cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Salmeterol reduces dyspnea and improves lung function in patients with COPD.

Study objective To investigate the short-term effects of inhaled salmeterol on the perception of dyspnea and lung function in patients with COPD Design Double-blind, crossover, randomized trial comparing inhaled salmeterol and inhaled placebo over 4 h. Setting Pulmonary function laboratory at university medical center. Patients Sixteen patients with symptomatic COPD and at least 200-mL increase in FEV 1 after inhalation of two puffs (180 µg) of albuterol. Interventions Visit 1 was used for familiarization. At visits 2 and 3 (2 to 3 days apart), patients inhaled either two puffs of salmeterol (42 µg) or placebo. Measurements and results Lung function and dyspnea were measured at 0.5, 2, and 4 h after inhalation of the study medication. Dyspnea was measured by the —5 to +5 category scale at rest and by the 0 to 10 category-ratio scale while breathing through inspiratory resistances of 5, 15, and 30 cm H 2 O/L/s. Age was 66±8 years (mean±SD). FEV 1 was 0.97±0.331 (51 ±13% predicted). There were significantly higher values for FEV 1 and FVC (at all time periods) and lower values for functional residual capacity (at all time periods) and residual volume (at 4 h) with salmeterol than with placebo. There were significantly lower dyspnea ratings on the —5 to +5 category scale (p=0.03 at 2 h and p=0.02 at 4 h) and for the mean dyspnea scores during resistive breathing with salmeterol compared with placebo (p=0.002). Conclusions Inhaled salmeterol reduced dyspnea, increased airflow, and reduced hyperinflation over 4 h in patients with symptomatic COPD.
Physiologic Categorization of Asbestos-Exposed Workers

Categorization of the pattern of physiologic abnormalities in patients with asbestos-associated disease may be important for clinical, compensation, and epidemiologic reasons. A population of 658 asbestos-exposed workers was divided into six groups (restrictive, mixed restrictive-obstructive, obstructive, abnormal diffusing capacity, small airway disease, and normal) based upon pulmonary function test results. Use of two commonly employed prediction equations for diffusing capacity produced divergent results. Adjustment of the forced vital capacity for airtrapping based upon measurement of residual volume or of total lung capacity can improve the accuracy of categorization, particularly in smokers. Hence, the process of interpretation of pulmonary function testing should be chosen carefully.
Determination of the elastic modulus of wire arc sprayed alloy 625 using experimental, analytical, and numerical simulations

Abstract In the present study, the mechanical properties of thermal sprayed wire arc coating of super alloy 625 were investigated. This work is a continuation of previous study on microstructural characterization of wire arc sprayed alloy 625. The elastic modulus of the coating was experimentally determined using Knoop indentation, resonant frequency, tensile test, three-point bending test, and nano-indentation. In addition, the elastic modulus was calculated using numerical simulations and by use of available analytical methods. Thermally sprayed depositions exhibit anisotropic structure resulting in different mechanical properties in the transverse and longitudinal directions. Some of the techniques used in this study are only capable of determining properties in one direction. However, Knoop indentation and image based finite element analysis can measure and predict the elastic modulus in both directions. Comparison of the results obtained from the analytical models, numerical simulations, and experimental tests lead to better understand of the capabilities and accuracy of each method in prediction and measurement of mechanical properties of thermal spray coating structures.
Perceiving Strategic Meeting Interaction

This study investigates how individuals perceive the message strategies of other team members and then explores how these perceptions are influenced by message function. Using a mixed-methods data collection, team interaction was coded using Bales's Interaction Process Analysis (IPA). Following the meetings, retrospective interviews were conducted to capture perceptions of team member contributions to weekly team meetings. To assess perceptual similarities and differences, team member perceptions were then compared to the IPA codes of meeting interactions. Findings advance knowledge of communication in team meetings, specifically, how and why team members interpret the same interaction in different ways. Study results have implications for improving member communication in task-focused team meetings.
Ultrasonic assessment of tissue anisotropy

Two completely separate experiments using the Scanning Laser Acoustic Microscope, operating at an ultrasonic frequency of 100 MHz, assessed the attenuation coefficient and propagation speed of two anisotropic biological materials, viz., human Achilles tendon samples and bovine longissimus striated muscle samples. For the tendon samples, three separate locations were also evaluated (superior, medial and inferior). Anisotropy was evaluated by measuring the samples with the ultrasonic beam propagating either parallel or perpendicular to the tendon muscle fibers. Achilles tendons generally exhibited a greater anisotropy than did skeletal muscle, and for both materials, the parallel orientation of both attenuation coefficient and propagation speed were consistently greater that those of the perpendicular orientation.
No Effects of Two Anesthetic Agents on Circulating Leukocyte Counts or Resistance to Trematode Infections in Larval Amphibians

Abstract Pharmacological anesthetics are used frequently in aquatic animal husbandry and research. Although several studies have investigated the effects of these anesthetic agents on immune responses in fish, none have assessed such effects in amphibians. To address this disparity, we exposed Osteopilus septentrionalis tadpoles to 0.005% benzocaine, 0.1% tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222), or artificial spring water, and quantified circulating white blood cells and susceptibility to infection by larval trematodes. Exposure to neither MS-222 nor benzocaine elevated circulating white blood cells relative to water-exposed tadpoles. Furthermore, anesthetic treatment did not affect resistance to larval trematode infection. These results indicate that the anesthetics tested here probably do not affect tadpole immune function and should aid researchers in determining anesthetic usage.
Odontogenic cervical necrotizing fasciitis.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a severe soft-tissue infection characterized by diffuse necrosis of fascia and subcutaneous tissue; initially, skin and muscle are usually spared. The trunk, abdomen, perineum, and extremities are the most commonly, involved areas. The case of a 55-year-old man with a cervical necrotizing fasciitis from an infected tooth is presented. The medical history, etiology, anatomy, precipitating factors, clinical presentation, and therapy of this infection are discussed. Early recognition allows effective therapy with aggressive surgical intervention, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and supportive care. Misdiagnosis (eg, as cellulitis) and delayed surgical treatment can result in severe systemic toxicity and a mortality rate the approaches 40%.
Photosensitization of thin SnO2 nanocrystalline semiconductor film electrodes with metalloporphyrins and alkyl-substituted metalloporphyrins

Modest fill factors (~0.2) and efficiencies for sensitized photocurrent generation are observed with porphyrins adsorbed to saturation on a nanocrystalline SnO2 thin film employed as the working electrode in a photoelectrochemical cell. No dye aggregation is observed at the metal oxide/adsorbate interface, and no advantage in the photosensitization efficiency is seen with two porphyrins that exhibit a stable liquid crystalline phase over another porphyrin that does not.
Microparticle detachment from surfaces exposed to turbulent air flow: Effects of flow and particle deposition characteristics

Abstract This work presents the results of experiments conducted to provide quantitative information on particle detachment from surfaces. The effects of certain, controllable factors on the detachment of 70 μm -diameter stainless-steel spheres from a glass surface exposed to accelerated air flow in a wind tunnel were studied. Changes in the free-stream velocity required to detach 50% of the particles, the threshold velocity for detachment, were measured for variations in the controlled factors. These factors were air relative humidity, residence time between particle deposition onto the substrate and flow application, mean flow acceleration, deposition density, final free-stream velocity, and final flow Reynolds number. Results reveal that deposition density was the most effective factor that enhanced detachment at all relative humidities. Residence time was found to be the most effective factor that suppressed detachment at high relative humidity. The threshold velocity increased with increasing relative humidity and was lower for turbulent flow versus laminar flow. Within the uncertainty limits, the mean flow acceleration in the transient period was found not to affect the threshold velocity in the range from 0.014 to 0.34 m/s 2 . The final free-stream velocity also did not affect the threshold velocity, provided it was greater than the threshold. A set of experimental conditions that lead to a relatively small uncertainty is presented.
SURFACE BIOLOGY OF DNA BY ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY

▪ Abstract The atomic force microscope operates on surfaces. Since surfaces occupy much of the space in living organisms, surface biology is a valid and valuable form of biology that has been difficult to investigate in the past owing to a lack of good technology. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) of DNA has been used to investigate DNA condensation for gene therapy, DNA mapping and sizing, and a few applications to cancer research and to nanotechnology. Some of the most exciting new applications for atomic force microscopy of DNA involve pulling on single DNA molecules to obtain measurements of single-molecule mechanics and thermodynamics.
Synovial fluid chondroitin sulphate epitopes 3B3 and 7D4, and glycosaminoglycan in human knee osteoarthritis after exercise

OBJECTIVE—Walking exercise alleviates some symptoms, such as pain, in patients with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, a major concern is that weightbearing exercise on osteoarthritic joints may exacerbate articular cartilage degradation. Loading of proteoglycan depleted articular cartilage in vitro increased expression of the chondroitin sulphate epitope 3B3, suggesting that loading may influence metabolism of osteoarthritic cartilage. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of walking exercise on articular cartilage metabolism in patients with knee OA, as reflected by changes in concentrations of synovial fluid markers. METHODS—Thirty elderly patients with knee OA (Kellgren-Lawrence grades II to IV) were randomly allocated to control (n = 15) and 12 week exercise (n = 15) groups. Synovial fluid obtained from 21 of the patients at time zero and after 12 weeks was examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the chondroitin sulphate epitopes 3B3 and 7D4, and by a dye binding assay with 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue for total sulphated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) concentrations. The 3B3/GAG and 7D4/GAG ratios were calculated. RESULTS—No significant changes in concentrations of 3B3, 7D4, GAG, 3B3/GAG, or 7D4/GAG between time zero and 12 weeks were found in either group. However, there were significant declines in 3B3 (p=0.001), GAG (p=0.007), and the 3B3/GAG ratio (p=0.049) with aging. CONCLUSION—Twelve weeks of walking exercise had no demonstrable adverse effects on articular cartilage metabolism, as reflected by the concentrations of synovial fluid GAG or the chondroitin sulphate epitopes 3B3 and 7D4.
Cultural influences in pediatric cancer from diagnosis to cure/end of life.

Objective: To review the literature on cultural factors influencing clinical care and family management of pediatric cancer. Methods: A literature review including 72 articles related to cultural issues in pediatric cancer was conducted. Information was organized around several clinically driven themes. Results: Cultural factors influenced many aspects of the cancer experience including illness representations, reaction to diagnosis, illness disclosure patterns, complementary and alternative medicine use, management of medical procedures, coping strategies, and end of life issues. Conclusion: Increased awareness of cultural factors is needed to improve clinical care and reduce health disparities. Specific strategies to approach cultural differences are provided to enhance patient and family care from diagnosis to cure/end of life.
Long-Term Contracts Under the Threat of Supplier Default

Contracting with suppliers prone to default is an increasingly common problem in some industries, particularly automotive manufacturing. We model this phenomenon as a two-period contracting game with two identical suppliers, a single buyer, deterministic demand, and uncertain production costs. The suppliers are distressed at the start of the game and do not have access to external sources of capital; hence, revenues from the buyer are crucial in determining whether default occurs. The production cost of each supplier is the sum of two stochastic components: a common term that is identical for both suppliers (representing raw materials costs, design specifications, etc.) and an idiosyncratic term that is unique to a given supplier (representing inherent firm capability). The buyer chooses a supplier and then decides on a single-or two-period contract. Comparing models with and without the possibility of default, we find that, without the possibility of supplier failure, the buyer always prefers short-term contracts over long-term contracts, whereas this preference is typically reversed in the presence of failure. Neither of these contracts coordinates the supply chain. We also consider dynamic contracts, in which the contract price is partially tied to some index representing the common component of production costs (e.g., commodity prices of raw materials such as steel or oil), allowing the buyer to shoulder some of the risk from cost uncertainty. We find that dynamic long-term contracts allow the buyer to coordinate the supply chain in the presence of default risk. We also demonstrate that our results continue to hold under a variety of alternative assumptions, including stochastic demand, allowing the buyer the option of subsidizing a bankrupt supplier via a contingent transfer payment or loan and allowing the buyer to unilaterally renegotiate contracts. We conclude that the possibility of supplier default offers a new reason to prefer long-term contracts over short-term contracts.
Dilatory Donatists or Procrastinating Catholics: The Trial at the Conference of Carthage

In the year 411 the bishops of Christian North Africa, Augustine among them, assembled in Carthage to debate whether Catholics or Donatists should be recognized as the true Christian church in North Africa. Although most biographies of Augustine and histories of Christianity in North Africa mention this conference, they spend little time on the substance of the discussion which took place between the two parties. Accusations by fourthcentury Catholics, especially Augustine, and remarks by modern commentators often charge the Donatists with delaying the debate on the real issues of the Conference by interventions and procedural motions which served no useful purpose. Even W. H. C. Frend in The Donatist Church, and Peter Brown in his biography of Augustine take Catholic propaganda on this issue at face value.
Effects of phospholemman downregulation on contractility and [Ca(2+)]i transients in adult rat cardiac myocytes.

Phospholemman (PLM) expression was increased in rat hearts after myocardial infarction (MI). Overexpression of PLM in normal adult rat cardiac myocytes altered contractile function and cytosolic Ca...
Gene Interaction in Tryptophan Synthetase Formation.

N a previous study (YANOPSKY 1952) of two biochemically similar tryptophanI requiring mutants of Neurospora crassa it was found that each strain differed from the wild type in that it was unable to carry out the tryptophan synthetase reaction (the coupling of indole and serine to form tryptophan). In both mutants the genetic change which resulted in a requirement for exogenous tryptophan seemed to be a t the same locus (termed the td locus) and thus, on the basis of the initial biochemical and genetic criteria that were applied, the two strains appeared to be identical. The occurrence of a suppressor mutation (restoring the ability to grow in the absence of tryptophan) in one of the strains subsequently permitted the demonstration that the two mutants differed. Only one of the mutant strains responded to the presence of the suppressor gene by forming tryptophan synthetase and growing in the absence of a tryptophan supplement; the second strain, when it contained the suppressor gene, showed neither of these effects. Since these observations indicate that suppressor gene specificity can be used to detect differences at the locus controlling the formation of tryptophan synthetase, additional mutants and suppressors have been obtained and examined. The behavior of these new mutants and suppressors is the subject of this paper.
Theoretical study for the treatment of pancreatic cancer using electric pulses

Through the development of numerical models, this study describes how Non-Thermal Irreversible Electroporation (N-TIRE) of the pancreas presents certain challenges that can be alleviated through the use of non-puncturing plate electrodes and ultra-short electric pulses.
Sequential radial artery grafts for multivessel coronary artery bypass graft surgery: 10-year survival and angiography results.

Background Increasing the number of arterial grafts for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been linked to improved late survival. Currently, it is not known if these long-term benefits are also true when sequential radial artery (RA) grafts are the primary means to maximizing arterial revascularization. Methods We compared late survival of 532 consecutive patients receiving sequential RA grafts (sequential RA group: 438 men; 462 with three-vessel disease) with that of a 4,131 contemporaneous internal thoracic artery (ITA) with saphenous vein (SV) multivessel CABG cohort (conventional group). Graft failure rates were determined from symptom-driven repeat angiography films in 122 sequential RA patients performed 2 to 4,317 days after surgery. Median survival sequential RA follow-up was 5.3 years (range, 0.5 to 12.3). Results The sequential RA patients received a total of 1,181 RA grafts (538 sequential [30 triple] and 75 single) along with 636 SV and 533 ITA. Overall RA graft failure (80 of 272; 29%) was intermediate to that for ITA (7 of 121; 5.8%; p Conclusions Sequential RA grafting is a safe method for maximizing arterial revascularization and is associated with excellent 10-year survival that seems to be superior to conventional or ITA/SV CABG results. Also, the similar proximal and distal sequential RA patency mitigates concerns of a clinically significant effect of increased vasoreactivity of distal segments of RA conduits.
The Folding and Structural Integrity of the First LIN-12 Module of Human Notch1 Are Calcium-Dependent†

Notch1 is a member of a conserved family of large modular type 1 transmembrane receptors that control differentiation in multicellular animals. Notch function is mediated through a novel signal transduction pathway involving successive ligand-induced proteolytic cleavages that serve to release the intracellular domain of Notch, which then translocates to the nucleus and activates downstream transcription factors. The extracellular domain of all Notch receptors have three iterated LIN-12 modules that appear to act as negative regulatory domains, possibly by limiting proteolysis. Each LIN-12 module contains three disulfide bonds and three conserved aspartate (D) or asparagine (N) residues. To begin to understand the structural basis for LIN-12 function, the first LIN-12 module of human Notch1 (rLIN-12.1) has been expressed recombinantly in Escherichia coli and purified in a reduced form. In redox buffers, rLIN-12.1 forms only one disulfide isomer in the presence of millimolar Ca2+ concentrations, whereas multiple disulfide isomers are observed in the presence of Mg2+ and EDTA. Further, mutation of conserved residues N1460, D1475, and D1478 to alanine abolishes Ca2+-dependent folding of this module. Mass spectrometric analysis of partially reduced rLIN-12.1 has been used to deduce that disulfide bonds are formed between the first and fifth (C1449-C1472), second and fourth (C1454-C1467), and third and sixth (C1463-C1479) cysteines of this prototype module. This arrangement is distinct from that observed in other modules, such as EGF and LDL-A, that also contain three disulfide bonds. One-dimensional proton nuclear magnetic resonance shows that Ca2+ induces a dramatic increase in the extent of chemical shift dispersion of the native rLIN-12.1 amide protons, as seen for the Ca2+-binding LDL-A modules. We conclude that Ca2+ is required both for proper folding and for the maintenance of the structural integrity of Notch/LIN-12 modules.
Beetle Transmission of Plant Viruses

Publisher Summary Although the majority of plant viruses are transmitted by insects with sucking mouthparts, some viruses are transmitted by insects with biting mouthparts. Of the insects with biting mouthparts that transmit viruses, the beetles are the most important vectors. Viruses transmitted by beetles apparently cannot be transmitted by insects with sucking mouthparts. Until recently it has been generally assumed that when a biting insect behaves as a vector, it only does so by carrying infective sap from diseased to healthy plants on its mouthparts. However, when a beetle is an efficient vector and retains virus up to 20 days as the cucumber beetle does with squash mosaic virus, some additional mechanism of transmission probably is involved. This chapter brings together the various aspects of beetle transmission of plant viruses. Viruses transmitted by beetles have many properties in common. Usually, they are relatively stable, develop a high titer in infected plants, can be readily transmitted by manual inoculation, have spherical or polyhedral particles from 25 to 30 mp in diameter, and are highly antigenic. Host ranges and symptoms are usually not correlated with any specific features of the virus particles or with their vectors. The beetle-transmitted viruses can be divided into two groups depending on the length of time the viruses are retained by their vectors. The larger group consists of the viruses that are retained by their vectors for a prolonged period of time. The other group is made up of those viruses that are retained by their vectors for short periods of time, usually 24-48 hours. Only beetles in the family, Chrysomelidae, commonly called leaf beetles, have been shown to transmit plant viruses. All but two of the beetles belong in two subfamilies-Galerucinae (Galerucine leaf beetles) and Halticinste (flea beetles).
Updated cardiac safety results of dose-dense (DD) doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC) followed by paclitaxel (T) with trastuzumab (H) in HER2/neu overexpressed/amplified breast cancer (BCA)

582 Background: DD q 2 weekly (w) AC → T is superior to conventionally scheduled (cs) AC → T and safe w/long follow-up (Hudis et al, SABCS 2005). With q 3 wk AC, adjuvant (adj) H is safe and effect...
A Further Study of the Virus of Infectious Myxoma on the Chorioallantoic Membrane ofthe Developing Chick Embryo

Recently Hoffstadt and Pilcher1 reported the cultivation of the virus of infectious myxoma of rabbits on the chorioallantoic membrane of the chick embryo. Egg passed virus of the 33rd generation produced typical myxoma lesions in a rabbit. This work confirmed that of Lush.2 It was found in the first study that chilling of the developing embryo before or after inoculation and the temperature at which the eggs were incubated affected both the abundance and the character of the lesion. The effect of chilling was especially noticeable within the temperature range 33 C. and 35 C. At the same time it was noted that the infected chick membranes in 50*^ glycerol did not retain their viability as well as did the rabbit tissue virus preserved in the same manner. Hence, this investigation was undertaken to determine the effect of chilling with a wider range of incubation temperatures and the viability of virus in common preservatives and diluents. At the same time the reaction of the virus on the developing embryo was studied.
Notes on the Dual Nature of 5f Electrons

The dual nature of 5f electrons is illustrated by showing examples of itinerant and localized features in the electronic structure. Systems where dual configuration was well documented are also mentioned. A link between electronic structure and ground state properties is briefly discussed.
Cytogenetics and Description of a New North American Species of the Neotropical Genus Cecidocharella (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Cecidocharella borrichia , n. sp., is the first representative of this South American genus to be described from North America. The larvae were found infesting the flowerheads of Borrichia frutescens (L.) (Compositae). The karyotype (2n = 12) of the female, which is the heterogametic sex, consists of 5 pairs of metakinetic autosomes, a subacrokinetic X chromosome, and a dot Y chromosome. A brief discussion of the generic relationships and biology and a key to the known species are presented.
Child support: broadening the definition for unemployed fathers

Recent attention has focused on child support and the courts' effectiveness in enforcing support orders among non-custodial parents. Fathers continue to make up the majority of non-custodial parents. However, the new Child Support Enforcement legislation criminalizes those fathers who traditionally have little or no financial resources. Unable to fulfill their role as "breadwinners," many non-custodial fathers abandon their child(ren) and their co-parenting role. This article proposes a broader definition of child support to include non-financial, "in kind" services. Implications for divorce mediators are addressed.
Native protein proteolysis in an immobilized enzyme reactor as a function of temperature.

Trypsin concentration and the unmasking of cleavage sites in proteins play important roles in the stoichiometry of peptide production and the number of limit peptides generated during proteolysis. The hypothesis explored in this work was that native proteins could be digested and identified without disulfide reduction by (i) enhancing the unmasking of cleavage sites through elevated reaction temperatures and (ii) increasing trypsin concentration by use of an immobilized enzyme reactor (IMER). Transferrin was chosen as a model protein for these studies on the basis of its resistance to trypsin digestion. Results from this study showed greater than 70% sequence coverage in the peptides identified when nonreduced transferrin was digested at 60 °C. Large numbers of missed cleavages were observed from specific regions in proteins. Proteolysis appeared to start at a small number of high frequency cleavage sites in the cases of both reduced and nonreduced transferrin. Although approximately the same number of pe...
Responses of a 58-Story RC Dual Core Shear Wall and Outrigger Frame Building Inferred from Two Earthquakes

Responses of a dual core shear-wall and outrigger-framed 58-story building recorded during the Mw6.0 Napa earthquake of 24 August 2014 and the Mw3.8 Berkeley earthquake of 20 October 2011 are used ...
Education and Training in Otorhinolaryngology —Specialty Education and Training: Post-Specialty Training in Special Areas of Otorhinolaryngology

The IFOS Committee on Education received the recommendation from the leadership of the organization to study the “Education and Training of the Specialist and Super Specialist in Otorhinolaryngology.” The breadth of the subject implied a world-wide survey of graduate training in Otorhinolaryngology [ORL] and the disciplines which are divisions of ORL, such as Otology/ Neurotology, Pediatric Otolaryngology, Bronchoesophagology, Laryngology, and Facial Plastic Surgery, and Head and Neck Surgery (usually addressing oncology as a major consideration).
Effect of Electronic Messaging on Glucose Control and Hospital Admissions Among Patients with Diabetes

Abstract Background: Electronic messaging (EM) is increasingly utilized among patients with diabetes, but it is unclear whether it is associated with improved glycemic control, hospital admissions, or emergency visits. Methods: Patients who were seen over a 1 year period at an academic endocrinology clinic with a diagnosis of diabetes were categorized according to portal activation and whether EMs were actually sent. The association between EM and HbA1c and inpatient or emergency department (ED) visits was further characterized using multivariable (MV) linear or logistic regression models. Results: A total of 867 patients were using EM (active user group), 1207 patients had activated the patient portal but did not use the EM function (active nonuser group), and 1542 patients had not activated the patient portal (inactive group). There were important disparities in race, age, income, and other variables across groups. The HbA1c was 7.7% ± 1.5%, 8.4% ± 1.9%, and 8.2% ± 1.8% among the active user, active non...
Stimulating Participation: Individuals’ Characteristics, State Inputs, and Context

Chapter 4 explored survey data on political capabilities spillovers. The data provided evidence of changes to learning and networks throughout Honduras and Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. The descriptive data were unable to show, however, the key factors that impact individual-level spillovers. This chapter presents a series of regressions that identify the factors that are most likely to generate spillover effects.
Incidence of Programmed Cell Death 1 Inhibitor–Related Pneumonitis in Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Importance Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor–related pneumonitis is a rare but clinically serious and potentially life-threatening adverse event. Little is known about its incidence across different tumor types and treatment regimens. Objective To compare the incidence of PD-1 inhibitor–related pneumonitis among different tumor types and therapeutic regimens. Data Sources A PubMed search through November 10, 2015, and a review of references from relevant articles. For the PubMed search, the following keywords or corresponding Medical Subject Heading terms were used: nivolumab , pembrolizumab , and PD-1 inhibitor . Study Selection Twenty-six original articles of PD-1 inhibitor trial results were identified. Among them, 20 studies of melanoma, non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), or renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were eligible for a meta-analysis. Data Extraction and Synthesis The data were extracted by 1 primary reviewer and then independently reviewed by 2 secondary reviewers following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Comparisons of the incidence were based on marginal, exact generalized linear models with generalized estimating equations. Main Outcomes and Measures Incidence of all-grade and grade 3 or higher pneumonitis and pneumonitis-related deaths. Results Twenty studies of single-tumor-type trials of PD-1 inhibitor (12 melanoma studies, 5 NSCLC studies, and 3 RCC studies) (a total of 4496 unique patients) were included in the meta-analysis. The overall incidence of pneumonitis during PD-1 inhibitor monotherapy was 2.7% (95% CI, 1.9%-3.6%) for all-grade and 0.8% (95% CI, 0.4%-1.2%) for grade 3 or higher pneumonitis. The incidence was higher in NSCLC for all-grade (4.1% vs 1.6%; P = .002) and grade 3 or higher pneumonitis (1.8% vs 0.2%; P P P P = .001) in melanoma, with 1 pneumonitis-related death during combination therapy. Multivariable analyses demonstrated higher odds of pneumonitis in NSCLC for all-grade (odds ratio [OR], 1.43; 95% CI, 1.08-1.89; P = .005) and grade 3 or higher pneumonitis (OR, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.60-5.08; P P P P Conclusions and Relevance The incidence of PD-1 inhibitor–related pneumonitis was higher in NSCLC and RCC and during combination therapy. These findings contribute to enhance awareness among clinicians and support further investigations to meet the clinical needs.
Nanoscale polypyrrole sensors for near-field electrochemical measurements

Abstract Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) is an electrochemical technique that is used to measure redox activity local to the surface of a sample. The incorporation of shear force (SF) feedback into SECM enables the concurrent acquisition of topographical data. Contemporary SECM measurements require a redox mediator (such as ferrocene methanol (FcMeOH)) for electrochemical measurements; however, redox mediators are detrimental to chemically sensitive materials such as biological cells. In this article, nanoscale polypyrrole membranes doped with dodecylbenzene sulfonate (PPy(DBS)) are deposited at the tip of highly sensitive ultra-microelectrodes (UME) to demonstrate a novel modification of the contemporary SECM–SF imaging technique that operates in the absence of a redox mediator. This technique leverages the redox activity of a PPy(DBS) membrane to locally detect changes in cation concentration. In conjunction with SF imaging, the PPy(DBS) membrane can (i) detect changes in distance from the surface by measuring changes in ion concentration of the diffusion shell, or (ii) detect local cation flux due to cell function when kept at a constant distance from the cell surface through SF-imaging techniques. Therefore, we predict this technique to enable high resolution mapping of surface cation concentrations and impact the field of biological imaging.
Bio-Instructive Cues in Scaffolds for Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

In vivo, cells are presented with complex and dynamic stimuli from their surrounding microenvironment. These microenvironmental cues direct an array of cell behaviors that are critical to tissue development and regeneration, including differentiation, growth, and extracellular matrix (ECM) assembly. Tissue engineers have utilized knowledge of the microenvironment to design biomimetic, “instructive” scaffold materials that elicit an array of desired downstream cellular responses. The central challenge in bioinstructive scaffold design involves controlling cell behavior, specifically determining the signals or input instructions that are necessary to direct cells to assemble and maintain a new functional tissue for repair or replacement. Biochemical components within the microenvironment, including growth factors and cytokines, have well-established functions in regulating cell behavior, and some success has been achieved recapitulating these biochemical signals within scaffold microenvironments. However, emerging evidence has demonstrated that biophysical aspects of a cell's microenvironment may have equally important and analogous roles in regulating cell behavior. Two cellular structures, focal adhesions and adherens junctions, are thought to be key mediators in sensing and responding to the biophysical microenvironment, playing critical roles in cell migration, force-sensitive gene regulation, differentiation, and ECM assembly. Significant advancement in the field of tissue engineering requires a greater understanding of both how cells detect and interpret biophysical cues through these structures, as well as the dynamic interactions between biochemical and biophysical stimuli. This improved mechanistic understanding can then be used to guide scaffold design, explicitly targeting these structures to control downstream cell behavior and improve tissue regeneration outcomes.
Seeing Charters Differently: A New Approach to National Comparisons of Charter and Traditional Public Schools

ABSTRACTThe national debate over charter schooling has become increasingly heated in 2016, driven by polarized narratives about the students charters typically serve. Opponents argue charters cream-skim more advantaged students, while proponents hold they primarily serve historically disadvantaged students. National evidence on charter student selectivity has not kept pace with these arguments. Rigorous comparisons of charter and traditional public schools (TPSs) have limited scope and generalizability, while oversimplified national comparisons are often misleading. This essay presents a novel method for national comparisons of charter schools’ student poverty, special education, limited English proficient (LEP) composition and discipline rates, to those of their nearest five TPS neighbors. Findings show that charters’ student compositions differ from those in neighboring TPSs, but not in uniform ways.
Modeling the transformation of atmospheric CO2 into microalgal biomass

Marine phytoplankton acts as a considerable sink of atmospheric CO2 as it sequesters large quantities of this greenhouse gas for biomass production. To assess microalgae's counterbalancing of global warming, the quantities of CO2 they fix need to be determined. For this task, it is mandatory to understand which environmental and physiological parameters govern this transformation from atmospheric CO2 to microalgal biomass. However, experimental analyses are challenging as it has been found that the chemical environment has a major impact on the physiological properties of the microalgae cells (diameter typ. 5–20 μm). Moreover, the cells can only chemically interact with their immediate vicinity and thus compound sequestration needs to be studied on a microscopic spatial scale. Due to these reasons, computer simulations are a more promising approach than the experimental studies. Modeling software has been developed that describes the dissolution of atmospheric CO2 into oceans followed by the formation of HCO3− which is then transported to individual microalgae cells. The second portion of this model describes the competition of different cell species for this HCO3−, a nutrient, as well as its uptake and utilization for cell production. Two microalgae species, i.e. Dunaliella salina and Nannochloropsis oculata, were cultured individually and in a competition situation under different atmospheric CO2 conditions. It is shown that this novel model's predictions of biomass production are in very good agreement with the experimental flow cytometry results. After model validation, it has been applied to long-term prediction of phytoplankton generation. These investigations were motivated by the question whether or not cell production slows down as cultures grow. This is of relevance as a reduced cell production rate means that the increase in a culture's CO2-sinking capacity slows down as well. One implication resulting from this is that an increase in anthropogenic CO2 may not be counterbalanced by an increase in phytoplankton production. Modeling studies have found that for several different atmospheric CO2 levels provided to single-species cultures as well as to species in competing scenarios the cell production rate does slow down over time.
Doubting the Divine in Early Modern Europe: The Revival of Momus, the Agnostic God

In this book, George McClure examines the intellectual tradition of challenges to religious and literary authority in the early modern era. He explores the hidden history of unbelief through the lens of Momus, the Greek god of criticism and mockery. Surveying his revival in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and England, McClure shows how Momus became a code for religious doubt in an age when such writings remained dangerous for authors. Momus ('Blame') emerged as a persistent and subversive critic of divine governance and, at times, divinity itself. As an emblem or as an epithet for agnosticism or atheism, he was invoked by writers such as Leon Battista Alberti, Anton Francesco Doni, Giordano Bruno, Luther, and possibly, in veiled form, by Milton in his depiction of Lucifer. The critic of gods also acted, in sometimes related fashion, as a critic of texts, leading the army of Moderns in Swift's Battle of the Books, and offering a heretical archetype for the literary critic.
Platelet membrane microparticles in blood bank fresh frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate

Cryoprecipitate has been demonstrated to correct the bleeding abnormality of patients with some congenital (storage pool disease) and acquired (uremia) platelet abnormalities, but the reason for this effect is unknown. We found significant platelet contamination in plasma harvested to prepare fresh frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate. The platelet membrane microparticles produced by freezing and thawing of the plasma were highly concentrated in cryoprecipitate and may contribute to its therapeutic effect.
On a Laplace Transform Based Metric for Probabilities on a Hilbert Space

Let D be a closed subset of a real separable Hilbert space H. Let ℳ(D) denote the set of all Borel probability measures on D and ℒ(D) the set of all probabilities with integrable Laplace transform. A metric d, based on the Laplace transform, is defined on ℒ(D). Topological properties, viz., separability, connectedness, completeness, compactness and local compactness, of ℒ(D, d are investigated, and the d-topology is compared with the topology of weak convergence.
Types and properties of surgical sutures

Abstract: The chapter describes properties of materials used for sutures that may be: absorbable or nonabsorbable; of varying size; made from monofilament, multifilament, twisted or braided threads. The characteristics of a large number of synthetic suture materials are described, together with essential suture properties such as tensile strength, knot strength, elasticity, tissue reaction and biodegradability. The interrelated nature of the essential physical and mechanical, handling, biological and biodegradation properties is emphasized. The use of dyes and coatings to improve suture identification and properties is also covered.
Chemical Evolution and Plate Tectonics

Laboratory analysis of Red Sea Atlantis II Deep brine solutions revealed a significant thiocyanate concentration (2.4 × 10−5M) Amino acid analysis revealed large quantities of glycine (about 1 micromole per liter) and no other dissolved free amino acids. This brine and the underlying sediment constitute a reducing, acidic, clay rich, anhydrous to hydrous gradient system that can vary in temperature from 1100°C underlying magma to 63°C water. Since these conditions occur along a sea floor spreading zone there may be an important link between the origin and evolution of the Earth’s crust and chemical evolution.
Stocks, Bonds, and Real Estate

This chapter discusses stocks, bonds, and real estate. There are three ways in which a person can own or share in the ownership of a business: (1) a person can be a sole owner of a business—a sole proprietorship, (2) a person can be one of two or more partners in a business—a partnership, and (3) a person can own all or part of a corporation. The document that represents ownership in a corporation is a stock certificate that shows the number of shares of stock owned. The main difference between the first two forms of ownership and a corporation is the liability for debts. A proprietor or a partner is responsible for the payment of the debts incurred by the business. However, a stockholder is not responsible for the debts incurred by the corporation. Ownership in a corporation can be achieved by purchasing one or more shares of stock through a stockbroker. Shares of stock for large corporations are traded at institutions called stock exchanges.
The Use of Biomarkers in the Risk Stratification of Cystic Neoplasms

Cyst fluid biomarkers may be used to identify pancreatic cyst subtypes. Biomarkers are selected based on their ability to accurately distinguish mucinous from nonmucinous cysts and to risk stratify cysts based on malignant potential. Biomarkers of interest include but are not limited to amylase, oncogenes, DNA analysis, and epigenetic markers. The introduction of next-generation sequencing and molecular panels has aided in improved diagnostic accuracy and risk stratification. This review presents the diagnostic performance of currently available biomarkers and proposes an algorithm to incorporate their use in the diagnosis of pancreatic cysts.
South American Leaf-Cutter Bees (Genus Megachile ) of the Subgenera Rhyssomegachile and Zonomegachile , With Two New Subgenera (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Leaf-cutter bees (genus Megachile Latreille) are among the most common and diverse group of bees. However, the identity and taxonomic placement of many species are problematic and species identification is often difficult. Some species are known only from a single specimen or from one of the sexes, and identification keys are not available for many groups. We address these taxonomic issues for the subgenera Rhyssomegachile Mitchell and Zonomegachile Mitchell, two poorly known South American lineages of leaf-cutter bees. We provide comparative diagnoses, redescriptions, illustrated identification keys, new geographical records, and designate needed neotypes for Megachile cara Mitchell, M. gigas Schrottky, M. guayaqui Schrottky, M. reliqua Mitchell, M. sanctipauli Schrottky, M. stabilis Mitchell, and M. turbulenta Mitchell. We resurrect M. tricosa Cockerell from synonymy with M. urbana Smith and synonymize M. turbulenta under M. tricosa. We recognize four species in Rhyssomegachile and eight species in Zonomegachile. In the latter subgenus, we revalidate M. reliqua from synonymy with M. moderata and propose the following four new species: Megachile kalina, new species, from French Guiana; M. durantae, new species, from Rondonia, Brazil; M. paisa, new species, from Antioquia, Colombia; and M. uncinata, new species, from Catamarca, Argentina. We confirm sex associations in Zonomegachile and describe its nest for the first time. Megachile tricosa, M. ardua Mitchell, and M. tacanensis Moure, currently assigned to Rhyssomegachile, exhibit morphological features that do not fit any of the known subgenera. Thus, we use a cladistic analysis to explore their phylogenetic relationships and establish two new subgenera for these species: Aporiochile Gonzalez and Engel, new subgenus, for M. tricosa and Chalepochile Gonzalez and Engel, new subgenus, for the remaining two species. We provide an updated key to the subgenera of Megachile s.l. of the Western Hemisphere.
Mandatory Measles Vaccination in New York City — Reflections on a Bold Experiment

Mandatory Measles Vaccination in New York City In the face of measles outbreaks, New York City mandated vaccination in four Brooklyn ZIP Codes, raising legal, ethical, and practical concerns. Law s...
Human DNA Virus Exploitation of the MAPK-ERK Cascade

The extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) comprise a particular branch of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades (MAPK) that transmits extracellular signals into the intracellular environment to trigger cellular growth responses. Similar to other MAPK cascades, the MAPK-ERK pathway signals through three core kinases—Raf, MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK), and ERK—which drive the signaling mechanisms responsible for the induction of cellular responses from extracellular stimuli including differentiation, proliferation, and cellular survival. However, pathogens like DNA viruses alter MAPK-ERK signaling in order to access DNA replication machineries, induce a proliferative state in the cell, or even prevent cell death mechanisms in response to pathogen recognition. Differential utilization of this pathway by multiple DNA viruses highlights the dynamic nature of the MAPK-ERK pathway within the cell and the importance of its function in regulating a wide variety of cellular fates that ultimately influence viral infection and, in some cases, result in tumorigenesis.