cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 3434: Thromboxane a2 receptor beta is induced by the epithelial to mesenchymal transition of breast cancer cells and contributes to breast cancer motility and metastasis

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Previous studies in our lab showed that thromboxane a2 receptor (TP) activation has profound effect on tumor cell cytoskeleton and contraction through activation of RhoA and depletion of TP reduces the metastatic dissemination of breast cancer cells in vivo. We report here that TP-beta expression is induced during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and its activation is required for efficient migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. Elevated TP-beta expression is found associated with metastasis in tissues obtained from breast cancer patients. Breast cancer cell lines with high TP-beta expression present more malignant phenotype than the cells with low or no TP-beta expression. It is known that TP-alpha and TP-beta expressions are under the control of different promoter P1 and P3, respectively. Downregulation of E-cadherin in immortalized human mammary epithelial cells (Rao1) and breast cancer cells (MCF7) induces morphological changes of the cells to the mesenchymal type and upregulation of transcription factors that regulate EMT. Interestingly, TP-beta expression and P3 promoter activity are increased in the E-cadherin knock down cells, in contrast the level of TP-alpha remains unchanged. Further, beta-catenin/Tcf/LEF complexes are found to bind to and activate P3 promoter. Finally, a TP-beta specific inhibitor [CAY10535][1] blocks the increased migration/invasion ability of MCF7 cells that is triggered during EMT. Together, these results indicate that beta-catenin released from membrane E-cadherin binding during EMT stimulates TP-beta expression by activating P3 promoter activity together with Tcf/LEF complexes and TP-beta activation enables enhanced migratory capacity, invasiveness of breast cancer cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3434. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3434 [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=GENPEPT&access_num=CAY10535&atom=%2Fcanres%2F71%2F8_Supplement%2F3434.atom
The Promise and Challenge of Behaviour Therapy

Three promises of behaviour therapy noted by Skinner, Eysenck, and Wolpe were discussed, namely, that behaviour problems could be treated as problems in their own right, that therapy procedures could be formulated in a testable fashion, and that treatment could be effective in months. These promises were discussed in the context of child behaviour therapy and the effectiveness of behavioural treatments was reviewed for developmental disabilities, aggression, hyperactivity, enuresis, and delinquency. Behavioural treatments were found to be demonstrably effective with these problems but not necessarily better than alternative treatments. Challenges for behaviour therapists were then proffered such as the need for more heuristic and/or theoretical concepts, the need to see the social network of clinical problems, the need for longer treatments, and the need for prevention and community intervention.
Separated Carbon Nanotube Macroelectronics for Active Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode Displays

Active matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display holds great potential for the next generation visual technologies due to its high light efficiency, flexibility, lightweight, and low-tem...
Alkynes as CH/π Acceptors: Microwave Spectra and Structures of the CH2F2···Propyne and CH2ClF···Propyne Dimers

Rotational spectra of weakly bound complexes of chlorofluoromethane (CH2ClF) and difluoromethane (CH2F2) with propyne (HCCCH3) have been measured using chirped-pulse and resonant-cavity Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy, adding to a relatively small body of high resolution spectroscopic data on propyne complexes. Both dimers contain CH/π contacts, as well as secondary contacts between one or both halogen atoms and the methyl group of propyne. A detailed structural determination for CH2F2···propyne has been made by study of the normal, one deuterated and four 13C substituted isotopologues, with the second lowest energy configuration predicted from ab initio calculations agreeing well with the observed structure. Experimental rotational constants for the most abundant isotopologue of CH2F2···propyne are A00 = 5815.5858(15) MHz, B00 = 1341.1191(5) MHz, C00 = 1099.2040(4) MHz (uncorrected for internal rotation effects), and the dipole moment components, determined by Stark effect measurements, are μa =...
A social relations examination of neuroticism and emotional support

Abstract Personality factors have been linked to perceptions of the self and others. We examined the extent to which self and other-perceptions of neuroticism and emotional support were interrelated and related to self-reported life satisfaction. Members of sororities and fraternities completed self-ratings and other-ratings on neuroticism, emotional support, and life satisfaction. Using a social relations model framework, we found evidence of perceptual biases and behavioral expression of both neuroticism and emotional support. Additionally, there was self-other agreement in terms of both neuroticism and emotional support. Viewing others as neurotic was associated with lower life satisfaction. Results are discussed in light of research on interpersonal relationships and perception.
Hemitruncal sling: a newly recognized anomaly and its surgical correction.

A new type of vascular ring formed by a hemitruncal pulmonary artery is described. Early reimplantation of the hemitruncal pulmonary artery resulted in resolution of the respiratory distress, protection of the pulmonary arterial bed from obstructive vascular disease, and preparation of the pulmonary artery for future surgical correction
RAILWAY-BRIDGE IMPACT: SIMPLIFIED TRAIN AND BRIDGE MODEL

A lumped mass model of a railway bridge is developed where only the vertical degree-of-freedom for each joint is considered. The vehicle system is idealized as a three degree-of-freedom model of a railway vehicle consisting of the carbody and wheel-axle sets. Dynamic interaction equations for the bridge-vehicle system are derived and solved using the numerical integration method. Impact factors for member forces and nodal deflections are generated under the action of a single or a series of three moving vehicles. Impact factors are compared with AREA specifications for truss and girder bridges.
Lyme Disease: Now Playing in Your Area

Abstract In recent years, Lyme disease has become a significant public health problem. For a number of reasons, an increasing number of cases are being reported to health authorities and the disease is spreading to newer geographic areas. In response to this public health concern, health educators need to be thoroughly informed about many aspects of Lyme disease. This article discusses the history, symptoms, medical complications, transmission, and preventive measures associated with Lyme disease. Special emphasis is given to assist health educators in providing effective educational measures in response to the Lyme disease epidemic.
Illuminating wildfire erosion and deposition patterns with repeat terrestrial lidar

Erosion following a wildfire is much greater than background erosion in forests because of wildfire-induced changes to soil erodibility and water infiltration. While many previous studies have documented post-wildfire erosion with point and small plot-scale measurements, the spatial distribution of post-fire erosion patterns at the watershed scale remains largely unexplored. In this study lidar surveys were collected periodically in a small, first-order drainage basin over a period of 2 years following a wildfire. The study site was relatively steep with slopes ranging from 17° to > 30°. During the study period, several different types of rain storms occurred on the site including low-intensity frontal storms (2.4 mm h−1) and high-intensity convective thunderstorms (79 mm h−1). These storms were the dominant drivers of erosion. Erosion resulting from dry ravel and debris flows was notably absent at the site. Successive lidar surveys were subtracted from one another to obtain digital maps of topographic change between surveys. The results show an evolution in geomorphic response, such that the erosional response after rain storms was strongly influenced by the previous erosional events and pre-fire site morphology. Hillslope and channel roughness increased over time, and the watershed armored as coarse cobbles and boulders were exposed. The erosional response was spatially nonuniform; shallow erosion from hillslopes (87% of the study area) contributed 3 times more sediment volume than erosion from convergent areas (13% of the study area). However, the total normalized erosion depth (volume/area) was highest in convergent areas. From a detailed understanding of the spatial locations of erosion, we made inferences regarding the processes driving erosion. It appears that hillslope erosion is controlled by rain splash (for detachment) and overland flow (for transport and quasi-channelized erosion), with the sites of highest erosion corresponding to locations with the lowest roughness. By contrast, in convergent areas we found erosion caused by overland flow. Soil erosion was locally interrupted by immobile objects such as boulders, bedrock, or tree trunks, resulting in a patchy erosion network with increasing roughness over time.
Molecular Design in the Pharmaceutical Industries

Abstract This chapter describes the application of a technique known as computer-aided molecular design (CAMD) for problems involving the discovery, design, and tuning of molecules for medicinal applications. The drug discovery phase is really the solution of a combinatorial optimization problem, namely to find a molecule with optimal efficacy and other physiochemical properties across a given molecular space. The algorithms used within CAMD are introduced here, both for design and development of active pharmaceutical ingredients, as well as for formulation design, during which excipients and carrier molecules are also determined. The example of formulation design to minimize protein aggregation is highlighted, to show how rational design methodologies can overcome challenges within pharmaceutics, and tedious trial-and-error methods can be greatly supplanted by computational approaches.
An algorithm for SAR image segmentation

An algorithm for SAR image segmentation is proposed on the basis of features of SAR image and Bayesian detection theory. The algorithm consists of two steps: first, segmentation threshold is decided by using method proposed in this paper; second, blurred enhancement SAR image is segmented by using segmentation threshold acquired in one step to detect interesting objects, which is strongly reflecting objects. After lots of experiment, simulation results show that the algorithm can detect effectively strongly reflecting objects for SAR image, and restrain effectively clutter background.
Rapid detection of TiO2 (E171) in table sugar using Raman spectroscopy

The potential toxic effects of titanium dioxide (TiO2) to humans remain debatable despite its broad application as a food additive. Thus, confirmation of the existence of TiO2 particles in food matrices and subsequently quantifying them are becoming increasingly critical. This study developed a facile, rapid (< 30 min) and highly reliable method to detect and quantify TiO2 particles (E171) from food products (e.g., table sugar) by Raman spectroscopy. To detect TiO2 particles from sugar solution, sequential centrifugation and washing procedures were effectively applied to separate and recover 97% of TiO2 particles from the sugar solution. The peak intensity of TiO2 sensitively responded to the concentration of TiO2 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.073 mg kg-1. In the case of sugar granules, a mapping technique was applied to directly estimate the level of TiO2, which can be potentially used for rapid online monitoring. The plot of averaged intensity to TiO2 concentration in the sugar granules exhibited a good linear relationship in the wide range of 5-2000 mg kg-1, with an LOD of 8.46 mg kg-1. Additionally, we applied Raman spectroscopy to prove the presence of TiO2 in sugar-coated doughnuts. This study begins to fill in the analytical gaps that exist regarding the rapid detection and quantification of TiO2 in food, which facilitate the risk assessment of TiO2 through food exposure.
Ten Year-Old Male with Hemoglobin Lufkin/Beta-Zero Thalassemia Compound Heterozygote Who Exhibited Beta-Thalassemia Major Characteristics.

Abstract Hemoglobin Lufkin is a rare and mildly unstable hemoglobin variant with increased oxygen affinity. Since 1977, two cases of hemoglobin Lufkin trait and one hemoglobin Lufkin/hemoglobin S have been described. This report is the first case of hemoglobin Lufkin/beta-zero thalassemia in a 10 year-old Caucasian male of Irish/Italian/German background. The patient presented with jaundice, splenomegaly and thalassemia major facies. On blood smear examination, RBC morphology showed hypochromia, microcytosis, many target cells, some spherocytes and basophilic stippling of RBC's. On both alkaline hemoglobin (Hb) electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing (IEF) there was an absence of Hb A with a predominant band slightly anodal to the Hb A position. Hb A2 (4.8%)and Hb F (5.3%) were elevated as measured by high performance liquid chromatography. The heat unstable Hb test was abnormal. DNA sequencing of the beta globin gene confirmed a GCC to GAC mutation at codon 29 (gly to asp) consistent with Hb Lufkin. DNA sequence analysis also revealed a beta-zero thalassemia mutation, IVS-1-1, (G to A). The mother's sample also showed the same beta-thalassemia mutation. Neither hemoglobin Lufkin nor beta-thalassemia were identified in the father; further studies are being done.
Subunit assembly of hemoglobin: an important determinant of hematologic phenotype

Hemoglobin's physiologic properties depend on the orderly assembly of its subunits in erythropoietic cells. The biosynthesis of alpha- and beta-globin polypeptide chains is normally balanced. Heme rapidly binds to the globin subunit, either during translation or shortly thereafter. The formation of the alpha beta-dimer is facilitated by electrostatic attraction of a positively charged alpha-subunit to a negatively charged beta-subunit. The alpha beta-dimer dissociates extremely slowly. The difference between the rate of dissociation of alpha beta- and alpha gamma-dimers with increasing pH explains the well-known alkaline resistance of Hb F. Two dimers combine to form the functioning alpha 2 beta 2-tetramer. This model of hemoglobin assembly explains the different levels of positively charged and negatively charged mutant hemoglobins that are encountered in heterozygotes and the effect of alpha-thalassemia and heme deficiency states in modifying the level of the variant hemoglobin as well as Hb A2. Electrostatic interactions also affect the binding of hemoglobin to the cytoplasmic surface of the red cell membrane and may underlie the formation of target cells. Enhanced binding of positively charged variants such as S and C trigger a normally dormant pathway for potassium and water loss. Thus, the positive charge on beta c is responsible for the two major contributors to the pathogenesis of Hb SC disease: increased proportion of Hb S and increased intracellular hemoglobin concentration. It is likely that electrostatic interactions play an important role in the assembly of a number of other multisubunit macromolecules, including membrane receptors, cytoskeletal proteins, and DNA binding proteins.
Medical treatment of neuroendocrine tumours.

Purpose of review This review summarizes results of recent clinical trials regarding the treatment of advanced neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) and pancreatic NETs (PNETs). Recent findings Most NETs occur sporadically in the lung and the gastrointestinal tract, and their prevalence has apparently increased over the last decades. Although curative treatment can be accomplished by surgery, for some NETs, most present in advanced stages and alternative, medical therapy is indicated. Recent randomized clinical treatment trials using somatostatin analogues in well differentiated midgut NET and therapies targeting the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway and various tyrosine kinases provided evidence of improved progression-free survival. Treatment of functional PNETs with the mTOR inhibitor everolimus also showed reduction of peptide secretion relevant to the presenting clinical syndrome. Summary Previous work regarding the molecular pathology of NETs identified mTOR and tyrosine kinase signalling pathways as relevant targets in the neuroendocrine tumour biology. Subsequently, recent randomized clinical trials targeting these pathways with inhibitor therapies have provided encouraging results demonstrating prolonged progression-free survival and improvement of secretion-related clinical syndromes.
Fatty acid metabolism is essential to maintain functions of CD8+T cells within a hypoxic and hypoglycemic tumor microenvironment

The efficacy of immunotherapy for solid tumors is dampened by functional declines of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TILs), which is generally viewed as the result of their exhaustion due to persistent antigenic stimulation. Disputing this notion, we observed in a mouse melanoma model that bystander CD8 + TILs increase expression of co-inhibitors and lose effector functions, suggesting alternative mechanisms. Our data show that metabolic stresses within tumor microenvironment (TME) profoundly affect differentiation and functions of TILs. Hypoxia through HIF-1α drives increases of co-inhibitor LAG-3 while lack of glucose (Glu) enhances PD-1 levels on activated CD8 + T cells. Both conditions impair functions of CD8 + T cells. When deprived of Glu, activated CD8 + T cells enhance fatty acid (FA) catabolism and this is further increased under hypoxia. Using 13 C-stable isotope tracing in vivo and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis, our study show that CD8 + TILs in late stage tumors increasingly depend on catabolism of FAs including ketone bodies fueled by exogenous FA uptake and triacylglycerol (TG) turnover to meet their energy demand. Promoting FA catabolism of CD8 + TILs increases their PD-1 expression but preserves some effector functions and improves their anti-tumor efficacy. Our findings show that lack of Glu and oxygen plays a critical role in driving the metabolic reprograming and functional exhaustion of CD8 + TILs. They further indicate that metabolic interventions that promote FA catabolism of adoptively transferred or vaccine-induced CD8 + T cells may improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.
The Effects of Content-Enriched Shared Book Reading versus Vocabulary-Only Discussions on the Vocabulary Outcomes of Preschool Dual Language Learners.

Research Findings: This study compared the effects of content-based shared book-reading instruction versus an explicit vocabulary-only condition on the vocabulary development of preschool dual lang...
The Potential for Using a Trauma Registry for Injury Surveillance and Prevention

Trauma registries are a potential source of data for local injury surveillance. Data from a trauma registry in a Level 1 trauma unit were collected for 1,412 admissions during a one-year period, and the characteristics of these severely injured patients and their injuries were examined. Three-quarters of the injuries were unintentional, and half were vehicle-related injuries. The availability of variables regarding medical cost, patient outcome, and insurance status permits a determination of the impact of these injuries on society in terms of both cost and quality of life. Since the trauma registry contains an account of the patient's hospital experience from admission to discharge and is available in electronic format, it can be a useful data source for establishing priorities and evaluating the effectiveness of injury prevention programs.
Solid state transducers

This paper reviews the development of solid state sensors and actuators during the last decade. Both solid state physical and chemical sensors suitable for use in the measurement and control of manufacturing processes will be discussed. The principle, the device structure and the performance of physical transducers for temperature, pressure, displacement, acceleration, flow, display, fluid injection and controlled fluid flow valves is summarized. Chemical sensors for humidity, combustive gases, ionic concentration in electrolytes and large molecule concentration are also outlined for their potential applications in automated manufacturing.
The role of philosophy in public policy – a philosopher in a business school

Mesurant le role de l'ethique dans le domaine de la formation et de la recherche en commerce, l'A. montre que le comportement ethique peut faire partie d'une strategie economique et fournir un avantage competitif a l'entreprise. Appliquant la terminologie morale kantienne au probleme la confiance, de la propriete et du controle des entreprises, l'A. montre que le comportement ethique: 1) reduit les couts de transaction, 2) resout les problemes d'agencement et 3) etablit la confiance parmi les financiers
War Emergency Teacher Certification in Physical Education in the United States

(1943). War Emergency Teacher Certification in Physical Education in the United States. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 342-355.
Indomitable Luisa Diogo: Prime Minister of Mozambique

With the resignation of Prime Minister Pascoal Mocumbi of Mozambique in February 2004, Luisa Dias Diogo became the first woman Prime Minister of the country while retaining the finance portfolio, and the first official in independent Mozambique to combine the two positions. This biographical overview examines her spectacular economic successes and her achievements in politically transforming the country.
Fatty acid oxidation: An emerging facet of metabolic transformation in cancer

Cancer cells undergo metabolic reprogramming such as enhanced aerobic glycolysis, mutations in the tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes, and upregulation of de novo lipid synthesis and glutaminolysis. These alterations are pivotal to the development and maintenance of the malignant phenotype of cancer cells in unfavorable tumor microenvironment or metastatic sites. Although mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) is a primary bioenergetic source, it has not been generally recognized as part of the metabolic landscape of cancer. The last few years, however, have seen a dramatic change in the view of cancer relevance of the FAO pathway. Many recent studies have provided significant evidence to support a "lipolytic phenotype" of cancer. FAO, like other well-defined metabolic pathways involved in cancer, is dysregulated in diverse human malignancies. Cancer cells rely on FAO for proliferation, survival, stemness, drug resistance, and metastatic progression. FAO is also reprogrammed in cancer-associated immune and other host cells, which may contribute to immune suppression and tumor-promoting microenvironment. This article reviews and puts into context our current understanding of multi-faceted roles of FAO in oncogenesis as well as anti-cancer therapeutic opportunities posed by the FAO pathway.
NY-ESO-1: a promising cancer testis antigen for sarcoma immunotherapy and diagnosis

Sarcomas are heterogenous malignant mesenchymal neoplasms. These are often notoriously difficult to treat particularly in the metastatic setting. There is therefore an urgent need for development of better and more efficacious targeted therapies. Cancer testis antigens (CTAs) are a family of proteins in which aberrant gene-activation and subsequent high level mRNA expression, are restricted to testicular germ cells and are seen in certain malignancies. Importantly, the restriction of this class of antigens to testicular germ cells and malignancies and not somatic tissue, makes them an excellent choice for targeted immunotherapy. The NY-ESO-1is the most immunogenic of CTA and has, of late, become well-studied for its diagnosis and potential treatment implications in sarcomas. This paper reviews both the role of NY-ESO-1 in the diagnosis of sarcomas, as well as the implications of this CTA in vaccine development and treatment of sarcomas.
Mandibular muscle attachments in genial advancement surgery for obstructive sleep apnea

Objectives/hypothesis Genioglossus advancement is performed in select patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Surgical techniques attempt to capture the genial tubercle of the mandible; however, measurements of the genioglossus, geniohyoid, and digastric muscles are poorly delineated. This investigation is the largest anatomic study exploring the muscles of genial advancement surgery and the first to quantitatively characterize muscular attachments relative to the tubercle, providing new insights from an anatomic perspective on optimizing muscular advancement. Study design Cadaveric study. Methods Fifty-three fresh cadaveric mandibles underwent dissection of the genial tubercle and genioglossus, geniohyoid, and digastric muscles. Results Genial tubercle, geniohyoid, and genioglossus mean height was 7.78 mm, 5.15 mm, and 6.11 mm, respectively. On average, the geniohyoid began 4.88 mm and ended 10.03 mm from the inferior border of the mandible; the genioglossus 11.91 mm and 18.01 mm, similarly. Intermuscular distance, if present, was 2.67 mm; the muscles overlapped in 28% of cadavers. The combined vertical height of the muscles at their mandibular attachment was 13.94 mm, significantly differing from the height of the genial tubercle. The left and right lateral insertion of the digastric muscles was 19.34 mm and 19.31 mm, respectively, from midline. Conclusions The variable range of muscle attachments suggests that genioglossal and geniohyoid attachments extend beyond the genial tubercle and may not originate concentrically from the tubercle, but overlap and lie in very close proximity. Mandibular anterior muscle attachments require anatomic accuracy and an effective operative evaluation of advancement before reproducible, clinically effective osteotomies can be recommended. Level of evidence NA Laryngoscope, 129:2424-2429, 2019.
Leveraging Domino to Implement RCP in a Stateful Programmable Pipeline

RCP is a router-assisted congestion control mechanism where routers allocate a feedback rate to each flow. Here sender nodes regulate their sending rates based on the feedback rates received from the routers. An RCP router calculates the feedback rate based on the queue occupancy, spare capacity and the average RTT of the on-going flows. This is why, an RCP router needs to execute a stateful packet processing program in the dataplane. However stateful packet processing in a very highspeed (e.g. Tb/s) router is particularly challenging. Currently there is no real deployment of RCP, to the best of our knowledge. This paper presents an implementation of RCP protocol in a programmable-pipeline based router. We use Domino programming language to implement the dataplane. Domino is a domain specific language that allows us to develop a packet processing program as well as the hardware pipeline on which the packet processing program would be executed. Domino programs are guaranteed to run at line rate. This is the first implementation of RCP using Domino. to the best of our knowledge.
Clinical Impact of an Electronic Dashboard and Alert System for Sedation Minimization and Ventilator Liberation: A Before-After Study.

Sedation minimization and ventilator liberation protocols improve outcomes but are challenging to implement. We sought to demonstrate proof-of-concept and impact of an electronic application promoting sedation minimization and ventilator liberation. Design Multi-ICU proof-of-concept study and a single ICU before-after study. Setting University hospital ICUs. Patients Adult patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Interventions An automated application consisting of 1) a web-based dashboard with real-time data on spontaneous breathing trial readiness, sedation depth, sedative infusions, and nudges to wean sedation and ventilatory support and 2) text-message alerts once patients met criteria for a spontaneous breathing trial and spontaneous awakening trial. Pre-intervention, sedation minimization, and ventilator liberation were reviewed daily during a multidisciplinary huddle. Post-intervention, the dashboard was used during the multidisciplinary huddle, throughout the day by respiratory therapists, and text alerts were sent to bedside providers. Measurements and main results We enrolled 115 subjects in the proof-of-concept study. Spontaneous breathing trial alerts were accurate (98.3%), usually sent while patients were receiving mandatory ventilation (88.5%), and 61.9% of patients received concurrent spontaneous awakening trial alerts. We enrolled 457 subjects in the before-after study, 221 pre-intervention and 236 post-intervention. After implementation, patients were 28% more likely to be extubated (hazard ratio, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.01-1.63; p = 0.042) and 31% more likely to be discharged from the ICU (hazard ratio, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.03-1.67; p = 0.027) at any time point. After implementation, the median duration of mechanical ventilation was 2.20 days (95% CI, 0.09-4.31 d; p = 0.042) shorter and the median ICU length of stay was 2.65 days (95% CI, 0.13-5.16 d; p = 0.040) shorter, compared with the expected durations without the application. Conclusions Implementation of an electronic dashboard and alert system promoting sedation minimization and ventilator liberation was associated with reductions in the duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU length of stay.
What Is Habitat

This short essay summarizes and assesses the recent Supreme Court opinion in Weyerhaeuser v U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which involved a landowner challenge to FWS's decision to designate an area of land as "critical habitat" under the Endangered Species Act notwithstanding the area could support the species in question only after significant habitat restoration. The ESA allows unoccupied areas to be designated as critical habitat, but is silent on the question of unoccupiable but restorable habitat. Rather than reach that question, the Court ruled that it must first be determined than an area is a species' "habitat" before it can be designated as critical habitat, a finding that neither the FWS nor the lower courts made. Yet, neither the statute, FWS regulations and policies, nor case law define "habitat" for purposes of the ESA. The essay closes with suggestions for doing so.
A Classification-Aided Framework for Non-Intrusive Speech Quality Assessment

Objective metrics, such as the perceptual evaluation of speech quality (PESQ) have become standard measures for evaluating speech. These metrics enable efficient and costless evaluations, where ratings are often computed by comparing a degraded speech signal to its underlying clean reference signal. Reference-based metrics, however, cannot be used to evaluate real-world signals that have inaccessible references. This project develops a nonintrusive framework for evaluating the perceptual quality of noisy and enhanced speech. We propose an utterance-level classification-aided non-intrusive (UCAN) assessment approach that combines the task of quality score classification with the regression task of quality score estimation. Our approach uses a categorical quality ranking as an auxiliary constraint to assist with quality score estimation, where we jointly train a multi-layered convolutional neural network in a multi-task manner. This approach is evaluated using the TIMIT speech corpus and several noises under a wide range of signal-to-noise ratios. The results show that the proposed system significantly improves quality score estimation as compared to several state-of-the-art approaches.
The ability of two chlorine dioxide chemistries to inactivate human papillomavirus-contaminated endocavitary ultrasound probes and nasendoscopes.

Sexual transmission is the most common pathway for the spread of Human papillomavirus (HPV). However, the potential for iatrogenic HPV infections is also real. Even though cleared by the Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, several disinfectants including glutaraldehyde and o-phthalaldehyde have shown a lack of efficacy for inactivating HPV. Other methods such as ultraviolet C and concentrated hydrogen peroxide have been shown highly effective at inactivating infectious HPV. In this study, two chlorine dioxide systems are also shown to be highly efficacious at inactivating HPV. An important difference in these present studies is that as opposed to testing in suspension or using a carrier, we dried the infectious virus directly onto endocavitary ultrasound probes and nasendoscopes, therefore, validating a more realistic system to demonstrate disinfectant efficacy.
OXA-23 and OXA-40 producing carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Central Illinois

Abstract We reviewed susceptibility of 840 A. baumannii complex isolates at two academic medical centers and explored their mechanism of carbapenem resistance. Carbapenem resistance rates among A. baumannii increased from 2 μg/mL). Phenotypic screening showed carbapenemase production in 50 isolates, but none was positive for MBL. Among carbapenem non-susceptible isolates, the CHDL (group D carbapenemase) encoding genes blaOXA-23 (52%) and blaOXA-40 (28%) were the most frequent genes. In conclusion, carbapenem resistance rates in A. baumannii peaked in 2011 and have since declined in our region. Carbapenem resistance among A. baumannii was primarily associated with production of acquired CHDLs including OXA-23 and OXA-40.
A computational modelof phonotactic acquisition: Predictability of exceptional patternsin Hungarian

Abstract This paper presents a model that connects phonotactic exceptionality to perceptibility, more specifically to functional load and acoustic detail. I identify two patterns in exceptionality: lexical exceptions and phonotactic vacillation, where the former is restricted to specific lexical items, while the latter affects two contrastive sound categories as a whole. Through the example of Hungarian word-final phonotactics, the Model of Perceptual Categorization associates these two patterns with different functional load and acoustic properties of contrasts, that lead to two categorizational malfunctions. On the one hand, phonotactic vacillation is a result of a frequent failure to categorize ambiguous tokens: low functional load coinciding with little acoustic difference. On the other hand, lexical exceptions are systematic categorizational mistakes brought about by salient categories – in this case distributional generalizations are hindered by interference from mislabeled tokens.
Arcing Fault Type Identification with Light Spectrum

Currently, most modern Arc Flash relays use light detection to detect an arcing event, optionally they add current detection for security. Traditional scheme relies on the current for fault classification. This paper proposes an approach to identify arcing fault types by using the light spectrum emission from the materials or coating of the materials during the incident. This is based upon the distinct spectra that is emitted from excited material that can be used as signatures to identify the fault type. As one of the characteristics of arcing faults, intensive lights would be produced. Therefore, using the different type of conductors and coatings on different phases has the potential to be used to identify arcing fault types by analyzing the light spectrum during the event. In this study, the conductors made of copper and aluminum and the copper conductor with coating Tin are used as the example to test the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Light spectrum of each case during the arc flash will be measured and recorded by a spectrometer. By using the light spectrum of arcing fault conductors, types of arcing fault could be identified by using General Regression Neural Network (GRNN). The application of this study could improve the speed to identify the fault type and reduce the downtime.
Transcriptional and translational S-box riboswitches differ in ligand-binding properties.

There are a number of riboswitches that utilize the same ligand-binding domain to regulate transcription or translation. S-box (SAM-I) riboswitches, including the riboswitch present in the Bacillus subtilis metI gene, which encodes cystathionine γ-synthase, regulate the expression of genes involved in methionine metabolism in response to SAM, primarily at the level of transcriptional attenuation. A rarer class of S-box riboswitches is predicted to regulate translation initiation. Here we identified and characterized a translational S-box riboswitch in the metI gene from Desulfurispirillum indicum. The regulatory mechanisms of riboswitches are influenced by the kinetics of ligand interaction. The half-life of the translational D. indicum metI RNA–SAM complex is significantly shorter than that of the transcriptional B. subtilis metI RNA. This finding suggests that, unlike the transcriptional RNA, the translational metI riboswitch can make multiple reversible regulatory decisions. Comparison of both RNAs revealed that the second internal loop of helix P3 in the transcriptional RNA usually contains an A residue, whereas the translational RNA contains a C residue that is conserved in other S-box RNAs that are predicted to regulate translation. Mutational analysis indicated that the presence of an A or C residue correlates with RNA–SAM complex stability. Biochemical analyses indicate that the internal loop sequence critically determines the stability of the RNA–SAM complex by influencing the flexibility of residues involved in SAM binding and thereby affects the molecular mechanism of riboswitch function.
Dielectric relaxation of neodymium chloride in water and in methanol

Abstract An open-ended coaxial probe was used to study the dielectric relaxation of neodymium chloride (NdCl3) in water and in methanol at room temperature over the frequency range 0.2–40.0 GHz. An equivalent circuit model based on the antenna model was used to obtain the dielectric spectra with the effective removal of spurious effects. This extends the use of the open-ended coaxial probe technique for highly conductive substances. The structural and thermodynamic parameters obtained from the dielectric spectra of aqueous NdCl3 solutions suggest that solvent-separated ion pairs and solvent-shared ion pairs dominate the low-frequency behavior at low concentrations. In methanol, solvent-shared ion pair relaxation modes were detected. No contact pair relaxation was observed in either solvent. Under all conditions, Nd3+ was strongly solvated, as reflected by its high effective hydration number. The estimated association constant of NdCl3 in water at infinite dilution was within the literature values and was lower than that observed in methanol.
E-088 Psychological impact of pulsatile tinnitus in the US population

Introduction/Purpose Pulsatile tinnitus (PT) is the auditory perception of a rhythmic, cardiac-synchronized, ‘whooshing’ type of sound in the absence of an external source that affects 3–5 million Americans. In addition, several of the anomalies that cause PT can have serious sequelae such as ischemic stroke, blindness, or intracranial hemorrhage. In addition, it is common for patients to describe an inability to continue to function in their families and in society due to the psychological impact of PT (which may be depression, anxiety, or a combination). In our experience, treating the underlying cause of PT not only mitigates the risks of the vascular anomaly, but also the patients’ psychiatric illness. However, the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the PT population is unknown. The purpose of this study was to quantify the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the United States PT population, as well as identify relationships between patient characteristics, effects of PT on various aspects of life, depression, and anxiety. Materials and methods Local IRB approval was obtained to survey the pulsatile tinnitus community. The survey used the validated Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) to determine the severity of the PT condition (intrusive, sense of control, cognitive, sleep, auditory, relaxation, quality of life, emotional). In addition, the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 was used to obtain the prevalence of concurrent depression and anxiety, respectively. Logistic multiple regression analysis was performed for determining the associations of clinical and demographic variables with TFI total score. Additionally, PHQ9 and GAD7 scores (binarized to indicate depression/anxiety) were modeled with TFI total score as the main exposure variable with possible covariates in multiple regression modeling. Results The prevalence of moderate to severe depression in the PT population was 41.2%. Multiple regression to predict PHQ-9 diagnosed depression based on TFI total score, clinical variables, and demographics showed a significant odds ratio for TFI (OR: 1.084, CI: 1.065–1.096, p Moderate to severe anxiety was present in 43.1%. Multiple regression analysis showed TFI was associated with increased of odds for anxiety (OR: 1.056, CI: 1.043–1.070, p Conclusion The estimated prevalence of moderate to severe depression and anxiety in the US PT population is 41.2% and 43.1%, respectively, which is higher than a recent systematic review of depression in tinnitus suggesting a depression prevalence of 33%. TFI score was significantly associated with both depression and anxiety. Similarly, more granular sub-scores of the TFI elucidate how PT affects the psychological health of these patients. Disclosures E. Smith: None. M. Amans: 1; C; This work was funded by an NIH grant. 2; C; Consultant for Covidien and Stryker. K. Meisel: None. D. McCoy: None.
A Moment of Influence: Understanding the Customer Experience after Receiving a Penalty: An Abstract

The focus on building a superior experience throughout a customer’s journey has become a top goal for service providers (Lemon and Verhoef 2016). It is important to understand the customer experience over numerous touch points and across multiple interactions. On the research agenda from the authors’ Journal of Marketing article is to “identify anomalies in customer journeys—whereby customers deviate from habit or predictions—and identify potential moments of influence” (p. 87).
Effect of Two Bacillus thuringiensis1 Proteins on Development of the Fall Armyworm2 after Seven-Day Exposure

Field-evolved resistance of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), to the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been reported worldwide as one of the most serious threats to the sustainability of Bt maize crop. Therefore, it is important to assess the magnitude of adult survival and the possibility of cross-resistance of fall armyworm neonates exposed to Bt proteins. In this study, bioassays were used to examine susceptibility of two field-collected Cry1Fa-resistant strains of fall armyworm from Puerto Rico (456RR, 512RR) and their crosses with a susceptible strain (Monsanto SS) (456SR-RS, 512SR-RS). LC50 values varied in both Cry1Fa-resistant strains and in their backcrosses with the susceptible strain. The two RR strains were more tolerant to Cry1Fa and Cry1Ac proteins in earlier instars of development than were their crosses. Greater survival to the adult stage was obtained in the 512 RR strain and their RS-SR crosses when exposed to all concentrations of Cry1Ac and 1Fa. Survival to adult in the 456 RR was much greater when exposed to Cry1Fa than to Cry1Ac. Adults of 456 RR and their crosses survived only when exposed to the lowest concentrations of Cry1Ac. Our data confirmed great resistance to Cry1Fa and Cry1Ac in S. frugiperda larvae from Puerto Rico. However, based on the larvae that survived the 7-day diet bioassay and developed to pupae and adult maturity on regular diet, their LC50 values were less for both resistant strains and their crosses.
A Possible Drug-Drug Interaction Between Eliquis and Amiodarone Resulting in Hemopericardium.

According to the ARISTOTLE trial, apixaban was superior to warfarin because it was associated with fewer strokes, systemic embolism, and bleeding. Hemopericardium was one of the major bleeding events reported in this trial. However, the percentage of patients that developed hemopericardium was not stated in the trial results. We present a case of hemopericardium in an 80-year-old man admitted for dyspnea, cough, and lower extremity edema. He was recently diagnosed with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and started on apixaban for stroke prevention. Prior to admission, he was taking metoprolol succinate and amiodarone for atrial fibrillation. His symptoms resolved after undergoing successful pericardiocentesis. Although hemopericardium is a rare side effect associated with the use of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs), we suspect that a drug-drug interaction between apixaban and amiodarone (via the cytochrome p450 system and p-glycoprotein efflux pumps), the patient's advanced age, and borderline creatinine are possible risk factors.
Maggie and Me

My father was Oak Waters, the stuttering auctioneer. He didn't make much of a living at auctioneering, handicapped the way he was, but I think that's why he chose his profession. The less you work, the more time you have to speculate upon the nature of the universe and of man in this world, that was his idea. He wrote a pamphlet called The Pyramid Theory of the Universe with his own dia grams and had it printed. He used to try to sell it at auctions, but most of the time ended up giving copies away. Unfortunately, not too many people thought that a pamphlet on cosmic law written by a stuttering auctioneer was worth read ing. Things like that didn't bother Oak, though. "There have been three ages of man," he said, "and out of them the Cosmic Pyramid was made. There was the Age of the Senses that ended with the in vention of the wheel. Then there was the Age of the Dream, and that one ended with the Crucifixion. Now we're in the Age of Worry, and the sooner it ends, the better." We lived in a quonset hut about a mile and a half up in the woods, behind the Ellmont lumberyard. Oak had a wife at the time I'm talking about. Her name was Eileen. She had never lived in a real house in her life. She was brought up in a trailer camp. Wood or stone walls made her nervous. That's why she loved the quonset hut and wouldn't have moved out if Oak had suddenly struck it rich auctioneering and bought a twenty-eight-thousand-dollar ranch house with a pic ture window and a painting of zebras eating flowers on the living room wall. Eileen was skinny and had freckles all over. She always kept a loaded shotgun within reach and could never remember to close the marmalade.
Pathogenic Origins of Fibrosis in the Hypertensive Heart Disease that Accompanies Aldosteronism

Cardiac fibrosis interferes with the structural homogeneity of the myocardium in hypertensive heart disease (HHD). Its morphologic presentations include: widely scattered microscopic scars which have replaced myocytes lost to necrosis; and a perivascular fibrosis of intramural coronary arteries. An animal model of aldosterone/salt treatment has been used to examine the pathogenic origins of myocyte necrosis and coronary vasculopathy. A common cellular/subcellular pathway involving parathyroid hormone-mediated, intracellular Ca2+ overload-induced, mitochondrial-derived oxidative stress was identified. Myofibroblasts and their secretome which includes de novo generation of angiotensin peptides, are responsible for fibrogenesis at these sites. Cardioprotection includes upstream prevention of myocyte loss and vascular remodeling or downstream ablation of myofibroblasts and ongoing fibrogenesis at these sites.