cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Classifying Leukemias Based on Epigenetic Alterations.

Acute leukemia is caused by alterations of blood-forming stem cells leading to uncontrolled growth and diminished capacity to differentiate into mature functional blood elements. Beside genetic changes, epigenetic alterations are increasingly recognized as important events in the pathogenesis of leukemia. Cytosine methylation in CpG islands at gene transcription start regions can cause heritable gene silencing and have the same functional effects as inactivating mutations. Hundreds of genes may become epigenetically silenced in leukemia. While many of the methylated genes are not expressed in blood cells, silencing of genes critically important for control of stem cell self-renewal, proliferation, differentiation, and/or survival can contribute to the malignant phenotype. We used a genome-wide method to identify methylated genes by hybridizing a CpG island microarray with amplicons obtained by the methylated CpG island amplification technique (MCAM). We analyzed 10 leukemia cell lines with different cellular origin (myeloid cell lines KG1, KG1a, HEL, K562, and TF1; T lymphoid cell lines CEM and JTAg; and B lymphoid cell lines ALL1, BJAB, and Raji). On average, 266 genomic loci were found to be hypermethylated in these cell lines, ranging from 56 (KG1) to 483 loci (Raji), reinforcing the idea of extensive epigenome alteration in leukemia. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering showed distinct methylation pattern in the cell lines of lymphoid origin versus myeloid leukemia cell lines and a GM-CSF-dependent erythroleukemia cell line TF-1, justifying the use of methylation markers for uncovering of tumor-specific pathways of gene inactivation. There was a striking difference in the number of hypermethylated genes between two closely related myeloid leukemia cell lines: KG1 (56 methylated loci) and its undifferentiated variant KG1a (225 methylated loci). cDNA microarray analysis showed that deoxy-azacitidine treatment induced expression of genes differentially methylated in KG1a (DKKL1, GBX, HIVEP3, KCNAB1, KIAA1102, NAV2, NEIL1, and RAX) but not in KG1 cells where these genes were unmethylated. Finally, we used bisulfite PCR followed by pyrosequencing analysis to quantitatively measure DNA methylation of several genes detected by MCAM. Ongoing analyses of bone marrow samples from leukemia patients showed hypermethylation of the following genes: GDNF (in 4/22 [18%] AML and 7/20 [35%] ALL patients), HAND2 (in 5/22 [23%] AML and 7/20 [35%] ALL patients), HIVEP3 (in 9/22 [41%] AML and 6/20 [30%] ALL patients), MPDZ (in 2/6 [33%] AML and 15/20 [75%] ALL patients), and NEIL1 (in 2/20 [10%] AML and 1/12 [8%] ALL patients). Mapping of DNA methylation abnormalities may detect epigenetic markers important for leukemia classification and prognosis. Identification of pathways frequently silenced by DNA methylation may also suggest new targets for specific therapy.
t(8;21) Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Differs from inv(16) AML in Pretreatment Characteristics, Outcome and Prognostic Factors Predicting Outcome: A Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) Study.

Since t(8;21) and inv(16) disrupt core binding factor in AML and confer a favorable prognosis, these cytogenetic groups are often treated similarly, but hitherto have not been compared in a large study. We compared 144 adult AML patients (pts) with t(8;21) with 168 with inv(16) enrolled on the cytogenetic study CALGB 8461. t(8;21) pts were less frequently white (P=.01), had lower hemoglobin levels (P=.03), WBC (P Multivariable analysis (MVA) for CIR in pts In summary, once pretreatment factors and therapy are considered, the outcome of t(8;21) AML appears inferior to that of inv(16). Although these data should be confirmed prospectively, our analysis suggests that future studies should report the outcomes of pts with t(8;21) and inv(16) separately, and seek to identify and target therapeutically leukemogenic mechanisms accountable for these clinical differences.
Differences in clinical and cognitive variables in seasonal affective disorder compared to depressive-related disorders: Evidence from a population-based study in Finland.

Abstract Background Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression with seasonal pattern. Although it involves some idiosyncratic symptoms, it can overlap with other depressive disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD) or dysthymia. We aimed to characterize the differences in specific cognitive and clinical symptoms between SAD and depressive-related disorders. Methods In total, 4554 Finnish subjects from the population-based Health 2011 Survey were interviewed with the Munich version of Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI) and filled in the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). From this sample for our analysis, we included those participants who fulfilled the criteria for SAD (n = 171), MDD (n = 153) or dysthymia (n = 84) and their 816 psychologically healthy controls matched by age and gender. In addition to M-CIDI and SPAQ, the Beck Depression Inventory, the General Health Questionnaire, an abbreviated version of the Mini-Mental State Examination, the category verbal fluency test, and the CERAD 10-word list were used. Results Subjects with dysthymia showed major deficits in both clinical and cognitive domains compared to MDD, SAD and healthy controls. Although clinical comorbidity was mild in SAD, these participants showed similar cognitive deficits to dysthymic subjects and greater impairments than MDD. Conclusions SAD subjects show a differential clinical and cognitive profile compared to other depressive-related disorders. Although less severe clinical symptoms are found in these individuals, some cognitive impairment already appears in subjects with SAD recruited from a population-based study.
Effects of a Novel Whitening Formulation on Dental Enamel.

Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate the enamel whitening effects of 2 new test formulations, one of which was a rinse, and the other a whitening strip. Materials and Methods: Forty enamel chips were prepared from 20 healthy extracted teeth (2 from each tooth). After pre-staining and colorimetry to measure L* and b* values, 20 matched samples were immersed in either test or control rinses, and then colorimetry was performed again after 1 hr, 2 hr, 3 hr, 6 hr, 12 hr, 24 hr and 48 hrs (Each hour equates to one month of clinical use at the recommended dosage of 1 minute exposure 2 times a day). The remaining 20 matched samples were exposed to the test or control whitening strips and colorimetry was performed every 30 minutes for a total of 10 treatments. Results: Overall, the whitening performance of test and control strips was similar. The test and control rinses had a similar lightening effect over the first 3 hours (equivalent to 3 months of clinical use). Subsequently, the control rinse continued to lighten samples, whereas the test rinse had little further effect. Conclusion: Test and control-whitening strips showed similar effects; over time whitening strips showed a greater lightening effect than whitening rinses.
Accounting for Taste: Using Propensity Score Methods to Evaluate the Documentary Film, Waiting for “Superman”

Evaluating the impact of the arts can be difficult for a variety of reasons, including the cost of survey administration and the issue of selection bias. However, recent media impact studies offer models for economically evaluating programming that appeals to particular personal tastes, supplying methodologies that can be applied to measure the impact of the arts. This chapter explores a study of the documentary film Waiting for “Superman,” in which propensity score matching (PSM) was used to identify covariates for propensity to be exposed to the film. Survey respondents are matched based on scores attached to degree of propensity to be exposed; matched propensity scores that differ according to exposure allow for evaluation of impact while controlling for selection bias.
Nanoparticle-Mediated Gene Delivery

Nonviral gene delivery has been gaining considerable attention recently. Although the efficacy of DNA transfection, which is a major concern, is low in nonviral vector-mediated gene transfer compared with viral ones, nonviral vectors are relatively easy to prepare, less immunogenic and oncogenic, and have no potential of virus recombination and no limitation on the size of a transferred gene. The ability to incorporate genetic materials such as plasmid DNA, RNA, and siRNA into functionalized nanoparticles with little toxicity demonstrates a new era in pharmacotherapy for delivering genes selectively to tissues and cells. In this chapter, we highlight the basic concepts and applications of nonviral gene delivery using super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and functionalized silica nanoparticles. The experimental protocols related to these topics are described in the chapter.
Three dimensional ultrasound analysis of fascicle orientation in human tibialis anterior muscle enables analysis of macroscopic torque at the cellular level.

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the internal structure of the bipennate human tibialis anterior muscle is sufficiently homogenous throughout the muscle that the cellular stresses could be interpreted correctly from measurable anatomic properties and torque in the limb. This result is needed for facile comparison of extrinsic mechanical data and intrinsic energetic fluxes. Three-dimensional imaging of the fascicles of the human tibialis anterior muscle was made by capturing a series of ultrasound images while registering their location in space. Subsequent tracing of hundreds of structures in the ultrasound images with the use of custom software identified muscle boundaries, tendon surfaces, and fascicles as anatomic elements in 3-D space. The tendon was reconstructed as a mesh through the tracings identified as a component of the tendon. The angle of insertion of each identified fascicle at the tendon was calculated against the nearest normal in the mesh of the tendon. In three subjects the average angle of insertion of the fascicles onto the internal tendon was 11° (coefficient of variation 40%). The angle decreased along the length of the muscle from ∼ 15° near the belly of the muscle to 6° near the ankle in fascicles superior and inferior to the central tendon. The angle increased by several degrees during a voluntary contraction. Despite the differences in angles of insertion that can be measured, these distinctions have little significance for the distribution of forces along cellular axes within the muscle: the angles, their distribution within the muscle and change with contraction are small. For his bipennate muscle the cosine of the angle of insertion of the cellular bundles is always close to unity. Thus measurements of whole muscle mechanical data are simply related to mechanical stress of its cells.
Triangular Numbers and the Representation of Integers as Sums of Four Squares

After the discussion of representations as sums of two squares, it appears reasonable to consider next the case of representations as sums of three squares. However, as already indicated, the case of k odd is more difficult than that of k even and, what is more important, requires different methods.
Long-term Outcomes of the Effects of Home Blood Pressure Telemonitoring and Pharmacist Management on Blood Pressure Among Adults With Uncontrolled Hypertension: Follow-up of a Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease. The results were previously reported of a trial of home blood pressure (BP) telemonitoring and pharmacist management intervention in which the interventions stopped after 12 months. There were significantly greater reductions in systolic BP (SBP) in the intervention group than in the usual care group at 6, 12, and 18 months (−10.7, −9.7, and −6.6 mm Hg, respectively). Objectives To examine the durability of the intervention effect on BP through 54 months of follow-up and to compare BP measurements performed in the research clinic and in routine clinical care. Design, Setting, and Participants Follow-up of a cluster randomized clinical trial among 16 primary care clinics and 450 patients with uncontrolled hypertension in a large health system from March 2009 to November 2015. Interventions A home BP telemonitoring intervention with pharmacist management or usual care. Main Outcomes and Measures Change from baseline to 54 months in SBP and diastolic BP (DBP) measured as the mean of 3 measurements obtained at each research clinic visit. Results Among 450 patients, 228 (mean [SD] age, 62.0 [11.7] years; 54.8% male) were randomized to the telemonitoring intervention and 222 (mean [SD] age, 60.2 [12.2] years; 55.9% male) to usual care. Research clinic BP measurements were obtained from 326 of 450 (72.4%) study patients at the 54-month follow-up visit, including 162 (mean [SD] age, 62.0 [11.1] years; 54.9% male) randomized to the telemonitoring intervention and 164 (mean [SD] age, 60.0 [11.2] years; 57.3% male) to usual care. Routine clinical care BP measurements were obtained from 439 of 450 (97.6%) study patients at 6248 visits during the follow-up period. Based on research clinic measurements, baseline mean SBP was 148 mm Hg in both groups. In the intervention group, mean SBP at 6-, 12-, 18-, and 54-month follow-up was 126.7, 125.7, 126.9, and 130.6 mm Hg, respectively. In the usual care group, mean SBP at 6-, 12-, 18-, and 54-month follow-up was 136.9, 134.8, 133.0, and 132.6 mm Hg, respectively. The differential reduction by study group in SBP from baseline to 54 months was −2.5 mm Hg (95% CI, −6.3 to 1.2 mm Hg;P = .18). The DBP followed a similar pattern, with a differential reduction by study group from baseline to 54 months of −1.0 mm Hg (95% CI, −3.2 to 1.2 mm Hg;P = .37). The SBP and DBP results from routine clinical measurements suggested significantly lower BP in the intervention group for up to 24 months. Conclusions and Relevance This intensive intervention had sustained effects for up to 24 months (12 months after the intervention ended). Long-term maintenance of BP control is likely to require continued monitoring and resumption of the intervention if BP increases. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT00781365
Sample sizes based on three popular indices of risks

Sample size justification is a very crucial part in the design of clinical trials. In this paper, the authors derive a new formula to calculate the sample size for a binary outcome given one of the three popular indices of risk difference. The sample size based on the absolute difference is the fundamental one, which can be easily used to derive sample size given the risk ratio or OR.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A neonatal perspective

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is indicated in various nonmalignant disorders that arise from genetic, hematopoietic, and immune system defects. Many of the disorders described here have life-threatening consequences in the absence of HSCT, a curative intervention. However, timing and approach to HSCT vary by disorder and optimum results are achieved by performing transplantation before irreversible disease-related morbidity or infectious complications. This article details the principles of HSCT in the very young, lists indications, and explores the factors that contribute to successful outcomes based on transplantation and disease-related nuances. It provides an overview into the HSCT realm from a neonatologist's perspective, describes the current status of transplantation for relevant disorders of infancy, and provides a glimpse into future efforts at improving on current success.
Equivalent Thermal Conductivity Prediction of Form-Wound Windings with Litz Wire Considering Transposition Effect

Litz wire has been widely used in high-frequency electrical machines and transformers to minimize induced current loss and maintain high efficiency. Its heat dissipation capability can be a key design factor for high-power-density electrical machine and power electronics. Although litz wire equivalent thermal conductivity has been studied, its transposition effect is usually ignored. This paper focus on developing an analytical model to predict litz wire equivalent thermal conductivity considering its bundle transposition effects. A 3-D litz wire is modeled and simulated to validate analytical results. Also, transposed and parallel arrangement effects on litz wire equivalent thermal conductivity are compared and discussed. Hardware experiments are used to validate the analytical results in the end. The predictions of using the proposed analytical model match up well with both simulation and experimental results.
Association of mindfulness to resilience, anxiety, and depressive symptoms after spinal cord injury-a correlational study.

Online survey of individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI). This pilot study examined associations between mindfulness factors, resilience, and levels of depression and anxiety after SCI. Community-based; United States. A survey was posted online and shared with individuals with recent SCI (≤5 years). Thirty-four individuals responded to the survey. The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) measures mindfulness with the following subscales: observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging of inner experience, and nonreactivity of inner experience. Nonjudgment of inner experience was significantly associated with depression (β = −0.74, p = 0.007) and anxiety (β = −0.60, p = 0.01). Nonreactivity to inner experience was significantly associated with anxiety (β = −0.57, p = 0.007) and resilience (β = 0.55, p = 0.004); and there was a trend with depression (β = −0.45, p = 0.07). Higher resilience was significantly associated with less anxiety (r = −0.62, p = 0.04) and less depression (r = −0.75, p < 0.001). Depression and anxiety were significantly correlated (r = 0.84, p < 0.001). When comparing those who are employed to those who are not, they differed significantly in terms of anxiety (t(32) = 2.53, p = 0.02). These findings suggest that factors of mindfulness, specifically the practice of acting nonjudgmentally and nonreactively to one’s inner experience, may act as protective factors against depression and anxiety following SCI. These preliminary data support the literature that individuals with lower resilience are more susceptible to depression following SCI. Interventions aimed at maximizing mental well-being following SCI may benefit from incorporating these factors of mindfulness practice.
Densitometric Profiles of Optic Disc Hemorrhages in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study

Purpose The origin of blood in glaucoma-related disc hemorrhages (DH) remains unknown. A prior clinic-based study of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG)-related DH showed that they had grayscale pixel intensities more similar to blood from retinal macroaneurysms and adjacent retinal arterioles than to blood from retinal vein occlusions or adjacent retinal venules, suggesting an arterial source. Here we assessed the densitometric profile of DH from fundus photographs in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS). Design Retrospective cross-sectional study of prospectively collected images. Methods Stereo disc photographs of 161 DH events from 83 OHTS participants (mean age [standard deviation (SD)]: 65.6 [9.2] years; 46.6% female; 13.0% black race) were imported into ImageJ to measure densitometry differences (adjacent arterioles minus DH [ΔA] or venules minus DH [ΔV]). Their size as percentage of disc area, ratio of length to midpoint width, and location relative to the disc margin were also analyzed. We performed t tests to compare ΔA and ΔV, analysis of variance to compare ΔA and ΔV across DH recurrent events, and multivariable linear regression to identify determinants of ΔA and ΔV. Results Mean (SD) ΔA and ΔV were −2.2 (8.7) and −11.4 (9.7) pixel intensity units, respectively (P Conclusions OHTS DH had densitometric measurements more similar in magnitude to adjacent arterioles than venules, supporting an arterial origin for DH. Vascular dysregulation may contribute to disc hemorrhage formation in ocular hypertension.
EGregor: An Eldritch Privacy Mental Model for Smart Assistants

The increasing popularity of smart personal assistants has meant the rapid inclusion of data-collecting technology in homes. Research has shown that the privacy notices for these smart devices can be ineffective, as users often have incorrect mental models about what happens to data collected from them. To provide more effective data collection cues, we present a redesign of traditional, friendly smart assistant personas: eGregor, an eldritch hive mind being. Using science fiction concepts in conjunction with visceral notice, a concept that eschews purely text-based privacy indicators, eGregor more clearly represents the data practices of a hypothetical parent company. It has various aesthetic and auditory indicators and an intuitive and terrifying persona. We draw attention to the potential for major smart personal assistant companies to improve upon their user interface designs.
Characterizing super-spreading events and age-specific infectivity of COVID-19 transmission in Georgia, USA

As the current COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact countries around the globe, refining our understanding of its transmission dynamics and the effectiveness of interventions is imperative. In particular, it is essential to obtain a firmer grasp on the effect of social distancing, potential individual-level heterogeneities in transmission such as age-specific infectivity, and impact of super-spreading. To this end, it is important to exploit multiple data streams that are becoming abundantly available during the pandemic. In this paper, we formulate an individual-level spatio-temporal mechanistic framework to statistically integrate case data with geo-location data and aggregate mobility data, enabling a more granular understanding of the transmission dynamics of COVID-19. We analyze reported cases from surveillance data, between March and early May 2020, in five (urban and rural) counties in the State of Georgia USA. We estimate natural history parameters of COVID-19 and infer unobserved quantities including infection times and transmission paths using Bayesian data-augmentation techniques. First, our results show that the overall median reproductive number was 2.88 (with 95% C.I. [1.85, 4.9]) before the state-wide shelter-in-place order issued in early April, and the effective reproductive number was reduced to below 1 about two weeks by the order. Super-spreading appears to be widespread across space and time, and it may have a particularly important role in driving the outbreak in the rural area and increasing importance towards later stages of outbreaks in both urban and rural settings. Overall, about 2% of cases may have directly infected 20% of all infections. We estimate that the infected children and younger adults ( =60), and the former may be the main driver of super-spreading. Through the synthesis of multiple data streams using our transmission modelling framework, our results enforce and improve our understanding of the natural history and transmission dynamics of COVID-19. More importantly, we reveal the roles of age-specific infectivity and characterize systematic variations and associated risk factors of super-spreading. These have important implications for the planning of relaxing social distancing and, more generally, designing optimal control measures.
Following Mixed Tree Nut Biscuit Challenge, Are the Nuts Still Included in the Diet?

We studied the introduction rate after a negative challenge to mixed tree nut biscuit. This is a retrospective review of patients who underwent and passed mixed tree nut biscuit challenges performed at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) between 2016 and 2018. Follow-up phone calls were made to families to ascertain if the tree nuts included in the tree nut biscuit were still included in the child’s diet 1 to 3 years following negative oral food challenge (OFC). A total of 162 children underwent mixed tree nut biscuit challenge between 2016 and 2018 at Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth, Western Australia. A total of 141 (87%) passed mixed tree nut biscuit challenge. Of the 133 children that were contacted (8 children could not be contacted), 104 children still included some or all of the challenge nuts in the child’s diet; with 24 children completely eliminating the challenge nuts (18%), 5 children eliminated some of the challenge nuts (3.5%). We found a high introduction rate (82%); however, some families may require more support to maintain the tree nuts in the child’s diet following a negative OFC.
Slicing, threading and parametric manifolds

We present a unified treatment of theslicing (3+1) andthreading (1+3) decompositions of spacetime in terms of foliations. It is well-known how to decompose the metric and connection in the slicing picture; this is at the heart of any initial-value problem in general relativity. We describe here the analogous problem in the threading picture, recovering the recent results of Perjes onparametric manifolds.
Momelotinib is a highly potent inhibitor of FLT3-mutant AML

Kinase activating mutation in FLT3 is the most frequent genetic lesion associated with poor prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Therapeutic response to FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy is dismal, and many patients relapse even after allogenic stem cell transplantation. Despite the introduction of more selective FLT3 inhibitors, remissions are short-lived, and patients show progressive disease after an initial response. Acquisition of resistance-conferring genetic mutations and growth factor signaling are two principal mechanisms that drive relapse. FLT3 inhibitors targeting both escape mechanisms could lead to a more profound and lasting clinical responses. Here we show that the JAK2 inhibitor, momelotinib, is an equipotent type-1 FLT3 inhibitor. Momelotinib showed potent inhibitory activity on both mouse and human cells expressing FLT3-ITD, including clinically relevant resistant mutations within the activation loop at residues, D835, D839, and Y842. Additionally, momelotinib efficiently suppressed the resistance mediated by FLT3 ligand (FL) and hematopoietic cytokine activated JAK2 signaling. Interestingly, unlike gilteritinib, momelotinib inhibits the expression of MYC in leukemic cells. Consequently, concomitant inhibition of FLT3 and downregulation of MYC by momelotinib treatment showed better efficacy in suppressing the leukemia in a preclinical murine model of AML. Altogether, these data provide evidence that momelotinib is an effective type-1 dual JAK2/FLT3 inhibitor and may offer an alternative to gilteritinib. Its ability to impede the resistance conferred by growth factor signaling and activation loop mutants suggests that momelotinib treatment could provide a deeper and durable response; thus, warrants its clinical evaluation. Key pointsO_LIMomelotinib shows high efficacy against FLT3 mutated AML cells including quizartinib-resistant activation loop variants. C_LIO_LIMomelotinib effectively suppresses intrinsic resistance conferred by FLT3 ligand and hematopoietic cytokines (GM-CSF and IL3). C_LI
Short course ketoconazole therapy in pityriasis versicolor.

Summary Treatment regimes for pityriasis versicolor consisting of 5, 15 or 25 days of ketoconazole (200 mg daily) were compared in a blind study. There were no differences in the cure or relapse rates with these treatment regimes. Overall cure rates 6 weeks after therapy ranged from 78% to 90%. Treatment with a daily 200 mg tablet of ketoconazole for 5 days can be used for most cases of pityriasis versicolor with longer periods of oral therapy being reserved for resistant cases. Short course ketoconazole will need to be compared against alternative topical forms of antifungal therapy.
Monitoring Cloud Service Unreachability at Scale

We consider the problem of network unreachability in a global-scale cloud-hosted service that caters to hundreds of millions of users. Even when the service itself is up, the "last mile" between where users are, and the cloud is often the weak link that could render the service unreachable.We present NetDetector, a tool for detecting network-unreachability based on measurements from a client-based HTTP-ping service. NetDetector employs two models. The first, GA (Gaussian Alerts) models temporally averaged raw success rate of the HTTP-pings as a Gaussian distribution and flags significant dips below the mean as unreachability episodes. The second, more sophisticated approach (BB, or Beta-Binomial) models the health of network connectivity as the probability of an access request succeeding, estimates health from noisy samples, and alerts based on dips in health below a client-network-specific SLO (service-level objective) derived from data. These algorithms are enhanced by a drill-down technique that identifies a more precise scope of the unreachability event. We present promising results from GA, which has been in deployment, and the experimental BB detector over a 4-month period. For instance, GA flags 49 country-level unreachability incidents, of which 42 were labelled true positives based on investigation by on-call engineers (OCEs).
A Realistic and Inexpensive Ultrasound Phantom for Teaching M-Mode Measurement of Fetal Heart Rate.

Abstract Background M-mode ultrasound is frequently used to measure a fetal heart rate. Phantoms are used to simulate clinical conditions for teaching ultrasound-related skills. This is particularly important in the case of early pregnancy, when it is not ethical to use a live fetus in utero for teaching purposes. Objectives To date, no phantom has been created to model the beating heart of an intrauterine pregnancy. Our goal was to create such a model for use in teaching M-mode ultrasound. Materials and Methods The phantom is constructed using a toy fish, several balloons, and water-absorbing gel crystals. Results We have created a novel phantom for use in teaching M-mode measurements. The cost per phantom is around $20 and the phantom can be constructed in about 20 min. Conclusion This phantom is easily constructed and cost-effective. It gives learners the opportunity to practice measuring an intrauterine fetal heart rate in a learning environment without exposing a live fetus to unnecessary ultrasound.
Computer-Mediated Peer Support Needs of Home Care Workers: Emotional Labor & the Politics of Professionalism

Home care workers (HCWs) are increasingly central to post-acute and long-term health services in the United States. Despite being a critical component of the day-to-day care of home-dwelling adults, these workers often feel underappreciated and isolated on the job and come from low-income and marginalized backgrounds. Leveraging the support of peers is one potential way to empower HCWs, but peer support encompasses a broad range of activities and aspects. Traditional conceptions of workplace support may not be appropriate to the home care context, as HCWs are a distributed workforce who have few opportunities to interact with each other. In this study, we explore how HCWs value and conceptualize peer support. Our findings demonstrate the importance of peer support in performing the emotional labor of home care work and ongoing attempts to strategically frame the home care profession as essential and medical in nature. Our results ground design implications for technology-enabled peer support based on the power dynamics of our participants' context and allow us to engage with issues where technology design for empowerment intersects with exploitation in distributed or crowd work, emotional labor, and tacit knowledge.
Study of an Endogenous Retrovirus-Like Locus Reveals Genetic Polymorphisms Related to Mouse TLA Haplotypes

A retrovirus-like element (TLev1) is located within the Tla locus of the C57BL/10 major histocompatibility complex (1). Low copy probes have been isolated from sequences flanking the TLev1 integration site to examine the distribution of TLev1 among inbred mouse strains having genotypically determined variations in TL antigen expression. Table 1 shows that the TLevl genome was present in 20 out of 20 mouse strains of the Tla b, nonexpressing (TL—), haplotype. Inbred strains of Tla a,c,e, expressing (TL+), haplotypes were not found to contain the TLev1 locus. Certain TL+ strains, including 3 Tla f inbred strains and an H-2 congenic strain, A.CA (Tla d), were found to contain TLev1 genomes indicating that the retrovirus does not exclusively correlate with the TL− phenotype.
The establishment of principles which are essential for the realization of the objectives of physical education.

(1948). The Establishment of Principles Which are Essential for the Realization of the Objectives of Physical Education. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 93-102.
The Effect of Subject Sex, Verbal Interaction and Topical Focus on Speech Disruption

Forty-eight men and forty-eight women participated in four consecutive 5 minute subinterviews, two of which were concerned with personal problem content and two which were concerned with non-problem topics. in one problem and one non-problem subinterview the subject and experimenter engaged in naturalistic verbal interaction; in the other problem and non-problem subinterviews the talking was done only by the subject. The obtained speech samples were scored for proportions of Ah (filled pauses) and non-Ah speech disturbances. Statistical analysis indicated that the Ah ratio differentiated the sex groups although the non-Ah ratio did not. Higher non-Ah ratios were elicited by the interactive and problem subinterviews than by the non-interactive and non-problem subinterviews and there was a significant interaction effect. The male group emitted higher proportions of filled pauses in the interactive and problem subinterviews while the female group emitted higher proportions only in the interactive subintervie...
Associations between change in DASH diet scores and CVD risk factors in the PREMIER Trial (369.1)

OBJECTIVE: To measure associations between changes in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary indices and changes in blood pressure (BP), weight, and waist circumference (CVD ris...
Osteometric Variation in Domestic Dogs (Canis familiaris) from the Kodiak Archipelago, Alaska

The research presented here is a re-examination of domestic dog (Canis familiaris) remains from the Uyak site on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Previous analyses suggest there were two breeds of dog represented in this archaeological assemblage, primarily on the basis of dog cranial size. Here, we use a series of metric and nonmetric traits to test the argument that these ‘breeds’ actually represent a population of male and female dogs. On the basis of the results presented here, we argue the metric and nonmetric data produced by this study suggest that the dogs in this sample are male and female specimens, rather than two distinct breeds. The Uyak assemblage is the largest collection of domestic dog from Kodiak, and these results have the potential to contribute to our understanding of human–dog relationships in the archipelago. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Favored Encryption Techniques for Cloud Storage

Data has been often offloaded to the cloud for high accessibility due to the advanced cloud infrastructure. However, we often ignore the safety of our data and completely rely on the cloud service provider. Data protection and encryption are the most important foundations in order to construct reliable and secure cloud environments. Recently, a lot of industries have used and developed various data encryption techniques that would be a fundamental solution to achieve data protection. This paper investigates current encryption and key management techniques used by the industry. We evaluate the popular techniques to find the elements that affect system performance. Finally, we compare various encryption techniques and suggest future directions for high performance and scalable encryption techniques.
Estrogenic activity in women receiving an injectable progestogen for contraception.

Abstract In order to determine whether an estrogen deficiency exists in women receiving 150 mg. of depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate every 3 months, 121 women who had used this method of contraception for 1 to 5 years were evaluated. Clinical evaluation revealed no subjective or objective sign of estrogen deficiency, except small uterine size. The mean serum estradiol levels in this group of patients (36 to 42 pg. per milliliter) were in the range of levels found in the early follicular phase of women with ovulatory cycles. Nearly all the estradiol measurements were above levels found in postmenopausal women. It is concluded that these women have ovaries which are functioning and secreting estradiol at relatively low constant levels with no demonstrable adverse clinical effects.
The effects of maternal sickle cell hemoglobinopathies and sickle cell trait on reproductive performance.

Abstract Reproductive performances have been analyzed for 797 black women whose red cells contain sickle cell hemoglobin. Fifty pregnancies in 34 women with sickle cell anemia yeilded only 27 infants who survived; there were no maternal deaths, but morbidity was frequent and often intense. Seventy-eight pregnancies in 43 women with sickle cell-hemoglobin C disease culminated in the births of 68 infants who survived; serious maternal morbidity was common, and 2 women died. Thirty-two infants survived from 37 pregnancies in 21 women with sickle cell-beta thalassemia disease; maternal morbidity was comparable to that with sickle cell-hemoglobin C, disease but there were no maternal deaths. The pregnancy experiences for women with sickle cell trait were not different from those of black women whose red cells do not sickle except for twice the frequency of significant bacteriuria. Thus, the only major cause for special concern by women with sickle cell trait who contemplate reproduction is their potential for transmission of one gene for sickling to the off spring.
Unitary Responses in Frog Olfactory Epithelium to Sterically Related Molecules at Low Concentrations

Responses of receptor cells in the frog's olfactory epithelium were recorded using platinum-black metal-filled microelectrodes. Spontaneous activity varied over a wide range from 0.07 to 1.8 spikes/s. Mean interspike intervals ranged from 13.7 to 0.5 s. Excitatory responses to six sterically related compounds at low concentrations were investigated. Stimuli were delivered in an aqueous medium. Thresholds for impulse initiation varied from greater than 1 mM down to the nanomolar concentration range. Thresholds of different olfactory receptors to the same stimulus could vary by several log units. Thresholds of the same receptor cell to different stimuli could be within the same order of magnitude, or could vary by as much as 5 log units. Based upon quantitative measures of stimulus-evoked excitatory responses it appeared that some receptors did not discriminate among sterically related molecules, whereas other receptors clearly discriminated between stimuli which evoke similar odor sensations.
Periodic gain feedback control of power converters

Although periodic feedback offers more flexibility than constant gain feedback, there has been no demonstration that this control can be practically implemented. This paper presents a practical implementation of periodic feedback control applied to a switching DC/DC buck/boost power converter. Stability of the closed-loop discrete system is analyzed for capacitor voltage and inductor current feedbacks. It is found that feedback of the inductor current through periodically varying gains results in a more stable power converter than periodic feedback of the capacitor voltage. Simulation and experimental results of both feedback systems are presented and discussed.
Another bound on the absorptive part of elastic scattering amplitudes

Via Lagrange multipliers for inequality constraints, an upper bound on the absorptive part of the elastic scattering amplitudes is derived assuming unitarity, a fixed total and elastic cross section, and the condition that the partial waves decrease monotonically with increasing angular momentum. Numerical results are given.
XIAP protein is induced by placenta growth factor (PLGF) and decreased during preeclampsia in trophoblast cells

AbstractIncreased trophoblast apoptosis has been implicated in pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia (EC). We investigated placenta growth factor (PLGF) signaling during trophoblast apoptosis in culture and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and apoptosis inducible factor (AIF) in the preeclamptic placenta at term was determined. Primary trophoblasts were isolated and serum starved to induce apoptosis. Placenta growth factor was added and apoptosis markers were determined. Term preeclamptic placentae were homogenized and the levels of XIAP and XAF1 protein were assessed. In the absence of serum, primary cultures of term trophoblast showed a 5-fold increase in apoptosis as determined by annexin V binding. The increase in apoptosis induced by serum deprivation was caspase-independent and could be significantly reduced (p < 0.02) with the addition of 10 ng/ml rh PLGF to the media. In addition, PLGF mediated increased protein expression of the anti-apoptotic XIAP as ...
Retinal branch vein occlusion

Obstruction of a major temporal branch vein, or one of its macular tributaries, presents a significant threat to vision. Visual acuity may be reduced by macular edema or the consequences of retinal neovascularization, and these afflictions frequently become irreversible. Since the complicating macular edema and retinal neovascularization respond, at least in part, to argon laser therapy in some other conditions, some investigators have begun to treat branch vein occlusions with this modality. However, since the pathogenesis and natural history of the disorder have not yet been elucidated by prospective studies, it is not clear whether such treatment is indicated. Clinical and experimental studies are reviewed, and treatment rationale and techniques are discussed. The authors emphasize the need for well-controlled randomized studies to evaluate the natural history of branch vein occlusion and the efficacy of photocoagulation in its treatment.
Plenary Speaker 2: The next era of wireless communications — Enabling revolutions in health care, transportation, energy, and the environment

2013 marked the 40th anniversary of the first cellular telephone call. The growth of personal portable wireless communications since then has created a global communications network unprecedented in human history. This anniversary gives us the opportunity to consider what the next forty years of wireless communication might look like. Further inevitable Improvements in semiconductor technology, with resulting improvements in processing power, transistor speed and complexity will result in exciting new applications of wireless devices. Wireless technology has historically been focused on personal or data communications, but some of the most exciting new approaches will center on medical, energy, transportation and environmental applications. These include such areas as wireless medical and neural interfaces, networked personal transportation and infrastructure, and the “internet of things.” This talk will summarize the emerging wireless technologies that will enable these new applications, and present some of the challenges to their widespread adoption.
Liquid-liquid jet breakup under conditions of relative motion, mass transfer and solute adsorption

Abstract A linear hydrodynamic stability analysis of a liquid jet in relative motion through a second liquid in the presence of mass transfer between them predicts a significant effect of mass transfer direction and driving force and solute adsorption on jet length. Results of experiments in which acetone transfers between benzene jets and water in the presence and absence of adsorbing surfactant agree qualitatively with most of the predictions of the theory.
Grip strength and exposure to hue differences in visual stimuli: Is postural status a factor?

In previous experiments investigating effects of color on muscle strength, subjects were seated during the test procedure, and although statistically significant, magnitude of color effect differences were very small. So as to explore the possible role of organismic state variables associated with body position, subjects in the present study were tested while standing. This time, no significant difference was found between hand dynamometer squeeze scores of 36 high school wrestlers as they stared at a pink, compared with a blue, stimulus card. Directions for future inquiry into muscle-specific loci of kinesiological color effects are considered. But the lack of unambiguously established experimental evidence as to the reliable effects of color on muscle strength is underscored.
Excess weight among children with phenylketonuria.

Children with phenylketonuria (PKU) participating in the PKU Collaborative Study were found to be overweight on average by age 4, particularly the girls. A search was made for factors that were mos...
Natural and anthropogenic processes that concentrate Mn in rural and urban environments of the lower Mississippi River delta.

Abstract This study evaluated natural processes and projected methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl fuel additives as sources of Mn accumulation in the environment. Data sets include fresh alluvium and sediments from the lower Mississippi River Delta and a soil metal survey of metropolitan New Orleans. The (1) railroad Mn, (2) industrial Mn, and (3) dynamic aquifer–stream transfer of Mn hypotheses were tested with the Mississippi River Delta data. Friction between Mn-rich steel wheels and rails contributes Mn ( P =0.017) to the environment, supporting (1). Sediment loads of Mn were similar ( P =0.77) upstream and downstream from the Louisiana industrial corridor, not supporting (2). The median Mn on the alluvium surface (59 mg/kg), in the aquifer (159 mg/kg), and in the riverbank aquifer discharge zone (513 mg/kg) support (3) as a mechanism for Mn enrichment of clay. The New Orleans soil metal survey data set shows a rural to urban increase of fourfold for Mn and three orders of magnitude for Pb. At 1999 U.S. highway fuel use, 8.3 mg of Mn per L would yield 5000 metric tons of Mn annually. If 13% of Mn were emitted, 650 tons of Mn would become aerosols annually, while 87% or 4350 tons would remain in engines. The 1999 toxic release inventory for Mn shows 370 tons as total emissions compared to the potential of 390 and 260 tons from vehicles, respectively, in urban and rural areas. A precautionary lesson from the use of Pb as a fuel additive is that the use of Mn as a fuel additive would be associated with an increased risk for neonates exceeding the estimated total tolerable daily intake of 2.1–16.5μg Mn (especially in urban inner city environments) because neonates lack fully functional hepatic clearance for Mn.
Cognitive Reserve Protects Against Apathy in Individuals with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Apathy is associated with impaired neuropsychological functioning in individuals with HIV. While cognitive reserve (CR) delays neurocognitive decline, CR's relationship with apathy has never been studied. We examined CR's association with apathy in 116 HIV-positive individuals recruited from an urban AIDS center and assessed whether this relationship is moderated by age and/or disease severity. Participants completed the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading and Apathy Evaluation Scale. A CR-composite, combining years of education and word-reading ability, significantly predicted apathy (t = -2.37, p = .02). CR's relationship with apathy was not moderated by age, but participants with nadir CD4 levels ≤ 200 demonstrated a stronger association (t = -3.25, p = .002) than those with nadir CD4 levels > 200 (t = -0.61, p = .55). These findings suggest a protective effect of CR against apathy in HIV-infected individuals across the age span, particularly after a certain threshold of disease severity.