cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Activity in Plants

N-Acylethanolamines (NAEs) are fatty acid derivatives amide-linked to ethanolamine. NAEs vary in chain lengths and numbers of double bonds and generally reflect the fatty acids found in membrane lipids in the tissues in which they reside. NAEs are present naturally in trace amounts and occur in a wide range of organisms including plants, animals, and microbes. Some NAE types are known to be involved in the endocannabinoid signaling system of vertebrates, and in plants they may play important regulatory roles in several physiological processes, such as root growth, seedling development, stress responses, and pathogen interactions. The biological effects of NAEs are terminated through their hydrolysis into the ethanolamine and free fatty acid by a membrane enzyme known as the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Thus, FAAH represents an important target to better understand the function of these lipid mediators in numerous cellular processes. FAAH has been extensively characterized in mammalian and plant systems, and they share a conserved Ser-Ser-Lys catalytic mechanism. Here we describe procedures and experimental conditions to assay and characterize recombinant and endogenous FAAH enzymatic activity derived from plant tissues.
Abstract W P107: Predictors of Outcome in Patients With Acute M2 Occlusion

Background: Limited information is available regarding the outcomes after distal middle cerebral artery stroke. To gain a better understanding, the aim of our study was to assess for factors associated with outcome following M2 middle cerebral artery occlusion infarcts. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed admission computed tomography (CT)-angiography (CTA) of consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to a single academic center from January 2010 to August 2012. Only patients with isolated M2 occlusion (defined as an occlusion distal to the bifurcation and proximal to further division) were included. We assessed for factors associated with a good 90-day outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score ≤2). Factors associated with an mRS ≤2 in univariable analyses (p<0.05) were entered into multivariable logistic regression analysis. Admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (aNIHSS), age, and infarct volume were also entered as dichotomized variables. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC...
Prognostication of Survival in Patients with Advanced Cancer: Predicting the Unpredictable?:

BackgroundPrognosis is a key driver of clinical decision-making. However, available prognostication tools have limited accuracy and variable levels of validation.MethodsPrinciples of survival predi...
Passive leg raising during pregnancy.

Objective To determine if passive leg raising (PLR) significantly increases cardiac output in a cohort of healthy pregnant women during the third trimester. Study Design Using a noninvasive monitor, baseline hemodynamic measurements for arterial blood pressure, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, cardiac index, stroke volume, and systemic vascular resistances were obtained with patients in the semirecumbent position. Measurements were repeated after a 3-minute PLR maneuver in supine, right lateral decubitus, and left lateral decubitus positions. Results After 10 minutes of bed rest, the cohort's mean baseline heart rate was 80 ± 12 beats/minute. Baseline stroke volume was 98 ± 14 mL, mean cardiac output was 7.8 ± 1.2 L/min, and mean cardiac index was 4.32 ± 0.63 L/min. The baseline systemic vascular resistance value was 893 ± 160 dynes/sec/cm5. Baseline mean arterial blood pressure was 84 ± 11 mm Hg. Following a PLR maneuver in the supine position, heart rate decreased significantly. No difference was noted in other measurements. Findings were similar with PLR in the left lateral decubitus. PLR in the right lateral decubitus resulted in significantly decreased heart rate, cardiac output, and cardiac index. Conclusions PLR did not result in cardiac output recruitment in a cohort of healthy pregnant women during the third trimester.
Adrenal and Plasma Corticosterone and Pituitary and Plasma ACTH in Alloxan Diabetic Rats

SummaryPlasma and adrenal corticosterone as well as ACTH in both plasma and pituitaries of acutely diabetic rats were measured 72 hr after intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (20 mg/100 g). ACTH assays were performed in dexamethasone suppressed rats. A 50% increase in adrenal weights was associated with a 90% increase in total adrenal corticosterone and a 67% increase in adrenal corticosterone concentration. The high level of adrenal activity was associated with an equally high level of plasma corticosterone as well as plasma ACTH. The pituitary ACTH reserve remained unchanged. Experimental diabetes is associated with increased pituitary–adrenal activity without the depletion of the pituitary ACTH reserve. In the basal state of uncontrolled diabetes, ACTH synthesis is capable of keeping pace with the rate of ACTH release.
Mechanisms of Hydrocarbon Laminar Flame Speed Enhancement with Microwaves

Advanced laser diagnostics have been performed on continuous and pulsed microwave driven laminar methane/air flames, further elucidating mechanisms that cause the observed enhancement of the flame speed and suggesting improved lower power methods to obtain the enhancement. In particular, filtered Rayleigh scattering (FRS) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) have provided quantitative temperature and flame speed measurements, respectively. In the 1.3kW continuous wave (CW) microwave testbed, increases in temperature of only 50 K to 125 K were measured in the products of laminar flames showing 20% flame speed enhancement. Interestingly, a 30 W average power, 1 s pulsed microwave has been shown to generate the same flame speed enhancement without any noticeable increase in the post flame gas temperature. This fact and the rather low heating seen in the CW microwave enhanced flame support the possibility that the observed flame speed increase might be generated by an interaction involving radicals within the narrow flame front. Additionally, the move towards pulsed microwave power has demonstrated that significant enhancement can be obtained with roughly 40 times less energy.
Impact of Physical and Chemical Properties of Alternative Fuels on Combustion, Gaseous Emissions, and Particulate Matter during Steady and Transient Engine Operation

Properties of alternative fuels, such as cetane number, aromatic content, bulk modulus, etc., can vary significantly; thus, a detailed investigation is conducted to assess the impacts on engine com...
Power Communication Network in Strong and Smart Grid

This paper analyses and studies the communication requirements of China smart grid including the power generation,transmission,transformation,distribution,consumption and dispatching.It discusses the current situation of power communication network in China,proposes the structure of the future optical fiber backbone communication network,power communication network and the user side access network in smart grid.The role that communication technologies play in future smart grid is also introduced in the paper.
Fruit bruise detection based on 3D meshes and machine learning technologies

This paper studies bruise detection in apples using 3-D imaging. Bruise detection based on 3-D imaging overcomes many limitations of bruise detection based on 2-D imaging, such as low accuracy, sensitive to light condition, and so on. In this paper, apple bruise detection is divided into two parts: feature extraction and classification. For feature extraction, we use a framework that can directly extract local binary patterns from mesh data. For classification, we studies support vector machine. Bruise detection using 3-D imaging is compared with bruise detection using 2-D imaging. 10-fold cross validation is used to evaluate the performance of the two systems. Experimental results show that bruise detection using 3-D imaging can achieve better classification accuracy than bruise detection based on 2-D imaging.
Current developments in and importance of high-performance computing in drug discovery

A number of current trends that are being adopted to reshape the field of high-performance computing exist, including multi-core systems, accelerators, and software frameworks for large-scale intrinsically parallel applications. These trends intersect with recent developments in computational chemistry to provide new capabilities for computer-aided drug discovery. Although this review focuses primarily on the application domains of molecular modeling and biomolecular simulation, these computing changes are relevant for other computationally intensive tasks, such as instrument data processing and chemoinformatics.
Taking swarms to the field: Constrained Spiral Flocking for underwater search

Identifying the location of a target in an unbounded underwater environment is a challenging task. Limited and intermittent communication only adds to the difficulty of the process. Many target search algorithms use communication as an essential structural component to coordinate Autonomous Underwater Vehicles' (AUV) motion and share sensory information. Multiple algorithms also depend mainly on a sensed gradient to find the target, which is not always available. Sweeping algorithms are generally time and resource consuming and usually cover directional subspaces. Random walk based search suffers from the dispersion problem and does not benefit from the distinguishing features of swarms. To address these concerns, we propose Constrained Spiral Flocking (CSF) search. It uses a self-terminating logarithmic spiral to expand from the drop-off location performing the search, then shrink back, bringing unsuccessful AUVs to the source location. No communication is involved except at the target to attract more AUVs. Flocking is also used to maintain swarming. The algorithm can find the target in any direction, and has a faster convergence for large swarm sizes compared to simple sweeping and random walk.
Least-squares fitting of polygons

Fitting a polygon to a set of given points in the plane is a problem which may arise in certain engineering, computer graphics or scientific applications. This paper presents an algorithm which computes a continuous function closely approximating various polygons, for which the sum of the squares of the distance to the given set of points is minimized.
Environmental concern and the dimensionality problem : A new approach to an old predicament

Objective. Much previous work in the field of survey research has puzzled over modest bivariate correlations between different environmental measures, suggesting that public attitudes on the environment are rather crude, disconnected, and narrowly focused. Using 1991 Gallup data, the purpose of this research is to present a methodological critique and reevaluation of the literature on the dimensionality of environmental concern. Methods. Given the frequent, yet problematic, use of environmental batteries that ask respondents to express opinions using a common response format, this paper uses confirmatory factor analysis to correct for both random and nonrandom sources of measurement error. Results. Data results suggest that not only can the standard environmental battery used by Gallup be reduced to relatively few latent factors, those factors are themselves strongly correlated across a diverse set of environmental issues, as well as among several broad idea elements thought to define environmental concern. Conclusions. While current results offer compelling evidence of the near unidimensionality of environmental attitudes, and of the willingness of many Americans to express concern for environmental quality, ultimately dimensionality alone may be insufficient proof that public attitudes on the environment have matured into a sophisticated and constrained social paradigm or belief system
Evaluation of SIFOM-FVCOM system for high-fidelity simulation of small-scale coastal ocean flows

Abstract This paper evaluates the SIFOM-FVCOM system recently developed by the authors to simulate multiphysics coastal ocean flow phenomena, especially those at small scales. First, its formulation for buoyancy is examined with regard to solution accuracy and computational efficiency. Then, the system is used to track particles in circulations in the Jamaica Bay, demonstrating that large-scale patterns of trajectories of fluid particles are sensitive to small-scales flows from which they are released. Finally, a simulation is presented to illustrate the SIFOM-FVCOM system's capability, which is beyond the reach of other existing models, to directly and simultaneously model large-scale storm surges as well as small-scale flow structures around bridge piers within the Hudson River during the Hurricane Sandy.
Tumor-Mediated Suppression of Myeloid to Dendritic Cell Differentiation Via Down Regulation of Protein Kinase C βII Expression

Cancer generates a state of immune suppression that contributes to tumor out-growth and the escape phase of the immune editing of nascent tumors. One hallmark of tumor mediated immune suppression is a decreased number of dendritic cells (DC) and an accumulation of immature myeloid cells (myeloid derived suppressor cells, MDSC) that are themselves directly immunosuppressive. Impairment of DC differentiation is mediated by numerous tumor derived factors (VEGF, GM-CSF, IL-6, and M-CSF) that activate Stat3. The mechanism by which Stat3 signaling subsequently inhibits DC differentiation has not been defined. Previous work in our lab has identified protein kinase C βII (PKC βII) as being essential in myeloid progenitor a DC differentiation and that knock down of PKC βII expression blocks DC differentiation. This leads us to hypothesize that tumor derived factor activation of Stat3 may inhibit DC differentiation by down regulating PKC βII expression. To test our hypothesis, we utilized the hematopoietic progenitor-like cell line KG1. In response to the phorbol ester PMA, KG1 differentiates into a DC-like cell (KG1-DC). KG1 cultured in media conditioned by a human (MCF-7) or murine (DA3) mammary cancer cell line had a 48% (DA3) and 51% (MCF-7) reduction in PKC βII protein levels. Additionally, tumor conditioned media treatment significantly decreased PKC βII mRNA transcript levels (38-fold reduction compared to untreated, p 10-fold) in clones stably expressing the constitutive active Stat3 construct (p
Canonical quantization of nonlinear sigma models with a theta term and applications to symmetry-protected topological phases

We canonically quantize $O(D+2)$ nonlinear sigma models (NLSMs) with a theta term on arbitrary smooth, closed, connected, oriented $D$-dimensional spatial manifolds $\mathcal{M}$, with the goal of proving the suitability of these models for describing symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases of bosons in $D$ spatial dimensions. We show that in the disordered phase of the NLSM, and when the coefficient $\ensuremath{\theta}$ of the theta term is an integer multiple of $2\ensuremath{\pi}$, the theory on $\mathcal{M}$ has a unique ground state and a finite energy gap to all excitations. We also construct the ground state wave functional of the NLSM in this parameter regime, and we show that it is independent of the metric on $\mathcal{M}$ and given by the exponential of a Wess-Zumino term for the NLSM field, in agreement with previous results on flat space. Our results show that the NLSM in the disordered phase and at $\ensuremath{\theta}=2\ensuremath{\pi}k$, $k\ensuremath{\in}\mathbb{Z}$, has a symmetry-preserving ground state but no topological order (i.e., no topology-dependent ground state degeneracy), making it an ideal model for describing SPT phases of bosons. Thus, our work places previous results on SPT phases derived using NLSMs on solid theoretical ground. To canonically quantize the NLSM on $\mathcal{M}$, we use Dirac's method for the quantization of systems with second class constraints, suitably modified to account for the curvature of space. In a series of four Appendixes, we provide the technical background needed to follow the discussion in the main sections of the paper.
Overexpressed PRAME is a potential immunotherapy target in sarcoma subtypes

PRAME (preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma), a member of the cancer-testis antigen family, has been shown to have increased expression in solid tumors, including sarcoma, and PRAME-specific therapies are currently in development for other cancers such as melanoma. To map the landscape of PRAME expression in sarcoma, we used publicly available data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) projects and determined which sarcoma subtypes and subsets are associated with increased PRAME expression. We also analyzed how PRAME expression correlates with survival and expression of markers related to antigen presentation and T cell function. Furthermore, tumor and normal tissue expression comparisons were performed using data from the genotype-tissue expression (GTEx) project. We found that uterine carcinosarcoma highly overexpresses the PRAME antigen, and synovial sarcomas and multifocal leiomyosarcomas also show high expressions suggesting that PRAME may be an effective target of immunotherapies of these tumors. However, we also discovered that PRAME expression negatively correlates with genes involved in antigen presentation, and in synovial sarcoma MHC class I antigen presentation deficiencies are also present, potentially limiting the efficacy of immunotherapies of this malignancy. We determined that uterine carcinosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, and leiomyosarcoma patients would potentially benefit from PRAME-specific immunotherapies. Tumor escape through loss of antigen presentation needs to be further studied.
Teachers’ and school administrators’ attitudes and beliefs of teacher evaluation: a preliminary investigation of high poverty school districts

This study examined attitudes and beliefs regarding teacher evaluation of teachers and their school administrators in the state of New Jersey, USA. The sample included 33 school administrators and 583 Pre-K through 12th grade teachers from four high-poverty urban school districts (22 schools). Participant attitudes and beliefs were assessed using the Teacher Evaluation Experience Scale (TEES; Reddy et al. in Educational Assessment, 21(2), 120–134, 2016). TEES is a multi-informant assessment designed to measure teachers’ and school administrators’ experiences with teacher evaluation through five scales (i.e., total and subscales of system, feedback, process, and motivation to change) and six open-ended questions. Based on the qualitative analyses, teachers identified collaborative communication and evaluation feedback as the most helpful aspects of their evaluation process. Based on the quantitative analyses, however, their average ratings did not exceed neutral on any of the four subscales. Overall findings suggest that school administrators’ experiences with teacher evaluation are more favorable than teachers’ experiences. Moderate correlations are found between participant characteristics and TEES scales. Implications for teacher evaluation are presented.
Building Magnets at Brookhaven National Laboratory: A Condensed Account

The development of superconducting wire and cable in the late twentieth century enabled high-field magnets and thus much higher beam-collision energies in accelerators. These higher collision energies have allowed experimentalists to probe further into the structure of matter at the most fundamental, subatomic level. The behavior of the early universe, where these high energies prevailed, and its evolution over time are the realm their experiments seek to investigate. The subject has aroused the curiosity of the public as well as scientists and has facilitated the support needed to build and operate such expensive machines and experiments. The path forward has not been easy, however. Success in most projects has been mixed with failure, progress with ineptitude. The building of high energy accelerators is mostly a story of capable people doing their best to develop new and unusual technology toward some defined goal, facing both success and failure along the way. It is also a story of administrative imperatives that had unpredictable effects on a project’s success, depending mostly on the people in the administrative roles and the decisions that they made.
Abstract 5377: Intragenic DNA methylation and increased gene expression: New directions from pan-cancer analysis

Purpose: While the impact of DNA methylation at the promoter region as a repressive influence is well-known, the vast majority of DNA methylation actually occurs outside of the promoter region. The function of intragenic DNA methylation remains incompletely understood. Here, we investigate how intragenic DNA methylation impacts gene expression, and how these modifications differ between normal and corresponding cancer tissues. Methods: A pan-cancer analysis of gene expression array data was integrated with Illumina 450k methylation array data across ten tumor types to produce correlation values between DNA methylation and gene expression at distinct loci on a genome-wide basis. The probes exhibiting a significant correlation between gene expression and DNA methylation were selected for further analysis. Results: We uncovered robust positive correlations between gene expression and 3’ methylation in 3,200 genes, with 590 genes in bladder cancer, and 256 genes in squamous cell lung carcinoma displaying a correlation coefficient of >0.5. Furthermore, we observed 44 genes with a correlation coefficient of >0.7 in at least two tissue types. The majority of genes with the strongest correlations are transcription factors known to play roles in differentiation and development, with an enrichment of zinc finger and homeobox-containing genes. Further analysis of these genes exhibit divergent 3’ methylation when comparing normal and tumor tissues. Importantly, the extent of 3’ methylation of these genes is associated with patient overall survival in 5 of the 10 tumor types analyzed, strongly suggesting that this process plays a role in cancer pathogenesis. Conclusion: DNA methylation of the 3’ region is a functionally and clinically relevant epigenetic modification, and may serve as a novel target for inhibiting tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Citation Format: Michael H. McGuire, Shelley Herbrich, Sherry Wu, Ying Wang, Rajesha Rupaimoole, Hui Yao, Kshipra Gharpure, Gabriel Lopez-Berestein, Keith Baggerly, Anil Sood. Intragenic DNA methylation and increased gene expression: New directions from pan-cancer analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5377. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5377
Minimally Invasive Fetal Surgery

Fetal surgery corrects severe congenital anomalies in utero to prevent their severe consequences on fetal development. The significant risk of open fetal operations to the pregnant mother has driven innovation toward minimally invasive procedures that decrease the risks inherent to hysterotomy. In this article, we discuss the basic principles of minimally invasive fetal surgery, the general history of its development, specific conditions and procedures used to treat them, and the future of the field.
Understanding the Origin of Jupiter's Diffuse Aurora Using Juno's First Perijove Observations

Juno observed the low-altitude polar region during perijove 1 on 27 August 2016 for the first time. Auroral intensity and false-color maps from the UVS instrument show extensive diffuse aurora observed equatorward of the main auroral oval. Juno passed over the diffuse auroral region near the System III longitude of 120°–150° (90°–120°) in the northern (southern) hemisphere. In the region where these diffuse auroral emissions were observed, the JEDI and JADE instruments measured nearly full loss cone distributions for the downward-going electrons over energies of 0.1–700 keV, but very few upward-going electrons. The false-color maps from UVS indicate more energetic electron precipitation at lower latitudes than less energetic electron precipitation, consistent with observations of precipitating electrons measured by JEDI and JADE. The comparison between particle and aurora measurements provide first direct evidence that these precipitating energetic electrons are mainly responsible for the diffuse auroral emissions at Jupiter.
Toxicokinetics and Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling of the Shellfish Toxin Domoic Acid in Nonhuman Primates.

Domoic acid (DA), a neurotoxin, is produced by marine algae and has caused toxications worldwide in animals and humans. However, the toxicokinetics of DA has not been fully evaluated, and information is missing on the disposition of DA following oral exposures at doses that are considered safe for human consumption. In this study, toxicokinetics of DA were investigated in cynomolgus monkeys, following single doses of 5 µg/kg DA iv, 0.075 mg/kg DA po and 0.15 mg/kg DA po. Following iv dosing, DA had a systemic clearance of 124 ± 71 ml/hr/kg, volume of distribution at steady state of 131±71 ml/kg and elimination half-life of 1.2±1.1 hours. However, following po dosing, the average terminal half-life of DA was 11.3±2.4 hours, indicating that DA disposition follows flip-flop kinetics with slow, rate-limiting, absorption. The absorption of DA was low after po dosing with absolute bioavailability of 7 ± 4%. The renal clearance of DA was variable (21-152 ml/hr/kg) with 42±11% of the DA iv dose recovered in urine. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed for DA in monkeys and humans that replicated the flip-flop kinetics observed after oral administration, and allowed simulation of urinary excretion and brain and kidney distribution of DA following iv and po dosing. This study is the first to characterize DA disposition at exposure levels close to the current estimated Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) and to mechanistically model DA disposition in a model species, providing important information of the toxicokinetics of DA for human safety assessment.
A Normal Thyroid by Any Other Name: Linguistic Analysis of Statements Describing a Normal Thyroid Gland from Noncontrast Chest CT Reports.

Abstract Purpose To determine the variability and readability of language used in chest CT reports to describe a “normal” thyroid gland. Methods Using a semi-automated process, we identified unique sentences or phrases describing a “normal” thyroid gland in 11,357 noncontrast chest CT reports. Readability metrics were computed for each descriptor, including sentence length and grade-level indices quantifying the education necessary for text comprehension. Grade-level indices included the Flesch-Kincaid (FK) grade level, Gunning Fog index (GF), Coleman-Liau (CL) index, automated readability index (ARI), and a computed composite grade level (CGL) calculated as (FK + GF + CL + ARI)/4. Results There were 342 unique “normal” thyroid descriptors identified among 6,957 noncontrast chest CT reports characterizing a normal thyroid gland. For these 342 unique descriptors, sentence length varied 23-fold, with a mean sentence length of 8.3 ± 5.1 words. CGL varied 4-fold, with a mean of 16.4 ± 4.5, suggesting that descriptors for a normal thyroid gland, on average, require an advanced college-level education for comprehension. Conclusions The language used by radiologists to describe a normal thyroid gland in chest CT reports is variable and complex. The linguistic characteristics observed herein may be a surrogate for the broader readability of radiology reports. With the growing role of the radiology report in patient communication, further linguistic analysis of reporting language may provide valuable insight for optimizing radiology communication.
The Role of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase-4 (PDK4) in Bladder Cancer and Chemoresistance

Advanced bladder cancer (BCa) remains a major source of mortality, with poor treatment options. Cisplatin based chemotherapy is the standard treatment, however many patients are or become resistant. One potential cause of chemoresistance is the Warburg Effect, a metabolic switch to aerobic glycolysis that occurs in many cancers. Upregulation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase family (PDK1-4) is associated with aerobic glycolysis and chemoresistance through inhibition of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDH). We have previously observed upregulation of PDK4 in high grade compared to low grade bladder cancers. We initiated this study to determine if inhibition of PDK4 could reduce tumor growth rates or sensitize BCa cells to cisplatin. Upregulation of PDK4 in malignant BCa cell lines as compared to benign transformed urothelial cells was confirmed using qPCR. Inhibition of PDK4 with dichloroacetate (DCA) resulted in increased PDH activity, reduced cell growth, and G0/G1 phase arrest in BCa cells. Similarly, siRNA knockdown of PDK4 inhibited BCa cell proliferation. Co-treatment of BCa cells with cisplatin and DCA did not increase caspase-3 activity but did enhance overall cell death in vitro. While daily treatment with 200mg/kg DCA alone did not reduce tumor volumes in a xenograft model, combination treatment with cisplatin resulted in dramatically reduced tumor volumes as compared to either DCA or cisplatin alone. This was attributed to substantial intra-tumoral necrosis. These findings indicate inhibition of PDK4 may potentiate cisplatin induced cell death and warrant further studies investigating the mechanism through which this occurs.
How Home Health Nurses Plan Their Work Schedules: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Aims and objectives To describe how home health nurses plan their daily work schedules and what challenges they face during the planning process. Background Home health nurses are viewed as independent providers and value the nature of their work because of the flexibility and autonomy they hold in developing their work schedules. However, there is limited empirical evidence about how home health nurses plan their work schedules, including the factors they consider during the process and the challenges they face within the dynamic home health setting. Design Qualitative descriptive design. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 registered nurses who had >2 years of experience in home health and were employed by one of the three participating home health agencies in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Data were analysed using conventional content analysis. Results Four themes emerged about planning work schedules and daily itineraries: identifying patient needs to prioritise visits accordingly, partnering with patients to accommodate their preferences, coordinating visit timing with other providers to avoid overwhelming patients, and working within agency standards to meet productivity requirements. Scheduling challenges included readjusting the schedule based on patient needs and staffing availability, anticipating longer visits, and maintaining continuity of care with patients. Conclusion Home health nurses make autonomous decisions regarding their work schedules while considering specific patient and agency factors, and overcome challenges related to the unpredictable nature of providing care in a home health setting. Future research is needed to further explore nurse productivity in home health and improve home health work environments. Relevance to clinical practice Home health nurses plan their work schedules to provide high quality care that is patient-centered and timely. The findings also highlight organisational priorities to facilitate continuity of care and support nurses while alleviating the burnout associated with high productivity requirements.
Firms’ Propensity to Train

This chapter considers why some firms spend a great deal of time and money to encourage continual learning by employees. The question is relevant to public policy, given the widespread belief that demands for continual learning by the workforce at large are increasing and will continue to increase. It is also relevant to ongoing research by economists seeking to understand the process of skill formation and the possible existence of market failure.
Cytochrome P450 in Plant-Insect Interactions: Inductions and Deductions

Although it is now known that cytochrome P450 monooxygenases have a number of physiological functions in insects, including hormone and pheromone metabolism, they were first recognized as a general purpose system for metabolizing xenobiotics, particularly synthetic organic insecticides. In the early sixties, a series of experiments revealed that high levels of oxidase activity were associated with resistance to insecticides and that administration of known oxidase inhibitors, such as sesamex or piperonyl butoxide, could reverse that resistance. Subsequently, detoxification via microsomal monooxgenases of such insecticides as propoxur, carbaryl, and aldrin was demonstrated. The fact that insect strains selected for resistance to one class of insecticide often displayed resistance to other groups of insecticides suggested that the microsomal monooxygenase system was broadly substrate-specific (Hodgson, 1985). The microsomal cytochrome P450- dependent mono-oxygenase system was subsequently found to consist of a suite of membrane-bound enzymes that effect a variety of oxidation reactions; the heme protein cytochrome P450 is the terminal oxidase in the series. In general, since oxidation increases the hydrophilicity of a substrate, P450 monooxygenases can act as detoxification enzymes; with reduced lipophilicity, a substrate is at the same time rendered more likely to be excreted and, in the process, less able to cross lipid rich membranes to interfere with biological processes.
Staging of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Primary malignancy of the pleura is rare and usually has a poor prognosis. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is linked to occupational and environmental exposures with a latency period of 2–6 decades. Patients usually present late in the course of the disease with chest pain, dyspnea, and weight loss. Outcomes are related to both the histological subtype of the tumor and staging at presentation. Computed tomography (CT) is the imaging modality most commonly used for preliminary noninvasive clinical staging. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, particularly dynamic sequences, is useful in evaluating chest wall, diaphragm, and mediastinal invasion. It can be helpful when CT findings are equivocal to distinguish resectable from unresectable disease. Positron-emission tomography (PET)/CT is performed in patients being considered for surgical resection, as it may identify nodal and/or distant metastases not seen on CT. PET/CT may also have a role in evaluation of response to treatment and detection of recurrent disease. The 8th edition of the TNM staging system is in effect as of January 1, 2018.
Validation of activated molecular pathways in non-T cell-inflamed urothelial bladder cancer (UBC).

e23114Background: We recently characterized oncogenic pathways linked with non-T cell-inflamed UBC in order to better understand mechanisms of primary immunotherapy resistance. To further investiga...
Are Bans Effective under Limited Monitoring? Evidence from High Seas Management

To mitigate environmental and social harm, policy-makers often provide incentives or impose sanctions to discourage harmful behavior. Such policies are usually implemented with limited monitoring capabilities, which may cause strategic behavior that leads to unintended consequences. Three related questions for any policy are therefore: do targeted agents comply on elements that are visible (visible compliance), do agents behave strategically to undermine the policy (effectiveness), and are raw material prices affected (economic cost)? We study these questions empirically in the context of a zero-tolerance policy (a ban) on seafood transshipments on the high seas --- a ban imposed because seafood transshipments are associated with illegal fishing and widespread forced labor. Novel satellite-based datasets, available ex-post several years after implementation of the ban, offer a unique opportunity to study the effect of the ban in hindsight. Combining satellite-based and economic datasets, and exploiting variation across regions and over time, we find that a ban reduces the yearly growth in transshipment rates by an estimated 58% despite significant monitoring challenges, and does not cause appreciable strategic behavior. A difference-in-differences analysis of landing prices suggests that this reduction comes at an estimated cost of 3% higher raw material prices.
An Uncommon Approach to the Global Commons: Interpreting China's Divergent Positions on Maritime and Outer Space Governance

This study assesses China's approach to the global commons, those areas of the globe over which no state exercises sovereignty and that are accessible to all. Examining Chinese behaviour, official statements and expert positions towards the extant high seas and outer space regimes, this research concludes that China approaches the principle of international access to the two domains situationally, reflecting its assessment of how these regimes affect its national interests. The finding cautions against blanket characterizations of China's strategic orientation towards the global commons.
The Simile of the Fractured Pipe in Ovid's Metamorphoses 4

When Pyramus, the romantic hero of Ovid's tale of ‘Pyramus and Thisbe’ ( Met. 4.55-166), mistakenly assumes his beloved Thisbe is dead and thus kills himself beneath a mulberry tree with a sword, Ovid punctures this moment of tragic pathos by a simile comparing the blood spurting from Pyramus' wound to water gushing from a broken pipe (4.119-24): demisit in ilia ferrum, nec mora, ferventi moriens e vulnere traxit et iacuit resupinus humo: cruor emicat alte, non aliter, quam cum vitiato fistula plumbo scinditur et tenui stridente foramine longas eiaculatur aquas atque ictibus aera rumpit. he plunged the sword into his groin, and straightaway, dying, he drew it from the seething wound and lay back on the ground: the blood spurts high exactly as when a pipe, split open from corrupted lead, ejaculates a long stream of water through the tiny hissing aperture and bursts upon the air with its blows.
Point-of-care ultrasound in the neonatal ICU.

Purpose of review Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is an emerging clinical tool in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Recent literature describing the use of POCUS for various applications in the NICU has garnered increased interest among neonatologists. Recent findings Diagnostic applications for POCUS in the NICU include the evaluation and serial monitoring of common pulmonary diseases, hemodynamic instability, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), among others. Procedural applications include vascular access, endotracheal intubation, lumbar puncture, and fluid drainage. Summary Experience with POCUS in the NICU is growing. Current evidence supports the use of POCUS for a number of diagnostic and procedural applications. As use of this tool increases, there is an urgent need to develop formal training requirements specific to neonatology, as well as evidence-based guidelines to standardize use across centers.
Decision Boundary of Deep Neural Networks: Challenges and Opportunities

One crucial aspect that yet remains fairly unknown while can inform us about the behavior of deep neural networks is their decision boundaries. Trust can be improved once we understand how and why deep models carve out a particular form of decision boundary and thus make particular decisions. Robustness against adversarial examples is directly related to the decision boundary as adversarial examples are basically 'missed out' by the decision boundary between two classes. Investigating the decision boundary of deep neural networks, nevertheless, faces tremendous challenges. First, how we can generate instances near the decision boundary that are similar to real samples? Second, how we can leverage near decision boundary instances to characterize the behaviour of deep neural networks? Motivated to solve these challenges, we focus on investigating the decision boundary of deep neural network classifiers. In particular, we propose a novel approach to generate instances near decision boundary of pre-trained DNNs and then leverage these instances to characterize the behaviour of deep models.
Identification and characterization of endothelial glycoprotein Ib using viper venom proteins modulating cell adhesion.

The expression and function of a glycoprotein Ib (GPIb) complex on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) is still a matter of controversy. We characterized HUVEC GPIb using viper venom proteins: alboaggregins A and B, echicetin, botrocetin, and echistatin. Echicetin is an antagonist, and alboaggregins act as agonists of the platelet GPIb complex. Botrocetin is a venom protein that alters von Willebrand factor (vWF) conformation and increases its binding affinity for the GPIb complex. Echistatin is a disintegrin that blocks vβ3. Echistatin, but not echicetin, inhibited the adhesion to vWF of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with vβ3. We found the following: (1) Binding of monoclonal antibodies against GPIb to HUVECs was moderately increased after stimulation with cytokines and phorbol ester. Echicetin demonstrated an inhibitory effect. (2) Both echicetin and echistatin, an vβ3 antagonist, inhibited the adhesion of HUVECs to immobilized vWF in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect was additive when both proteins were used together. (3) Botrocetin potentiated the adhesion of HUVECs to vWF, and this effect was completely abolished by echicetin, but not by echistatin. (4) CHO cells expressing GPIbβ/IX adhered to vWF (in the presence of botrocetin) and to alboaggregins; GPIb was required for this reaction. Echicetin, but not echistatin, inhibited the adhesion of cells transfected with GPIbβ/IX to immobilized vWF. (5) HUVECs adhered strongly to immobilized vWF and alboaggregins with extensive spreading, which was inhibited by LJ1b1, a monoclonal antibody against GPIb. The purified vβ3 receptor did not interact with the alboaggregins, thereby excluding the contribution of vβ3 in inducing HUVEC spreading on alboaggregins. In conclusion, our data confirm the presence of a functional GPIb complex expressed on HUVECs in low density. This complex may mediate HUVEC adhesion and spreading on immobilized vWF and alboaggregins.
The psychological basis of collective action

Sometimes, a group of people can produce a morally bad outcome despite each person’s individual act making no difference to whether the outcome is produced. Since each person’s act makes no difference, it seems the effects of the act cannot provide a reason not to perform it. This is problematic, because if each person acts in accordance with their reasons, each will presumably perform the act—and thus, the bad outcome will be brought about. I suggest that the key to solving this problem is to make it true of each person that their act would in fact make a difference to the relevant outcome. Fortunately, I contend, this can be accomplished by each person simply forming a particular type of attitude. I argue that each person has an obligation to form the relevant attitude in collective action cases, on pain of being immoral or irrational.
Comparing Methods for Quantifying ElectrochemicallyAccumulated H 2 O 2

There is an increasing interest in distributed hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production through catalytic electrochemical reactions, such as the two-electron oxygen reduction and two-electron water oxid...
Keloids: a review of therapeutic management

Keloid scar formation arises from a disorganized fibroproliferative collagen response that extends beyond the original wound margins because of excessive production of extracellular matrix (ECM). Despite treatment options for keloid scars including medical and surgical therapies, such as intralesional steroid injection and surgical excision, the recurrence rate remains high. Herein we consolidate recently published narrative reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses to provide an overview of updated treatment recommendations for keloidal scar formation. PubMed search engine was used to access the MEDLINE database to investigate updates regarding keloid incidence and treatment. More than 100 articles were reviewed. Keloid management remains a multimodal approach. There continues to be no gold standard of treatment that provides a consistently low recurrence rate; however, the increasing number of available treatments and synergistic combinations of these treatments (i.e., laser-based devices in combination with intralesional steroids, or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in combination with steroid therapy) is showing favorable results. Future studies could target the efficacy of novel treatment modalities (i.e., autologous fat grafting or stem cell-based therapies) for keloid management. This review article provides updated treatment guidelines for keloids and discusses insight into management to assist patient-focused, evidence-based clinical decision making.
Clinical assessment and validation of a rapid and sensitive SARS-CoV-2 test using reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification without the need for RNA extraction

Background Amid the enduring pandemic, there is an urgent need for expanded access to rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing worldwide without specialized equipment. We developed a simple test that uses colorimetric reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) to detect severe acute resrpiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 40 minutes from sample collection to result. Methods We tested 135 nasopharyngeal specimens from patients evaluated for COVID-19 infection at Massachusetts General Hospital. Specimens were either added directly to RT-LAMP reactions, inactivated by a combined chemical and heat treatment step, or inactivated then purified with a silica particle-based concentration method. Amplification was performed with 2 SARS-CoV-2-specific primer sets and an internal specimen control; the resulting color change was visually interpreted. Results Direct RT-LAMP testing of unprocessed specimens could only reliably detect samples with abundant SARS-CoV-2 (>3 000 000 copies/mL), with sensitivities of 50% (95% CI, 28%-72%) and 59% (95% CI, 43%-73%) in samples collected in universal transport medium and saline, respectively, compared with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Adding an upfront RNase inactivation step markedly improved the limit of detection to at least 25 000 copies/mL, with 87.5% (95% CI, 72%-95%) sensitivity and 100% specificity (95% CI, 87%-100%). Using both inactivation and purification increased the assay sensitivity by 10-fold, achieving a limit of detection comparable to commercial real-time PCR-based diagnostics. Conclusions By incorporating a fast and inexpensive sample preparation step, RT-LAMP accurately detects SARS-CoV-2 with limited equipment for about US$6 per sample, making this a potentially ideal assay to increase testing capacity, especially in resource-limited settings.