cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
White Pine Weevil: A Rearing Procedure and Artificial Medium

A rearing technique and a semiartificial medium for rearing Pissodes strobi (Peck) from egg through adult is described. Data on survival, fecundity, and adult size are discussed. The technique provides a uniform, aseptic procedure for rearing P. strobi in the laboratory.
On Taxpayers and Their Rights

For a long time, the idea of governing tax which has excessively stressed taxpayers' duty and neglected their rights,has deeply affected the current action of tax revenue.Under the condition of socialist market economy,the recognition of the essence of tax correctly,the establishment of taxpayers' main position of rights and the implementation of the idea of equality between taxpayer and the country's levy taxes organ will play a good part in promoting the activity of tax.
AILabel: A Fast Interval Labeling Approach for Reachability Query on Very Large Graphs

Recently, reachability queries on large graphs have attracted much attention. Many state-of-the-art approaches leverage spanning tree to construct indexes. However, almost all of these work require indexes and original graph in memory simultaneously, which will limit the scalability. Thus, a new interval labeling approach called AILabel (Augmented Interval Label) is proposed in this paper. AILabel labels each node with quadruples. Index construction time of AILabel is O(m+n), which requires only one traversal through the graph. Besides, AILabel only needs index to answer the queries. We further proposed an approach D-AILabel based on AILabel to handle reachability queries on dynamic graph. Finally, experiments on real and synthetic datasets are conducted and prove that AILabel can efficiently scale to large graph and reachability queries on dynamic graph can be effectively handled by D-AILabel.
Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Columns with Sidesway

The behavior of columns as components of a reinforced concrete framework under vertical loading and subject to sidesway has been studied analytically. Numerical solutions describing the behavior of approximately one thousand individual structural systems consisting of a column and its adjoining members have been obtained. Based on the resulting data, a study has been made into the effects of several variables known to influence the behavior and capacity of this type of structural system. The results of this study provide insight into the behavior and capacity of reinforced concrete columns subject to relative lateral displacements, and into the factors affecting this behavior and capacity. The variables considered were: relative lateral restraint, ratio of end eccentricities, eccentricity of load, slenderness ratio, relative end restraint and yield of end restraint.
China — The 800lb Gorilla

In the last few years there has been a remarkable expansion in the product line of Chinese restaurants in America and Europe. The traditional Cantonese cuisine that dominated the restaurant menus in the 1950s and the 1960s has given way to cooking in the Mandarin, Sczechwan, and Hunan styles. These differences in cuisine reflects the immense size of China, and the fact that basic foodstuffs available on the seacoast differ from those available inland — the Cantonese chefs worked around rice dishes; seafood is an important component of the menus. Mandarin cooking is Northern with wheat the basic starch. Meats were important in the cuisine of Hunan and of Sczechwan; and because the meats were not always fresh, hot spices were added to distract from the taste of the basic ingredients. The North–South wheat rice distinction is more or less the Yangtze River, which bisects China; 400 million live north of this river and 800 million south of it.
BMI1 is downregulated by the natural compound curcumin, but not by bisdemethoxycurcumin and dimethoxycurcumin

The B-cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 (BMI1) locus encodes a 37-kD protein that is a key regulatory component of the polycomb regulatory complex 1 (PRC1). When overexpressed in various cancer types, the BMI1 protein induces cell growth and promotes tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Curcumin, a major phytochemical in turmeric (Curcuma longa), inhibits the proliferation and survival of many types of cancer cells, both in vitro and in vivo, and has been reported to reduce BMI1 expression in breast cancer cells. In this study, effects of curcumin and two analogs (bisdemethoxycurcumin and dimethoxycurcumin) on BMI1 expression were evaluated in DLD-1 colorectal cancer cells. Bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) is naturally occurring in turmeric, whereas dimethoxycurcumin (DMC) is a synthetic analog of curcumin. All three compounds reduced cell survival, but only the natural compound downregulated BMI1 protein expression; curcumin significantly reduced BMI1 levels more than bisdemethoxycurcumin and dimethoxycurcumin. In addition, curcumin and BDMC inhibit survival of the DLD-1 colorectal cancer cells by inducing apoptosis, whereas DMC inhibits survival by a mechanism other than apoptosis.
Impact of emergency department care on outcomes of acute pain events in children with sickle cell disease.

The impact of emergency department (ED) treatment on outcomes of sickle cell disease (SCD) acute pain hospitalizations is not well described. We investigated whether length of stay (LOS) and change in health-related quality of life (HRQL) are affected by initial opioid dose and time to administration. We conducted secondary analyses of data from the randomized-controlled Magnesium for children in Crisis (MAGiC) trial. The primary outcome was LOS. Secondary outcome was change in HRQL, assessed using PedsQL SCD Pain and Hurt and Pain Impact Domains measured in ED and at discharge. Independent variables were: 1) Time to first IV opioid, 2) Total initial opioid dose (mg/kg/hr of morphine equivalents administered between ED and first study drug) and 3) Time to first oral opioid. Spearman correlations determined the associations with LOS. Using two-sample t-tests we compared mean change in HRQL scores between: IV opioid initiated within 60 and >60 minutes, opioid doses in the highest and lowest tertiles, and oral opioid initiated within 24 and >24 hours. 204 patients participated at 8 sites. Mean (SD) age was 13.6 (4.7) years. Earlier initiation of oral opioids was strongly correlated with shorter LOS (r=0.61, p<0.01). Higher initial opioid dose was weakly correlated with longer LOS (r=0.34, p<0.01). Higher initial opioid doses (6 vs. -2.2; p=0.01) and oral opioids initiated within 24 hours (5.7 vs. -1.7, p=0.04) were associated with larger mean change in HRQL at discharge. Prospective trials evaluating the impact of ED care on outcomes of pain hospitalizations could improve SCD pain treatment. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Dengvaxia®: Prayers Answered or NOT?

Dengvaxia is the first vaccine against dengue that has been developed after decades of toiling to tame the four-strain dengue virus. The questions have already been raised regarding its non-utility for the younger ones and the seronegative population due to ethical concern of non-maleficence (do-no-harm). It is not clear where this leaves the endemic populations suffering for decades from un-resolving morbidity and mortality burdens of dengue fever, and whether this worsens the dilemma of those populations’ rattled-governments planning to ride the approaching bandwagons of mass vaccination programs against dengue. Irrespective, people and personnel living in dengue-endemic regions should welcome hands down this human endeavour to develop Dengvaxia, the first vaccine against dengue.
IRREGULAR DYNAMICS AND HOMOCLINIC ORBITS TO HAMILTONIAN SADDLE CENTERS

We consider 4-dimensional, real, analytic Hamiltonian systems with a saddle center equilibrium (related to a pair of real and a pair of imaginary eigenvalues) and a homoclinic orbit to it. We find conditions for the existence of transversal homoclinic orbits to periodic orbits of long period in every energy level sufficiently close to the energy level of the saddle center equilibrium. We also consider one-parameter families of reversible, 4-dimensional Hamiltonian systems. We prove that the set of parameter values where the system has homoclinic orbits to a saddle center equilibrium has no isolated points. We also present similar results for systems with heteroclinic orbits to saddle center equilibria. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Cultivating Community-Responsive Future Healthcare Professionals: Using Service-Learning in Pre-Health Humanities Education

This essay argues that service-learning pedagogy is an important tool in pre-health humanities education that provides benefits to the community and produces more compassionate, culturally competent, and community-responsive future healthcare professionals. Further, beginning this approach at the baccalaureate level instills democratic and collaborative values at an earlier, crucial time in the career socialization process. The discussion focuses on learning outcomes and reciprocity between the university and community in a Medical Humanities course for junior and senior premedical students, an elective in the premedical curriculum. The course includes an experiential learning element in which students shadow physicians and a service-learning component in which students complete medically-relevant service work, working with partners such as the veteran's hospital, a hospice home, and organizations that serve individuals with disabilities. We cover topics such as narrative medicine, ethics, cross-cultural medicine, patient/practitioner relationships, the human life cycle, and the illness experience, and the writing, discussion, and reflection we engage in is enriched by the real-world experiences from which the students are able to draw. The shadowing and service experiences and the classroom texts and topics combine to form a symbiosis that leads to especially meaningful teaching and learning outcomes.
A Report on the National Manpower Council

(1956). A Report on the National Manpower Council. The Journal of Higher Education: Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 171-172.
Karmarkars Algorithmus aus nichtlinearer Sicht

In diesem Kapitel werden wir den Algorithmus von Karmarkar aus Kapitel 11 noch einmal, aber diesmal in der Sprache der nichtlinearen Optimierung, angelehnt an eine Arbeit von Gonzaga [18], darstellen. Die Methoden, die im zweiten Teil besprochen worden sind, versetzen uns in die Lage, einen Konvergenzbeweis und eine Komplexitatsanalyse durchzufuhren.
A modest proposal: global rationalization of ecological footprint to eliminate ecological debt

In the context of ecological overshoot, extreme poverty, and profligate consumption, we propose using ecological footprint analysis (EFA) to regulate and rationalize material consumption worldwide....
Thermodynamic Coupling Function Analysis of Allosteric Mechanisms in the Human Dopamine Transporter

Allostery plays a crucial role in the mechanism of neurotransmitter-sodium symporters, such as the human dopamine transporter. To investigate the molecular mechanism that couples the transport-associated inward release of the Na+ ion from the Na2 site to intracellular gating, we applied a combination of the thermodynamic coupling function (TCF) formalism and Markov state model analysis to a 50-μs data set of molecular dynamics trajectories of the human dopamine transporter, in which multiple spontaneous Na+ release events were observed. Our TCF approach reveals a complex landscape of thermodynamic coupling between Na+ release and inward-opening, and identifies diverse, yet well-defined roles for different Na+-coordinating residues. In particular, we identify a prominent role in the allosteric coupling for the Na+-coordinating residue D421, where mutation has previously been associated with neurological disorders. Our results highlight the power of the TCF analysis to elucidate the molecular mechanism of complex allosteric processes in large biomolecular systems.
A foundry's view of hardware security

A system is as secure as its weakest link. Current computing systems employ a multiple-layer approach to build a trusted environment. At the bottom of this multi-layer approach is a hardware root of trust which other layers build upon. It is important to assure this root of trust is secure and free from any weakness. Recently there is surge of research topics on hardware security. In this talk we first narrow the topic a bit and outline a more restricted definition of hardware security. Upon this tighter definition we try to explain why it is so hard to defend hardware attacks. We will give example from the recent hardware attacks. We, then, focus on a few topics related to hardware security including hardware Trojans and IC counterfeiting. We argue why it is very unlikely for a reputable foundry such as TSMC to plant them. On IC counterfeiting, there have been work on employing Physically Unclonable Function (PUF) to prevent counterfeiting. In this talk we will attempt to explain the difference between testing of these hardware security elements from testing of standard logic elements. We will also clarify that foundry is in the best position to work with customers directly in building these elements such as Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) and Physical Random Bits Generators (PRBGs).
Cell-Based Therapies: The Nonresponder

Cell-based therapies have come of age and several phase III trials are now being conducted. Cell-based therapies, especially involving mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), have substantial nonresponder rates, as has been reported in some current clinical trials. This high rate is expected as the MSCs are neither tuned for each of the diseases that are being treated nor for the huge variance in the genetics and response characteristics of the individual patients being treated. Such nonresponders might be used as a control group, thus eliminating the need for placebo controls. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2018;7:762-766.
Itch: From mechanism to (novel) therapeutic approaches.

Itch is a common sensory experience that is prevalent in patients with inflammatory skin diseases, as well as in those with systemic and neuropathic conditions. In patients with these conditions, itch is often severe and significantly affects quality of life. Itch is encoded by 2 major neuronal pathways: histaminergic (in acute itch) and nonhistaminergic (in chronic itch). In the majority of cases, crosstalk existing between keratinocytes, the immune system, and nonhistaminergic sensory nerves is responsible for the pathophysiology of chronic itch. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of the molecular, neural, and immune mechanisms of itch: beginning in the skin, proceeding to the spinal cord, and eventually ascending to the brain, where itch is processed. A growing understanding of the mechanisms of chronic itch is expanding, as is our pipeline of more targeted topical and systemic therapies. Our therapeutic armamentarium for treating chronic itch has expanded in the last 5 years, with developments of topical and systemic treatments targeting the neural and immune systems.
Situational Information Guidance for Revised Radiological Detection Thresholds

Through the highly popular method of data-fusion, a more intelligent radiological detection system is being researched at the University of Florida. The addition of 3D vision sensors (or depth sensors) to a passive nuclear material detection system in dynamic environments is proving to be beneficial. With 3D vision sensors, nuclear material can now be detected and. The combination of sensors, radiological and depth, have complementary strengths and can enable applications such as tracking behind walls and detecting multiple radiological sources in the same scene. The focus of this paper is to show how 3D vision sensors can provide a priori information such as distance and object speed to improve the detection threshold of a radiological detection system. If a source passed by a radiological detector, the detector response would follow a specific trend over time. With the input from the 3D vision sensor we can fit an equation to the radiological data over time. We compared two fit methods (based on Gaussian and rational equations) to the original detection threshold definition defined by Currie. For scenarios where the count rate of a passing source is discernable from the background count rate, all of the methods performed similarly. However, for instances where the count rate of a passing source is not noticeably above background, the revised detection threshold method limits (fit methods) outperformed the original detection limit.
Isolated Rearing at Lactation Increases Gut Microbial Diversity and Post-weaning Performance in Pigs

Environment and diet are two major factors affecting the human gut microbiome. In this study, we used a pig model to determine the impact of these two factors during lactation on the gut microbiome, immune system, and growth performance. We assigned 80 4-day-old pigs from 20 sows to two rearing strategies at lactation: conventional rearing on sow's milk (SR) or isolated rearing on milk replacer supplemented with solid feed starting on day 10 (IR). At weaning (day 21), SR and IR piglets were co-mingled (10 pens of 4 piglets/pen) and fed the same corn-soybean meal-dried distiller grain with solubles- and antibiotic-free diets for eight feeding phase regimes. Fecal samples were collected on day 21, 62, and 78 for next-generation sequencing of the V4 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Results indicate that IR significantly increased swine microbial diversity and changed the microbiome structure at day 21. Such changes diminished after the two piglet groups were co-mingled and fed the same diet. Post-weaning growth performance also improved in IR piglets. Toward the end of the nursery period (NP), IR piglets had greater average daily gain (0.49 vs. 0.41 kg/d; P < 0.01) and average daily feed intake (0.61 vs. 0.59 kg/d; P < 0.01) but lower feed efficiency (0.64 vs. 0.68; P = 0.05). Consequently, IR piglets were heavier by 2.9 kg (P < 0.01) at the end of NP, and by 4.1 kg (P = 0.08) at market age compared to SR piglets. Interestingly, pigs from the two groups had similar lean tissue percentage. Random forest analysis showed that members of Leuconostoc and Lactococcus best differentiated the IR and SR piglets at weaning (day 21), were negatively correlated with levels of Foxp3 regulatory T cell populations on day 20, and positively correlated with post-weaning growth performance. Our results suggest that rearing strategies may be managed so as to accelerate early-life establishment of the swine gut microbiome to enhance growth performance in piglets.
Status, promises, and challenges of nanocomposite solid-state electrolytes for safe and high performance lithium batteries

Abstract All-solid-state Li batteries (ASSLBs) are well recognized as potentially high energy density, safe systems for future energy storage. The development of solid-state electrolytes is one of the most crucial steps for ASSLBs. Nanocomposite solid-state electrolytes (CSSEs)—which contain both polymer electrolytes and nanoscale inorganic fillers (such as inorganic solid electrolyte filler)—have attracted tremendous interest with their good processability, flexibility, and reasonable ionic conductivity. In this review article, we will discuss the recent progress, design principles, and challenges of CSSEs for ASSLBs.
Polypharmacy in Patients with Ovarian Cancer.

OBJECTIVE Polypharmacy has been associated with morbidity and mortality in patients with cancer. Data about polypharmacy among patients with ovarian cancer are limited. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate polypharmacy in a cohort of patients with ovarian cancer and to assess the evolution of polypharmacy from initial presentation to 2 years posttreatment. A secondary objective was to evaluate differences in polypharmacy between a subset of patients primarily treated in our comprehensive cancer center (CCC) and our safety net hospital (SNH). METHODS Women treated for ovarian cancer between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2016, were included. Data were abstracted from the electronic medical record. Medication safety was assessed using the established Anticholinergic Burden (ACB) scale and the Beers criteria. Statistical analyses were performed using paired t tests and Cox proportional hazards models, with significance set at p < .05. RESULTS The study included 152 patients. The majority of patients had high-grade serous carcinoma. Hypertension was the most common medical problem. The mean number of medications at the time of diagnosis was 3.72. Paired testing demonstrated significant patient-level increases in the number medications at 2 years following initial diagnosis (4.16 vs. 7.01, p < .001). At the CCC, 47.4% of patients met criteria for polypharmacy at diagnosis compared with 19.4% at the SNH (p < .001). By 2 years postdiagnosis, 77.6% of patients at the CCC met criteria for polypharmacy compared with 43.3% at the SNH (p = .001). The use of any medications on the ACB scale (p < .001) increased significantly between initial diagnosis and 2 years for the entire population. Polypharmacy was not a significant predictor of overall survival. CONCLUSION Polypharmacy worsens as women go through ovarian cancer treatment. Both at initial presentation and at 2 years postdiagnosis, rates of polypharmacy were higher at the CCC. Polypharmacy did not have an effect on survival in this cohort. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Awareness of escalating numbers of medications and potentially adverse interactions is crucial among women with ovarian cancer, who are at high risk for polypharmacy.
Effect of Chronic Exposure to Cigarette Smoke on Tumor Incidence in the Syrian Golden Hamster

A group of 51 male Syrian golden hamsters received lifespan exposures to cigarette smoke in Hamburg II type smoking machines for 10 minutes 3 times per day, 5 days per week. An additional group of 51 hamsters served as controls and received sham exposures only. At death, lungs, trachea, larynx, liver, kidneys, and tissues showing gross lesion, were histopathologically examined.
Mixed-Degradation Profiles Assessment of Critical Components in Cyber-Physical Systems

This paper presents a general model to assess the mixed-degradation profiles of critical components in a Cyber-Physical System (CPS) based on the reliability of its critical physical and software components. In the proposed assessment, the cyber aspect of a CPS was approached from a software reliability perspective. Although extensive research has been done on physical components degradation and software reliability separately, research for the combined physical-software systems is still scarce. The non-homogeneous Poisson Processes (NHPP) software reliability models are deemed to fit well with the real data and have descriptive and predictive abilities, which could make them appropriate to estimate software components reliability. To show the feasibility of the proposed approach, a case study for mixed-degradation profiles assessment is presented with n physical components and one major software component forming a critical subsystem in CPS. Two physical components were assumed to have different degradation paths with the dependency between them. Series and parallel structures were investigated for physical components. The software component failure data was taken from a wireless network switching center and fitted into a Weibull software reliability model. The case study results revealed that mix-degradation profiles of physical components, combined with software component profile, produced a different CPS reliability profile
Characteristics and progression of hearing loss in children with turner's syndrome.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Evaluate patterns of hearing impairment in children with Turner's syndrome (TS) and determine factors influencing severity and progression. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective database review. METHODS Demographic, audiological, and medical data for children with TS were extracted from the Audiological and Genetic Database to analyze patterns of hearing loss with comorbidities, demographics, and interventions. RESULTS Two hundred seventy-two children with TS were identified; 213 had audiological data. Of these children, 72.3% (N = 154) had hearing loss in which 84.4% (N = 130) was bilateral. In individual ears, conductive hearing loss was most common (28.7%, n = 73), followed by mixed (22.0%, n = 93) and sensorineural (7.9%, n = 20). Otitis media (odds ratio [OR] = 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-6.5), eustachian tube dysfunction (OR = 9.5, 95% CI: 3.2-35.2), and aortic valve anomalies were also associated with higher rates of hearing loss (OR = 3.6, 95% CI: 1.3-11.5). Of ears with quantifiable severity, 16.3% (n = 40) had moderate or worse hearing loss. Aortic coarctation (36.3 vs. 21.3 dB, P < .001), seizures (40.6 vs. 21.3 dB, P = .006), facial anomalies (32.5 vs. 21.3 dB, P = .029), and hypertension (36.3 vs. 21.3 dB, P = .015) portended more severe loss. CONCLUSIONS Children with TS have high rates of hearing loss. High rates of sensorineural loss were unexpected. Nonotologic comorbidities, including seizures, hypertension, and anomalies of the kidney and aorta were associated with greater prevalence, severity, and progression of loss. Children with TS, particularly with the above comorbidities, are at risk for poor hearing outcomes, and should be offered audiological intervention to efficiently direct patient care. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA Laryngoscope, 130:1540-1546, 2020.
Do Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Benefit from an Enhanced Recovery Pathway

BACKGROUND Enhanced recovery pathways (ERPs) have been shown to reduce length of stay (LOS), complications, and costs after colorectal surgery; yet, little data exists regarding patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We hypothesized that implementation of ERP for IBD patients is associated with shorter LOS and improved economic outcomes. METHODS An IRB-approved prospective clinical database was used to identify consecutive patients from 2015 to 2017. Patients were grouped as "pre-ERP" and "post-ERP" based on the date of implementation of a comprehensive ERP. Ileostomy closures, redo pouch operations, and outpatient operations were excluded. The relationship between ERP, LOS, and secondary outcomes was assessed using univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS Overall, a total of 671 patients were included: 345 (51.4%) with Crohn's disease (CD) and 326 (48.6%) with ulcerative colitis (UC). Of these, 425 were pre-ERP (63.4%), and 246 were post-ERP (36.6%). The groups did not differ in terms of age, gender, American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) scores, comorbidities, estimated blood loss, or ostomy construction. The post-ERP group had a significantly higher mean body mass index (BMI), more patients with CD, longer operative time, and more minimally invasive surgery (MIS; all P < 0.05). The post-ERP group had a significantly shorter LOS (6 vs 4.5 days, median), whereas mean hospital costs decreased by 15.7%. There was no difference in readmissions or complications. On multivariate analysis, MIS and ERP use were both associated with a shorter LOS. CONCLUSION Inflammatory bowel disease patients benefit from the use of ERP, demonstrating decreased LOS and costs without an increase in complications and readmissions. Enhanced recovery pathways should be routinely implemented in this often challenging patient population.
Population-Level Trends in Early Mortality and Overall Survival of Patients with Multiple Myeloma. Are We Facing Stagnation?

Background: Therapeutic advances in multiple myeloma (MM) in the last two decades resulted in population-level reduction in early mortality (EM) and improvements in overall and relative survival when consecutive cohorts are compared. We utilized updated information from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Result (SEER-18) program to test whether prior improvement trends have persisted in more recent years. Methods: Patients diagnosed with MM as first malignant neoplasm between the years of 2001 and 2015 were included in the analysis. Survival data are available up to the end of 2016. We analyzed year-by-year EM, herein defined as death from any cause within the first year of diagnosis of MM. Updated 5-year OS was available for patients diagnosed 2001-2011 and analyzed year-by-year. We also analyzed outcomes using age brackets ( Results: There were 54,475 patients included in the EM analysis and 37,452 in the 5-year OS analysis. For the EM analysis, 42.7% of patients were Conclusions: These data indicate possible stagnation in risk of EM and 5-year survival for patients diagnosed with MM in the US beyond the introduction of proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory agents. The absolute risk of EM remains unacceptably high for all ages pointing to an unmet need in MM care. Future data will indicate whether the introduction of monoclonal antibodies and other new classes of drugs will have sufficient impact to change population-level outcomes in MM. Download : Download high-res image (133KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Costa: Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Fujimoto Pharmaceutical Corporation Japan: Other: Advisor; Janssen: Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Abbvie: Consultancy; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau.
Micro-CT and histopathology methods to assess host response of aneurysms treated with shape memory polymer foam-coated coils versus bare metal coil occlusion devices.

Recent studies utilizing shape memory polymer foams to coat embolizing coils have shown potential benefits over current aneurysm treatments. In the current study utilizing a rabbit-elastase aneurysm model, the performance of test article (foam-coated coil [FCC]) and control (bare platinum coils [BPCs]) devices were compared at 30, 90, and 180 days using micro-CT and histological assessments. The host response was measured by identifying the cells regionally present within the aneurysm, and assessing the degree of residual debris and connective tissue. The 3D reconstructions of aneurysms provided context for histologic findings, and aided in the overall aneurysm assessment. At all time points, >75% of the cells categorized in each aneurysm were associated with a bioactive yet biocompatible host response (vs. the remainder of cells that were associated with acute inflammation). The extracellular matrix exhibited a transition from residual fibrin at 30 days to a greater degree of connective tissue at 90 and 180 days. Although the control BPC-treated aneurysms exhibited a greater degree of connective tissue at the earliest time point examined (30 days), by 180 days, the FCC-treated aneurysms had more connective tissue and less debris overall than the control aneurysms. When considering cell types and extracellular matrix composition, the overall host response scores were significantly better in FCC-treated aneurysms at the later time point. Based on the results of these metrics, the FCC device may lead to an advanced tissue remodeling response over BPC occlusion devices.
Effect of Melphalan Exposure in Patients with Lymphoma Undergoing Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (AHCT)

Background Carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan (BEAM) is the most common conditioning regimen for autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) recipients with lymphoma. Data in multiple myeloma have shown that dosing melphalan as a fixed dose based on body surface area leads to inter-patient differences with a 5-fold variability in area under the curve (AUC), with higher AUCs associated with improved outcomes but increased toxicity (Shaw BBMT 2012). We evaluated the pharmacokinetics (PK) of Evomela® (propylene glycol free melphalan, PGF-MEL) in lymphoma patients to investigate the effect of melphalan exposure on outcomes and toxicities. Methods On D-1 prior to AHCT, 140 mg/m2 of PGF-MEL was given over 30 minutes and serum sample were drawn serially at 5, 15, 30, 40, 75, and 150 min after the dose. AUC PK modeling was done with Cetara Phoenix WinNonlin, Princeton, NJ. Toxicities will be collected using CTCAE v4 through D+100 after AHCT. Results Eighty-seven patients received BEAM and had melphalan PK analysis. Among all patients, the median age was 51 (range, 19-74), 62% were male, and 53% had aggressive B-cell lymphoma. The median PK parameters were as follows: AUC 8.1 mg*h/L (range, 3.8-18.8); clearance 31.8 L/h (range 16.4-79.1); volume of distribution 33.2 L (range, 19.7-70.1); and half-life of elimination 0.7 hours (range, 0.5-1.7). The median dose of melphalan given was similar between patients ≤ median AUC and those above (260 mg [range, 200-340 mg) and 270 mg [range, 210-340 mg], respectively.) Median follow-up of survivors was 8.94 months (range 0.72-32.91). Univariate analysis showed no difference in 1-year overall survival (OS) (95.5% [84-100%] vs. 87.4% [76.5-100%], p=0.2) or progression-free survival (PFS) (78.4% [63.6-96.6%] vs. 78% [63.7-95.5%], p>0.99) when evaluating patients ≤ or above median melphalan AUC, respectively. Patients with a melphalan AUC ≤ the median had an average length of stay of 19 days (range, 5-27) vs. 21 days (range, 7-38) for those above the median exposure (OR 1.19 [1.05-1.38], p = 0.004). Toxicity data collection is ongoing. Conclusion PGF-MEL demonstrated a 5-fold variability in AUC when used as part of BEAM conditioning in AHCT for lymphoma. Early results do not yet indicate an impact on OS or PFS, but the data requires time to mature. However, melphalan exposure ≤ 8.1 mg*h/L resulted in a shorter length of hospitalization likely driven by toxicities that will be reported and presented.
Chapter 175 – Muscle System

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the muscle system of insects. Muscle is the excitable, contractile tissue of animals that is responsible for movement and behavior. Although there is great variability in structure and performance among different insect muscles, many basic features of biochemical composition, ultrastructural organization, and contractile performance are common among insect muscles and indeed are similar between muscles of insects and those of vertebrates. The skeletal muscles of insects are bundles of elongate, multinucleate cells called muscle fibers. The fibers attach at each end to the exoskeleton. The muscles typically span joints of the exoskeleton and, when active, cause bending of the joint or stabilization of the joint against external forces. Skeletal muscles are the muscles of behavior, the muscles involved in posture and locomotion. In addition to skeletal muscles, insects contain visceral muscles that cause movement of the gut, malpighian tubules, and parts of the reproductive system; there are also cardiac muscles that cause contraction of tissue sheets and vessels associated with the circulatory system. The visceral and cardiac muscle cells are typically small, spindle shaped, and with a single nucleus. An individual insect contains many morphologically identifiable skeletal muscles. The large number of muscles is a consequence of the segmental organization of insects and the serial replication of parts associated with segmentation. Each of the wing-bearing segments of a cockroach contains about 50 separate muscles, an abdominal segment a somewhat smaller number.
Recent advancements in using perovskite single crystals for gamma-ray detection

Perovskites in the form of polycrystalline thin films have been extensively studied in solar cell research over the past few years. Recently, monocrystalline perovskites have been discovered with great potentials for the use in radiation detection, in which higher energy photons (X-ray and gamma ray) or heavy charged alpha particles compared with low-energy visible light in solar cell research need to be detected. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the-art perovskite single crystals which have been investigated specifically for gamma photon detection. The physical, optical, and electrical properties will be reviewed and compared with today’s market-dominating gamma-ray detector materials, such as cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) and its low-cost alternative cadmium zinc telluride selenium (CdZnTeSe) single crystals. Lastly, suggestions are proposed for the future development in this research direction.
Reduction of carbon dioxide at a plasmonically active copper–silver cathode

Electrochemically deposited copper nanostructures were coated with silver to create a plasmonically active cathode for carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction. Illumination with 365 nm light, close to the peak plasmon resonance of silver, selectively enhanced 5 of the 14 typically observed copper CO2 reduction products while simultaneously suppressing hydrogen evolution. At low overpotentials, carbon monoxide was promoted in the light and at high overpotentials ethylene, methane, formate, and allyl alcohol were enhanced upon illumination; generally C1 products and C2/C3 products containing a double carbon bond were selectively promoted under illumination. Temperature-dependent product analysis in the dark showed that local heating is not the cause of these selectivity changes. While the exact plasmonic mechanism is still unknown, these results demonstrate the potential for enhancing CO2 reduction selectivity at copper electrodes using plasmonics.
Nesting and scheduling problems for additive manufacturing: A taxonomy and review

Abstract With the trends of Industry 4.0 spanning physical and virtual worlds, Additive Manufacturing (AM) has been the mainstream for realizing complex geometries designed in computers. Meanwhile, a considerable number of AM studies have focused on effectively building these elaborate designs. However, as the AM technologies have matured, production-driven studies have recently been spotlighted to achieve mass customization. This means that the research scope has been extended to incorporate production management concerns focused on efficiently producing high volumes of heterogeneous parts. Particularly, since AM allows batch processing of multiple parts within the same build volume, nesting methods have been studied to properly place objects in the limited space to improve yield. Since the middle of 2010, the nesting topic has been considered with a scheduling matter for assigning objects to AM machines to minimize production time and cost. The main contribution of this investigation is to show the current status of nesting and scheduling studies applied to AM. This reveals critical issues for future research directions. Since traditional manufacturing usually addresses nesting and scheduling problems separately, each problem is specified with its specialized taxonomies. This causes the existing taxonomies to be limited in comprehensively covering both nesting and scheduling topics. To provide a holistic view covering both topics, this paper proposes an alternative taxonomy based on three dimensions: Part, Build, and AM Machine. Considering combinations of the three dimensions, six classes are defined to identify and cluster problem characteristics and types. Moreover, eight supplementary criteria are added to further refine the organization of the research papers within those classes. In this survey, 53 technical papers are classified and critical issues are discussed.
Three-Junction Bandgap Circuit with Sub 1 ppm/°C Temperature Coefficient

A method for designing high precision bandgap voltage references which expresses the zero-Kelvin bandgap voltage of silicon (V GO ), a physical temperature-independent constant, at the output over a wide temperature range is proposed. In contrast to existing approaches that provide curvature compensation to reduce nonlinear temperature dependence, the proposed bootstrapping approach ideally cancels all temperature nonlinearities. Following this approach, a high precision voltage reference circuit which expresses the bandgap voltage of silicon at its output has been designed in a UMC 65nm process. Transistor-level Spectre simulations predict an output of approximately 1.18V and a temperature coefficient of 0.7ppm/°C from -40 °C to 125 °C. The method is partially verified with measurement results obtained by using diode-connected substrate pnp transistors fabricated in a UMC 65nm process along with discrete operational amplifiers to obtain a reference output with a temperature coefficient of 0.8ppm/°C over a 165°C temperature range.
Contrasting Variable and Stable Subsurface Microbial Populations: an ecological time series analysis from the Deep Mine Microbial Observatory, South Dakota, USA

Summary The deep subsurface contains a vast reservoir of microbial life. While recent studies have revealed critical details about this biosphere including the sheer diversity of microbial taxa and their metabolic potential, long-term monitoring of deep subsurface microbial populations is rare, thus limiting our understanding of subsurface microbial population dynamics. Here we present a four-year time series analysis of subsurface microbial life from the Deep Mine Microbial Observatory (DeMMO), Lead, SD, USA. We find distinct and diverse populations inhabiting each of 6 sites over this ~1.5 km deep slice of terrestrial crust, corresponding to distinct geochemical habitats. Alpha diversity decreases with depth and beta diversity measures clearly differentiate samples by site over time, even during substantial perturbations. Population dynamics are driven by a subset of variable (and often relatively abundant) OTUs, but the vast majority of detected OTUs are stable through time, constituting a core microbial community. The phylogenetic affiliations of both stable and variable taxa, including putative sulfate reducers, methanogens, spore formers, and many uncultivated lineages, are similar to those found previously in subsurface environments. This work reveals the dynamic nature of the terrestrial subsurface, contributing to a more holistic understanding than can be achieved when viewing shorter timeframes. Originality-Significance Statement This four-year record of deep mine microbial diversity and geochemistry is the first of its kind and allows for direct investigation of temporal trends in deep subsurface biogeochemistry. We identify disparate populations of variable and stable taxa, suggesting the presence of a core deep subsurface microbiome with unique niche partitioning.
Jainism and Darwin: Evolution Beyond Orthodoxy

Many contemporary Jains assert that the ancient tradition of Jainism is compatible with modern science. Some authors specifically attempt to demonstrate the early evolutionary insights of “Jaina biology” which, when compared to Darwin’s nineteenth-century theory, may be partial, implicit, resonate with “Darwinian expressions,” or offer a corrective to Darwin’s account by redefining certain aspects of evolution altogether.
21. Clinicians Perform Incomplete Sexual and Reproductive Health Counseling in Trans Masculine Adolescents

Background The current and historical emphasis of reproductive counseling and care of assigned female at birth (AFAB) trans masculine (TM) adolescents in the setting of initiating testosterone gender affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) has focused predominantly on the patients’ genetic fertility potential. However fertility is only one part of AFAB TM adolescent's sexual and reproductive health (SRH), and all aspects may be impacted by testosterone GAHT (as well as gender affirming surgeries (GAS)). The study goal was to characterize the SRH evaluation patterns of AFAB TM adolescents presenting for initiation of GAHT to assess how well various aspects were being addressed. Methods This was an IRB approved retrospective cohort study of all AFAB TM patients seen for initiation of GAHT between 2010 and 2019. Inclusion criteria were having an initial visit age 15-17 (the Center for Disease Control age recommendation for discussion of SRH with adolescents). Using national medical guidelines for adolescent SRH and transgender health we identified six key measures related to SRH which should be reviewed in a patient presenting between those ages who desires GAHT (discussion of (1) GAHT impact on fertility, (2) fertility preservation (FP), (3) desire for GAS, (4) sexual activity, (5) sexual orientation (SO), and (6) human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination). Primary outcome was identifying whether fertility measures were addressed more often than non-fertility SRH measures. Results Of the 200 patients who met inclusion criteria, only 3 (1.5%) had all 6 measures addressed. The median number addressed was 4/6 (IQR 2-5/6). The most common measure addressed was GAHT impact on fertility (95.5%, n=191), followed by GAS (74.5% n=149), SO (69.5%, n=139), sexual activity (68.5%, n=137), FP (53.5%, n=107) and HPV (5%, n=10). Every patient had at least one measure addressed. There was no difference across the study timeline regarding types of questions being asked based on year. Of the 137 where sexual activity was addressed, only 111 (81.0%) were also asked about SO. The odds of being asked about SO were 5.3 times higher if they endorsed sexual activity than if they did not (p Conclusions While clinicians asked almost all TM AFAB patients about fertility prior to initiating GAHT, far fewer were asked about other aspects of SRH, indicating a biased approach to SRH counseling in TM AFAB adolescents. It is important for clinicians who are engaging in counseling regarding gender affirming care to recognize that many aspects beyond fertility can be impacted by GAHT and GAS.
Pac-12 CARE-Affiliated Program: structure, methods and initial results

Sport-related concussion has garnered increasing scientific attention and research over the last decade. Collegiate student-athletes represent an important cohort in this field. As such, the Pac-12 CARE-Affiliated Program (CAP) was formed in 2017 as a regional hub of the Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) consortium. CAP is multisite, prospective, longitudinal study that aims to improve student-athlete health by identifying factors associated with concussion incidence and recovery and using this knowledge to inform best clinical practices and policy decisions. CAP employed a staggered rollout across the Pac-12, with the first four institutions enrolling in fall 2018. After receiving institutional review board (IRB) approval, these institutions began consenting student-athletes to share clinical concussion and baseline data for research purposes. Athletes completed baseline testing that included a medical questionnaire, concussion history and a battery for clinical concussion assessments. Concussed student-athletes were given the same battery of assessments in addition to full injury and return to play reports. Clinicians at each university worked with a data coordinator to ensure appropriate reporting, and the Pac-12 Concussion Coordinating Unit at the University of Colorado Boulder provided oversight for quality control of the data study wide. During year 1, CAP consented 2181 student-athletes and tracked 140 concussions. All research was conducted with the appropriate IRB approval across the participating Pac-12 institutions. Data security and dissemination are managed by the Presagia Sports Athlete Electronic Health Record software (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) and QuesGen Systems (San Francisco, California, USA).
Recognizing Aphemia and How to Differentiate From Aphasia in the Era of Telemedicine

Background:Aphemia, or pure motor mutism, is a phenomenon that has been reported previously in the literature and typically is associated with small infarcts in the inferior dominant precentral gyr...