cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Case 1-2007: A 40-year-old woman with epistaxis, hematemesis, and altered mental status

A 40-year-old woman was admitted to this hospital with epistaxis, hematemesis, and altered mental status. The patient had had heavy menstrual bleeding for 6 months, but bleeding developed at other sites 2 weeks before admission. She had no personal or family history of a bleeding disorder. On admission to this hospital, she had evidence of both bleeding and thrombosis; the laboratory evaluation showed markedly abnormal coagulation studies and a low-normal platelet count. On the 10th hospital day, the results of a diagnostic test were reported.
Epidemiological investigation of industrial dust-induced pterygium among exposure workers

[Objective]To study the correlation between industrial dust and pterygium.[Methods]The ophthalmologic examination was conducted in 619 workers from cement plant,feed mills and paint factory,and the result data were analyzed by t test,Chisquare test and Spearman correlation analysis.[Results]The average age of industrial dust exposure group( exposure group) was higher than that of non-exposure group,but the difference was not significant( t = 0. 398,P = 0. 691). The average working age of exposure group was significantly higher than that of non-exposure group( t = 5. 398,P = 0. 000). The detection rate of pterygium in exposure group was significantly higher than that of non-exposure group(χ2= 26. 48,P = 0. 000). In the exposure group,the detection rate of pterygium in male workers was higher than that in female workers(χ2= 8. 73,P = 0. 003). There was no correlation between working age and the detection rate of pterygium in exposure group( spearman's R = 0. 11,P = 0. 893),while the working age had no correlation with the detection rate of pterygium in non-exposure group( spearman 's R =-0. 039,P = 0. 531). [Conclusion]The industrial dust is one of influencing factors of pterygium.
Atmospheric stability and diurnal patterns of aeolian saltation on the Llano Estacado

Abstract Aeolian transport is driven by aerodynamic surface stress imposed by turbulent winds in the Earth’s atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). ABL regime is influenced by stratification, which can either enhance or suppress production of turbulence by shear associated with the vertical gradient of streamwise velocity. During the day and night, surface heat fluxes induce a negative (unstable) and positive (stable) vertical gradient of potential temperature, respectively, which modifies the role of buoyancy in turbulence production. During the brief morning and evening transition periods, the vertical gradient of potential temperature vanishes (neutral stratification). The Monin–Obukhov similarity theory describes how the vertical gradient of streamwise velocity varies with stratification. Simultaneous field measurement of wind speed and aeolian activity were obtained over a 218-day period on a bare, sandy surface on the high plains of the Llano Estacado region of west Texas. Wind speed was measured at a height of 2 m with a propeller-type anemometer and aeolian activity was measured at the surface with a piezoelectric saltation sensor. We have used the wind speed measurements within the framework of the Monin–Obukhov similarity theory to estimate “typical” shear velocity, u ∗ , of the ABL as stratification is varied (characterized with the stability parameter). This approach results in a color flood contour of u ∗ against time of day and stability parameter: the procedure demonstrates that aeolian activity is most likely to occur during the day, when buoyancy acts in conjunction with mechanical shear to increase u ∗ .
History Made: The Rise of Republican Tim Scott

In a time of unprecedented racial polarization in partisan voting, and in a staunchly Republican Deep South state, one black Republican managed to reach the pinnacle of public office. This article examines Tim Scott’s rise by analyzing precinct-level data to better understand his 2010 election to the US House and data from the Winthrop Poll to explore his more recent US Senate victory. To better understand support for Scott, we also report results from an embedded-survey experiment to assess respondents’ favorability toward Scott when he is characterized by two different frames: (1) “Tea Party favorite,” and (2) “first African American Senator from South Carolina since Reconstruction.” We found that conservatives, evangelicals, and less-educated individuals respond more positively to Scott when he is described as a “Tea Party favorite.” More than an intriguing case study, Scott’s rise tells a broader story of the complicated relationships among race, ideology, and partisanship in the contemporary American South.
Effects of Training Directionality and Class Size on Equivalence Class Formation by Adults

Equivalence classes are more likely to emerge after comparison-as-node (CaN) instead of sample-as-node (SaN) training for pigeons, typically developing children, and individuals with mental retardation, but not for typically functioning older children or adults. Thus, differential effects of CaN and SaN training were directly correlated with a subject’s biological/developmental status, and they were inversely correlated with a subject’s behavioral repertoire at the start of training. By implication, CaN and SaN training should differentially influence the establishment of larger equivalence classes by adults if training is conducted with an inefficient procedure such as the simultaneous protocol. Two 5- or 7-member equivalence classes were established. For each class size, the baseline was formed by CaN or SaN training. A larger proportion of subjects showed the emergence of 7-member classes after CaN rather than after SaN training. No differences were found with 5-member classes. For adults, then, likelihood of equivalence class formation was an interactive function of CaN or SaN training and class size. In addition, likelihood of learning the baselines was an inverse function of class size but was not influenced by CaN or SaN training. The speed of learning baselines for the 5-member classes did not differ during CaN and SaN training. In contrast, the baselines for 7-member classes were learned more slowly during CaN than SaN training. Many of these results support the Saunders and Green (1999) discrimination analysis of equivalence class formation.
Prevention of cardiotoxicity among survivors of childhood cancer

Linked Articles This article is part of a joint Themed section with the British Journal of Pharmacology on Cardiotoxicity. The rest of the Themed section will appear in a future issue of BJP and will be available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1476-5381 The number of survivors of childhood cancers has increased exponentially over the past few decades. However, these survivors are also at substantially increased long-term risk of morbidity and mortality, especially from treatment-related cardiotoxicity. Preventing these risks is now a priority when treating children and adolescents with cancer. Dexrazoxane reduces the risk of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity among adults and children with cancer without reducing its antineoplastic effects or event-free survival. Thus, it should be strongly considered as a part of therapy for children and adolescents treated with anthracyclines.
Molecular Biomarkers in Prognostication of Uveal Melanoma

Uveal melanoma arises from melanocytes of the uveal tract (iris, ciliary body, and choroid) and represents the most common intraocular malignancy in adults. The mean age-adjusted incidence of uveal melanoma in the USA is approximately 4.3 new cases per million people, with no clear variation by latitude. Males have a higher incidence than females (4.9 vs. 3.7 per million). Uveal melanoma is diagnosed mostly at older ages, with a progressively rising, age-specific, incidence rate that peaks near the age of 70 years. Diagnosis often occurs late in the course of disease, and prognosis is generally poor.
Fiber and Place

The Fiber and Place seminar session explored the multi-sited nature of fiber, tracing lifecycles and ongoing histories to understand how cultural, social, economic, aesthetic, scientific and natural worlds are produced, transformed and engaged through fiber. Seminar participants identified themes shared across their various research projects, including: (1) phenomenology and ways of knowing; (2) aesthetics and design practice, (3) supply chains and “value”; (4) production/consumption in a transnational context; and (5) life cycle and seasonal cycles. In this paper, we present aspects of our seminar participants’ distinctive research projects and how they intersect with fiber, place and the aforementioned themes.
The Shrinking of Formalized Nutrition Education in Health Professions Curricula and Postgraduate Training

The quantity of formalized nutrition education is shrinking in curricula of health professions, such as physicians, nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists. The current nutrition education being taught in U.S. schools of healthcare professionals does not appropriately prepare students for identification of patients at nutrition risk or management of undernourished hospitalized patients with specialized nutrition therapies. In U.S. schools of pharmacy, parenteral nutrition is considered a highly specialized and advanced practice so little time is devoted to this area and more attention is focused on chronic disease state management (ie, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and congestive heart failure). Nutrition support fellowships for physicians and nutrition support residency programs for pharmacists have dwindled in number over the years so that only a handful of these healthcare professionals are produced each year from the remaining formalized programs. Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and dietitians can positively affect patient care, but each profession must first determine how best to integrate basic and applied nutrition concepts into their professional curricula and training programs. There must also be consensus among the healthcare professions as to the depth of nutrition education and the stage of training at which these integrations should occur. Only by having these crucial conversations among all disciplines will we be able to develop new strategies to expand nutrition education in the training of future medical practitioners.
A Scleroderma Patient with Dysphagia and Reflux Who Experiences Worsening Cough

Esophagus is one of the most commonly affected organ in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and is associated with significant morbidity. Damage is prominent in the distal esophagus, resulting in abnormal motility, ultimately leading to a gastroesophageal reflux. Early diagnosis and treatment are relevant in order to prevent severe complication including erosions, stricture, Barrett’s metaplasia, and possibly lung fibrosis.
Marginal Zone B-Cell Lymphoma With Monocytoid B-Cell Lymphocytes in Pediatric Patients Without Immunodeficiency: A Report of Two Cases

Abstract We report two cases of marginal zone B-cell lymphoma in two patients 6 and 18 years of age, respectively (cases 1 and 2) who had no clinical evidence of immunodeficiency or risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Histologic analysis in both cases revealed diffuse nodal effacement by a monotonous population of atypical lymphoid cells with abundant pale cytoplasm and round to oval nuclei, with very infrequent mitotic activity. The neoplastic cells in both cases were of B-cell lineage (CD20 and CD79a positive), with CD43 coexpression. One case showed monoclonal light chain expression, and polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated clonal rearrangements of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene in both cases. Abnormal cytogenetic findings were detected in case 2, in which metaphase spreads revealed trisomy 13 (karyotype 47, XY, +13). Although trisomy 13 has been described in association with acute nonlymphocytic leukemias and myelodysplastic syndromes, this case represents the first documented association of trisomy 13 with marginal zone B-cell lymphoma. Interphase cytogenetics analysis for trisomy 3, reported to be associated with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas, was negative in both cases. Although low-grade lymphomas of the MALT type have been reported in HIV-positive patients, the two cases reported here are unique in that they occurred in young patients without HIV infection or any other evidence of immunodeficiency.
Biometrics Based on Hand Synergies and Their Neural Representations

Biometric systems can identify individuals based on their unique characteristics. A new biometric based on hand synergies and their neural representations is proposed here. In this paper, ten subjects were asked to perform six hand grasps that are shared by most common activities of daily living. Their scalp electroencephalographic (EEG) signals were recorded using 32 scalp electrodes, of which 18 task-relevant electrodes were used in feature extraction. In our previous work, we found that hand kinematic synergies, or movement primitives, can be a potential biometric. In this paper, we combined the hand kinematic synergies and their neural representations to provide a unique signature for an individual as a biometric. Neural representations of hand synergies were encoded in spectral coherence of optimal EEG electrodes in the motor and parietal areas. An equal error rate of 7.5% was obtained at the system’s best configuration. Also, it was observed that the best performance was obtained when movement specific EEG signals in gamma frequencies (30–50Hz) were used as features. The implications of these first results, improvements, and their applications in the near future are discussed.
Solid-Phase Chemical Modification for Sialic Acid Linkage Analysis: Application to Glycoproteins of Host Cells Used in Influenza Virus Propagation

Differentiation between the sialyl linkages is often critical to understanding biological consequence. Here we present a facile method for determining these linkages in glycans. Analysis of sialic acids is challenging due to their labile nature during sample preparation and ionization. Derivatization is often required via chemical reaction. Amidation derivatizes all sialic acids regardless of linkage, while esterification enables differentiation between α2,3-linked and α2,6-linked sialic acids. Reactions have been primarily performed on free glycans in solution but have been recently adapted to solid-phase providing unique advantages such as simplified sample preparation, improved yield, and high throughput applications. Here, we immobilized glycoproteins on resin via reductive amination, modified α2,6-linked sialic acids through ethyl esterification, and α2,3-linked sialic acids via amidation. N-glycans and O-glycans were released via enzyme and chemical reactions. The method was applied for analysis of ...
Rotary ultrasonic machining of rocks: An experimental investigation:

Rock drilling is widely used to explore and mine energy resources. It has also been used to extract samples to study the earth’s geological composition and topography and to explore different planets. Percussive drilling is, as of right now, the most commonly used rock drilling method. Due to the high hardness and abrasiveness of rock, tool wear in rock drilling is severe, thus limiting its penetration rate and resulting in high cost. Therefore, it is crucial to develop more cost-effective rock drilling processes. Rotary ultrasonic machining has been used to drill many materials including metal alloys, ceramics, and composites, and its cost advantages have been demonstrated in many previous studies. This article presents the first experimental investigation of rotary ultrasonic machining of rocks. Three types of rocks (basalt, marble, and travertine) were used. Six input variables (tool rotation speed, feedrate, ultrasonic power, abrasive size, abrasive concentration, and drill bit diameter) were examined...
Investigation and evaluation of high power SiC MOSFETs switching performance and overshoot voltage

Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs, which are wide-bandgap semiconductor devices, have the capability to switch at much higher frequency in comparison with their silicon (Si) counterparts. High di/dt during fast switching transients will lead to semiconductor device failure due to overshoot voltage. It is a common belief that a snubber circuit is necessary for implementing the SiC MOSFETs into designs. However, this study shows that if stray inductance in the current commutation loop (CCL) is minimized with the combination of DC film capacitors and a two-layer laminated bus bar, there is not a need for snubber capacitors to suppress voltage overshoots. A 1200V 800A complete SiC MOSFETs based power structure is built for study. Theoretical model and SPICE model are built. The switching performances with DC electrolytic capacitors, film capacitors and snubber capacitors are evaluated with both SPICE based simulation and experiments, which proves that the snubber circuit can be removed.
Eliminating expensive chunks by restricting expressiveness

Chunking, an experience based-learning mechanism, improves Soar's performance a great deal when viewed in terms of the number of subproblems required and the number of steps within a subproblem. This high-level view of the impact of chunking on performance is based on an deal computational model, which says that the time per step is constant. However, if the chunks created by chunking are expensive, then they consume a large amount of processing in the match, i.e, indexing the knowledge-base, distorting Soar's constant time-per-stcp model. In these situations, the gain in number of steps does not reflect an improvement in performance; in fact there may be degradation in the total run time of the system. Such chunks form a major problem for the system, since absolutely 10 guarantees can be given about its behavior. I his article presents a solution to the problem of expensive chunks. The solution is based on the notion of restricting the expressiveness of Soar's representational language to guarantee that chunks formed will require only a limited amount of matching effort. We analyze the tradeoffs involved in restricting expressiveness and present some empirical evidence to support our analysis.
Influence of Caloric Intake on Experimental Carcinogenesis: A Review

The effect of caloric intake on tumor growth has been recognized for over 70 years. Inhibition of tumor growth depends primarily on the extent of caloric restriction, but tumor type, animal strain, and dietary composition all exert some influence. Caloric restriction is most effective when maintained during both initiation and promotion, but if limited to one of these phases, restriction during promotion appears to be the more effective modality. The types of tumor that have been studied include spontaneous mammary and lung tumors as well as tumors induced by organ-specific carcinogens or irradiation with ultraviolet light. Numerous investigators have studied the effects of fat, and a diet low in calories but high in fat is generally significantly more effective in inhibiting carcinogenesis than is a diet high in calories but low in fat. Mice fed high fat, low calorie diets exhibited 48% fewer chemically induced skin tumors and 61% fewer tumors induced by ultraviolet irradiation than did mice fed low fat, high calorie diets. Mice fed a diet containing 2% fat exhibited a 66% incidence of skin tumors, whereas mice fed an isocaloric diet containing 61% fat showed a 78% incidence. Rats whose diet was restricted in calories by 40% exhibited no mammary tumors (coconut oil as primary dietary fat) or 75% fewer tumors (corn oil as dietary fat) compared to ad libitum-fed controls; they also exhibited 47% fewer colonic tumors. The mechanism by which caloric restriction exerts its tumor-inhibiting effects remains to be elucidated.
The possibility of life

In a 2012 critique of John D. Barrow’s The artful universe, I explored the problems inherent in attempting to predict what can and cannot happen—what is and is not possible—in the universe, with sp...
Spillover benefit of improved access to healthcare on reducing worry about housing and meal affordability.

The Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion improved access to health insurance among low-income populations. We sought to examine the spillover benefits of the ACA Medicaid expansion on ability to afford rent/mortgage and purchase of nutritious meals. Using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) we analyzed individuals aged 18–64 years residing in 12 U.S. states (including five ACA Medicaid expansion states) in 2015. Our treatment of interest was access to health insurance, instrumented by the ACA Medicaid expansion. Our outcome variables were: worry or stress about having sufficient money to pay the rent or mortgage and to purchase nutritious meals. We conducted a two-stage least squares instrumental variables regression. A 10%-point increase in the proportion of those who obtained health insurance following the ACA Medicaid expansion reduced the probability of being worried and stressed related to purchasing nutritious meals by 7.2% points (95% CI: 1.3–13.2) as well as paying the rent or mortgage by 8.6% points (95% CI: 2.5–14.7) among people living below 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL). The ACA Medicaid expansion was not associated with access to health insurance among those living over 138% of FPL, and obtaining health insurance did not influence stress or worry in relation to affording rent/mortgage or meals in this income group. Improved access to health insurance contributed to reducing worry and stress associated with paying rent/mortgage or purchasing meals among low-income people. Expanding health insurance access may have contributed to increasing the disposable income of low income groups.
An application for streamlined and automated ENDF Cross Section Analysis and visualization (EXSAN)

Abstract This article introduces EXSAN, a new open-sourced code developed for streamlined visualization and analysis of Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF)-formatted nuclear data libraries. In addition to viewing cross section data, EXSAN provides the user with an intuitive interface for automated downloading of ENDF data libraries and processing entire libraries with the nuclear cross section code NJOY. Furthermore, EXSAN includes the capability to query a library and obtain rank-ordered lists of reaction-specific cross sections by cross section value and isotope. EXSAN was developed in Python, and it is available on GitHub.
RENAL ADRENERGIC EFFECT OF ANGIOTENSIN

Publisher Summary Kidney is an important site of vasoconstrictor action of angiotensin II (Ang II). In hypertension and other conditions characterized by hypersecretion of renin, angiotensin's renal vasoconstrictor effect plays an important role. The renal vessels are sensitive to the vasoconstrictor action of Ang II, and an adrenergic potentiating effect of angiotensin exists in the renal vasculature. The chapter discusses several potential adrenergic actions of Ang II that serve to reinforce its direct vasoconstrictor effect in the kidney. It also discusses whether a peripheral adrenergic action is evoked by intraarterial administration of Ang II to the kidney and also whether a central action of Ang II caused adrenergically mediated renal vasoconstriction. The chapter describes a study of direct renal vasoconstrictor effect of Ang II by the use of various types of adrenergic blocking drugs and renal denervation both before and after prostaglandin synthesis inhibition. It presents a comparison of central action of Ang II and the des-1-aspartic analogue of Ang II referred to as Ang.
Vegetarian diet is inversely associated with prevalence of depression in middle-older aged South Asians in the United States.

Objective: To investigate associations between a vegetarian diet and depression among South Asians in the United States.Design: Data from 892 South Asians (age range 40–83 y, 47% women) enrolled in...
How do embryonic turtles process yolk? Evidence from the Snapping Turtle, Chelydra serpentina (Chelydridae)

Compared with amphibians, oviparous reptiles and birds lay large eggs that contain abundant yolk. Because the yolk is extracellular, it must be taken up by cells of the yolk sac and metabolized so ...
qSTA: A Static Timing Analysis Tool for Superconducting Single-Flux-Quantum Circuits

Superconducting single-flux-quantum (SFQ) technology is a beyond-complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology, promising ultrahigh processing speed and low power consumption. A timing analysis tool for SFQ circuits should check circuit timing behavior, including working frequencies and hold time violations to determine the circuit performance. Unlike CMOS gates, generic SFQ gates are clocked gates, which produce their output pulses in response to a clock pulse and have a fan-out capability of one. An SFQ splitter, a special clockless gate that has a fan-out capability of two, is used to address the fan-out limitation. This gate is also utilized in the clock tree, which distributes clock pulses to various SFQ gates. The delay of a clock path in a clock tree is determined by the wire delays of connection nets and gate delays of splitters. However, the splitter delays in a clock path are significantly affected by process variations, resulting in a challenging skew problem. Furthermore, existing timing analysis tools of SFQ circuits are developed based on the timing definitions, rules, and constraints from CMOS technology with very few modifications. This article demonstrates the incompleteness of the existing SFQ technology timing definitions. Precisely, it presents a novel static timing analysis (STA) tool, qSTA, which checks the timing behavior of SFQ circuits based on revised definitions of the setup time and hold times. qSTA encompasses the common path pessimism removal technique, which removes the delays of the shared path segments between two clock paths to achieve a better approximation of real skew values. qSTA takes only 5.33 s to check the timing behavior of a 16-bit integer divider with 36 732 gates and 55 939 nets.
Egress Parameters Influencing Emergency Evacuation in High-Rise Buildings

Fire in buildings pose a significant threat to occupants, first responders as well as the structural system. Rapid spread of fire and smoke in buildings can hinder the process of evacuation resulting in loss of human life. Such situations call for a reliable egress system that provides safe evacuation of occupants in minimal time. Updating the occupants and first responders with much-needed situational awareness such as accessible stairwells and exits during the disaster can not only lead to efficient evacuation but also shorten the duration of evacuation in some scenarios. This paper examines occupant evacuation scenarios in fire exposed high-rise buildings. A parametric study is carried out on evacuation strategies in a 32-story typical office building during different fire exposure scenarios. The movement of occupants with and without situational awareness is simulated. The effect of critical parameters such as number of stories, width of the egress paths, location and number of exits on the evacuation process is evaluated. The time required for occupants to evacuate the building is estimated under normal conditions (to simulate fire evacuation drill) and under realistic fire exposure. Results from the study indicate that the two most significant factors that influence evacuation time are the location of stairway within the building and the floors at which fire starts. When fire starts at the lower levels of the building, the evacuation time is the highest. More importantly, if situational awareness is incorporated in emergency evacuation procedure, it can improve the evacuation efficiency in a fire exposed high-rise building; wherein up to 24% reduction in evacuation time is achieved.
CHAPTER 5 – BRACHYTHERAPY

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on brachytherapy. The placement of radioactive material directly into or immediately adjacent to such volumes has been used successfully since radioactivity was first discovered. The advantage of this method is that very high doses can be delivered in a short time to small volumes without the delivery of excessive dose to adjacent normal tissue. The dose rates are very high near the radioactive sources but they fall off very rapidly within a few centimeters. The placement of radioactive sources in the uterus, around the cervix, and in the vagina has been used for long and has proven to be beneficial in the treatment of patients with gynecologic malignancies that it is considered a standard procedure. The tolerance of the mucosa in this region is very high that permits curative doses often in excess of 10000 rad to be delivered. Anatomically, this region lends itself to intracavitary placement of radioactive sources. In other anatomical regions where there is no body cavity, it is necessary to place the radioactivity directly into the tumor. This treatment is referred to as interstitial. Treatment of diffuse intraperitoneal or intrapleural disease is sometimes attempted through the deposition of radioactive fluids into the peritoneal or pleural cavity. Radioactive substances used for interstitial treatment are usually encapsulated in a shield shaped as a needle and usually contain Ra-226. Different types of brachytherapy treatments require different isotopes in several different physical states—solids or solutions—in a variety of carriers.
Broadcast reach and self-reported exposure to court-ordered corrective statements on cigarette harms.

Abstract In August 2006, U.S. District Court Judge Gladys Kessler ordered four tobacco companies to disseminate court-approved corrective statements on five topics pertaining to health hazards of cigarette smoking. Based on the 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), approximately 50% of U.S. smokers viewed at least one corrective statement via television or newspaper during the first six months of the airings/publications (November 2017–April 2018). Using televised gross rating points (GRPs) and cross-sectional data from the 2018 HINTS (n = 3484) and 2019 HINTS (n = 3331), the current study extends previous ones by estimating broadcast reach/frequency and the moderating effect of survey year on smokers’ exposure to a corrective statement. The weighted percentage of participants who viewed a corrective statement was significantly greater in the 2019 versus 2018 HINTS for smokers (64.3% vs. 50.5%, χ21df = 5.85, p = .01), but not for non-smokers (39% in 2018/2019, χ21df = 0.02; p = .88); this differential effect was evidenced by a significant interaction term (OR = 2.0(1.2, 3.2), p
Update on systemic treatment for newly diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer.

Abstract Background Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare and aggressive disease, accounting for 2–4% of new cases of breast cancer. Owing to its aggressive nature, IBC represent approximately 8–10% of breast cancer deaths. Management of IBC requires a multidisciplinary team for decision-making involving a composite of systemic treatment, surgery, and radiation, or “Trimodality Treatment.” Because of the rarity of the disease, systemic therapy of IBC traditionally has been extrapolated from non-IBC clinical trials. Aim of Review The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the development of systemic treatment of IBC from the past to the present by focusing on IBC clinical trials, including chemotherapy and targeted therapies. Key Scientific Concepts of Review We discuss their effects on pathologic complete response (pCR) and survival outcomes, the predictive markers, and the adverse events of these therapies. Further, we summarized the current standard treatment stratified by molecular subtypes based on clinical data. Finally, we discuss the future trend of systemic therapy, including immunotherapy and ongoing IBC clinical trials.
Patient-reported outcomes collected in ambulatory oncology practices: Feasibility, patterns, and correlates.

Objective To examine the feasibility of soliciting outcomes from adults who received chemotherapy treatment for cancer and describe the patterns and correlates of patient-reported toxicities. Data sources Patient survey data from 29 Michigan ambulatory oncology practices collected in 2017. Study design Secondary analysis of patient survey data. Descriptive statistics were generated at the patient and practice levels. Thematic analysis of open-text comments identified clusters of frequently reported toxicities. Data collection methods Patients completed 11 items from the Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Using a 5-point Likert scale, patients rated the frequency of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and pain; the severity of nausea, vomiting, constipation, numbness/tingling, and pain; and how much numbness/tingling and pain interfered with usual or daily activities. Patients could also report two toxicities in open-text comments. Finally, patients reported unplanned health care service for toxicity or side effect management. Principal findings Of 3565 eligible patients, 2245 participated (63%) and 457 (20%) rated at least one toxicity as severe/very severe. Across practices, the proportion of patients who reported at least one severe/very severe toxicity ranged from 8% to 50%. Troubling toxicities included pain frequency (mean 2.3, SD 1.3), pain severity (2.1, 1.1), and diarrhea frequency (1.9, 1.0). From completed assessments, 1653 (74%) reported at least one toxicity in open-text comments; fatigue (n = 182), stomach discomfort (n = 53), and skin/nail changes (n = 41) were most frequently reported. Regarding consequences, 156 patients (7%) reported unplanned health care service use: 41 (26%) visited an emergency department and 32 (21%) were admitted to a hospital. Conclusions Querying patients on chemotherapy treatment experiences and toxicities was feasible. Toxicity rates varied across practices, which informed quality improvement. Toxicity severity and service use incidence exceed previously published trial data, particularly for pain, fatigue, and gastrointestinal issues. Open-text questions enabled exploration with newer treatment regimens.
Deep learning systems detect dysplasia with human-like accuracy using histopathology and probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy

Probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) allows for real-time diagnosis of dysplasia and cancer in Barrett's esophagus (BE) but is limited by low sensitivity. Even the gold standard of histopathology is hindered by poor agreement between pathologists. We deployed deep-learning-based image and video analysis in order to improve diagnostic accuracy of pCLE videos and biopsy images. Blinded experts categorized biopsies and pCLE videos as squamous, non-dysplastic BE, or dysplasia/cancer, and deep learning models were trained to classify the data into these three categories. Biopsy classification was conducted using two distinct approaches-a patch-level model and a whole-slide-image-level model. Gradient-weighted class activation maps (Grad-CAMs) were extracted from pCLE and biopsy models in order to determine tissue structures deemed relevant by the models. 1970 pCLE videos, 897,931 biopsy patches, and 387 whole-slide images were used to train, test, and validate the models. In pCLE analysis, models achieved a high sensitivity for dysplasia (71%) and an overall accuracy of 90% for all classes. For biopsies at the patch level, the model achieved a sensitivity of 72% for dysplasia and an overall accuracy of 90%. The whole-slide-image-level model achieved a sensitivity of 90% for dysplasia and 94% overall accuracy. Grad-CAMs for all models showed activation in medically relevant tissue regions. Our deep learning models achieved high diagnostic accuracy for both pCLE-based and histopathologic diagnosis of esophageal dysplasia and its precursors, similar to human accuracy in prior studies. These machine learning approaches may improve accuracy and efficiency of current screening protocols.
CREB-dependent LPA-induced signaling initiates a pro-fibrotic feedback loop between small airway basal cells and fibroblasts

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), generated extracellularly by the action of autotaxin and phospholipase A2, functions through LPA receptors (LPARs) or sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors (S1PRs) to induce pro-fibrotic signaling in the lower respiratory tract of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We hypothesized that LPA induces changes in small airway epithelial (SAE) basal cells (BC) that create cross-talk between the BC and normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLF), enhancing myofibroblast formation. To assess LPA-induced signaling, BC were treated with LPA for 2.5 min and cell lysates were analyzed by phosphokinase array and Western blot. To assess transcriptional changes, BC were treated with LPA for 3 h and harvested for collection and analysis of RNA by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). To assess signaling protein production and function, BC were washed thoroughly after LPA treatment and incubated for 24 h before collection for protein analysis by ELISA or functional analysis by transfer of conditioned medium to NHLF cultures. Transcription, protein production, and proliferation of NHLF were assessed. LPA treatment induced signaling by cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), extracellular signal-related kinases 1 and 2 (Erk1/2), and epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) resulting in elevated expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), endothelin-1 (EDN1/ET-1 protein), and platelet derived growth factor B (PDGFB) at the mRNA and protein levels. The conditioned medium from LPA-treated BC induced NHLF proliferation and increased NHLF expression of collagen I (COL1A1), smooth muscle actin (ACTA2), and autotaxin (ENPP2) at the mRNA and protein levels. Increased autotaxin secretion from NHLF correlated with increased LPA in the NHLF culture medium. Inhibition of CREB signaling blocked LPA-induced changes in BC transcription and translation as well as the pro-fibrotic effects of the conditioned medium on NHLF. Inhibition of CREB signaling may represent a novel target for alleviating the LPA-induced pro-fibrotic feedback loop between SAE BC and NHLF.
Political Cycles and Oil Prices: Understanding the Geopolitical Oil Supply

Real oil prices (WTI spot) are lower under Democratic presidencies than Republican presidencies by $4.7 - $9.7 per barrel, the results are statistically significant and robust, including subsamples and accounting for business cycles fluctuations. We find that during Democratic presidencies, the overall supply of energy increases for several possible explanations, including more alternative energy initiatives by Democrats, energy companies discouraging costly alternative clean energies, and the role of lobbying in shaping U.S. energy policy. We also find that oil prices and volatility comove with a president’s life cycle (seniority), and prices are lower during second term presidencies. Altogether, the price of oil is influenced by political cycles and seniority of the president.
Earlier Introduction to Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Associated With Lower Diet Quality Among WIC Children at Age 3 Years.

Abstract Objective Examine the association between the timing of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and 100% juice introduction with subsequent diet quality at age 3 years. Design Secondary analysis of a publicly available, national longitudinal dataset. Participants A total of 2,218 children from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Main Outcome Measure Dietary intakes were assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall completed by caregivers of children aged 3 years. Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index Score-2015 (HEI-2015). Analysis Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between the timing of introduction to 100% juice and SSBs with HEI-2015. Adjustments were made for child- and maternal-related factors. Results Delayed introduction of SSBs during the first 2 years of life was associated with an increased HEI-2015 score. In adjusted analyses, for every 1-month delay in the introduction, there was a 0.09-point increase (95% confidence interval, 0.04–0.13) in the HEI-2015 score at 3 years. Conclusions and Implications Earlier introduction to SSBs may be associated with subsequent lower diet quality in WIC participants. This association may be driven by total fruit, whole grains, and added sugars HEI component scores. Further research is needed to support changes to existing WIC nutrition practices regarding SSBs and 100% juice.
Olfaction, cholinergic basal forebrain degeneration, and cognition in early Parkinson disease.

Abstract Introduction Impaired olfaction and reduced cholinergic nucleus 4 (Ch4) volume both predict greater cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease (PD). We examined the relationship between olfaction, longitudinal change in cholinergic basal forebrain nuclei and their target regions, and cognition in early PD. Methods We analyzed a cohort of 97 PD participants from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative with brain MRIs at baseline, 1 year, 2 years, and 4 years. Using probabilistic maps, regional grey matter density (GMD) was calculated for Ch4, cholinergic nuclei 1, 2, and 3 (Ch123), and their target regions. Results Baseline University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test score correlated with change in GMD of all regions of interest (all p β ˆ s l o p e = 38.2; 95 % CI: [0.47, 75.9]) and change in hippocampus GMD ( β ˆ s l o p e = 24.8; 95 % CI: [0.80, 48.8]) were significant predictors of Montreal Cognitive Assessment score change over time. Conclusion Impaired olfaction is associated with degeneration of the cholinergic basal forebrain and bilateral cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus in PD. The relationship between impaired olfaction and cognitive decline may be mediated by greater atrophy of the cortex and hippocampus.
Carbon-Equivalent Taxes on US Meat

Almost 6 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions come from methane and nitrous oxide in the livestock sector. This study calculates carbon-equivalent consumption taxes for beef, milk, pork and chicken that could accompany fossil-fuel taxes or regulations in the rest of the economy. Beef production is much more emissions-intensive than that of pork or chicken. At a social cost of carbon dioxide of $75 per ton, the carbon-equivalent tax would be about 20 percent on beef, 4 percent on milk, and about 3 percent on pork and chicken. Compensation to low-income households would be appropriate, as would partial exemption for certified farms and ranches once low-emission feeding and genetic techniques become clearer or widespread testing of animals for enteric methane becomes feasible.
On the Molecular and Electronic Structures of AsP3 and P4

The molecular and electronic structures of AsP3 and P4 have been investigated. Gas-phase electron diffraction studies of AsP3 have provided rg bond lengths of 2.3041(12) and 2.1949(28) A for the As−P interatomic distances and the P−P interatomic distances, respectively. The gas-phase electron diffraction structure of P4 has been redetermined and provides an updated value of 2.1994(3) A for the P−P interatomic distances, reconciling conflicting literature values. Gas-phase photoelectron spectroscopy provides experimental values for the energies of ionizations from the valence molecular orbitals of AsP3 and P4 and shows that electronically AsP3 and P4 are quite similar. Solid-state 75As and 31P NMR spectroscopy demonstrate the plastic nature of AsP3 and P4 as solids, and an extreme upfield 75As chemical shift has been confirmed for the As atom in AsP3. Finally, quantum chemical gauge-including magnetically induced current calculations show that AsP3 and P4 can accurately be described as strongly aromatic. T...
Modeling the impacts of adopting Bt cotton by African countries on world fiber and bioenergy crop markets

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact on both the world cotton and cottonseed market from the policy reform of adopting genetically modified Bt cotton, which would increase yields in the C4 (Ghana, Chad, Burkina Fuso, Mali and Benin) African countries. The results show that with the adoption of Bt cotton in the C4 African countries, in the year 2022 the world price of cotton would decrease by 0.54%. The rest of the countries would respond to the lower prices by decreasing production and increasing use, so exports decrease, and imports increase. Therefore, one of the implications of the policy reform of adopting Bt cotton production by the C4 African countries, is an increase in their domestic cotton production by around 4.72%, which may increase farm income and strengthen foreign exchange in the cotton sector for those countries, and might contribute in the reduction of poverty. Also, additional availability of bioenergy feedstock derived from cottonseed oil can be either used for biodiesel to extend local energy supply or to be exported to areas in which the demand for biofuels is large, such as the US and EU.
SOLID STATE BATTERIES

ABSTRACT There has been a considerable interest in solid electrolytes because of a large number of potential applications in electrochemical devices. However, the practicality of such applications has been severely limited by the low ionic conductivity of the available solid electrolytes. A solid state system which overcomes the severe low current-density limitation of earlier solid state battery systems has been developed in this laboratory. These solid state galvanic cells, utilizing a new class of high conductivity solid electrolytes, have cell potentials of 0.66 V and are capable of short-circuit currents of 0.9 A/cm2. They have been discharged over the temperature range of — 55°C to 74°C. Ninety per cent of the theoretical capacity can be drawn from the cells at a current density of 50 mA/cm2 at 25°C.
X-rays in the solar system

Soft X-ray observations from comets are analysed on the assumption that the X-rays arise from electron captures by multiply charged ions of the solar wind in collisions with the neutral atoms and molecules of the cometary atmospheres. The collisions populate excited states of the ion formed in the transfer of charge which then decay in a cascade of radiative transitions in the soft X-ray and ultraviolet regions of the spectrum. A comparison of detailed models of the resulting spectra with observations of Comet McNaught-Hartley yield information on the solar wind ion composition. A similar process in which solar wind ions interact with neutral atoms in the heliosphere contributes to the diffuse soft X-ray background.
PORTING LEGACY APPLICATIONS TO IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS - A Case Study

Immersive virtual environments are becoming increasingly common, driving the need to develop new software or adapt existing software to these environments. We discuss some of the issues and limitations of porting an existing molecular graphics system, PyMOL, into an immersive virtual environment. Presenting macromolecules inside an interactive immersive virtual environment may provide unique insights into molecular structure and improve the rational design of drugs that target a specific molecule. PyMOL was successfully extended to render molecular structures immersively; however, elements of the legacy interactive design did not scale well into three-dimensions. Achieving an interactive frame rate for large macromolecules was also an issue. The immersive system was developed and evaluated on both a sharedmemory parallel machine and a commodity cluster.
2 – Electromagnetic Waves and Propagation

To understand the remote sensing of weather by radar requires knowledge of a few basic properties of electromagnetic waves and the effects that the atmosphere has on these waves as they propagate between the radar and the hydrometeors. This chapter reviews fundamental wave concepts and presents elementary theories that describe wave propagation. Useful formulas are derived that quantify some of the important effects that the environment has on the radar's capability to assign a location from which scatterers principally contribute to a sample of the weather signal.