cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prospective study of continuous infusion with Beriate® P in patients with severe haemophilia A undergoing surgery - a subgroup analysis.

Abstract Introduction Inhibitor development in severe haemophilia A patients is currently the most serious complication of factor VIII (FVIII) treatment. Although continuous infusion (CI) of FVIII concentrate during surgical procedures in haemophilia A patients has been shown to be beneficial, some publications suggest that CI increases the risk of inhibitor generation. We conducted a prospective subgroup analysis to investigate if CI of the high-purity, pasteurized, plasma-derived FVIII concentrate Beriate ® P during surgery increases the risk of inhibitor formation. Materials and methods Patients with severe haemophilia A (FVIII:C ® P was administered intravenously and followed by CI at a rate of 3–4 IU/kg body weight/hour. Dose adjustments were subsequently made based on daily measurements of plasma FVIII activity. Results Five patients (aged 8–34 years) with severe haemophilia A were included. The surgical procedures ranged from teeth extraction to internal fixation of a fracture. There was no inhibitor generation with CI of Beriate ® P in patients undergoing surgery, and we did not observe any complications due to re-bleeding or virus transmission. Conclusion Beriate ® P was efficacious, safe, and well tolerated during CI.
Study of the absorption, metabolism, and excretion of (14C)-ramelteon (TAK-375)

This study investigated the pharmacokinetics, metabolism and excretion of ramelteon, a novel selective ML1 receptor agonist. Six healthy male subjects received a single oral dose of 16 mg (14C)-ramelteon. Ramelteon was rapidly absorbed (tmax of 0.3 hours) and eliminated (half-life of 1.2 hours). The metabolites MI, MI, MI11 and MIV were rapidly formed and eliminated (half-lives of 1 to 3 hours). Systemic exposure of metabolite M-II (major active metabolite) was 20- to 30-fold greater than that of ramelteon, while the exposures of M-I, M-III, and M-IV were one- to four-fold higher than that of ramelteon. Of total radioactivity administered, 84% was renally eliminated, and 4% was faecally eliminated, with metabolites of ramelteon accounting for the majority of the dose eliminated. High urinary recovery of radioactivity indicates that there was at least 84% oral absorption of ramelteon. Negligible urinary excretion of ramelteon and low serum concentrations of ramelteon (relative to metabolites) indicate that ramelteon undergoes extensive first-pass metabolism. Ramelteon was metabolized primarily via oxidation to hydroxyl and carbonyl groups, with secondary metabolism to form glucuronide conjugates. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2004) 75, P22–P22; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2003.11.084
Variation in Dual Citizenship Policies - in the Countries of the EU

While the concept of citizenship has received considerable scholarly attention in recent years, few studies focus on the increasingly prevalent reality of dual citizenship, or full membership – wit...
Active learning for Hidden Markov Models: objective functions and algorithms

Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) model sequential data in many fields such as text/speech processing and biosignal analysis. Active learning algorithms learn faster and/or better by closing the data-gathering loop, i.e., they choose the examples most informative with respect to their learning objectives. We introduce a framework and objective functions for active learning in three fundamental HMM problems: model learning, state estimation, and path estimation. In addition, we describe a new set of algorithms for efficiently finding optimal greedy queries using these objective functions. The algorithms are fast, i.e., linear in the number of time steps to select the optimal query and we present empirical results showing that these algorithms can significantly reduce the need for labelled training data.
Equilibria in Campaign Spending Games: Theory and Data

We present a formal game-theoretic model to explain the simultaneity problem that makes it difficult to obtain unbiased estimates of the effects of both incumbent and challenger spending in U.S. House elections. The model predicts a particular form of correlation between the expected closeness of the race and the level of spending by both candidates, which implies that the simultaneity problem should not be present in close races and should be progressively more severe in the range of safe races that are empirically observed. This is confirmed by comparing simple OLS regression of races that are expected to be close with races that are not, using House incumbent races spanning two decades.
Retail Investors’ Perceptions of the Decision-Usefulness of Economic Performance, Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosures

Academic literature and the business press have placed increased attention on the corporate disclosure of non-financial information. This study uses a survey of 750 retail investors to examine perceptions about indicators of economic performance; corporate governance policies and performance; and corporate social responsibility. Survey results indicate that retail investors currently are most concerned with economic performance information, followed by governance, and then corporate social responsibility information. Those respondents who currently hold socially responsible investments use more of all three types of non-financial information than respondents who currently do not hold socially responsible investments. Further, retail investors clearly prefer to obtain information about corporate social responsibility information from a third party source and governance information from an audited or regulated document, while they use both sources to garner information about indicators of economic performance. Respondents expressed an interest in increasing their use of non-financial information in the future. When respondents were asked to indicate the specific types of information they had the greatest interest in using in the future, economic performance indicators such as market share, customer satisfaction and product innovation information were predominant.
A continuous model of robot hand preshaping

The continuous spaces of grasps are formulated and an algorithmic procedure is derived for robot hand preshaping. The proposed procedure consists of a mapping from a task space to a topological space of hand configurations using a barycentric coordinate system and a barycentric subdivision scheme. A model implementation architecture is discussed. Examples showing the preshaping of a four-finger hand in preparation for pinch grasping are described. The basis of the approach is both intuitive and mathematical. The intuitive formulation was based primarily on observations of functionalities and motor activities of the human hand. The mathematical formulation is based on point-set topology and combinatorial topology. >
A 60-year follow-up of alcoholic men

Aims To study the course of male alcohol abuse from age 20 to age 70–80 years. Design A prospective multi-disciplinary follow-up of two community cohorts of adolescent males from 1940 until the present. Setting and participants Two hundred and sixty-eight former Harvard undergraduates (college sample) and 456 non-delinquent, socially disadvantaged Boston adolescents (core city sample). Measurements Since adolescence these cohorts have been followed by repeated interview, questionnaires and physical examination. The college cohort has been followed until age 80 and the younger core city cohort until age 70. DSM-III criteria were used to ascertain alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. At some point during their lives, 54 (20%) of the college men and 140 (31%) of the core city men met criteria for alcohol abuse. Outcome categories were mortality, continued alcohol abuse and stable remission. Findings and conclusions These socially divergent cohorts resembled each other in four respects. First, by age 70 chronic alcohol dependence was rare; this was due both to death and to stable abstinence. By age 70, 54% of the 72 successfully followed alcohol-dependent core city men had died, 32% were abstinent, 1% were controlled drinkers and only 12% were known to be still abusing alcohol. By age 70, 58% of the 19 successfully followed college alcohol-dependent men had died, 21% were abstinent, 10.5% were controlled drinkers and only 10.5% were known to be still abusing alcohol. Secondly, in both samples alcohol abuse could persist for decades without remission, death or progression to dependence. Thirdly, among both samples prior alcohol dependence and AA attendance were the two best predictors of sustained abstinence. Fourthly, few life-time symptoms of alcohol abuse were the best predictor of sustained return to controlled-drinking.
Intraoperative Transesophageal Echocardiography and Ventricular Assist Device Insertion

A decade after cardiac surgery was established, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was developed and used to evaluate perioperative cardiac performance. It has become an invaluable tool to provide real-time information in the cardiac operating room. TEE provides practical and useful information prior to insertion as well as after placement of the device. Additionally, during episodes of device malfunction or hemodynamic instability, TEE can be extremely useful in defining the etiology of the problem. As ventricular assist devices (VADs) have undergone evolution in design and as more VADs are being implanted, the development of specific indications for TEE use during device placement is a relevant issue. Formal guidelines for use of TEE during VAD insertion are yet to be adopted or implemented, but for now TEE remains an essential tool for managing this patient population.
Improvement following total knee replacement surgery: Exploring preoperative symptoms and change in preoperative symptoms.

Abstract Objective To determine whether changes in preoperative osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms are associated with improvement after total knee replacement (TKR) and to identify predictors of clinically significant improvement. Methods Data on Osteoarthritis Initiative participants who were annually assessed and underwent TKR were included. T0 was the assessment prior to TKR while T−1 was the assessment prior to that. T+2 was the second assessment after TKR. We compiled data on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA Index (WOMAC), OA-related symptoms, and radiographic severity. We defined clinically significant improvement as improvement in WOMAC total score ≥ to the minimal important difference (MID) (0.5 SD of mean change) between T0 and T+2 and also considered other definitions of improvement. Logistic regression models were performed to evaluate the relationship between improvement and preoperative measures. Results Improved ( n = 211) compared to unimproved ( n = 58) patients had greater worsening of their WOMAC pain ( p = 0.002) and disability ( p p p = 0.033), absence of OA-related symptoms in the contralateral knee (OR = 9.25, p p = 0.040), and having a Kellgren–Lawrence x-ray grade of ≥2 in the contralateral knee (OR = 4.71, p = 0.010). Conclusions More than 75% of participants had improvement after TKR. Improved patients were more likely to have escalation of OA pain and disability prior to surgery than unimproved patients. Other preoperative measures predicted improvement after TKR.
Ultrarelativistic waves in overdense electron-positron plasmas

The interaction of singly periodic nonlinear waves of relativistic amplitude and electron-positron plasmas is investigated by means of fully self-consistent, relativistic, electromagnetic-particle computer simulation. When the frequency of a superluminous wave is slightly above the relativistic cutoff frequency, the initial waveform, be it sinusoidal or sawtooth (a self-consistent cold-fluid-theory solution), breaks up and creates a very hot plasma with a large particle flux $\ensuremath{\Gamma}\ensuremath{\lesssim}2{n}_{0}c$ in the longitudinal direction. We find an important deviation from the cold-fluid-theory solution in the form of localized density spikes at the extrema of the wave magnetic field. For a wave frequency well above the cutoff, an initial sinusoidal waveform changes little but still creates a large longitudinal particle flow. Our observations of a large longitudinal flux of high-energy particles confirms a suggested mechanism for cosmic-ray acceleration.
A wind tunnel investigation of the pressure distribution on an F/A-18 wing

A wind tunnel investigation of the pressure field on the wing upper surface of a rigid 6% scale model of the F/A-18 was conducted in the Institute for Aerospace Research (IAR) 1.5m trisonic blowdown wind tunnel. The starboard wing and leading-edge extension were instrumented with 168 transducers for unsteady pressure measurements. The investigation was carried out for various Mach numbers and angles of attack. In this paper, detailed results at M = 0.6 and a = 30' with a clean wing configuration are presented. The emphasis of this study is on the structure of the f lowfield on the wing upper surface at high angles of attack. Time-averaged and rms pressure distributions were determined and the normal force on the wing was computed for different angles of attack. Spectral analyses of the pressures at different locations on the wing were carried out. Broadband spacetime correlation of the pressure transducer signals was performed and the convection pattern of the pressure field was compared to the direction of the skin friction lines obtained from flow visualization studies using oil dots deposited on the wing surface.
Virtual screening targeting the urokinase receptor, biochemical and cell-based studies, synthesis, pharmacokinetic characterization, and effect on breast tumor metastasis.

Virtual screening targeting the urokinase receptor (uPAR) led to (±)-3-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-N-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethyl)-4-phenylbutan-1-amine 1 (IPR-1) and N-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)-1-(4-isopropylphenyl)-5-(piperidin-4-yl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide 3 (IPR-69). Synthesis of an analogue of 1, namely, 2 (IPR-9), and 3 led to breast MDA-MB-231 invasion, migration and adhesion assays with IC50 near 30 μM. Both compounds blocked angiogenesis with IC50 of 3 μM. Compounds 2 and 3 inhibited cell growth with IC50 of 6 and 18 μM and induced apoptosis. Biochemical assays revealed leadlike properties for 3, but not 2. Compound 3 administered orally reached peak concentration of nearly 40 μM with a half-life of about 2 h. In NOD-SCID mice inoculated with breast TMD-231 cells in their mammary fat pads, compound 3 showed a 20% reduction in tumor volumes and less extensive metastasis was observed for the treated mice. The suitable pharmacokinetic properties of 3 and the encouraging preliminary results in metasta...
Splenic artery aneurysms: a retrospective review at Kaiser Permanente

Purpose: Splenic artery aneurysms are the most common visceral aneurysms. While their incidence has grown with increased use of cross-sectional imaging, little is known about the natural history of these lesions. We sought to investigate patient characteristics, clinical risk factors, and growth patterns of splenic artery aneurysms in a large patient cohort. Materials and Methods: A patient list was retrieved from all Kaiser Permanente sites in Southern California via query of the electronic medical records system for the ICD9 code 442.83 (splenic artery aneurysm). Patient charts were retrospectively reviewed and demographics and medical comorbidities documented for each case. Cases of splenic pseudoaneurysm were excluded. Image reports were reviewed to find the oldest and most recent imaging in which the lesion was noted and the size was recorded for each. The patient chart was also reviewed for interventions in the form of open surgical or IR procedures. Results: 569 patient with splenic artery aneurysms were identified with females accounting for 78% (n1⁄4442) of cases. The mean number of pregnancies in the 221 women with a documented obstetrics history was 3.9. The largest proportion of patients were White (69.1%), followed by Hispanic (22.5%), Asian (4.5%), and African American (3.8%). Current or former smokers made up 43.5% of all patients. The most frequent comorbidities in patients with splenic artery aneurysms were hypertension (67.4%), hyperlipidemia (55.9%), obesity (28.9%), diabetes mellitus (27.6%), atherosclerosis (25.3%), and liver cirrhosis (7.9%). 60 patients underwent a therapeutic procedure for their aneurysm including 39 with IR (primarily coil embolization), 18 with surgery, and 3 requiring both surgical and IR management. Longitudinal imaging data were available for 277 patients. 179 (65%) of these patients had aneurysms that were stable or decreased in maximum dimension. In the 98 patients who experienced interval aneurysm growth, the average growth rate was 0.95 mm/year. Conclusion: The preliminary results from our patient cohort represent the largest retrospective review of splenic artery aneurysms and aid in better defining the patient risk factors and natural history of these lesions.
Effect of penicillin on bacterial contamination of eggs and tissue cultures inoculated with unfiltered sputums.

SummaryThe addition of penicillin to unfiltered sputums inoculated to chick embryos prevented bacterial contamination and permitted survival of the embryos in the majority of instances. Less favorable results were obtained in tissue cultures.Reference is made to the isolation of 2 strains of herpes virus by primary egg inoculation of unfiltered sputums treated with penicillin.
Cultural Formations and Market Economy

The shape and formation of a certain kind of market economy is, to some degree, determined by a specific cultural formation. A proper cultural formation will accelerate the development of market economy. Socialist ideology and ethics will, on the one hand, promote the socialist market economy, and on the other hand, enrich itself with the development and perfection of socialist market economy.
Angle modulated differential evolution and slow coherency based islanding of large scale power systems

Power system defensive islanding is an efficient way to avoid catastrophic wide area blackouts. Finding defensive islands of large-scale power systems is a combinatorial explosion problem. Thus, it is very difficult to find the optimal solution using analytical methods. This paper proposes a method that combines slow coherency and angle modulated differential evolution to find efficient solutions for large-scale power systems. The solutions consider real power balance between generations and loads in islands, dynamic properties of power system, relative importance of customers, and desired number of islands, etc. The algorithm can also provide necessary load shedding information and a number of candidate solutions for the check of transmission system capacity constraint. Simulations with power systems of different scales demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Business and Real Estate Price Cycles Across the U.S.: Evidence from a Vector Markov-Switching Regression Exercise

In this study, we examine whether house price cycles led or lagged business cycles in the state-level U.S. data from 1979 to 2012. We use a vector Markov-switching model to test for various lead/la...
CYTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF HISTOCOMPATIBILITY MOLECULES

Abstract This paper reviews immunocytological studies of histocompatibility antigens. Mapping studies have disclosed that histocompatibility antigens are found diffusely throughout the cell surface. In the case of Ia antigens, there is a tendency to form small microclusters. The redistribution of histocompatibility antigens is different from other ligands. Finally, co-capping studies have indicated that Ia antigens are not associated with Fc receptors. Anti-Ig-Ig complexes, however, associate with Fc receptors on the cell surface.
Antioxidants Improve Factor VIII Secretion in the Liver by Preventing Oxidative Stress, Activation of the Unfolded Protein Response, and Apoptosis.

Factor V (FV) and Factor VIII (FVIII) are homologous glycoproteins that provide essential functions in hemostasis. Previous studies demonstrated that compared to FV, the FVIII polypeptide folds inefficiently, accumulates in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and activates the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR). The UPR, mediated by the proximal sensors PERK and IRE1, is a signaling pathway leading to either adaptive survival or apoptotic demise upon accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER. Here we show that FVIII expression in hepatocytes in vivo mediated by hydrodynamic tail-vein injection of plasmid DNA into fviii −/ − mice produces between 0.5 to 1.0 Unit/ml of FVIII in the plasma. This level of FVIII expression activated PERK and IRE1 to signal the UPR and induced both markers of oxidative stress and apoptosis in hepatocytes. In contrast, injection of DNA encoding either FV or a FVIII molecule engineered for improved secretion did not induce oxidative stress, activate the UPR or induce apoptosis. Gene expression analysis demonstrated that FVIII expression induced expression of the proapoptotic transcription factor CHOP. Injection of FVIII expression plasmids into chop−/ − mice did not induce oxidative stress or apoptosis, indicating that these stress responses require CHOP. Feeding of mice with the lipid soluble antioxidant, butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA), reduced oxidative stress and apoptosis and increased expression of FVIII in the plasma, demonstrating a pivotal role of oxidative stress in limiting FVIII expression and triggering apoptosis. Finally, overexpression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl2 also significantly suppressed oxidative stress and apoptosis and increased FVIII expression. The results demonstrate that 1) misfolding of an ER luminal protein, FVIII, is sufficient to induce oxidative stress and apoptosis in vivo, 2) oxidative stress limits protein secretion and activates apoptosis through a mechanism that requires CHOP, and 3) intervention to prevent oxidative stress by antioxidant feeding or Bcl2 overexpression preserves ER function, improves secretion and prevents apoptosis. The findings raise the possibility to treat diseases of protein misfolding, such as certain mutations that cause hemophilia A, by treatment with antioxidants.
Closed-loop control of the DC-DC modular multilevel converter

The DC-DC Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC), which has originated from the AC-DC MMC circuit topology, is an attractive converter topology for interconnection of medium/high-voltage DC grids. Proper operation of the DC-DC MMC necessitates injection of an AC circulating current to maintain its submodule (SM) capacitor voltages balanced. The AC circulating current, however, needs to be minimized for efficiency improvement. In addition, a unique type of imbalance amongst the SM capacitor voltages that is caused by DC power flow needs to be mitigated. This paper proposes a closed-loop control strategy for the DC-DC MMC to simultaneously regulate the DC-link currents, maintain the SM capacitor voltages balanced and minimize the AC circulating current. Performance and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy are evaluated based on simulation studies in the Matlab Simulink and experimentally verified on a laboratory prototype.
Exposure Response Curves Action Spectra and Amplification Factors

Once it was established that in many places additional ultraviolet (UV) radiation was reaching the earth’s surface due to the depletion of the earth’s protective ozone layer, the primary question became: What does this mean to life forms? Surprisingly little is known about the biological effects of UV-B (290–320nm) radiation, the major region of the solar spectrum to be affected by ozone loss. This is partly because the UV-C spectrum, which DNA and proteins absorb heavily, and the UV-A and visible spectra, where most of photosynthesis takes place, attracted thegreatest scientific attention. The dearth of information about the effect of UV-B onlifeforms is now being addressed. Among the first pieces of information needed to answer the question posed above is the construction of reliable UV-B action spectra (AS) for crucial biological endpoints. When available, these AS combined with an estimate of the ambient radiation spectra can give rise to effectiveness spectra (ES) that will allow us to estimate the effects of this increased UV-B on life.
A Microfluidic Mixer Fabricated From Compliant Thermoplastic Films

Mixing is often crucial to the operation of various microfluidic devices. And the most common objective is rapid mixing between two initially segregated fluid streams in a minimal amount of space. In microfluidic flows characterized by incompressibility and low Reynolds number, however, turbulence is almost entirely absent and mixing generally relies on diffusion. Therefore, based on the properties of the fluids involved, it can take impractically long to achieve high mixing efficiency in some cases. To resolve this problem, this paper demonstrates a novel compliant micromixer made of thermoplastic films for lab-on-a-chip applications. The microfluidic mixer utilizes self-rotation effects to achieve high mixing efficiency at Reynolds numbers below 100. In addition, a possible design is suggested for a thermoplastic voltage-actuated micromixer which can lead to even better mixing performance at Reynolds numbers below 1.
Physical activity recognition by smartphones, a survey

Abstract Human activity recognition (HAR) from wearable motion sensor data is a promising research field due to its applications in healthcare, athletics, lifestyle monitoring, and computer–human interaction. Smartphones are an obvious platform for the deployment of HAR algorithms. This paper provides an overview of the state-of-the-art when it comes to the following aspects: relevant signals, data capture and preprocessing, ways to deal with unknown on-body locations and orientations, selecting the right features, activity models and classifiers, metrics for quantifying activity execution, and ways to evaluate usability of a HAR system. The survey covers detection of repetitive activities, postures, falls, and inactivity.
Can creative writing really be taught

When Can Creative Writing Really Be Taught? was first published 10 years ago, creative writing studies was in its infancy. As a landmark volume, it has been referenced ever since. Scholars of creat...
The Chromatin Remodeler BPTF Activates a Stemness Gene-Expression Program Essential for the Maintenance of Adult Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Summary Self-renewal and differentiation of adult stem cells are tightly regulated partly through configuration of chromatin structure by chromatin remodelers. Using knockout mice, we here demonstrate that bromodomain PHD finger transcription factor (BPTF), a component of the nucleosome remodeling factor (NURF) chromatin-remodeling complex, is essential for maintaining the population size of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs), including long-term hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Bptf- deficient HSCs are defective in reconstituted hematopoiesis, and hematopoietic-specific knockout of Bptf caused profound defects including bone marrow failure and anemia. Genome-wide transcriptome profiling revealed that BPTF loss caused downregulation of HSC-specific gene-expression programs, which contain several master transcription factors ( Meis1 , Pbx1 , Mn1 , and Lmo2 ) required for HSC maintenance and self-renewal. Furthermore, we show that BPTF potentiates the chromatin accessibility of key HSC "stemness" genes. These results demonstrate an essential requirement of the chromatin remodeler BPTF and NURF for activation of "stemness" gene-expression programs and proper function of adult HSCs.
Meteorological and Management Factors Influencing Weed Abundance during 18 Years of Organic Crop Rotations

Organic crop production is often limited by the inability to control weeds. An 18-yr data set of weed cover in organic crop rotations at the long-term Farming Systems Project at Beltsville, MD, was analyzed to identify meteorological and management factors influencing weed abundance. A path analysis using structural equation models was employed to distinguish between the direct effect of factors on weed cover and the indirect effect on weed cover through effects on crop competitiveness. Grain yield of corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] served as a surrogate for crop competitiveness and was found to be the most important factor influencing weed cover. Precipitation during late vegetative and early reproductive crop growth had a strong positive effect on crop yield, and thereby a negative indirect effect on weed cover, but this effect was partially offset by a positive direct effect on weed cover. Delayed crop planting date and crop rotational diversification including crops other than summer row crops had a moderate negative effect on weed cover, while having minimal effect on crop performance. Rotary hoeing also had a direct negative effect on weed cover, but a corresponding negative effect on crop performance resulted in a diminished total effect on weeds. Results demonstrate the complex interactions that define the relative abundance of weeds faced by organic growers, but, generally, factors that enhanced crop competitiveness provided the most effective weed management.
Materials Control and Test Procedures

Recognition by civil engineers of the variability in materials has led inevitably to the application of statistical quality control techniques, particularly in acceptance specifications, to reduce risks and costs for both the producer and the consumer. Eventually, acceptance specifications will provide for "defect" classification, sampling plans, and followup action. Guides based on corroborated theory enable reliable prediction of production output. Research and development efforts now in process will produce basic parameters for sampling plans applicable in the construction industry. Such plans, using simple procedures at the inspector’s level, will reduce costs for both producer and consumer, and will yield much more precise measurements of the quality of the end product.
Consumer’s Preferences for Fresh Organic Produce in the Mid-Atlantic USA: An Econometric Analysis

The purpose of this study was to document the profile of the typical consumer who purchases specific organic produce in the Mid-Atlantic USA. An online survey was conducted to capture consumer’s interest and expectation toward organic fruits and vegetables. Data were collected through an online survey from 1100 participants, pre-screened, and identity checked from the pool of 5191 selected candidates using a private online survey company. We developed a multinomial logit model to predict consumer’s choice of organic fresh fruits and vegetables. Six most important fruits and vegetables were identified for this study, and rest of them were included in the “other” category. The “other” fruits and vegetables were left out of the regression as the base case. The results show that those who think organic food has better taste and has a graduate degree are more likely to choose banana compared to other fruits and vegetables. Respondents who preferred freshness, has a two-year college degree, and Caucasian, are more likely to choose carrot. Those who wish to support to local farmers and with education above high school are more likely to choose lettuce. Respondents with a two-year college degree are more likely to choose strawberries, whereas those who prefer organic wine are also more likely to choose apple. Also, those who prefer organic wine and the Caucasians are more likely to choose tomato over other fruits and vegetables. Producers of organic fruits and vegetables can target customers for sale, based on their demographics as well as their preference.
Somali American Boys with Autism: Examining Three Educational Transitions through Capital Theory.

Abstract This study examines collaboration between American special educators and Somali American families of boys with autism through the lens of capital theory. Subthemes are organized according to phases in the educational planning process, from ongoing and pre-meeting interactions through finalization of the Individualized Education Program (IEP). Results reveal that within a homogenous group (i.e., families of Somali American boys with autism) differences in, for example, immigration history or parents' educational backgrounds can facilitate or impede access to capital (economic, social, cultural). Across the phases, families who leverage capital effectively participate more actively in educational planning. Additionally, findings suggest that children whose families have more access to social and cultural capital tend to enroll in better-resourced schools even if they themselves live in under-resourced school districts. This fact affects their educational trajectories and their families' experiences...
Dynamic Stress MRI of Midfoot Injuries: Measurable Morphology and Laxity of the Sprained Lisfranc Ligament During Mechanical Loading: A Case Report.

CASE Our 26-year-old patient is a professional ballet dancer who suffered a classic Lisfranc joint injury while performing a dancing maneuver with his foot in full plantar flexion. Initial workup with radiographs revealed borderline Lisfranc interval widening without definitive joint instability. Further evaluation with an innovative dynamic stress magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed mild interosseous Lisfranc ligament laxity and sprain, which allowed the orthopaedic surgeon to pursue conservative management, rather than surgery. After physical therapy, our patient reports a successful return to dancing. CONCLUSIONS Dynamic stress MRI may become a useful technique in evaluating equivocal cases of midfoot injury through the use of new imaging-based criteria.
Development, analytical validation, and initial clinical evaluation of a radioimmunoassay for the measurement of soluble CD25 concentrations in canine serum

Abstract During immune activation, CD25 is expressed by T cells, and its soluble form (sCD25) is released into the extracellular matrix and the bloodstream. In humans, serum sCD25 concentrations are used as a surrogate marker for autoimmune diseases, malignancies, and transplant rejection. However, a canine-specific assay for the measurement of sCD25 in dog serum has not previously been described. Therefore, the aims of this study were to develop and analytically validate a radioimmunoassay to measure sCD25 in canine serum, to establish a reference interval for canine sCD25, and to test the clinical utility of this assay with serum samples for dogs with various diseases. A competitive radioimmunoassay (RIA) was developed and analytically validated. Analytical validation consisted of lower limit of detection (LLOD), dilutional parallelism, spiking recovery, and intra- and inter-assay variability using pooled surplus canine serum samples. A reference interval was established in healthy dogs and serum samples from dogs with various types of neoplasia, IBD, liver disease, suspected pancreatitis, or suspected small intestinal disease and serum samples with an increased C-reactive protein concentration (CRP) were analyzed to test the clinical utility of the assay. LLOD was calculated to be 0.5 ng/mL. The mean (±SD) observed-to-expected ratio (O/E) for serial dilutions was 101.7 ± 14.0%, and the mean (± SD) O/E for spiking recovery was 93.2 ± 4.2%. Coefficients of variation (CVs) for intra-assay variability were ≤12.5% (mean ± SD: 7.5 ± 4.2%), and inter-assay CVs were ≤15.7% (mean ± SD: 11 ± 4.4%). A reference interval (RI) for canine sCD25 of 1.2–4.2 ng/mL was established from a population of 112 clinically healthy dogs. Dogs with neoplasia and dogs with suspected small intestinal disease had decreased concentrations of serum sCD25 when compared to healthy dogs (p Thus, the RIA described here is linear, accurate, precise, and reproducible for measuring sCD25 in canine serum. However, this assay shows little clinical utility of sCD25 as a biomarker for dogs with inflammatory, autoimmune, and/or neoplastic conditions.
Enhanced Virtual Laboratory Experience for Wireless Networks Planning Learning

Online education is benefiting from advanced digital resources that now can offer interactive activities. Videos, animations, virtual and remote laboratories, and online games are just some examples of these activities. Educational standards and Virtual Learning Environments VLEs allow the integration of all these materials into learning objects that can be deployed in online courses or MOOCs. Virtual Laboratories provide an opportunity to train students and give to them the confidence for future interactions with real laboratory settings, with advantages such as: cost, portability, concurrency, and safety. Educational video games can improve the students’ knowledge acquisition and develop abilities such as: mental speed, reaction, connection between thoughts and movements and concentration. This paper shows the implementation of a virtual laboratory learning experience that includes the use of video games, multimedia content and virtual simulations. The objective of this resource is to help in the learning of wireless network planning problem and improve the students’ knowledge in the field of wireless networks key concepts. The virtual laboratory allows students to solve simple problems of antennas distribution and progressively increase the level by adding constraints and including new concepts in the design of the network.
Visiting Jack: Mixed Methods Evaluation of a Virtual Home Visit Curriculum With a Child With Medical Complexity

Abstract Background There are limited training opportunities for pediatricians in caring for children with medical complexity (CMC) in the home and community. Prior studies have described a lack of comfort caring for CMC among pediatric residents. Objective 1) To evaluate the impact of participation in a virtual home visit curriculum on pediatric residents’ confidence, knowledge, and application of knowledge in complex care; 2) to explore changes in perspectives relating to the care of CMC after participation in the curriculum. Methods This was a prospective pre-post intervention study in 2019 with first-year pediatric residents, using quantitative and qualitative methods. The intervention, co-created with a family partner, was an online video-based curriculum followed by an in-person seminar. Pre- and post-assessments were compared using paired t-tests. Follow-up interviews and focus groups were performed 5-8 weeks after training. Transcripts were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results Twenty-four residents (100%) participated. Residents reported increased confidence in all aspects of complex care presented in the curriculum​, with significant increase in knowledge and application of knowledge (all p Conclusions Participation in this curriculum was associated with increased confidence, knowledge, and application of knowledge in complex care outside of the hospital. Qualitative findings align with transformative learning theory, lending insight into effective approaches to complex care training.
Cardiovascular disease due to novel coronavirus and the search for investigational therapies.

Abstract Objective The primary purpose of the study was to investigate and to summarize the registered trials that listed COVID-19 as the primary condition. Methods We performed a search on ClinicalTrials.gov using the independent search terms COVID-19, SARS, and SARS-CoV-2 and then downloaded the data file on March 23, 2020. All trials were downloaded to a csv file and searched for appropriateness. Results Of 124 registered trials, 56 (45.2%) were listed as recruiting. The majority (85 [68.5%]) were classified as interventional, 37 (29.8%) as observational, and one (0.8%) each as either expanded access: individual patients|treatment investigational new drug/protocol or expanded access: intermediate-size population|treatment investigational new drug/protocol. There were 67 (54.0%) trials that listed drug as the type of study. Immunologic and antiviral trials were the most common, representing approximately 30% and 21%, respectively. When immunologic and antiviral drugs were used alone or in combination, they represented 41.9% and 34.4%, respectively. Antimalarial agents are represented in 7.5% of trials. Approximately 14% of trials involved traditional Chinese medicine. The study agents used solely or in combination represented approximately 80% of therapeutic approaches to COVID-19. Conclusions There was a large and quick response on ClinicalTrials.gov to the COVID-19 outbreak. Many of the registered trials are currently recruiting new patients, whereas some will begin in the near future. Specific potential experimental therapies, including dosing and monitoring, might be found by reviewing content. Within ClinicalTrials.gov, patients, family members, health care professionals, and researchers can search and find ongoing and future trials for COVID-19.
Caltech faint galaxy redshift survey. VIII. Analysis of the field J0053+1234

The results of a spectroscopic investigation of a complete sample of objects with Ks 1.5, and the galaxies in such groups appear to be coeval and to show little sign of ongoing star formation. The galaxies outside the redshift peaks are also clustered, albeit more weakly, are less luminous and more frequently exhibit strong emission lines. These isolated galaxies therefore appear, on average, to form stars at later epochs than the strongly clustered galaxies. The galaxy spectral energy distributions (SEDs) derived from our UBVRIK photometry are also very closely correlated with the galaxy spectral types and luminosities. These results have strong implications for the analysis of redshift surveys at intermediate redshift. The sample is used to investigate the evolution of the combined galaxy luminosity function back to z=0.8. No significant change is found in the characteristic luminosity L*, and only weak color changes are detected, consistent with passive evolution. The blue galaxy-luminosity function is more dwarf rich than the red galaxy-luminosity function. No significant change in the comoving density is found in this sample out to z~1.4, assuming that the objects without redshifts (16% of the sample) are galaxies, essentially all of which have z>0.8. This suggests that mergers are not important among the objects in this sample. A population of extremely red objects with (R-K)>5 mag exists in the infrared-selected sample; all four such objects with redshifts are found to be absorption-line galaxies with z~1. Most of the very red objects therefore appear to be galaxies with z1 that are not heavily reddened by dust. A measure of the UV extinction at 2400 A for the emission-line galaxies of a factor of 2 is obtained, implying only modest UV extinction in high-redshift star-forming galaxies.
Emergent Airway Management

The provision of sedation and general anesthesia will inevitably result in situations when an emergent airway is required. Positive pressure ventilation (PPV), chin lift/jaw thrust, and adjunct airways will often suffice. On occasion, there will be a need to place an advanced airway. Familiarity with supraglottic airways, intubation, indirect video laryngoscopy, and direct laryngoscopy are critical. The anesthesia provider should also be familiar with a surgical airway such as cricothyroidotomy.
A history of open thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair: perspective from Houston.

As late as the early 1950s, ligation, cellophane wrapping, endoluminal wiring, endoaneurysmorrhaphy, and other techniques were well-accepted treatments for aneurysm. Techniques aimed at repair of syphilitic and saccular aneurysms of the proximal aorta were largely unsuitable for the larger, fusiform atherosclerotic aneurysms of the thoracoabdominal aorta. Reports from DeBakey and Cooley, Rob, and Etheredge and colleagues are commonly described as the earliest repairs of the thoracoabdominal aorta and relied on the use of donor homografts. Repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) necessitated exposing the thoracic aorta above the diaphragm as well as the abdominal aorta below the diaphragm. Furthermore, these repairs were complicated by incorporating the branching visceral arteries, as well as the risk of life-threatening distal ischemia during repair. Although many of the early centers for aortic surgery were able to quickly develop aortic banks to prepare and store homografts, in time, it became clear that homografts were not ideal for aortic replacement. The ideal aortic replacement would be nontoxic, hypoallergenic, durable, elastic, pliable, and readily available in multiple sizes and shapes. Voohees explored Vinyon-N as an aortic substitute, and DeBakey subsequently developed Dacron as graft replacement. The success of Dacron ushered in DeBakey's extra-anatomic approach to TAAA repair, which remained popular for 2 decades. Ultimately, Crawford presented an anatomic approach to this repair, which facilitated shorter repair times and improved outcomes for patients. Additionally, Crawford was able to reincorporate the intercostal and lumbar arteries feeding the spinal cord into his repair. In time, adjuncts such as left heart bypass, cerebrospinal fluid drainage, and cold renal perfusion were adopted during repair; the historical context of these adjuncts are explored in depth. The success of TAAA repair depends on the contributions of many individuals, arguably none more so than E. Stanley Crawford-and those he trained. To date, more than 6,000 TAAA repairs have been performed by Crawford and his trainees, representing Crawford's substantial imprint on this complex repair. The history of TAAA repair continues to evolve and remains indebted to the pioneering heroes, without whom, successful repair would not be possible.
PDLIM2 repression by ROS in alveolar macrophages promotes lung tumorigenesis

One of the most fundamental and challenging questions in the cancer field is how immunity is transformed from tumor immunosurveillance to tumor-promoting inflammation. Here, we identify the tumor suppressor PDZ-LIM domain-containing protein 2 (PDLIM2) as a checkpoint of alveolar macrophages (AMs) important for lung tumor suppression. During lung tumorigenesis, PDLIM2 expression in AMs is down-regulated by reactive oxygen species (ROS)-activated transcription repressor BTB and CNC homology 1 (BACH1). PDLIM2 down-regulation leads to constitutive activation of the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), driving AM pro-tumorigenic polarization/activation and differentiation from monocytes attracted from the circulation to suppress cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and promote lung cancer. PDLIM2 down-regulation also decreases AM phagocytosis. These findings establish ROS/BACH1/PDLIM2/STAT3 as a signaling pathway driving AMs for lung tumor promotion.