cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuroepileptic correlates of autistic symptomatology in tuberous sclerosis

Tuberous sclerosis is a genetic condition that is strongly associated with the development of an autism spectrum disorder. However, there is marked variability in expression, and only a subset of children with tuberous sclerosis develop autism spectrum disorder. Clarification of the mechanisms that underlie the association and variability in expression will potentially throw light on the biological processes involved in the etiology of idiopathic forms of autism spectrum disorder. Current evidence indicates that the likelihood of a child with tuberous sclerosis developing an autism spectrum disorder is greater if the child has a mutation in the TSC2 gene, although autism can and does develop in children with TSC1 mutations. The likelihood is also greater if the child has early-onset infantile spasms that are difficult to control, especially if there is an epileptiform focus in the temporal lobes. The emerging evidence is consistent with the notion that early onset electrophysiological disturbances within the temporal lobes (and perhaps other locations) has a deleterious effect on the development and establishment of key social cognitive representations concerned with processing social information, perhaps especially from faces. However, alternative mechanisms to account for the findings cannot yet be ruled out. Future research will have to employ prospective longitudinal designs and treatment trials to clarify the processes involved.
Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Risk of Glioma and Meningioma Following Radiotherapy

Pediatric cancer survival rates have improved significantly over the past several decades as advances have been made in both therapies and supportive care. Improved survival rates have been accompanied by increased recognition of therapy-related late effects, such as second neoplasms. Two of the most common classes of pediatric cancers include acute leukemias and tumors of the central nervous system, both of which have historically involved CNS-directed radiation therapy. Through multiple childhood cancer survivor cohorts, it has been recognized that survivors previously treated with radiation to the central nervous system are at increased risk for developing secondary gliomas and meningiomas, both of which have been shown to occur at well-defined time points and in a dose-responsive fashion. Based on these findings, current era treatment protocols have been modified to minimize toxicity and reduce the use of radiation when possible. Long term follow up of cancer survivors remains an imperative part of their ongoing care given the long latency period that has been observed to development of secondary CNS tumors.
Surveillance and the City

Sophisticated surveillance equipment is finding its way to local police departments. From drones, to automated license plate readers, to surplus military equipment, police departments have been acquiring powerful technology, oftentimes without the direct oversight of the elected representatives who are supposed to oversee them. Perhaps more problematic, that equipment is collecting massive amounts of data, and it is unclear whether state and local governments have the capacity or desire to manage vast stores of information in a way that both protects privacy and is publicly accountable.What should city council’s do? I will argue that hoping for reform through a court centric, warrant based approach is unworkable and counterproductive. Instead, governments should adopt a variety of transparency, accountability, and oversight centered methods of reform. Specifically, they should create duration based limits on persistent surveillance, enhanced data retention procedures, and implement new transparency and accountability measures. Cities should also recognize that while technology may create privacy harms, if regulated properly, it may be more protective of privacy than non-technologically enhanced surveillance methods. The article also recognizes that despite the potential benefits of new technology, the actual impact of new surveillance technologies may be one that disproportionately burdens minority communities. The article explores six main questions. Will duration-based surveillance legislation that limits the aggregate amount of time the government may surveil a specific individual be more protective of rights than warrant based surveillance rules? How might data retention procedures (that require heightened levels of suspicion and increased procedural protections for accessing stored data) serve to protect privacy? What transparency and accountability measures will best ensure that government agencies are accountable? Will new technology, such as auto-redaction and accountability logs, make automated surveillance more protective of privacy than human surveillance? How can we ensure that new surveillance technologies do not disproportionately target certain communities? Do surveillance technologies require new forms of oversight?
Encephalitis in the Newborn Pup due to a Canine Herpesvirus

A puppy with natural infection, none of 4 puppies examined 18 to 48 hours after experimental infection, and all of 13 puppies examined 3 to 9 days after experimental infection with a canine herpesvirus had lesions of the central nervous system. These constituted a non-suppurative meningoencephalomyelitis, characterized by focal and segmental destruction of gray and white matter and diffuse and focal microgliosis. In general, the gray matter was most severely involved, especially within the brain stem. The histopathologic findings in this disease are comparable to those in other herpetic encephalitides.
Accepting a Scholarly Identity: Gifted Students, Academic Crowd Membership, and Identification with School.

This study examined identification with school among middle school students and its relationship with academic crowd membership, a public expression of one’s academic orientation. Of the 127 Grade ...
Utilization of Autologous and Directed Donations in a University Hospital

We have reviewed our experience with autologous and directed donations over the last S years. There has been a steady increase in the number of patients participating and in the number of units collected in both programs. Autologous donors had a significantly higher percentage ofpositivity in rapid plasmin reagin and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-Ab (ELISA) testing than in random donors, although confirmatory tests in this group were negative. There was no significant difference in the results of donor testing between directed and random donors. None of the autologous and directed donors was positive for HIV-Ab by Western blot. Directed donations seemed to be as safe as random ones. Analysis of our total hospital population showed that there has been a steady and continuous growth in both of these programs.
Analysis of Death Causes Among Residents Jinzhou District of Dalian,2006-2009

Objective To understand the health status of the residents in Jinzhou district and the related factors,provide scientific evidence for the targeted intervention.Methods The death cause data obtained from"National death cause registering and reporting information system"were analyzed by using the software Death Reg 2005 designated by the Ministry of Health and classified according to ICD-10.Results The average annual mortality was 749.92 /105 among the residents in Jinzhou district from 2006 to 2009,and the standardized mortality was 406.17/105.The first 5 death causes were circulatory disease,cancer,injury/poisoning,respiratory disease and endocrine system disease.The major death cause in infants was perinatal disease,in adolescents was injury/poisoning,in adults was cancer and in elder people was circulatory disease.The first 3 diseases causing heavy life lost were cancer,injury/poisoning and circulatory disease.Conclusion Chronic non-communicable diseases including circulatory disease and cancer as well as injury had become the major death causes among the residents in Jinzhou district.
Efficacy of gel bait against cockroaches

Objective To observe the efficacy of gel bait against cockroaches in hotel.Methods Having experiment of killing cockroaches at some rooms in the hotel.Results Before experiment,the average density of cockroaches was 11.6 pieces per 15 min.For 3,5,7 d after using the gel bait,the density were 0.4,0.1,0 piece per 15 min respectively.The killing rates were 96.6%,98.8%,100%.Three monthes later no alive cockroaches were found in each room.Conclusion The gel bait had good efficacy for killing cockroaches in hotel.And it could achieve a purpose of controlling cockroaches for a long time.
Environmental factors influencing the occurrence of coyotes and conflicts in urban areas

Abstract The increase of global urbanization can have effects on wildlife species, including carnivores such as coyotes ( Canis latrans ). As coyotes continue to settle in more urban areas, reports of human-coyote conflicts, such as attacks on humans or pets, may also increase. Understanding environmental variables that might influence whether or not coyotes and human-coyote conflicts will occur in certain urban areas may assist wildlife officials in creating management plans for urban wildlife. We conducted a survey of 105 urban areas in the United States requesting information on the occurrence of coyotes and human-coyote conflicts. We analyzed the responses with data on human population size, geographic region, land cover, housing density, and precipitation. Larger urban areas were more likely to contain both coyotes and human-coyote conflicts, and were also more likely to have greater numbers of conflicts. Urban areas in the western regions with larger amounts of high-intensity development and less forested and agricultural areas were more likely to have conflicts. Most urban areas considered the management of conflicts to be of low priority and emphasized education of citizens rather than removal of individual coyotes. Our results may assist urban wildlife managers in understanding the geographic and demographic factors correlated with the occurrence of coyotes and human-coyote conflicts. Practices such as education campaigns and landscape design incorporating wildlife habitat modifications (e.g., reducing dense cover) may reduce human-carnivore conflicts in urban ecosystems.
A Sense of Mission

Ficino had a mission. From here in the twentieth century, a mission to revive Plato seems like an ‘ivory tower’ project, exactly the type of research we might query when funds run low at a university. Where is the impact on society or real-world implications? But Ficino’s mission was meant to have such implications. He wanted to change the world using Plato. The Platonic revival did not end up being what Ficino had originally intended. But Ficino’s intention, his original mission, inevitably shaped the construction of the revival. It may not be our mission and it may not have changed the world, but understanding this mission plays an important role in showing us why we have the inheritance that we do from Ficino. Somehow we, here and now, have to build the mental bridge between Platonism and changing the world.
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography

Publisher Summary Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial malignancy that occurs worldwide with particularly high frequency in southern China, parts of Southeast Asia, Northern Africa, and Alaska. The etiological factors for endemic NPC include Epstein-Barr virus, environmental factors, and genetic susceptibility. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is a unique imaging modality for functional evaluation of NPC. PET is a whole-body functional imaging technique that provides information about tissue metabolism. FDG-PET helps in the evaluation of head and neck malignancy by pinpointing the regions of accelerated glucose metabolism using the radionuclide FDG. It facilitates the identification of viable tumors within the fibrotic areas in the irradiated field and helps to differentiate tumor recurrence from post-treatment inflammation. Since FDG-PET can scan the whole body, it has another advantage of disclosing distant metastasis in a single session. However, due to its inherent relatively poor anatomic resolution, FDG-PET cannot accurately define the local anatomic extent of the tumor and thus cannot be used in isolation for tumor staging. FDG-PET has a role in accurate mapping of nodal spread and in delineating tumor-bearing tissue for the planning of conformal radiotherapy. By virtue of its high sensitivity in disclosing unexpected distant metastasis, FDG-PET is most feasible in NPC patients with advanced nodal stage.
Counseling Addicted Families: An Integrated Assessment and Treatment Model

In Counseling Addicted Families, Gerald A. Juhnke and William Bryce Hagedorn recognize that even those treatment providers who understand the importance of the familial context of addiction are often stymied by the variety of family treatment theories and their often imperfect fit for cases of addiction. In this book, Juhnke and Hagedorn provide a truly integrated model for assessment and treatment. Based upon the authors’ combined twenty-three years of experience in clinical and treatment supervision, the Integrated Family Addictions Model consists of six progressive treatment tiers which organize the relevant family treatment theories into a graduated and coherent sequence, beginning with the briefest and least costly forms of therapy.
Flood regime typology for floodplain ecosystem management as applied to the unregulated Cosumnes River of California, United States

Author(s): Whipple, AA; Viers, JH; Dahlke, HE | Abstract: Floods, with their inherent spatiotemporal variability, drive floodplain physical and ecological processes. This research identifies a flood regime typology and approach for flood regime characterization, using unsupervised cluster analysis of flood events defined by ecologically meaningful metrics, including magnitude, timing, duration, and rate of change as applied to the unregulated lowland alluvial Cosumnes River of California, United States. Flood events, isolated from the 107-year daily flow record, account for approximately two-thirds of the annual flow volume. Our analysis suggests six flood types best capture the range of flood event variability. Two types are distinguished primarily by high peak flows, another by later season timing and long duration, two by small magnitudes separated by timing, and the last by later peak flow within the flood event. The flood regime was also evaluated through inter- and intra-annual frequency of the identified flood types, their relationship to water year conditions, and their long-term trends. This revealed, for example, year-to-year variability in flood types, associations between wet years and high peak magnitude types and between dry years and the low magnitude, late season flood type, and increasing and decreasing contribution to total annual flow in the highest two peak magnitude classes, respectively. This research focuses needed attention on floodplains, flood hydrology, ecological implications, and the utility of extending flow regime classification typically used for environmental flow targets. The approach is broadly applicable and extensible to other systems, where findings can be used to understand physical processes, assess change, and improve management strategies.
Stochastic inversion for the roll gyradius second moment mass property in ships at full-scale and model-scale

In current Naval Architecture practice, employing static considerations is an important and necessary step in assessing ship stability and seakeeping properties (e.g. inclining experiments, load line regulations, range of stability calculations). However, damaged vessels and vessels operating in heavy weather or in conditions where topside icing is a concern may require an additional assessment of stability that considers dynamic effects. Within such contexts, the actual (i.e. current) second moment properties of the vessel mass become very important in the associated equations of motion for a given ship. One such critical second mass moment property is the roll gyradius, as it is closely related to the occurrence of capsizing. The present paper furnishes a means for reckoning the actual roll gyradius of a given ship operating within a seaway. The approach hinges on the formulation and solution of a stochastic inverse problem that leverages existing seakeeping software against the shipboard inertial measurement unit (IMU) telemetry. The method is demonstrated at full-scale and validated at model scale.
The Comprehensive Business Exam: Usefulness for Assessing Instructional and Student Performance Outcomes.

ABSTRACTThe authors explore the results of the Comprehensive Business Exam (CBE) administered to business majors during their senior-year business capstone course. The study results identified students' SAT and grade point average as a predictor of CBE performance, and variables that explain the correlation between CBE performance, SAT score, and grade point average are discussed. This study expands the research stream by demonstrating how faculty can use CBE information to more deeply assess student learning at both the course and instructor level than is possible with the Major Field Test for Bachelor's Degree in Business.
Postdischarge smoking cessation in subgroups of hospitalized smokers: A latent class analysis.

Background: Hospitalization presents a window of opportunity to treat smoking, and hospital-initiated smoking treatment has demonstrated effectiveness. Despite effective interventions, not all smok...
Barriers Faced by Coding Bootcamp Students

Coding bootcamps are a new and understudied way of training new software developers. To learn about the barriers bootcamp students face, we interviewed twenty-six coding bootcamp students and analyzed the interviews using the Communities of Practice framework. We found that bootcamps can be part of an alternate path into the software industry and they provided a second chance for those who missed computing education opportunities earlier, particularly for women. While bootcamps represented a second chance, students entering the industry through bootcamps faced great personal costs and risks, often including significant time, money and effort spent before, during, and after their bootcamps. Though the coursework of bootcamps only ranged from three to six months, career change could take students a year or more, with some students even attending sections of multiple bootcamps.
PDT dose dosimetry for Photofrin-mediated pleural photodynamic therapy (pPDT)

Photosensitizer fluorescence excited by photodynamic therapy (PDT) treatment light can be used to monitor the in vivo concentration of the photosensitizer and its photobleaching. The temporal integral of the product of in vivo photosensitizer concentration and light fluence is called PDT dose, which is an important dosimetry quantity for PDT. However, the detected photosensitizer fluorescence may be distorted by variations in the absorption and scattering of both excitation and fluorescence light in tissue. Therefore, correction of the measured fluorescence for distortion due to variable optical properties is required for absolute quantification of photosensitizer concentration. In this study, we have developed a four-channel PDT dose dosimetry system to simultaneously acquire light dosimetry and photosensitizer fluorescence data. We measured PDT dose at four sites in the pleural cavity during pleural PDT. We have determined an empirical optical property correction function using Monte Carlo simulations of fluorescence for a range of physiologically relevant tissue optical properties. Parameters of the optical property correction function for Photofrin fluorescence were determined experimentally using tissue-simulating phantoms. In vivo measurements of photosensitizer fluorescence showed negligible photobleaching of Photofrin during the PDT treatment, but large intra- and inter-patient heterogeneities of in vivo Photofrin concentration are observed. PDT doses delivered to 22 sites in the pleural cavity of 8 patients were different by 2.9 times intra-patient and 8.3 times inter-patient.
EFFICIENCY AND DETERMINANTS OF HOUSEHOLD SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT - A COMPARISON OF TWO URBAN SETTINGS OF KERALA

This study was designed to determine the existing problems of solid waste management in two urbansettings. Theproblems that were assessed were the factors impeding the effectiveness and efficient solid waste management which have contributed to solid waste management problems. Structured questionnaires were administered with respect to socio-economic and solid waste management data. Interviews and personal observations were also used to collect some of the data. The results show that of all the factors used in the model, municipality and social group had the greatest impact on household’s Waste Management Index to better deal with solid wastes. Even as municipality usually reckoned as non-economic factor played a prominent role in determining efficiency, households income exerted only insignificant role in determining Solid Waste Management efficiency. The study concludes that solid waste management problems are partly the result of urban local bodies inability to cope with the situation because of lack of equipment, personnel, and inadequate utilization of funding. Therefore, the study recommends that the waste management authority’s effort in the area of education should be intensified in order to sensitize the people on the need to keep the surroundings clean. The participation of the private sector, government, NGOs’ and the international community in offering adaptable solutions towards improving solid waste management situation in Kerala is also needed.
THE PENDULUM FROM HUYGENS' HOROLOGIUM TO SYMMETRY BREAKING AND CHAOS

The history of the pendulum, beginning with the seventeenth-century work of Galileo and Huygens, is reviewed. Numerical experiments that illustrate symmetry breaking, period doubling and the transition to chaotic motion for swinging oscillations of harmonically driven, planar and spherical pendulums are described. Analytical approximations for these phenomena, for breaking of the resonance curve (a precursor of symmetry breaking), and for inverted oscillations of the pendulum are developed. Some analytical and numerical results for rotational oscillations and for parametrically excited oscillations also are described.
Initial clinical assessment of DCFBC-PET for metastatic prostate cancer (PCa)

41 Objectives [18F]DCFBC (DCFBC) targets the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). This initial study evaluates DCFBC uptake in patients with metastatic PCa. Methods 5 patients with biopsy proved PCa and radiologic evidence of progressive metastatic disease were enrolled. 370 MBq DCFBC (97.6 ± 0.6% radiochemical purity, SA = 285 GBq/μmol - 2,368 GBq/μmol) was injected IV. PET at 2 h post-injection was assessed. Foci above background considered positive on PET (PET+) were compared to recent conventional imaging modality (CIM; CT and bone scan). PET+ SUVmax and liver, blood pool, and muscle SUVavg were calculated. We also tested human plasma for ability to hydrolyze N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG), an indicator of PSMA activity in blood, and the ability for DCFBC to inhibit this hydrolysis. Results 32 PET+ sites were identified. DCFBC-PET showed moderate uptake in liver, blood, kidney, with minimal radioactivity in other tissues. 17 PET+ sites were in LN and 15 in bone. Median PET+ LN SUVmax was 5.6 (2.3 to 11.6), and median bone SUVmax was 3.6 (2.6 to 8.2). Tumor SUVmax to muscle SUVavg ratios demonstrated a median value of 9.1 (5.4 to 16.4). Tumor to blood pool ratio, as represented by tumor SUVmax to aorta SUVavg ratio, had a median of 1.7 (0.8 to 2.6). 42 lesions were seen on PET and CIM. Of 32 PET+ sites, 21 were concordant on PET and CIM. The other 11 PET+ sites not detected by CIM were unconfirmed but considered suspicious for metastases. 7 bone sites thought to be benign fracture or stable changes on bone scan were negative by PET. DCFBC inhibited NAAG hydrolysis activity in human plasma (IC50 = 3 pM). Conclusions DCFBC-PET demonstrated uptake concordant with PCa metastases as determined by CIM. Blood pool activity may be due to DCFBC binding to a circulating form of PSMA. Research Support PCF, RSNA, CA134675
Diet as a measure of acculturation in diabetic and non diabetic Cuban Americans

OF THE THESIS DIET AS A MEASURE OF ACCULTURATION IN DIABETIC AND NONDIABETIC CUBAN AMERICANS
Routine Postnatal Chest X-Ray and Intensive Care Admission Are Unnecessary for a Majority of Infants With Congenital Lung Malformations

Abstract Background Postnatal evaluation of prenatally identified congenital lung malformations (CLMs) often includes a chest x-ray (CXR) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission for observation. With current efforts aimed at prioritizing value and resource utilization, we sought to assess the utility of this practice in infants with known CLMs. We hypothesized that CXR and NICU admission are overused and could be deferred in the majority of cases. Methods Clinical and radiographic data for infants with CLM from 2007 to 2016 were reviewed with IRB approval. Regression models were developed for respiratory support (RS), symptoms within 30 days of discharge (Sx30), and abnormal CXR. Predictors included initial symptoms (IS), birth weight (BW), gestational age (GA), cyst-volume-ratio (CVR) and abnormal CXR. Odds ratios (ORs) and ROC curves were generated for significant predictors (p Results Fifty-eight infants were identified. Eight were excluded because birth or surgery occurred outside of our institution. Another four were excluded for requiring immediate surgery, leaving forty-six for full analysis. All infants underwent initial CXR and NICU admission, and 22 (47.8%) had an abnormal CXR. Higher CVR (OR = 6.69, p = 0.024) and lower BW (OR = 0.27, p = 0.028) both increased the odds of an abnormal CXR. Applying optimal ROC cutoffs for CVR and BW would have safely eliminated 21 of 46 CXRs, increasing CXR sensitivity from 48% to 68%. For RS and Sx30, no variable, including abnormal CXR, significantly predicted outcomes. Twenty-seven infants (59%) had a NICU stay of Conclusions Both CXR and NICU admission appear to be overused in infants with CLM. CXR result did not predict need for respiratory support or symptoms following discharge, and thus may not aid in the initial evaluation or in the prediction of future care needs. Using CVR and birth weight can guide CXR use and optimize its sensitivity. Need for NICU admission could not be predicted, but a majority of infants spent Level of evidence Study of diagnostic test, Level II evidence.
WNT/β-catenin Pathway Activation Correlates with Immune Exclusion across Human Cancers

Purpose: The T-cell-inflamed phenotype correlates with efficacy of immune-checkpoint blockade, whereas non-T-cell-inflamed tumors infrequently benefit. Tumor-intrinsic WNT/β-catenin signaling mediates immune exclusion in melanoma, but association with the non-T-cell-inflamed tumor microenvironment in other tumor types is not well understood. Experimental Design: Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), a T-cell-inflamed gene expression signature segregated samples within tumor types. Activation of WNT/β-catenin signaling was inferred using three approaches: somatic mutations or somatic copy number alterations (SCNA) in β-catenin signaling elements including CTNNB1, APC, APC2, AXIN1, and AXIN2; pathway prediction from RNA-sequencing gene expression; and inverse correlation of β-catenin protein levels with the T-cell-inflamed gene expression signature. Results: Across TCGA, 3,137/9,244 (33.9%) tumors were non-T-cell-inflamed, whereas 3,161/9,244 (34.2%) were T-cell-inflamed. Non-T-cell-inflamed tumors demonstrated significantly lower expression of T-cell inflammation genes relative to matched normal tissue, arguing for loss of a natural immune phenotype. Mutations of β-catenin signaling molecules in non-T-cell-inflamed tumors were enriched three-fold relative to T-cell-inflamed tumors. Across 31 tumors, 28 (90%) demonstrated activated β-catenin signaling in the non-T-cell-inflamed subset by at least one method. This included target molecule expression from somatic mutations and/or SCNAs of β-catenin signaling elements (19 tumors, 61%), pathway analysis (14 tumors, 45%), and increased β-catenin protein levels (20 tumors, 65%). Conclusions: Activation of tumor-intrinsic WNT/β-catenin signaling is enriched in non-T-cell-inflamed tumors. These data provide a strong rationale for development of pharmacologic inhibitors of this pathway with the aim of restoring immune cell infiltration and augmenting immunotherapy. See related commentary by Dangaj et al., p. 2943
Functional model for analysis of ALD nucleation and quantification of area-selective deposition

Bottom-up chemical patterning, to additively form material only in desired locations, is becoming important to address scaling issues in semiconductor device manufacturing, catalytic material design, and other fields utilizing nanometer- and sub-nanometer-scaled material features. In some semiconductor device fabrication steps, chemically driven patterning by area-selective deposition (ASD) is beginning to supplant physical patterning by photolithography. To advance the field of ASD, more understanding is needed regarding mechanisms of thin film nucleation, particularly when nucleation proceeds where thin film deposition is not desired. To better understand thin film nucleation, this work describes a relatively simple analytical model with three adjustable input parameters that quantifies film growth initiation, island growth, and thickness evolution during area-selective atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD) and area-selective chemical vapor deposition. A definition is presented for chemical selectivity during film growth that depends on the extent of film coverage in the desired non-growth region. Fitting the model with experimental data gives quantitative output that allows the extent of selectivity to be compared for different ASD approaches studied in different labs, with data collected using a variety of analytical tools. Using several example published AS-ALD data sets, the article demonstrates how fitting the model to experimental data gives insight into different nucleation mechanisms for unwanted film growth during ASD. The author further describes how the model can be improved and expanded to encompass more complex film growth and nucleation mechanisms.
Echocardiographic Characteristics Associated with Left Ventricular Recovery in Donor Hearts

Purpose There is a significant unmet patient need for heart transplantation that is in part driven by low donor heart utilization, with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction the most common reason for non-allocation. Previous studies have shown a significant proportion of donors will have transient LV dysfunction, and these allocated hearts have no difference in post-transplant outcomes. We reviewed our OPO's protocol-driven management at a centralized diagnostic and recovery center to identify echocardiographic features associated with donor LV recovery. Methods A retrospective study of all potential donors managed at a single OPO between 2015-2017 with reduced initial LV ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 40%. Donors were divided into (1) LV recovery and (2) no recovery based on if subsequent echocardiogram revealed LVEF ≥ 50%. All donor echocardiograms were read by a single reader, including global longitudinal strain (GLS) analysis, to identify echocardiographic measures associated with recovery. Results 54 donors were included in this analysis, of which 29 (54%) had LV recovery, while 25 (54%) donors did not have LV recovery. Donors with LV recovery had a higher initial LVEF and trended towards having increased fractional shortening (FS) and LVOT VTI; they also had greater overall LVEF improvement. Donors with LV recovery had greater average LV GLS, right ventricle (RV) global and free wall longitudinal strain. However, when normalized for initial LVEF, strain was not independently associated with LV recovery. Conclusion In our experience managing potential donors at a centralized OPO, we found multiple echocardiographic measures were associated with LV recovery, including initial LVEF and both LV and RV GLS. However, strain did not seem to offer additional information, as it was not associated with recovery when normalized for initial LVEF. Additional work will further our ability to predict donors who will recover ventricular function and thus expand the cardiac donor pool.
Difficulties with the Stapled Hemorrhoidectomy Procedure

Stapled hemorrhoidectomy has shown to be equally effective and less painful than traditional surgeries in properly selected patients. Protecting the anoderm during the procedure is key in preventing any potential complications.
Moral Controversy and Working with Colleagues with a Shared Ethical/Moral Outlook: A National Survey of US Primary Care Physicians.

OBJECTIVES This study assesses physicians' attitudes on the importance of working with colleagues who share the same ethical or moral outlook regarding morally controversial healthcare practices and examines the association of physicians' religious and spiritual characteristics with these attitudes. METHODS We conducted a secondary data analysis of a 2009 national survey that was administered to a stratified random sample of 1504 US primary care physicians (PCPs). In that dataset, physicians were asked: "For you personally, how important is it to work with colleagues who share your ethical/moral outlook regarding morally controversial health care practices?" We examined associations between physicians' religious/spiritual characteristics and their attitudes toward having a shared ethical/moral outlook with colleagues. RESULTS Among eligible respondents, the response rate was 63% (896/1427). Overall, 69% of PCPs indicated that working with colleagues who share their ethical/moral outlook regarding morally controversial healthcare practices was either very important (23%) or somewhat important (46%). Physicians who were more religious were more likely than nonreligious physicians to report that a shared ethical/moral outlook was somewhat/very important to them (P < 0.001 for all measures of religiosity, including religious affiliation, attendance at religious services, intrinsic religiosity, and importance of religion as well as spirituality). Physicians with a high sense of calling were more likely than those with a low sense of calling to report a high importance of having a shared ethical/moral outlook with colleagues regarding morally controversial healthcare practices (multivariate odds ratio 2.5, 95% confidence interval 1.5-4.1). CONCLUSIONS In this national study of PCPs, physicians who identified as religious, spiritual, or having a high sense of calling were found to place a stronger emphasis on the importance of shared ethical/moral outlook with work colleagues regarding morally controversial healthcare practices. Moral controversy in health care may pose a particular challenge for physicians with lower commitments to theological pluralism.
Pharmacy: Delta Sigma Theta ‘Launches’ Another S.S. Hope

(1962). Pharmacy: Delta Sigma Theta ‘Launches’ Another S.S. Hope. Hospital Topics: Vol. 40, No. 8, pp. 111-112.
Prevention of Prostate Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality for US men. A continuing research challenge is to improve diagnosis (especially the ability to detect uncommon aggressive cancers) and improve chemoprevention (through nutrition and lifestyle factors). The chapter highlights the growing importance of secondary prevention since prostate cancer is an indolent, slow growing tumor; preventing early tumor progression or eradicating early bone metastases may cure the disease. Considerations of the known etiology and biology of prostate cancer are presented as well as the strengths and limitations of current diagnostic and prognostic factors and specific interventions that have been tested. Lastly, promising avenues for secondary prevention strategies are presented based upon current knowledge.
280 – Aspartyl aminopeptidase

Publisher Summary This chapter elaborates activity, specificity and structural chemistry of aspartyl aminopeptidase. Aspartyl aminopeptidase has little or no activity toward aminoacyl-arylamides. Its inability to cleave simple substrates such as Asp-NHNap or Glu-NHNap explains why this enzyme has been largely overlooked. The enzyme efficiently hydrolyzes peptide bonds containing an amino acid in the P1 position however. To measure the enzymatic activity, a simple coupled assay was developed employing excess dipeptidylpeptidase IV. The cDNA of human DAP encodes a protein of 475 amino acids with a molecular weight of 52,428 and a theoretical pi of 7.03. The native enzyme is therefore apparently a homooctamer. DAP is a cytosolic enzyme and its sequence contains no membrane-spanning domains. Its sequence places it as part of the MH clan of co-catalytic metallopeptidases and it is a member of the Ml8 family. The sequence of DAP is highly conserved. Sequences with high homology have been found in Arabidopsis thaliana, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Caenorhabditis elegans and Neurospora crassa among others. There is 49.4% amino acid identity between the human and the Arabidopsis sequences. There are no other related sequences in the human genome and DAP is the only known mammalian member of the Ml8 family.
Rechallenging with immune checkpoint inhibition after a treatment-limiting immune-related adverse event.

3053Background: Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) with cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), programmed death 1 (PD-1), or programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) blockade can be associated with th...
Network Hiring, Firm Performance and Growth

Network hiring — i.e. the preference for hiring workers who are referred by existing employees or have shared affiliations with them — is a prevalent practice across many industries. Considerable research shows that hiring within a firm's network provides soft information about potential hires as well as informal mechanisms of control once they join a company. While research shows that in-network hires perform better, little is known about the firm-level performance implications and the associated trade-offs of this practice. In this article, we study the impact of network hiring by using data on the universe of firms in Portugal between 1994 to 2017. We find that network hiring appears to increase firm performance but at the expense of growth. Furthermore, network hiring seems to provide firms with information on intrinsic motivation traits of the candidates, rather than information on skills. We conclude with a discussion on how this practice should affect the strategy of firms, particularly young ones.
Peak load reduction and load shaping in HVAC and refrigeration systems in commercial buildings by using a novel lightweight dynamic priority-based control strategy

Abstract Reducing peak power demand in a building can reduce electricity expenses for the building owner and contribute to the efficiency and reliability of the electrical power grid. For the building owner, reduced expenses come from the reduction or elimination of peak power charges on electricity bills. For the power system operator, reducing peak power demand leads to a more predictable load profile and reduces stress on the electric grid system. We present a computationally inexpensive, dynamic, and retrofit-deployable control strategy to effect peak load reduction and load shaping. The effectiveness of the control strategy is examined in a simulation with 80 air-conditioning units and 40 refrigeration units. The results show that a peak demand reduction of 60 kW can be achieved relative to peak demand in a typical set point–based approach. The proposed strategy was deployed in a gymnasium building with four rooftop HVAC units, where it showed over 15% peak demand (kW) reduction savings while maintaining or lowering energy consumption (in kilowatt-hours) relative to the set point–based thermostat controls.
Multifetal Reduction Following Medically Assisted Reproduction

The ideal goal of assisted reproductive technology is to facilitate the conception and birth of a healthy child; the unintended consequence of efforts to meet this objective has been the dramatic rise in multiple gestations [Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (Fertil Steril 97(4):825–34, 2012)]. The incidence of higher-order multiples steadily increased in the United States between 1980 and 1998, rising from 37.0 to 193.5 per 100,000 births [MacDorman and Gregory (National Vital Statistics Reports 64(8), 2015)]. In part, the increasing numbers of twin, triplet, and higher-order multiples can be attributed to both ovulation induction and in vitro fertilization with multiple-embryo transfer [Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (Fertil Steril 97(4):825–34, 2012); MacDorman and Gregory (National Vital Statistics Reports 64(8), 2015); Sunderam et al. (MMWR Surveill Summ 4(11):1–25, 2015); American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (Obstet Gynecol 121:405, 2013); American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (Obstet Gynecol 128(3):e61–8, 2016). In 2012, 44% of infants resulting from assisted reproductive technology were part of a multiple birth, whereas only 3% originated from naturally conceived multiple gestations [Sunderam et al. (MMWR Surveill Summ 4(11):1–25, 2015)].
Clinical utility of a focused hip MRI for assessing suspected hip fracture in the emergency department

A focused hip MRI (FHMR) for the detection of radiographically occult hip fractures was implemented in our emergency department (ED) in 2013. The goal of this study was to assess the clinical utility of this protocol. We retrospectively reviewed radiology reports of 262 unique patients who underwent 263 FHMR (coronal T1, coronal STIR, axial T2 fat saturated) for suspected hip fracture in the ED from October 2013 to March 2020. Electronic medical records were reviewed for the ED course, follow-up imaging, and clinical management within 90 days. Seventy-one patients had one or more fractures identified by FHMR: one-third had proximal femoral fractures; two-third had pelvic fractures. Of these 71 patients, 53 (74%) had radiographically occult fractures, including 14 (20%) with occult proximal femoral fractures; 4 patients had fractures occult on CT. Nineteen patients with a suspected fracture on radiography were found to have no fracture on FHMR. Four fractures not reported on FHMR were later seen on follow-up imaging: these included 1 isolated greater trochanter, 1 additional ischial tuberosity, 1 additional superior pubic ramus, and 1 additional sacrum. All four fractures were treated non-operatively. Muscle/tendon injury was the most common type of injury, seen in 50% (130/262) patients with the most commonly torn tendons being the hamstring (44%; 15/34) followed by gluteus medius tendon (18%; 6/34). A full-hip or pelvis MRI was done after FHMR in only 5 patients, primarily for the purpose of better characterizing findings already identified on FHMR (2 for fracture, 2 for tendon injury, 1 for soft tissue metastasis). Only one of these five studies provided new information: ruling out a previously questioned fracture. Clinical management of the vast majority of patients was based solely on findings from the FHMR. FHMR offers reliable identification of radiographically occult hip fractures and muscle/tendon injuries. The protocol is well trusted in guiding patient management in our ED.
Solvent-Resistant Self-Crosslinked Poly(ether imide)

Poly(ether imide) (PEI) is a high-performance polymer with outstanding thermal stability, mechanical strength, and processability, but a critical drawback of poor solvent resistance. Exposure to solvents including chloroform, dimethylformamide, dichloromethane, and N-methyl pyrrolidone severely compromises the mechanical and thermal performances. Herein, we report a method for preparing thermally crosslinked PEI (X-PEI) from azide-terminated PEI (N₃–PEI–N₃) synthesized via a one-pot diazotization–azidation reaction. X-PEI affords unprecedented solvent resistance unpossessed by conventional PEIs, as well as solution processability unrivaled by counterpart high-performance polymers such as polyimide. The glass transition temperature, storage modulus, and swelling ratio correlate positively with crosslinking density, which is determined by the molar mass and azide concentration of N₃–PEI–N₃. This work advances the chemistry of high-performance polymers. The method is generic and applicable to other engineering polymers.
Impact of Machine Parameters on The Design of High Specific Power Permanent Magnet Machines for Aerospace Applications

Aerospace applications demand high Specific Power (SP) electrical machines to enable hybrid/electric propulsion. The targets for SP are 2-3X the state-of-the art. Therefore, the adoption of novel technologies including advanced and lightweight materials, additively manufactured coils, as well as innovative and tight integration of Thermal Management System (TMS) to the machine and its Power Electronic Unit (PEU) are effective design methods to boost the electric drivetrain SP. This paper aims to use the foregoing techniques and perform a study to examine the impact of key design parameters on the machine SP.
Exploration of robotic system design in improving the patient experience in physical therapy sessions at the UVA Children’s Hospital

The patient-centered care paradigm is an influential healthcare management model that can improve the way care is delivered. Autonomous agents may be implemented in hospitals to enhance patient-centered by adding tailored patient interaction without the expense of hiring additional workforce. Observations in the University of Virginia’s Children’s Hospital Physical Therapy unit were conducted to gather qualitative data regarding the typical patient experience. Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies framework was used to interpret observations and to articulate specific bodily movements and their connection to a patient’s emotional state. With a movement-based design, an autonomous solution was designed to embody behaviors that replicate observed patient-caregiver interactions; automating this can improve patient experience. Robotic behaviors were designed on the humanoid NAO robot. The paper presents high-level robotic control techniques to design a set of programmed behaviors to supplement child physical therapy sessions.
Cytochemical and biochemical observations on the digestive tracts of digenetic trematodes. IV. A radioautographic and histochemical study of iron absorption in Haematoloechus medioplexus.

Abstract Using radioautographic and histochemical methods, the incorporation of iron in the tissues of Haematoloechus medioplexus was investigated. Iron, found in hemoglobin, was apparently not utilized by the worm for metabolic purposes. Iron administered either as free ions in vitro or as free ions in blood plasma, was taken up through the intestine and tegument and incorporated in nondiffusible molecules in almost all the tissues of the worm. Histochemical tests for iron, preceded by bleaching, indicated that bound iron was present in granules in the intestinal lumen as well as in the ingested host red blood cells.