cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Blow-by as potential therapy for uncooperative children: an in-vitro study.

BACKGROUND: Blow-by, a common form of nebulizer therapy, in which the device is held away from a child9s face, has been dismissed as ineffective because studies have demonstrated incremental aerosol drop-off with increasing distances from the face. Many of these studies do not take into account differences among nebulizer systems. Using common, commercially available nebulizer systems, we defined the interaction of system components (nebulizer type, face mask configuration, and compressor characteristics) on aerosol delivery with and without blow-by. METHODS: A pediatric model consisting of a ventilated mannequin fitted with a filter (inhaled mass), and 3 commercial nebulizer/compressor/face mask systems (Pari Sprint, Respironics Sidestream, and Salter 8900) were used to nebulize budesonide (1.0 mg/2 mL) at 0, 2, and 4 cm from the face. Inhaled mass and the deposition on face, eyes, and mask were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography and reported as a percent of nebulizer charge. RESULTS: At 0 cm, inhaled mass for the Pari, Respironics, and Salter systems was 5.33%, 1.14%, and 3.50%, respectively; at 4 cm from the face, inhaled mass decreased to 1.83%, 0.13%, and 1.14%. Facial (1.12%, 0.63%, and 2.94%) and eye (0.35%, 0.12%, and 0.68%) deposition varied significantly. Pari compressor/nebulizer flow rate was lower than Respironics and Salter (3.5 L/min vs 5.7 L/min and 5.9 L/min), resulting in longer run time (7.7 min vs 4.0 min and 5.3 min). CONCLUSIONS: At 4 cm, the Pari system delivered more drug than Respironics at 0 cm, suggesting adequate therapy during blow-by for some systems. Our results indicate that pediatric aerosol delivery is a strong function of the nebulizer system as a whole, and not simply a function of blow-by distance from the face or nebulizer efficiency. In uncooperative children, blow-by can be an effective means of drug delivery with the appropriate nebulizer system.
Geochemistry of Rare Earth Elements in Pacific Hydrothermal Sediments

Owen, R.M. and Olivarez, A.M., 1988. Geochemistry of rare earth elements in Pacific hydrothermal sediments. Mar. Chem., 25: 183-196. The concentrations and mass accumulation rates of rare earth elements (REE) in hydrothermal sediments from two Pacific sites support earlier predictions that hydrothermal REE inputs are significant to the overall marine REE mass balance. Although REE are enriched in hydrothermal vent fluids, they are rapidly and extensively scavenged from the water column by Fe oxyhydroxides and undergo some degree of fractionation prior to removal. Evidence for significant light REE (LREE) hydrothermal inputs tends to be masked by the fact that the LREE patterns and inter-element ratios of both proximal and distal hydrothermal precipitates are similar to those of seawater. However, the heavy REE (HREE) patterns clearly reflect a basaltic source and the HREE ratios from both sites are similar to each other but distinct from their seawater analogs. This suggests HREE ratios potentialy could be used as proxy indicators in our attempts to reconstruct the history of seafloor hydrothermal activity,
Effect of Limiting Concentrations of Growth Factors in Mass Rearing Diets for Ceratitis capitata Larvae (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Effects of growth factors on Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) larval development were investigated using C. capitata #1 diet as a control diet. C. capitata #1 diet is a chemical base diet with only one nonchemical bulking agent, corncob. It contains 10 exogenous vitamins in addition to those trace amounts already present in corncob, and it is capable of supporting normal larval development. Removal of all 10 growth factors from C. capitata #1 diet resulted in a prolonged developmental period, decreased pupal recovery, pupal weight, and adult emergence, but normal flight ability and egg hatch. C. capitata #1 diet lacking exogenous nicotinic acid resulted in complete second-instar mortality. In the absence of exogenous riboflavin, larvae reached the third instar and pupated, but the rate of development was slower. However, the percent pupal recovery was not significantly different. Pupal weight and adult emergence were significantly decreased, whereas flight ability and egg hatch remained within normal ranges. The effects of omitting exogenous pantothenic acid were similar to those for riboflavin compared with the control diet. The omission of other exogenous vitamins, such as thiamine, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid, ρ-amino benzoic acid, inositol or choline, had no significant effects on the rate of larval development and survival. Exogenous nicotinic acid was determined to be indispensable (requires a minimum of 2 ppm), whereas riboflavin and pantothenic acid appear to be required (at least >2 ppm) for normal growth and development of C. capitata larvae. Addition of exogenous ascorbic acid phosphate or α-tocopherol in C. capitata #1 diet did not improve C. capitata development or growth. Wheat germ is not necessary as a mass rearing diet additive because two of its major nutrients (α-tocopherol and choline) showed no impact.
Artemisinin Induces Apoptosis in Human Cancer Cells

Background: Artemisinin is a chemical compound extracted from the wormwood plant, Artemisia annua L. It has been shown to selectively kill cancer cells in vitro and retard the growth of implanted fibrosarcoma tumors in rats. In the present research, we investigated its mechanism of cytotoxicity to cancer cells. Materials and Methods: Molt-4 cells, in complete RPMI- 1640 medium, were first incubated with 12 IM of human holotransferrin at 37AEC in a humid atmosphere of 5% CO2 for one hour. This enhanced the iron supply to the cells. The cells were then pelleted and transferred to a complete RPMI-1640 containing 200 IM of an analog dihydroartemisinin (DHA) and incubation was started (0 h). In addition, some culture samples were treated with holotransferrin alone and some (controls) were assayed without neither holotransferrin nor DHA treatment. Cells were counted and DNA diffusion assay was used to evaluate apoptosis and necrosis in each sample at 0 h and at 1, 2, 4 and 8 h of incubation. Results: DHA treatment significantly decreased cell counts and increased the proportion of apoptosis in cancer cells compared to controls (¯ 2 =4.5, df =1, p 13). This causes breakage of DNA at abundant alkali-labile sites found in apoptotic cells and allows diffusion of small molecular weight DNA fragments in agarose. The cells are stained with the fluorescent dye YOYO-1 and the DNA diffusion pattern visualized under a fluorescent microscope. This allows the measurement of the number (percentage) of apoptotic cells in a population of cells.
Mechanisms of Chemoreception, Electrical Signal Transduction, and Biological Response

Living organisms receive and respond to a variety of chemicals and energy stimuli, and these interactions influence differentiation and regulate sexual activities. Well-characterized examples include responses of coelenterates to peptide morphogens (Chapter 5) and of haploid yeast cells to sexual pheromones (Chapter 9). In the developing embryo as in developing microbial systems, cell migration and elongation may be governed by chemotactic processes (Chapters 1, 2, and 4). Bioelectric stimuli also play an important role in developmental processes. Examples include the development of cell polarity and tissue regeneration, as discussed in Chapter 2, and fertilization of sea urchin eggs (Chapter 10). Thus, it is crucial to an understanding of differentiation that the mechanisms of chemoreception and electrical signal transmission be elucidated. In this chapter we discuss chemotactic and mechanotactic processes in Gram-negative bacteria and selected eukaryotic microorganisms.
An energy absorbing far-field boundary condition for the elastic wave equation

We present an energy absorbing non-reflecting boundary condition of Clayton-Engquist type for the elastic wave equation together with a discretization which is stable for any ratio of compressional to shear wave speed. We prove stability for a second-order accurate finite-difference discretization of the elastic wave equation in three space dimensions together with a discretization of the proposed non-reflecting boundary condition. The stability proof is based on a discrete energy estimate and is valid for heterogeneous materials. The proof includes all six boundaries of the computational domain where special discretizations are needed at the edges and corners. The stability proof holds also when a free surface boundary condition is imposed on some sides of the computational domain. AMS subject classifications: 65M06, 65M12, 74B05, 86A15
On the use of reduced chemical kinetics for hypersonic transition and breakdown to turbulence computations

In high temperature hypersonic boundary layers, chemical reactions among air constituents can aect transition and subsequent breakdown to turbulence. It is vital that the chemical kinetic sets used in hypersonic transition and turbulence computations not only be adequately accurate, but also be computationally viable. Reduced chemical kinetic schemes, if applicable, can substantially reduce the computational stiness of owchemistry interaction calculations. In this work, we attempt to establish that the commonly used ve-species, seventeen-reaction chemical kinetic set posses a strongly attracting slow manifold that can be exploited for the purpose of reduced chemistry. Further, we evaluate two reduction methods: (i) quasi-steady state approximation (QSSA), and (ii) locally linear approximation (LLA) to approximate the slow manifold of a high temperature air mixture. While the performance of QSSA is good only near the equilibrium point, the performance of LLA is excellent over a wide range of temperature. Overall, our results indicate that hypersonic external computations can benet from chemistry reduction strategies.
Glucocorticoids in Eastern Cottontail Rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Most of the information available on lagomorph adrenocorticosteroid physiology is from work with Oryctolagus cuniculus . This species is known to secrete corticosterone as the primary glucocorticoid but may be able to produce cortisol under induced stress conditions. Because of a paucity of information from other lagomorph genera, the generalization has emerged that all lagomorphs predominantly secrete corticosterone. In this study cortisol was shown to be the principal glucocorticoid in Sylvilagus floridanus in both stressed and unstressed physiological states, as had previously been established for Lepus americanus .
Progesterone Treatment Shows Benefit in Female Rats in a Pediatric Model of Controlled Cortical Impact Injury.

Purpose We recently showed that progesterone treatment can reduce lesion size and behavioral deficits after moderate-to-severe bilateral injury to the medial prefrontal cortex in immature male rats. Whether there are important sex differences in response to injury and progesterone treatment in very young subjects has not been given sufficient attention. Here we investigated progesterone’s effects in the same model of brain injury but with pre-pubescent females. Methods Twenty-eight-day-old female Sprague-Dawley rats received sham (n = 14) or controlled cortical impact (CCI) (n = 21) injury, were given progesterone (8 mg/kg body weight) or vehicle injections on post-injury days (PID) 1–7, and underwent behavioral testing from PID 9–27. Brains were evaluated for lesion size at PID 28. Results Lesion size in vehicle-treated female rats with CCI injury was smaller than that previously reported for similarly treated age-matched male rats. Treatment with progesterone reduced the effect of CCI on extent of damage and behavioral deficits. Conclusion Pre-pubescent female rats with midline CCI injury to the frontal cortex have reduced morphological and functional deficits following progesterone treatment. While gender differences in susceptibility to this injury were observed, progesterone treatment produced beneficial effects in young rats of both sexes following CCI.
Decoding the Code: What Maisie Knew and The Awkward Age

Maisie Farange and Nanda Brookenham are deconstructors in the making. While their stories narrate primarily their acquisition of language, once these two crack the code they become dangerous, threatening the stability of the text. Indeed, with their knowledge, they are forced to leave town, in James’s pre-emptive way of ending. Mostly they keep quiet about their secret knowledge of the signs and signifieds, too busy trying to match them up and to reconcile the play of difference in their verbal milieux.
Geometrie als Zweig der Physik

Ist der Raum in Wirklichkeit gekrummt? Diese Frage wird in der einen oder anderen Form immer wieder von Philosophen, Wissenschaftlern, dem Mann von der Strase und den Lesern der Illustrierten aufgeworfen. Die Frage ist vor allem durch das geniale Werk Albert Einsteins in das helle Licht des Tages gestellt worden, und dort blieb sie infolge der unermudlichen Bemuhungen der Astronomen, die Antwort einer merkwurdig widerstrebenden Natur zu entreisen.
The Double Bind of Tourism in Galapagos Society

This chapter examines the social sustainability of the tourism industry in Galapagos critically, from its inception in the 1960s, dominated by live-aboard cruises, to the present day as island-based touring has gained momentum over the “floating hotel” cruise ship model. While the economic and environmental implications of this shift have been described, the industry’s social and cultural effects have rarely been considered. In particular, how today’s residents of the archipelago are engaged in the tourism industry, and who controls and benefits from those engagements, are at the heart of this inquiry. Based on research conducted in the islands between 2007 and 2010, this chapter uses cluster analysis of a large survey of Galapagos residents to identify social and demographic characteristics that are conducive to supporting particular types of development and conservation. Responses to economic restrictions or perceived lack of opportunities are investigated through cases of illicit environmental behavior. Finally, the benefits and costs of the current tourism model are considered in the context of long-term management and social sustainability. In the absence of meaningful regulations, the industry’s unprecedented growth in recent years has exacerbated social stratification within the resident population, leading to individual acts of resistance against regulations which, along with a lack of regulation, increases the potential for irreversible environmental impacts.
10+ gb/s 90-nm CMOS serial link demo in CBGA package

We report a 10+ Gb/s serial link demo chip with NRZ signaling in 90-nm CMOS. It consists of a full-rate 4:1 MUX with 8-tap feed-forward equalizer, a half-rate 1:4 DEMUX with programmable peaking pre-amplifier, and a parallel port interface. All coefficients of the 8-tap FIR filter have programmable polarity and magnitude. The chip is housed in CBGA package and has ESD protection devices on all pins. All clock signals are supplied externally. The measured maximum speeds of stand-alone transmitter and receiver are 11.7 Gb/s and 13.3 Gb/s, respectively, and maximum back-to-back operation speed (transmitter + receiver) is 11.4 Gb/s. The chip operates at 10 Gb/s over 20 ft of lossy cable with 20 dB attenuation at 5 GHz. All circuits in the chip use a single 1.0 V power supply, except TX output driver and RX input termination network, which use 1.4 V supply. Total power consumption of TX and RX from the two supplies is 280 mW.
Abstract 6280: Meta-Analysis of the Relationship between Non-High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Reduction and Coronary Heart Disease Risk

To determine the relationship between non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) lowering and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk reduction for various lipid-modifying therapies. Non-HDL-C is the guideline-defined secondary target of therapy after LDL-C. Whether the method of lowering non-HDL-C influences CHD risk is unknown. Randomized, placebo or active-controlled trials were evaluated. The effect of mean non-HDL-C reduction on the relative risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction and CHD death was estimated using Bayesian random-effects meta-analysis models adjusted for study duration. Cochrane’s Q was used to test for heterogeneity. Study inclusion criteria were met by 14 statin (n=100,827), 7 fibrate (n=21,647), and 6 niacin (n=4445) trials, and 1 trial each of a bile acid sequestrant (n=3806), diet (n=458), and partial ileal bypass surgery (n=838). For statins, each 1% decrease in non-HDL-C resulted in a 0.99% (95% CI 0.98% – 1.00%) decrease in CHD risk over 4.5 years. Although the fibrate model did not differ from the statin model (Bayes factor K=0.49), there was a suggestion that the relationship between non-HDL-C and CHD risk differed by fibrate type. For each 1% reduction in non-HDL-C, in the 2 fenofibrate trials demonstrated a 0.7% reduction in CHD risk versus 2–3% reductions in risk for the 2 gemfibrozil trials; however, homogeneity could not be excluded (Q 3.66, 6 df; p=0.68). The niacin model was moderately different from the statin model (K=7.43), with heterogeneity among the trials (Q 11.8, df 5; p=0.038). The only niacin monotherapy trial (n=3908) had a 1:1 relationship between non-HDL-C and risk reduction. No consistent relationships were apparent for the 5 small trials of niacin in combination. The 95% CIs for the diet, bile acid sequestrants, and surgery trials also included the 1:1 relationship. These findings support the use of non-HDL-C as an important target of therapy for CHD prevention. Most lipid-modifying drugs used as monotherapy have an approximately 1:1 relationship between percent non-HDL-C lowering and CHD reduction, although this relationship may vary by type of fibrate. Small trial sizes limit conclusions regarding niacin used in combination.
The Application of Object Relations Theory to Domestic Violence

This article suggests that the addition of object relations theory to the two dominant theories of feminist theory and family systems theory can contribute to the understanding of domestic violence. Feminist theory largely contributes to the understanding of the macro issues while family systems theory is descriptive at the mezzo level of interpersonal processes and dynamics. Object relations theory can make a unique contribution at the micro level with an understanding of intrapsychic processes which influence adult interpersonal behavior. This article examines some of the main concepts of object relations theory as applied to the issue of domestic violence. A case discussion is offered to illuminate the application of object relations theory to domestic violence.
Fluid Mechanics of Arterial Bifurcations

The arterial system carries out its function of distributing blood throughout the body by means of a remarkable network characterized by vessel branching and bifurcation, and fluid dynamic patterns at these sites of flow division can be extremely complex by comparison with flow in unbranching vessel segments. In certain larger and medium-sized arteries, such as the carotid, coronary and aorto-iliac arteries, these sites of branching and bifurcation are associated with the development of atherosclerotic plaques, and hemodynamic factors such as wall shear stress and particle residence time have been implicated as participants in atherogenesis. The complex flow fields which exist in the region of arterial bifurcations are characterized by strong spatial and temporal variations in wall shear and particle trajectory, creating environments considerably different than those found in simple in vitro systems, such as Couette or channel flow, that are often employed in the study of fluid dynamic effects on cell function. Understanding the interactions between blood flow and biological behavior of cells in the arterial wall will undoubtedly require a greater knowledge of the response of cells to flow field phenomena that are representative of those occurring in actual arterial bifurcations.
Intolerancia ortostática y síncope

Objetivo. Describir el conocimiento actual y las caracteristicas clinicas de los pacientes con la intolerancia ortostatica. Desarrollo. Los pacientes con intolerancia ortostatica pueden clasificarse en dos tipos. En uno de ellos, la actividad simpatica esta disminuida y tienen hipotension al ponerse de pie. Esto ocurre de forma cronica en pacientes con enfermedades neurodegenerativas centrales o perifericas y de forma aguda en el sincope vasovagal. En el segundo tipo de intolerancia ortostatica los pacientes muestran un aumento en la actividad simpatica, sin hipotension arterial y con marcada taquicardia, tal es el caso del sindrome de taquicardia postural. El mecanismo responsable de este tipo de intolerancia ortostatica y la causa precisa de los sintomas caracteristicos son desconocidos. Diversas teorias incluyen una lesion neuropatica que afecta selectivamente a los nervios de la parte inferior del cuerpo o a una deficiencia congenita o adquirida del gen transportador de norepinefrina. Conclusiones. La intolerancia ortostatica es la dificultad para permanecer en posicion de pie debido a una disfuncion del sistema nervioso autonomo. La intolerancia ortostatica ocurre cuando la actividad simpatica eferente esta marcadamente disminuida o paradojicamente, en pacientes en los que la actividad simpatica eferente aumenta de manera exagerada al ponerse de pie
Got rhythm? Better inhibitory control is linked with more consistent drumming and enhanced neural tracking of the musical beat in adult percussionists and nonpercussionists

Musical rhythm engages motor and reward circuitry that is important for cognitive control, and there is evidence for enhanced inhibitory control in musicians. We recently revealed an inhibitory control advantage in percussionists compared with vocalists, highlighting the potential importance of rhythmic expertise in mediating this advantage. Previous research has shown that better inhibitory control is associated with less variable performance in simple sensorimotor synchronization tasks; however, this relationship has not been examined through the lens of rhythmic expertise. We hypothesize that the development of rhythm skills strengthens inhibitory control in two ways: by fine-tuning motor networks through the precise coordination of movements "in time" and by activating reward-based mechanisms, such as predictive processing and conflict monitoring, which are involved in tracking temporal structure in music. Here, we assess adult percussionists and nonpercussionists on inhibitory control, selective attention, basic drumming skills (self-paced, paced, and continuation drumming), and cortical evoked responses to an auditory stimulus presented on versus off the beat of music. Consistent with our hypotheses, we find that better inhibitory control is correlated with more consistent drumming and enhanced neural tracking of the musical beat. Drumming variability and the neural index of beat alignment each contribute unique predictive power to a regression model, explaining 57% of variance in inhibitory control. These outcomes present the first evidence that enhanced inhibitory control in musicians may be mediated by rhythmic expertise and provide a foundation for future research investigating the potential for rhythm-based training to strengthen cognitive function.
Texting 4 Sexual Health: Improving Attitudes, Intention, and Behavior Among American Indian and Alaska Native Youth.

Purpose. To design and test the effectiveness of a text messaging intervention to promote condom use and STI/HIV testing among American Indian and Alaska Native youth. Method. A total of 408 study participants, 15 to 24 years old, were recruited, consented, surveyed, were sent intervention messages, and were incentivized via text message over a 9-month period. Complete pre- and postsurvey data were collected from 192 participants using SMS short codes. A mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to analyze before–after change in responses assessing sexual health knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, intention, and behavior. Results. Participants’ condom use attitude, condom use behavior, and STI/HIV testing intention improved after the intervention (p < .05). Frequent condom use increased from 30% to 42% and was retained by participants at least 3 months postintervention, and the intervention improved participants’ intention to get tested for STI/HIV after changing sexual partners, increasing from 46...
A New Algorithm as an Extension to the Gradient Descent Method for Functional Brain Activation Classification

The functional activation of the brain gets affected in conditions such as brain-tumor, localization-related epilepsy (LRE) and lesions. Typical brain activation is such that the left brain is dominant as compared to the right brain. In order to distinguish between the two groups -typical and atypical - the patients undergo functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) test. Based on the processed fMRI maps, nonlinear decision functions (NDF) are used to determine the laterality. Here an alternate algorithm called the ‘Iterative Random Training-Testing Algorithm’, a modification of the well known gradient descent algorithm, which is used as a means for enhancing the results of the classification, is presented. The algorithm aims at improving the sensitivity of results obtained in earlier studies reported in literature. Improving the sensitivity is of prime importance since sensitivity suggests the proportion of false negatives in the classification results. False negatives are critical in clinical decision making. The algorithm divides the training data set randomly into a pure-training set and cross-validation training set. The decision function is trained with the elements assigned to the pure training set and then tested with the element of the cross validation training set. The whole process is repeated a number of times with the aim that the random division of the data set would take into consideration various formations of the data yielding better results. The results of the algorithm showed an improvement in the sensitivity of 2 to 5% with no significant changes in the accuracy, specificity or precision.
Ultrastructural studies of prions.

The scrapie prion protein denoted PrP 27–30 was discovered by enriching fractions for scrapie infectivity (Prusiner et al. 1982, 1983). This protein migrates during sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) as a broad band with an apparent molecular weight of 27–30 kDa (Bolton et al. 1982; Prusiner et al. 1982). It is derived from PrPSc, a 33- to 35-kDa protein, by limited proteolysis (Oesch et al. 1985). A portion of PrP forms long filamentous structures in scrapie-infected brains (DeArmond et al. 1985), and the purified prions apparently aggregate into rod-shaped structures in brain extracts (Meyer et al. 1986; McKinley et al. 1986). These prion aggregates are ultrastructurally and tinctorially indistinguishable from amyloid (Prusiner et al. 1983). Extensive purification of PrP 27–30 was required before convincing evidence linking the rods and prion infectivity could be obtained. Raising antibodies against PrP 27–30 resulted in the demonstration that filaments in tissues and rods in extracts are composed of PrP (DeArmond et al. 1985; Barry et al. 1985). By negative staining, the individual rods measure 10–20 nm in diameter and 100–200 nm in length. In highly purified preparations, rods usually are found in large clusters, but individual rods can be dispersed by brief sonication (Fig. 1).
Mobilizing for Human Rights: Why International Law? The Development of the International Human Rights Regime in the Twentieth Century

It is difficult to restrain myself from doing something to stop this attempt to exterminate a race, but I realize I am here as an Ambassador and must abide by the principles of non-interference with the internal affairs of another country. Henry Morgenthau, U.S. ambassador in Turkey, to the U.S. secretary of state 11 August 1915 The second half of the twentieth century was the first time in history that human rights were addressed in a systematic manner by the international community. Following the Second World War, official as well as nonstate actors worked together to address a broad range of rights – civil and political, economic and social, rights of nondiscrimination – and to finalize many of these in the form of legally binding covenants. The international legal edifice that thousands worked to shape has attracted criticism as well as praise; it has raised expectations as well as overpromised; it has aspired to universality yet still reflects some of the hegemonic ideas of the most powerful actors in the world polity. Most importantly, though, it has successfully challenged the unconditional assertion of national leaders that the way they treat their own people is exclusively a national sovereign concern. The idea that a government should have the freedom to treat its people as brutally as it wishes while others are helpless to intervene because of its status as a sovereign state is legally – and possibly, morally – untenable in the twenty-first century.
A Review of Theoretical and Experimental Aspects of Imaging the Elastic Attributes of Tissue In Vivo

3 The literature describing the gross mechanical properties of tissues is primarily concerned with muscle (skeletal and cardiac) as well as with blood vessel walls [1]. Relatively little has been written about the mechanical properties of other normal and pathological tissues. Pathological changes are generally correlated with changes in tissue elastic modulus; in fact, the standard medical practice of soft tissue palpation is based on qualitative, low-resolution assessment of the static elastic modulus of tissue. Many cancers, such as scirrhous carcinoma of the breast, appear as extremely hard nodules [2]. In quite a few cases, despite the difference in elastic modulus, the small size of a pathological lesion and/or its location deep in the body precludes its detection and evaluation by palpation. In general, the lesion may or may not possess echogenic properties that could make it ultrasonically detectable. For example, tumors of the prostate or the breast could be invisible in standard ultrasound examinations, yet be much harder than the embedding tissue. Diffuse diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver are known to significantly reduce the elastic modulus of the liver tissue as a whole [2], yet they may appear normal in conventional ultrasound examination. Because the ultrasonic echogenicity and the elasticity of tissue are generally uncorrelated, it is expected that imaging tissue elastic modulus will provide new information that is related to tissue structure and/or pathology (Fig. 1). Biological tissues can be considered as approximating homogeneous gels [3]. Different modes of elastic wave propagation in such media are determined primarily by their bulk (K) and shear (G) elastic moduli. In biological soft tissues, the value of K far exceeds that of G. The bulk properties (and hence the ultrasonic properties) are determined by the molecular composition of the tissue [1], whereas the shear properties are determined by the higher level of tissue organization [3]. Because deformable soft tissues are essentially volume incompressible (i.e., Poisson ratio, ~0.5), their shear moduli are proportional to their longitudinal (Young’s) moduli [4]. It follows that estimation and imaging of the Young’s moduli of tissue should in principle convey information about their shear properties, and hence about the higher level of tissue organization.
The Kabbalah and Freedom and Determinism

The problem of individuality and freedom within a larger framework of order and stability was a basic issue in the seventeenth century.275 Although Leibniz tried to carve out an area of freedom for the individual in his philosophy, most of his contemporaries as well as his critics (right up to the present) agree that he failed.276
Leveraging Cognitive Principles to Improve Security Visualization

Every day, networks are flooded with data that far exceeds what humans can feasibly comb through in a timely manner. Security analysts have turned to visualization techniques to in an attempt to streamline the identification of network threats. The problem is that most security visualization techniques do not take into account the cognitive principles that enable human beings to rapidly process information visually. We propose a tool, called the Converged Security Visualization Tool (Cover-VT), designed on these cognitive principles. Our tool facilitates rapid identification of threats by minimizing the cognitive obstacles to efficient threat location. Cover-VT is scalable meaning that analysts can identify threats from a global view or drill down to a pinpoint view to identify the source of an infection. Cover-VT was also designed with usability in mind, making it easy to comprehend regardless of the level of user experience.
Complication Avoidance and Management Research

Complication avoidance is a major consideration with any surgical procedure, and evaluation of complications relies on clear definitions. However, defining what constitutes a complication can be difficult, as perspectives on errors of commission or omission often vary between providers and patients. Here, we present a concise analysis of complications related to neurovascular surgery (defined as any procedural care of patients with neurovascular diseases) and provide a framework for approaching research efforts. This is done by considering opportunities in disease screening and patient selection, perioperative morbidity reduction, and follow-up. In addition, the concept of complication avoidance through surgical simulation is briefly dealt with. This chapter is intended to serve as an initial reference point for the young neurovascular specialist for developing and elaborating on the concept of complication avoidance through various techniques of research.
Voting in Transition: Participation and Alienation in Egypt’s 2012 Presidential Election

How does voter turnout change as countries transition to democracy? Using district-level data from Egypt’s 2012 presidential election, we show that turnout was higher in more educated and urban districts—a stark reversal from voting patterns under the authoritarian Mubarak regime, when less educated and poorer areas were more likely to participate. However, this pattern weakened in the second round of the 2012 election, when the choice was restricted to two candidates who reflected Egypt’s primary pre-revolution political divide. Urban and educated districts experienced a decline in turnout and a rise in protest voting during the second round relative to the first, suggesting that key political groups were alienated from the electoral process. These results indicate that who participates in elections can shift quickly as institutions change, but this is conditional on the choice of candidates available to voters.
Meeting Water Quality Goals by Spatial Targeting of Best Management Practices under Climate Change

Agricultural production is a major source of nonpoint source pollution contributing 44% of total nitrogen (N) discharged to the Chesapeake Bay. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) established the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program to control this problem. For the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the TMDL program requires that nitrogen loadings be reduced by 25% by 2025. Climate change may affect the cost of achieving such reductions. Thus, it is necessary to develop cost-effective strategies to meet water quality goals under climate change. We investigate landscape targeting of best management practices (BMPs) based on topographic index (TI) to determine how targeting would affect costs of meeting N loading goals for Mahantango watershed, PA. We use the results from two climate models, CRCM and WRFG, and the mean of the ensemble of seven climate models (Ensemble Mean) to estimate expected climate changes and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool-Variable Source Area (SWAT-VSA) model to predict crop yields and N export. Costs of targeting and uniform placement of BMPs across the entire study area (423 ha) were compared under historical and future climate scenarios. Targeting BMP placement based on TI classes reduces costs for achieving water quality goals relative to uniform placement strategies under historical and future conditions. Compared with uniform placement, targeting methods reduce costs by 30, 34, and 27% under historical climate as estimated by the Ensemble Mean, CRCM and WRFG, respectively, and by 37, 43, and 33% under the corresponding estimates of future climate scenarios.
Port Approaches to Intrinsic Brain Tumors

Abstract Surgical resection of deep-seated brain lesions may require considerable dissection and retraction of subcortical white matter. Fixed retraction systems that use blades can injure the brain through direct cortical and subcortical compression, as well as by ischemic damage from suboptimal perfusion of local tissue. Because of these findings, multiple attempts have been made to adjust surgical techniques to minimize brain retraction. For the last 10 years, we have been using a tubular retractor designed specifically for intracranial use referred to here as the “port,” with considerable success. The port is transparent and thus allows for visualization of retracted brain along the length of the entire surgical corridor. The port can be used with both endoscope- and microscope-assisted visualization, and it is also compatible with most modern, frameless neuronavigation systems. Port-assisted surgery is a successful, minimally invasive method for resecting deep-seated lesions in the brain that incurs minimal neurologic morbidity, especially when compared with traditional approaches using blade retractors.
Abstract 3353: Four vs six cycles of docetaxel and cyclophosphamide (TC) in early stage triple-negative breast cancer

Background: ABC trials established the use of non-anthracycline containing regimen, docetaxel and cyclophosphamide (TC) in the adjuvant setting in early stage breast cancer. In clinical practice, TC is commonly used in Stage I Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). However, no specific recommendations exist in literature, regarding the number of cycles that can be used. i.e. TC4 vs TC6. Our aim, was to determine if TC4 is non-inferior to TC6 when used as adjuvant therapy in early stage TNBC. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 77 patients who were diagnosed with early stage TNBC between 2007 to 2017, at our institution who had received either TC4 or TC6 as adjuvant therapy. The number of cycles the patients received were based on provider preference. The two groups (TC4, TC6) were compared in regard to stage of cancer at diagnosis based on AJCC 7thedition, grade of adverse events, recurrence and death from breast cancer recurrence. Results: Out of 77 patients, based on T stage, 25 (32.5%) were T1b, 38(49.4%) were T1c, 13(16.9%) were T2 and 1(1.3%) was T3. All patients were node negative. 53(68.8%) received TC4 and 24(31.2%) received TC6. Regarding side effects, adverse of any grade were seen in 42(79.2%) patients who received TC4 and 23(95.8%) in patients who received TC6(p=0.091). Adverse events which were grade 3 or higher were seen in 7(15.9%) in TC4 group and 3(13%) in the TC6 group (p=1.000). Recurrence in the TC4 group was seen in 4 patients (7.5%) and 3(12.5%) patient in the TC6 group (p=0.259). Death due to breast cancer recurrence was seen in 1 patient (1.9%) in the TC4 group and 1(4.1%) patient in the TC6 group. Conclusions: In this limited series, TC4 appears to be equally effective to TC6, with fewer adverse events of any grade. However, a longer follow up and a larger patient base is required to be studied for a more definitive conclusion. Citation Format: Aparna Basu, Hadi A. Mohammed, Sharmeen Mahmood, Vrushali Dabak, Randa Loutfi. Four vs six cycles of docetaxel and cyclophosphamide (TC) in early stage triple-negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3353.
Primary Transplantation for Congenital Heart Disease in the Neonatal Period: Long-term Outcomes.

Background Primary transplantation was developed in the 1980s as an alternative therapy to palliative reconstruction of uncorrectable congenital heart disease. Although transplantation achieved more favorable results, its utilization has been limited by the availability of donor organs. This review examines the long-term outcomes of heart transplantation in neonates at our institution. Methods The institutional pediatric heart transplant database was queried for all neonatal heart transplants performed between 1985 and 2017. Follow-up was obtained from medical records and an annually administered questionnaire. Overall survival and time to development of complications were estimated using the Kaplan Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of survival. Results Heart transplantation was performed in 104 neonates. Median age was 17 days. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (classic or variant) was the primary diagnosis in 77.8% of patients. Survival at 10 years and 25 years was 73.9% and 55.8%, respectively. At 20 years, freedom from allograft vasculopathy and lymphoproliferative disease was 72.0% and 81.9%, respectively. Freedom from re-transplantation was 81.4% at 20 years. Eight patients (7.6%) developed end-stage renal disease. By multivariate analysis, lower glomerular filtration rate and allograft vasculopathy were the only significant predictors of death. Conclusions Neonatal heart transplantation remains a durable therapy with very acceptable long-term survival. Children transplanted in the newborn period have the potential to reach adulthood with minimal need for reintervention.
Heart Transplantation in Elderly Patients

Purpose Heart transplantation (HTx) is routine in many eligible patients of different ages including elderly. We investigated the 5 year to 10 year survival outcomes of elderly heart transplantation patients by analyzing the UNOS database. Methods 51,899 patients underwent heart transplantation that were reviewed from the UNOS database (1987-2014). HTx patients were divided into two different age groups based on recipient age, Results Out of 51,899 HTx patients, 51,165 were Conclusion Older heart transplant recipients started to showed gradually increasing statistical separation from the 8th year post-HTx, favoring the younger cohort. However, survival of elderly patients (≥70) to estimated 10 years survival is still a fair probability.
Single-Organ and Multisystem Hypereosinophilic Syndrome Patients with Gastrointestinal Manifestations Share Common Characteristics

Background Eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs) are defined by marked eosinophilia in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract resulting in a wide variety of GI symptoms. When accompanied by blood hypereosinophilia (HE; absolute eosinophil count ≥1500/mm3), EGID can occur as an isolated GI disorder (hypereosinophilic syndrome [HES]/EGID overlap) or as part of a multisystem hypereosinophilic syndrome (Multisystem HES). Objective To describe the GI disease of patients categorized as those with HES/EGID overlap versus those with Multisystem HES. Methods Consecutively enrolled patients on a natural history protocol to study eosinophilia with biopsy-proven EGID involving the esophagus, stomach, small-bowel, and/or colon were evaluated for clinical, histopathologic, and endoscopic features by retrospective chart review. Results Among the 56 patients with EGID and HE, 34 were categorized as HES/EGID overlap and 22 as Multisystem HES. Demographics, GI symptoms, and associated comorbidities were similar between the 2 groups. Multisegment GI eosinophilia was present in 20 of 30 (67%) patients who underwent tissue sampling of all 4 GI segments. Tissue eosinophilia in all 4 GI segments was found in 5 of 30 (17%) patients. Dietary therapy was more common in patients with HES/EGID overlap (65% vs 23%, P = .0028). Patients with Multisystem HES were more likely to receive glucocorticoids (100% vs 79%, P = .0349) and nonglucocorticoid systemic therapies (77% vs 38%, P = .0061). One-third (8 of 22) of patients with Multisystem HES presented with isolated GI symptoms before developing extraintestinal manifestations at a median of 1 year (range, 0.25-15 years). Conclusion There are striking clinical similarities between patients with Multisystem HES and those with HES/EGID overlap, despite differing treatment approaches. Moreover, Multisystem HES can present with isolated GI involvement. Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Comparison on status of soil transmitted nematodes infection in Ningxia rural populations between 2002 and 2011

Objective To understand the changes of soil transmitted nematodes infection status in Ningxia rural population between 2002 and 2011 and provide a scientific basis for prevention and treatment of parasitic diseases in the future Methods Random samples were collected from the residents at 46 survey points in seven counties (districts) of Ningxia according to the National Parasite Survey Program in 2002 and 2011.Roundworms eggs,whip worm eggs,pinworm eggs were detected in the stool with Kato-Katz thick smear and pinworm eggs were detected with cellophane anal swab method for children aged 3 to 12,The results of two survey on soil transmitted nematode infection status were then analyzed and compared.Results The infection rates of roundworm,pinworm,whipworm,hookworm were 5.79％ (627/10 829),6.65％ (171/2 570),0.20％ (7/10 829),0.08％ (3/10 829),respectively in 2002 while there were two species of soil transmitted nematodes i.e.rouudworm and pinworm with infection rates of 3.77％ (306/8 089)and 2.89％ (204/7 042)in 2011.In 2002,the total infection rate of soil transmitted nematodes was higher than 5％ in 5 out of 7 counties,including the highest Pengyang County with infection rate of 12.42％.In 2011,the total infection rate was higher than 5％ (5.06％) only in Haiyuanxian County.The infection rate was highest in children of 12-year-old age group based on two surveys.There was no significant difference for infection rates between genders or ethnic groups.The infection rates in pre-school children and students were higher than those in other occupational groups (x22002 =62.44,P ＜ 0.05; x22011 =27.29,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The infection rate of soil transmitted nematodes in Ningxia was down to 3.36％ in 2011 (509/15 131) from 6.04％ in 2002 (808/13 399),but the preschool and primary school students at individual economically backward areas with poor sanitation are still the focus of prevenlion in the future. Key words: Nematnde infection; Soil transmitted nematodes; Infection rate; Comparison; Rural areas; Ningxia
Counteracting Misleading Protobacco YouTube Videos: The Effects of Text-Based and Narrative Correction Interventions and the Role of Identification

YouTube’s propagation of misleading protobacco content to youth has the potential to increase their protobacco beliefs, attitudes, and smoking behavior. We assessed the effects of potential interventions aimed at ameliorating the effect of misleading protobacco videos. An online experiment randomly exposed past and current young tobacco users ( N = 716) between the ages of 15 and 19 years to real protobacco, pipe-focused YouTube content that was either shown in its original uncorrected form or edited to include either a propositional voiced and text-based rebuttal that warned about the health effects of smoking or a counternarrative that showed that a person who promoted protobacco messages was diagnosed with and eventually died from esophageal cancer. On average, the two interventions were equally effective at reducing the effects of protobacco messages on beliefs and attitudes. However, the narrative correction was more effective for participants who strongly identified with the character. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.