cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of Proteomics in Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease Management: An Integrative Review and Nursing Implications.

Background After allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, one of the major barriers to clinical management of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a lack of reliable and validated noninvasive tests for diagnosis and prognosis. Proteomic studies have indicated a strong correlation between the level of certain body fluid proteins and clinical outcomes after aGVHD. Specific proteins have been identified that could be robust biomarkers for overall prognosis or for differential diagnosis of target organs in aGVHD. Objectives The authors aimed to evaluate the literature related to proteomic biomarkers that are indicated in the occurrence, severity, and management of aGVHD. Methods PubMed and CINAHL® databases were searched for articles published from January 2004 to June 2014. Eight articles matching the inclusion criteria were identified, and the findings of these articles were summarized and their clinical implications noted. Findings Proteomics appears to be a promising tool to assist oncology nurses and nurse practitioners with patient education, develop personalized plans of care to reduce morbidity, initiate communication regarding end-of-life decisions, and improve overall nursing management of the population of patients with aGVHD.
Homozygous knockout of the piezo1 gene in the zebrafish is not associated with anemia

The human erythrocyte travels nearly 300 miles through 170,000 circuits of the circulatory system during its 120-day lifespan. This prolonged voyage subjects the red cell membrane to high and varied shear forces, to compression and stretching when traversing sinusoidal capillary beds, to osmotic shrinkage and swelling when passing through the renal medulla, to oxidative stress during repeated cycles of deoxygenation and re-oxygenation, to assault from the complement system, and to gradual loss of surface area from microvesicle shedding and from macrophage-mediated erythrophagocytosis. Volume regulatory ion transport systems help red cells adapt to these demands, and the transporters and channels that regulate red cell volume are controlled, at least in part, by membrane mechanosensors, including the cation channel, PIEZO1.1 Gain-of-function mutations in PIEZO1 cause autosomal dominant dehydrated stomatocytosis (DHSt), also known as xerocytosis, characterized by increased cell volume and Na+ content, decreased K+ content, and elevated MCHC,2–4 with often fully compensated anemia. The PIEZO1 mutants characterized to date in DHSt patients have been associated with delayed inactivation after channel opening.5 Piezo1 loss-of-function in the mouse is lethal at mid-gestation due to defective vasculogenesis,6,7 so the role of PIEZO1 in the mature circulating erythrocyte cannot be studied in the Piezo1 global knockout mouse.
On the Ising character of the quantum-phase transition in LiHoF 4

It is investigated how a transverse magnetic field affects the quantum-mechanical character of LiHoF4, a system generally considered as a textbook example for an Ising-like quantum-phase transition. In small magnetic fields, the low-temperature behavior of the ions is Ising-like, involving the nearly degenerate low-lying Jz = ± 8 doublet. However, as the transverse field increases, there is a substantial admixture of states having |Jz| < 8. Near the quantum-phase-transition field, the system is distinctively non-Ising like, and all Jz eigenstates yield ground-state contributions of comparable magnitude. A classical analog to this mechanism is the micromagnetic single point in magnets with uniaxial anisotropy. Since Ho3+ has J = 8, the ion’s behavior is reminiscent of the classical limit (J = ∞), but quantum corrections remain clearly visible.
Sarah M. Tauber, Open Minds, Devoted Hearts: Portraits of Adult Religious Educators (Pickwick Publications, Eugene, OR, 2015)

When I was working on my doctoral dissertation some decades ago, I received two bits of wisdom that I have often passed on to others who seek to establish themselves in a field of inquiry: (a) when...
Evaluation of rubber influence on cracking resistance of crumb rubber modified binders with wax additives

Cracking properties of crumb rubber modified (CRM) asphalt binders containing wax additive were evaluated through the dynamic shear rheometer test at 25 °C and the bending beam rheometer test at −1...
Detailed Processes of Surface Layer Formation in Borosilicate Waste Glass Dissolution

The morphology and chemical structure of surface layers formed during the aqueous leaching of the SRP-type borosilicate waste glass in simulated ground waters have been studied by SEM/EDXS, XRD, and surface spectroscopy. Comparison of layers formed in deionized, silicate, and brine waters shows the processes of both corrosion and precipitation to be highly localized. The corrosion process proceeds on the glass surface preferentially at points of stress and inhomogeneity. Crystalline and noncrystalline precipitates form in well-defined regions within the surface layers indicating the layer development process to be dominated by species migration and local saturation effects.
Statistical modeling of ICEEG features that determine resection planning.

Abstract Object The interpretation of intracranial EEG (ICEEG) recordings is a complex balance of the significance of specific rhythms and their relative timing to seizure onset. Ictal and interictal findings are evaluated in light of findings from cortical stimulation of eloquent cortex to determine the area of resection. Patients and methods Patients with ICEEG electrodes and subsequent surgical resection were retrospectively identified. Only the first 15 s of ictal activity, which was divided into five 3-s epochs, was considered. Every electrode in each patient was considered a separate observation in a logistic regression model to predict whether the cortex under a given electrode was included in the planned resection. Results 19 included patients had a total of 37 unique seizures. Recordings from a total of 1306 electrodes were analyzed. The strongest predictors of resection of cortex underlying a given electrode was the presence of low-voltage fast activity in Epoch 1, rhythmic spikes in Epoch 1, interictal paroxysmal fast activity, and low-voltage fast activity in Epoch 2. High-amplitude beta spikes and rhythmic slow waves were also significant predictors in Epoch 1. Interictal spikes had a higher odds ratio of affecting the planned resection if described as “continuous” or “very frequent”. The presence of motor or language cortex were the strongest negative predictors of resecting underlying cortex. Conclusions Here we describe a novel model of ictal and interictal patterns significantly associated with the inclusion of cortex underlying a given ICEEG electrode in the surgical resection plan.
Technique of orchiopexy.

SUMMARY Various techniques for the surgical placement of the testis into the scrotum have been described. Our policy at the present time is to salvage all testes if at all possible and position them at a site where they are readily palpable. Otherwise, an orchiectomy is performed. Orchiectomy is also reserved for the very late postpubertal male patient and for those patients with certain intersexual disorders in which the testis is known to be dysgenetic and prone to malignant degeneration.
Primary care management of patients with co-occurring disorders.

Primary care physicians (PCPs) often provide the first line of care for the vast number of United States adults—∼30% at any given time—with either a psychiatric or a substance use disorder, or both. The widespread prevalence of this comorbidity bears reiterating: During the same 12-month period, 20% of national survey respondents with a substance use disorder (SUD) had at least one mood disorder, and 17% had at least one anxiety disorder. Conversely, at least one SUD was found among 20% of respondents with a mood disorder and 15% of those with an anxiety disorder. However, because PCPs are often not aware of or alerted to these problems, it would seem advisable that patients presenting with either a psychiatric or an alcohol use disorder should be evaluated for both conditions. Establishing the presence of co-occurring disorders may be difficult, but it is necessary for appropriate and realistic treatment planning.
Aiding alternatives assessment with an uncertainty-tolerant hazard scoring method

This research developed a single-score system to simplify and clarify decision-making in chemical alternatives assessment, accounting for uncertainty. Today, assessing alternatives to hazardous constituent chemicals is a difficult task-rather than comparing alternatives by a single definitive score, many independent toxicological variables must be considered at once, and data gaps are rampant. Thus, most hazard assessments are only comprehensible to toxicologists, but business leaders and politicians need simple scores to make decisions. In addition, they must balance hazard against other considerations, such as product functionality, and they must be aware of the high degrees of uncertainty in chemical hazard data. This research proposes a transparent, reproducible method to translate eighteen hazard endpoints into a simple numeric score with quantified uncertainty, alongside a similar product functionality score, to aid decisions between alternative products. The scoring method uses Clean Production Action's GreenScreen as a guide, but with a different method of score aggregation. It provides finer differentiation between scores than GreenScreen's four-point scale, and it displays uncertainty quantitatively in the final score. Displaying uncertainty also illustrates which alternatives are early in product development versus well-defined commercial products. This paper tested the proposed assessment method through a case study in the building industry, assessing alternatives to spray polyurethane foam insulation containing methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). The new hazard scoring method successfully identified trade-offs between different alternatives, showing finer resolution than GreenScreen Benchmarking. Sensitivity analysis showed that different weighting schemes in hazard scores had almost no effect on alternatives ranking, compared to uncertainty from data gaps.
Designs against Charleston : the trial record of the Denmark Vesey Slave Conspiracy of 1822

On July 2, 1822, officials in Charleston, South Carolina, executed a free black carpenter named Denmark Vesey for planning what would have been the most extensive slave revolt in U.S. history. Only days before the rebellion was scheduled to begin, authorities learned of the plot and arrested and imprisoned those involved. That summer, more than a hundred black Charlestonians were put on trial for their part in the conspiracy. Thirty-five were eventually sent to the gallows. Designs against Charleston is a fascinating and comprehensive account of the Vesey conspiracy that uses both primary and secondary sources. Until now, readers interested in the trials have had to rely primarily on a heavily censored account published in 1822 by the men who tried the conspirators. This book contains the complete, verbatim transcript of the trials. Here, published for the first time, are the words of the accused as they were originally recorded in the courtroom. Pearson also discusses the social and cultural life of Charleston in the early nineteenth century, the political and religious ideas that inspired Vesey and his followers to plan the city's destruction, and, finally, the impact that the conspiracy and its aftermath had on the lives of South Carolinians, both black and white.
An IL-17–dominant immune profile is shared across the major orphan forms of ichthyosis

Background The ichthyoses are rare genetic disorders associated with generalized scaling, erythema, and epidermal barrier impairment. Pathogenesis-based therapy is largely lacking because the underlying molecular basis is poorly understood. Objective We sought to characterize molecularly cutaneous inflammation and its correlation with clinical and barrier characteristics. Methods We analyzed biopsy specimens from 21 genotyped patients with ichthyosis (congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma, n = 6; lamellar ichthyosis, n = 7; epidermolytic ichthyosis, n = 5; and Netherton syndrome, n = 3) using immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR and compared them with specimens from healthy control subjects, patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), and patients with psoriasis. Clinical measures included the Ichthyosis Area Severity Index (IASI), which integrates erythema (IASI-E) and scaling (IASI-S); transepidermal water loss; and pruritus. Results Ichthyosis samples showed increased epidermal hyperplasia (increased thickness and keratin 16 expression) and T-cell and dendritic cell infiltrates. Increases of general inflammatory (IL-2), innate (IL-1β), and some T H 1/interferon (IFN-γ) markers in patients with ichthyosis were comparable with those in patients with psoriasis or AD. TNF-α levels in patients with ichthyosis were increased only in those with Netherton syndrome but were much lower than in patients with psoriasis and those with AD. Expression of T H 2 cytokines (IL-13 and IL-31) was similar to that seen in control subjects. The striking induction of IL-17–related genes or markers synergistically induced by IL-17 and TNF-α (IL-17A/C, IL-19, CXCL1, PI3, CCL20, and IL36G; P r = 0.74, P Conclusion Our data associate a shared T H 17/IL-23 immune fingerprint with the major orphan forms of ichthyosis and raise the possibility of IL-17–targeting strategies.
Sexual health of endometrial cancer survivors before and after a physical activity intervention: A retrospective cohort analysis.

Abstract Objective Sexual dysfunction is common in endometrial cancer survivors (ECS). Our group previously tested a six-month exercise intervention in ECS. We performed a secondary analysis to determine intervention's impact on sexual health. Methods We studied 100 post-treatment Stage I-IIIa sedentary ECS who participated in a non-controlled, single-arm, home-based exercise intervention utilizing telephone counseling, printed material, and pedometers. Quality-of-life and physical activity measures were collected at baseline and six months. Sexual function (SF) and sexual interest (SI) scores were extracted from the QLACS questionnaire. Results Baseline SF and SI were lower in survivors with less than a four-year college degree (P Conclusions Although causation cannot be determined in this study, the correlation between receipt of an exercise intervention and improved sexual health for ECS is a novel finding. This finding suggests a role for physical activity as a strategy to improve the sexual health of ECS, which our group is examining in a larger prospective study.
Sexual Stereotypes Ascribed to Black Men Who Have Sex with Men: An Intersectional Analysis

Sexual stereotypes may adversely affect the health of Black men who have sex with men (MSM). Greater understanding of the nature and nuances of these stereotypes is needed. This online, survey-based study used an inductive, intersectional approach to characterize the sexual stereotypes ascribed to Black MSM by the U.S. general public, their distinctiveness from those ascribed to Black men and MSM in general, and their relative prototypicality as compared to dominant subgroups. Members of the public, recruited in 2014–2015, were randomly assigned to survey conditions that varied systematically by race (Black, White, or unspecified) and sexual orientation (gay, heterosexual, or unspecified) of a designated social group. Participants (n = 285) reported stereotypes of their assigned group that they perceived to exist in U.S. culture in an open-response format. Cross-condition comparisons revealed that, overall, Black gay male stereotypes were non-prototypical of Black men or gay men. Rather, stereotypes of Black men were more similar to Black heterosexual men and stereotypes of gay men were more similar to White gay men. Nonetheless, 11 of the 15 most frequently reported Black gay male stereotypes overlapped with stereotypes of Black men (e.g., large penis), gay men (e.g., deviant), or both (e.g., promiscuous). Four stereotypes were unique relative to both Black men and gay men: down low, diseased, loud, and dirty. Findings suggest that Black MSM face multiple derogatory sexual stereotypes, several of which are group-specific. These stereotypes are consistent with cultural (mis)representations of Black MSM and suggest a need for more accurate portrayals of existing sexual diversity within this group.
The Effect of Signal-to-Noise Ratio on Linguistic Processing in a Semantic Judgment Task: An Aging Study.

Background Aging effects on speech understanding in noise have primarily been assessed through speech recognition tasks. Recognition tasks, which focus on bottom-up, perceptual aspects of speech understanding, intentionally limit linguistic and cognitive factors by asking participants to only repeat what they have heard. On the other hand, linguistic processing tasks require bottom-up and top-down (linguistic, cognitive) processing skills and are, therefore, more reflective of speech understanding abilities used in everyday communication. The effect of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on linguistic processing ability is relatively unknown for either young (YAs) or older adults (OAs). Purpose To determine if reduced SNRs would be more deleterious to the linguistic processing of OAs than YAs, as measured by accuracy and reaction time in a semantic judgment task in competing speech. Research design In the semantic judgment task, participants indicated via button press whether word pairs were a semantic Match or No Match. This task was performed in quiet, as well as, +3, 0, -3, and -6 dB SNR with two-talker speech competition. Study sample Seventeen YAs (20-30 yr) with normal hearing sensitivity and 17 OAs (60-68 yr) with normal hearing sensitivity or mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss within age-appropriate norms. Data collection and analysis Accuracy, reaction time, and false alarm rate were measured and analyzed using a mixed design analysis of variance. Results A decrease in SNR level significantly reduced accuracy and increased reaction time in both YAs and OAs. However, poor SNRs affected accuracy and reaction time of Match and No Match word pairs differently. Accuracy for Match pairs declined at a steeper rate than No Match pairs in both groups as SNR decreased. In addition, reaction time for No Match pairs increased at a greater rate than Match pairs in more difficult SNRs, particularly at -3 and -6 dB SNR. False-alarm rates indicated that participants had a response bias to No Match pairs as the SNR decreased. Age-related differences were limited to No Match pair accuracies at -6 dB SNR. Conclusions The ability to correctly identify semantically matched word pairs was more susceptible to disruption by a poor SNR than semantically unrelated words in both YAs and OAs. The effect of SNR on this semantic judgment task implies that speech competition differentially affected the facilitation of semantically related words and the inhibition of semantically incompatible words, although processing speed, as measured by reaction time, remained faster for semantically matched pairs. Overall, the semantic judgment task in competing speech elucidated the effect of a poor listening environment on the higher order processing of words.
Successive Ionic Layer Absorption and Reaction for Postassembly Control over Inorganic Interdot Bonds in Long-Range Ordered Nanocrystal Films

Epitaxially connected assemblies of nanocrystals (NCs) present an interesting new class of nanomaterial in which confinement of charge carriers is intermediate between that of a quantum dot and a quantum well. Despite impressive advances in the formation of high-fidelity assemblies, predicted collective properties have not yet emerged. A critical knowledge gap toward realizing these properties is the current lack of understanding of and control over the formation of epitaxial interdot bonds connecting the NCs within the assemblies. In this work we demonstrate successive ionic layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) to enhance the interdot bonding within the NC assembly. SILAR treatment improved the fraction of interdot bonds from 82% to 91% and increased their width from 3.1 to 4.0 nm. Absorption spectra and charge transport measurements indicate that the effect of postassembly growth on quantum confinement in this system depends on the composition of the SILAR shell material. Increased NC film conductance ...
Tube-Based Model Predictive Control of Energy Storage Systems for Enhancing Transient Stability of Power Systems

In smart grids energy storage units are installed at different locations of the network. This paper proposes a method based on model predictive control (MPC) for enhancing the transient stability of power systems by controlling the charging and discharging state of superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) systems installed throughout power systems. To enhance the performance of the controller in presence of exogenous disturbances and modeling uncertainty a controller based on tube-based MPC is developed. The proposed method determines output active and reactive powers of SMES units at each time instance to improve the selected transient stability index defined based on the distance of the rotor angles of generators and the center of inertia of the power system. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method is able to enhance the transient stability of the system effectively.
Policy transfer via modularity and reward guiding

Non-prehensile manipulation, such as pushing, is an important function for robots to move objects and is sometimes preferred as an alternative to grasping. However, due to unknown frictional forces, pushing has been proven a difficult task for robots. We explore the use of reinforcement learning to train a robot to robustly push an object. In order to deal with the sample complexity of training such a method, we train the pushing policy in simulation and then transfer this policy to the real world. In order to ease the transfer from simulation, we propose to use modularity to separate the learned policy from the raw inputs and outputs; rather than training “end-to-end,” we decompose our system into modules and train only a subset of these modules in simulation. We further demonstrate that we can incorporate prior knowledge about the task into the state space and the reward function to speed up convergence. Finally, we introduce “reward guiding” to modify the reward function and further reduce the training time. We demonstrate, in both simulation and real-world experiments, that such an approach can be used to reliably push an object from many initial positions and orientations. Videos available at https://goo.gl/B7LtY3.
Transcriptomic signatures of schizophrenia revealed by dopamine perturbation in an ex vivo model

The dopaminergic hypothesis of schizophrenia (SZ) postulates that dopaminergic over activity causes psychosis, a central feature of SZ, based on the observation that blocking dopamine (DA) improves psychotic symptoms. DA is known to have both receptor- and non-receptor-mediated effects, including oxidative mechanisms that lead to apoptosis. The role of DA-mediated oxidative processes in SZ has been little studied. Here, we have used a cell perturbation approach and measured transcriptomic profiles by RNAseq to study the effect of DA exposure on transcription in B-cell transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) from 514 SZ cases and 690 controls. We found that DA had widespread effects on both cell growth and gene expression in LCLs. Overall, 1455 genes showed statistically significant differential DA response in SZ cases and controls. This set of differentially expressed genes is enriched for brain expression and for functions related to immune processes and apoptosis, suggesting that DA may play a role in SZ pathogenesis through modulating those systems. Moreover, we observed a non-significant enrichment of genes near genome-wide significant SZ loci and with genes spanned by SZ-associated copy number variants (CNVs), which suggests convergent pathogenic mechanisms detected by both genetic association and gene expression. The study suggests a novel role of DA in the biological processes of immune and apoptosis that may be relevant to SZ pathogenesis. Furthermore, our results show the utility of pathophysiologically relevant perturbation experiments to investigate the biology of complex mental disorders.
Value proposition of robotic total knee arthroplasty: what can robotic technology deliver in 2018 and beyond?

Introduction: Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has undergone marked development and increasingly gained interest with multiple studies demonstrating excellent clinical and radiographi...
Commonality and clinical, pathological, and prognostic characteristics of non-V600E BRAF mutations (BRAFMut) in metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRC) compared to V600 BRAFMut CRCs.

3529Background: BRAF mutations occur in approximately 10% of patients with CRC. Compared with patients with unmutated mCRC, V600 BRAFMutCRCs are associated with older age, female gender, right-side...
Torsional strengthening of reinforced concrete beams with externally bonded composites: A state of the art review

Abstract The use of externally bonded (EB) fiber reinforced composites to strengthen reinforced concrete (RC) structures has been explored extensively in recent decades. While many studies have been conducted on the flexural, shear, and axial strengthening of RC members, far fewer studies have been conducted on torsional strengthening. Thus, the knowledge on the behavior of RC members strengthened in torsion with EB composites is rather limited. The aim of this paper was to present a comprehensive review and evaluation of torsional strengthening of RC beams using EB composites. A detailed survey of the literature was conducted, and a database of experimental tests was developed. The database includes beams reinforced with EB fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) and EB fiber reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) composites. The effectiveness of the strengthening system was examined in terms of geometrical and mechanical characteristics of the RC beam, composite type, and composite wrapping configuration. Different modes of failure of the strengthened beams were also discussed. Additionally, analytical and numerical methods developed to predict the torsional response of RC beams strengthened with EB composites were summarized and discussed. Finally, design provisions were examined based on the knowledge gained from this study.
Continuous-Flow Synthesis of Thermochromic M-Phase VO2 Particles via Rapid One-Step Hydrothermal Reaction: Effect of Mixers

VO2 particles are promising materials for thermochromic smart windows that reduce building energy loss. Continuous-flow hydrothermal processes showcase advantages for synthesizing VO2 particles compared with traditional batch reaction systems. Mixers play a crucial role in particle fabrication in continuous-flow systems. In this study, a Center T-Mixer and a Collision Cross-Mixer are developed and implemented in a hot water fluidized suspension reaction (HWFSR) system. The influence of the resident time on the particle phase and size was evaluated, and properties of particles derived from systems equipped with differing mixers were compared. The resulting particles were characterized using techniques of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). When compared with the Center T-Mixer, results indicate that the Collision Cross-Mixer has better control regarding the morphology and size distribution of resulting particles while improving the transition temperatures of the as-synthesized materials. HWFSR systems containing novel mixer designs are capable of producing pure M-phase VO2 particles in a single step contrary to the current reactor design that use a second postheat treatment step, and they are capable of synthesizing many other nanoparticle species, especially those requiring high temperature and pressure reaction conditions.
110th Anniversary: A Case Study on Developing Accurate and Reliable Excess Gibbs Energy Correlations for Industrial Application

Excess Gibbs energy (GE) or activity-coefficient models have a strong niche in applied thermodynamics since they provide an effective method to correlate and estimate phase equilibrium for nonideal systems. The history of their development is well represented by many papers in the technical literature, and notably in the five score and ten years of publications in Industrial & Engineering Chemistry. The science and technology has moved from formulating and establishing ideas and concepts to the automation of modern software, where phase-equilibrium correlations are often developed by algorithms with little or no expert human intervention. In addition, there is belief among practitioners that increasingly theoretical models, based upon molecular thermodynamics, will lead to more accurate correlations and with wider applicability. In this paper we use an apparently complex, but actually simple system (the lower alcohols), to study the development of GE correlations for industrial application. The subjects f...
The Effects of Case Timing and Care Team Composition on Hospital Operating Room Costs For Endovascular Procedures

Background The contemporary healthcare environment is complex with mounting pressures to perform greater procedural volumes with less support staff to minimize costs and maximize efficiency. This report details an analysis of routine endovascular procedures performed with dedicated vascular support staff during daytime hours compared to similar cases performed after hours with general operating room staff. Methods All lower extremity endovascular cases over a 37-month period were identified using Current Procedural Terminology codes from a query of our institutional database. Emergent/urgent cases and cases with associated open surgical procedures were excluded. Cases were divided according to the time of day and available clinical support structure according to procedure start time: specialty-specific daytime (SS) and general staff after hours for all others (AH). The resulting case list was examined by case type according to SS or AH designation and case types occurring disproportionately during either time frame were excluded to create a homogenous group of cases. Demographics, case specifics, and cost data were then obtained from the electronic health record and our enterprise cost data warehouse. Multivariable mixed linear modeling was used to examine component costs (i.e., anesthesia, supplies, etc.) and total costs controlling for a number of factors that could affect cost. Results Two hundred fifty-two routine endovascular-only procedures were examined in 232 patients (190 SS, 42 AH). No significant differences in procedure specifics were observed between the groups [number and location of access site(s), indication for procedure, type and number of interventions, etc.]. Multivariable analyses controlled for factors affecting costs. Costs associated with anesthesia (cost ratio 1.90, P = 0.001), operating room time costs (cost ratio 1.29, P = 0.03), and post anesthesia recovery (cost ratio 1.23, P = 0.004) were all significantly increased in AH cases compared to SS cases. The average total hospital cost for routine endovascular cases that performed AH was $8,095 compared to $5,636 for SS cases (cost ratio 1.44, P = 0.008). Conclusions Performance of routine endovascular cases was associated with significantly less cost to the hospital system when performed by SS teams during regular hospital hours with a ∼30% increase in total cost associated with AH cases. In the current healthcare environment, investments in SS teams and process improvements are likely to be cost effective.
Stem Cell Mobilization Using 5 Pm Dosing of Plerixafor.

Abstract 4233 Introduction Based on the superiority of plerixafor plus G-CSF (PG) compared to G-CSF (G) alone for mobilizing autologous stem cells, PG has been approved for stem cell mobilization in patients with multiple myeloma and NHL. PG may also be useful for mobilizing stem cells in patients who have failed mobilization with G alone or chemotherapy plus G. Although pivotal studies in myeloma and NHL employed evening (10 pm) dosing of P in order to capture peak mobilizing activity of PG 10-11 hours later, this schedule is inconvenient. Methods: A regimen using 5 pm dosing of P was employed in 17 patients (9 NHL, 7 myeloma, 1 germ cell tumor) including 10 patients who received PG and 7 pts who transitioned to PG after chemo plus G. Apheresis was performed at 8:30 am after P. Four patients had failed previous mobilization with chemo plus G and 4 pts were expected to be poor mobilizers because of prior Rx (lenalidomide 3, fludarabine 1). In nine patients, P was added to G (2 pts) or chemo plus G (7 pts) during the mobilization episode because of inadequate stem cell collections. Results An engraftable dose (> 2.5 × 10E6CD34/kg) of stem cells was achieved in all eight pts who either failed prior mobilization or were anticipated to be poor mobilizers because of past Rx and in 6 of 9 pts who had P added during suboptimal mobilization with either G (2/2) or chemo plus G (4/7). In successfully mobilized pts (14/17), the median number of CD34 cells collected was 6 × 10E6/kg in two aphereses. In the latter group, the median CD34 count/μl on the first day after P was 29 (R: 11-161) and had increased a median of 4.5 fold (R: 2.75 – 40.2) compared to one day earlier. Six pts have had transplant with a median WBC and platelet recovery of 10 and 11 days, respectively. Conclusions: PG with 5 pm dosing of P and apheresis at 8:30 the next morning was effective in pts who failed prior mobilization and in pts expected to be poor mobilizers because of prior Rx. Further studies are required to determine the efficacy and optimal scheduling of P when added during suboptimal chemo plus G mobilization. Disclosures: Off Label Use: Plerixafor is a stem cell mobilizing agent that is approved for multiple myeloma and NHL. One patient with a germ cell tumor has been included in this study of an alternative mobilization strategy. Foss: Eisai : Speakers Bureau.
A data-driven approach to predicting diabetes and cardiovascular disease with machine learning

Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are two of the main causes of death in the United States. Identifying and predicting these diseases in patients is the first step towards stopping their progression. We evaluate the capabilities of machine learning models in detecting at-risk patients using survey data (and laboratory results), and identify key variables within the data contributing to these diseases among the patients. Our research explores data-driven approaches which utilize supervised machine learning models to identify patients with such diseases. Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset, we conduct an exhaustive search of all available feature variables within the data to develop models for cardiovascular, prediabetes, and diabetes detection. Using different time-frames and feature sets for the data (based on laboratory data), multiple machine learning models (logistic regression, support vector machines, random forest, and gradient boosting) were evaluated on their classification performance. The models were then combined to develop a weighted ensemble model, capable of leveraging the performance of the disparate models to improve detection accuracy. Information gain of tree-based models was used to identify the key variables within the patient data that contributed to the detection of at-risk patients in each of the diseases classes by the data-learned models. The developed ensemble model for cardiovascular disease (based on 131 variables) achieved an Area Under - Receiver Operating Characteristics (AU-ROC) score of 83.1% using no laboratory results, and 83.9% accuracy with laboratory results. In diabetes classification (based on 123 variables), eXtreme Gradient Boost (XGBoost) model achieved an AU-ROC score of 86.2% (without laboratory data) and 95.7% (with laboratory data). For pre-diabetic patients, the ensemble model had the top AU-ROC score of 73.7% (without laboratory data), and for laboratory based data XGBoost performed the best at 84.4%. Top five predictors in diabetes patients were 1) waist size, 2) age, 3) self-reported weight, 4) leg length, and 5) sodium intake. For cardiovascular diseases the models identified 1) age, 2) systolic blood pressure, 3) self-reported weight, 4) occurrence of chest pain, and 5) diastolic blood pressure as key contributors. We conclude machine learned models based on survey questionnaire can provide an automated identification mechanism for patients at risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. We also identify key contributors to the prediction, which can be further explored for their implications on electronic health records.
Transcriptome landscape of myeloid cells in human skin reveals diversity, rare populations and putative DC progenitors.

Abstract Background The heterogeneous functions of dermal myeloid cells in antigen presentation, and scavenging pathogens and cell debris places them centrally in cutaneous inflammation. Single cell transcriptomics can provide new understanding of the heterogeneity and function of yet incompletely understood human dermal myeloid cell subsets. Objective Investigate the transcriptome landscape of myeloid cells in healthy human skin. Methods Single cell RNA-sequencing was performed on skin biopsies from ten healthy donors and analyzed to identify myeloid cell populations. Results One LIN− HLA-DR+ cluster with expression of myeloid-specific genes was identified as a cluster of myeloid cells. Upon reanalysis of this cluster, we identified three macrophage subsets, marked by high expression of CCR1, MARCO or TREM2; and six dendritic cell subsets, marked by high expression of CLEC9A, CXorf21, MCOLN2, LAMP3, KIAA0101 and Langerin, representing respectively cDC1, two subsets of cDC2, a novel DC type, a cluster of proliferating DC, and a Langerhans cell subset. GO term analysis indicated specialized functions for the discrete rare populations of myeloid cells: TREM2 Mφ in lipid metabolism and LAMP3 DC as a mature cDC. Proliferating DCs appeared to represent cDC2 progenitors. Conclusion The transcriptional landscape of myeloid cell populations in human skin indicates several, novel populations with specialized functions, as well as a rare proliferating DC population that likely accounts for local regeneration or expansion of dermal DCs. We provide robust gene expression markers for each of these populations that should permit better understandings of their roles in various homeostatic and pathologic immune processes in the skin.
Put ethics and fun into your computer course

This article describes a fun yet informative approach to covering ethical issues in a Systems Analysis and Design course. By assigning a series of readings, collectively known as “The Case of the Killer Robot,” students were exposed to a number of realistic ethical situations as well as a great deal of knowledge that is part of the computer science and information systems curriculums. Based on the results from two questionnaires, by the end of the course the students had an increased knowledge of ethical issues, a stronger concern for ethical issues, and a greater awareness of the importance of ethics in the workplace.
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Among Midlife Women: A Feasibility Study Comparing a Combined Sleep and Lifestyle Intervention With a Standard Lifestyle Intervention.

PurposeThe purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of adding a sleep extension intervention to a well-established diabetes prevention interv...
A Shot in the Dark: A Technique for Locating the Stellar Counterparts of Damped Lyman Alpha Absorbers

We present initial results from a Magellan telescope program to image galaxies that give rise to damped Lyman absorbers (DLAs) at 1.63 3.5. The higher-redshift LLS is applied as a blocking filter to remove the glare of the background quasar at the rest-frame ultraviolet wavelengths of the foreground galaxy. The complete absence of quasar light offers an unimpeded view along the sightline to the redshift of the LLS, allowing an exhaustive search for the DLA galaxy to the sensitivity limit of the imaging data (at or better than 0.25L*). In both of our pilot fields (PKS2000-330, z_DLA=2.033 and SDSS0322-0558, z_DLA=1.69), we identify an L* galaxy within 5" of the sightline which has optical colors consistent with star-forming galaxies at z~2. We examine the correlation between absorption-line properties and galaxy luminosity and impact distance, and compare the high-redshift galaxy and absorber pairs with those known at z<1.
Transformations, Comparisons, and Analysis of Down to Up Protomer States of Variants of the SARS-CoV-2 Prefusion Spike Protein Including the UK Variant B.1.1.7

Monitoring and strategic response to variants in SARS-CoV-2 represents a considerable challenge in the current pandemic, as well as potentially future viral outbreaks of similar magnitude. In particular mutations and deletions involving the virion9s prefusion Spike protein have significant potential impact on vaccines and therapeutics that utilize this key structural viral protein in their mitigation strategies. In this study, we have demonstrated how dominant energetic landscape mappings ("glue points") coupled with sequence alignment information can potentially identify or flag key residue mutations and deletions associated with variants. Surprisingly, we also found excellent homology of stabilizing residue glue points across the lineage of β coronavirus Spike proteins, and we have termed this as "sequence homologous glue points". In general, these flagged residue mutations and/or deletions are then computationally studied in detail using all-atom biocomputational molecular dynamics over approximately one microsecond in order to ascertain structural and energetic changes in the Spike protein associated variants. Specifically, we examined both a theoretically-based triple mutant and the so-called UK or B.1.1.7 variant. For the theoretical triple mutant, we demonstrated through Alanine mutations, which help "unglue" key residue-residue interactions, that these three key stabilizing residues could cause the transition of Down to Up protomer states, where the Up protomer state allows binding of the prefusion Spike protein to hACE2 host cell receptors, whereas the Down state is believed inaccessible. Thus, we are able to demonstrate the importance of glue point residue identification in the overall stability of the prefusion Spike protein. For the B.1.1.7 variant, we demonstrated the critical importance of D614G and N5017 on the structure and binding, respectively, of the Spike protein. Notably, we had previously identified D614 as a key glue point in the inter-protomer stabilization of the Spike protein prior to the emergence of its mutation. The mutant D614G is a structure breaking Glycine mutation demonstrating a relatively more distal Down state RBD and a more stable conformation in general. In addition, we demonstrate that the mutation N501Y may significantly increase the Spike protein binding to hACE2 cell receptors through its interaction with Y41 of hACE2 forming a potentially strong hydrophobic residue binding pair. We note that these two key mutations, D614G and N501Y, are also found in the so-called South African (SA; B.1.351) variant of SARS-CoV-2. Future studies along these lines are, therefore, aimed at mapping glue points to residue mutations and deletions of associated prefusion Spike protein variants in order to help identify and analyze possible "variants of interest" and optimize efforts aimed at the mitigation of this current and future virions.
The Yeast Hex3·Slx8 Heterodimer Is a Ubiquitin Ligase Stimulated by Substrate Sumoylation

Hex3 and Slx8 are Saccharomyces cerevisiae proteins with important functions in DNA damage control and maintenance of genomic stability. Both proteins have RING domains at their C termini. Such domains are common in ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like protein ligases (E3s), but little was known about the molecular functions of either protein. In this study we identified HEX3 as a high-copy suppressor of a temperature-sensitive small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) protease mutant, ulp1ts, suggesting that it may affect cellular SUMO dynamics. Remarkably, even a complete deletion of ULP1 is strongly suppressed. Hex3 forms a heterodimer with Slx8. We found that the Hex3.Slx8 complex has a robust substrate-specific E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. In this E3 complex, Slx8 appears to bear the core ligase function, with Hex3 strongly enhancing its activity. Notably, SUMO attachment to a substrate stimulates its Hex3.Slx8-dependent ubiquitination, primarily through direct noncovalent interactions between SUMO and Hex3. Our data reveal a novel mechanism of substrate targeting in which sumoylation of a protein can help trigger its subsequent ubiquitination by recruiting a SUMO-binding ubiquitin ligase.
Effects of Predator-Induced Stress and Age on Working Memory in Rats

The effects of age and predator-induced stress, by exposing rats to a cat, were examined during subsequent testing of spatial working memory. Male rats (3 months and 20 months of age) were trained on a spatial delayed-alternation task using an elevated T maze. After subgroups were given intermittent protected-exposure sessions over a 3-day period to cats or to a control condition, they were tested on the working memory task. The old rats took more trials to reach training criterion. Overall, both stress-exposed groups exhibited a decline in accuracy 24 hr later and recovered completely during the subsequent test sessions. Surprisingly, young stressed rats showed significantly greater decrements in accuracy than old stressed rats. However, exposure to the stressor resulted in decreases in response speed that were comparable for both age groups. These findings are discussed in terms of possible changes in glucocorticoids, plasma corticosterone, and endogenous opioids that are known to be affected by age and stress and have been shown to influence spatial working memory.
TNF Modulates The Gut Microbiota And Drives Inflammation

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) consists of Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease (CD). The etiology remains unclear; however tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is known to promote the inflammation seen...
Sources, Transport, and Losses of Energetic Particles During Geomagnetic Storms

We discuss the main source, transport, and loss mechanisms for energetic (∼1-300 keV) particles during geomagnetic storms. The importance of both solar wind and ionospheric sources is shown. Examples for ring current formation and decay from physics-based models using multi-point satellite measurements are given. Both numerical simulations and global imaging satellite data confirm the asymmetric ring current morphology during the main and early recovery storm phases; the ring current becomes symmetric during the late recovery phase. Ring current evolution depends on the interplay of time-dependent inflow of plasma from the magnetotail, earthward transport and acceleration, and outflow of plasma from the dayside magnetopause. The enhancement and drop of plasma sheet density at geosynchronous thus propagate inward and contribute to ring current buildup and decay, respectively. Recent global simulations suggest that magnetospheric convection plays a dominant role for ring current formation, although radial diffusion and substorm-induced electric fields contribute as well. In particular, radial diffusion injects particles at energies E > 100 keV deep into the magnetosphere (L < 4). Charge exchange, Coulomb collisions, and wave-particle interactions dominate the loss of medium, low, and high energy ring current ions, respectively. Intense EMIC waves are generated near the plasmapause during storm time. These waves scatter protons at E ≥ 10 keV into the loss cone and reduce the total energy of the ring current H + component by more than 10%.