cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dolutegravir Plus Two Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors versus Efavirenz Plus Two Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors As Initial Antiretroviral Therapy for People with HIV: A Systematic Review.

Author(s): Rutherford, George W; Horvath, Hacsi | Abstract: BackgroundDolutegravir (DTG) is a once-daily unboosted second-generation integrase-inhibitor that along with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors is one of several regimens recommended by the United States, United Kingdom and European Union for first-line antiretroviral treatment of people with HIV infection. Our objective was to review the evidence for the efficacy and safety of DTG-based first-line regimens compared to efavirenz (EFV)-based regimens.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review. We comprehensively searched a range of databases as well as conference abstracts and a trials registry. We used Cochrane methods in screening and data collection and assessed each study's risk of bias with the Cochrane tool. We meta-analyzed data using a fixed-effects model. We used GRADE to assess evidence quality.ResultsFrom 492 search results, we identified two randomized controlled trials, reported in five peer-reviewed articles and one conference abstract. One trial tested two DTG-based regimens (DTG + abacavir (ABC) + lamivudine (3TC) or DTG + tenofovir + emtricitabine) against an EFV-based regimen (EFV+ ABC+3TC). The other trial tested DTG+ABC+3TC against EFV+ABC+3TC. In meta-analysis, DTG-containing regimens were superior to EFV-containing regimens at 48 weeks and at 96 weeks (RR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.04-1.16; and RR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.04-1.21, respectively). In one trial, the DTG-containing regimen was superior at 144 weeks (RR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.02-1.24). DTG-containing regimens were superior in reducing treatment discontinuation compared to those containing EFV at 96 weeks and at 144 weeks (RR = 0.27, 95% CI 0.15-0.50; and RR = 0.28, 95% CI 0.16-0.48, respectively). Risk of serious adverse events was similar in each regimen at 96 weeks (RR = 1.15, 95% CI 0.80-1.63) and 144 weeks (RR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.68-1.29). Risk of bias was moderate overall, as was GRADE evidence quality.ConclusionsDTG-based regimens should be considered in future World Health Organization guidelines for initial HIV treatment.
Counter Cyber Attacks By Semantic Networks

In order to increase the accuracy of intrusion detection rate and reduce the false alarm rate for cyber-security analysis, attack correlation has become an indispensable component in most intrusion detection systems. However, traditional intrusion detection techniques often fail to handle the complex and uncertain network attack correlation tasks. We propose the creation of semantic networks that build relationships among network attacks and assist in automatically identifying and predicting related attacks. Also, our method can increase the precision in detecting probable attacks. Experimental results show that our semantic network, using the Anderberg similarity measure, performs better in terms of precision and recall compared to existing correlation approaches in the cyber-security domain.
Impact of integrated programs on general surgery operative volume

Abstract Background Integrated residencies are now commonplace, co-existing with categorical general surgery residencies. The purpose of this study was to define the impact of integrated programs on categorical general surgery operative volume. Methods Case logs from categorical general, integrated plastics, vascular, and thoracic surgery residents from a single institution from 2008 to 2016 were collected and analyzed. Results Integrated residents have increased the number of cases they perform that would have previously been general surgery resident cases from 11 in 2009–2010 to 1392 in 2015–2016. Despite this, there was no detrimental effect on total major cases of graduating chief residents. Conclusions Multiple integrated programs can co-exist with a general surgery program through careful collaboration and thoughtful consideration to longitudinal needs of individual trainees. As additional programs continue to be created, both integrated and categorical program directors must continue to collaborate to insure the integrity of training for all residents.
Intensive Language Action Therapy in Chronic Aphasia: A Randomized Clinical Trial Examining Guidance by Constraint.

Purpose Intensive language action therapy (ILAT) can be effective in overcoming learned nonuse in chronic aphasia. It is suggested that all three guiding principles (constraint, communication embed...
Surviving and Thriving in Academia: Obtaining Balance, Health, and Clarity

The reflections in this section run the gamut from inspirational to sad to triumphant to scary. We came up with the idea for this book because we wanted to make a difference for people. Sometimes in academia (and outside of it, of course), one can feel lonely. We hear story after story about long hours hunched over computers alone, having not actually spoken a word out loud in hours. This can be quite jarring for many. Even as a student, you have to cut yourself a break. You are balancing so many life functions that sometimes your sanity (and health, as you’ll read herein) drops to the wayside.
A Comparison of the Early Twenty-First Century Drought in the United States to the 1930s and 1950s Drought Episodes

AbstractThe United States experienced a severe drought that peaked in 2012 and was characterized by near-record extent, record warmth, and record dryness in several areas. For some regions, the 2012 drought was a continuation of drought that began in earlier years and continued through 2014. The 1998–2014 drought episode is compared to the two other major drought episodes of the twentieth century in terms of duration, areal extent, intensity, and spatial pattern using operational datasets produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Centers for Environmental Information. It is characterized by more short-term dryness, more concurrent (regional) wetness, and warmer temperatures than the other two drought episodes. The implications of these differences for water resource managers and decision-makers are discussed.
Shakespeare's Philosophy of Music

Shakespeare is one of the most widely read figures in literature, but his use of music is not usually touched on in literary discussions of his works. This paper discusses how Shakespeare portrays music within the context of his plays, both through dialogue and songs performed within each work. In Shakespeare’s time, Boethius’ philosophy of the music of the spheres was still highly popular. This was the idea that the arrangement of the cosmos mirrored musical proportions. As a result, every aspect of the universe was believed to be highly ordered, and this idea is prominent throughout Shakespeare’s works, from Hamlet to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. To make this clear to the reader, the paper discusses dialogue symmetry weaved throughout The Merchant of Venice , clear allusions to the music of the spheres in Pericles, and the use of music as a signifier of the strange and mysterious – from madness to love – in numerous works, always relating these topics back to the philosophy of the music of the spheres. In order to compile this information and make it clear, the author researched the philosophy of music during Shakespeare’s era. The author also researched how Shakespeare uses music thematically to emphasize different characters’ struggles as well as plot details. After examining his plays as well as the other sources available on the subject, it is clear that Shakespeare was highly influenced by the philosophical and practical ideas regarding music of his time, specifically the theory of the music of the spheres.
A GluN2B-selective NMDAR antagonist reverses synapse loss and cognitive impairment produced by the HIV-1 protein tat

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) affects approximately half of HIV-infected patients. Loss of synaptic connections is a hallmark of many neurocognitive disorders, including HAND. The HIV-1 protein transactivator of transcription (Tat) disrupts synaptic connections both in vitro and in vivo and has been linked to impaired neurocognitive function in humans. In vitro studies have shown that ifenprodil, an antagonist selective for GluN2B-containing NMDARs, reverses synapse loss when applied after Tat. Here, we tested the hypothesis that Tat-induced loss and ifenprodil-mediated rescue of synaptic spines in vivo would predict impairment and rescue of cognitive function. Using intracranial multiphoton imaging, we found that infusion of 100 ng of HIV-1 Tat into the lateral ventricle of yellow fluorescent protein-expressing transgenic mice produced a 17 ± 1% loss of dendritic spines in layer 1 of retrosplenial cortex. Repeated imaging of the same dendrites over 3 weeks enabled longitudinal experiments that demonstrated sustained spine loss after Tat infusion and transient rescue after ifenprodil administration (10 mg/kg, i.p.). Parallel trace fear conditioning experiments showed that spine loss predicted learning deficits and that the time course of ifenprodil-induced rescue of spine density correlated with restoration of cognitive function. These results show for the first time that, during exposure to an HIV-1 neurotoxin in vivo, alteration of GluN2B-containing NMDAR signaling suppresses spine density and impairs learning. Pharmacological inhibition of these NMDARs rescued spines and restored cognitive function. Drugs that rescue synapses may improve neurocognitive function in HAND.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Synaptodendritic damage correlates with cognitive decline in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) patients. We developed an in vivo imaging approach for longitudinal tracking of spine density that enabled correlation of synaptic changes with behavioral outcomes in a model of HAND. We show for the first time that spine loss after exposure to an HIV-1 protein can be reversed pharmacologically and that loss and recovery of dendritic spines predict impairment and restoration of cognitive function, respectively. Therefore, synapse loss, the hallmark of cognitive decline in HAND, is reversible. Drugs that restore spine density may have broad application for improving cognitive function during the early phases of neurodegenerative diseases.
The Axolotl Limb Regeneration Model as a Discovery Tool for Engineering the Stem Cell Niche.

Recent advances in genomics and gene editing have expanded the range of model organisms to include those with interesting biological capabilities such as regeneration. Among these are the classic models of regeneration biology, the salamander. Although stimulating endogenous regeneration in humans likely is many years away, with advances in stem cell biology and biomedical engineering (e.g., bio-inspired materials), it is evident that there is great potential to enhance regenerative outcomes by approaching the problem from an engineering perspective. The question at this point is what do we need to engineer? The value of regeneration models is that they show us how regeneration works, which then can guide efforts to mimic these developmental processes therapeutically. Among these models, the accessory limb model (ALM) was developed in the axolotl as a gain-of-function assay for the sequential steps that are required for successful regeneration. To date, this model has identified a number of proregenerative signals, including growth factor signaling associated with nerves and signals associated with the extracellular matrix (ECM) that induce pattern formation. Identification of these signals through the use of models in highly regenerative vertebrates (e.g., the axolotl) offers a wide range of possible modifications for engineering bioinspired, biomimetic materials to create a dynamic stem cell niche for regeneration and scar-free repair.
NLP-Based Approach to Semantic Classification of Heterogeneous Transportation Asset Data Terminology

AbstractThe inconsistency of data terminology has imposed big challenges on integrating transportation project data from distinct sources. Differences in meaning of data elements may lead to miscom...
Keys for distinguishing thrips (Thysanoptera) commonly found on slash pine in Florida

The slash pine flower thrips (SPFT), Gnophothrips fuscus (Morgan) commonly damages cone crops of slash pines, Pinus elliottii Engelmann var. elliottii. It occurs in the crowns of seed orchard trees in association with three other species of thrips — Leptothrips pini (Watson), Frankliniella bispinosa (Morgan), and Oxythrips pallidiventris Hood. Pest management strategies are being developed for southern pine seed orchards that rely on the rapid and accurate identification of different species of pests. Two laboratory keys are presented to distinguish the four species of thrips in the laboratory.
Patient-Centered Drug Approval: The Role of Patient Advocacy in the Drug Approval Process.

Recent approval of eteplirsen for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare disease with few treatment alternatives, has reignited the debate over the U.S. drug approval process. The evolution of legal and regulatory restrictions to the marketing and sale of pharmaceuticals has spanned more than a century, and throughout this history, patient advocacy has played a significant role. Scientific evidence from clinical trials serves as the foundation for drug approval, but the patient voice has become increasingly influential. Although the gold standard for establishing safety and efficacy through randomized controlled trials has been in place for more than 50 years, it poses several limitations for rare disorders where patient recruitment for traditional clinical trials is a major barrier. Organized efforts by patient advocacy groups to help patients with rare diseases access investigational therapy have had a legislative and regulatory effect. After approval by the FDA, patient access to therapy may still b...
Critical theory, institutions, and hegemony: role obligation and the reconciliation of seemingly incompatible goals

Literature on critical and institutional theories are often perceived to be incompatible, despite a shared conceptual grounding. By clearly defining and understanding the concepts of “hegemony” and “role obligations” one might address this misconception of incompatibility, and allow the development of a framework to bridge the concepts of institutions and critical theory. This bridge allows the two streams of literature to meaningfully benefit from each intellectual space. This bridge can ultimately be used to inform both theory and practice in the study of organizations.
Location Searching Method of Smart Power Terminal Based on Mobile Positioning Technology

This paper proposed the Location Searching Method of Smart Power Terminal base on Mobile Positioning Technology. For those occasions in the scope of work that is improper to deploy AP but require only precise position, its applicability could be figured out from position accuracy, scalability and expenditure as well as providing parameters for the engineering practice. From the results of calculations, with the increase of amount of known AP locations the position accuracy rises as well, while the standard deviation of position error become smaller and smaller which represents better outcome of the stability of position algorithm. The errors of model calculations have reached more than 80% that indicating a relatively high accuracy of position algorithm to achieve the expected requirements.
Combining Classification Models

Chapter 6 discussed methods for combining several models that are designed to make numeric predictions. For classification models that base their decisions on numeric predictions, the methods of that chapter are often a good choice. However, some models are inherently strict classifiers in that they produce a class decision and nothing more. Also, many number-based classifiers produce numeric predictions that are unstable in some way. In such situations, we must use more specialized techniques. This chapter discusses model-combination algorithms for applications in which the ultimate goal is classification. Component models in which the prediction is and is not numeric are both considered. Also, we see how to take advantage of component classifiers in which class ranks of ordinal scale are produced.
Comparison of Cerebral Blood Flow Measurements with Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy and Coherent Hemodynamics Spectroscopy

We found a good agreement between the temporal dynamics of cerebral blood flow measured with diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) and with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in conjunction with coherent hemodynamics spectroscopy (CHS).
Motor skill training in musculoskeletal pain: a case report in chronic low back pain

Purpose: Low back pain is a chronic condition that limits function. The chief reason individuals with low back pain seek care is difficulty performing functional activities. A novel approach to improving performance of painful and limited functional activities is motor skill training, defined as challenging practice of activities to learn or relearn a skill. The purpose of this report is to describe the design and application of a motor skill training intervention in a 26-year-old man with a 10-year history of low back pain. Methods: A motor skill training intervention was implemented to modify the altered alignment and movement patterns he used during the performance of his painful and limited activities. Results: The patient was seen for six visits in 12 weeks. The patient reported decreased pain and medication use, as well as improved function immediately, 3-, and 9-months post-intervention. Conclusion: Individuals with low back pain report limitation in ability to perform everyday functions and demonstrate altered patterns of movement and alignment during these activities. This case report describes an innovative motor skill training intervention that directly addresses the performance of functional activities and the application of motor learning principles. Implications for rehabilitation Low back pain is a chronic condition that limits function. The chief reason individuals with chronic low back pain seek care is difficulty performing everyday functional activities. Motor skill training is a novel approach that directly addresses the performance of painful and limited functional activities through challenging practice to improve performance and decrease pain.
Smelting Remains a Public Health Risk Nearly a Century Later: A Case Study in Pueblo, Colorado, USA.

Pueblo, Colorado has a long history of smelting activities, and recent studies raised concerns about lead exposure. This study tested 240 children in Pueblo for blood lead levels (BLLs) and found a significant association between distance from old smelters and children BLLs. Around 7.5% of Pueblo children had BLLs above the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reference level of 5 µg/dL for elevated BLL, and 18.3% had BLLs between 3.3–4.9 µg/dL. Out of the 36 children who lived near former smelters, 13.9% had BLLs above 5 µg/dL vs. 6.37% for children living away from old smelters. The proportion of Pueblo children with elevated BLL was nearly three times the 2007–2010 United States national average (7.5% vs. 2.6%), and this was higher in the immediate vicinity of old smelters (13.9% vs. 2.6%). Genetic polymorphisms for ALAD-1 or ALAD-2 alleles, which play a role in susceptibility to lead toxicity, were not associated with children BBLs. Around 38.5% of houses sampled near the smelters had topsoil lead levels higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s benchmark of 400 mg/kg. Our study resulted in the addition of areas of Pueblo to the EPA Superfund National Priorities List in December 2014, and cleanup is currently underway to minimize the public health risks.
Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of AAR affected reinforced concrete shear walls

Abstract Whereas many publications report on alkali aggregate reaction (AAR) expansion or test analyses, very few address the more pressing issue of its impact on structures. Furthermore, given the uncertainties associated with characterization of the material, probabilistic based approach are not known to have been reported in the literature. This paper addresses these limitations through an analysis of a reinforced shear wall. A two-prone approach is followed: first a sensitivity analysis is performed to narrow the number of random variables (RVs) to the most relevant ones. Then, an uncertainty quantification is performed through Latin Hypercube Sampling with and without AAR expansion. Then the capacity curves (including the summarized ones to 16, 50 and 84% fractiles) are developed. Probability of non-exceedance of a specific capacity (i.e., limit state) is shown though the so-called fragility curves. It is found that in some cases AAR increases the shear capacity, while in others it decreased it. It highly depends on the initial combination of the RVs.
Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Clinical Ethics:Historical Parallels and Diversions

As clinical ethicists increasingly populate hospital settings, a definition of their roles and responsibilities vis a vis those of consultation-liaison (C-L) psychiatrists remains a matter of both interest and uncertainty. Both fields share certain evolutionary and ideological features, yet until very recently, psychiatry has ignored medical ethics, leaving the field to other medical specialties. This estrangement can be explained by psychiatry's traditional suspicion and devaluation of moral philosophy and its more recent wish to be identified more with biomedicine than with the "softer" social sciences and humanities. C-L psychiatry has both a lot to offer and a lot to learn from clinical ethics.
Modulatory inputs on sympathetic neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla in the rat.

1. The first part of this study looks at spontaneously active neurons located in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) with projections to the thoracic spinal cord. Sixteen neurons were intracellularly recorded in vivo. Four out of 16 neurons were antidromically activated from the thoracic spinal cord (axonal conduction velocities varied from 1.8 m/s to 9.5 m/s). 2. The simultaneous averages of the neuronal membrane potential and arterial blood pressure triggered by the pulsatile arterial wave or the EKG-R wave demonstrated changes in membrane potential (hyperpolarization or depolarization) locked to the cardiac cycle in four neurons in this group. These neurons (three of them bulbospinal) were further tested for barosensitivity by characterizing the responses to electrical stimulation of the aortic depressor nerve. Four neurons responded with inhibitory hyperpolarizing responses characterized as inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSP) to aortic nerve stimulation (onset latency: 32.3 ± 5.0 ms; mean ± SEM). 3. In two neurons in the RVLM, one of them characterized as barosensitive, electrical stimulation of the opposite RVLM (0.5 Hz, 1.0 ms pulse duration, 25–100 μA) elicited excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) with latencies of 9.07 and 10.5 ms. At resting membrane potential, the onset latency of the evoked EPSPs did not change with increasing stimulus intensities. Some of the recorded neurons were intracellularly labelled with biocytin for visualization. They were found in the RVLM. 4. These experiments in vivo would support the idea of a functional commissural pathway between the RVLM of both sides. 5. Anatomical data have shown that some of those commissural bundle fibers originate in the C1 adrenergic neuronal group in the RVLM. In the second part of this study, we used an intracellular recording technique in vitro to investigate the effects of the indirect adrenergic agonist tyramine on neurons in the RVLM with electrophysiological properties similar to premotor sympathetic neurons in vivo. 6. Tyramine (0.5–1 mM) produced a pronounced inhibitory effect with hyperpolarization and increase in membrane input resistance on two neurons characterized as regularly firing (R), and on one neuron characterized as irregularly firing (I). This effect was preceded by a transient depolarization with increases in firing rate. 7. These results would indicate that neurons in the RVLM recorded in vitro and with properties similar to premotor sympathetic neurons can be modulated by catecholamines released from terminals probably making synaptic contacts.
Historical Background of Cuban Land Cover Change

Chapter one introduces the concepts of landscape change, what defines a landscape, and how Cuba’s land use practices have changed over time. Here the definition of land use is distinguished from land cover. The shifting perception regarding the island’s natural resources is also described in terms of the various perspectives spanning from those of the first Indians to those of the early Spaniards. The question of what those varying perspectives meant in terms of exploitation versus conservation is also briefly explored. Finally, the chapter concludes with a look at how the landscape has changed, in map format, from the time of Columbus to present day.
In Situ Infrared Spectroelectrochemistry for Understanding Structural Transformations of Precisely Defined Ions at Electrochemical Interfaces

Understanding the intrinsic properties of electroactive species at electrode–electrolyte interfaces (EEIs) is essential to the rational design of high-performance solid-state energy conversion and ...
Denationalisation, Assassination, Territory: Some (U.S.-Prompted) Reflections

Unlike the several liberal states Macklin cites which have already, or will soon, deploy citizenship revocation as an anti-terrorism mechanism, the United States is unlikely to implement similar policies. The U.S. Constitution has been interpreted to prohibit unilateral citizenship-stripping as a tool of governance. Instead, denationalisation via expatriation in the U.S. requires the individual to specifically consent to relinquish the status, and such consent cannot be inferred from acts alone – even from acts which some (including some commentators in this symposium) would like to characterise as intrinsically antithetical to citizenship identity.
Practical Psychopharmacology: Basic to Advanced Principles

Practical Psychopharmacology takes the novel approach of writing at three different levels—beginning, intermediate, and advanced—to give the practicing psychopharmacologist a tailored experience. Each chapter focuses on a specific DSM-5 disorder and outlines abbreviated treatment guidelines to help the reader understand where their knowledge base and clinical practice currently resides. At the first level, the book teaches novice prescribers practical diagnostic skills and provides a brief overview of pertinent genetic and neuroimaging findings to increase prescribing confidence. Next, it provides mid-level clinicians with intermediate techniques and guidelines for more difficult cases. The final level provides nuanced guidance for advanced practitioners or those who see the most treatment-resistant patients. This approach allows a clinician to access this book periodically throughout the care of an individual patient and to gradually progress through a series of more advanced psychopharmacological techniques for making accurate and efficient diagnoses. Readers can also visit the book’s eResource page to download a bonus chapter on eating disorders as well as case studies and multiple-choice questions for each chapter.
Synthesis and evaluation of third generation vitamin D3 analogues as inhibitors of Hedgehog signaling.

Abstract The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway is a developmental pathway with therapeutic potential as a target for a variety of cancers. In recent years, several vitamin D-based compounds have been identified as potent inhibitors of Hh signaling. These analogues contain aromatic phenol A-ring mimics coupled to the CD-ring side chain of vitamin D3 through modified seco-B regions. To continue structure-activity relationship studies on this class of Hh pathway inhibitors, multiple series of vitamin D-based analogues that contain an amine-based seco-B tether and/or incorporate a hydroxyl moiety on C-25 were designed and synthesized. These compounds were evaluated in multiple cell lines for their anti-Hh activity, and we identify analogues 16, 21, 22 as potent vitamin D-based Hh inhibitors (IC50 values of 110–340 nM). We also performed a series of mechanism of action studies in knockout cell lines to further explore whether these analogues inhibit the Hh pathway through a known Hh pathway component or the vitamin D receptor. While the specific cellular target that mediates these effects remains elusive, our studies suggest multiple cellular targets may mediate the anti-Hh activity of this scaffold.
Interest in Mathematics--It's in the Cards.

Interest in mathematics can often be gen erated by see ingly nonmathematical items. Perhaps not surprisingly, students cited card tricks as their favorite activity in a course in recreational mathematics that I taught to middle school students in Miami University?Middletown's "Kids in Col lege" program. When a card trick was shown to them, the students were at first inclined to believe that the trick was based on magic or sleight-of-hand manipulation, asking such questions as, "How did you do that?" I answered that I hadn't done any thing ... it was "in the cards," or, more pre cisely, in the mathematics of cards. Our pursuit of finding the mathematics in a par ticular card trick involved several impor tant mathematical activities: problem solving analysis, making a conjecture and testing it, discovering, and verbalizing. The Trick
Cognitive-motor exergaming for reducing fall risk in people with chronic stroke: A randomized controlled trial

Background Dual-task (simultaneous motor and cognitive task) (DT) training via virtual-reality exergaming is known to benefit balance control post-stroke. However, the efficacy of such training on DT balance control (volitional and reactive) and cognitive (executive function and attention) domains associated with fall risk remains unclear. Objective We evaluated the efficacy of cognitive-motor exergame training (CMT) (Wii-fit games in conjunction with cognitive tasks) for improving balance control (volitional and reactive) and cognition (executive function and attention) among people with chronic stroke (PwCS). Methods Hemiparetic, ambulatory PwCS were randomly assigned to either CMT (n = 12) or conventional training (CT) (n = 12) and underwent six weeks of high-intensity, tapered balance training. The CMT group performed Wii-fit games in conjunction with cognitive tasks, while CT group underwent customized, progressive balance training. Performance under DT conditions on Limits of Stability (volitional) and Slip-Perturbation (reactive) tests, and letter-number sequencing (cognition) determined the efficacy of CMT. Results Post-intervention, under DT reactive conditions, CMT group improved both motor and cognition, while the CT group improved motor alone. Under DT volitional conditions, motor performance improved only in CMT group. Conclusion Cognitive-motor exergaming appears to be effective for improving balance control and cognition and could be implemented in clinical stroke rehabilitation settings.
Convergent Evolution of Innovative Teams in Technical Services

In recent years UNC-Chapel Hill Libraries, Duke University Libraries, and NC State University Libraries each formed a new team in response to the increasing need to repurpose and reuse data and met...
Gene expression profiling of cervical cancer and cell line models

869 Introduction: The main objective of this research was to determine how well cervical cancer cell lines model cervical cancer by using gene expression profiling. Many studies choose one or two cervical cancer cell lines without regard to how well they actually represent tissue. Therefore, the outcome of this research was to characterize nine commonly used cell lines in terms of normal cervical tissue and invasive cervical cancer based on a collection of samples. In addition, several cell lines were cultured in different types of media to investigate media changes and model performance. Finally, several cell lines were also cultured in organotypic environments where they are more phenotypically similar to actual cervical tissue. It was our hypothesis that it is possible to increase the accuracy of cell lines as models of cancer by 1) simply selecting different media, 2) culturing cell lines in an organotypic environment, and 3) selecting primary cell lines obtained from an in vivo source. Methods: Individual cell lines were cultured three times independently to account for biological variation. Biopsies were obtained through various tissue banks. In all samples, total RNA was isolated, mRNA was amplified, and cDNA was generated and hybridized to cDNA microarrays containing 45,000 unique sequences. In each experiment, a universal human reference was used to enable expression profile comparisons among all experiments. Results: In order to identify which cell lines and conditions best model tissue, we compared the gene expression of each cell line and condition to the gene expression of a set of cervical cancers. Better cell line models have more expression overlap with the cancer set and thus have a higher correlation coefficient. Our results indicate that many things can be done to improve the performance of cell lines as models of tissue. Adding more nutrients to the media SiHa cells were cultured in vastly improved their performance in modeling invasive cervical cancer. Culturing cell lines in an organotypic environment also improves their performance as a model. Primary cells obtained from patients were the best models of cervical cancer. However, as obtaining and culturing primary cells is difficult, the next best model would be to use the cell line C4-I. However, despite the fact that some models are better than others, in general expression correlation between cell lines and tissues is low, indicating cell lines are poor models of tissue. Conclusions: In conclusion, selecting appropriate cell lines as models of cervical cancer should not be an arbitrary process. When researching a particular gene, it is not only necessary that the cell line chosen expresses the gene of interest, but we can also move beyond a single gene emphasis and chose a model that more closely represents the tissue of interest. This can be optimized by examining media effects and culturing in an organotypic environment.
Investigating multidimensional characteristics of noise signals with tones from building mechanical systems and their effects on annoyance

This paper investigates multidimensional characteristics of tonal noise from heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, besides loudness and tonality, to improve prediction of annoyance. Two studies were conducted: multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis to determine what other perceptual signal characteristics are important and perceptual weight analysis (PWA) to understand the impact of multiple tones in a signal. In the MDS study, paired comparison tasks were conducted to gather similarity and annoyance data. Results show that the latent perceptual dimensions are related to the signal's tonality, loudness, sharpness, and roughness. Including metrics for these perceptions, except roughness, improves the performance of earlier annoyance prediction models. Including both sharpness and tonal audibility does not further improve prediction performance, though. In the PWA study, noise stimuli with five-tone complexes between 125 Hz and 2 kHz were generated for subjective testing to obtain a perceptual weighting function. The levels of each tone were randomly adjusted for every trial, and both harmonic and inharmonic tone complexes were utilized. The PWA result was applied as a spectral weighting function to calculate a proposed weighted-sum tonal audibility metric. Utilizing the proposed metric instead of the traditional tonal audibility metric improves annoyance prediction to a similar degree as including sharpness.
Mean Combined Relative Grip Strength and Metabolic Syndrome: 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Churilla, JR, Summerlin, M, Richardson, MR, and Boltz, AJ. Mean combined relative grip strength and metabolic syndrome: 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. J Strength Cond Res 34(4): 995-1000, 2020-The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among mean combined relative grip strength (MCRGS), the metabolic syndrome (MetS), and the individual MetS criterion using a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (≥20 years of age). The study sample included subjects from the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES). Subject MCRGS, using an average of 3 attempts per hand, was measured by a trained examiner using a handgrip dynamometer. All anthropometric, blood pressure, and serum blood measures used to diagnose the MetS were obtained in a Mobile Examination Center using a subsample of NHANES subjects (N = 4,664). Results suggest a favorable inverse dose-response relationship exists across quartiles of increased MCRGS and likelihood of MetS in both men and women (p 3.20-3.77 kg/BMI in men; MCRGS >1.99-2.38 kg/BMI in women) and fourth quartile (MCRGS >3.77 kg/BMI in men; MCRGS >2.38 kg/BMI in women), were significantly less likely to have the MetS, independent of gender (p ≤ 0.05 for all). Similar findings varied according to individual MetS criterion. These findings provide the first data suggesting that increased MCRGS may be inversely related to the MetS or the individual MetS criterion in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults.
Mock Urinalysis Demonstration: Making Connections among Acid–Base Chemistry, Redox Reactions, and Healthcare in an Undergraduate Nursing Course

A mock urine chemical analysis demonstration was designed for an undergraduate chemistry for health professions course, mainly composed of undergraduate nursing students. This demonstration was pre...
Abstract 14685: Long-term Outcomes of Aortic Body Tumors: A Nationwide Study

Introduction: Aortic body tumors are rare intrathoracic tumors. The majority of existing literature for aortic body tumors exists as case reports or a limited series. Our aim was to analyze a large...
Surface acoustic wave device

An exemplary surface acoustic wave device includes a DLC film, a zinc oxide film formed on the DLC film, and at least one interdigital transducer formed on the zinc oxide film. The DLC film has a nano-sized thickness Z(f), corresponding to the surface acoustic wave device having an operational frequency f ranging from 20 to 1,000 GHz, satisfying the condition (1): Z(f)=MxZ0/(f/f0), and Z(f)>=1 nanometer. The zinc oxide film has a nano-sized thickness Y(f), corresponding to the surface acoustic wave device having the operational frequency f, satisfying the condition (2): Y(f)=NxY0/(f/f0). The Z0 and Y0 respectively are the thicknesses of the DLC film and the zinc oxide film corresponding to an operational frequency f0 of the surface acoustic wave device.
Prostate radiotherapy in the setting of bilateral hip prostheses: All commonly used photon-based radiation approaches are feasible.

Abstract The prevalence of hip prostheses is increasing. Prostate radiation delivery in the setting of hip prostheses is complicated by both imaging artifacts that interfere with volume delineation and dosimetric effects that must be addressed in the planning process. We hypothesized that with specialized planning, any photon-based definitive prostate radiotherapy approach may be utilized in patients with bilateral hip prostheses. Imaging data from sequential patients with prostate cancer and bilateral hip prostheses treated definitively with radiation were retrospectively reviewed. Bimodality imaging was used to define targets and organs at risk (OARs) along with specialized MRI sequences and/or orthopedic metal artifact reduction (OMAR) for MRI and CT artifact suppression, respectively. Multiple VMAT plans were generated for each set of patient images to include three fractionation schemes (conventional, hypofractionated, and SBRT), each with hip avoidance and with simulated normal hip. The ability to meet standard dose constraints was assessed for each plan type. Differences in target and OAR dosing between plans accounting for prosthetic hips via avoidance vs plans with simulated absence of prosthetic hip were also assessed. T-tests were used to compare dosimetric parameters. Ten patients with bilateral hip prostheses were identified, and 6 plans were created for each patient for a total of 60 radiation plans. Prosthetic hip avoidance did not result in failure to meet dose constraints for any patient. Hip avoidance resulted in minimal increases in high dose to the rectum and bladder (increases in mean V80%, V90%, and V95% ranged from 0.1% to 2.4%). Larger increases were seen at lower dose levels, with rectal V50% significantly increased in all three plan types with hip avoidance (conventional: 26.0% [standard deviation, SD 13.9] vs 16.9% [SD 10.2, p = 0.003]; hypofractionation: 26.4% [SD 13.3] vs 17.1% [SD 10.1, p = 0.002]; SBRT: 18.3% [SD 10.7] vs 10.5% [SD 6.9, p = 0.008]). Similarly, hip avoidance resulted in increases in bladder V50% to 31.7% (SD 16.8) vs 23.3% (SD 14.0, p = 0.001), 31.3% (SD 17.0) vs 23.3% (SD 13.8, p = 0.002), and 22.7% (SD 12.3) vs 16.5% (SD 12.6, p
The Influence of Layer thickness on Crackstops' Mechanical Strength and Robustness

With the advancement of circuit generations, architectures and technology nodes progressing to smaller and smaller transistor sizes; a decrease in the thickness of the BEoL layers of these integrated circuits (IC) is also occurring. In addition, mature older technology nodes have also experienced product life cycle extensions through the integration of new upgrade enhancements that are closely associated with a decrease in a layer or layers of its respective BEoL dielectric stack [1]. Typically heavy focus is placed on the in-plane X and Y dimensions of these shrinking materials and features. They are closely examined, studied and modelled with respect to the crackstop's robustness and strength. These X and Y dimensions are diligently monitored and honed to ensure that crackstop integrity and strength are not compromised by the decreasing dimensional sizes employed. However, associated with these X and Y reductions in size is an often overlooked Z dimension or thickness. While the X and Y dimensions are manipulatable with respect to a crackstop's design; the Z dimensional thickness is often locked and unalterable having been dictated by the various manufacturing processes employed to construct the respective individual BEoL layers. 3D FEM models have been constructed to investigate how thickness changes alter the overall mechanical strength and integrity of the IC's protective crackstop barrier and consequently its effectiveness and ultimately its performance at preventing crack growth and propagation from breaching into an IC's active prime region. These investigations found that the dielectric thickness reductions occurring beyond the 14nm technology standard, increases the probability of the crack development and propagation significantly.
Multicommodity Multifacility Network Design

We consider multicommodity network design models, where capacity can be added to the arcs of the network using multiples of facilities that may have different capacities. This class of mixed-integer optimization models appears frequently in telecommunication network capacity expansion problems, train scheduling with multiple locomotive options, supply chain and service network design problems. Valid inequalities used as cutting planes in branch-and-bound algorithms have been instrumental in solving large-scale instances. We review the progress that has been done in polyhedral investigations in this area by emphasizing three fundamental techniques. These are the metric inequalities for projecting out continuous flow variables, mixed-integer rounding from appropriate base relaxations, and shrinking the network to a small k-node graph. The basic inequalities derived from arc-set, cut-set and partition relaxations of the network are also extensively utilized with certain modifications in robust and survivable network design problems.
Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Assessment of Hydroxychloroquine in Breast Cancer.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is being tested in a number of human clinical trials to determine the role of autophagy in response to standard anticancer therapies. However, HCQ pharmacodynamic (PD) responses are difficult to assess in patients, and preclinical studies in mouse models are equivocal with regard to HCQ exposure and inhibition of autophagy. Here, pharmacokinetic (PK) assessment of HCQ in non–tumor-bearing mice after intraperitoneal dosing established 60 mg/kg as the human equivalent dose of HCQ in mice. Autophagy inhibition, cell proliferation, and cell death were assessed in two-dimensional (2D) cell culture and three-dimensional tumor organoids in breast cancer. Mice challenged with breast cancer xenografts were then treated with 60 mg/kg HCQ via intraperitoneal dosing, and subsequent PK and PD responses were assessed. Although autophagic flux was significantly inhibited in cells irrespective of autophagy-dependence status, autophagy-dependent tumors had decreased cell proliferation and increased cell death at earlier time points compared with autophagy-independent tumors. Overall, this study shows that 2D cell culture, three-dimensional tumor organoids, and in vivo studies produce similar results, and in vitro studies can be used as surrogates to recapitulate in vivo antitumor responses of HCQ. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Autophagy-dependent tumors but not autophagy-independent tumors have decreased cell proliferation and increased cell death after single-agent hydroxychloroquine treatment. However, hydroxychloroquine causes decreased autophagic flux regardless of autophagy status, suggesting its clinical efficacy in the context of autophagy inhibition.
AN ANALYSIS OF READING INSTRUCTION FOR FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES SERVED IN INCLUSIVE ELEMENTARY CLASSROOMS

AN ANALYSIS OF READING INSTRUCTION FOR FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES SERVED IN INCLUSIVE ELEMENTARY CLASSROOMS By Elizabeth D. Dragone A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009 Major Director: Dr. Whitney Sherman. Associate Professor, School of Education This qualitative case study was designed to identify and analyze instructional strategies used by fifth grade teachers to meet the needs of students with disabilities receiving reading instruction in inclusive settings. Seven participants in a large suburban school system were chosen through purposeful, criterion-based sampling. Semi-structured interviews were used to gain information about how teachers use data related to student readiness, interests, and learning profiles to design differentiated instruction. Observations were used to gain information about how the teachers implemented differentiated content, process, and products in the classroom. As more students with disabilities are served in inclusive settings, teachers are finding they need to differentiate instruction to meet the varied needs of their students. Previous studies have found that adjusting one of the components of differentiated instruction (readiness levels, interest levels, learning profiles, content, process, or product) to meet individual needs increases the opportunities for students to be successful in the classroom. However, there is limited research on