cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pheromone communication in the watersnake, nerodia sipedon : A mechanistic difference between semi-aquatic and terrestrial species

Abstract The mating season in the northern watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) occurs in the spring during vitellogenesis. Courtship and mating occur primarily in trees and bushes which overhang the water, but may also occur on the stream bank. Watersnakes access these basking/mating sites from the water. Thus, the terrestrial trailing of a female, typical of most of the snakes studied, cannot occur. Based on field observations, only about 10% of female N. sipedon are in estrus (attractive to males via pheromones) on days with appropriate temperatures from late April to mid-June. Females in estrus vary in attractiveness and receptivity to males. In field experiments, males are able to locate caged females apparently via volatile pheromones. We suggest that watersnake pheromones are heavy, volatile compounds that accumulate in the air above the surface of the water and that males climb branches and systematically search for females in the vicinity of pheromone concentrations. In addition to pheromones, males use ...
H-P Model

The hierarchical probe model, a geometric model, using hierarchical data structures to represent 2-D and 3-D objects, is developed. Many radial lines, called probes, are drawn from the origin. The intersection points of probes and the boundary of the object are stored in a tree and a number of lists. The piecewise boundaries of the object between adjacent probes are represented by the patches which are the interpolations of intersection points, also called control points, on the probes. The error of representation is defined to describe the details of the model representing an object. In the appendix, we prove that the basic theory which insures the model can represent any physical object with an error less than a given tolerance. The new model is evaluated and compared with the octree/quadtree model. Several advantages of the model are also discussed.
Abstract PL01-03: Vitamin D deficiency and prostate cancer in men with African ancestry

African-American men are disproportionally affected by prostate cancer in that African-American men are not only at increased risk of prostate cancer compared to American men of European descent, but also are at the highest risk of aggressive prostate cancer and death from prostate cancer. As well vitamin D3 deficiency is rampant in the African-American population. There is a biological component to this deficiency because sun-induced vitamin D3 synthesis in the skin is significantly reduced in melanin-rich pigmented skin. Consequently, about two thirds of African-American men are vitamin D3 deficient compared to about 20% of men of European descent. It is important to maintain a healthy vitamin D3 status because vitamin D3 deficiency increases the risk of prostate cancer mortality. Our group has examined vitamin D3 concentrations, metabolism and mediators in prostate tissue and cells of a racially diverse group of patients to discern differences in African-American men. Citation Format: Larisa Nonn. Vitamin D deficiency and prostate cancer in men with African ancestry. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr PL01-03. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-PL01-03
Challenges in Deep Learning for Multimodal Applications

This consortium paper outlines a research plan for investigating deep learning techniques as applied to multimodal multi-task learning and multimodal fusion. We discuss our prior research results in this area, and how these results motivate us to explore more in this direction. We also define concrete steps of enquiry we wish to undertake as a short-term goal, and further outline some other challenges of multimodal learning using deep neural networks, such as inter and intra-modality synchronization, robustness to noise in modality data acquisition, and data insufficiency.
Lateral Motion Control of a Vehicle Using the Rear Steer: Simulation Study

The lateral motion control is a key element for automated driving vehicle technology. Typically, the front steering system has been used as the primary actuator for vehicle lateral motion control. Alternatively, this paper presents a new method of the lateral motion control using a rear steer. When combined with the front steer actuator, the rear steer can generate more dynamically responsive turning of the vehicle. In addition, the rear steer can be used as a secondary back up actuator when the front steer actuator fails to operate during automated driving mode. Similar to the prior research that has used the front steer actuator for the lateral control, the control methodology presented in this paper maintains the same hierarchical framework, i.e., sensor fusion, path prediction, path planning, and motion control. Since the rear steer is in play for the vehicle lateral motion control, the equations for the path prediction and vehicle dynamics are re-derived with non-zero front steer and rear steer angles. Combined with the rear steering dynamics, the model predictive control (MPC) technique is applied for motion error minimization. This paper describes the theoretical part of the algorithm, and provides simulation results to show effectiveness of the algorithm. Future work will include vehicle implementation, testing, and evaluation.Copyright © 2015 by General Motors
Perceptions of Genetic Testing and Implications for Informed Consent

Genetic testing is becoming more and more common to identify diseases in young children, and there is a lack of survey research regarding perceptions of genetic testing. This study aims to identify what information is important to make an informed choice about voluntary genetic testing for children and what is the perceived duty of physicians to their patients after genetic testing results are obtained. The implications for such research is to help inform physicians about the type of information individuals expect to see in a consent form for genetic testing of their children, and help inform physicians about their perceived ongoing duty to these patients.
Business, Democracy, and Progressive Reform in the Redevelopment of Baltimore after the Great Fire of 1904

The following article reexamines the role of business leaders in the structural reform of American city government during the Progressive Era. In presenting a careful analysis of the fate of redevelopment plans after Baltimore's great 1904 fire, this case study argues against an unsophisticated good guy/bad guy approach to urban and business history. Historians are urged, however, not to abandon attempts to make reasoned moral judgments concerning the consequences of structural reform, but rather to base those efforts on a recognition of the deepening complexity of twentieth-century urban society.
Reliability of technetium-99m Q12 and thallium-201 myocardial activity measurements after triphenyl tetrazolium chloride myocardial staining by perfusion.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Investigations in animal models of severe myocardial ischemia or infarction use triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining to document infarction size histologically and to correlate these data with uptake measurements of radiolabeled tracers. Previously published data suggest that TTC staining itself has an important impact on myocardial tracer activity measurements. The authors hypothesized that TTC staining by perfusion has no significant effect on relative regional myocardial activity measurements of technetium-99m Q12 and thallium-201 in an open-chest canine model. METHODS Eight dogs underwent left anterior descending artery occlusion for 2 hours with 30 minutes of reperfusion, followed immediately by injection of technetium-99m Q12 (n = 4) or thallium-201. Total myocardial activity was recorded in a dose calibrator, and regional myocardial samples were obtained by Cope needle biopsies from the ischemic and normal zones, both before and after TTC staining. RESULTS The mean percent activity retention for the whole heart after perfusion staining with TTC was significantly reduced when compared to the preperfusion value for both technetium-99m Q12 and thallium-201. Regional measurements revealed no significant difference between the mean percent retention of technetium-99m Q12 in the ischemic and normal zones. After TTC perfusion, regional mean percent retention of thallium-201 was similar in the ischemic and normal zones. CONCLUSIONS In a canine model of myocardial ischemia and infarction with reperfusion, TTC staining can be performed by coronary artery perfusion without significantly affecting comparative regional measurements of either technetium-99m Q12 or thallium-201. Whole heart tracer retention is significantly reduced by TTC perfusion staining, but thallium-201 is more affected than technetium-99m Q12.
Factors Associated With Accuracy in Prekindergarten Teacher Ratings of Students’ Mathematics Skills:

The No Child Left Behind Act requires that 95% of students in all public elementary and secondary schools are assessed in mathematics. Unfortunately, direct assessments of young students can be timely, costly, and challenging to administer. Therefore, policy makers have looked to indirect forms of assessment, such as teachers’ ratings of student skills, as a substitute. However, prekindergarten teachers’ ratings of students’ mathematical knowledge and skills are only correlated with direct assessments at the .50 level. Little is known about factors that influence accuracy in teacher ratings. In this study, we examine the influence of student and teacher characteristics on prekindergarten teachers’ ratings of students’ mathematical skills, controlling for direct assessment of these skills. Results indicate that students’ race/ethnicity and social competency, as well as teachers’ self-efficacy, are significantly related to prekindergarten teachers’ ratings of students’ mathematical skills.
Cross Validation of Local Labs to Eliminate Reference Lab Testing for Varicella Zoster ELISA: A Model for Reducing Send Out Labs to Improve Care and Lower Cost. (P4.274)

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the feasibility for local laboratories to validate and perform common reference laboratory studies. BACKGROUND: Reference or “send out” laboratory studies are a common part of modern day medical practice, particularly at tertiary centers where complicated diseases are assessed. There is an increasing number of send out studies on laboratory menus as advanced genetic and molecular studies are becoming available. The use of send out studies for more routine care is not ideal because of their cost, the delay in receiving results, difficulty communicating with the reference lab, and possible mishandling of samples in transport. A common send out study used at the University of Minnesota is an ELISA for Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) antibodies in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). Several local laboratories have the technological capacity to perform this study, but are not validated to do so. The process of laboratory validation for the common ELISA VZV antibody test at local hospitals is presented here. DESIGN/METHODS: A strategy of cross-validation with two local laboratories will be used to obtain validation so that ELISA VZV antibody testing can be performed locally at either lab. This will be done by collecting CSF from patients who are undergoing spinal fluid testing for other clinically indicated reasons. Two local laboratories capable of performing VZV antibody testing will do so to demonstrate that they are both able to obtain the same titers within statistical margins of error. This will obviate the need to send these studies to reference laboratories and lose physical control of the specimen and the reimbursement for the study. RESULTS: This project is ongoing at the time of submission. CONCLUSIONS: The system of cross validation using local equipment to validate common send out studies could be a powerful model for reducing health care costs and improving patient care. Disclosure: Dr. Hartmann has nothing to disclose.
Expandable metal stents for gastric-outlet, duodenal, and small intestinal obstruction

The treatment of patients who have malignant gastric-outlet, duodenal and small intestinal obstructions is difficult. The morbidity and mortality of palliative surgery in these patients is significant. It is not uncommon for patients to be treated with supportive therapy only, which unfortunately, neither relieves the severe nausea and vomiting, nor allows adequate food intake. Over the past few years, a number of studies have reported the safety and efficacy of self-expanding metal stents used to palliate malignant upper gastrointestinal obstruction. In this article, the authors focus on the use of self-expanding metal stents to treat malignant gastric-outlet, duodenal, and small intestinal obstructions.
A3-adenosine receptors: design of selective ligands and therapeutic prospects.

The A3 receptor has been established as a distinct receptor subtype through cloning and the synthesis of selective agonists. The distribution of this subtype in the body is unique and more limited than for A1 or A2 receptors. Actions associated with this subtype include mast cell degranulation, cerebroprotection, cardioprotection, and possibly alteration of fertility. The effects on the inflammatory system and the high level of A3 receptor expression in the lungs suggests the use of A3 antagonists for asthma. Thus, there is a tremendous potential for development for therapeutic purposes of selective drugs, either agonists or antagonists, acting at this receptor.
Concurrent Tumors in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies

Abstract Background: Secondary tumors has been described in a variety of patients with either hematologic malignancies or solid neoplasm, and most of the time is related to previous chemotherapy and radiation therapy exposure, but little is found in the literature about synchronous or metachronous neoplasm that can be found in patient with a newly diagnosis of hematologic malignancy; we report 45 cases, presented in a single institution from 2007 to present. Methods: A retrospective review of records using our tumor registry data, from patient with hematologic malignancies at John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County, was performed and 45 patients with either synchronous or metachronous neoplasm were identified. Results: Lung cancer was the most common malignancy representing 22.2%, Colorectal cancer 20%, Prostate cancer 17.7%, Breast cancer 11.1%, Urothelial cancer (Kidney and Bladder) 8.8%, Myelodisplastic syndrome, Pancreatic cancer, Thyroid cancer, Non-Hodgking lymphoma, Acute Myeloide Leukemia, Vulvar cancer, Testicular cancer and Skin Cancers 2.2% each one respectively. Results: We found that in our heterogeneous population of patient with hematologic malignancies, the incidence of synchronous or metachronous neoplasm practically follows a very similar pattern of the general population, despite that many of this patients have been exposed to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Electrospun TiC/C composite nanofibrous felt and its energy-related applications

Mechanically resilient TiC/C composite nanofibrous felt has been prepared by electrospinning of precursor nanofibrous mat followed by thermal treatments including the carbothermal reduction at 1400°C. The felt consists of overlaid TiC/C composite nanofibers with diameters of 200–400 nm; in the composite nanofibers, self-generated TiC crystallites (~ 70 wt.%) with sizes of 5–30 nm are randomly distributed in carbon (~ 30 wt.%). The TiC/C composite nanofibrous felt can be surface-decorated with Pt nanoparticles as a highly efficient electrocatalytic system for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and as a cost-effective counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells. Moreover, the TiC/C composite nanofibrous felt can be conformally converted into carbide-derived carbon (CDC) nanofibrous felt through chlorination at an elevated temperature, and the resulting freestanding TiC/C–CDC felt exhibits superior performance as a binder-free electrode in a double-layer supercapacitor.
Scoliosis in Spastic Cerebral Palsy

The natural history and risk factors for progressive severe scoliosis were evaluated in 37 institutionalized spastic cerebral palsy patients followed at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, and at Centers in Nagano, Japan.
Absolute Values of Serum Immunoglobulin Free Light Chains Predict for Survival in Patients with Primary Systemic Amyloidosis Undergoing Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplant.

Introduction: The immunoglobulin free light chain (FLC) is the precursor protein of amyloid in primary systemic amyloidosis (AL). Historically, the ability to monitor the amyloid protein precursor has been crude. There is now a test that reproducibly measures serum levels of FLC. We evaluated the utility of this assay in patients with AL undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT). Methods: Between March 1, 1996 and July 31, 2004, 98 patients with AL undergoing PBSCT had serial FLC measurements performed either prospectively or on stored sera. Patients who died before their 100 day evaluation were excluded because response could not be estimated. FLC levels were performed using Freelite™ reagents on a Dade-Behring Nephelometer. In order to pool the data of the monoclonal kappa and lambda patients, the clonal free light chain was considered the involved] immunoglobulin free light chain for the purpose of these analyses and is henceforth referred to as FLC. The prognostic effects of the initial concentration and the extent of reduction of monoclonal FLC on survival were evaluated. Results: Pre-transplant, 94% of patients had an abnormal FLC ratio, with a median involved FLC of 152 mg/L [15.2 mg/dL]. Only 14% of 98 patients had a “measurable” serum M-spike (i.e. ≥ 10 g/L [1 g/dL]) on electrophoresis with a median of 1 g/L [0.1 g/dL]. Ten patients have died of their disease during a median follow-up time of 19.5 months, range 3.3 to 103 months. The 2- year and 4-year estimated survivals are 92% and 76%, respectively. Using the 75th percentile value of pre-PBSCT FLC (382 mg/L [38.2 g/dL]) as a grouping variable, there was a significantly higher risk of death 5.4 (95% confidence interval 1.5–19.3) in the patient quartile with the highest baseline FLC. Baseline FLC correlated with serum cardiac troponin T levels (rho 0.51, p Conclusion: FLC measurements both pre- and post-PBSCT are important predictors of patient outcome.
United States Antecedents and Proto-PR

This chapter examines the use of the term “public relations” in the popular press from 1774 to 1899. Frequently public relations history places the beginnings of PR in the late nineteenth century with a genesis in entertainment and later business. This examination of the use of the term “public relations” shows that public relations in the eighteenth and nineteenth century was related to politics, specifically international affairs, domestic relations, and political popularity.
Status of knowledge of the Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus Forbes and Richardson, 1905)

Summary The Pallid Sturgeon is listed as federally endangered under the Endangered Species Act in the United States. When the species was listed in 1990 it was considered extremely rare and was poorly understood. Habitat alteration, commercial harvest, environmental contaminants, and other factors were identified as threats. Today our scientific understanding of the species and its life history requirements have increased greatly as summarized below.
Influence of loading control on strain bursts and dislocation avalanches at the nanometer and micrometer scale

Through three-dimensional discrete dislocation dynamics simulations, we show that by tuning the mode of external loading, the collective dynamics of dislocations undergo a transition from driven avalanches under stress control to quasiperiodic oscillations under strain control. We directly correlate measured intermittent plastic events with internal dislocation activities and collective dynamics. Under different loading modes, the roles of the weakest dislocation source and the defect population trend are significantly different. This finding raises new possibilities of controlling correlated dislocation activities and obtaining a low defect density in nanostructured devices by tuning external constraints. In addition, the effect of machine stiffness comes to light. The statistical analysis of the burst magnitude is revisited and carefully discussed. Self-organized criticality and scale-free statistics of strain bursts are obeyed under stress control. However, this behavior is shown to break down under strain control. Rapid stress drops under pure strain control force truncation of dislocation avalanches, leading to a dynamical transition to quasiperiodic oscillations.
Discerning the Quality of Questions in Educational Q&Ausing Textual Features

In an information seeking episode, attributes such as relevance, quality, and the nature of the information sought/obtained are directly related to the nature and the quality of the query or question that represents an information need. It is, therefore, imperative that we identify potential problems with such representation to make the information seeking outcome and the experience more successful. In this paper, we investigate the question quality for the educational community question answering (CQA) site Brainly by examining 2,000 questions, of which 1,000 were answered and 1,000 were unanswered. Two human assessors rated the quality of each question on a scale from 1-5 based on factors such as ambiguity, poor syntax, lack of information, complexity, inappropriateness, and inconsistency. We then identified different textual features that are needed to detect question quality. A logistic regression classifier was built to categorize question features based on the rating scale and textual features present in the question. The results show higher ROC curves for ambiguity, lack of information, inappropriateness, complexity and excessive information; and lower ROC values for poor syntax and inconsistency among the questions. The findings demonstrate that the classifier failed to perform when faced with ill-framed or inconsistent phrases in a question. The work described here presents a method for identifying high and low-quality questions, the knowledge of which could be instrumental in helping reformulate users' questions and present them to a system or a community for more successful processes and outcomes.
Youth Reasoning With Interactive Data Visualizations: A Preliminary Study

Youth interact with data constantly through visualizations on social feeds and news sites. Unlike traditional graphs that are the focus of school instruction, visualizations use context rich and interactive methods to create narratives and allow users to explore data for themselves. We ask: How do youth make sense of interactive data visualizations? Nine participants ages 12-13 completed semi-structured, think-aloud clinical interviews as they worked with data visualizations about socio-scientific issues. Findings suggest learners used a variety of resources, but often did not coordinate those resources. When they did, they built deeper understandings of the visualizations and their content.
On fast retrieval of relational experiences

Various intelligent systems are needed for cyber-physical systems. Such intelligent systems need to learn from the human intelligence about concept abstraction and analogical thinking in order to resolve complex issues using past experiences. The algorithms for abstraction and analogies are based on quick memory recall with clever information coding and processing. The quick and accurate memory recall is based on the fact that the memory mostly records the relations among the constituents of the stimulating signals, rather than the constituents themselves. Relational memories can be stored in the form of networks of neuron clusters capable of resonating to particular signal sequences. However, similarity testing for such network representations is difficult. We suggest that linear dynamic systems that relate the system matrix and the output time function can be used as a conversion mechanism between the network matrix and the temporal representations of the signals. This leads to algorithms for relational similarity testing and concept abstraction. Transient behavior based selection rules in ordinal optimization is important in achieving quickness in our development.
Manipulating the fidelity of lower extremity visual feedback to identify obstacle negotiation strategies in immersive virtual reality

The ability to successfully navigate obstacles in our environment requires integration of visual information about the environment with estimates of our body's state. Previous studies have used partial occlusion of the visual field to explore how information about the body and impending obstacles are integrated to mediate a successful clearance strategy. However, because these manipulations often remove information about both the body and obstacle, it remains to be seen how information about the lower extremities alone is utilized during obstacle crossing. Here, we used an immersive virtual reality (VR) interface to explore how visual feedback of the lower extremities influences obstacle crossing performance. Participants wore a head-mounted display while walking on treadmill and were instructed to step over obstacles in a virtual corridor in four different feedback trials. The trials involved: (1) No visual feedback of the lower extremities, (2) an endpoint-only model, (3) a link-segment model, and (4) a volumetric multi-segment model. We found that the volumetric model improved success rate, placed their trailing foot before crossing and leading foot after crossing more consistently, and placed their leading foot closer to the obstacle after crossing compared to no model. This knowledge is critical for the design of obstacle negotiation tasks in immersive virtual environments as it may provide information about the fidelity necessary to reproduce ecologically valid practice environments.
Transfusion practice patterns in patients with anemia receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy for nonmyeloid cancer: results from a prospective observational study.

The decision to prescribe packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions in patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA) includes assessment of clinical features such as the patient’s cancer type and treatment regimen, severity of anemia symptoms, and presence of comorbidities. We examined contemporary transfusion practices in patients with nonmyeloid cancer and CIA. Key inclusion criteria were age ≥ 18 years with nonmyeloid cancer, receiving first/second-line myelosuppressive chemotherapy, baseline hemoglobin (Hb) ≤ 10.0 g/dL, and planned to receive ≥ 1 PRBC transfusions. Exclusion criteria were receipt of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents within 8 weeks of screening and/or chronic renal insufficiency. Data were collected from patients’ medical records, laboratory values, and physician/provider questionnaires. Proportion of patients for each clinical consideration leading to a decision to prescribe a PRBC transfusion and 95% exact binomial confidence intervals were determined. The study enrolled 154 patients at 18 sites in USA; 147 (95.5%) received a PRBC transfusion. Fatigue was the most common symptom affecting the decision to prescribe a PRBC transfusion (101 [69.2%] patients). Of the three reasons selected as primary considerations for prescribing a PRBC transfusion, anemia symptoms (106 [72.1%] patients) was the most frequently reported, followed by Hb value (37 [25.2%] patients) and medical history (4 [2.7%] patients). In this study, the primary consideration for prescribing a PRBC transfusion was anemia symptoms in 72.1% of patients, with only 25.2% of patients prescribed a transfusion based exclusively on Hb value. Results indicate that clinical judgment and patient symptoms, not just Hb value, were used in decisions to prescribe PRBC transfusions.
Measuring Nanoscale Chromatin Heterogeneity with Partial Wave Spectroscopic Microscopy

Despite extensive research in the area, current understanding of the structural organization of higher-order chromatin topology (between 20 and 200 nm) is limited due to a lack of proper imaging techniques at these length scales. The organization of chromatin at these scales defines the physical context (nanoenvironment) in which many important biological processes occur. Improving our understanding of the nanoenvironment is crucial because it has been shown to play a critical functional role in the regulation of chemical reactions. Recent progress in partial wave spectroscopic (PWS) microscopy enables real-time measurement of higher-order chromatin organization within label-free live cells. Specifically, PWS quantifies the nanoscale variations in mass density (heterogeneity) within the cell. These advancements have made it possible to study the functional role of chromatin topology, such as its regulation of the global transcriptional state of the cell and its role in the development of cancer. In this chapter, the importance of studying chromatin topology is explained, the theory and instrumentation of PWS are described, the measurements and analysis processes for PWS are laid out in detail, and common issues, troubleshooting steps, and validation techniques are provided.
Abstract P3-05-06: Prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and its relation to stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)

Background: While TNBC remains the most aggressive type of breast cancer (BC), substantial heterogeneity in biology and outcomes exists among TNBC subtypes. Historically, risk stratification of TNBC has been based on anatomic factors such as tumor size, nodal involvement and presence of distant metastases. However, these features alone fail to accurately predict outcomes. Tumor immune infiltration (sTILs) and distribution of immune cell subsets in the perip heral blood (NLR) have emerged as variables reported to be associated with outcomes in TNBC. We sought to evaluate whether NLR and sTILs provided independent prognostic information in TNBC. Methods: From a cohort of 9,982 women who underwent BC surgery at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN between Jan 1985 and Dec 2012, we identified 605 centrally-confirmed TNBC tumors. Patients (pts) with prior BC, bilateral BC, non-invasive disease, stage IV, neoadjuvant therapy, endocrine therapy, or adenoid cystic histology were excluded. For eligible tumors, clinical and pathologic variables were evaluated, including peripheral blood NLR and central assessment of sTILs per the 2014 International TILs Working Group recommendations. We calculated the Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) between NLR and sTILs and constructed Cox Proportional Hazards Models to evaluate their association with invasive-disease free (IDFS) and overall survival (OS). NLR and sTILs were both analyzed as continuous variables. Results: Most pts had T1-2 (95%) and N0-1 disease (86%). Median OS follow-up was 10.6yrs. Median IDFS was 12yrs (95%CI 10.2-16.7) and median OS was 18.8yrs (95%CI 15.6-20.8). NLR and sTILs were available in 408 and 599 pts, respectively. The median NLR and sTIL content were 2.29 (0.14-10.50) and 20% (0-90%), respectively. NLR and sTILs were poorly correlated (PCC 0.0237). On univariate analysis (UVA), a higher NLR was associated with worse IDFS (HR 1.13; 95%CI 1.02-1.26, p=0.02) and OS (HR 1.17; 95%CI 1.04-1.31, p=0.01). Each 1% increment in sTILs was associated with improved IDFS (HR 0.99; 95%CI 0.98-0.99, p Conclusions: A lower NLR and a higher sTIL content were each associated with improved IDFS and OS among pts with nonmetastatic TNBC on UVA. However, when evaluated on a MVA, only sTILs remained independently associated with IDFS and OS. Our data suggest that the effect of sTILs on outcomes may not be modified by the NLR. Citation Format: Leon-Ferre RA, Polley M-Y, Liu H, Gilbert J, Cafourek V, Hillman D, Negron V, Boughey JC, Liu MC, Ingle JN, Kalari K, Couch FJ, Visscher DW, Goetz MP. Prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and its relation to stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-05-06.
High-Rate, Continuous Waste Processor for the Production of High BTU Gas using Immobilized Microbes

Earlier studies showed the relationship between the dimensions of a microbe and the accululation of that microbe in a porous, inorganic structure (1–3). The results indicated that cejls that reproduced by fission could be loaded to levels between 108 and 109 cells/g of ceramic if the ceramic pore diameters were in the range of 1 through 5 times the major dimension of the cell. The rationale for this pore diameter criterion, when growth is required, is diagrammatically represented in Fig. 1. It is assumed that the cells are immobilized on their minor dimension; they thus must protrude toward the opposite wall of the pore. If another cell is immobilized on the opposite wall of the pore and the cells undergo fission, then a minimum of 4 times the major dimension of the cell is required to nearly fill the pore. When a cell wants to exit from that pore, an additional cell length is required, is diagrammatically represented in Fig. 1. It is assumed that the cells are immobilized on their minor dimension; they thus must protrude toward the opposite wall of the pore. If another cell is immobilized on the opposite wall of the pore and the cells undergo fission, then a minimum of 4 times the major dimension of the cell is required to nearly fill the pore. When a cell wants to exit from that pore, an additional cell length is required, giving a pore diameter of 5 times the major dimension of the cell. Scanning electron micrographs of bacteria from aerobically treated sewage, immobilized on two different porous ceramic materials, indicate that the cells were actually immobilized on their minor dimension (Fig. 2 and 3). Note that all of the cells were immobilized on their minor dimension and that the cell packing was very close. It should also be noted that the cells were packed tightly into the depth of the pore. A logical reason for cell immobilization on the minor dimension might be that maximal cell surface still remains available for the transfer of metabolites.
Aerosol Jet Printed Quasi-Optical Terahertz Components

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of aerosol jet printed quasi-optical components for operation in the terahertz (THz) spectral range. Performance of each of these components is compared to their counterpart fabricated by a lithographic process. Two band-stop filters, one designed for operation at 250 GHz and another at 550 GHz, as well as a bandpass filter for operation at 250 GHz, are designed and characterized. Additionally, polarizing screens are presented, demonstrating high-resolution capabilities of the aerosol printing technique. Enhancement of the printed structures by means of an electroless metal plating process is demonstrated using an aerosol jet printed seed layer.
Developmental expression of Neuregulin-3 in the rat central nervous system

Neuregulin-3 (Nrg3) is a member of the Nrg family of growth factors identified as risk factors for schizophrenia. There are three Nrgs expressed in the nervous system (Nrg1-3) and of these Nrg1 has been the best characterized. To set the groundwork for elucidating neural roles for Nrg3, we studied its expression in the rat brain at both the RNA and protein levels. Using an antibody developed against Nrg3, we observed a developmental increase of Nrg3 protein expression from embryonic stages to adulthood and determined that it carries O-linked carbohydrates. In cortical neuronal cultures, transfected Neuro2a cells, and brain tissue sections Nrg3 protein was localized to the soma, neurites, and to the Golgi apparatus, where it is prominently expressed. Nrg3 was detected in excitatory, GABAergic and parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory neurons while expression in glia was limited. Nrg3 mRNA and protein were widely expressed during both embryonic and postnatal ages. At E17, Nrg3 was detected within the cortical plate and ventricular zone suggesting possible roles in cell proliferation or migration. At postnatal ages, Nrg3 was abundantly expressed throughout the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Multiple thalamic nuclei expressed Nrg3, while detection in the striatum was limited. In the cerebellum, Nrg3 was found in both Purkinje cells and granule neurons. In the rodent brain, Nrg3 is the most abundantly expressed of the Nrgs and its patterns of expression differ both temporally and spatially from that of Nrg1 and Nrg2. These findings suggest that Nrg3 plays roles that are distinct from the other Nrg family members.
Detection and Analysis of Self-Disclosure in Online News Commentaries

Online users engage in self-disclosure - revealing personal information to others - in pursuit of social rewards. However, there are associated costs of disclosure to users' privacy. User profiling techniques support the use of contributed content for a number of purposes, e.g., micro-targeting advertisements. In this paper, we study self-disclosure as it occurs in newspaper comment forums. We explore a longitudinal dataset of about 60,000 comments on 2202 news articles from four major English news websites. We start with detection of language indicative of various types of self-disclosure, leveraging both syntactic and semantic information present in texts. Specifically, we use dependency parsing for subject, verb, and object extraction from sentences, in conjunction with named entity recognition to extract linguistic indicators of self-disclosure. We then use these indicators to examine the effects of anonymity and topic of discussion on self-disclosure. We find that anonymous users are more likely to self-disclose than identifiable users, and that self-disclosure varies across topics of discussion. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for user privacy.
The transgenerational transmission of maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs): Insights from placental aging and infant autonomic nervous system reactivity.

Abstract Objective To test alterations in placental cellular aging as one pathway by which maternal early adversity influences physiologic development in her offspring. Methods Maternal report of her adverse childhood experiences (ACE) was obtained prenatally along with measures of prenatal stress and demographic information. Placentas (N = 67) were collected at birth and telomere length (TL) was measured in four separate fetally-derived placental tissues: amnion, chorion, villus, and umbilical cord. At four months of age, infants completed the still-face paradigm (SFP) during which respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) data were collected; RSA reactivity and RSA recovery was available from 44 and 41 infants respectively. Multi-level mixed effects models examined the impact of maternal ACE score on placental TL. Generalized linear models tested the relation between composite placental TL and infant RSA, as well as the moderation of maternal ACE score and infant RSA by composite placental TL. Results Higher maternal ACE score significantly predicted shorter placental TL across tissues (β = −0.015; P = 0.036) and infant RSA across the SFP. No direct relation was found between placental TL and RSA, however composite placental TL moderated the relation between ACE score and both infant RSA reactivity (β = 0.025; P = 0.005) and RSA recovery (β = −0.028; P = 0.032). In infants with shorter composite placental TL, higher ACE score predicted greater RSA suppression during the still-face epoch relative to play period 1 and greater RSA augmentation during play period 2 relative to the still-face epoch. Conclusions These data are the first, to our knowledge, to report that changes in placental TL influence the transgenerational impact of maternal early life adversity on the development of her offspring’s autonomic nervous system.
Expeditious Component-Level FMECA Modeling for Design Optimization

The Failure Modes Effects Analyses (FMEA) provides a number of benefits to the reliability and design engineer; ultimately improving life cycle cost. These benefits range from identifying potential failures having catastrophic or hazardous impact on personnel or equipment to providing the designer and manufacturer with opportunities to eliminate, or at least minimize, the impact of these failures. The FMEA is the basis for a Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) of safety and mission critical defects. The Failure Modes Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) provides analysis of unanticipated failure modes and quantifiable probability of critical failure modes. Finally, it is a tool for Suitability and Design for Reliability (DfR).
Minocycline Reduces Chemoradiation-Related Symptom Burden in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Phase 2 Randomized Trial.

Purpose In patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CRT) exacerbates a cluster of difficult-to-manage symptoms, especially cancer-related fatigue. Minocycline is a readily available, low-cost antibiotic with antiinflammatory properties. We conducted a phase 2 randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial to investigate the effect of minocycline in reducing CRT-symptom burden in NSCLC. Methods and Materials Patients with NSCLC scheduled to receive CRT provided consent and were randomized to receive either minocycline (100 mg twice daily) or a matching placebo during 6 to 7 weeks of CRT. Patient-reported fatigue and other symptoms were assessed on MD Anderson Symptom Inventory weekly from the start of CRT for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was 12-week (±2 days) area under the curve for symptom burden, which was compared between treatment groups. Results Forty of 49 enrolled patients (80%) were evaluable (19 on minocycline and 21 on placebo). There were no grade 3 + adverse events related to the study medication. Fatigue was significantly reduced in the minocycline group compared with placebo group during the 12-week trial period (area under the curve = 31.2 ± 14.2 vs 45.0 ± 20.9, P = .011), with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.77). Pain (Cohen’s d = 0.54) and shortness of breath (Cohen’s d = 0.55) were also significantly reduced in the minocycline group (all P Conclusions Minocycline during CRT for NSCLC was feasible, had a low toxicity profile, and yielded a clinically and statistically significant positive signal in reducing symptom burden related to NSCLC and CRT. This study is a proof of concept so a larger trial in CRT patients is warranted.
Application Software Packages and Their Use in Instruction 1989, 1991, 1993

(1995). Application Software Packages and Their Use in Instruction 1989, 1991, 1993. Journal of Computer Information Systems: Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 31-36.
Driver performance due to small unmanned aerial system applications in the vicinity of roadways

Abstract Small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), or drones, have become increasingly utilized for a myriad of applications in the vicinity of roadways and can offer a low-cost alternative to many labor-intensive data collection techniques, including infrastructure inspection, roadway marking data collection, and more. To collect much of this data with a desired degree of accuracy, sUAS must be flown near moving vehicles, pedestrians, and/or bicyclists. However, sUAS, and their operators, have the potential to be a distraction to drivers. Through a full-immersion driver simulator study and post-experiment questionnaire, this study furthered the current state-of-the-literature and investigated the potential for sUAS to be flown in the vicinity of roadways in the future as well as potential safety implications of those circumstances. Specifically, driver performance due to drone height and the presence of drone operators was evaluated. The results of the driving simulation study revealed that participants were more visually distracted in situations where the operators and drone were both present compared to the drone only scenarios. Furthermore, in 11% of all analyzed situations, drivers were critically visually-distracted as shown by a continuous glance of two seconds or more at the drone or operators. The post-experiment questionnaire revealed that approximately 30% of participants had seen a drone in flight near a roadway prior to this study. Ultimately, this research provides recommendations to policymakers for creating regulations on the use of sUAS in the vicinity of roadways.
Treating Financial Conflict in Couples Through a Bowenian Lens: Applied Financial Socialization and Communication Privacy Theories

Financial Socialization Theory and Communication Privacy Management theory offer insights into how financial conflict develops and is maintained in couples. Communication Privacy Management Theory offers a lens through which to view financial communication between partners. Partners bring in their own experience, values, and behaviors regarding money (family financial socialization), realized or unrealized. Through family financial socialization we know that environmental and family influences began during childhood and have continued into adulthood creating what may be perceived as financial norms. Both theories are reviewed, and a clinical case vignette applying the Bowenian framework is discussed. Implications put forward to offer best practices for family and financial therapists, suggesting that it is necessary to process and gain insight into their own financial beliefs to avoid projection. We propose using each of these theories to further inform clinical practice with clients and to expand our growing knowledge of couples and financial communication.
Technology Challenges and Opportunities Facing Marketing Education.

New technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), enablers of big data analysis, blockchain data systems, robotics, and drones are transforming marketing. Marketing education has adapted ov...
Statistical Approaches for Highly Skewed Data: Evaluating Relations between Maltreatment and Young Adults' Non-Suicidal Self-injury.

Objective: Clinical phenomena often feature skewed distributions with an overabundance of zeros. Unfortunately, empirical methods for dealing with this violation of distributional assumptions under...