cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myelofibrosis and Reduced Intensity Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (RISCT).

Background: Reduced intensity allogeneic transplantation was developed to harness graft versus leukemia immune effect to treat older patients and patients with comorbidities who are not eligible for conventional myeloablative transplant. Limited but encouraging data are available on outcome of patients with myelofibrosis undergoing this therapy. We therefore sought to prospectively study the safety and efficacy of reduced intensity HCT in patients with myelofibrosis. Methods: Patients with intermediate or high risk MF were eligible if they had adequate organ function and at least 9/10 matched related or unrelated donor. Patients were conditioned with Fludarabine 40mg/m 2 × 4 (days −5, −4, −3 −2) and Busulfan 130mg/m2 × 2 (day −3,−2). Thymoglobulin 2.5 mg/kg × 3 (day −3,−2 and −1) was additionally given to patients receiving unrelated donor graft. Tacrolimus and mini Methotrexate were used as graft versus host disease prophylaxis. All patients received standard supportive care. Results: Twelve consecutive patients with myelofibrosis were enrolled between 1/2006 and 7/2007. There were 6 males and 6 female with a median age of 59 (range 40–65). Four patients had primary MF, 3 post PV MF and 5 Post ET MF. Based on Lile criteria, 8 patients had intermediate risk disease and 4 had high risk disease. Eight patients had circulating blasts (1%-8%). Six patients had splenectomy prior to transplant; median spleen size was 15 cms (range 5–28cms) below the costal margin in the remaining 6 patients. Seven patients had mutated Jak 2. Median peripheral blood CD 34 count was 77/μl (range 2–3770/μl). Karyotype was abnormal in 6 patients and diploid in 6. Donors were siblings for 3 patients, matched unrelated for 6, and one antigen or allele mismatched unrelated for 3 patient. All but 1 patient received peripheral blood stem cells. All patients engrafted with a median time to neutrophil engraftment of 13 days (0–27) days) and a median time to platelet engraftment of 14 (0–74) days. Day 100 non relapse mortality was 0%. One patient developed grade 3 acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) and died. One patient developed limited chronic GVHD. All Jak 2 positive patients achieved molecular remission post transplant with negative JaK 2. Three patients relapsed: 2 in blast phase and 1 in chronic phase. With a median follow up of 177 (29–563) days, six month overall survival is 87%. Conclusion: RISCT induces molecular remission with very low non relapse mortality in older patients with myelofibrosis.
A Theory of Relational Ageism: A Discourse Analysis of the 2015 White House Conference on Aging.

Purpose The widespread use of ageist language is generally accepted as commonplace and routine in most cultures and settings. In order to disrupt ageism, we must examine the use of ageist language and sentiments among those on the front line of providing advocacy, services, and policy for older adults; the professional culture of the aging services network. The recorded video segments from the sixth White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA) provided a unique opportunity to examine discourse used by professionals and appointed representatives in the field of aging within a professional sociocultural context. Design and methods A qualitative discourse analysis of video recordings was used to analyze the 15 video fragments that comprised the recorded sessions of the 2015 WHCOA. Results About 26 instances were identified that captured statements expressing personal age, aging or an age-related characteristic negatively in regard to self or other (microageism), and/or statements expressing global negative opinions or beliefs about aging and older adults based on group membership (macroageism). A theoretical pathway was established that represents the dynamic process by which ageist statements were expressed and reinforced (relational ageism). Implications Numerous instances of ageism were readily identified as part of a live streamed and publically accessible professional conference attended and presented by representatives of the aging services network. To make meaningful gains in the movement to disrupt ageism and promote optimal aging for all individuals, we must raise awareness of the relational nature, expression, and perpetuation of ageism.
Abstract P057: Is Hypertension a Disease of the Bone Marrow?

Decades of evidence have implicated involvement of inflammation in the development and establishment of hypertension (HTN); however, the central mechanisms remain elusive. We propose a hypothesis that dysfunctional bone marrow (BM) activity is critical in HTN, in view of the fact that BM is the predominant source of inflammatory and angiogenic cells. We provide the following evidence in support of this hypothesis: (1) BM from animal models of HTN is proinflammatory. Ablation of the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) BM, and reconstitution with BM from the normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY), results in significant reduction in mean arterial pressure (MAP), as well as the decrease in proinflammatory and increase in angiogenic cells in the chimeric SHR; (2) Oral minocycline treatment attenuates MAP, restores autonomic balance, and decreases inflammation in both the SHR and Ang II rat HTN models; (3) Sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) and norepinephrine levels in the BM of the SHR and Ang II rat HTN models are elevated compared to normotensive rats; (4) C57-AdrB1.B2 knock-out (KO) chimera, generated by reconstitution of irradiated C57BL/6J mice with the BM cells of the adrenergic receptor beta 1/2 KO mice (Adrb1tm1Bkk Adrb2tm1Bkk/J), exhibits reduced peripheral inflammatory cell counts. Furthermore, transcriptomics analysis of the BM cells from these chimeric mice revealed significant changes in 67 signaling pathways, thirty-five of which were directly related to modulation of different immune system responses (P<0.01). Most notable were changes in the pathways involved in activation and migration of monocytes and T lymphocytes. These observations demonstrate that BM plays a critical role in regulation of the inflammatory status, and support our hypothesis that dysfunctional BM activity may be an important aspect in the development and establishment of HTN. AHA14SDG18300010.
Multi-view face recognition from single RGBD models of the faces

Abstract This work takes important steps towards solving the following problem of current interest: Assuming that each individual in a population can be modeled by a single frontal RGBD face image, is it possible to carry out face recognition for such a population using multiple 2D images captured from arbitrary viewpoints? Although the general problem as stated above is extremely challenging, it encompasses subproblems that can be addressed today. The subproblems addressed in this work relate to: (1) Generating a large set of viewpoint dependent face images from a single RGBD frontal image for each individual; (2) using hierarchical approaches based on view-partitioned subspaces to represent the training data; and (3) based on these hierarchical approaches, using a weighted voting algorithm to integrate the evidence collected from multiple images of the same face as recorded from different viewpoints. We evaluate our methods on three datasets: a dataset of 10 people that we created and two publicly available datasets which include a total of 48 people. In addition to providing important insights into the nature of this problem, our results show that we are able to successfully recognize faces with accuracies of 95% or higher, outperforming existing state-of-the-art face recognition approaches based on deep convolutional neural networks.
Review of optical detection of single molecules beyond the diffraction and diffusion limit using plasmonic nanostructures

Single-molecule detection has become a unique and indispensable tool for the study of molecular motions and interactions at the single-molecule level. Unlike ensemble measurement where the information is averaged, single-molecule analysis yields invaluable information on both the individual molecular properties and their microenvironment. Among the various technologies for the detection of single molecules, the detection with optical methods has many advantages in terms of its high sensitivity, electrical passiveness, and robustness. The recent advances in the engineering of either the excitation light or the solution of the molecules have paved the way for enhanced single-molecule detection. We present recent developments and future perspectives for single-molecule detection in the following three regimes: on a dry surface, in solutions at ultralow concentrations, and in solutions at native physiological concentrations.
Cultural Bases of Folk Classificational Systems

Abstract The classification and nomenclature of natural phenomena, such as color and plants and animals, is influenced by cultural factors. Culture, however, is a concept with multiple meanings. Those meanings must be distinguished and identified in research on cultural influences on classificational and nomenclatural systems. The various meanings of culture are traced through the historical contexts of their development, and their influence on and interaction with classificational and nomenclatural systems is illustrated through discussions of folk color categories and terms and folk ethnobiological ranks and terms. Generalizations about cultural influences on word meaning are offered.
Evaluation of the new respiratory gating system.

Objective The newly released Respiratory Gating for Scanners (RGSC; Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA) system has limited existing quality assurance (QA) protocols and pertinent publications. Herein, we report our experiences of the RGSC system acceptance and QA. Methods The RGSC system integration was tested with peripheral equipment, spatial reproducibility, and dynamic localization accuracy for regular and irregular breathing patterns, respectively. A QUASAR Respiratory Motion Phantom and a mathematical fitting method were used for data acquisition and analysis. Results The results showed that the RGSC system could accurately measure regular motion periods of 3-10 s. For irregular breathing patterns, differences from the existing Real-time Position Management (RPM; Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) system were observed. For dynamic localization measurements, the RGSC system showed 76% agreement with the programmed test data within ±5% tolerance in terms of fitting period. As s comparison, the RPM system showed 66% agreement within ±5% tolerance, and 65% for the RGSC versus RPM measurements. Conclusions New functions and positioning accuracy improve the RGSC system's ability to achieve higher dynamic treatment precision. A 4D phantom is helpful for the QA tests. Further investigation is required for the whole RGSC system performance QA.
Pap Smear Litigation

This chapter reviews The Doctors Company experience with medical liability claims involving the Pap smear. The historical factors leading to the explosive growth in Pap smear litigation are discussed and an expert medical panel’s analysis of the sources of error in the Pap smear are presented in detail. The panel’s recommendations for reducing the Pap smear’s inherent false-negative rate, thereby decreasing patient injury from “missed” cervical cancers and their precursors, are reviewed. Finally, new technologies and strategies that enhance the Pap test’s sensitivity (liquid-based cytology and DNA testing for human papillomavirus) are presented.
Maintenance of pregnancy in postpartum beef cows that have short-lived corpora lutea.

The first two experiments examined the role of the uterus in low pregnancy rates of beef cows induced to ovulate by early weaning. At 20 to 25 d postpartum, one-half of the cows in Exp. 1 and 2 received a s.c. implant containing 6 mg of norgestomet (NOR) for 9 d (NOR-pretreated) and the remaining cows were untreated controls (CON). Lengths of first postpartum luteal phase after weaning of calves at d 7 after implant insertion were expected to be normal in NOR-pretreated and short in CON cows. In Exp. 1, cows of both groups received an implant containing 3 mg of NOR at d 4 after first estrus and a silastic implant with 15 or 25 mg of NOR at d 7 after first estrus. At 7 d after first estrus, two embryos were transferred into the uterus of each cow and pregnancy was diagnosed by ultrasonography at d 35. Blood samples were collected daily from onset of treatment to d 8 after estrus and then every other day to d 24. Only 4 of 22 cows were pregnant at d 35, concentrations of estradiol (E2) were elevated after luteolysis, and large follicles were present at d 35. In Exp. 2, all cows were injected with 100 mg of progesterone (P4) twice daily from d 4 to 35 after first estrus. Embryos were transferred, pregnancy was diagnosed, and blood samples were collected as in Exp. 1, except blood sampling was continued to d 34.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Architectural Censorship and the FCC

Most First Amendment analyses of U.S. media policy have focused predominantly on behavioral regulation, which either prohibits the transmission of disfavored content (such as indecent programming) or mandates the dissemination of preferred content (such as children's educational programming and political speech). In so doing, commentators have largely overlooked how program content is also affected by structural regulation, which focuses primarily on increasing the economic competitiveness of the media industries. In this symposium contribution, Professor Christopher Yoo employs economic analysis to demonstrate how structural regulation represents a form of architectural censorship that has the unintended consequence of reducing the quantity, quality, and diversity of media content. The specific examples analyzed include: (1) efforts to foster and preserve free television and radio, (2) rate regulation of cable television, (3) horizontal restrictions on the number of outlets one entity can own in a local market, and (4) regulations limiting vertical integration in television and radio. Unfortunately, current First Amendment doctrine effectively immunizes architectural censorship from meaningful constitutional scrutiny. As a result, Congress and the FCC must bear the primary responsibility for safeguarding free speech values against these dangers.
Detection of Microcalcification Clusters in Digital Mammography Via the Spatial Scan Statistic with Stochastic Scan Partitions

This article considers the spatial scan statistic presented in [1] and discusses its applicability to digital mammography. The statistic utilizes stochastic scan partitions, and the availability of the sampling distribution for the statistic yields an exact test for the homogeneity of a point process. The test has the potential for improved power over conventional alternatives when the point process is embedded in an underlying continuous random field such as a gray-scale image, and is recommended in situations for which a cluster in the point process will correspond to a region in the underlying field which can be segmented as distinct from its surroundings. Theoretical, simulation, and experimental results from [1] indicating the validity and utility of the test for the detection of clustered microcalcifications in digital mammography are summarized.
2.3 Fundamental Principles and Techniques of Landscape Evolution Modeling

Numerical modeling has become an important method for studying landscape evolution, complementing field- and lab-based techniques such as geologic mapping and geochronology. This chapter describes several techniques used to discretize and solve the most fundamental partial differential equations that arise in landscape evolution. Although landscape evolution modeling encompasses all process zones (hillslope, fluvial, aeolian, glacial, and coastal), this chapter draws primarily from examples in hillslope and fluvial systems. The numerical techniques useful for simulating transport- and detachment-limited landscapes, including alternating direction implicit and upwind differencing methods, as well as root-finding techniques such as Newton's method that are useful for solving nonlinear equations, are emphasized. The chapter also reviews some of the challenges associated with sub-grid-scale processes (e.g., modeling erosion in channels that are not resolved in cross section) and combining different types of processes within numerical models.
Structural integrity of the uncinate fasciculus in geriatric depression: Relationship with age of onset

Background The uncinate fasciculus connects limbic structures, such as the hippocampus and amygdala, with frontal regions. This study utilized diffusion tensor imaging to examine the structural integrity of the uncinate fasciculus in late-life depression. Method 18 elderly depressed and 19 elderly nondepressed subjects were matched for age and sex; 8 subjects had mid- to late-onset of depression while 10 subjects had early-onset depression. 3T diffusion tensor imaging-based fiber tract mapping delineated the uncinate fasciculus in each hemisphere, which guided measurement of the fractional anisotropy of the uncinate fasciculus in the temporal stem. After controlling for age and sex, differences between diagnostic groups were assessed. Results After controlling for age and sex, individuals with early onset depression exhibited lower anisotropy of the left uncinate fasciculus than did mid- and late-onset or nondepressed subjects (F(2,36) = 4.50, p = 0.02). Analyses of the right uncinate fasciculus were not statistically significant. Conclusions This provides preliminary evidence that there is a structural connectivity deficit between left frontal and limbic structures in early-onset depression. Further work is needed to determine if this is seen in younger depressed subjects, and if it influences treatment outcomes.
Genetically enhanced feature selection of discriminative planetary crater image features

Using gray-scale texture features has recently become a new trend in supervised machine learning crater detection algorithms. To provide better classification of craters in planetary images, feature subset selection is used to reduce irrelevant and redundant features. Feature selection is known to be NP-hard. To provide an efficient suboptimal solution, three genetic algorithms are proposed to use greedy selection, weighted random selection, and simulated annealing to distinguish discriminate features from indiscriminate features. A significant increase in the classification ability of a Bayesian classifier in crater detection using image texture features.
Stranger in a strange land: an optimal-environments account of evolutionary mismatch

In evolutionary medicine, researchers characterize some outcomes as evolutionary mismatch. Mismatch problems arise as the result of organisms living in environments to which they are poorly adapted, typically as the result of some rapid environmental change. Depression, anxiety, obesity, myopia, insomnia, breast cancer, dental problems, and numerous other negative health outcomes have all been characterized as mismatch problems. The exact nature of evolutionary mismatch itself is unclear, however. This leads to a lack of clarity about the sorts of problems that evolutionary mismatch can actually explain. Resolving this challenge is important not only for the evolutionary health literature, but also because the notion of evolutionary mismatch involves central concepts in evolutionary biology: fitness, evolution in changing environments, and so forth. In this paper, I examine two characterizations of mismatch currently in the literature. I propose that we conceptualize mismatch as a relation between an optimal environment and an actual environment. Given an organism and its particular physiology, the optimal environment is the environment in which the organism’s fitness is maximized: in other words, the optimal environment is that in which the organism’s fitness is as high as it can possibly be. The actual environment is the environment in which the organism actually finds itself. To the extent that there is a discordance between the organism’s actual and optimal environments, there is an evolutionary mismatch. In the paper, I show that this account of mismatch gives us the right result when other accounts fail, and provides useful targets for investigation.
Epistemic video game for education in wildfire response: a pilot study

A priority for sustainable development is education in the reduction of the risk of a disaster. Disasters have a profound effect in societies and their economies. Undergraduate students are seldom trained to engage in authentic emergencies. Video game technology may provide an educational tool for promoting the acquisition of new knowledge. Epistemic video games are educational video games that facilitate the development of knowledge through simulated scenarios relevant to the professional practice. This article presents the design and evaluation of an epistemic video game developed to simulate the emergency management of a disaster scenario (wildfires). The learning outcomes are analysed regarding cognitive processes. The results of this pilot study would indicate that this video game technology could have a significant role in the education of undergraduate students in disaster risk management.
Association of Receipt of Positron Emission Tomography–Computed Tomography With Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Mortality in the Veterans Affairs Health Care System

Importance Positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET-CT) has been increasingly used in the management of lung cancer, but its association with survival has not been convincingly documented. Objective To examine the association of the use of PET-CT with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) mortality in the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system from 2000 to 2013. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study included 64 103 veterans receiving care in the VA health care system who were diagnosed with incident NSCLC between September 2000 and December 2013. Data analysis took place in October 2018. Exposure Use of PET-CT before and/or after diagnosis. Main Outcomes and Measures All-cause and NSCLC-specific 5-year mortality; secondary outcome was receipt of stage-appropriate treatment. Results A total of 64 103 veterans with the diagnosis of NSCLC were evaluated; 62 838 (98.0%) were men, and 50 584 (78.9%) were white individuals. Among these, 51 844 (80.9%) had a PET-CT performed: 25 735 (40.1%) in the 12 months before diagnosis and 41 242 (64.3%) in the 5 years after diagnosis. Increased PET-CT use (597 of 978 veterans [59.2%] in 2000 vs 3649 of 3915 [93.2%] in 2013) and decreased NSCLC-specific 5-year mortality (879 of 978 veterans [89.9%] in 2000 vs 3226 of 3915 veterans [82.4%] in 2013) were found over time. Increased use of stage-appropriate therapy was also seen over time, from 346 of 978 veterans (35.4%) in 2000 to 2062 of 3915 (52.7%) in 2013 (P Conclusions In this study, the use of PET-CT among veterans with NSCLC significantly increased from 2000 to 2013, coinciding with decreased 5-year mortality and an increase in stage-appropriate treatment. Variation in use of PET-CT was found, with the highest use at higher–complexity level facilities and those with PET-CT on-site. These facilities were associated with reduced all-cause and NSCLC-specific mortality.
A pilot study of the effects of a high-intensity aerobic exercise session on heart rate variability and arterial compliance in adolescents with or without type 1 diabetes

Arterial compliance and autonomic regulation are predictors of cardiovascular disease. In adults, both are altered chronically by type 1 diabetes (T1D) and acutely by exercise; however, the effects of T1D and exercise are less clear in adolescents. We measured short-term effects of a high-intensity aerobic interval exercise session on cardiovascular and metabolic variables in normal weight adolescents with T1D or without T1D (Control). Energy expenditure (EE), heart rate variability (HRV), arterial compliance, and blood pressure (BP) were measured before exercise (baseline) and three times over 105 minutes postexercise. The T1D and control groups had similar cardiorespiratory fitness and accelerometer-measured physical activity. The T1D group had higher EE and fat oxidation throughout the trial, but postexercise changes were similar between groups. HRV transiently declined following exercise in both groups, but the T1D group had lower HRV at baseline. Among the measures of arterial compliance, the augmentation index declined postexercise while carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and large artery elastic index remained unchanged. Central and brachial BP were unchanged following exercise until the final measurement, when a small increase occurred. However, arterial compliance and BP did not differ between groups. These results demonstrate that normal weight adolescents with T1D have impaired autonomic function and increased EE and fat oxidation compared to peers without diabetes who have similar levels of fitness and physical activity. However, acute cardiometabolic responses to exercise are normal in T1D with adequate glycemic control. Changes in arterial compliance and BP may take longer to emerge in relatively healthy adolescents with T1D.
Extracellular CIRP induces macrophage endotoxin tolerance through IL-6R–mediated STAT3 activation

Extracellular cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (eCIRP) is a damage-associated molecular pattern, whose effect on macrophages is not entirely elucidated. Here we identified that eCIRP promotes macrophage endotoxin tolerance. Septic mice had higher serum levels of eCIRP; this was associated with a reduced ex vivo immune response of their splenocytes to LPS. Pretreatment of macrophages with recombinant murine CIRP (rmCIRP) resulted in a tolerance to LPS stimulation as demonstrated by a reduction of TNF-α production. We found that eCIRP increased phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3) in macrophages. A STAT3 inhibitor, Stattic, rescued macrophages from rmCIRP-induced tolerance by restoring the release of TNF-α in response to LPS stimulation. We discovered strong binding affinity between eCIRP and IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) as revealed by Biacore, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and their colocalization in macrophages by immunostaining assays. Blockade of IL-6R with its neutralizing Ab inhibited eCIRP-induced p-STAT3 and restored LPS-stimulated TNF-α release in macrophages. Incubation of macrophages with rmCIRP skewed them toward an M2 phenotype, while treatment with anti-IL-6R Ab prevented rmCIRP-induced M2 polarization. Thus, we have demonstrated that eCIRP activates p-STAT3 via a novel receptor, IL-6R, to promote macrophage endotoxin tolerance. Targeting eCIRP appears to be a new therapeutic option to correct immune tolerance in sepsis.
'Whosoever Sees An Evil' - Muslim Americans' Human Rights Advocacy

When Islam and human rights are discussed together, the conversation quickly turns into an abstract, dichotomous debate as to whether the two are compatible. A common line of argumentation proffers Islamic law is fundamentally antithetical to universal human rights norms, while an opposing view rebuts that post-World War II human rights laws are created by former colonialist powers as the latest iteration of Western nations’ imposition of their religious, social, and political order on the global south and east. Further de-legitimizing human rights law is selective enforcement that exempts European and American persons — the most glaring example being the torture of thousands of Muslim detainees in the Global War on Terror. For these critics, purported universal human rights norms are nothing more than a ruse to punish African, Middle Eastern, Asian, and Latin American state leaders who fail to obey Western states’ hegemonic interests. Notwithstanding reasonable suspicions of the asymmetrical power animating the international human rights legal regime, the idea that all humans have some fundamental natural rights traverses cultures, religions, and time. Thus, any good faith debates on the compatibility of Islamic law and human rights should not be as concerned with whether Islamic law mirrors Western law — for that would indeed be legal and cultural imperialism — but rather examine the commonalities between Islamic human rights norms and post-WWII Western human rights norms. While acknowledging the importance of theoretical discussions, this article takes a different approach. Moving beyond an analysis of what is written in religious and legal texts or debated by Islamic scholars, I examine how Islam inspires lay Muslims to defend and advocate for human rights. To that end, I explore how Muslims advocate for human and civil rights — as a result of rather than despite — their Islamic beliefs and Muslim identity. Accordingly, this article focuses on Muslims in the United States as a case study for how commitments to human rights manifest in the lived experiences of Muslims. Muslim activists in the United States are putting their Islamic faith into action through cross-racial and interfaith rights advocacy. Their collective action for nearly two decades brings into sharp relief the argument that the political environment, not solely religion, facilitates protection of human rights. Whether it is in Muslim-majority democratic countries such as Indonesia and Tunisia or Christian-majority countries such as South Africa, the United States, and some European nations, Muslims living in pluralistic democratic societies defend human rights because of their faith. In doing so, these Muslims demonstrate that authoritarian and politically repressive regimes of most Muslim-majority countries — most of whom are supported by Western states — are more determinative of human rights abuses than the religious beliefs of citizens in Muslim-majority countries.
Trends in Utilization of Prescribed Controlled Substances in US Commercially Insured Adults, 2004-2019.

This study examines the most commonly dispensed categories and individual substances of all prescribed controlled substances, including stimulants, benzodiazepines, and depressants, among US commercially insured adults.
Long-term outcome of high-dose cytarabine-based consolidation chemotherapy for adults with acute myelogenous leukemia

Modern induction chemotherapy produces 60% to 80% complete remissions in adults with newly diagnosed acute myelogenous leukemia. A major challenge is to eradicate subclinical disease in remission and prevent leukemic relapse. We analyzed the long-term results of high-dose cytarabine-anthracycline consolidation chemotherapy without maintenance treatment and examined the effect of major prognostic factors, including age, sex, history of preleukemia, and cytogenetics. Two hundred twenty-seven patients with newly diagnosed acute leukemia were enrolled on two sequential studies conducted from 1982 to 1991. One hundred fifty-one patients (67%) achieved a complete remission. One hundred twenty-three patients were eligible for high-dose cytarabine- based consolidation administered in two to three courses. After a median follow-up of 4.8 years, 40 patients remain alive, with 28 in continued remission. Median remission duration for all eligible patients is 12.8 months, and actuarial leukemia-free survival (LFS) at 5 years is 26% +/- 8%. Advanced age and male sex were negative prognostic indicators for LFS. For patients < or = 45 years of age, 5- year LFS was 35% +/- 13%, as compared with 18% +/- 11% for patients greater than age 45 (P = .03). Toxicity of consolidation chemotherapy included treatment-related death in nine patients and serious neurotoxicity in five. Our results show an improved LFS for younger patients treated with high-dose cytarabine-based consolidation. There was no apparent benefit for older patients compared with reported data with less intensive regimens.
The synergetic effect of alcohol consumption and cigarettes per day on smoking outcomes expectancies among Latinx adult smokers.

The present study investigated alcohol consumption and cigarettes per day in relation to smoking outcome expectancies among Spanish-speaking Latinx daily smokers (N = 371). There was a significant ...
A geospatial approach for estimating hydrological connectivity of impervious surfaces

Abstract Recent studies have reported that connected impervious areas – those impervious surfaces that contribute directly to runoff in a storm network or stream – are a better indicator of hydrologic response, stream alteration, and water quality than total impervious area. However, most methods for quantifying connected impervious areas require major assumptions regarding the definition of ‘connection’, potentially over-simplifying the role of variable climates, slope gradients, soils conditions, and heterogeneous flow paths on impervious surface connectivity. This study presents a new conceptual model and method for estimating hydrologically connected impervious areas (HCIA) that explicitly considers the effect of landscape and storm variability. The model separates impervious surfaces into two categories: directly or physically connected (Aphys) and variably connected (Avar) (impervious that drains to pervious). Of these categories, we investigated the sensitivity of Avar connectivity to varying soil conditions, slope gradients, rainfall properties, and hillslope geometry using PySWMM (a python interface for SWMM5). Simulations spanned a large parameter space with varying soil, slope, rainfall properties and geometries (i.e., relationships between the impervious and downslope pervious areas). PySWMM simulations were used to train and test a regression tree that predicts infiltration and connectivity of runoff from Avar surfaces, which provides excellent fidelity with PySWMM outcomes. To enable use of these methods in practice, we developed an ArcGIS tool that (1) delineates subcatchments; (2) extracts the impervious surface categories Aphys and Avar; (3) applies the regression tree algorithm to predict the fraction of incident rainfall that produces runoff across Avar; and (4) summarizes the resulting HCIA by subcatchment. Analysis of the regression feature importance shows that, in general, Avar connectivity is highly sensitive to the soil type, rainfall depth, area fraction, and antecedent soil moisture conditions of the downslope pervious area. We find that temporally varying parameters (e.g., rainfall and antecedent soil moisture) control Avar connectivity in areas with low permeability soils, while spatial flow path variability (e.g., relative quantity of disconnecting pervious area) controls Avar connectivity in areas with highly permeable soils. The methods developed in this study can be used to identify impervious surface connectivity more accurately in urban watersheds, representing an important step forward for incorporating spatial heterogeneity in stormwater modeling and planning.
FANCD2 Alleviates Physiologic Replication Stress in Fetal Liver HSC

ABSTRACT Bone marrow failure (BMF) in Fanconi Anemia (FA) results from exhaustion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), but the physiological role of FA proteins in HSC pool integrity remains unknown. Herein we demonstrate that FANCD2, a core component of the FA pathway, counters replication stress during developmental HSC expansion in the fetal liver (FL). Rapid rates of proliferation and FANCD2 deficient result in excess RPA-coated ssDNA, and provoke pChk1 activation and Cdkn1a(p21) nuclear localization in fetal Fancd2−/− HSC. Checkpoint mediated S-phase delays induced by Cdkn1a(p21) are rescued by Tgf-β inhibition, but pChk1 activation is further aggravated. Our observations reveal the mechanism and physiological context by which FANCD2 safeguards HSC pool formation during development.
Nutrient accounting at the herd, field, and whole-farm levels on two Pennsylvania dairy farms

The objective of this study was to evaluate nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) utilization efficiencies and environmental implications on two dairy farms and identify areas where veterinarians can make an impact. The study surveyed two commercial dairy farms in southeastern Pennsylvania, Farm A and Farm B. Each farm owner provided information regarding the management of animals, crops and animal waste. This information was used to calculate a nutrient flow for N and P at the herd, crop, and farm level. The herd-level evaluation accounted for nutrients directly entering the animals in the form of feed, captured in the body during growth, and exiting the animals as manure and milk. The crop-level nutrient balance accounted for manure and imported fertilizer spread on the fields, compared with the nutrient uptake rates of the crops grown. The whole-farm evaluation describes the nutrient flow across the farm boundaries. Based on the information collected during this survey, both farms were net importers of N and P. However, efficiency of N and P were calculated as higher than previously reported in the literature. The milk nitrogen efficiencies on Farm A and Farm B were calculated to be 25% and 23%, respectively. The herd phosphorus utilization efficiency was calculated to be 46% and 39% on Farm A and B, respectively. Despite excellent nutrient utilization, the study identified management practice changes that would yield positive environmental and economic outcomes.
Analysis of Enigma Gene-Signaling Pathways in Thyroid Cancer

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is one of the most accurate modes of obtaining thyroid nodule biopsies, however, up to 25% of biopsies still yield indeterminate results. There is an increasing number of thyroidectomies due to indeterminate nodules by FNA alone. Therefore, more accurate and time efficient diagnostic approaches for analyzing indeterminate thyroid nodules is required. Recent studies showed that Enigma is associated with different cancer types, including thyroid cancer progression and calcification through its interaction with bone morphogenic protein-1 (BMP-1) and tyrosine kinases linked to mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Our published data on Enigma protein analysis with immunohistochemistry showed promising findings to discriminate malignant versus benign nodules. We also showed a thyroid cancer stage-dependent enhancement of Enigma protein expression. In this study, we are investigating Enigma at a gene expression level by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), which is more time-efficient, quantitative, and requires less tissue than immunohistochemistry. We extracted mRNA/DNA/proteins from fresh malignant and benign thyroid nodules using a Qiagen AllPrep DNA/RNA/Protein Mini Kit. After verification of the quantity and purity by NanoDrop, isolated mRNA was then run through Enigma-RT-qPCR. MAPK assay was done by western blotting using MAPK-antibody. Our initial results found that Enigma-mRNA expression level was 3-fold higher in malignant compared to benign thyroid tissues. This finding supports our previous protein expression data with a relative quantitative difference in Enigma-mRNA expression level between malignant and benign thyroid nodules. MAPK expression was upregulated in thyroid cancer compared to benign nodules. We conclude that Enigma-RT-qPCR can be used effectively in FNA samples derived from thyroid nodules, which could potentially enhance the diagnostic accuracy of indeterminate nodules and decrease unnecessary thyroidectomies. Furthermore, both Enigma and MAPK were highly expressed in advanced tumor in the same tissues. Future study is needed to establish the functional interaction of Enigma-MAPK activity in thyroid cancer cells.
Ostracism in Japan

Informal social sanctions such as ostracism are most communities’ primary means of controlling deviance, with formal legal sanctions a costlier backup mechanism, but outside university laboratories, studies of ostracism barely exist. We construct a formal model and examine legal cases brought by targets of Japanese village ostracism. Villagers truly offending against social welfare do not bring these suits. Rather, much ostracism is opportunistic — to extort property, hide communitywide malfeasance, or harass rivals. Typically, the objective is not to employ government’s coercive power, but to have the court publicly certify that the target of ostracism is not really culpable.
Beyond Advance Directives: Addressing Communication Gaps and Caregiving Challenges at Life's End.

Abstract Context The premise of advance directives and care planning is to help people articulate and document their wishes so surrogate decision-makers and providers can honor them. However, beyond the completion of such a document, underlying challenges are often unaddressed Objectives The overall purpose of the study was to investigate how communication, including but not limited to the completion of advance directives, and caregiving influenced family caregivers’ experiences. Communication gaps and caregiving challenges that were unaddressed by advance directives are presented. Methods Non-dominant simultaneous mixed-methods (QUAL-QUAN) were used to explore how end-of-life events influenced family caregivers. In-depth interviews were conducted with 108 caregivers about 4 months following the death of a family member who was in hospice care. Results A majority (n=90; 84.9%) had specific wishes about end-of-life treatment. Patients had a completed: Health Care Proxy-101 (93.3%); Living Will–43 (39.8%); Do Not Resuscitate orders (DNR)–82 (75.9%) and Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment–40 (37%). A majority (n=83; 76.9%) of caregivers said that they had “enough” or “just the right amount” of information to prepare for the patients’ death. Five themes illustrated caregivers’ experiences: Family Conflict; Patient/Family-Provider Conflict; Uncertainty, Caregiving Realities; Awareness-Avoidance of Dying. Conclusion A majority of had an advance directive, yet caregivers expressed feeling unprepared for decision-making, caregiving and discussing it with the dying person. The advance directive and care planning process fell short of providing needed communication, knowledge and preparation; it can be an opportunity for teaching, learning, preparing and supporting families at life's end.
Welfare Metrics Applied

Zoo and aquarium specialists have a long history of modifying inputs such as exhibit design, space restrictions, feeding schedules, social housing conditions and enrichment in an effort to improve animal welfare. Providing an animal with preferred resources is an important component of ensuring welfare, but may not meet the goals of all welfare interventions. Thus, it is important to note the difference in measuring preference and motivation and the implications of the findings from these different types of tasks. Zoo animals are frequently moved to new enclosures, or husbandry routines are changed in an effort to improve positive welfare. By systematically measuring hormone levels before and after a change, and in conjunction with other behavioral measures, we can unravel the underlying hormonal changes associated with positive welfare. The zoo community needs to continue developing its own rigorous techniques for measuring welfare, and we have pointed out some of the substantial challenges associated with this goal, and some potentially useful measures that are specific to zoos. Zoo research design is often hindered by small sample size, and one way to overcome this issue is to perform multi-institutional studies or survey multiple institutions. Another useful tool for zoo scientists is meta-analysis based on the existing literature. As a community, if we continue to run well designed studies and publish our results, we can continue to discover, test, and export useful measures and approaches to assessing animal welfare.
The emergence and promise of cloud computing for under-developed societies

Within the past fifty years, information and communication technologies (ICT) have radically altered the dynamics of doing business in modern societies. However, a lack of access to these ICT resources has stifled the participation of several developing and under-developed economies. Cloud computing, an emerging technology paradigm, has the potential to unleash new businesses and create markets in underdeveloped societies through its promise of pervasive access, usage simplification, and negligible adoption costs. In this paper, we juxtapose new global commerce opportunities unveiled by cloud computing capabilities with the characteristics of demand in these challenging but rapidly globalizing markets. By tracing the characteristics of historic paradigm shifts and technological revolutions that have transformed societies in more developed economies, we examine how cloud computing can a) create new IT-enabled market constructs, b) change managerial imperatives, incentive structures and processes, and c) pose challenges to business transformation that may, in turn, affect its rate of adoption.
Demographic Connectivity for Ursid Populations at Wildlife Crossing Structures in Banff National Park

Wildlife crossing structures are one solution to mitigating the fragmentation of wildlife populations caused by roads, but their effectiveness in providing connectivity has only been superficially evaluated. Hundreds of grizzly (Ursus arctos) and black bear (Ursus americanus) passages through under and overpasses have been recorded in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. However, the ability of crossing structures to allow individual and population-level movements across road networks remains unknown. In April 2006, we initiated a 3-year investigation into whether crossing structures provide demographic connectivity for grizzly and black bears in Banff National Park. We collected hair with multiple noninvasive methods to obtain genetic samples from grizzly and black bears around the Bow Valley. Our objectives were to determine the number of male and female grizzly and black bears that use crossing structures; examine spatial and temporal patterns of crossings; and estimate the proportions of grizzly and black bear populations in the Bow Valley that use crossing structures. Fifteen grizzly (7 female, 8 male) and 17 black bears (8 female, 9 male) used wildlife crossing structures. The number of individuals detected at wildlife crossing structures was highly correlated with the number of passages in space and time. Grizzly bears used open crossing structures (e.g., overpasses) more often than constricted crossings (e.g., culverts). Peak use of crossing structures for both bear species occurred in July, when high rates of foraging activity coincide with mating season. We compared the number of bears that used crossings with estimates of population abundance from a related study and determined that substantial percentages of grizzly (15.0% in 2006, 19.8% in 2008) and black bear (17.6% in 2006, 11.0% in 2008) populations used crossing structures. On the basis of our results, we concluded wildlife crossing structures provide demographic connectivity for bear populations in Banff National Park.
North American Indigenous Psychology

North American Indigenous Psychology (NAIP) is the study and practice of the distinctive aspects of mind and behavior among North American indigenous peoples. Keywords: indigenous psychology; social influence
Class E resonant inverter optimized design for high frequency (MHz) operation using eGaN HEMTs

The Class-E resonant converter can achieve zero-voltage switching and zero-dv/dt switching when the switch is turned on in optimum mode. This paper presents a design procedure for Class E converter operating at high switching frequency (tens of MHz), considering the tradeoff between device voltage stress and current stress. The operation of a class E inverter is presented, and analytical steady-state equations for the Class E inverter are given valid at any switch-on duty cycle for operation with highly loaded quality factor. The optimized design procedure is described in detail. To verify the proposed approach, a 10MHz switching frequency, 20W output power GaN Class-E inverter design example is given, and its Pspice simulation results are presented. Additionally, the analytical loss model of the Class-E inverter is derived.