cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prognostic impact of pretreatment cytogenetics in adult Philadelphia chromosome–negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the era of minimal residual disease

BACKGROUND The introduction of novel prognostic factors such as minimal residual disease (MRD) and genomic profiling has led to the reevaluation of the role of cytogenetics and other conventional factors in risk stratification for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). METHODS This study assessed the impact of baseline cytogenetics on the outcomes of 428 adult patients with Philadelphia chromosome–negative ALL who were receiving frontline chemotherapy. Three hundred thirty patients (77%) were treated with hyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone–based regimens, and 98 (23%) were treated with the augmented Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster regimen. RESULTS The median age was 40 years (range, 13-86 years). One hundred eighty-six patients (43%) had diploid cytogenetics, 32 (7%) had complex cytogenetics (defined as ≥ 5 chromosomal abnormalities), 27 (6%) had low hypodiploidy/near-triploidy (Ho-Tr), 24 (6%) had high hyperdiploidy, and 24 (6%) had a mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) rearrangement. Patients with an MLL rearrangement, Ho-Tr, or a complex karyotype had significantly worse relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) than the diploid group. According to a multivariate analysis including all the baseline characteristics and MRD status, Ho-Tr and a complex karyotype were independent predictive factors for worse RFS and OS. Furthermore, survival among all cytogenetic groups was similar, regardless of the treatment received. CONCLUSIONS A complex karyotype and Ho-Tr are adverse prognostic factors for adults with ALL independently of the MRD status. These findings suggest that pretreatment cytogenetics remain a valuable prognostic tool in this population. Cancer 2016. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Advances in bone marrow stem cell therapy for retinal dysfunction

The most common cause of untreatable vision loss is dysfunction of the retina. Conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma remain leading causes of untreatable blindness worldwide. Various stem cell approaches are being explored for treatment of retinal regeneration. The rationale for using bone marrow stem cells to treat retinal dysfunction is based on preclinical evidence showing that bone marrow stem cells can rescue degenerating and ischemic retina. These stem cells have primarily paracrine trophic effects although some cells can directly incorporate into damaged tissue. Since the paracrine trophic effects can have regenerative effects on multiple cells in the retina, the use of this cell therapy is not limited to a particular retinal condition. Autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells are being explored in early clinical trials as therapy for various retinal conditions. These bone marrow stem cells include mesenchymal stem cells, mononuclear cells and CD34+ cells. Autologous therapy requires no systemic immunosuppression or donor matching. Intravitreal delivery of CD34+ cells and mononuclear cells appears to be tolerated and is being explored since some of these cells can home into the damaged retina after intravitreal administration. The safety of intravitreal delivery of mesenchymal stem cells has not been well established. This review provides an update of the current evidence in support of the use of bone marrow stem cells as treatment for retinal dysfunction. The potential limitations and complications of using certain forms of bone marrow stem cells as therapy are discussed. Future directions of research include methods to optimize the therapeutic potential of these stem cells, non-cellular alternatives using extracellular vesicles, and in vivo high-resolution retinal imaging to detect cellular changes in the retina following cell therapy.
Projection kinematic analysis of DNA origami mechanisms based on a two-dimensional TEM image

Abstract In this paper, a new method called “projection kinematics” is presented for the determination of 3D configurations of DNA Origami Mechanisms (DOM) based on a single 2D projected image. The method enables finding all possible projected configurations of a DOM in space by solving the projection kinematics equations based on the minimum needed information measured from a 2D image. If redundant measurements are available, they can be exploited to eliminate ambiguous solutions. First, projection kinematic analyses were derived for the basic kinematic joints – revolute, prismatic, cylindrical and spherical joints and one degree-of-freedom (DOF) planar four-bar and two DOFs five-bar linkages. Then a generalized procedure for projection kinematic analysis is presented. Finally, a universal joint and a Bennett linkage fabricated by DNA origami self-assembly are chosen as proof-of-concept examples to verify the feasibility of projection kinematic analysis of DOM. This approach not only provides valuable guidance for the design of DOM, but also offers a low cost analysis approach for configuration estimation of spatial mechanisms when images from multiple viewing angles are not accessible, which is generally the case for the most commonly used analysis methods.
Navigating challenges in the application of superresolution microscopy

In 2014, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three scientists who have made groundbreaking contributions to the field of superresolution (SR) microscopy (SRM). The first commercial SR microscope came to market a decade earlier, and many other commercial options have followed. As commercialization has lowered the barrier to using SRM and the awarding of the Nobel Prize has drawn attention to these methods, biologists have begun adopting SRM to address a wide range of questions in many types of specimens. There is no shortage of reviews on the fundamental principles of SRM and the remarkable achievements made with these methods. We approach SRM from another direction: we focus on the current practical limitations and compromises that must be made when designing an SRM experiment. We provide information and resources to help biologists navigate through common pitfalls in SRM specimen preparation and optimization of image acquisition as well as errors and artifacts that may compromise the reproducibility of SRM data.
Fertility preservation options and the young breast cancer patient: A survey.

575 Background: Approximately 15% of breast cancers (BC) are diagnosed in reproductive aged women. Management of the disease in this age group frequently includes chemotherapy and hormonal therapy,...
β Cells Persist in T1D Pancreata Without Evidence of Ongoing β-Cell Turnover or Neogenesis.

Context The cellular basis of persistent β-cell function in type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains enigmatic. No extensive quantitative β-cell studies of T1D pancreata have been performed to test for ongoing β-cell regeneration or neogenesis. Objective We sought to determine the mechanism of β-cell persistence in T1D pancreata. Design We studied T1D (n = 47) and nondiabetic control (n = 59) pancreata over a wide range of ages from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Network of Pancreatic Organ Donors with Diabetes via high-throughput microscopy. Intervention and main outcome measures We quantified β-cell mass, β-cell turnover [via Ki-67 and terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)], islet ductal association, and insulin/glucagon coexpression in T1D and control pancreata. Results Residual insulin-producing β cells were detected in some (but not all) T1D cases of varying disease duration. Several T1D pancreata had substantial numbers of β cells. Although β-cell proliferation was prominent early in life, it dramatically declined after infancy in both nondiabetic controls and T1D individuals. However, β-cell proliferation was equivalent in control and T1D pancreata. β-cell death (assessed by TUNEL) was extremely rare in control and T1D pancreata. Thus, β-cell turnover was not increased in T1D. Furthermore, we found no evidence of small islet/ductal neogenesis or α-cell to β-cell transdifferentiation in T1D pancreata, regardless of disease duration. Conclusion Longstanding β-cell function in patients with T1D appears to be largely a result of β cells that persist, without any evidence of attempted β-cell regeneration, small islet/ductal neogenesis, or transdifferentiation from other islet endocrine cell types.
Supply-inverted bipolar pulser and Tx/Rx switch for CMUTs capable of tolerating voltage levels above process limit

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) are prone to having low transmit sensitivity. According to large signal CMUT models, this shortcoming can be overcome with higher pulse voltages and optimized bipolar pulse drives [1]. Therefore, a supply-inverted bipolar pulser and a Tx/Rx switch are proposed to drive CMUTs in medical ultrasound imaging applications. These circuits are particularly suitable for intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheters where interface electronics and transducer arrays are integrated at the tip and low supply voltages are desired for safety. The proposed pulser generates a bipolar signal with a peak-to-peak voltage that is almost twice the supply level, which improves the driving capability compared to conventional supply-limited pulser, enabling operation at lower supply voltage, and the switch is able to protect Rx electronics during the transmit phase.
Frequency of Leadership Behaviors Among Athletic Trainers in University Settings

Context: Leadership has been reported to be an important factor in the practice of athletic training. However, no research has identified the frequency in which leadership is practiced by athletic ...
High-Order Perturbation of Surfaces Algorithms for the Simulation of Localized Surface Plasmon Resonances in Two Dimensions

The capability of simulating scattering returns of electromagnetic radiation from bounded obstacles is of overwhelming importance to scientists and engineers. Furthermore, such simulations must be of both surpassing accuracy and high fidelity for many applications of interest. High-Order Spectral methods deliver highly accurate simulations with a relatively small number of degrees of freedom, while interfacial formulations which utilize these discretizations have orders of magnitude smaller execution times and memory requirements. Among these, the High-Order Perturbation of Surfaces algorithms have proved to be a method of choice in layered media applications, and we display here how two of these-the Methods of Field Expansions and Transformed Field Expansions-extend to obstacles of bounded cross-section. In this contribution we provide not only a detailed prescription of the algorithms, but also validate the schemes and point out their benefits and shortcomings. With numerical experiments we show the remarkable efficiency, fidelity, and high-order accuracy one can achieve with implementations of these algorithms.
On the Nature of Economic Evolution: John R. Commons and the Metaphor of Artificial Selection

In his famous 1898 essay, “Why Is Economics Not An Evolutionary Science?” Thorstein Veblen challenged economists to transform their discipline into an evolutionary science. In order to meet that standard, Veblen insisted, economic theory must be recast as “a theory of a cumulative sequence of economic institutions stated in terms of the process itself” (Veblen, 1919, p. 77). Except for the American institutionalists, most of whom self-consciously embraced Veblen’s “research program,” economists for the most part have ignored Veblen’s plea. Trained in a tradition rooted in the “natural law” perspective of Adam Smith, “mainstream” economists1 have generally conceived of market activity in acultural, ahistorical terms. Indeed, among the major figures in mainstream 20th-century economics, only Joseph Schumpeter has seen a need to incorporate an explicitly evolutionary stance into economic analysis.
Immunopathological and molecular basis of functional dyspepsia and current therapeutic approaches.

INTRODUCTION Functional dyspepsia (FD) is widespread with 20% prevalence worldwide and a significant economic burden due to health care cost and constraints on daily activities of patients. Despite extensive investigation, the underlying causes of dyspepsia in a majority of patients remain unknown. Common complaints include abdominal discomfort, pain, burning, nausea, early satiety, and bloating. Motor dysfunction of the gut was long considered a major cause, but recent investigations suggest immune-based pathophysiological and molecular events in the duodenum are more probable contributing factors. Areas Covered: Inflammatory mediators and immune cells including duodenal eosinophils, intraepithelial lymphocytes, and T-cells have been implicated in the underlying cause of disease process, as have genetic factors. In this article, we critically reviewed findings, identified gaps in knowledge and suggested future directions for further investigation to identify targets and develop better therapeutic approaches. Expert commentary: Impaired gastric accommodation, slow gastric emptying, and increased visceral sensitivity have long been thought of as main causal factors of FD. However, more recent identification of eosinophilic degranulation and recruitment of T cells that induce mild duodenal inflammation are giving rise to new insights into immune-mediated pathophysiology. These insights offer promising avenues to explore for immune-mediated therapy in the future.
RARE DEVELOPMENTAL ANOMALIES OF THE ODONTOID PROCESS OF THE AXIS

Background Development of the odontoid process (dens) involves a primary ossification center and a secondary ossification center. The primary center gives rise to the body of the dens. The secondary ossification center, called the chondrum terminale , ossifies and becomes the ossiculum terminale, which normally fuses with the body of the dens and is the tip of the dens. Disruption in the fusing process can give rise to 3 distinct pathologies—ossiculum terminale persistens, os odontoideum, and dystopic odontoideum. In general, these conditions are not symptomatic, but their importance lies in the need to differentiate them from other more clinically relevant conditions. A radiographic case for each type is presented. Radiologic findings Three cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) cases, each with a type of variation on the development of the odontoid process, are present. Ossiculum terminale persistens arises as a result of the failure of the ossiculum terminale to fuse with the body of the dens and presents as a small ossicle superior to the dens. The os odontoideum is a large ossicle superior to a hypoplastic dens. The dystopic odontoideum results from fusion of the ossiculum terminale with the basiocciput. Differential interpretation The most important differential is with regard to fractures of the odontoid process. Other considerations are inflammatory diseases or neoplasms. Conclusions CBCT is an integral tool in the armamentarium of oral and maxillofacial radiologists (OMRs). CBCT acquisition frequently includes anatomic structures that are outside the oral and maxillofacial region and must be interpreted. Knowledge of the normal and developmental anatomy of these structures is imperative. Developmental anomalies of the odontoid process can mimic acquired conditions. The proper identification of theses anomalies is crucial because their management and prognosis are different.
Shorting Factor In-Flight Calibration for the Van Allen Probes DC Electric Field Measurements in the Earth's Plasmasphere

Satellite-based direct electric field measurements deliver crucial information for space science studies. Yet, they require meticulous design and calibration. In-flight calibration of double-probe instruments is usually presented in the most common case of tenuous plasmas, where the presence of an electrostatic structure surrounding the charged spacecraft alters the geophysical electric field measurements. To account for this effect and the uncertainty in the boom length, the measured electric field is multiplied by a parameter called the shorting factor (sf ). In the plasmasphere, the Debye length is very small in comparison with spacecraft dimension and there is no shorting of the electric field measurements (sf = 1). However, the electric field induced by spacecraft motion greatly exceeds any geophysical electric field of interest in the plasmasphere. Thus, the highest level of accuracy in calibration is required. The objective of this work is to discuss the accuracy of the setting Sf =1 and therefore to examine the accuracy of Van Allen Probes electric field measurements below L = 2. We introduce a method to determine the shorting factor near perigee. It relies on the idea that the value of the geophysical electric field measured in the Earth's rotating frame of reference is independent of whether the spacecraft is approaching perigee or past perigee, i.e. it is independent of spacecraft velocity. We obtain that Sf =0.994 ± 0.001. The resulting margins of errors in individual electric drift measurements are of the order of ± 0.1% of spacecraft velocity (a few meters per second).
A Case of CHARGE Syndrome and Hypoxemia

The following book chapter is entitled “A Case of CHARGE Syndrome and Hypoxemia.” This chapter describes a challenging clinical case and offers several educational lessons related to CHARGE patients as well as pediatric anesthesiology. The perioperative care of pediatric patients often requires knowledge of syndromes, which have several anesthetic implications. Patients with CHARGE syndrome may present numerous challenges to the anesthesiologist. Airways can be difficult to manage as these patients may have micrognathia, choanal atresia, laryngeal clefts, laryngeal webs, laryngomalacia, or subglottic stenosis. In this case, the airway was managed with a nasotracheal intubation, and this technique of securing the airway along with its associated complications and contraindications is discussed. In addition to reviewing background information on CHARGE syndrome and the airway management involved in the case, this chapter reviews information related to perioperative adverse respiratory events such as laryngospasm, bronchospasm, and breath holding. Decision-making in the patient presenting with an upper respiratory tract infection is also described. Finally, aspects of pediatric advanced life support measures are reviewed. Overall, the chapter format engages the reader and serves as a unique way of teaching “lessons learned.”
Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate After Failed UroLift: Surgical Considerations for the Management of Nonabsorbable Implants

Objective To demonstrate the surgical considerations for managing retained UroLift implants when performing HOLEP. Prostatic Urethral Lift via the UroLift System has become a common treatment modality to manage symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The UroLift procedure uses non-absorbable implants to retract obstructing prostate lobes. Retreatment rates following UroLift have been reported at 13.6% over 5 years. 1 We anticipate an increasing number of men seeking definitive surgical management after failed Urolift. There have been reports in the literature of UroLift implants causing morcellator device jams when attempting holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HOLEP). 2 Methods From August 2018 to April 2019, we reviewed 118 consecutive patients who underwent HOLEP by a single surgeon. Three men were identified who had previously undergone Urolift. Video footage was obtained. As demonstrated in the video, during enucleation the metallic clip of the UroLift implants were incorporated in the adenoma specimen. For morcellation, we use the Piranha morcellator (Richard Wolf, Knittlingen, Germany). Morcellation was carried out in a slow and controlled manner. When the metal clip comes into contact with the morcellator, a catch and release is performed by releasing the morcellator pedal and withdrawing the morcellator into the nephroscope to release the adenoma. Remnant clips and sutures can be retrieved with a grasper. We perform a 3 month follow-up cystoscopy in the office to exclude any remnant implant material in the prostatic urethra or bladder. Results Procedures were completed uneventfully. In developing this technique, we experienced jamming of the morcellator blades in 2 cases requiring replacement of the disposable blades. Follow up in-office cystoscopy did not reveal any remnant implant material that needed to be removed. Conclusion HOLEP can be performed safely in the UroLift failure patient population. Careful morcellation techniques can decrease the risk of costly morcellator blade replacement.
Distribution and ecology of myxomycetes on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean

A survey for myxomycetes was carried out on Christmas Island in May 2017. Specimens included those that had fruited in the field under natural conditions and those appearing in moist chamber cultures prepared with samples of dead plant material collected on the island. Fifty-nine species in 18 genera were recorded. Hemitrichia serpula was the most common species represented among field collections, whereas Arcyria cinerea, Diderma effusum, Lamproderma scintillans, Didymium squamulosum, Diderma hemisphericum and Diachea leucopodia were recorded the most often in moist chamber cultures. These new records bring the total number of species of myxomycetes known from Christmas Island to 68 species in 22 genera. The distribution and ecology of these species in relation to the various substrates available to them are discussed.
Intensive Mothers, Cautionary Tale Fathers: Adult Children's Perceptions of Parental Influence on Health.

Parents strongly influence children’s health, yet how parents continue to shape the health of midlife adult children remains unknown. Moreover, while most adults are married by midlife, research ha...
Patellofemoral Pain in Adolescents: Understanding Patellofemoral Morphology and Its Relationship to Maltracking:

Background:Developing bone is highly adaptable and, as such, is susceptible to pathological shape deformation. Thus, it is imperative to quantify if changes in patellofemoral morphology are associa...
Performance of the Tobacco Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) on Various Host Plants

The tobacco aphid, Myzus nicotianae Blackman, is a major pest of tobacco in the United States. It was separated from the green peach aphid, M. persicae (Sulzer), and described as a new species in 1987. Information on its host range is limited because the two species are so similar. Therefore, the performance of the tobacco aphid was studied on 28 potential host plants in six families. Numbers of offspring, age at first reproduction, longevity, weight, and percentage reproducing were compared. Tests were conducted on excised leaves or leaf disks maintained in Petri dishes in an environmentally-controlled chamber. Myzus nicotianae reproduced on hosts in the families Asteraceae, Convolvulaceae, Cruciferae, Malvaceae, and Solanaceae, but not on Spinacia in Chenopodiaceae. Myzus nicotianae generally reproduced most quickly, was heaviest, and produced the most nymphs on tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum L., and American black nightshade, Solanum americanum (Solanaceae). Performance also was good on Capsicum and S. dul...
Mechanisms of TCDD-induction of cleft palate: insights from and approaches

TCDD induced cleft palate (CP) in C57BL6N embryos by altering proliferation and differentiation of palatal medial epithelial cells. These effects correlated with altered expression of the growth factors, TGF-α, EGF, TGF-β1 and TGF-β2, and the EGF receptor. Synergistic interactions between TCDD and retinoic acid (RA) or hydrocortisone (HC) resulted in CP induction at doses too low to induce CP if given alone. Clefts produced by TCDD + RA or TCDD + HC were due to growth inhibition, an outcome differing from that of TCDD alone. TCDD, RA, and HC all had different effects on growth factor expression with the strongest effects on TGF-β, TGF-α, and EGF. In palatal organ culture, concentration-dependent effects on medial epithelial cells occurred in C57BL/6N mouse, F344 rat, and human palates. The responsiveness to TCDD was absent in serum-free cultures, suggesting that an additional factor is required invitro. The mechanism of TCDD activity appears to involve growth factor expression and may interact with RA and glucocorticoid pathways.
Unintentional drug overdose: Is more frequent use of non-prescribed buprenorphine associated with lower risk of overdose?

Abstract Background Unintentional drug overdoses have reached epidemic levels in the U.S. This study tests the hypothesis that people who have used non-prescribed buprenorphine more frequently in the past six months were less likely to experience a drug overdose during that same time period. Methods Participants age 18 years or older with opioid use disorder who reported use of non-prescribed buprenorphine in the last six months were recruited from the Dayton, Ohio, area using a combination of targeted and modified respondent-driven sampling. Participants completed a structured interview, including six-month timeline follow-back, after informed consent. Logistic regression was used to test the association between (log-transformed) frequency of non-prescribed buprenorphine use and overdose in the previous six months, adjusted for confounding due to sex, homelessness, incarceration, substance use treatment, previous overdose, heroin/fentanyl injection, psychiatric comorbidity, and (log-transformed) frequencies of other (non-opioid) drug use. Results Almost 89% of 356 participants were white, 50.3% were male, and 78.1% had high school or greater education. Over 27% (n = 98) reported experiencing an overdose in the past six months. After adjusting for confounding, greater frequency of non-prescribed buprenorphine use was significantly associated with lower risk of overdose (AOR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.66, 0.98; p = .0286). Experiencing an overdose more than six months ago (AOR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.24, 3.97); injection as the most common route of administration of heroin/fentanyl (AOR = 2.49, 95% CI = 1.36, 4.71); and frequency of methamphetamine use (AOR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.27) were strongly associated with increased risk of recent overdose in multivariable analysis. Discussion The findings support our hypothesis that higher frequency of non-prescribed buprenorphine use is associated with lower risk of drug overdose, a potential harm reduction consequence of diversion. Improving the availability of buprenorphine though standard substance use disorder treatment, primary care, and other innovative methods is urgently needed.
The Role of Simulation in Starting a New ECMO Program

Simulation can play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of a new ECMO program, regardless of how small the projected volume may be. Partnering with a high-volume ECMO center with simulation experience may help to accelerate the start of a new ECMO program, as select team members undergo intense, guided training to then become the trainers of the larger novice group. Introducing a conceptual framework about ECMO-related problems for learners early in their training could help to solidify the lessons learned in simulation. While starting a new clinical ECMO program is challenging, simulation is a unique tool to allow inexperienced health care providers to gain ECMO experience and apply their knowledge prior to taking care of the first patient.
Learning by Ignoring, with Application to Domain Adaptation

Learning by ignoring, which identifies less important things and excludes them from the learning process, is broadly practiced in human learning and has shown ubiquitous effectiveness. There has been psychological studies showing that learning to ignore certain things is a powerful tool for helping people focus. In this paper, we explore whether this useful human learning methodology can be borrowed to improve machine learning. We propose a novel machine learning framework referred to as learning by ignoring (LBI). Our framework automatically identifies pretraining data examples that have large domain shift from the target distribution by learning an ignoring variable for each example and excludes them from the pretraining process. We formulate LBI as a three-level optimization framework where three learning stages are involved: pretraining by minimizing the losses weighed by ignoring variables; finetuning; updating the ignoring variables by minimizing the validation loss. A gradient-based algorithm is developed to efficiently solve the three-level optimization problem in LBI. Experiments on various datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our framework.
Allostatic Load in Perimenopausal Women With Migraine

Objective: There is very limited data on women with migraine disease as they age and transition to menopause. Despite evidence for the increased burden of the disease during this transition, there is no data on the association between migraine and allostatic load as a marker of cumulative biological risk. We aimed to determine whether women with migraine suffer from higher levels of allostatic load during perimenopausal transition. Methods: A total of 2,105 perimenopausal women from the first wave of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) were included in this study. Allostatic Load (AL) score was estimated for each participant from the measurements of: systolic and diastolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein level, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, total cholesterol level, waist-to-hip ratio, fasting serum glucose, triglycerides, and dehydroepiandrosterone levels. Results: Of the 2,105 participants included in the study, there were 369 migraineurs and 1,730 controls. Migraineurs had 63% higher odds of increased load score (odds ratio 1.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-2.29). Compared to controls, migraineurs were more likely to experience sleep problems in the univariate analysis, however despite the high burden of sleep problems, there were no significant associations between allostatic load and sleep disturbances in perimenopausal women with migraine after controlling for other factors. Conclusion: This is the first study to systematically and quantitatively examine allostatic load in migraine patients. The findings establish that migraineurs are more likely to experience higher allostatic load than their non-migraine counterparts during perimenopausal transition. The findings encourage new lines of investigation for lowering the burden of the disease through interventions that modify the levels of allostatic load biomarkers examined in this study.
VHF/UHF Ultrawideband Tightly Coupled Dipole Array for CubeSats

To date, CubeSat radars and imagers have been limited to operations beyond S-band due to the challenges associated with the design of wideband, compact, low-frequency antennas. Concurrently, the frequencies at VHF/UHF bands can image through clouds and foliage, and are very attractive for ice, water and biomass sensing. There is thus a need to develop wideband antennas that can operate at VHF/UHF bands which are low cost, light-weight, and packable. In this paper, we present a CubeSat deployable Tightly Coupled Dipole Array (TCDA) that achieves VSWR<3 from 80 MHz – 600 MHz, and VSWR<4 from 65 MHz – 600 MHz. While the array itself is 1.2 m in length, 10 cm in width and 1.5 mm in thickness, it can be folded and stowed in a compact volume of 0.40U. We detail the design of the array, demonstrate the folding mechanism, and validate its performance through measurements.
Application of Statistical Machine Learning Algorithms for Classification of Bridge Deformation Data Sets

This paper presents the design and development of a structural health monitoring (SHM) system specifically tailored for transportation infrastructure components such as bridges. If focuses mainly the application of statistical machine learning (ML) algorithms to classify deformation datasets of a bridge. A model of a steel bridge was constructed and contactless sensors were placed to collect deformation data. Four loads were applied at each of the pre-defined four locations identified to represent heavy loads across the real bridge. Computer simulation in ANSYS and application of gradient boosting neural networks were performed to produce a comparative and predictive analysis of the behavior of transportation infrastructures, which can be used to understand the health of the structure and make informed decisions. Deformation levels at 100 critical locations on the bridge model were collected in each experiment by using sensors. The experiments were repeated to get average data for processing. Python programming language was used for coding and the analysis was performed in a Google Collaboratory Notebook. Development and training of the models were done using the Pycaret, which is a Python based framework that supports a variety of ML tools. Performance of each ML technique was evaluated by means of the accuracy. The final is capable of simulating multiple load conditions on structures, identifying possible failure points, and detecting and predicting failure scenarios. Both hardware and software implementations of a model of a bridge were performed as a pilot project to validate the proposed system.
Psychiatric comorbidity of eating disorders in children between the ages of 9 and 10

Background Eating disorders exhibit high comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders, most notably mood, substance use, and anxiety disorders. However, most studies examining psychiatric comorbidity are conducted in adolescents and adults. Therefore, the comorbidity among children living with eating disorders is unknown. The aim of this study was to characterize co-occurring psychiatric disorders with eating disorders in a US sample of children aged 9-10 years old utilizing the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. Methods The analytic sample included 11,718 children aged 9-10 years. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other specified feeding and eating disorder subtype diagnoses were examined. Statistical analyses were conducted using complex sampling. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated comparing the likelihood of being diagnosed for a psychiatric disorder when having an eating disorder, as compared to children without an eating disorder, children diagnosed with major depressive disorder, and children diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder using binary logistic regression. Results Co-occurring psychiatric disorders were substantially higher in children with eating disorders as compared to children without eating disorders, but not as compared to children diagnosed with major depressive disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder. The most common comorbidities for the eating disorder group were anxiety disorders (71.4%), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (47.9%), disruptive/impulse control disorders (45.0%), mood disorders (29.6%), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (28.8%), largely in line with previous research. Conclusions This study extends prior research finding high rates of comorbidity in eating disorders, specifically with anxiety, mood, and disruptive/impulse control disorders. Clinicians assessing for psychiatric disorders should be aware that eating disorders can occur in children 9 and 10 years old and are associated with severe comorbidity. Referrals for specialty mental health care should be considered.
Technology and Alienation

Chapter 3 “Technology and Alienation” explores the downsides and potential alienating effects of immersion in a high-tech world, as well as possibilities for dis-alienation and empowerment. The developing countries are currently undergoing a perhaps unprecedented technological revolution that has given new credence and life to the concept of alienation after a period of relative decline in which Marxian, existentialist, and other modern discourses were replaced with postmodern perspectives skeptical or critical of the concept of alienation. In this paper, I want to suggest that digital information and communication technologies and the restructuring of global capitalism require us to rethink the problematics of technology and alienation. If it is true that we are undergoing a Great Transformation, one of the epochal shifts within the history of capitalism, that digital technologies and social media are taking us into a novel field of cultural experience, and that the very nature of human identity and social relations are changing, then obviously we need to develop fresh theories to analyze these changes and politics to respond to them
A Review of Computer-Assisted Instruction for Students With Visual Impairment:

Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is a critical tool for accessing information and instruction among students with visual impairment (VI). This systematic review examined eight CAI intervention s...
Constructing Civil Liberties: Discontinuities in the Development of American Constitutional Law

1. Introduction 2. Reconstituting privacy and criminal process rights 3. Reconstituting individual rights: from labor rights to civil rights 4. Education rights: Reconstituting the school 5. Conclusion.
Dworshak Dam Spillway and Outlet Hydraulic Design

Hydraulic design of spillway and outlets for 693-ft-high concrete-gravity dam utilizes model studies in developing final design. Tainter valves provide upstream control in the three outlet conduits. The valves seal through the action of an eccentric-trunnion mechanism, which moves the valve upstream against the seals. The outlet conduits enter the spillway chute at a point about midway between the spillway crest and stilling basin. Special training-wall arrangements are developed in the model to minimize spray and spillway flow disturbances resulting from the outlet portals in the spillway chute. The conduit intakes, under about 250 ft of head, required special study in the model because of a lack of back pressure and because of a horizontal and a vertical skew with respect to the upstream face of the dam. Facilities for study of spillway boundary layer development and other problems in the prototype are included in the design.
Spirituality is associated with better prostate cancer treatment decision making experiences

This study examined whether spiritual beliefs are associated with greater decision-making satisfaction, lower decisional conflict and decision-making difficulty with the decision-making process in newly diagnosed men with prostate cancer. Participants were 1114 men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer who had recently made their treatment decision, but had not yet been treated. We used multivariable linear regression to analyze relationships between spirituality and decision-making satisfaction, decisional conflict, and decision-making difficulty, controlling for optimism and resilience, and clinical and sociodemographic factors. Results indicated that greater spirituality was associated with greater decision-making satisfaction (B = 0.02; p < 0.001), less decisional conflict (B = -0.42; p < 0.001), and less decision-making difficulty (B = -0.08; p < 0.001). These results confirm that spiritual beliefs may be a coping resource during the treatment decision-making process. Providing opportunities for patients to integrate their spiritual beliefs and their perceptions of their cancer diagnosis and trajectory could help reduce patient uncertainty and stress during this important phase of cancer care continuum.
Till death do us part: Terror management and forgiveness in close relationships

Two experiments extended terror management theory to investigate forgiveness in close relationships. We hypothesized that mortality salience would elicit less forgiveness in less committed relationships. In Experiment 1, participants were primed with either mortality salience or a physical pain control condition, recalled a recent hurtful interpersonal offense, and reported their degree of forgiveness. Mortality salience evoked less forgiveness in less committed relationships. In Experiment 2, participants were assigned to recall an offense that occurred in a low-commitment or high-commitment relationship. Again, mortality salience elicited less forgiveness in less committed relationships; it elicited more forgiveness in more committed relationships. Moreover, this interaction was mediated by empathy. Existential considerations may play an important role in the functioning of close relationships.
An Abstract Process and Metrics Model for Evaluating Unified Command and Control: A Scenario and Technology Agnostic Approach

Abstract : The purpose of this research is to define a domain neutral, process centric framework and the derivative metrics required to assess process re-engineering effectiveness and capabilities based procurement. The paper focuses on process formalisms, process performance metrics, and in particular emphasizes process effectiveness gains through improved process adaptability. After completing a thorough reading of the document, the reader should be able to define a process, score the process components, identify gaps in the process, redesign and optimize the process, and make capability based process improvement procurement recommendations based upon the process metrics scores. The abstract metrics in this paper can also be mapped to measurable quantities for Agile C2 and Network Centric Warfare metrics classes. The author believes that he has satisfied the primary goal of this paper which was to describe the methodology and the metrics necessary to assess any set of processes. The assessment score metrics derived from using the approach in this paper can then be used to properly defend the procurement of a process enhancing capability.
Synergy between Two Active Sites of Human Complement Receptor Type 1 (CD35) in Complement Regulation: Implications for the Structure of the Classical Pathway C3 Convertase and Generation of More Potent Inhibitors

The extracellular domain of the complement receptor type 1 (CR1; CD35) consists entirely of 30 complement control protein repeats (CCPs). CR1 has two distinct functional sites, site 1 (CCPs 1–3) and two copies of site 2 (CCPs 8–10 and CCPs 15–17). In this report we further define the structural requirements for decay-accelerating activity (DAA) for the classical pathway (CP) C3 and C5 convertases and, using these results, generate more potent decay accelerators. Previously, we demonstrated that both sites 1 and 2, tandemly arranged, are required for efficient DAA for C5 convertases. We show that site 1 dissociates the CP C5 convertase, whereas the role of site 2 is to bind the C3b subunit. The intervening CCPs between two functional sites are required for optimal DAA, suggesting that a spatial orientation of the two sites is important. DAA for the CP C3 convertase is increased synergistically if two copies of site 1, particularly those carrying DAA-increasing mutations, are contained within one protein. DAA in such constructs may exceed that of long homologous repeat A (CCPs 1–7) by up to 58-fold. To explain this synergy, we propose a dimeric structure for the CP C3 convertase on cell surfaces. We also extended our previous studies of the amino acid requirements for DAA of site 1 and found that the CCP 1/CCP 2 junction is critical and that Phe 82 may contact the C3 convertases. These observations increase our understanding of the mechanism of DAA. In addition, a more potent decay-accelerating form of CR1 was generated.
Irreducibility of Discrete Series Representations for Semisimple Symmetric Spaces

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses irreducibility of discrete series representations for semi-simple symmetric spaces. It explains the term translation principle that refers to the idea of studying infinite dimensional representations of reductive Lie algebras by investigating their tensor products with the rich, complicated, and well-understood family of finite-dimensional representations of a connected reductive Lie group. The chapter also describes a criterion for a translation functor to take irreducibles to irreducible. A translation functor is a sum of composites of elementary translational functors. To make good use of the translation functors, one needs a way to compute them effectively. This is provided by the conceptually more subtle idea of coherent families.
Off-center phonon scattering sites in Eu 8 Ga 16 Ge 30 and Sr 8 Ga 16 Ge 30

We present a detailed extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis of the thermoelectric clathrates Eu{sub 8}Ga{sub 16}Ge{sub 30} and Sr{sub 8}Ga{sub 16}Ge{sub 30}, both of which have an unusually low thermal conductivity attributed to a 'rattler' motion of the filler atoms Eu and Sr. The EXAFS results show that the Ga/Ge lattice is quite stiff with a high correlated Debye temperature {approx}400 K. Eu is on-center in the site 1 cage but off-center (0.445{+-}0.020 A) in the large cage called the Eu2 site. The results for Sr are similar, but {approx}75% are off-center 0.40{+-}0.05 A and {approx}25% are on-center in the Sr2 site. Both results are in reasonable agreement with diffraction results. The temperature dependence of the nearest neighbor pair distribution widths yield low Einstein temperatures (80{+-}10 and 100{+-}10 K for Eu1 and Sr1, respectively, and 95{+-}10 and 125{+-}10 K for the shortest Eu2-Ga/Ge and Sr2-Ga/Ge pairs). In contrast, the more distant Eu2/Sr2-Ga/Ge pair distributions within the Eu2/Sr2 cage are strongly disordered even at low T, indicating considerable local disorder. This indicates that the off-center Eu or Sr atom is bonded to the side of the site 2 cage. This has two important implications for the thermal conductivity: itmore » increases the coupling between the 'rattler' vibrations and the lattice phonons and it introduces a symmetry-breaking large mass defect.« less
Engineering New Aptamer Geometries for Electrochemical Aptamer-Based Sensors

Electrochemical aptamer-based sensors (E-AB sensors) represent a promising new approach to the detection of small molecules. E-AB sensors comprise an aptamer that is attached at one end to an electrode surface. The distal end of the aptamer probed is modified with an electroactive redox marker for signal transduction. Herein we report on the optimization of a cocaine-detecting E-AB sensor via optimization of the geometry of the aptamer. We explore two new aptamer architectures, one in which we concatenate three cocaine aptamers into a poly-aptamer and a second in which we divide the cocaine aptamer into pieces connected via an unstructured, 60-thymine linker. Both of these structures are designed such that the reporting redox tag will be located farther from the electrode in the unfolded, target-free conformation. Consistent with this, we find that signal gains of these two constructs are two to three times higher than that of the original E-AB architecture. Likewise all three architectures are selective enough to deploy directly in complex sample matrices, such as undiluted whole blood, with all three sensors successfully detecting the presence of cocaine. The findings in this ongoing study should be of value in future efforts to optimize the signaling of electrochemical aptamer-based sensors.
On interacting local quantum fields describing many masses and spins

We investigate the possible restrictions of locality on interacting quantum fields, which create or destroy many-particle states with different masses and spins. First we look at the vacuum expectation value of the commutator (or anticommutator) of two Heisenberg fields. Demanding that these fields transform as representations of the homogeneous Lorentz group and using theCPT-theorem we prove that locality gives no relations between the different spectral functions, and the relations between the masses as functions of the spin are the same as those found by Abarbanel and Frishman for free fields. Then with the help of the Yang-Feldman equations we look at the problem in perturbation theory. We find that demanding locality at each order in perturbation theory in a manner consistent with the general results found above imposes restrictions on the possible forms of these interactions.
Rethinking Ice Sheet Time Scales

Satellite data show that ice sheets can change much faster than commonly appreciated, with potentially worrying implications for their stability.