cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Single cell protein and the exploitation of mutant algae lacking cell walls.

MICROBIAL cells are potentially attractive sources of protein food, but this usefulness is at present limited, not merely by technical and economic difficulties1–4, but also because the indigestibility of the cell walls limits the extent to which they can be incorporated directly into human food. Indeed it has been suggested that microbial cells5 and the alga Chlorella6 cannot be used in human food without removal of the cell walls. For algae, there are two ways of overcoming this difficulty—either the material can be fed to ruminants, or mechanical, chemical or enzymatic techniques7 can be used for the fractionation and removal of the cell walls. Enzymatic methods are as yet inefficient and, whereas industrial scale production in Czechoslovakia involves mechanical disruption of the algal cells with Ballotini beads, Japanese commercial production involves chemical extraction. Although all these methods are easy and efficient on a laboratory scale, on an industrial scale problems of fractionation are as formidable as those of cultivation2. Furthermore, the cost involved militates against a more general utilization of this food source. There is now evidence that by genetic manipulation it is possible in some instances to overcome these problems posed by the presence of the cell wall.
The Esophageal Anastomosis: How Improving Blood Supply Affects Leak Rate

Esophagogastric resection and anastomosis have long served as a technically demanding task for gastrointestinal and thoracic surgeons. The location of the structures involved and the morbidity incurred from ischemia of the completed conduit have put into question the validity of the operation. Several techniques including preoperative embolization of specified vessels, vascular anastomoses at the time of esophagogastric anastomosis, and staged vascular ligation followed by delayed esophagogastric resection and anastomosis have been employed over the last 50 years to reduce leak rates from 25% to less than 6% in some series. Angiogenic gene therapy is now being investigated as a modality to further reduce morbidity of the anastomosis. The next advancement in esophagogastric resection and anastomosis will likely utilize a multidisciplinary approach with endoscopic delivery of conditioning agents, as well as surgical preparation of the conduit in order to reduce morbidity and optimize patient outcomes.
Characteristics of Winter-Precipitation-Related Transportation Fatalities in the United States

AbstractWinter precipitation can be very disruptive to travel by aircraft and by motor vehicles. Vehicle fatalities due to winter precipitation are considered “indirect” and are not counted in Storm Data, the publication commonly used to evaluate losses from meteorological hazards. The goal of this study is to examine the spatial and temporal characteristics of these indirect transportation fatalities that involve winter precipitation for the period 1975–2011. Motor vehicle fatalities were gathered from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database, while aviation fatalities were collected from the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Aviation Accident database. Statistical analysis and geographic information systems (GIS) were used to assess the spatial and temporal characteristics of these deaths. Most winter-precipitation-related motor vehicle fatalities occur during the daylight hours. Fatal motor vehicle accident rates are hig...
Buffered Phosphorus Fertilizer Improves Growth and Drought Tolerance of Woody Landscape Plants

The effects of alumina-buffered phosphorus (Al-P) were evaluated on growth and drought tolerance of woody plants and on seedling establishment of several tree species grown in containers with soilless media. Al-P reduced phosphorus leaching in all species. Vegetative growth of rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense Michx. cv. ‘English Roseum’), forsythia (Forsythia intermedia Zab. cv. ‘Spring Glory’), Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra Willd.), and bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa Michx.), measured as plant height, stem caliper, or biomass, was as fast or faster with Al-P as with Osmocote (17–6–10) or monoammonium phosphate fertilizer. Imposition of summer drought during the first growth season slightly reduced growth of rhododendron, with a stronger effect in the second year, while forsythia was more affected in the first season. Rhododendron plants fertilized with Al-P wilted more slowly than controls fertilized with Osmocote. Al-P fertilized forsythia plants grew faster than controls whether drought was imposed or not. Rhododendron plants produced more flower buds in the first year when fertilized with Al-P than with conventional phosphorus fertilizers. At the lower desorbing concentration, drought caused no reduction in percent of plants producing flower buds. A recharging treatment was tested at the beginning of the second season to replace P lost from the Al-P. Recharged Al-P reduced branching and flowering of rhododendron at the end of the second season, possibly as a result of damage from the recharging treatment.
Association between a Healthy Lifestyle Score and inflammatory markers among Puerto Rican adults

Abstract Background and aims The relationship between multiple lifestyle components analyzed in combination and inflammation remains understudied. We aimed to assess the association between a Healthy Lifestyle Score (HLS) that includes adherence to five behavioral components (diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviors, smoking, social support and network, and sleep) and inflammatory markers, as well as the role of the HLS in inflammation among individuals with cardiometabolic conditions, in Puerto Rican adults. Methods and results In a cross-sectional study of 842 Puerto Ricans adults (aged 45–75 y) living in Boston, MA, the HLS (range = 0–190; maximum indicative of healthiest adherence) was analyzed for association with three inflammatory markers: interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP). In multivariable-adjusted models, the HLS was inversely associated with IL-6 (β ± SE = −0.55 ± 0.13; P P = 0.004). The dietary and smoking components were associated with both inflammatory markers independently of the other HLS components. Significant inverse associations were observed for each 20-unit increase in HLS and IL-6 and TNF-α for participants with hypertension (n = 600; β ± SE = −0.58 ± 0.16; −0.46 ± 0.16, respectively) and with overweight/obesity (n = 743; β ± SE = −0.59 ± 0.13; −0.50 ± 0.14, respectively), but not for those with diabetes (n = 187) or heart disease (n = 192). The HLS was not associated with CRP, after adjustment for potential confounders. Conclusion Higher adherence to multiple lifestyle behaviors was associated with lower concentrations of inflammatory markers. Because low-grade inflammation may precede chronic diseases, following an overall healthy lifestyle may help lower risk of these diseases.
Paget's Disease of the Spine with Cord or Nerve-Root Compression

We review the literature and present six case histories in which a neural deficit was caused by the bone proliferation associated with Paget's disease of the vertebrae. There were three cases of compression of the spinal cord and three of compression of nerve root or the cauda equina. The orthopaedic surgeon must be aware of this manifestation of Paget's disease if he is to make the diagnosis promptly and institute effective treatment.
Knowledge support for parallel performance data mining

Parallel applications running on high-end computer systems manifest a complex combination of performance phenomena, such as communication patterns, work distributions, and computational inefficiencies. Current performance tools compute results that help to describe performance behavior, as well as to understand performance problems and how they came about. Unfortunately, parallel performance tool research has been limited in its contributions to large-scale performance data management and analysis, automated performance investigation, and knowledge-based performance problem reasoning. This dissertation discusses the design of a performance analysis methodology and framework which integrates scalable data management, dimension reduction, clustering, classification and correlation analysis of individual trials of large dimensions, and comparative analysis between multiple application executions. Analysis process workflows can be captured, automating what would otherwise be time-consuming and possibly error prone tasks. More importantly, process automation provides an extensible interface to the analysis process. The methods also integrate context metadata and a rule-based system in order to capture expert performance analysis knowledge about known anomalous behavior patterns. Applying this knowledge to performance analysis results and associated metadata provides a mechanism for diagnosing the causes of performance problems, rather than just summarizing results. Our prototype implementation of our data mining framework, PerfExplorer, and our data management framework, PerfDMF, are applied in large-scale performance studies to demonstrate each thesis contribution. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of future research directions.
A Behavioral Model of the Popularity and Regulation of Demandable Liabilities

Overoptimism regarding one’s ability to arrive early in a queue is shown to rationalize deposit contracts in which people can withdraw their funds on demand even if consumption takes place later. Capitalized institutions serving overoptimistic depositors emerge in equilibrium even if depositors and bank owners have identical preferences and investment opportunities. Consistent with the evidence, runs can lead people to move their deposits from one intermediary to another. Regulatory policies, including deposit insurance, minimum capital requirements and restrictions on the assets held by depository institutions can increase the ex ante welfare of depositors. (JEL G21, G28, G32, L51)
Pilot study of a web-based intervention for adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

We evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of a website designed to improve compliance to treatment protocols in adolescents with type-1 diabetes. Fifty-nine adolescents, 13–18 years of age, we...
Coding Theory Applied to a Problem of Ulam

(1988). Coding Theory Applied to a Problem of Ulam. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 61, No. 5, pp. 275-281.
Identification as the basis for a theory of motivation.

R OLE theory has suffered since inception from lack of a satisfactory account of motivation. It is all very well as far as it goes to state that a person learns to recognize standard situations and to play expected roles in them according to the status defined for him in each. But this is not enough when the person encounters alternatives and must resolve conflicting definitions of his appropriate behavior.1 Nor is it enough to account for the emergence of new roles in his conduct, nor for his more or less unique variations upon conventional roles. A striking revelation of the need for some theory of motivation to back up situational analysis2 is disclosed by apathy in the performance of conventional roles, when these are on the verge of abandonment or are accepted only under duress. Roles as such do not provide their own motives. Most of the recent writers on role theory3 have recognized this deficiency and have endeavored to make it up through the expedient of eclecticism. Like a Ford car with a Chevrolet motor, each of these "integrators" puts on the road his own model of role theory, one powered by psychic energy, another by a system of tensions or a drivereduction apparatus, a third by some hierarchy of innate and derived needs. Also, a
Increased free phenytoin concentrations in predialysis serum compared to postdialysis serum in patients with uremia treated with hemodialysis. Role of uremic compounds.

Patients with uremia are reported to have elevated concentrations of free phenytoin as a result of decreases in protein binding. This appears to be related to the presence of uremic compounds. To determine the dialyzability of these compounds, the in vitro protein binding levels of phenytoin in pre- and postdialysis serum (supplemented with phenytoin) of 12 patients with uremia were compared. For these patients, the concentrations of free phenytoin were significantly greater in predialysis serum (lower protein binding) compared to postdialysis serum, although the concentrations of total phenytoin did not vary. Low levels of protein binding of phenytoin in predialysis serum also were observed in two hemodialysis patients receiving phenytoin. Several serum pools, prepared from both normal volunteers and the predialysis sera of uremic patients, were dialyzed ( in vitro equilibrium dialysis). Then both undialyzed and dialyzed sera were supplemented with phenytoin and analyzed to determine free and total phenytoin concentrations. The free phenytoin concentrations were increased in equilibrium-dialyzed normal serum pools compared to undialyzed original pools because of decreases in albumin concentrations after equilibrium dialysis. In contrast, free phenytoin concentrations were decreased in the equilibrium-dialyzed uremic serum pools, thereby indicating an attenuation of the albumin dilution effect on free phenytoin concentration, probably by the preexisting uremic compounds. These compounds can be removed completely by treating sera with activated charcoal at pH 3. The results obtained from charcoal treatment experiments, in combination with other results, indicate that these uremic compounds can be removed partially by in vivo hemodialysis and by in vitro equilibrium dialysis.
CubeSat Attitude Control Testbed Design: Merritt 4-Coil per axis Helmholtz Cage and Spherical Air Bearing

This paper describes the design, construction, and initial tests of a Merritt 4-coil per axis Helmholtz cage around a spherical air bearing for laboratory testing of a CubeSat’s attitude determination and control system (ADCS). While numerical modeling and simulations are important for ADCS design and sensitivity studies, it is important to perform hardware-in-the-loop testing, which results in higher levels of confidence of onorbit performance and lower risk. Attitude control systems measure the magnetic field with magnetometers, and actuate with torque rods or coils. These rods or coils use electromagnetic fields induced by the directional flow of current through the conducting coils to engage with the local magnetic field, and thus transfer momentum and spin the satellite. In order to test that that the attitude determination and control subsystem will perform as expected on orbit, it is important to test both the sensing capability of the magnetometer, the actuating capability of the torque rods, and the interface between the two. To this end, the MIT Space Systems Laboratory has constructed a three-axis Helmholtz cage using a Merritt 4-coil design to maximize uniform field volume around a spherical air bearing. This test bed allows for simulation of the Earth’s magnetic field at the orbital altitude of the satellite, with the combination of a spherical air bearing which supports three degree-of-freedom (3DOF) rotation of the test article. Initial tests have demonstrated the success of producing a uniform magnetic field, as well as a generating a field that follows an 11 th order model of Earth’s IGRF magnetic field, by controlling the amount of current to applied to coils of copper wire through a PC interface. In future work, we will use this facility to test attitude determination and control system for satellites being built in the MIT Space Systems Lab, including a CubeSat called MicroMAS, the Microsized Microwave Atmospheric Satellite.
Effect of health education about planned immunization among reproductive women in Hongqiao District of Tianjin

[Objective]To understand the awareness rate of knowledge about planned immunization among reproductive women in Hongqiao District of Tianjin,evaluate the effect of health education.[Methods]302 20-45 year-old reproductive women who have lived in Hongqiao District for 12 months were randomly collected from floating population,and twice investigations of knowledge about planned immunization were conducted.[Results]302 reproductive women were investigated before and after intervention,and the follow-up rate was 100%.The total awareness rate of knowledge about planned immunization after intervention was significantly higher than that before intervention(P0.01).The rate of active immunization after intervention was higher than that before intervention,and there was significant difference in the rate of 〝willing to understand the vaccination effect of children〞between before and after intervention(P0.01).The proportion of 〝obtaining the knowledge from doctors and books〞increased relatively.[Conclusion]The health education about planned immunization with different ways among reproductive women in Hongqiao District of Tianjin can improve the awareness rate of knowledge about planned immunization,form the concept and behavior of active immunization,and it has obvious effect.
Adjuvant treatment of breast cancer in the elderly. Understanding and addressing the challenges

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women, and the incidence of breast cancer increases with increasing age until age 80. As the population continues to age, breast cancer in older women will become an increasing clinical challenge. A majority of breast cancer in older women is hormone receptor-positive, making hormonal therapy the mainstay of adjuvant treatment in this group. Chemotherapy clinical trials have largely excluded the elderly, and therefore limited data exists on the efficacy and tolerability of standard adjuvant chemotherapy in older women. Ongoing studies are addressing alternatives to standard adjuvant chemotherapy in this group. Emerging biologic instruments such as gene-expression profiling may be able to better identify patients who will gain benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. Elderly patients are highly variable in their functional status, reserve capacity, and comorbidity, and better assessment tools are needed to evaluate these issues and predict which patients will tolerate cancer treatments. More work is needed to address the many challenges that affect the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer in older women.
A Brief History of the Indiana University Center for Studies of Law in Action and the Robert F. Borkenstein Course on Alcohol and High Safety

For the past 50 years, the Indiana University Robert F. Borkenstein Course on Alcohol and Highway Safety, founded by Professor Robert F. Borkenstein in 1958, has made a unique and lasting contribution to that subject by providing expert-level short-course instruction to more than 5,000 registrants from North America and many international locations. Since 1971, the course has been sponsored and presented by the Indiana University Center for Studies of Law in Action, also established by Prof. Borkenstein. The center has been involved in three primary missions in the field of alcohol, drugs, and traffic safety: (a) To carry out and facilitate research; (b) to present short courses and engage in other educational activities; and (c) to serve as a repository for information, available to educators, practitioners, and researchers. The pervasive and cumulative accomplishments of the Robert F. Borkenstein Course and the Indiana University Center for Studies of Law in Action were recognized in August 2007 by conferral of the Widmark Institutional Award by the International Council on Alcohol, Drugs, and Traffic Safety - the highest international honor in that field for outstanding contributions by a nongovernmental organization. This article recounts the history and accomplishments of the course and the center, as a tribute to both, and to Prof. Borkenstein, and to illuminate the path that led to the 16th ICADTS Widmark Institutional Award.
Abstract 3783: Co-treatment of metastasis-derived colon cancer cells with bromoethyl indole (BEI) enhances camptothecin or TNF alpha-induced cell death

Colorectal cancer is still the third most deadly cancer in the United States. Currently, there are limited choices of targeted anticancer agents that are durably effective against colorectal cancer. Therefore, chemotherapeutic regimens containing the drugs Camptothecin (CPT), 5-FU and Oxaliplatin remain the mainstays for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. We recently found that the indole-derivative small compound Bromoethyl Indole (BEI) potently inhibits the proliferation of colon cancer cells and also suppresses NF-kB activation. In this study, we investigated if the combination of BEI with either CPT or TNFα would enhance cell death in vitro. Metastasis-derived parental or engineered NF-kB-reporter colon cancer cells were used to examine 1) the activation of NF-kB signaling by clinically used drugs, 2) the potential for BEI to inhibit drug-induced NF-kB activation, and 3) the potential for combination treatment to enhance cell death in vitro. Cells were treated with either the drugs alone or in combination with BEI at varying concentrations. NF-kB-inducing concentration of CPT (0.6 to 2.5 μM), TNFα (25 to 50 ng/ml), and BEI concentrations of 1 to 50 μM range were tested. Cell cycle profiles and cell death markers were assessed to determine the effects of single or co-treatments. The expressions of Bcl-xL and cIAP2 (BIRC3) proteins were examined to monitor the targets of NF-kB activation. Our results show that 1) both TNFα and CPT induce NF-kB signaling in metastasis-derived colon cancer cells, 2) combination of BEI and TNFα or CPT inhibits such a drug-induced NF-kB activation and reduces the expression of NF-kB responsive genes, 3) sequential treatment of the cells with CPT and BEI delivers the best outcome, increasing cell death by up to 3-fold compared to either CPT or BEI alone, and 4) co-treatment of the cells with TNFα and BEI increases cell death by up to 2-fold compared to either TNFα or BEI alone, 5) BEI is most effective in inducing cell death at concentrations between 2 and 10 μM. We anticipate that BEI will improve the therapeutic index of some chemotherapeutic drugs. Therefore, the potential benefit for combination of BEI with NF-kB activating drugs needs to be evaluated in vivo. Citation Format: Rupak Chowdhury, Sonni A. Miller, Dominique Gales, Jason White, Upender Manne, Temesgen Samuel. Co-treatment of metastasis-derived colon cancer cells with bromoethyl indole (BEI) enhances camptothecin or TNF alpha-induced cell death. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3783.
Semi-non parametric smooth isotonic regression

ABSTRACTWe propose a new method for smooth isotonic regression analysis. Unlike most existing methods for isotonic regression, the proposed method is akin to parametric regression without order restriction. To account for smoothness and isotonicity simultaneously, we exploit the flexible class of semi-non parametric densities to model isotonic regression functions. Under this framework, the full range of inference techniques for parametric regression models become applicable for model estimation and model validation in isotonic regression.
Arrays of silicon-on-insulator photoconducting mesas for ultrasonic motion sensing

Optical sensing of surface motion and of ultrasonic waves for non-destructive testing has been demonstrated using single SOI photo-conducting mesa detectors [1]. The approach involves monitoring in-plane vibrations by measuring the motion of laser speckle from a reflected laser beam across the mesa detector. Speckle motion is most effectively measured with photo-sensitive elements the size of the speckle. Because speckles are on the order of micrometers in size, photoconductive mesas are more sensitive than silicon photo-diodes because of their inherent gain.
Psychometric Properties of Two Measures of Crisis and Distress in Parents of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Parents and their children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) are under significant amounts of stress (Lecavalier, Leone & Wiltz, 2006). When stress escalates to crisis, some children with IDD are admitted to the emergency department or an inpatient unit. While existing measures evaluate stress over time, we lack a valid measure to assess the experience of crisis. The current study aimed to validate a measure of crisis in a clinical sample of parents of children with IDD. Validating such a measure will provide a precise depiction of a family’s perception of crisis and their relative distress, and improve communication between clinicians and families. Methods: Parents and caregivers of children and adolescents, age 5 to 17 and diagnosed with IDD including autism spectrum disorder completed measures, reporting on their level of caregiver strain (using the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire-CGSQ) and their current level of crisis (using the Brief Family Distress Scale-BF...
Highly stable two-dimensional silicon phosphides: Different stoichiometries and exotic electronic properties

We report that the discovery of stable two-dimensional, earth-abundant, semiconducting materials is of great interest and may impact future electronic technologies. By combining global structural prediction and first-principles calculations, we have theoretically discovered several previously unknown semiconducting silicon phosphides (SixPy) monolayers, which could be formed stably at the stoichiometries of y/x ≥1. Unexpectedly, some of these compounds, i.e., P-6m2 Si1P1 and Pm Si1P2, have comparable or even lower formation enthalpies than their previously known bulk allotropes. The band gaps (Eg) of SixPy compounds can be dramatically tuned in an extremely wide range (0< Eg < 3 eV) by simply changing the number of layers or applying an in-plane strain. Furthermore, we find that carrier doping can drive the ground state of C2/m Si1P3 from a nonmagnetic state into a robust half-metallic spin-polarized state, originating from its unique valence band structure, which can extend the use of Si-related compounds for spintronics.
Case study: A novel application of mindfulness- and acceptance-based components to treat misophonia

Abstract Misophonia is an important, yet understudied, psychological condition characterized by feelings of extreme anger and disgust in response to specific human-generated sounds. Several promising case studies using cognitive behavioral therapy to treat misophonia have been published, but given the limited work to date, exploring additional treatment options and expanding the potential options available to clients and clinicians remains important. In order to target the high levels of anger and disgust, we treated a case of misophonia in a 17-year-old male using 10 (50-min) individual sessions based on mindfulness- and acceptance-based components drawn from dialectical behavior therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. In particular, we focused on acceptance, mindfulness, opposite action, and nonjudgmentalness strategies. At 6-month follow-up, the client reported no significant difficulties and a continued decline in symptoms. Theoretical rationale and treatment implications are discussed.
Exploding Targets in Recreational Use

Exploding targets are marketed for their ability to indicate long-range marksmanship by detonating upon high velocity impact. The Internet has popularized recreational use of these targets outside ...
Effects of starch composition and type of non-solvent on the formation of starch nanoparticles and improvement of curcumin stability in aqueous media

Abstract In this study, we evaluated the effects of amylopectin/amylose ratio and non-solvent type on starch nanoparticle formation including the average particle size, polydispersity index, size distribution, and nanoparticle morphology using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The most uniform particles were obtained from normal corn starch with ethanol. The average particle size was 98.8 ± 1.8 nm using DLS while combination of size distribution study and SEM images showed that particle size ranged between 60 and 90 nm. A bimodal distribution was observed with two defined groups of nanoparticles when waxy corn starch (Amioca) was nanoparticulated with ethanol. SEM images of freeze dried samples and DLS size distribution curves of fresh samples showed that high amylose starch including Hylon V and Hylon VII gave uniform, spherical and small nanoparticles in the size range of 20–60 and 15–50 nm, respectively. The smallest nanoparticles were fabricated by precipitation with methanol, followed by ethanol and the largest nanoparticles were formed using acetone. Re-dispersion of nanoparticles was good when nanoparticles were fabricated using ethanol and acetone especially for Amioca, whereas redispersion of samples in aqueous PBS solution, precipitated using methanol was difficult especially in the case of Hylon VII. Stability of curcumin in the presence of 1 mg/ml native starch nanoparticles was much higher (83.7 ± 3.1%) than curcumin in phosphate buffered saline at pH 7.0 (5.5 ± 1.5%) over 10 days at ambient temperature. Interaction between iodine-potassium iodide solution and starch nanoparticles showed that the helical structures of amylose and amylopectin molecules remain in the nanoparticles and curcumin may interact with these helical structures giving it the stability which is not observed in water.
Stakeholder-Driven Quality Improvement: A Compelling Force for Clinical Practice Guidelines:

Clinical practice guideline development should be driven by rigorous methodology, but what is less clear is where quality improvement enters the process: should it be a priority-guiding force, or should it enter only after recommendations are formulated? We argue for a stakeholder-driven approach to guideline development, with an overriding goal of quality improvement based on stakeholder perceptions of needs, uncertainties, and knowledge gaps. In contrast, the widely used topic-driven approach, which often makes recommendations based only on randomized controlled trials, is driven by epidemiologic purity and evidence rigor, with quality improvement a downstream consideration. The advantages of a stakeholder-driven versus a topic-driven approach are highlighted by comparisons of guidelines for otitis media with effusion, thyroid nodules, sepsis, and acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. These comparisons show that stakeholder-driven guidelines are more likely to address the quality improvement needs and pressin...
Increased engagement of the cognitive control network associated with music training in children during an fMRI Stroop task

Playing a musical instrument engages various sensorimotor processes and draws on cognitive capacities collectively termed executive functions. However, while music training is believed to associated with enhancements in certain cognitive and language abilities, studies that have explored the specific relationship between music and executive function have yielded conflicting results. As part of an ongoing longitudinal study, we investigated the effects of music training on executive function using fMRI and several behavioral tasks, including the Color-Word Stroop task. Children involved in ongoing music training (N = 14, mean age = 8.67) were compared with two groups of comparable general cognitive abilities and socioeconomic status, one involved in sports ("sports" group, N = 13, mean age = 8.85) and another not involved in music or sports ("control" group, N = 17, mean age = 9.05). During the Color-Word Stroop task, children with music training showed significantly greater bilateral activation in the pre-SMA/SMA, ACC, IFG, and insula in trials that required cognitive control compared to the control group, despite no differences in performance on behavioral measures of executive function. No significant differences in brain activation or in task performance were found between the music and sports groups. The results suggest that systematic extracurricular training, particularly music-based training, is associated with changes in the cognitive control network in the brain even in the absence of changes in behavioral performance.
Pathological and 3 Tesla Volumetric Magnetic Resonance Imaging Predictors of Biochemical Recurrence after Robotic Assisted Radical Prostatectomy: Correlation with Whole Mount Histopathology.

Purpose: We sought to identify the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging variables predictive of biochemical recurrence after robotic assisted radical prostatectomy in patients who underwent multiparametric 3 Tesla prostate magnetic resonance imaging.Materials and Methods: We performed an institutional review board approved, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant, single arm observational study of 3 Tesla multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging prior to robotic assisted radical prostatectomy from December 2009 to March 2016. Clinical, magnetic resonance imaging and pathological information, and clinical outcomes were compiled. Biochemical recurrence was defined as prostate specific antigen 0.2 ng/cc or greater. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis was performed.Results: Biochemical recurrence had developed in 62 of the 255 men (24.3%) included in the study at a median followup of 23.5 months. Compared to the subcohort without biochemical recurrence the subcoh...
Improving R&D Productivity: Measuring Innovation and Productivity — A Peer Rating Approach

(1977). Improving R&D Productivity: Measuring Innovation and Productivity — A Peer Rating Approach. Research Management: Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 35-38.
Spectral Characteristics of Chorophyll in Green Plants

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights spectral characteristics of chlorophyll in green plants. The data on different forms of chlorophyll in vivo are consistent with an organization of pigments into two photochemical systems. The data also suggest that chlorophyll is in different physical states in the two systems. System I contains an aggregated, low-fluorescent, oriented form of chlorophyll a with an absorption maximum at 683 mμ. System II contains a monomeric, fluorescent, unoriented form of chlorophyll a with an absorption maximum at 673 mμ. Various stratagems have been employed in attempts to separate the two systems as morphological entities. A study of the development of the two systems in greening leaves indicated, within the timing precision of the experiment, that the two systems were formed at the same time. This one attempt, however, does not exhaust the possibilities of obtaining a relatively pure system I or system II at a particular stage of development. In another study, mutants of Scenedesmus which exhibited a deficiency of either system I or system II were examined spectroscopically to determine whether any of the mutations were reflected in the pigment composition. The mutations appeared to be because of the deficiencies in the electron transport chain. All the mutants showed the same relative amounts of Chl b 650, Chl a 673, and Chl a 683. The successful separation and recombination of the two photochemical systems and their related photochemical activities would represent a major advance and an important tool in the study of the mechanism of photosynthesis.
A Framework for Fiscal Policy Coordination and Economic Stability: Countercyclical Transfer for Infrastructure

This chapter examines the theory behind the design of fiscal transfers; it identifies acyclicality of transfers as a drawback and proposes countercyclical design as an optimal fiscal framework to mitigate cyclical economic fluctuations. It further advocates countercyclical transfers for infrastructure investment, service maintenance, and business tax relief as incentives for states to save in boom years then build from recession into recovery. The framework is set to operate on time-consistent policy rules, as automatic stabilizers with triggers from key economic indicators. It advocates dynamic equity to compensate boom-year donor states ­during recession for more effective macroeconomic stabilization. This chapter focuses on fiscal policy; it does not discuss the political dynamics or details in implementation.
Lymphoid-Associated Antigen Expression by Acute Myeloid Leukemia

The expression of lymphoid-associated antigens (LAA) on blasts in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myeloproliferative disorders in myeloid blast crisis (MPD/MBC) has often been used to establish a diagnosis of acute mixed lineage leukemia (AMLL). The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of LAA expression in AML and MPD/MBC (Ly + AML); to assess lymphoid differentiation at the genomic level in Ly + AML; and to compare features of Ly + AML with AML and MPD/MBC lacking these antigens (Ly-AML). Seventy-four consecutive cases of AML and MPD/MBC were reviewed for blast morphology, TdT reactivity, and cytochemistry results. Blast immunophenotyping was performed by multiparameter flow cytometry. Acute myeloid leukemia was subtyped according to the FAB classification. Acute myeloid leukemia and MPD/MBC cases expressing one or more of the following antigens, CD2, CD3, CD5, CD7, CD19, or CD20, were considered to be Ly + AML. Immunoglobulin (Ig) and T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement studies were performed by Southern blot analysis using probes for JH, Jkappa, and JBI/BII. Sixteen of the 74 cases (22%) were identified as Ly + AML. Of these, the T-cell-associated markers CD7, CD2, and CD5 were expressed on 7(44%), 6(38%), and 4(25%) Ly + AML cases, respectively. The B-cell-associated markers CD19 and CD20 were expressed on two cases (13%) and one (6%) case, respectively. The FAB subtypes were similarly represented among Ly + AML and Ly-AML. Expression of LAA did not correlate with TdT positivity. In nine cases of Ly + AML (7 expressing T-cell-associated antigens and two expressing B-cell-associated antigens), Southern blot analysis revealed no Ig or TCR gene rearrangements. These results suggest that expression of CD2, CD5, and CD7 in otherwise straightforward AML should not be taken as evidence of lymphoid lineage commitment and does not warrant a diagnosis of AMLL.
Urticaria: A comprehensive review: Treatment of chronic urticaria, special populations, and disease outcomes.

Second-generation antihistamines are considered first-line agents in the treatment of chronic urticaria because of their safety and efficacy profile. Some patients require higher doses of H1 antihistamines alone or in combination with other classes of medications, including H2 antihistamines, leukotriene receptor antagonists, or first-generation H1 antihistamines. One major therapeutic advance has been omalizumab, a humanized monoclonal anti–immunoglobulin E that was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of chronic urticaria that is unresponsive to H1 antagonists. In addition, the second article in this continuing medical education series outlines several evidence-based alternative treatments for urticaria and the differences in recommendations between 2 major consensus groups (the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology/World Allergy Organization and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology/American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Joint Task Force).
The Integration of Electric Scooters: Useful Technology or Public Health Problem?

The article focuses on the growing popularity of electric scooters (e-scooters) and possible public health issues related to their use. It states that e-scooters ride inches above the ground and can travel up to 15 miles per hour. It mentions companies that build e-scooters recommend wearing a helmet while riding, only riding on roadways, being at least 18 years old, and not blocking public pathways when parking. It talks about traumatic injuries that riders can suffer while using e-scooters.
Cell-Free DNA as a Biomarker in Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases

Endogenous DNA is primarily found intracellularly in nuclei and mitochondria. However, extracellular, cell-free (cf) DNA, has been observed in several pathological conditions, including autoimmune diseases, prompting the interest of developing cfDNA as a potential biomarker. There is an upsurge in studies considering cfDNA to stratify patients, monitor the treatment response and predict disease progression, thus evaluating the prognostic potential of cfDNA for autoimmune diseases. Since the discovery of elevated cfDNA levels in lupus patients in the 1960s, cfDNA research in autoimmune diseases has mainly focused on the overall quantification of cfDNA and the association with disease activity. However, with recent technological advancements, including genomic and methylomic sequencing, qualitative changes in cfDNA are being explored in autoimmune diseases, similar to the ones used in molecular profiling of cfDNA in cancer patients. Further, the intracellular origin, e.g., if derived from mitochondrial or nuclear source, as well as the complexing with carrier molecules, including LL-37 and HMGB1, has emerged as important factors to consider when analyzing the quality and inflammatory potential of cfDNA. The clinical relevance of cfDNA in autoimmune rheumatic diseases is strengthened by mechanistic insights into the biological processes that result in an enhanced release of DNA into the circulation during autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. Prior work have established an important role of accelerated apoptosis and impaired clearance in leakage of nucleic acids into the extracellular environment. Findings from more recent studies, including our own investigations, have demonstrated that NETosis, a neutrophil cell death process, can result in a selective extrusion of inflammatory mitochondrial DNA; a process which is enhanced in patients with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. In this review, we will summarize the evolution of cfDNA, both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, as biomarkers for autoimmune rheumatic diseases and discuss limitations, challenges and implications to establish cfDNA as a biomarker for clinical use. This review will also highlight recent advancements in mechanistic studies demonstrating mitochondrial DNA as a central component of cfDNA in autoimmune rheumatic diseases.
Maternal warmth and prosocial behaviors among low-SES adolescents: Considering interactions between empathy and moral conviction

The study examined the links among maternal warmth and adolescents’ empathic concern, moral conviction and prosocial behaviors. Participants were 311 adolescents from a low-income community (M age ...
The Effects of Tai Chi Mind-Body Approach on the Mechanisms of Gulf War Illness: an Umbrella Review.

Abstract Gulf War illness (GWI) is a chronic and multisymptom disorder affecting military veterans deployed to the 1991 Persian Gulf War. It is characterized by a range of acute and chronic symptoms, including but not limited to, fatigue, sleep disturbances, psychological problems, cognitive deficits, widespread pain, and respiratory and gastrointestinal difficulties. The prevalence of many of these chronic symptoms affecting Gulf War veterans occur at markedly elevated rates compared to nondeployed contemporary veterans. To date, no effective treatments for GWI have been identified. The overarching goal of this umbrella review was to critically evaluate the evidence for the potential of Tai Chi mind-body exercise to benefit and alleviate GWI symptomology. Based on the most prevalent GWI chronic symptoms and case definitions established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kansas Gulf War Veterans Health Initiative Program, we reviewed and summarized the evidence from 7 published systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Our findings suggest that Tai Chi may have the potential for distinct therapeutic benefits on the major prevalent symptoms of GWI. Future clinical trials are warranted to examine the feasibility, efficacy, durability and potential mechanisms of Tai Chi for improving health outcomes and relieving symptomology in GWI.
Incidence and Clinical Features of Immune-Related Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Receiving Programmed Cell Death Ligand-1 Inhibitors.

Abstract Background Programmed cell death receptor ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors are immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) whose side effect profile may differ from other classes of ICIs such as those directed against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death 1 receptor (PD-1). Being the more recently approved class of checkpoint inhibitors, there are no studies investigating the frequency, etiology and predictors of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients receiving PD-L1 inhibitors. Methods Retrospective cohort study of patients who received PD-L1 inhibitors during 2017- 2018 in our healthcare system. Acute kidney injury (AKI) was defined by a ≥1.5-fold rise in serum creatinine from baseline. The etiology of all cases of sustained AKI (lasting >48 hours) and clinical course were determined by review of electronic health records. Results The final analysis included 599 patients. Within 12 months of ICI initiation, 104 patients (17%) experienced AKI and 36 (6%) experienced sustained AKI; however, only 5 ( Conclusion Although AKI is common in patients receiving PD-L1 therapy, the incidence of suspected PD-L1-related AKI is low (
Nothing in biology begins when you think it does

Neil Shubin has written an excellent, accessible book explaining how innovations in biology evolve. The key insight—one provided by Darwin but fleshed out by biologists over the subsequent century and a half—is that the precursors of traits involved in innovations usually were present in the ancestors but had a different function. In this book, Shubin also provides rich biographical detail of the scientists involved in the discoveries.