cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibitors of sterol synthesis. An efficient and specific side chain oxidation of 3β-hydroxy-5α-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one. Facile access to its metabolites and analogs.

Abstract Treatment of the acetate of 3β-hydroxy-5α-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one ( 1 ), a potent regulator of cholesterol metabolism, with a mixture of trifluoroacetic anthydride, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfuric acid at ∼−2°C for 3.5 h gave remarkably high yields (∼64%) of a mixture of C 24 oxygenated products: 3β-acetoxy-24-trifluoroacetoxy-5α-chol-8(14)-en-15-one ( 6 ), 3β-acetoxy-24-hydroxy-5α-chol-8(14)-en-15-one ( 7 ), and 3β,24-diacetoxy-5α-chol-8(14)-en-15-one ( 8 ). Selective hydrolysis of the trifluoroacetoxy function of 6 in the crude reaction product gave isolated yields of 7 and 8 of 61% and 3%, respectively. The availability of 7 , selectively protected at C-3, provides a key intermediate for the synthesis of potential metabolites and analogs of 1 . Thus, 7 was readily converted to 3β-hydroxy-15-keto-5α-chol-8(14)-en-24-oic acid ( 4 ) and the 25-aza analog of 1 , 3β-hydroxy-24-dimethylamino-5α-chol-8(14)-en-15-one ( 10 ).
Porcine aortic valve interstitial cells in three-dimensional culture: comparison of phenotype with aortic smooth muscle cells.

glycan (GAG), and cell number. Results: PAVICs and PASMCs compacted collagen gels similarly, and expressed similar levels of α -SMA but differing amounts of desmin. PAVICs appeared to produce more protein and GAGs than PASMCs over the six-day period in 3D culture. These results agreed well with previously published observations of interstitial cell behavior in vivo. Conclusion: PAVICs possess both contractile properties and the ability to synthesize matrix components, highlighting their unique function in the demanding environment of the leaflet. Other potential cell sources for heart valve tissue engineering may not be able to mimic adequately some of these functions, and their use may impair tissue function in the long term.
The Portland experience: a report on a distributed research group

Abstract From 1985 for three years, the System Concepts Laboratory (SCL) of the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center had employees in both Palo Alto, California, and Portland, Oregon. The Portland remote site was intended to be a forcing function for the lab to focus on issues of interpersonal computing in a geographically distributed organization. Interpersonal computing supports people communicating and working together through computers; it includes tools to support interaction separated by time and/or space as well as face-to-face interaction and meetings. A consultant to the laboratory took on the role of outside observer to provide insight into questions about the process of working in a distributed organization and about tools for supporting collaboration in a distributed organization. The primary collaborative work of the lab itself was design. The major tool that developed to support the cross-site environment was Media Space, a network of video, audio and computing technologies. With the Media Space, SCL members were able to make significant progress in supporting their distributed design process. The SCL experience adds to the existing knowledge of collaboration by focusing on intellectual effort where the primary resource is information. The activities of the lab depended on reciprocal interdependence of group members for information. Their work required them to be in touch with one another to share and coordinate information, yet lab members were often not together physically or temporally. The SCL work forced the boundaries of social place to extend beyond the boundaries of physical place.
CAUSAL ATTRIBUTION AS A SEARCH FOR UNDERLYING MECHANISMS : AN EXPLANATION OF THE CONJUNCTION FALLACY AND THE DISCOUNTING PRINCIPLE

We propose that causal attribution involves searching for underlying mechanism information (i.e., the processes underlying the relationship between the cause and the effect). This processing account can explain both the conjunction effect (i.e., conjunctive explanations being rated more probable than their components) and the discounting effect (i.e., the effect of one cause being discounted when another cause is already known to be true). When two explanations cohere with respect to a single mechanism, they would be judged to be more likely than a single explanation which partly supports that mechanism. When the two explanations imply two separate mechanisms, one would be discounted. In Experiment 1, both effects occurred with mechanism-based explanations but not with covariation-based explanations in which the cause-effect relationship was phrased in terms of statistical covariations without referring to mechanisms. In Experiments 2 and 3, the amount of the discounting and conjunction effects varied depending on the relationships between specific mechanisms in the two given explanations. We discuss why the current results pose difficulties for previous attribution models.
Prostaglandin E1, E2, and cholera toxin increase transcription of the brain creatine kinase gene in human U87 glioblastoma cells

The creatine kinase isoenzymes play an important role in maintaining ATP levels in some cell types during times of high energy demand. We have previously shown in primary cell cultures from rat brain that glial cells express much higher levels of brain creatine kinase (CKB) mRNA than neurons. In a separate earlier study we observed that transcription of CKB mRNA in glial cells can be stimulated by a forskolin-mediated increase in cAMP via a pathway involving protein kinase A (PKA). In this report, we show that the level of CKB mRNA in human U87 glioblastoma cells can be increased by either prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), or cholera toxin (an activator of G alpha s proteins). The induction of CKB mRNA occurs rapidly (with maximal induction after 6 h), is at the level of transcription, and is mediated specifically through PKA. In addition, the results indicate that both PGE1 and PGE2 use the same or related signal transduction pathways to increase CKB transcription. These results suggest that in glial cells CKB mRNA can be regulated by extracellular signals acting through G-protein-coupled receptors. This study may contribute to an understanding of the mechanisms underlying the previously-reported, early postnatal increase in CKB enzyme activity in rat brain. The results are also discussed with regard to the potential involvement of the expression of prostaglandins and CKB during hypoxia and ischemia.
A Method for Retrieving the Ground Flash Fraction and Flash Type from Satellite Lightning Mapper Observations

AbstractAn analytic perturbation method is introduced for retrieving the lightning ground flash fraction in a set of N lightning flashes observed by a satellite lightning mapper. The value of N must be large, typically in the thousands, and the satellite lightning optical observations consist of the maximum group area (MGA) produced by each flash. Moreover, the method subsequently determines the flash type (ground or cloud) of each of the N flashes. Performance tests of the method were conducted using simulated observations that were based on Optical Transient Detector (OTD) and Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) data. It is found that the mean ground flash fraction retrieval errors are below 0.04 across the full range 0–1 under the nominal conditions defined. In general, it is demonstrated that the retrieval errors depend on many factors (i.e., the number N of satellite observations, the magnitude of random and systematic instrument measurement errors, the ground flash fraction itself, and the number of samp...
Late gestational lung hypoplasia in a mouse model of the Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome

Background Normal post-squalene cholesterol biosynthesis is important for mammalian embryonic development. Neonatal mice lacking functional dehydrocholesterol Δ7-reductase (Dhcr7), a model for the human disease of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, die within 24 hours of birth. Although they have a number of biochemical and structural abnormalities, one cause of death is from apparent respiratory failure due to developmental pulmonary abnormalities.
Advanced Fuels (D-D and D-3He) Fusion Proton Energy Distribution from an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Device

AbstractRecent study of fusion reactions within an inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) device revealed several significant modes of fusion: converged core, beam-target, beam-background, and charge-exchange reactions. In an attempt to understand the fusion product proton measurements in the IEC device, the advanced fuel D-D and D-3He fusion proton energy spectra were analyzed. For D-3He fusion, the beam-target reactions were found to dominate. Hence, the present study focuses on understanding the beam-target reactions and the corresponding proton energy spectra from such sources. This information helps in accurately calculating the proton flux for optimizing medical isotope production and other near-term applications, besides calibration of the proton detectors.A proton detector was used to measure the experimental data and the Monte Carlo stopping power and range in matter (SRIM) simulation code was used to explain the corresponding experimental observations. While the D-D proton spectrum from the IE...
A Framework for Multidimensional Measurements on an Experimental WiMAX Testbed

A major difficulty in the design, study, and implementation of wireless protocols and applications is the multitude of nondeterministic factors (e.g. interference, weather conditions, competing traffic) that can affect their performance. For this reason, testbeds that enable researchers to quantify these influences have become increasingly essential in the wireless research community. The growing sophistication of wireless testbeds and the wide array of services they can provide to researchers have advanced the field tremendously.
Dose Related Biodistribution & Elimination of 100% PFOB Emulsion

Perfluoroctylbromide (PFOB) has been applied successfully as an oxygen carrier and a contrast agent for X-ray, computed tomography, ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Knowledge of the pharmacokinetics of emulsion particle uptake and elimination is critical for determining proper dose and timing of diagnostic studies. This study was intended to define major organ biodistribution and half-life as well as total body half-life as a function of dose.Determination of biodistribution and major organ half-life was achieved by administering 100% PFOB emulsion intravenously to 180 rats divided into 3 dose groups of 0.3, 0.6 & 1.0 g/kg. Each group was divided into 6 subgroups (n = 10; S male and 5 female). Each subgroup was sacrificed at either 6 or 90 min., 1,2,7, or 28 days post injection. 16 different tissue samples were collected and PFOB concentration determined by iso-octane extraction and gas chromatographic (GC) analysis. Total body half-life was determined by administering PFOB intravenously t...
Factors Associated with Attendance after Referral to a Pediatric Weight Management Program

Objective To evaluate factors affecting attendance or nonattendance at an initial interprofessional pediatric weight management visit after referral. We hypothesized that increased severity of obesity, farther distance from the program, lower education level of the primary caregiver, public insurance or no insurance, and lower socioeconomic status would all decrease likelihood of attending initial visit after referral. Study design We examined referral and visit data over 4 years and 5 months. We used geocoding and multivariable logistic regression to analyze links between attendance and demographic factors, baseline body mass index, insurance type, and distance from patients' homes to the program site. Results Over the study period, 41.2% of the 4783 children referred to the pediatric weight management clinic attended at least 1 visit. A total of 4086 children were included in the full analyses. Factors associated with attendance were female sex, higher body mass index severity class, private health insurance, residence in areas with higher median income, and residence in areas with a higher prevalence of high school completion. Conclusions The current project expands our understanding of factors linked to children's attendance at an initial pediatric weight management visit. Despite limitations including missing data, results have important implications for pediatric weight management clinics, referring providers, and policymakers to target populations with low attendance and optimize use of these evidence-based programs.
A One-Way Proof-of-Work Protocol to Protect Controllers in Software-Defined Networks

Connection setup in software-defined networks (SDN) requires considerable amounts of processing, communication, and memory resources. Attackers can target SDN controllers with simple attacks to cause denial of service. We proposed a defense mechanism based on a proof-of-work protocol. The key characteristics of this protocol, namely its one-way operation, its requirement for freshness in proofs of work, its adjustable difficulty, its ability to work with multiple network providers, and its use of existing TCP/IP header fields, ensure that this approach can be used in practice.
Cost-Sharing Implementation for Children Among State Medicaid Programs

Cost containment and quality service delivery through Medicaid programs are a top priority in the United States. In order to curb costs, the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005 allowed states to impose cost-sharing, including copays, on previously exempt groups, such as children. Research on the implementation of the DRA among states has been limited. This study surveyed 50 states and the District of Columbia to identify state copay policies for children on Medicaid receiving behavioral health services (a group who was exempt from copays before the DRA). Analysis of state Medicaid policies revealed that Illinois, Wisconsin, and Idaho implemented copays for this group of children. These states had variable policies impacting children with different family income levels, age requirements, and service needs. The findings of this study issue a call for additional research on the impact of these copays on service utilization and actual cost savings observed by states.
Thermal Ablation in Fiber-Reinforced Composite Laminates Subjected to Continuing Lightning Current

This work is concerned with thermal ablation modeling in carbon fiber-reinforced polymer-matrix composite laminates subjected to the lightnig strike. Both direct heat injection and Joule heating produced by the lightning current are taken into account. First, a model describing interaction of the lightning current channel with a conductive structure is presented. The model includes channel expansion and spatial and temporal distribution of the lightning current and linghtning-induced heat flux. Second, anisotropic electrical and thermal properties of the CFRP composite laminates are determined in a wide temperature range (up to the sublimation temperature of the carbon fibers) using experimental data and micromechanics considerations. Third, a nonlinear thermo-electric coupled problem is formulated and solved for a CFRP composite laminate to determine the electric-currentinduced temperature distribution and associated thermal ablation. Finally, the obtained predictions of thermal ablation in the CFRP composite laminate are compared to the reported experimental results. It is found that the predicted thermal ablation depths agree well with those reported in the experimental study.
Relations Between Eco-Aesthetics and Biopolitics

This paper examines diverse links between concepts, objectives and mechanisms of biopolitics and eco-aesthetics researching their historical developments, the context in which they appear, and the status they have in modern society. The study is guided by several questions and hypotheses: whether the ecology and eco-aesthetics are in stark contrast to the biopolitics and its goals, or both, and eco-aesthetics and biopolitics, each in its own way control life; is perhaps today's popularization of ecology and eco-aesthetics a new instrument of politics of fear, demonstration of necessity of biopolitical power, or a market tool; where in this relationship is art; is art only the naive accomplice in this demonstration of power; or, is art an agent in the biopolitics, because it wants to become biopower and achieve a sort of Gesamtkunstwerk - creates life as a work of art? In doing so, the avant-garde artist-revolutionary as to forgets that revolutions eat their children. Relations between eco-aesthetics and biopolitics present itself as a sort of maze where biopolitics of global capitalism is abusing environmental problems and uses eco-aesthetics for its goals. Politicization of the avant-garde eco art, design and architecture (including waste aesthetics) seems to turn into aestheticization and elitism, thus showing capitalism as a prerequisite of eco-aesthetics. On the other hand, market creates a quasi eco-aesthetics as political correctness that retains the comfortable shape of consumer society and undermines the goal of eco-aesthetics. Eco-aesthetical society would have no place for art as we know it, since opposes its material nature.
Reception of the “Saatchi bill”

McCartney argues that the “Saatchi bill” risks encouraging quackery.1 Criticism of the bill is growing, despite appeals to the authority of various “respected clinicians” who helped to draft …
Expression of Maspin in endometrioid adenocarcinoma and its clinical significance

OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression of Maspin in endometrioid adenocarcinoma tissue and its clinicopathological significance.METHODS: Frozen primary tumors were obtained from 35 women with previously untreated endometrial cancer samples,10 atypical endometrial hyperplasia samples and 15 normal endometrium samples in aterus myoma.Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of Maspin.Statistical analysis was performed by factorial experiment and χ2 test.RESULTS: Positive Maspin expression was observed in 15(42.85%) of 35 endometrioid adenocarcinomas samples and 2(20%) of 10 atypical endometrial hyperplasia samples,but not in normal endometrial glands of uterus samples.This revealed that the expression of Maspin was statistically significantly differenct among the three groups(P0.01)and between the endometrioid adenocarcinoma and that normal endometrium,P0.05.Maspin immunoreactivity of the tumor cells varied in incidence and density among tumors with different FIGO stages,tumor grades and lymph node metastases.Positive Maspin expression was higher in Stage Ⅲ endometrioid adenocarcinoma(60%) than in Stage Ⅰ(36%).Positive Maspin expression increased with the tumor grade decreasing and it was higher in endometrioid adenocarcinoma with lymph node metastasis(100%) than without that(41.17%).Positive staining increased with high FIGO stage,low tumor grade and high lymph node metastasis.However,statistical analysis showed no significant difference in Maspin expression among the three groups,P0.05.CONCLUSION: Expression of Maspin may play a role in the malignant transformation of human endometrial tissue.
Balancing Genetics (Science) and Counseling (Art) in Prenatal Chromosomal Microarray Testing

Genetic counselors frequently are called upon to assist patients in understanding the implications of prenatal testing information for their pregnancies and their family's lives. The introduction of highly sensitive testing such as chromosomal microarray has generated additional kinds of uncertainty into the prenatal period. Counselors may feel uncomfortable or inadequately prepared to engage in discussions with prospective parents who are faced with making critical, and timely, decisions about a pregnancy based on uncertain information. As highly sensitive prenatal testing becomes routine in prenatal care, counselors may be in search of approaches to prenatal counseling, as well as specific skills to approach, engage with, and help families find resolution in such challenging circumstances. To assist genetic counselors, we describe practice skills and provide language for approaching conversations with prospective parents. When clinicians regularly provide care to patients and families making life-altering decisions under conditions of significant uncertainty, discomfort is common and compassion fatigue is likely. We make recommendations directly to the genetic counselor working in reproductive and perinatal settings to enhance training and self-care and to decrease discomfort in balancing the scientific- and art- demands of genetic counseling.
Transmission-line broadband GaN FET class-E power amplifier

A transmission-line loading network for class-E amplifiers is presented. In this work, a GaN FET device with a parasitic drain capacitance of 4-pF is used at 1-GHz design frequency for 20-W output power at 20-V DC supply voltage. A finite inductive reactance DC-feed class-E amplifier output network is designed based upon wire-lines and then modified using transmission-line transforms. The final network topology is managed so that it contains specific transmission-line impedances suitable for breadboarding employing air-suspended brass-bars so that no dielectric is used. The network presents the proper impedance at the device intrinsic drain and at the same time serves as broadband matching to 50-Ohms. The resultant measured performance of 80% efficiency or higher and flat output power over wide bandwidth (760–1060 MHz) is presented.
Improved MR metabolite image reconstruction

A method is proposed for improved reconstruction of volumetric magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of the brain. This data is typically under-sampled, resulting in spatial blurring; however, resolution at object boundaries are between different tissue regions can be improved by incorporating a priori spatial information obtained form high-resolution tissue-segmented MRI data with a parametric model of the acquired data.
After the Appraisal: A Systematic Survey of Process Improvement, its Benefits, and Factors that Influence Success.

Abstract : Very little published evidence exists about the impact of the Capability Maturity ModeiSm (CMM) or CMM-based appraisals on subsequent software process improvement and organizational performance. A few credible case studies do exist, but it is uncertain how widely their results apply. We present evidence here from a much broader cross section of software organizations. Our results suggest that process maturity does indeed pay off in better product quality, ability to meet schedule commitments, and other indicators of organizational performance. The vast majority of survey respondents also report that their appraisals proved to be highly accurate and useful in guiding their subsequent process improvement efforts. Not all organizations have been equally successful, however, and improvement often takes longer and costs more than expected. We identify several factors, most of them under management control, that distinguish more successful from less successful organizations.
Closing the Loop for the Selective Conversion Approach: A Utilization-Based Test for Hard Real-Time Suspending Task Systems

This paper studies the problem of scheduling hard real-time sporadic suspending task systems under global earliest-deadline-first. A novel selective suspension-tocomputation conversion approach has been developed, with the fundamental idea of selecting and converting a limited set of jobs' suspensions into computation to eliminate suspension-induced pessimism in the analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this approach yields the first utilization-based test for globally-scheduled suspending task systems, which analytically dominates the suspension-oblivious approach and dramatically improves schedulability upon existing tests by over 50% on average, as shown by experiments. We believe this paper closes the loop on applying the methodology of selective suspension-to-computation conversion to analyze realtime suspending task systems.
From single cells to our planet-recent advances in using mass spectrometry for spatially resolved metabolomics.

Spatial information in the form of 3D digital content has been increasingly integrated into our daily lives. Metabolomic studies parallel this trend with spatial and time resolved information being acquired. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), which combines qualitative and quantitative molecular information with spatial information, plays a crucial role in mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. The lateral spatial resolution obtained by MSI continues to improve and allows mass spectrometers to be used as molecular microscopes—enabling the exploration of the cellular and subcellular metabolome. Towards the other end of the scale, MS is also being used to map (image) molecules on our skin, habitats, and entire ecosystems. In this article, we provide a perspective of imaging mass spectrometry for metabolomic studies from the subcellular to planetary scale.
Pilot study of Scrambler therapy for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

9075 Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), a common dose-limiting side effect of chemotherapy, remains without known effective interventions. Preliminary data support that ...
The effect of cytochalasin D on outflow facility and the trabecular meshwork of the human eye in perfusion organ culture.

PURPOSE To determine the effect of cytochalasin D on outflow facility in the human anterior segment, and the histologic changes that accompany the effect. METHODS Human anterior segments were studied in perfusion organ culture. The anterior segment from one eye received cytochalasin D, and that from the fellow control eye received vehicle; doses ranged from 0.06 mg/ml to 27.7 mg/ml. The duration of action and the effect of repeated doses were studied, and the accompanying histologic changes were assessed in 12 pairs of anterior segments. RESULTS Cytochalasin D in concentrations of 0.6 mg/ml and 1.1 mg/ml caused increases in outflow facility of 42% and 37%, respectively (P < 0.05), with a peak effect 2 to 6 hours after infusion and a duration of action of approximately 14 hours. Anterior segments were not responsive to repeated doses (24 hours apart). Compared with the effect of vehicle in control anterior segments, cytochalasin D caused scattered breaks in the inner wall endothelial lining of Schlemm's canal (4.6 +/- 2.5% versus 0.7 +/- 0.6%; P = 0.02; anterior segments fixed during maximum drug effect). No increase in the amount of optically empty space within the juxtacanalicular tissue was seen. Inner wall breaks persisted, even in eyes in which the outflow facility had returned to baseline; the basement membrane and subendothelial matrix of the inner wall remained intact. Final intraocular pressure was inversely correlated with the length of optically empty space immediately adjacent to the inner wall. CONCLUSIONS Cytochalasin D can increase outflow facility in the anterior segment of the human eye and causes ruptures of the inner wall of Schlemm's canal. These breaks persist, even when interocular pressure returns to baseline; the basement membrane and subendothelial matrix of the inner wall appear to remain intact. The final intraocular pressure was inversely correlated with the length of optically empty space immediately adjacent to the inner wall.
The Kemper History Project: From Historical Narrative to Institutional Legacy

An institutional legacy can be understood as knowledge, values, and shared experiences transmitted by or received from a college or university for the benefit of all who have taught, served, researched, and/or learned there. This article describes a year-long, collaborative writing project carried out by one university to chronicle two decades of an ongoing professional development school (PDS) partnership with 10 area schools. The final outcome of the project—a 155-page, informally published book—commemorated the partnership with a valuable historical record that also documented an institutional legacy. The article includes a discussion of implications for practice, including benefits of writing a historical narrative, challenges to anticipate, and suggestions for getting started.
A NEW APPROACH TO URBAN WATER RESOURCES SYSTEMS OPTIMIZATION

The modern concept of urban water resources planning is to formulate the problems as hydroeconomic systems and then to optimize the systems using operations research techniques. A new approach to this optimization based on state variables is developed for urban water resources systems. The application of this approach to urban hydrologic problems is outlined and illustrated with an example. The incorporation of state variable models of the systems into procedures for determining the design and operational policies for urban water facilities is discussed.
Extreme points of convex sets of doubly stochastic matrices. I

It is shown that there are no extreme elements (other than the permutation matrices) in certain naturally occurring convex sets of doubly stochastic matrices, including the set of all such matrices whose entries are all strictly less than θ (θ≦1), provided that θ is rational. It is conjectured that this last result is false for infinite matrices whenever θ is irrational.
Variation in Candidate Traumatic Brain Injury Biomarker Genes Are Associated with Gross Neurological Outcomes after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract Diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of traumatic brain injury (TBI) are actively being pursued; potential candidates include glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP), S100 calcium-binding pro...
Bargaining over the Bomb: The Successes and Failures of Nuclear Negotiations

Why do states acquire nuclear weapons? Existing theories of nuclear proliferation fail to account for the impact of bargaining on the process – i.e., credible agreements exist in which rival states make sufficient concessions to convince the potential rising state not to proliferate. This dissertation proves the existence of that range of settlements and the robustness of the inefficiency puzzle. It then provides two main explanations as to why states proliferate anyway. First, if the would-be proliferator expects to lose the ability to construct nuclear weapons in the future, the states face a commitment problem: the rival state would like to promise to continue providing concessions into the future but will renege once proliferation is no longer an option. And second, if the proliferator's rival faces some sort of uncertainty – whether regarding the potential proliferator's ability to go nuclear or regarding its previous proliferation activity – the optimal offer can entail positive probability of nuclear investment. However, the nonproliferation regime's mission to increase the cost of building often leads to Pareto improvement.
Intramuscular Pressure of Human Tibialis Anterior Muscle Reflects in vivo Muscular Activity.

Intramuscular pressure (IMP) is the fluid hydrostatic pressure generated within a muscle and reflects the mechanical forces produced by a muscle. By providing accurate quantification of interstitial fluid pressure, the measurement of IMP may be useful to detect changes in skeletal muscle function not identified with established techniques. However, the relationship between IMP and muscle activity has never been studied in vivo in healthy human muscles. To determine if IMP is able to evaluate electromechanical performance of muscles in vivo, we tested the following hypotheses on the human tibialis anterior (TA) muscle: (i) IMP increases in proportion to muscle activity as measured by electrical (Compound Muscle Action Potential (CMAP)) and mechanical (ankle torque) responses to activation by nerve stimulation and (ii) the onset delay of IMP (IMPD) is shorter than the ankle torque electromechanical delay (EMD). Twelve healthy adults (six females; mean (SD) = 28.1 (5.0) years old) were recruited. Ankle torque, TA IMP, and CMAP responses were collected during maximal stimulation of the fibular nerve at different intensity levels of electrical stimulation, and at different frequencies of supramaximal stimulation, i.e., at 2, 5, 10, and 20 Hz. The IMP response at different stimulation intensities was correlated with the CMAP amplitude (r2 = 0.94). The area of the IMP response at different stimulation intensities was also significantly correlated with the area of the CMAP (r2 = 0.93). Increasing stimulation intensity resulted in an increase of the IMP response (P < 0.001). Increasing stimulation frequency caused torque (P < 0.001) as well as the IMP (P < 0.001) to increase. The ankle torque EMD (median (interquartile range) = 41.8 (14.4) ms) was later than the IMPD (33.0 (23.6) ms). These findings support the hypotheses and suggest that IMP captures active mechanical properties of muscle in vivo and can be used to detect muscular changes due to drugs, diseases, or aging.
Influence of Fat on Differential Receptor Interacting Serine/Threonine Protein Kinase 1 Activity Leading to Apoptotic Cell Death in Murine Liver Ischemia Reperfusion Injury Through Caspase 8.

Current understanding is that receptor interacting serine/threonine protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) can lead to two distinct forms of cell death: RIPK3-mediated necroptosis or caspase 8 (Casp8)-mediated apoptosis. Here, we report that RIPK1 signaling is indispensable for protection from hepatocellular injury in a steatotic liver undergoing ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) but not in the lean liver. In lean liver IRI, RIPK1-mediated cell death is operational, leading to protection in RIP1 kinase-dead knock-in (RIPK1K45A) mice and necrostatin-1s (Nec1s)-treated lean wild-type (WT) mice. However, when fed a high-fat diet (HFD), RIPK1K45A-treated and Nec1s-treated WT mice undergoing IRI demonstrate exacerbated hepatocellular injury along with decreased RIPK1 ubiquitylation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that HFD-fed RIPK3-/-/Casp8-/- mice show protection from IRI, but HFD-fed RIPK3-/-/Casp8-/+ mice do not. We also show that blockade of RIPK1 leads to increased Casp8 activity and decreases mitochondrial viability. Conclusion: Although more studies are required, we provide important proof of concept for RIPK1 inhibition leading to distinctive outcomes in lean and steatotic liver undergoing IRI. Considering the rising incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the general population, it will be imperative to address this critical difference when treating patients with RIPK1 inhibitors. This study also presents a new target for drug therapy to prevent hepatocellular injury in NAFLD.
Are the Current Recommendations for Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine Screening Appropriate

Hydroxychloroquine and quinacrine are frequently used to treat rheumatic diseases. Ocular toxicity, although infrequent, is one of the potential side effects of antimalarial therapies. Current recommendations are unifocal in being developed by only ophthalmologists who do not treat patients for their rheumatic diseases. The data used to create the recommendations are meager and retrospective. Comanagement of patients with rheumatic disease who are exposed to antimalarial therapies requires a greater interaction between ophthalmologists and rheumatologists.
Having your cake and eating it too: Multiple dimensions and a composite

Abstract This paper first develops a framework for exploring options that one can have in psychometric modeling alternatives for multidimensional measurement situations. In particular, we focus on situations where there is seen to be value in both (i) the individual dimension outcomes (i.e., “having your cake”), and (ii) the summative combination of those multiple dimensions (i.e., ‘eating it too”). We review the literature about this issue, mainly from the perspective of latent variable modeling. There have been three main modeling options used, (a) the Unidimensional and the Multidimensional-Covariance models, (b) the Bifactor model, and (c) the Hierarchical model. We describe a fourth model, the composite model, that we see as having certain advantages over the others. Following a specification of this model, we discuss its estimation, the use of a weighting schemes to create the composite, and the calculation of reliability for the composite. This is followed by an empirical example for which we show results from the different solutions for the models in the framework. In conclusion, we review the results, and issues discussed in the paper, consider the special case of educational and psychological testing, consider future directions for this work, and speculate about the possible uses of the Composite Model.
The Happy American Body 2.0: Predictors of affective body satisfaction in two U.S. national internet panel surveys.

Abstract The first national study of body image was reported four decades ago in the article The Happy American Body (Berscheid et al., 1973). To provide a modern follow-up to this study, we used two Internet panel surveys of U.S. adults to examine feelings about appearance (Survey 1: Married N = 1095; Single N = 5481) and weight, appearance, body, and muscle size/tone (Survey 2: N = 1601). Mean ages across samples for men and women ranged from 42-53. On the positive side, many men and women were somewhat-to-very satisfied with their appearance (67 %; 57 %), overall body (61 %; 46 %), weight (54 %; 42 %), and muscle tone/size (56 %; 41 %). Mean gender differences were small (Cohen’s ds = 0.18–0.32), as were sexual orientation differences within each gender (ds = |0.00-0.25|). Looking at negative body image, fewer men than women were somewhat-to-very unhappy with their appearance among married (19 %; 29 %) and single participants (29 %; 35 %), and fewer men were somewhat-to-extremely dissatisfied with their appearance (18 %; 24 %), body (27 %; 39 %), weight (36 %; 49 %), muscle tone/size (27 %; 41 %). Nearly one-fifth of men (18 %) and one-fourth of women (27 %) were very-to-extremely dissatisfied with at least one of these traits, highlighting the importance of body image interventions.
Effectiveness of a medical student-led, advanced care planning intervention in an inpatient cancer population.

e24010Background: In an effort to provide patients with care that aligns with their values and goals, patients are encouraged to complete advance directives (ADs). While research has shown the bene...
Safety of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Seven Ipsilateral Lung Lesions

Our patient is a 48-year-old gentleman who initially was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer on presentation. He had a history of multiple lines of systemic therapy, primary local resection, radioembolization treatments to the liver, along with liver metastasectomy with intraoperative radiofrequency ablation. He initially presented and completed single-isocenter stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to five right lung metastases with a treatment response and then completed SBRT to two additional right lower lung metastases. Since completion of his SBRT, he has remained disease free. Integration of SBRT to multiple ipsilateral lung lesions achieved a complete clinical response and assisted in keeping him disease free with the support of systemic therapy, and thus improved quality of life.
Is Critical Human Geography Research Replicable

The debate concerning replicable scientific research has reached geography’s shores. This has exposed old fault lines in our discipline, because some forms of geographical inquiry are more amenable...
Clinical Significance of CBC and WBC Morphology in the Diagnosis and Clinical Course of COVID-19 Infection.

Objectives To investigate the clinical significance of numeric and morphologic peripheral blood (PB) changes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-positive patients in predicting the outcome, as well as to compare these changes between critically ill COVID-19-positive and COVID-19-negative patients. Methods The study included 90 COVID-19-positive (51 intensive care unit [ICU] and 39 non-ICU) patients and 30 COVID-19-negative ICU patients. We collected CBC parameters (both standard and research) and PB morphologic findings, which were independently scored by two hematopathologists. Results All patients with COVID-19 demonstrated striking numeric and morphologic WBC changes, which were different between mild and severe disease states. More severe disease was associated with significant neutrophilia and lymphopenia, which was intensified in critically ill patients. Abnormal WBC morphology, most pronounced in monocytes and lymphocytes, was associated with more mild disease; the changes were lost with disease progression. Between COVID-19-positive and COVID-19-negative ICU patients, significant differences in morphology-associated research parameters were indicative of changes due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus, including higher RNA content in monocytes, lower RNA content in lymphocytes, and smaller hypogranular neutrophils. Conclusions Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 should undergo a comprehensive daily CBC with manual WBC differential to monitor for numerical and morphologic changes predictive of poor outcome and signs of disease progression.
Reliability of Radiologic Assessments of Clinically Relevant Growth Remaining in Knee MRI of Children and Adolescents With Patellofemoral Instability: Data From the JUPITER Cohort.

Background:Surgical decision making and preoperative planning for children and adolescents with patellofemoral instability rely heavily on a patient’s skeletal maturity. To be clinically useful, ra...
Nurse-Led Palliative Care Improves Knowledge and Preparedness in Caregivers of Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Rationale: Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and their caregivers experience stress, symptom burden, poor quality of life (QOL), and inadequate preparedness for end of life (EOL) ca...
Association between extreme temperatures and emergency room visits related to mental disorders: A multi-region time-series study in New York, USA.

Abstract Background There is growing evidence suggesting that extreme temperatures have an impact on mental disorders. We aimed to explore the effect of extreme temperatures on emergency room (ER) visits for mental health disorders using 2.8 million records from New York State, USA (2009–2016), and to examine potential effect modifications by individuals' age, sex, and race/ethnicity through a stratified analysis to determine if certain populations are more susceptible. Method To assess the short-term impact of daily average temperature on ER visits related to mental disorders, we applied a quasi-Poisson generalized linear model combined with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM). The model was adjusted for day of the week, precipitation, as well as long-term and seasonal time trends. We also conducted a meta-analysis to pool the region-specific risk estimates and construct the overall cumulative exposure-response curves for all regions. Results We found positive associations between short-term exposure to extreme heat (27.07 ∘C) and increased ER visits for total mental disorders, as well as substance abuse, mood and anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and dementia. We did not find any statistically significant difference among any subgroups of the population being more susceptible to extreme heat than any other. Conclusions Our findings suggest that there is a positive association between short-term exposure to extreme heat and increased ER visits for total mental disorders. This extreme effect was also found across all sub-categories of mental disease, although further research is needed to confirm our finding for specific mental disorders, such as dementia, which accounted for less than 1% of the total mental disorders in this sample.
Is Frequency Enough?: The Frequency Model in Vocabulary Size Testing

Modern vocabulary size tests are generally based on the notion that the more frequent a word is in a language, the more likely a learner will know that word. However, this assumption has been seldo...
Shifting Mobility Behaviors in Unprecedented Times: Intentions to Use On-demand Ride Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The spread of COVID-19 has been a major disruptive force in people's everyday lives and mobility behavior. The demand for on-demand ride services, such as taxis and ridehailing has been specifically impacted, given both restrictions in service operations and user's concerns about virus transmission in shared vehicles. During the pandemic, demand for these modes have decreased by as much as 80%. This study examines intentions to use on-demand ride services in a period of drastic changes in lifestyles and daily routines coupled with unprecedented mobility reductions. Specifically, we examine the determinants for the shift of intentions to use these on-demand modes of travel in the early stages of the pandemic. Using data from a survey disseminated in June 2020 to 700 respondents from contiguous United States, ordinal regression modeling is applied to analyze the shift in consideration. The results indicate that political orientation and health-related experiences during the pandemic are significant sources of variation for individual changes in intentions to use ridehailing. Additionally, characteristics such as age and income result in consideration shifts that contradict the typical ridership profiles found in the ridehailing literature. Specifically, on-demand ride consideration decreases as a function of age and income. Moreover, transit-users are more willing to consider on-demand rides than private vehicle users, suggesting that shared vehicle modes have a similar risk-profile. We discuss the role of on-demand ride services in the pandemic era, and the need to investigate political orientation and evolving pandemic experiences to pinpoint their role in future mobility systems.