cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
From Kin to Great House: Inequality and Communalism at Iron Age Kirikongo, Burkina Faso

Archaeological models of increasing sociopolitical complexity have over-privileged processes of centralization in comparison to decentralization. In western Burkina Faso, ethnologists have long been intrigued by several “village societies,” with complex communities characterized by heterogeneous populations (in kin and ethnicity), endogamous socioeconomic specialist groups, diverse ritual systems, and strong village autonomy. Rather than structured by a hierarchical sociopolitical organization, these multifaceted communities are defined by village communalism and an intricate horizontal organization. This paper presents the developmental trajectory of a community ancestral to a modern “village society,” through an exploration of the dynamic political strategies of multifamily houses at the Iron Age archaeological site of Kirikongo, located in Burkina Faso (ca. A.D. 100–1700). Extensions of power by Kirikongo’s founding house in the 1st millennium A.D. led gradually to increasing inequalities and a subversion of common descent. However, in the early 2nd millennium A.D. these developments were rejected through an egalitarian revolution that transformed the identity of the house, leading to an increased importance of the village community and civic institutions. In addition to exclusionary power strategies, I stress the transformative role of egalitarian behaviors in shaping the nature of power and leadership, particularly when derived from collective action by the community.
The Case of the Resurgent Case

The article discusses various papers on case teaching. Many are doleful at the diminution of case teaching as a cornerstone of American management education. Cases are, after all, the zenith of ded...
Chemoprevention in head and neck cancer.

Head and neck cancer provides a unique model for the study of chemoprevention. The retinoids and other agents have established activity in oral premalignancy. The retinoids have recently been shown to decrease the frequency of second primary cancers in the aerodigestive tract. Biomarker evaluation as intermediate end points shows potential in facilitating future chemoprevention clinical trials.
Cyber-physical optimization of small unmanned aircraft systems with thermal consideration

Heat generated by modern vehicle avionics and power systems can surpass safe operating temperature thresholds, thereby accelerating aging and decreasing reliability. Small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) often collocate batteries and processors such that both release heat into the shared enclosure. Successful mission completion depends on consuming sufficient energy to power physical actuators and computational resources. In this paper, a multidisciplinary cost function is proposed to balance cyber and physical resource utilization for a pipeline inspection case study while considering thermal degradation cost. Optimal solution characteristics and tradeoffs are demonstrated over different cost function weightings and Pareto front analysis is performed to investigate how to best achieve CPS mission goals while preventing overheating.
Aspiration of Pleural Effusion

This section provides a comprehensive procedural report for aspiration of pleural effusion procedure with up-to-date explanatory notes, synopsis of the indications and contraindications, and potential complications in an organized and practical format.
Factors Associated with Returning At-Home Specimen Collection Kits for HIV Testing among Internet-Using Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Background:In the United States, men who have sex with men (MSM) are known to disproportionately have HIV. The authors sought to describe the acceptability of providing at-home dried blood spot spe...
NADPH oxidase 4 regulates vascular inflammation in aging and atherosclerosis

We recently reported that increased NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) expression and activity during aging results in enhanced cellular and mitochondrial oxidative stress, vascular inflammation, dysfunction, and atherosclerosis. The goal of the present study was to elucidate the molecular mechanism(s) for these effects and determine the importance of NOX4 modulation of proinflammatory gene expression in mouse vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). A novel peptide-mediated siRNA transfection approach was used to inhibit Nox4 expression with minimal cellular toxicity. Using melittin-derived peptide p5RHH, we achieved significantly higher transfection efficiency (92% vs. 85% with Lipofectamine) and decreased toxicity (p<0.001 vs. Lipofectamine in MTT and p<0.0001 vs. Lipofectamine in LDH assays) in VSMCs. TGFβ1 significantly upregulates Nox4 mRNA (p<0.01) and protein (p<0.01) expression in VSMCs. p5RHH-mediated Nox4 siRNA transfection greatly attenuated TGFβ1-induced upregulation of Nox4 mRNA (p<0.01) and protein (p<0.0001) levels and decreased hydrogen peroxide production (p<0.0001). Expression of pro-inflammatory genes Ccl2, Ccl5, Il6, and Vcam1 was significantly upregulated in VSMCs in several settings cells isolated from aged vs. young wild-type mice, in atherosclerotic arteries of Apoe-/- mice, and atherosclerotic human carotid arteries and correlated with NOX4 expression. p5RHH-mediated Nox4 siRNA transfection significantly attenuated the expression of these pro-inflammatory genes in TGFβ1-treated mouse VSMCs, with the highest degree of inhibition in the expression of Il6. p5RHH peptide-mediated knockdown of TGFβ-activated kinase 1 (TAK1, also known as Map3k7), Jun, and Rela, but not Nfkb2, downregulated TGFβ1-induced Nox4 expression in VSMCs. Together, these data demonstrate that increased expression and activation of NOX4, which might result from increased TGFβ1 levels seen during aging, induces a proinflammatory phenotype in VSMCs, enhancing atherosclerosis.
Reducing Hazardous Fuels on Nonindustrial Private Forests: Factors Influencing Landowner Decisions

In mixed-ownership landscapes, fuels conditions on private lands have implications for fire risk on public lands and vice versa. The success of efforts to mitigate fire risk depends on the extent, efficacy, and coordination of treatments on nearby ownerships. Understanding factors in forest owners' decisions to address the risk of wildland fire is therefore important. This research uses logistic regression to analyze mail survey data and identify factors in forest owners' decisions to reduce hazardous fuels in the ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) ecosystem on the east side of Oregon. Results suggest that owners who live on or near their land and are aware of wider landscape conditions may be important partners in fire risk mitigation and forest restoration. Results also suggest that incentives, including markets for wood products (e.g., logs and biomass) that come from fuels reduction treatments, are important for harnessing owners' potential to mitigate fire risk.
Left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) screening in metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer.

e12074Background: Monoclonal antibodies directed against the HER2 receptor are effective in HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer. HER2 (ErbB2) receptors are present on cardiac myocytes and inhibition can lead to cardiomyopathy. Guidelines recommend evaluation of EF every 3 months due to potential cardiac dysfunction, despite little data to support this recommendation. Additionally, if there is a decrease in EF during treatment defined as a drop in EF > 10% or EF < 50%, consideration of holding therapy is recommended despite the known clinical benefit of this treatment. In this study, the impact of frequent EF screening on clinical practice was evaluated. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of women with metastatic breast that received HER2 directed therapy between 2011 through 2015 to evaluate local trends in EF screening. The primary objectives were to determine whether aggressive screening defined as ≥ 3 echocardiograms (echos) or MUGAs impacted treatment strategies. Results: 147 HER2 posit...
Oxidized-Ldl Enhances Coronary Vasoconstriction by Increasing the Activity of α and ε Protein Kinase C Isoforms

31 Oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) plays a critical role in the development of atherosclerotic coronary vasospasm; however, the cellular mechanisms involved are not fully understood. We tested the hypothesis that ox-LDL enhances coronary vasoconstriction by increasing the activity of specific protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms in coronary smooth muscle. Active stress was measured in de-endothelialized porcine coronary artery strips, [Ca 2+ ] i was monitored in single coronary smooth muscle cells loaded with fura-2, and the whole tissue, cytosolic and particulate fractions were examined for PKC activity and reactivity with isoform-specific anti-PKC antibodies using Western blot analysis. Ox-LDL (100 μg/ml) caused a slow but significant increase in active stress to 1.2±0.2 x10 3 N/m 2 , that was completely inhibited by the PKC inhibitors staurosporine and calphostin C, with no significant increase in [Ca 2+ ] i . Ox-LDL enhanced coronary contraction to increasing concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and extracellular KCl with no additional increases in [Ca 2+ ] i . Direct activation of PKC by phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu, 0.1 μM) caused a contraction similar in magnitude and time course to ox-LDL induced contraction. PDBu also enhanced 5-HT and KCl-induced contraction with no additional increases in [Ca 2+ ] i . Both ox-LDL and PDBu caused an increase in PKC activity in the particulate fraction and a decrease in the cytosolic fraction and increased the particulate/cytosolic PKC activity ratio. Western blot analysis revealed α-, δ-, e- and ζ-PKC isoforms. In unstimulated tissue, α- and e-PKC were mainly cytosolic, δ-PKC was mainly in the particulate fraction, while ζ-PKC was equally distributed in the cytosolic and particulate fractions. Ox-LDL and PDBu caused translocation of α- and e-PKC from the cytosolic to particulate fraction, with minimal effect on the distribution of δ-PKC and ζ-PKC. Native LDL did not significantly affect coronary contraction, [Ca 2+ ] i or PKC activity. These results suggest that ox-LDL enhances coronary vasoconstriction via activation and translocation of α- and e-PKC isoforms in coronary smooth muscle.
Effect of computerized cognitive behavioral therapy on acquisition of coping skills among cocaine-dependent individuals enrolled in methadone maintenance

Abstract The acquisition of coping skills has long been considered one of the putative mechanisms of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for substance use disorders, yet consistent statistical support is lacking. This study sought to replicate and extend prior findings regarding the quality of coping skills as a mediator of abstinence outcomes from a computerized CBT program for substance users. Participants were methadone-maintained, cocaine dependent individuals enrolled in a clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of computer-based training for CBT (‘CBT4CBT’) as an add-on to treatment as usual (TAU + CBT4CBT) compared to TAU only. A subsample (N = 71) completed a role play assessment to measure coping skills, the Drug Risk Response Test (DRRT), which was administered before, during (week 4), and after the 8-week treatment period. Participants' verbal responses to various high-risk situations for cocaine use were recorded and independent evaluators rated the quality of the coping responses. Results of repeated measures analyses revealed a main effect of time for the quality of overall responses [F(1, 141.26) = 4.29, p p = 0.01]. Conclusions This study failed to replicate the quality of coping skills as a mediator of CBT4CBT's effect on reducing drug use previously shown in a mixed outpatient substance use sample. However, in this methadone maintained sample, those with poorer quality skills in response to certain high-risk situations at baseline appeared to improve their coping strategies following CBT4CBT compared to standard methadone treatment alone.
Maize canopies under two soil water regimes: III. Variation in coupling with the atmosphere and the role of leaf area index

Abstract The degree of coupling between the plant canopy and the atmosphere is indicative of the ability of the two systems to exchange momentum, energy, and mass. In terms of water vapor and CO 2 exchange, it characterizes the extent to which stomatal and canopy conductance may control transpiration and CO 2 assimilation. In the present work, the degree of coupling of maize fields under contrasting soil water regimes (WET and DRY) was investigated over daily time courses and over the season at Davis, CA. Water vapor fluxes were determined by the Bowen-ratio/energy-balance technique (BREB). From wind velocity measurements above the canopy, and using the Penman–Monteith big leaf model, aerodynamic ( g a ) and canopy ( g c ) conductances for water vapor were computed. Coupling for water vapor exchange was quantified by calculating the decoupling factor ( Ω ) from g a and g c . During the daily cycles, with wind typically being calm in the morning and increasing at midday and in the afternoon, Ω followed skewed patterns somewhat similar to diurnal g c , peaking in the morning or before noon and falling to zero at sunrise and sunset. After the closed canopies reached their full height of 3–3.2 m and before senescence, midday values of Ω ranged between 0.4 (moderately coupled) and 0.8 (poorly coupled) for both the WET and DRY treatments and went barely below 0.4 even on the most windy day (4 to 5 m s −1 ). After the area of green leaves (leaf area index, LAI) decreased substantially due to senescence, midday Ω began to drop below 0.4, reaching the range of 0.1 at the end of the crop cycle. The drop in Ω was largely the result of reductions in g c , which in turn was correlated with LAI [Steduto, P., Hsiao, T.C., 1998b. Maize canopies under two soil water regimes: II. Seasonal trends of evapotranspiration, carbon dioxide assimilation and canopy conductance, and as related to leaf area index. Agric. For. Meteorol. 89, 189–203]. Before senescence, calculated equilibrium evaporation was below actual evapotranspiration, which in turn was below the calculated imposed evaporation. With senescence, g c decreased and imposed evaporation fell below equilibrium evaporation at the point when g c fell below 12 mm s −1 . The point of crossover between imposed and equilibrium evaporation curves appears to define more clearly a critical point. Above the value of g c corresponding to the critical point, actual evaporation is hardly affected by changes in g c ; below that value, g c exerts a stronger and stronger modulating effect. The finding of a low degree of coupling between the maize crop (of moderate to high LAI) and the atmosphere in spite of the tall stature of the crop (3–3.2 m) was somewhat unexpected, as earlier analyses had related Ω mostly to plant height. Additional investigations are needed to characterize further the degree of coupling of different crops, especially as related to plant height, leaf area index, severity of water stress, and crossover points between imposed and equilibrium evaporation.
Airway morphology and inspiratory flow features in the early stages of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Abstract Background Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is among the leading causes of death worldwide. Inhaled pollutants are the prime risk factor, but the pathogenesis and progression of the diseased is poorly understood. Most studies on the disease onset and trajectory have focused on genetic and molecular biomarkers. Here we investigate the role of the airway anatomy and the consequent respiratory fluid mechanics on the development of COPD. Methods We segmented CT scans from a five-year longitudinal study in three groups of smokers (18 subjects each) having: (i) minimal/mild obstruction at baseline with declining lung function at year five; (ii) minimal/mild obstruction at baseline with stable function, and (iii) normal and stable lung function over the five year period. We reconstructed the bronchial trees up to the 7th generation, and for one subject in each group we performed MRI velocimetry in 3D printed models. Findings The subjects with airflow obstruction at baseline have smaller airway diameters, smaller child-to-parent diameter ratios, larger length-to-diameter ratios, and smaller fractal dimensions. The differences are more significant for subjects that develop severe decline in pulmonary function. The secondary flows that characterize lateral dispersion along the airways are found to be less intense in the subjects with airflow obstruction. Interpretation These results indicate that morphology of the conducting airways and inspiratory flow features are correlated with the status and progression of COPD already at an early stage of the disease. This suggests that imaging-based biomarkers may allow a pre-symptomatic diagnosis of disease progression.
TOTAL STRAIN THEORY AND PATH - DEPENDENCE OF CONCRETE

The nonlinear triaxial behavior of plane concrete that is free of continuous cracks is modeled by an algebraic relation between total strains and stresses, analogous to deformation theory of plasticity. Unloading is not modeled. Good agreement with numerous test data is achieved. The formulation implies algebraic expressions for failure envelopes and some stress-strain curves, which make data fitting easier. The model is enhanced by corrective path-dependent terms that vanish for proportional loading so as extend it for highly nonproportional loading. The principal directions of stress and strain then cease to coincide. In contrast to previous models, the present one applies to much largest atrains, gives the peak stress points, failure envelopes, strain softening, inelastic dilatancy, etc. A tangential incremental form for structural analysis is also indicated.
A multi-proxy investigation of late-Holocene temperature change and climate-driven fluctuations in sediment sourcing: Simpson Lagoon, Alaska

The significant and ongoing environmental changes in Arctic regions demonstrate the need for quantitative, high-resolution records of pre-industrial climate change in this climatically sensitive region; such records are fundamental for understanding recent anthropogenic changes in the context of natural variability. Sediment contained within Arctic coastal environments proximal to large fluvial systems has the ability to record paleoclimate variability on subdecadal to decadal scale resolution, on par with many other terrestrial climate archives (i.e. lake sediments, ice cores). Here, we utilize one such sediment archive from Simpson Lagoon, Alaska, located adjacent to the Colville River Delta to reconstruct temperature variability and fluctuations in sediment sourcing over the past 1700 years. Quantitative reconstructions of summer air temperature are obtained using the branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (brGDGT)-derived methylation index of branched tetraethers (MBT’)/cyclization ratio of bra...
Calculating electronic stopping power in materials from first principles

Abstract From the early models of electronic stopping power to the current first principles simulations, the techniques evolved to increase the range of validity and to reduce empiricism. Thanks to a combination of theoretical advances provided by Time Dependent Density Functional Theory and the development of numerical codes, it is currently possible to predict electronic stopping power for realistic materials by performing direct simulations of the electron excitation processes beyond linear response, and including electronic band structure effects. Electronic stopping power is an important quantity used to predict and understand the effects of particle radiation in matter. First principles calculations of electronic stopping power can be applied to any atomistic system, solids, liquids and alloys. This review aims to help graduate level students and researchers immerse themselves into state-of-the-art techniques to computationally model and calculate electronic stopping power.
Detection of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) in bone marrow aspirates

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an acquired condition in which, due to a mutation of the phosphatidylinositol glycan class A gene, hematopoietic cells lack proteins that are normally anchored to the cell surface by glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI). Thus, PNH cells show poor expression of surface proteins, such as CD55 and CD59, and dim or absent binding of fluorescently labeled modified aerolysin (FLAER). In clinical diagnostic laboratories, the detection and quantitation of PNH is currently performed by flow cytometry (FC) analysis of peripheral blood (PB) samples. Although PB remains the preferred source of cells for PNH detection, we and other authors have shown that a careful FC analysis of bone marrow (BM) aspirates can provide results for PNH detection and quantitation equivalent to those obtained with PB. Here, we review studies delineating the expression of GPI-anchored proteins and FLAER binding in normal BM cells, and summarize published findings demonstrating the feasibility of identifying and quantitating PNH cells in BM using FLAER as well as antibodies against GPI-anchored proteins. Detection of PNH cells in BM should be useful in patients with unsuspected PNH or with severe cytopenia in whom PB FC analysis may be challenging.
Radiofrequency ablation for primary and metastatic liver tumors

Due to the large number of patients with primary or metastatic hepatic malignancies who are not candidates for surgical resection, novel treatment approaches to control and potentially cure liver tumors have been explored. Percutaneous image-guided ablative therapies using direct intra-tumoral injection of compounds such as ethanol (1-3), hot saline (4), and acetic acid (5), as well as thermally mediated techniques such as cryotherapy (6), microwave therapy (7), interstitial laser photocoagulation (8), and radiofrequency ablation have all recently received much attention as minimally invasive strategies for the treatment of focal malignant diseases. The development of these new minimally invasive techniques has the potential to alter patient outcomes, since existing therapies often have either limited efficacy or are associated with significant morbidity and cost. Potential benefits of ablative therapies compared to surgical resection include the possibility of performing the procedure in the outpatient setting, decreased cost, reduced morbidity and mortality, and the ability to offer treatment to patients who would not be considered candidates for surgery due to age, disease extent, or co-existing morbidity. While the clinical efficacy of some ablative therapies has been established (ethanol injection) (1), the experience with other ablative therapeutic modalities is considerably more preliminary and requires additional assessment. One such ablative technique is radiofrequency tissue ablation.
Patient Factors That Influence How Physicians Discuss Active Surveillance With Low-Risk Prostate Cancer Patients: A Qualitative Study:

For men diagnosed with prostate cancer, making treatment decisions can be overwhelming. Navigating treatment options, along with potential treatment side effects, can be difficult, and patients often rely heavily on the advice of their physicians. This study was aimed at understanding more about the way urologists talk with their patients about one treatment option: active surveillance (AS), a recognized management strategy for men with low-risk prostate cancer that includes close observation and monitoring of the cancer. This study reports, through 22 interviews with urologists, that urologists believe patients are hesitant about AS for a number of reasons, including misperceptions about cancer severity, anxiety, aversion to repeated biopsies that accompany AS, or family member preferences. Because urologists play an influential role in educating patients about treatment options, the discussion around AS can be impacted by barriers that physicians believe matter for their patients. Improving awareness am...
Breast cancer treatment-related patterns in side effects, psychological distress, and perceived health status.

Purpose/objectives To describe variations in side effects of treatment of breast cancer and concurrent variations in psychological distress and perceived health status. Design Data were collected at six collection points: 7-10 days, one month, two months, three months, six months, and one year postsurgery. Standardized inventories, including subscales from the Psychosocial Adjustment to illness Scale, the Multilevel Assessment Inventory, and the investigator-developed Treatment Recovery Inventory, were completed by subjects in their homes at the six data-collection points. Setting Self-report measures completed in subjects' homes. Private practices of breast surgeons at medical centers in the New York City metropolitan area Sample Convenience sample of 93 women from a main longitudinal study (x = 51.4 years of age). Main research variables Psychological distress, perceived health status, and side effects of treatment for breast cancer. Findings Fatigue and emotional distress were persistent issues. Psychological distress and perceived health status improved with no significant differences between breast-conserving and mastectomy groups. Significant differences existed between patients receiving chemotherapy versus no therapy between three and six months. Significant changes also existed in perceived health status and psychological distress in both the positive and negative node groups with no differences between groups. Conclusions Adjustment, a multidimensional and complex process, occurs over time. Implications for nursing practice Patterns in side effects should enable clinicians to anticipate needs for planning methods of control over time. Nurses must assess side effects from a multidimensional perspective at all phases.
Two-dimensional biomechanical thumb model for pipetting

Abstract Manual pipetting imposes repetitive movements, high force, and awkward postures on the thumb, fingers, and wrist, increasing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. The purpose of this study is to provide a linear regression model to estimate the optimal pipetting grip height based on the two-dimensional biomechanical static thumb model developed in this study. This biomechanical static thumb model uses hand anatomy and static equilibrium conditions to estimate internal tendon forces against a given external force. Based on the model, we conclude that the optimal grip height is 3 cm in males and 2 cm in females in terms of grip strength and force efficiency. In addition, the model is validated by RMS EMG data from correlation analysis between the predicted internal tendon forces, with RMS EMG values of 0.65 for Flexor Pollicis Longus, 0.57 for Flexor Pollicis Brevis, and 0.61 for Adductor Pollicis.
Abstract 628: Immunometabolic signature of papillary thyroid carcinoma

Introduction: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common subtype of thyroid cancer with rapidly rising incidence. The interface between PTC tumor metabolic reprogramming and metabolic immunomodulation remains poorly understood. Experimental Procedures: We sought to investigate the immunometabolic interaction patterns of PTC tumors and to determine whether a correlative relationship exists between tumor-infiltrating immune cell phenotypes and the expression of tumor metabolic enzymes. We performed a computational immunogenomic analysis to calculate leukocyte fractions within 496 PTC tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Immunogenomic analysis was performed using CIBERSORT (Newman AM et al., Nature Methods2015), a deconvolution method to calculate leukocyte fractions using RNA gene expression signatures. The PTC immune cell fractions were then compared to the RNA expression of tumor metabolic enzymes within the TCGA data using regression analysis. Matching targeted metabolomic analysis (Metabolon, Inc.) of 20 human PTC tumors was performed to determine tumor metabolite profiles associated with perturbed tumor cellular metabolic pathways based on the TCGA data analysis. Results: The immunogenomic and PTC metabolic pathway enzyme expression analysis demonstrated significant correlation between immune cell types and major metabolic pathway enzymes. Specifically, tumor glycolytic enzymes upstream of the TCA cycle correlated with CD8 (hexokinase-1, p Conclusion: We demonstrate, for the first time, a distinct immunometabolic tumor signature supported by tumor metabolic reprogramming in PTC tumors. This novel characterization approach provides an important foundation for future functional metabolic studies within the tumor and immunologic microenvironment. A mechanistic understanding of the complex integration of immune networks and cellular metabolism can be harnessed for future therapeutic immunometabolic modulation in PTC. Citation Format: Vivian L. Weiss, Naira Baregamian. Immunometabolic signature of papillary thyroid carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 628.
Transgene Recombineering in Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes.

Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) libraries are a valuable research resource. Any one of the clones in these libraries can carry hundreds of thousands of base pairs of genetic information. Often the entire coding sequence and significant upstream and downstream regions, including regulatory elements, can be found in a single BAC clone. BACs can be put to many uses, such as to study the function of human genes in knockout mice, to drive reporter gene expression in transgenic animals, and for gene discovery. In order to use BACs for experimental purposes it is often desirable to genetically modify them by introducing reporter elements or heterologous cDNA sequences. It is not feasible to use conventional DNA cloning approaches to modify BACs due to their size and complexity, thus a specialized field "recombineering" has developed to modify BAC clones through the use of homologous recombination in bacteria with short homology regions. Genetically engineered BACs can then be used in cell culture, mouse, or rat models to study cancer, neurology, and genetics.
Midwifery presence in United States medical centers and labor care and birth outcomes among low‐risk nulliparous women: A Consortium on Safe Labor study

Background The presence of midwives in a health system may affect perinatal outcomes but has been inadequately described in United States settings. Our objective was to compare labor processes and outcomes for low-risk nulliparous women birthing in United States medical centers with interprofessional care (midwives and physicians) versus noninterprofessional care (physicians only). Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using Consortium on Safe Labor data from low-risk nulliparous women who birthed in interprofessional (n = 7393) or noninterprofessional centers (n = 6982). Unadjusted, adjusted (age, race, health insurance type), propensity-adjusted, and propensity-matched logistic regression models were used to compare outcomes. Results There was concordance across logistic regression models, the most restrictive and conservative of which were propensity-matched models. With this approach, women at interprofessional medical centers, compared with women at noninterprofessional centers, were 74% less likely to undergo labor induction (risk ratio [RR] 0.26; 95% CI 0.24-0.29) and 75% less likely to have oxytocin augmentation (RR 0.25; 95% CI 0.22-0.29). The cesarean birth rate was 12% lower at interprofessional centers (RR 0.88; 95% CI 0.79-0.98). Adverse neonatal outcomes occurred in only 0.3% of births and were thus too rare to be modeled. Conclusions The care processes and birth outcomes at interprofessional and noninterprofessional medical centers differed significantly. Nulliparous women receiving care at interprofessional centers were less likely to experience induction, oxytocin augmentation, and cesarean than women at noninterprofessional centers. Labor care and birth outcome differences between interprofessional and noninterprofessional centers may be the result of the presence of midwives and interprofessional collaboration, organizational culture, or both.
Mapping the intersections of gender and college trauma

AbstractThe purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the complex juncture of gender and experiences of trauma in college. Two research questions guided this investigation: (a) How does gender intersect with an individual’s experience(s) of trauma during college? and (b) What sociocultural contexts shape the role of gender intersecting with traumatic experiences in college? Data were collected using interviews and visual mapping/written response activities. Analysis revealed three dominant themes when gender was salient in traumatic experience, including: (a) gender norms contributing to the production of trauma; (b) gender norms restricting traumatic recovery; and (c) trauma catalyzing the interrogation of gender norms. Results of this study underscore the importance of continued attention in both research and practice to the complex ways in which systems of oppression around gender, in particular, but other identities broadly, offer both restrictions and possibilities for those navigating traumat...
Self-reported health and survival in older patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

6582Background: The strength of associations between pre-diagnosis self-reported health (SRH) and mortality differ by medical condition, with a moderately strong association reported among cancer p...
Immunohistochemical detection of the pro-apoptotic Bax∆2 protein in human tissues

The pro-apoptotic Bax isoform Bax∆2 was originally discovered in cancer patients with a microsatellite guanine deletion (G8 to G7). This deletion leads to an early stop codon; however, when combined with the alternative splicing of exon 2, the reading frame is restored allowing production of a full-length protein (Bax∆2). Unlike the parental Baxα, Bax∆2 triggers apoptosis through a non-mitochondrial pathway and the expression in human tissues was unknown. Here, we analyzed over 1000 tissue microarray samples from 13 different organs using immunohistochemistry. Bax∆2-positive cells were detected in all examined organs at low rates (1-5%) and mainly scattered throughout the connective tissues. Surprisingly, over 70% of normal colon samples scored high for BaxΔ2-positive staining. Only 7% of malignant colon samples scored high, with most high-grade tumors being negative. A similar pattern was observed in most organs examined. We also showed that both Baxα and Bax∆2 can co-exist in the same cells. Genotyping showed that the majority of Bax∆2-positive normal tissues contain no G7 mutation, but an unexpected high rate of G9 was observed. Although the underlying mechanism remains to be explored, the inverse correlation of Bax∆2 expression with tissue malignancy suggests that it may have a clinical implication in cancer development and treatment.
Directional Droplet Transport and Fog Removal on Textured Surfaces Using Liquid Dielectrophoresis

This paper reports a droplet super-spreading and directional transport device using anisotropic ratchet conveyors (ARCs) and liquid dielectrophoresis (L-DEP). The ARC is created by patterning micro-sized hydrophilic curved rungs on a hydrophobic background. Micropatterning processes on the hydrophobic thin film have been successfully implemented by adopting a Parylene C stencil mask. The application of ARCs to transport the droplet using orthogonal vibrations to create self-cleaning surfaces was reported at the Hilton Head Workshop in 2018. The method presented in this paper utilizes interdigitated electrodes (IDE) to exert an L-DEP force on the droplet. By modulating the L-DEP force with an electromagnetic relay, the droplet can be directionally transported on the ARC-patterned surface independently of the droplet self-resonance frequency. The system works with a broad range of droplet volumes between $2~\mu \text{L}$ and $20~\mu \text{L}$ . The droplet can be transported with the presence of a moisture layer on the surface, which is superior to systems that move the droplet by relying on the solid-liquid interfacial tension difference like, e,g., in an electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) system, since the moisture could block the solid-liquid interface and degrade the system ability to transport the droplet. This design also enables droplet manipulation in an open space configuration without a top cover plate, leading to a broad range of applications including self-cleaning surfaces and fog removal. [2020-0077]
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Electronic Cigarette Use Among Young Adult Cancer Survivors Using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2016-2018

Purpose: This study describes the prevalence trends of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use in young adult cancer survivors and compares these to the prevalence among young adults without a cancer history. It also examines the association between conventional cigarette use, binge drinking, depression, and other sociodemographic factors, and e-cigarette use in young adult cancer survivors. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses, using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2016-2018, were done. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the associations between conventional cigarette use, binge drinking, and depression as well as other factors associated with e-cigarette use in young adult cancer survivors. Results: Lifetime e-cigarette use increased from 40.1% in 2016 to 47.4% in 2018. Former smokers were 5.47 times (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.48-8.61) more likely to be lifetime e-cigarette users and 1.9 times (95% CI: 1.12-3.23) more likely to be current e-cigarette users compared to never smokers. Current smokers were over sixteen folds more likely (adjusted odds ratio: 16.50, 95% CI: 11.59-23.57) to be lifetime e-cigarette users and 2.1 times (95% CI: 1.24-3.57) more likely to be current e-cigarette users relative to never smokers. Furthermore, binge drinking and depression were associated with higher odds of lifetime e-cigarette use, while increasing age was associated with lower odds of e-cigarette use. Compared to females, males were significantly more likely to be current users of e-cigarettes relative to former users. Conclusion: Conventional cigarette use, binge drinking, depression, age, and gender were found to be associated with e-cigarette use among young adult cancer survivors. Policies targeted at e-cigarette control among young adult cancer survivors need to be multipronged, simultaneously addressing other harmful practices such as binge drinking and the use of conventional cigarettes.
Complex solitary wave dynamics, pattern formation and chaos in the gain–loss nonlinear Schrödinger equation

A numerical exploration of a gain?loss nonlinear Schr?dinger equation was carried out utilizing over 180?000 core hours to conduct more than 10?000 unique simulations in an effort to characterize the model's six dimensional parameter space. The study treated the problem in full generality, spanning a minimum of eight orders of magnitude for each of three linear and nonlinear gain terms and five orders of magnitude for higher order nonlinearities. The gain?loss nonlinear Schr?dinger equation is of interest as a model for spin wave envelopes in magnetic thin film active feedback rings and analogous driven damped nonlinear physical systems. Bright soliton trains were spontaneously driven out of equilibrium and behaviors stable for tens of thousands of round trip times were numerically identified. Nine distinct complex dynamical behaviors with lifetimes on the order of ms were isolated as part of six identified solution classes. Numerically located dynamical behaviors include: (i) low dimensional chaotic modulations of bright soliton trains; (ii) spatially symmetric/asymmetric interactions of solitary wave peaks; (iii) dynamical pattern formation and recurrence; (iv) steady state solutions; and (v) intermittency. Simulations exhibiting chaotically modulating bright soliton trains were found to qualitatively match previous experimental observations. Ten new dynamical behaviors, eight demonstrating long lifetimes, are predicted to be observable in future experiments.
The Origin of Lipid Rafts

The time-averaged lateral organization of the lipids and proteins that make up mammalian cell membranes continues to be the subject of intense interest and debate. Since the introduction of the fluid mosaic model almost 50 years ago, the "lipid raft hypothesis" has emerged as a popular concept that has captured the imagination of a large segment of the biomembrane community. In particular, the notion that lipid rafts play a pivotal role in cellular processes such as signal transduction and membrane protein trafficking is now favored by many investigators. Despite the attractiveness of lipid rafts, their composition, size, lifetime, biological function, and even the very existence remain controversial. The central tenet that underlies this hypothesis is that cholesterol and high-melting lipids have favorable interactions (i.e., they pull together), which lead to transient domains. Recent nearest-neighbor recognition (NNR) studies have expanded the lipid raft hypothesis to include the influence that low-melting lipids have on the organization of lipid membranes. Specifically, it has been found that mimics of cholesterol and high-melting lipids are repelled (i.e., pushed away) by low-melting lipids in fluid bilayers. The picture that has emerged from our NNR studies is that lipid mixing is governed by a balance of these "push and pull" forces, which maximizes the number of hydrocarbon contacts and attractive van der Waals interactions within the membrane. The power of the NNR methodology is that it allows one to probe these push/pull interaction energies that are measured in tens of calories per mole.
Recent progresses on thermal–hydraulics evaluations of accident tolerant fuel cladding materials

Abstract Thermal–hydraulics (T-H) experiments have been on the progress to evaluate boiling heat transfer characteristics of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) candidates for further supporting the core-loading of these advanced ATF concepts in light water reactors (LWRs). This study covers recent experimental studies of ATF claddings and summarizes some significant results. Recent T-H experimental results of ATF cladding candidates demonstrated that the material thermal–physical properties have pronounced effects on critical heat flux (CHF). Such effects have not been well resolved in the current physics-governing models. These effects of cladding materials on CHF could be potentially rationalized by the material-conjugated boiling heat transfer, where the material-dominated heat conduction competes with the flow boiling-dominated heat convection. As progressively increasing the mass flux and/or liquid subcooling, CHF differences between different materials gradually decrease, which is in agreement with the recent T-H experimental results of ATF claddings. This is because the dominance of heat convection over heat conduction is primarily improved by liquid subcooling and/or mass flow rate. It is noteworthy that surface oxidization of claddings may have unknown impacts on T-H performances because the formation of oxide layers on cladding surfaces introduces variations of material thermal–physical properties and then changes the surface morphological features, which results in some difficulties in evaluating the thermal safety margins of ATF claddings.
Trends and Needs in Reactor Safety Improvement

The Three Mile Island accident produced a surge of interest in understanding the technology of nuclear reactor accidents. Most of the resultant research and development has been focused on what happens after the accident starts, with less extensive work on accident prevention. It is pointed out that probabilistic risk analysis is an effective tool for discerning where to apply accident preventive work, and it is recommended that each nuclear power plant should have a level one probabilistic risk assessment, primarily for reasons of protection of the owner’s investment in the plant.
Successive Bifurcations and the Ice-Age Problem

The inherent nonlinearity of reasonable models for the Earth’s climatic system suggests the relevance of bifurcation studies to the problem of ice ages. Exchanges of stability between equilibria, periodic and quasiperiodic solutions are possible explanations of different features in the paleoclimatic record.
Measuring a neighborhood affluence-deprivation continuum in urban settings: Descriptive findings from four US cities

Background: In the United States (US), the area-based measure of neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics used in health research varies considerably from one study to another. However, it is unclear whether different area-based measures capture the same or different dimension of neighborhood context. Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between single measures (i.e., area-based median household income and median family income) and composite measures (i.e., area-based measures derived from a combination of multiple variables) of neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics. Methods: Area-based socioeconomic data at the census tract level were obtained from the 2005-09 American Community Survey (ACS) for St. Louis, Missouri; Chicago, Illinois; San Diego, California; and Los Angeles, California. Single measures of neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics were simply taken from the ACS data, and composite measures were derived from the computational methods described in previous studies. Separate correlation statistics were then conducted for four US cities. Results: Despite the differences in how selected area-based measures of neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics were derived from the ACS data, they were highly correlated (either negatively or positively) with one another. In other words, selected area-based measures capture the same dimension of neighborhood context. Conclusions: A neighborhood affluence-deprivation continuum in US cities may be captured by an area-based median household (or family) income. Nevertheless, to ensure the generalizability and transportability of results from four US cities, further comparisons of area-based measures (not limited to those considered in this study) are needed in different US cities.
The LL-Group Chondrites

Abstract Electron probe analysis of olivine and pyroxene in twenty-five LL-group chondrites show that this group can be clearly distinguished. The LL-group olivines contain from 19.3 to 22.4 wt.% iron corresponding to 27–32 mol% fayalite as compared to 22–25 in the L-group and 16–20 in the H-group chondrites. The orthopyroxenes show a corresponding grouping. The relationship between the commonly well-crystallized LL-group chondrites and some unequilibrated stones is discussed, particularly with regard to recent suggestions that thermal metamorphism could be responsible for the constant olivine and pyroxene composition in the ordinary chondrites.