cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thymoquinone induces apoptosis through activation of caspase-8 and mitochondrial events in p53-null myeloblastic leukemia HL-60 cells

Thymoquinone (TQ), the major biologically active component isolated from a traditional medicinal herb, Nigella sativa Linn, is a potential chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic compound. Despite the promising antineoplastic activities of TQ, the molecular mechanism of its pharmacologic effects is poorly understood. Here, we report that TQ exhibits antiproliferative effect, induces apoptosis, disrupts mitochondrial membrane potential and triggers the activation of caspases 8, 9 and 3 in myeloblastic leukemia HL-60 cells. The apoptosis induced by TQ was inhibited by a general caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-FMK; a caspase-3-specific inhibitor, z-DEVD-FMK; as well as a caspase-8-specific inhibitor, z-IETD-FMK. Moreover, the caspase-8 inhibitor blocked the TQ-induced activation of caspase-3, PARP cleavage and the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytoplasm. In addition, TQ treatment of HL-60 cells caused a marked increase in Bax/Bcl2 ratios due to upregulation of Bax and downregulation of Bcl2 proteins. These results indicate that TQ-induced apoptosis is associated with the activation of caspases 8, 9 and 3, with caspase-8 acting as an upstream activator. Activated caspase-8 initiates the release of cytochrome c during TQ-induced apoptosis. Overall, these results offer a potential mechanism for TQ-induced apoptosis in p53-null HL-60 cancer cells.
Harnessing the placebo effect: the need for translational research

Laboratory research recently has greatly enhanced the understanding of placebo and nocebo effects by identifying specific neuromodulators and brain areas associated with them. However, little progress has been made in translating this knowledge into improved patient care. Here, we discuss the limitations in our knowledge about placebo (and nocebo) effects and the need for translational research with the aim of guiding physicians in maximizing placebo effects and minimizing nocebo effects in their routine clinical practice. We suggest some strategies for how, when and why interventions to promote beneficial placebo responses might be administered in the clinical setting.
THE EFFECT OF CEO TENURE ON THE RELATION BETWEEN FIRM PERFORMANCE AND TURNOVER

We analyze the effect of CEO tenure on the relation between firm performance and forced turnover. We find that the performance-forced turnover relation is conditional on CEO tenure. Our results suggest a constant negative relation between firm performance and forced turnover throughout an inside CEO's tenure. Founders are entrenched early in their careers but held accountable for firm performance later in their careers. We find evidence that outside hires experience a probationary period, followed by a period of apparent entrenchment during their intermediate years that weakens later in their tenure. JEL classification: G34, J63.
Early childhood educators’ perceptions of preschoolers' mental health problems: a qualitative analysis

Background: Early childhood education services create potentially optimal opportunities to identify and respond effectively to preschoolers' mental health problems. However, little is known about the knowledge, skills and competencies of early childhood educators in the area of mental health. The present study aimed to contribute to this field through conducting focus group interviews with professionals from public early childhood education centres in Greece. Methods: Thirty-four educators attended five focus group meetings, with each group consisting of five to nine participants and two discussion facilitators. A thematic analysis was conducted using line-by-line open coding. Constructed codes from the wording used by the participants in the interviews were created, and constant comparisons for developing themes as well as seeking data not conforming to each theme were used independently by two researchers. At the end of this process, no new information was being provided and there was repetition in each of the categories. Results: The analysis identified three themes in the data: risk factors for preschoolers' mental health problems, signs of preschoolers' mental health problems and practices of helping preschoolers with mental health problems. Results suggested that early childhood educators had satisfactory awareness of many preschoolers' mental health issues, although they showed a rather limited understanding in some domains. Moreover, they seemed to deliver inadequate practices in responding effectively to children's and families' mental health problems. Conclusions: Best practice training in working with preschoolers, families and mental health services seems essential for helping young children receive the best level of support through early identification and intervention services for possible mental health problems.
The Hallmarks of Righteous Women: Gendered Background Expectations in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

In this article, we examine how leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon) collaborated with some Mormon women to construct gendered background expectations. Based on LDS archival materials, we analyze how LDS leaders and their representatives embedded specific notions of what it means to be a woman into the institutional and theological structure of the religion by (1) defining womanhood and (2) teaching femininity in ways that sanctified gender inequality. In doing so, LDS leaders and Mormon women, regardless of their intentions, reproduced gender beliefs that facilitate the subordination of women while anchoring these beliefs within existing Mormon doctrine. In conclusion, we draw out implications for understanding (1) the role of gendered background expectations in the structure of conservative religions, (2) the importance of deconstructing sanctified gender beliefs, and (3) potential opportunities for making sense of apparent contradictions within religious notions of gender.
Symbiotic and synergistic community-based volunteer home visiting program for postpartum families.

Community health nurses who focus on the needs of the community as client, and not simply individual and family services, are aware of the demand for increased services. This demand, however, is usually coupled with the absence of resources to deliver the needed services. Therefore, leaders in community agencies must consider attracting nurses as volunteers to augment resources. Volunteer service can be highly synergistic when a symbiotic relationship exists between the agency and the volunteer. A one-year volunteer home visiting program was developed to provide services to families with new infants at one U.S. Army installation in the western United States. We assume the program methodology would be successful in civilian communities as well as other client populations.
Asthma in infants and children—Treatment of childhood asthma: Part II

Abstract The various features of bronchial asthma as it pertains to infants and children are reviewed. Childhood asthma ranks among the most common causes of ill health and creates a myriad of physical and emotional problems for the child. Rarely, it may lead to death. Various anatomic and physiologic differences in children account for the increased risk to symptomatic airway obstruction and poor response to bronchodilators. Other features of childhood asthma that differ from adult asthma including the prognosis, differential diagnosis, and complications are discussed. The authors views of the general principles, specific therapy, pharmacologic measures, and a self-management intervention program for the management of the pediatric patient with asthma are presented.
Were Home Prices in New Urbanist Neighborhoods More Resilient in the Recent Housing Downturn

This study develops spatial lag models to evaluate the performance of neighborhoods with new urbanist features in the recent housing recession in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area. It found that single-family homes that are closer to the central city held their value better in the recent recession, which might be a sign of recentralization. The effects of new urbanist features on home appreciation rate, however, were moderate and many of them were neutral or even negative. The study revealed that there existed synergistic effects between some dimensions of new urbanist development on appreciation rates of single-family homes in the recession.
Conceptualizing the New Frontier in Preventative and Therapeutic Semantic Interventions for Young Children Living in Poverty

In this article, the author discusses research that addresses semantically related reading issues for children in poverty. In addition to providing a theoretical framework, the author provides rese...
Correlations of Sensory and Instrumental Evaluations of Roast Beef Texture

Beef semitendinosus roasts heated to endpoint temperatures of 60°, 70°, and 80°C were evaluated by a taste panel and by instrumental tests of shear, penetration, and compressive force. Correlations were found between sensory parameters of chewiness, hardness and tenderness and between these parameters and shear parameters of firmness and cohesiveness. Compression-hardness was related positively to panel scores for moisture and negatively to mealiness scores. Compression-cohesiveness was related only to panel scores for oiliness while compression-springiness and penetration hardness were not related to any of the sensory parameters evaluated.
Cervicography—A new approach to cervical cancer detection

Each year, 16,000 women develop cervical cancer in the United States and 8000 women die of this disease. Fortunately, the cervix is readily available for examination and there are efficient methods for diagnosis, not only of cervical cancer but also of precancerous changes. More is known about the natural history of cervical cancer than of any other malignancy. Without any doubt the cytology is the most practical and economical method for cervical cancer detection. Boyes demonstrated in this conference impressive results achieved with cytologic screening in British Columbia, however, even with extensive screening it was never possible to eliminate all cases of cervical cancer. The main reason why some cases of cervical cancer are undetected is false-negative rate of cytology. The true false-negative rate of cytology is difficult to determine because if the cervix is clinically unsuspicious and the smear is negative, the cervix is not examined further. The reported frequency of false-negative smears varies from 1.8 to 45% [l-6]. It was demonstrated [7,8] that the combination of colposcopy and cytology can improve the accuracy of cervical cancer detection. Navratil [8] demonstrated that the detection rate of cytology is 87%, of colposcopy 79%, but the combination of these two methods increased the diagnostic accuracy to 98%. The screening colposcopy is, however, impractical and uneconomical. The cost of the colposcope is substantial and even more important is the fact that there are not enough gynecologists with colposcopic expertise. To overcome these problems, an inexpensive optical instrument called the cervicograph was developed that allows permanent objective documentation of cervical findings.
ParaSwift: file I/O trace modeling for the future

Historically, traces have been used by system designers for designing and testing their systems. However, traces are becoming very large and difficult to store and manage. Thus, the area of creating models based on traces is gaining traction. Prior art in trace modeling has primarily dealt with modeling block traces, and file/NAS traces collected from virtualized clients which are essentially block I/O's to the storage server. No prior art exists in modeling file traces. Modeling file traces is difficult because of the presence of meta-data operations and the statefulness NFS operation semantics. In this paper we present an algorithm and a unified framework that models and replays NFS as well SAN workloads. Typically, trace modeling is a resource intensive process where multiple passes are made over the entire trace. In this paper, in addition to being able to model the intricacies of the NFS protocol, we provide an algorithm that is efficient with respect to its resource consumption needs by using a Bloom Filter based sampling technique. We have verified our trace modeling algorithm on real customer traces and show that our modeling error is quite low.
Open access medical publications.

Open access journals provide unrestricted, free online access to scholarly articles (1). This new approach to medical publication is revolutionizing medical communications. The rise of open access publishing challenges the long-standing model developed in concert by commercial publishers and medical organizations, a model whose profitability depends on the ability to restrict and sell access the medical information and to use this information for political and financial purposes.
The Lion and Man Game on Convex Terrains

We study the lion-and-man game in which a lion (the pursuer) tries to capture a man (the evader). The players have equal speed and they can observe each other at all times. In this paper, we study the game on surfaces of convex terrains. We show that the lion can capture the man in finite number of steps determined by the terrain geometry.
The Allure of Sex

During the current semester, I am teaching the ecology section of introductory biology. This class is often populated by biology majors, related majors such as environmental science, and those students needing to fulfill a university science requirement. These classes are rather large, typically filling to 140 or more students. The largest classroom in the biology building only sits 100 students, so, I have a 10–15 minute walk across campus to a larger classroom. In redesigning the course to hopefully maximize student’s learning, I am teaching this large lecture as a small discussion class, which requires the help of my graduate students. They are also involved in running the laboratory section of the course, so their presence in my lectures helps to integrate the two parts of the course.
Radionuclide three-phase whole-body bone imaging.

Purpose: To describe the radionuclide three-phase whole-body bone imaging (TPWBBI) technique and discuss the usefulness of its application. Materials and Methods: TPWBBI was performed after a single intravenous injection of 555 to 925 MBq (15 to 25 mCi) Tc-99m MDP. Whole-body arterial flow (phase one) followed by blood-pool and tissue perfusion (phase two) images were obtained with the moving detector head speed set at 150 cm/minute and 40 cm/minute, respectively. Conventional whole-body static bone images (phase three) were obtained 3 hours later. Results: When 542 consecutive TPWBBI results were reviewed, 394 (166 extraskeletal and 228 skeletal) abnormalities were detected during phases one and two. The 166 extraosseous lesions included vascular diseases: abdominal aortic aneurysms and peripheral vascular diseases and renal abnormalities, liver abnormalities, ascites, and pleural effusions. Many of these were incidentally detected clinically significant findings and would not have been identified on conventional static bone images. It helps to differentiate among acute and chronic fractures, active and inactive inflammatory diseases such as arthritis or osteomyelitis, and Paget's disease. Conclusions: With a single injection of Tc-99m MDP, whole-body images obtained in the arterial phase, the blood-pool and tissue perfusion phase, and the static bone phase can identify many clinically significant skeletal and soft tissue abnormalities. TPWBBI can differentiate between active and inactive phases of different disease processes and thereby provide a diagnosis that is more specific than a conventional single-phase bone scan. It may be applicable as a tool for nuclear physical examination.
Field Tests for Control of Overwintered Boll Weevils

The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, became resistant to the clorinated hydrocarbon insecticides in Louisiana in the mid-1950’s (Roussel and Clower 1957). Each spring during the years 1957–62, overwintered boll weevil population counts were made in numerous fields in Madison Parish, La. Different insecticides were then applied to determine their efficacy in reducing these populations. In addition to population counts, early square infestation records also were used as control criteria. Results are given in Table 1. Insecticides usually were applied at weekly intervals with tractor-mounted or high-clearance, self-propelled spray or dust machines. Most experiments were in fields adjacent to favorable hibernation sites, thus insuring high weevil field populations.
The Hamlet Syndrome

Bringing together legal, literary, and cultural studies, this article builds from a close reading of madness in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet to some psycho-social theories of malingering and the insanity defense in the modern United States. The basis of these theories is the notion that feigned madness – whether purposeful malingering or a failed insanity defense – often signifies actual madness of a lesser sort. When someone is found to be “faking it,” however, that discovery can result in a widespread assumption of mental health in the person on trial, an assumption that often turns out to be wrong.
Results of CCG-5941: Intensified Multiagent Chemotherapy and Non-Cross Resistant Maintenance Therapy for Advanced Lymphoblastic Lymphoma in Children and Adolescents.

Abstract The treatment of advanced (Stage III/IV) pediatric lymphoblastic lymphoma (LL) has recently utilized treatment strategies similar to childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with prolonged maintenance chemotherapy for up to two years (Burkhardt et al JCO, 2006) compared to older treatment strategies of less intense lymphoma type therapy (Anderson et al NEJM, 1983). The CCG previously piloted a “NY regimen” for “lymphomatous” ALL with a new intensive induction/intensive conditioning and alternating non-cross resistant combination maintenance therapy (Steinherz et al JCO, 1986). We modified the NY regimen for lymphomatous ALL in children with advanced (Stage III/IV) lymphoblastic lymphoma with ≤25% BM lymphoblasts. Between July 1994 and June 1997, 85 eligible LL patients with advanced disease (Stage III/IV) were enrolled in a pilot study CCG-5941 to estimate toxicity, feasibility and efficacy of a short (12 month) aggressive multiagent chemotherapy regimen. Patients were staged according to the St. Jude staging system. Induction (3wks) consisted of VCR, Pred, Daunomycin, Cyclophosphamide, L-ASP and IT MTX/ARA-C. Consolidation (3wks) consisted of VCR, ARA-C, VP-16, HD MTX and IT MTX. There were six maintenance courses each consisting of 4 pulses: A (Cylcophosphamide, 6TG), B (VCR, Pred, Dauno), C (VCR, HD MTX, L-ASP) and D (ARA-C, VP-16). CNS positive pts received 1800 cGy-cranial and 600 cGy spinal at completion of chemotherapy (approximately 1 yr). Central pathology review (84%) and immunophenotyping were preformed with CD3, CD5, CD45RO, TDT, CD 79 and CD20. Neupogen (G-CSF) was given after each cycle to maintain dose intensity. Median age 10 yrs (1–18 yrs), 64% male, median f/u 7.2 yrs, 91% T-cell, 7% B-cell, 2% mixed lineage, 27% LDH ≥2nL, 12 % M2 BM, 5% CNS positive. Among the 85 patients there were four deaths unrelated to disease progression (4.7%), three due to infectious complications and one due to venoclusive disease of the liver. Two second malignant neoplasms (AML) have occurred. Hematopoietic (grade III/IV) toxicity occurred in approximately 80% of patients, resulting in delays in chemotherapy. The 5yr event free survival (EFS) is 78±4.5% and 3 yr overall survival (OS) is 85±3.9%. Analysis of EFS by age, sex, induction responses, marrow status at diagnosis (M2 vs M1), presence of CNS disease, LDH ≥2nL and presence of mediastinal mass was not significant. The prognosis in patients with progressive/relapsed disease was dismal with a 2 yr OS of 33±14%. These pilot results suggest that this experimental approach in children and adolescents with advanced LL is safe and feasible and results in similar long term efficacy as compared to more prolonged maintenance ALL type chemotherapy regimens.
Correlation in Tight-Binding Theory

In this study we present values of U which characterizes the Coulomb repulsion in the tight-binding context. We then use it to analyze self-consistency in tight-binding theory, correlation corrections to the band gap, and the formation of correlated states in semiconductors.
Is There a Psychographic Profile of the Service User

An exploratory psychographic study was conducted to learn if ATO items could adequately profile the life‐stylo of users of each of 8 common personal and household services. Step‐wise regression was employed to select those AIO items that would describe the user of the service and usage level. Of the 8 services, only 2 developed R over .30. The hypothesis of unique service psychographic profiles was not substantiated since so few items contribute to the profile and the relationships (R) were too low.
KSHV Latency Locus Augments B Cell Response In Vivo

Abstract Abstract 1115 A small subset of genes is transcribed during latency in Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) lymphomas. To better understand viral lymphomagenesis we generated a transgenic mouse expressing all viral latent genes including LANA, vFLIP, vCyc, kaposin and all viral miRNAs. All viral miRNAs were expressed in B cells. The complete latency locus induced activation of mature B cells more robustly than a single LANA protein transgenic mouse. It led to the specific expansion of marginal zone (MZ) B cells. The transgenic mice showed an augmented primary response to T-dependent antigen leading to acute MZ activation and germinal center (GC) activation. Furthermore, they exhibited an augmented response to TLR4 stimulation. Our data indicates that the KSHV latency locus fuels transformation processes as a chronic antigenic stimulator. These data supports a model of lymphomagenesis, in which virally infected B cells become hyperresponsive to B cell stimulation, thus providing an expanded pool for secondary genetic alterations. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Jester’s Mercurial Nature and the Hermeneutics of Time in McCullers’ Clock Without Hands

The prospect of desegregation looms large in Clock Without Hands, set in 1954. While the elderly Judge Clane deliriously schemes to turn back time by convincing Congress to remonetize Confederate currency, his teenage grandson, Jester, advocates for racial equality. In the Judge’s eyes, however, his beloved grandson’s deviance represents a natural part of his youthful development. Meanwhile, the biracial adolescent Sherman faces deadly consequences for similarly testing the community’s racial boundaries. Jester, true to his name, becomes an archetypical trickster who transgresses social boundaries with impunity, thus simultaneously challenging and reinforcing the dominant order. The novel’s persistent reaffirmation of Jester’s inherent innocence, Slaven argues, illustrates how narratives of American innocence often subsume narratives of social progress in a way that inhibits more vigilant reformation efforts.
Retrieving Inter-Segment Piston Error Using Broadband Light

Traditional phase retrieval methods fail to retrieve piston errors greater than 0.5 waves in segmented systems because of 2π ambiguities. We present and characterize an algorithm that uses broadband light to determine such piston errors.
The Biology of Sociology: Pitting Ideology Against Elegance

Were explanatory, scientific explanations gauged by merit alone, the sixth chapter would hardly be necessary. In recognition of the realities of intellectual history, this chapter anticipates the resistance that may result from explaining Murray’s sociological data biologically and evolutionarily through life history theory. Objections are still raised against evolution, especially when applied to humans, and most especially when applied to human behavior. As such, life history theory, given that it is a sort of meta-theory that aggregates and explains much of human behavioral variation, will likely encounter resistance in this application, as it has in others. Herein, some of that intellectual history is reviewed, while projected concerns are addressed.
Laparoscopic Approaches to the Patient with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

There is an increasing trend toward a minimally invasive approach to pancreatic resection. This can be a challenging surgery, due to the need for recognition of different tissue planes and proximity of critical vascular structures. There have only been a few studies that compare open distal pancreatectomy and minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy for resection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This chapter discusses a case-based approach to laparoscopic pancreatic resection.
Warm Glow of Gifts: Effects of Product Warmth, Channel, and Friendship Distance

Gift giving custom is an integral part of everyday life found in all societies. Many gifts, particularly between friends, are altruistic in its nature and are meant to communicate personal feelings. With increased online and mobile shopping activities, sending gifts electronically has become very common. The current study is designed to test the effects of gifting products with different warmth on happiness and relationship strength in different gifting contexts (i.e., two different digital channels and friendship distances). A 3(gift product warmth) x 2(communication channel) x 2(friendship distance) between-subject experiment was conducted.The results (N=215) supported the majority of hypotheses and confirmed the effectiveness of warm gifts delivered through the mobile channel.
Microprocessor-Based Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) Test Console

The integration of a commercially available microprocessor system (Commodore PET 2001) to control test equipment used in CCD array testing is described. The system can be used to determine charge transfer efficiency and noise of a CCD array for preliminary evaluation. The system is interactively controlled by an operator who runs a BASIC program from the keyboard of the microprocessor. Data collection is done by the computer/interface to minimize operator errors. The system is implemented primarily for quick-look quantitative evaluation of arrays being mass produced by industry.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Structural Features of Apicomplexan Pore-Forming Proteins and Their Roles in Parasite Cell Traversal and Egress

Apicomplexan parasites cause diseases, including malaria and toxoplasmosis, in a range of hosts, including humans. These intracellular parasites utilize pore-forming proteins that disrupt host cell membranes to either traverse host cells while migrating through tissues or egress from the parasite-containing vacuole after replication. This review highlights recent insight gained from the newly available three-dimensional structures of several known or putative apicomplexan pore-forming proteins that contribute to cell traversal or egress. These new structural advances suggest that parasite pore-forming proteins use distinct mechanisms to disrupt host cell membranes at multiple steps in parasite life cycles. How proteolytic processing, secretion, environment, and the accessibility of lipid receptors regulate the membranolytic activities of such proteins is also discussed.
Luminescence-Based Oxygen Sensors

The area of oxygen sensors encompasses a broad range of sensing techniques, devices, and applications. The latter range from monitoring combustion mixtures to use in fish farming.1 The majority of the techniques and devices involve transduction of the changes in oxygen concentration or pressure to changes in an electrical parameter such as voltage, current, or resistance. This sensing approach is older and has more working devices on the market. A more recent approach involves transduction via changes in luminescence characteristics of both organic and inorganic dyes. This approach has attracted considerable interest for applications such as pressure sensitive paints (PSP) and for situations amenable to use of fiber optic technology
Computer-Aided Nondestructive Measurements of Plastic Strains from Surface Displacements

The boundary integral equation method is inversely used for the evaluation of plastic strains caused by any loading, simply from measurements of surface displacements caused during the loading.
Spontaneous regression of a primary squamous cell lung cancer following biopsy: a case report.

Spontaneous regression has been defined as occurring when the malignant tumor mass partially or completely disappears without any treatment or as a result of a therapy considered inadequate to influence systemic neoplastic disease. Recently, studies have implicated immunological responses as likely being involved. We report a case of a patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung who experienced spontaneous regression following biopsy without other intervention. A 57-year-old white man was referred to our pulmonary clinic after an incidental finding of a nodule in the lower lobe of his left lung. Thoracic computed tomography revealed a 2.0 × 1.4 × 1.5 cm spiculated nodule in the superior segment of the left lower lobe. Workup identified the mass as a squamous cell carcinoma that was clinically staged as T1M0N0. The patient deferred treatment of this lesion. He undertook no significant lifestyle or medical changes. Three months later, computed tomography revealed that, compared with the initial study, the solitary mass had decreased in size to 1.6 × 0.9 × 0.9 cm. Follow-up computed tomography 1 year after the original workup demonstrated that the nodule had stabilized to its smaller size. Studies have shown that immunological response can be initiated by trauma to an area. Because the tumor regression became evident in our patient only after the tissue biopsy, his immune response to the surgical procedure seems to be a plausible contributor to the spontaneous regression. Further understanding of spontaneous regression can potentially impact the identification of neoplastic drug targets or even the course of a patient’s treatment plan and goals.
Spatial variation in messaging effects

There is large geographic variation in the public's views about climate change in the United States. Research now shows that climate messages can influence public beliefs about the scientific consensus on climate change, particularly in the places that are initially more skeptical.
Hypopnea definitions, determinants and dilemmas: a focused review

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is defined by the presence of repetitive obstructive apneas and hypopneas during sleep. While apneas are clearly defined as cessation of flow, controversy has plagued the many definitions of hypopneas, which have used variable criteria for reductions in flow, with or without the presence of electroencephalographic (EEG) arousal, and with varying degrees of oxygen desaturation. While the prevalence of OSA is estimated to vary using the different definitions of hypopneas, the impact of these variable definitions on clinical outcomes is not clear. This focused review examines the controversies and limitations surrounding the different definitions of hypopnea, evaluates the impact of hypopneas and different hypopnea definitions on clinical outcomes, identifies gaps in research surrounding hypopneas, and makes suggestions for future research.
Teaching Software Engineering for Real-Time Design

Designing software for real-time systems continues to be a challenge. In addition to functional requirements, real-time systems typically have strict requirements in the areas of performance, size, and the need for concurrency which complicates the design process[PRE87]. The best design will depend on the particular requirements of a system. A designer must learn to apply principles for determining which design will best fit the needs. Teaching students skills in real-time design becomes more difficult because of the many design issues. Although software engineering principles must be expanded to handle the complexity of real-time systems, these principles should still be applied to real-time design. Since TI develops many real-time systems, TI teaches an "Introduction to Real-Time Software" course to improve the design skills of novice real-time designers. This paper describes the content of the real-time course and how software engineering principles are applied to real-time design. It also describes how real-time design concepts are reinforced through examples and exercises.
Climate and the Eclipse of the Ancient Cities of the Indus

No great amount of systematic, scientific research has been conducted on the mid and late Holocene climate of the Indian Subcontinent, but there is a growing body of data that can be brought to the attention of the non-specialist. This work will be reviewed here, along with a short history of ideas concerning the eclipse of the ancient cities of the Indus, the chronology for this period of change. It will conclude with thoughts on the current state of knowledge concerning the “end of the ancient cities of the Indus.”
On the Dynamics of Iterated Maps VIII: The Map z→λ(z+1/z), from Linear to Planar Chaos, and the Measurement of Chaos

While the terms “chaos” and “order in chaos” prove extremely valuable, they elude definition and it remains important to single out instances when the progress to planar chaos can be followed in detailed and objective fashion. This paper proposes to show that an excellent such example is provided by the iterates of the map z→g(z) = λ(z+1/z), when z and λ are both complex. This map is touched upon in [1], but only on page 465, which was added in second printing. Therefore, the present paper is self-contained.
Scriptural Views of Parenting

The author presents biblical principles that are designed to help mothers and fathers be more effective parents. The chapter first examines a real centerpiece of faith-filled parenting , which is living by what is true and yet demonstrating loving sensitivity. Balance along a number of dimensions is a real emphasis of the chapter. The author also examines the notion that one can demonstrate better parenting skills for children of certain ages versus others and how the parent can adjust to become a more effective parent at some of the ages that are more challenging. One of the most interesting aspects of the chapter is the section that examines how out of a desire to set a virtuous example for the youth, a parent can actually spoil a child. The call again is to one of a loving and character-based balance.
Optimizing patient's selection for prostate biopsy: A single institution experience with multi-parametric MRI and the 4Kscore test for the detection of aggressive prostate cancer.

Objectives To evaluate the performance of mpMRI and the 4Kscore test together for the detection of significant prostate cancer. Material and methods We selected a consecutive series of men who were referred for evaluation of prostate cancer at an academic institution and underwent mpMRI and the 4Kscore test. The primary outcome was the presence of Gleason 7 or higher cancer on biopsy of the prostate. We used logistic regression and Decision Curve Analysis to report the discrimination and clinical utility of using mpMRI and the 4Kscore test for prostate cancer detection. We modeled the probability of harboring a Gleason 7 or higher prostate cancer based on the 4Kscore test and mpMRI findings. Finally, we examined various combinations and sequences of mpMRI and the 4Kscore test and assessed the impact on biopsies avoided and cancers missed. Results Among 300 men who underwent a 4Kscore test and mpMRI, 149 (49%) underwent a biopsy. Among those, 73 (49%) had cancer, and 49 (33%) had Gleason 7 cancer. The area under the curve (AUC) for using the 4Kscore test and mpMRI together 0.82 (0.75–0.89) was superior to using the 4Kscore 0.70 (0.62–0.79) or mpMRI 0.74 (0.66–0.81) individually (p = 0.001). Similarly, decision analysis revealed the highest net benefit was achieved using both tests. Conclusions The 4Kscore test and mpMRI results provide independent, but complementary, information that enhances the prediction of higher-grade prostate cancer and improves patient’s selection for a prostate biopsy. Prospective trials are required to confirm these findings.
Intermittent bolus feeding promotes greater lean growth than continuous feeding in a neonatal piglet model.

Background Orogastric tube feeding is indicated in neonates with an impaired ability to ingest food normally and can be administered with an intermittent bolus or continuous feeding schedule. Objectives The objectives were to 1) compare the long-term effect of continuous with intermittent feeding on growth using the newborn pig as a model, 2) determine whether feeding frequency alters lean tissue and fat mass gain, and 3) identify the signaling mechanisms by which protein deposition is controlled in skeletal muscle in response to feeding frequency. Design Neonatal pigs were fed the same amount of a balanced formula by orogastric tube either as an intermittent bolus meal every 4 h (INT) or as a continuous infusion (CON). Body composition was assessed at the start and end of the study by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and hormone and substrate profiles, muscle mass, protein synthesis, and indexes of nutrient and insulin signaling were measured after 21 d. Results Body weight, lean mass, spine length, and skeletal muscle mass were greater in the INT group than in the CON group. Skeletal muscle fractional protein synthesis rates were greater in the INT group after a meal than in the CON group and were associated with higher circulating branched-chain amino acid and insulin concentrations. Skeletal muscle protein kinase B (PKB) and ribosomal protein S6 kinase phosphorylation and eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 4E-eIF4G complex formation were higher, whereas eIF2α phosphorylation was lower in the INT group than in the CON group, indicating enhanced activation of insulin and amino acid signaling to translation initiation. Conclusions These results suggest that when neonates are fed the same amounts of nutrients as intermittent meals rather than continuously there is greater lean growth. This response can be ascribed, in part, to the pulsatile pattern of amino acids, insulin, or both induced by INT, which enables the responsiveness of anabolic pathways to feeding to be sustained chronically in skeletal muscle.
Microwave pasteurization for ready-to-eat meals

The food industry and the research community have shown interest in microwave pasteurization of packaged food products since the 1970s. Microwave heating offers possibilities of shorter processing time and better heating uniformity compared to conventional thermal processing using steam or hot water. It, thus, holds potential to deliver safe and higher quality foods. Factors that have hindered commercial applications of microwave pasteurization include engineering challenges in system design, relatively high costs for new equipment installation and operation, and un-familiarity with microwave heating systems. Consumer desire for convenience, food safety risks associated with e-commerce and home delivery of prepared meals, and regulatory requirements imposed by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in the USA have generated great commercial interest in in-package pasteurization technologies. In this paper, we will review pathogens of concern in designing thermal pasteurization processes, regulatory guidelines for pasteurization, and advancements in microwave pasteurization system designs. We offer opinions as to how microwave assisted pasteurization will help the food deliver safe and high quality ready-to-eat meals to consumers through various distribution methods.
The Efficacy of Systemic Doxycycline Administration as an Inhibitor of Intimal Hyperplasia after Balloon Angioplasty Arterial Injury.

Background Intimal hyperplasia (IH) is the most common indicator for secondary intervention in peripheral vascular disease. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a role in IH development due to their degradation of the extracellular matrix. Doxycycline (Doxy), a member of the tetracycline family of antibiotics, is a potent MMP inhibitor. We have previously shown that Doxy inhibits MMP activity and vascular smooth muscle cell migration in vitro. We hypothesized that Doxy would decrease MMP activity in vivo and inhibit the development of IH in a rodent model of vascular injury. Methods and Results Doxy (400 mg/pellet) was delivered by a slow-release pellet implanted 3 days prior to or at the time of balloon angioplasty (BA) of the common carotid artery in female rats. At 14 days post-BA, intima-to-media (I:M) ratios were 0.77 ± 0.21 and 1.04 ± 0.32 in the Doxy treated groups, respectively, compared to 1.25 ± 0.26 in the control group (P = not significant; n = 3). Additionally, the tested dose of Doxy in either group had no inhibitory effect on membrane type 1-MMP or MMP-2 tissue levels, as measured by immunohistochemistry, or on systemic levels of MMP, as measured by total MMP serum levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. At 14 days post-BA, VSMC proliferation in the injured artery was increased to Doxy treatment prior to and at the time of surgery (23.5 ± 3.4 and 27.2 ± 3.9%, respectively), compared to control (11.4 ± 0.4%; n = 3), as measured by proliferating cellular nuclear antigen immunostaining. Conclusions In our in vivo model of vascular injury, systemic Doxy administration prior to or at the time of vascular injury does not significantly hinder the progression of IH development. Additional doses and routes of administration could be examined in order to correlate therapeutic serum levels of Doxy with effective MMP inhibition in serum and arterial tissue. However, alternative drug delivery systems are needed in order to optimize therapeutic administration of targeted MMP inhibitors for the prevention of IH development.
Laryngotracheal Reconstruction in Adults Aged 60 Years and Older.

ObjectiveThe primary aim of this study is to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and execution of major open laryngotracheal operations for patients in the advanced decades.Study DesignCase series with ...
X-ray densitometry of drilling fluids at the rig standpipe

Abstract Fluids used during well construction operations serve as a primary barrier for well control, with the fluid density generating sufficient hydrostatic pressure in the fluid column to control downhole formation fluids and gas. Real-time density measurement at the well inlet, where high pressures of many thousands of psi can occur, is highly desirable in order to maintain well control. This improved characterization of the well bore pressure profile allows one to drill wells with narrow drilling margins without non-productive time from well control events, resulting in safer and more cost-effective well construction operations. Gamma ray densitometers are suitable measuring devices for high-pressure density measurement. Typical flow conditions encountered at the inlet, such as a fully filled pipe and a homogeneously mixed mud, are very conducive to their use. In-spite of their high measurement accuracy and relatively fast response times, however, these meters have seen limited adoption in field. This is primarily because the meters come with safety concerns due to the radioactive source required for gamma ray generation. Additionally, the source has to be tracked throughout its life and properly handled during storage, transportation, installation and disposal. Given these concerns and challenges, a majority of oil and gas operating and service companies use manual density measurements at the mud pits using a pressurized mud balance. To help change this rather antiquated and infrequent practice that relies on manual labor, this paper evaluates the feasibility of using a non-radioactive, X-ray based densitometer as an alternative to the gamma ray meter. X-ray densitometry works on the same proven principles as gamma ray densitometry, without the latter's drawbacks. Two X-ray methods, an empirical method and a model-based method (inspired by a technique used in the medical field known as single X-ray absorptiometry) are presented here. Real-time density measurements on the high pressure line with an accuracy of 99% or better and a measurement frequency of 1 Hz are feasible using these methods.
Tiered Oral Therapy Protocol for Sickle Cell Vaso-Occlusive Crisis

Background: Adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) often present with extremely painful acute vaso-occlusive crises (VOC). VOC guidelines quote studies supporting early initiation of opioids, but are lacking in a standardized approach to achieve adequate analgesia and subsequent de-escalation. Various SCD studies comparing continuous basal versus demand bolus patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) show conflicting outcomes. Thus the objective of our pilot was to develop a standardized approach to pain management utilizing PCA and a Tiered Oral Therapy Protocol (TOTP) in an effort to affect healthcare utilization by decreasing length of stay without increasing readmission rates. Methods: We studied admissions of 31 SCD (any genotype) patients (8 males, 23 females) ≥ 18 years old, all African-American, admitted for VOC, and treated by hospitalist providers using TOTP on one medical unit at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System from July 2018 to June 2019. Inpatient admissions for one calendar year prior to the initial TOTP admission served as the patient's historical control. TOTP is guided by the patient's individualized treatment plan and starts with continuation of their home basal dosing, demand dose only PCA, and immediate-release oral opioids for additional breakthrough pain. TOTP goals are aggressive up-titration of opioids until adequate analgesia. After a period of stability the next phase encourages timely, aggressive down-titration of opioids to speed discharge. We primarily compared length of stay (LOS), hospital charges, and 30-day readmission rates for TOTP vs historical controls. Secondarily, we compared adverse safety events: opioid-related rapid responses, naloxone administration, or falls. Results: Utilization of TOTP resulted in reductions in LOS (21%, 4.7 days controls vs. 3.7 days TOTP, p Conclusion: Standardization of therapy using the TOTP improved length of stay and reduced charges for patients with sickle cell disease admitted for acute VOC without increasing adverse safety events or significantly impacting the 30 day readmission rate. We have enlarged this pilot to include other VCU medical units, to test whether we can reproduce our initial one-unit success. Further, we recommend TOTP implementation and testing in other hospitals to exclude secondary trends, since TOTP was but one among several interventions in a VCU Adult SCD Medical Home. Download : Download high-res image (225KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure . Disclosures Smith: Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria.