4 physicians was 0.68 (95% CI = 0.47–0.82). Moderate agreement on AVM diffuseness (n = 80) was found between attending and resident assessments (κ = 0.57 [95% CI = 0.39–0.75]) and between neurosurgeon and interventional neuroradiologist assessments (κ = 0.55 [95% CI = 0.37–0.73]). Conclusions Agreement of individual physicians on AVM diffuseness varies from fair to substantial. Objective and three-dimensional measures of AVM diffuseness should be developed for consistent clinical application.
Revised Model, with Experimental Verification, for Motor Densities in Gliding Assays

Gliding assays are used to investigate cytoskeletal polymers and motor proteins in vitro, including measurements of cytoskeletal polymer stiffness and the cooperative effects of motors. A theoretical model (Duke et al., 1995) developed to extract the biophysical quantities of interest from gliding assays has been used extensively, yet the model remains incompletely validated. In gliding assay experiments using kinesin and microtubules, we found inconsistencies in model-dependent measurements of average kinesin spacing along microtubules, a key parameter for motor cooperativity and bending stiffness interpretations. We traced these inconsistencies to an implicit approximation, an infinite processivity for kinesin. We report an updated theoretical model for gliding assays incorporating the finite processivity of kinesin, and report experimental verification of the active motor density. Deviations between densities inferred from the original model and updated model range from under 25% for short microtubules (0.5 micrometers long) to greater than four-fold for long microtubules (more than 2 micrometers long). We use these revised motor densities to measure the length-dependence of microtubule bending stiffness (persistence length).
Penumbra Encodes a New Tetraspanin Critical to Effective Erythropoiesis.

To search for new genes that might be involved in the regulation of erythropoiesis, we performed cDNA representational difference analysis on a multipotent murine hematopoietic cell line, EML C1. Penumbra was identified based on its predominant, high-level expression in TER119+ erythroblasts. It is not expressed or is expressed at very low levels in Gr1+ or CD3+ or B220+ or CD11c or NK1.1+ bone marrow or spleen cells. The full-length murine Penumbra mRNA contains 2017 nucleotides and encodes a new membrane protein characterized by four transmembrane domains, a small extracellular domain between the first and second transmembrane domains and a large extracellular domain between the third and fourth transmembrane domains. It is a member of the evolutionarily conserved tetraspanin membrane protein superfamily that includes CD63, CD81, CD151 and Peripherin. Using the murine Penumbra as a probe, we identified the human Penumbra from a human bone marrow cDNA library. The human Penumbra also encodes a protein of 283 amino acids and is 97% identical to the murine Penumbra. The human Penumbra gene is mapped to chromosome 7q32, a hotspot for interstitial deletions in myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myelogenous leukemias. Immunofluorescence microscopy indicated that Penumbra is targeted to the cell surface. Immunoprecipitation-Western analysis showed that Penumbra formed disulfide bond-linked homodimers. To study the possible effects of Penumbra deletions, a knockout mouse model was created by homologous recombination. To avoid any pathology that might result from the Neo selectable marker, the targeting vector employed a self-excising Cre-Neo cassette driven by a testis-specific promoter. At 3 months of age, Penumbra − / − mice had similar numbers of RBC, hematocrits, WBC and platelets as the WT littermates. At 1 year of age, Penumbra − / − mice as a group had significantly lower RBC numbers and hematocrits than the WT littermates. Furthermore, about 40–60% of the Penumbra − / − mice had increased percentages of basophilic or polychromatophilic macrocytic RBC. As a group, these mice had even lower numbers of RBC (6.24 ± 1.87 vs. 8.88 ± 0.51 x 10 6 /microliter in WT; p = 0.0002) and hematocrits (36.63 ± 8.28 vs. 46.21 ± 3.62% in WT; p = 0.002). Many such mice had massive splenomegaly due to increased extramedullary hematopoiesis. A multipotent hematopoietic cell line, EMX, was established from the bone marrow of a Penumbra − / − - mouse. EMX exhibits ineffective erythropoiesis in response to erythropoietin, a defect that is reversed by re-expression of Penumbra. These findings indicate that Penumbra plays an important role in erythropoiesis and suggest that Penumbra may be one of the genes that are often deleted during the evolution of myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myelogenous leukemias.
Novel murine xenograft model for the evaluation of stem cell therapy for profound dysphagia.

Objectives/Hypothesis Dysphagia is common and costly. Treatments are limited and innovative therapies are required. The tongue is essential for safe, effective swallowing and is a natural target for regenerative therapy. Muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs) hold potential to restore dynamic function, and their application in the damaged tongue is appealing. We examined the safety and efficacy of human MDSC implantation into a novel mouse tongue model. Study Design Animal study. Methods Adult immune-deficient mice were randomized to surgical (hemiglossectomy) and nonsurgical groups. Animals underwent lingual injection of human MDSCs or saline (control). Groups were followed for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was MDSC survival measured by an in vivo imaging system (IVIS). Secondary outcomes included animal survival and weight. Comparisons were made using a Mann-Whitney U test with an α of .05. Results Human MDSCs survived to the endpoint demonstrating 132% ± 465% and 15% ± 11% bioluminescence by IVIS at 12 weeks in hemiglossectomy and nonsurgical groups, respectively. All but one animal (hemiglossectomy with saline injection) survived to the study endpoint. Mean weight increased from baseline in all groups, with the greatest change observed in hemiglossectomy mice with MDSC injection (baseline 24.5 g ± 3.9 g; delta 5.9 g ± 4.6 g), exceeding the weight gain seen in surgical control mice (baseline 24.9 g ± 4.2 g, delta 2.7 g ± 1.4 g) (P = .04). Conclusions MDSCs exhibited over 100% survival at 3 months when injected into an immune-deficient hemiglossectomy mouse model. Tongue-injured animals injected with MDSCs exhibited superior weight gain after hemiglossectomy than control animals (P < .05). These data support further investigation into the use of autologous MDSCs as a potential treatment for dysphagia secondary to tongue weakness and fibrosis Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 2017
Qualitative Radiogenomics: Association between Oncotype DX Test Recurrence Score and BI-RADS Mammographic and Breast MR Imaging Features.

Descriptive Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System features including mammographic breast density, calcification morphology, mass margins at mammography and MR imaging, and nonmass enhancement at MR imaging have the potential to serve as imaging biomarkers of breast cancer recurrence risk, and therefore may help to guide tailored treatment strategies.
The price of non-genetically modified (non-GM) food

• Added costs for non-GM ingredients and changes in demand for non-GM foods determine non-GM price premiums.
Hybrid collagen alginate hydrogel as a platform for 3D tumor spheroid invasion

Abstract Extracellular matrix regulates hallmark features of cancer through biochemical and mechanical signals, although mechanistic understanding of these processes remains limited by lack of models that recreate physiology of tumors. To tissue-engineer models that recapitulate three-dimensional architecture and signaling in tumors, there is a pressing need for new materials permitting flexible control of mechanical and biophysical features. We developed a hybrid hydrogel system composed of collagen and alginate to model tumor environments in breast cancer and other malignancies. Material properties of the hydrogel, including stiffness, microstructure and porosimetry, encompass parameters present in normal organs and tumors. The hydrogel possesses a well-organized, homogenous microstructure with adjustable mechanical stiffness and excellent permeability. Upon embedding multicellular tumor spheroids, we constructed a 3D tumor invasion model showing follow-the-leader migration with fibroblasts leading invasion of cancer cells similar to in vivo. We also demonstrated effects of CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling, a pathway implicated in tumor progression and metastasis, in a dual-tumor spheroid invasion model in 3D hydrogels. These studies establish a new hydrogel platform with material properties that can be tuned to investigate effects of environmental conditions on tumor progression, which will advance future studies of cancer cell invasion and response to therapy. Statement of Significance Our manuscript describes a novel design of hybrid hydrogel system composed of collagen and alginate modeling 3D tumor environments in breast cancer. The hydrogel possesses a well-organized, homogenous microstructure with adjustable mechanical stiffness. Upon embedding tumor spheroids, we successfully showed a 3D tumor invasion model showing follow-the-leader migration with fibroblasts leading invasion of cancer cells similar to in vivo. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing two spheroids invade simultaneously and forming bridge-like connection and effects of chemical gradients in 3D hydrogel environment. This research provides a new model for tumor-stromal interactions in cancer cell migration and establishes a novel hydrogel system for analyzing physical and biochemical signals regulating cancer progression and response to therapy.
Is There Evidence of Racial Disparity in Police Use of Deadly Force? Analyses of Officer-Involved Fatal Shootings in 2015–2016:

Is there evidence of a Black–White disparity in death by police gunfire in the United States? This is commonly answered by comparing the odds of being fatally shot for Blacks and Whites, with odds ...
Principles of Physics of Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Stereotactic radiosurgery was first introduced by Leksell in 1951 as an application of precise delivery of a single high dose of photon irradiation to destroy an intracranial lesion (Leksell 1951). Leksell initially proposed radiosurgery as a noninvasive method for functional neurosurgery, directed at small lesions of only a few millimeters. The method initially used many collimated 300-kV stationary X-ray beams convergent on a common focus (Leksell 1971a,b,c). He and his colleagues experimented with different types of radiation. In the late1960s, Leksell developed the first gamma knife, using collimated Co-60 beams to deliver radiation to a common focus (Leksell 1968,1983). The success of this first unit led to the construction of a second unit at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden in 1975. The second gamma knife containing 179 Co-60 sources was designed to produce spherical dose distribution to treat brain tumors and intracranial arteriovenous malformations.
Bacterially Induced Microscale and Nanoscale Carbonate Precipitates

Bacteria are able to form carbonate rocks and minerals at all scales, from deposits many meters thick, to distinctive shrubs, to minute crystal forms. They are particularly common in peloids, stromatolites, and hot-water travertines. The peculiar crystal morphologies they produce can be duplicated in the laboratory. Nanobacteria are much smaller forms, spheroids 0.03–0.1 µm in diameter. A quantitative census of nanobacterial bodies in limestones from Holocene to Proterozoic, and in micrite vs ooids vs sparry calcite show that the abundance is enormously variable. In a 4 µm2 area, most samples studied contain between one and 16 bacterial bodies; the median value is about four. Bacteria are significant producers of carbonate deposits.
Ventilator-Dependent Patients Successfully Weaned With Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: A Case Series.

Abstract Objective A large subset of patients on intensive care units (ICU) struggle to wean from mechanical ventilation despite medical readiness. Prolonged ventilation is associated with 40% of all ICU costs and medical complications. Current weaning protocols do not directly address anxiety and, when anxiety is targeted in clinical practice, pharmacotherapy is often the first-line intervention, despite a host of side effects. Data Sources We present two case studies investigating whether cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for anxiety in the ventilated patient, and whether it facilitates ventilator weaning. Outcome variables were self-report questionnaires and time off the ventilator. Findings CBT reduced respiratory anxiety, panic symptoms, generalized anxiety, depression and facilitated weaning from mechanical ventilation. Conclusions This case series suggests that CBT for the ventilated patient may have significant implications for reducing morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and the expenses associated with prolonged ventilation. Implications and future directions are discussed.
RELATIVE EFFECTS OF THE HOSPITAL READMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAM FOR CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE ON HOSPITALS THAT SERVE POORER PATIENTS

Hospitals that serve poorer populations have higher readmission rates, perhaps due to social factors beyond their control. It is unknown whether such hospitals – particularly those with high baseline penalties – effectively lowered readmission rates for congestive heart failure in response to
Going Beyond Gender Balance: Understanding the Intersection of Gender and the Engineering Experiences of Alumni

This Research Full Paper investigates how students experience “gender-balanced“ engineering environments and how alumni narrate the stories of their experiences in such “gender-balanced“ engineering environments. Using the grounded theory approach, this study examines interviews of engineering alumni about their experiences in a “gender-balanced” educational environment. Using two emergent constructs, awareness and impact, we take a detailed look at how gender has shaped the participants’ undergraduate and post-graduate experiences. These constructs suggest that having parity in the number of men and women in an engineering institution is not sufficient for creating equitable environments for men and women to thrive.
Are My Invariants Valid? A Learning Approach

Ensuring that a program operates correctly is a difficult task in large, complex systems. Enshrining invariants -- desired properties of correct execution -- in code or comments can support maintainability and help sustain correctness. Tools that can automatically infer and recommend invariants can thus be very beneficial. However, current invariant-suggesting tools, such as Daikon, suffer from high rates of false positives, in part because they only leverage traced program values from available test cases, rather than directly exploiting knowledge of the source code per se. We propose a machine-learning approach to judging the validity of invariants, specifically of method pre- and post-conditions, based directly on a method's source code. We introduce a new, scalable approach to creating labeled invariants: using programs with large test-suites, we generate Daikon invariants using traces from subsets of these test-suites, and then label these as valid/invalid by cross-validating them with held-out tests. This process induces a large set of labels that provide a form of noisy supervision, which is then used to train a deep neural model, based on gated graph neural networks. Our model learns to map the lexical, syntactic, and semantic structure of a given method's body into a probability that a candidate pre- or post-condition on that method's body is correct and is able to accurately label invariants based on the noisy signal, even in cross-project settings. Most importantly, it performs well on a hand-curated dataset of invariants.
An infinite family of Serre curves

Abstract Given an elliptic curve E / Q , the torsion points of E give rise to a natural Galois representation ρ E : Gal ( Q ¯ / Q ) → GL 2 ( Z ˆ ) associated to E. In 1972, Serre showed that [ GL 2 ( Z ˆ ) : Im ρ E ] ≥ 2 for all non-CM elliptic curves. The main goal of this paper is to exhibit an elliptic surface such that the Galois representations associated to almost all of the rational specializations have maximal image. Further, we find an explicit set S ⊂ Q , such that if t ∉ S , then the Galois representation associated to the specialization at t has maximal image, with a bounded number of exceptions.
Attitudes of people with inherited retinal conditions toward gene editing technology.

Background The views of people with genetic conditions are crucial to include in public dialogue around developing gene editing technologies. This qualitative study sought to characterize the attitudes of people with inherited retinal conditions (retinitis pigmentosa [RP] and Leber congenital amaurosis [LCA]) toward gene editing. Methods Individuals with RP (N = 9) and LCA (N = 8) participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews about their experience with and attitudes toward blindness, and their views about gene editing technology for somatic, germline, and enhancement applications. Results Participants saw potential benefits from gene editing in general, but views about its use for retinal conditions varied and were influenced by personal perspectives on blindness. Those who felt more negatively toward blindness, particularly those with later onset blindness, were more supportive of gene editing for retinal conditions. Concerns about both germline and somatic editing included: the importance of informed consent; impacts of gene editing on social attitudes and barriers affecting blind people; and worries about "eliminating" blindness or other traits. Conclusion People with RP and LCA have diverse attitudes toward gene editing technology informed by their own lived experience with disability, and many have concerns about how the ways in which it is discussed and implemented might affect them.
A Family with Sertoli–Leydig Cell Tumour, Multinodular Goiter, and DICER1 Mutation

Background DICER1 syndrome is an autosomal dominant tumour predisposition syndrome associated with a wide variety of cancerous and noncancerous conditions, including ovarian sex cord–stromal tumours and thyroid conditions, including multinodular goiter. The most common ovarian sex cord–stromal tumour associated with DICER1 syndrome is Sertoli–Leydig cell tumour, with germline DICER1 mutations present in more than 50% of cases. We present a case in which a patient in her late 30s was diagnosed with a Sertoli–Leydig cell tumour in the background of a strong family history of multinodular goiter and Sertoli–Leydig cell tumour with a germline mutation in DICER1. Case Presentation A 38-year-old woman with history of multinodular goiter was found to have stage iiic ovarian Sertoli–Leydig cell cancer after presenting with abdominal pain. She underwent multiple surgeries and chemotherapy. The patient developed rapid disease progression and died 7 months after diagnosis. Seven years earlier, a daughter had experienced the same disease and was found to have a germline DICER1 mutation. The mother had not undergone testing before her own diagnosis. Summary The co-occurrence of Sertoli–Leydig cell tumour and multinodular goiter is highly suggestive of DICER1 syndrome. The recognition of DICER1 syndrome within a family is essential for increased awareness and potential early recognition of complications. Most conditions associated with DICER1 syndrome occur in childhood, and most of the current screening recommendations are specific for childhood and young adulthood. Cancer risks and findings for the adult population are not as well defined. Clinicians who encounter DICER1 syndrome should review recommendations for genetic testing and surveillance and enrol patients in the DICER1 registry.
Hydralazine targets cAMP-dependent protein kinase leading to sirtuin1/5 activation and lifespan extension in C. elegans

Therapeutic activation of mitochondrial function has been suggested as an effective strategy to combat aging. Hydralazine is an FDA-approved drug used in the treatment of hypertension, heart failure and cancer. Hydralazine has been recently shown to promote lifespan in C. elegans, rotifer and yeast through a mechanism which has remained elusive. Here we report cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) as the direct target of hydralazine. Using in vitro and in vivo models, we demonstrate a mechanism in which binding and stabilization of a catalytic subunit of PKA by hydralazine lead to improved mitochondrial function and metabolic homeostasis via the SIRT1/SIRT5 axis, which underlies hydralazine’s prolongevity and stress resistance benefits. Hydralazine also protects mitochondrial metabolism and function resulting in restoration of health and lifespan in C. elegans under high glucose and other stress conditions. Our data also provide new insights into the mechanism(s) that explain various other known beneficial effects of hydralazine. Hydralazine is a drug used in the treatment of heart failure and cancer, and it has recently been shown to promote lifespan in C. elegans. Here, the authors elucidate the mechanism of action of hydralazine, and show that it targets PKA to promote mitochondrial function via Sirtuin1/5.
Properties of a Nanowire Kinetic Inductance Detector Array

In this paper, we report on the preliminary results of a nanowire kinetic inductance detector, a device which operates as both a standard kinetic inductance detector (KID) and a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD). The device consists of an array of detectors, each with a characteristic resonant frequency which can be readout and distinguished on a single transmission line. We demonstrate, due to the nanowire’s small volume, a higher responsivity when operating as a KID under optical loading. Operating the device as an SNSPD, we show the sinusoidal pulse generated from an absorbed photon. Multiple detectors can be struck simultaneously while maintaining the capability to distinguish each pixel. Preliminary results show a variation in count rates among the array, and sources are discussed in the text.
Performance Analysis of XQAM in Log-Normal Turbulence with Pointing Error and Non-zero Boresight

In recent years, free-space optical (FSO) technology has gained fame in communication systems due to its high data rates and license-free feature. Cross quadrature amplitude modulation (X-QAM) is an optimum modulation scheme that uses odd bits per symbol and it has a low average symbol error rate (ASER) than rectangular quadrature amplitude modulation (R-QAM). In this paper, we theoretically investigate the performance of subcarrier cross quadrature amplitude modulation (SC-XQAM) corrupted by atmospheric turbulence in the presence of pointing errors (P.E) in FSO communications. We have considered boresight displacement, P.E effect, and atmospheric turbulence. To represent the atmospheric turbulence we consider Log-normal distribution that exhibits weak, moderate and strong weather effects. The P.E is employed using Rician distribution that incorporates boresight displacement. P.E is modeled using an optical beam radius and receiver aperture radius. The combination of these parameters will help enhance the average symbol error rate (ASER). Furthermore, we have derived an analytical expression that is used to develop numerical result. The ASER performance is observed against optical beam radius, P.E standard deviation and receiver aperture radius. In the end, the ASER performance is evaluated against SNR and Monte Carlo simulations are performed which validates the theoretical results.
Intravenous Fat Emulsion Does Not Significantly Alter Clotting Markers in Dabigatran-Treated Blood

Dabigatran etexilate is an oral direct thrombin (Factor IIa) inhibitor approved for patients with atrial fibrillation and for management of risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Dabigatran offers advantages over treatment with warfarin, including limited laboratory monitoring. It is equivalent in prevention of stroke and deep vein thrombosis with essentially equivalent complication rates. In contrast to warfarin, reversal of the anticoagulation is less well established. Idarucizumab is available for reversal, however supporting research is mixed; the agent also happens to be quite expensive making availability difficult. Hemodialysis has been proposed as a method of reversal, but this is difficult in patients with life threatening hemorrhage, and is not available at many hospitals. Intravenous fat emulsion (IFE) has been used for treatment of overdose of lipophilic drugs. Most toxicologists only recommend IFE for patients in extremis after ingestion of a lipid soluble substance. Dabigatran is lipid soluble, although the pro-drug more so than the active metabolite. The authors sought to see if dabigatran-induced coagulopathy of human in vitro blood samples could be reversed with IFE. Blood samples were spiked with dabigatran or dabigatran plus IFE. Values for Ecarin clot time (ECT-primary outcome), PT/INR, and aPTT, were compared across both study arms. A total of 18 healthy volunteers were included in our study. There were no significant differences in the ECT, PT/INR, and aPTT between the dabigatran arm and the dabigatran plus IFE arm. Based on these methods, IFE does not reverse dabigatran-induced coagulopathy.
Mexican Immigrant Mother-Daughter Conversations: Sexual Delay as a Path to Educational Achievement

In this article, we examine through quantitative and qualitative analyses Mexican immigrant mothers’ conversations about dating and sex with their teenage daughters who were not sexually active at the time of the study. The results of our mixed-methods study indicate that mothers give their daughters consejos (advice) restricting sex initiation embedded within messages that stress the importance of education as a means to achieve self-sufficiency and freedom. These messages of sexual restriction for the purpose of educational achievement and liberation are important for building a bridge of collaboration with teachers and schools to ensure the educational success of Mexican American female students. Our study examines whether the mothers’ consejos on sexual delay to achieve educational success results in their daughters’ postponement of sexual engagement for another year. We conclude by outlining the implications of our findings for teacher training.
Massive Star Formation at the Periphery of the Evolved Giant H II Region W 39

We present the first detailed study of the large, ~30 pc diameter, inner-Galaxy H II region W 39. Radio recombination line observations combined with H I absorption spectra and Galactic rotation models show that the region lies at V LSR = +65.4 ± 0.5 km s–1, corresponding to a near kinematic distance of 4.5 ± 0.2 kpc. Analysis of radio continuum emission shows that the H II region is being powered by a cluster of OB stars with a combined hydrogen-ionizing luminosity of log (Q) ≥ 50, and that there are three compact H II regions located on the periphery of W 39, each with log (Q) ~ 48.5 (single O7-O9 V star equivalent). In the infrared, W 39 has a hierarchical bubble morphology, and is a likely site of sequential star formation involving massive stars. Kinematic models of the expansion of W 39 yield timescales of the order of Myr, consistent with a scenario where the formation of the smaller H II regions has been triggered by the expansion of W 39. Using Spitzer GLIMPSE and MIPSGAL data, we show that star formation activity is not distributed uniformly around the periphery of W 39 but is concentrated in two areas that include the compact H II regions as well as a number of intermediate-mass Class I and Class II young stellar objects.