cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New Frameworks to Assess Value of Cancer Care: Strengths and Limitations

Confronted with the different clinical impacts of different treatments, the rising cost of cancer care, and the financial burden of high drug prices, several influential professional organizations have developed models with which to assess the clinical benefit and value of cancer treatment regimens. The goal is a system of valuing patient therapies that is aligned with the beneficial impact to the patient and society and that moves away from a fixed cost regardless of clinical circumstances.
Muscle-Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma: Conventional and Variant Subtypes

Urothelial carcinoma can be subdivided primarily into conventional and nonconventional subtypes. Conventional urothelial carcinoma comprises the vast majority (>90 %) of all forms of urinary tract cancer and arises from either papillary or flat in situ lesions. In contrast, nonconventional carcinoma of the urinary tract includes squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and small cell carcinoma, which are discussed in individual chapters within the text.
Modeling nonlinear chaotic dynamics and temporospatial integration in sensory processing of brains [odor perception]

Brains provide an inexhaustible source of new concepts for the development of novel and more effective models for information processing. A major problem is that brains are noncomputational, in that they do not contain or process numbers, but instead operate with electrochemical fluxes of ions and organic molecules. The metabolic energy is provided by neurons, which are not like transistors, in that they require continuous chaotic activity to survive. Properties on which brain function is based include capacities continually to construct patterns from chaotic dynamics, to build a broad knowledge base by Hebbian learning, and to change the base rapidly when global adaptation is required. The author emphasizes the hierarchical nature of brain architecture, that must be incorporated in future brain models to give them the power that brains display, and the author suggests that analog-digital hybrids be used.
Tensions Teaching Science for Equity: Lessons Learned From the Case of Ms. Dawson

When teachers engage in forms of science teaching that disrupt the status quo of typical school science practices, they often experience dilemmas as problems of practice that are difficult—or even impossible—to solve. This instrumental case study examines one teacher's efforts to teach science for equity across two contexts: a public middle school and a summer program for low-income students of color. By tracing intersecting tensions experienced when trying to teach science more equitably, we describe how systems of tensions can serve multiple functions: (1) as roadblocks for teachers when knowledge-production predicaments arise, (2) as dilemmas to be managed by teachers when there is difficulty defining educational disparities, and (3) as potentially productive as teachers and educational researchers wrestle with inherent tensions between models for teaching. Findings afford insight into why teachers experience uneven progress as they work to teach science for equity. Further examination of tensions teaching science for equity reveals deep paradoxes extending beyond the case of a single teacher into pedagogical frameworks underlying expectations for teaching science more equitably in schools.
The utility of alpha-fetoprotein screening in Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome

Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is one of the most common cancer predisposition disorders. As a result, BWS patients receive tumor screening as part of their clinical management. Until recently, this screening has been employed uniformly across all genetic and epigenetic causes of BWS, including the utilization of ultrasonography to detect abdominal tumors and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) to detect hepatoblastoma. The advancements in our understanding of the genetics and epigenetics leading to BWS has evolved over time, and has led to the development of genotype/phenotype correlations. As tumor risk appears to correlate with genetic and epigenetic causes of BWS, several groups have proposed alterations to tumor screening protocols based on the etiology of BWS, with the elimination of AFP as a screening measure and the elimination of all screening measures in BWS patients with loss of methylation at the KCNQ1OT1:TSS-DMR 2 (IC2). There are many challenges to this suggestion, as IC2 patients may have additional factors that contribute to risk of hepatoblastoma including fetal growth patterns, relationship with assisted reproductive technologies, and the regulation of the IC2 locus. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Arthritis and cognitive impairment in older adults

Adults aged 65 or older with arthritis may be at increased risk for cognitive impairment [cognitive impairment but not dementia (CIND) or dementia]. Studies have found associations between arthritis and cognition impairments; however, none have examined whether persons with arthritis develop cognitive impairments at higher rates than those without arthritis. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we estimated the prevalence of cognitive impairments in older adults with and without arthritis, and examined associations between arthritis status and cognitive impairments. We calculated incidence density ratios (IDRs) using generalized estimating equations to estimate associations between arthritis and cognitive impairments adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, income, depression, obesity, smoking, the number of chronic conditions, physical activity, and birth cohort. The prevalence of CIND and dementia did not significantly differ between those with and without arthritis (CIND: 20.8%, 95% CI 19.7–21.9 vs. 18.3%, 95% CI 16.8–19.8; dementia: 5.2% 95% CI 4.6–5.8 vs. 5.1% 95% CI 4.3–5.9). After covariate control, older adults with arthritis did not differ significantly from those without arthritis for either cognitive outcome (CIND IDR: 1.6, 95% CI = 0.9–2.9; dementia IDR: 1.1, 95% CI = 0.4–3.3) and developed cognitive impairments at a similar rate to those without arthritis. Older adults with arthritis were not significantly more at risk to develop cognitive impairments and developed cognitive impairments at a similar rate as older adults without arthritis over 6 years.
Spatial social polarization and birth outcomes: preterm birth and infant mortality - New York City, 2010-14.

Aims: This study assessed the relationship between spatial social polarization measured by the index of the concentration of the extremes (ICE) and preterm birth (PTB) and infant mortality (IM) in ...
Satirical Conservatism in Catherine Ann Dorset’s Papillonades

ABSTRACTThis paper discusses the contributions of Catherine Ann Dorset (1750–1817) to the genre that Mary V. Jackson has termed “papillonades.” These stories in verse, which feature groups of animals that host and attend social gatherings such as balls, satirize adult social behaviors and pretensions in addition to cleverly presenting animal behavior. Although now largely obscure, Dorset found great success with The Peacock “At Home” (1807), which sold over 20,000 copies. Peacock and The Lion’s Masquerade (1807), much like Smith’s children’s books, demonstrate an interest in shaping young readers as future members of society. I argue that, although Dorset’s satire appears to mock social norms and nationalism, it actually serves to reinforce a conservative perspective. These works establish a world in which ritual must be preserved in order to maintain harmony, suggesting that the proper functioning of society and government is dependent on all members’ obedience to their codes—even as subtle predator–prey...
The literacies of things: Reconfiguring the material-discursive production of race and class in an informal learning centre:

Drawing on our documentation of transforming an informal learning centre (the Playhouse) in a multilingual, working-class neighbourhood, this paper presents significant and deliberate material-disc...
Substrate heating effects on ferromagnetic CoFeB thin films

Damping in ferromagnetic alloys such, as Co 40 Fe 40 B 20 are very sensitive to thermal effects both during deposition and post deposition. Depositions using and alloyed Co 40 Fe 40 B 20 target were done on si (100) and amorphous glass substrates at room temperature up to 500°C. The samples deposited onto si (100) at 500°C crystalized into face centered cubic (110) Co 7 Fe 3 whereas the samples on glass remained amorphous. The gilbert damping parameter α was reduced from .0141 to .0095 when deposited on glass however increased from .0097 to .0131 on si (100) at temperatures from 20°C- 400°C. At low deposition temperatures on glass large metallic grains of 50-75nm were found. The crystallization of Co 40 Fe 40 B 20 to Co 7 Fe 3 at 500°C resulted in broader ferromagnetic resonance peak-to-peak line widths of 1050 Oe and increased in plane coercivity values of 200 Oe compared to 35 Oe and 5 Oe for amorphous Co40Fe40B20. Post deposition annealing of Co 40 Fe 40 B 20 on si (100) from 20-350°C showed reductions in damping from .0131 to .0076 and effective magnetization increased from 11.8 kOe to 13.3 kOe.
Deep Learning for RF Device Fingerprinting in Cognitive Communication Networks

With the increasing presence of cognitive radio networks as a means to address limited spectral resources, improved wireless security has become a necessity. In particular, the potential of a node to impersonate a licensed user demonstrates the need for techniques to authenticate a radio's true identity. In this paper, we use deep learning to detect physical-layer attributes for the identification of cognitive radio devices, and demonstrate the performance of our method on a set of IEEE 802.15.4 devices. Our method is based on the empirical principle that manufacturing variability among wireless transmitters that conform to the same standard creates unique, repeatable signatures in each transmission, which can then be used as a fingerprint for device identification and verification. We develop a framework for training a convolutional neural network using the time-domain complex baseband error signal and demonstrate 92.29% identification accuracy on a set of seven 2.4 GHz commercial ZigBee devices. We also demonstrate the robustness of our method over a wide range of signal-to-noise ratios.
Calendar-Aware Proactive Email Recommendation

In this paper, we study how to leverage calendar information to help with email re-finding using a zero-query prototype, Calendar-Aware Proactive Email Recommender System (CAPERS). CAPERS proactively selects and displays potentially useful emails to users based on their upcoming calendar events with a particular focus on meeting preparation. We approach this problem domain through a survey, a task-based experiment, and a field experiment comparing multiple email recommenders in a large technology company. We first show that a large proportion of email access is related to meetings and then study the effects of four email recommenders on user perception and engagement taking into account four categories of factors: the amount of email content, email recency, calendar-email content match, and calendar-email people match. We demonstrate that these factors all positively predict the usefulness of emails to meeting preparation and that calendar-email content match is the most important. We study the effects of different machine learning models for predicting usefulness and find that an online-learned linear model doubles user engagement compared with the baselines, which suggests the benefit of continuous online learning.
Correlation Between Quality of Evidence and Number of Citations in Top 50 Cited Articles on Elbow Medial Ulnar Collateral Ligament Surgery.

Background:Several studies have analyzed the most cited articles in shoulder, elbow, pediatrics, and foot and ankle surgery. However, no study has analyzed the quality of the most cited articles in...
A New Analysis of the Abundance Standards ≀ Herculis and τ Scorpii

Recent continuum and line data in the far ultraviolet for ≀ Her (B3IV) and τ Sco (BOV) have been combined with published observations in the near uv and visible spectral regions and interpreted with the aid of the Kurucz (1979) line-blanketed model atmospheres. For ≀ Her and τ Sco, respectively, interpolated models of (Teff/log g) 17500±500K/3.75±0.15, and 31500±1500K/4.3±0.2 fit the observed continua from 900 – 6500A and the profiles of Hγ and Hδ. Adopting these models, solar abundances are suggested for both stars.
An IgG1-like bispecific antibody targeting CD52 and CD20 for the treatment of B-cell malignancies.

Abstract Bispecific antibodies (biAb) targeting two different antigens or two distinct epitopes on the same antigen have demonstrated broad therapeutic utility. CD52 and CD20 are co-expressed on the cell surface of malignant B cells in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and increased expression of both antigens is detected on dividing or recently divided cells (“proliferative fraction”) in CLL. The CD52-targeting monoclonal antibody (mAb) alemtuzumab (atz) not only depletes malignant B cells but also healthy CD52+ B and T lymphocytes and monocytes, causing severe immunosuppression. Loss of CD20 can occur in CLL after treatment with rituximab (rtx) and other CD20-targeting mAbs. To broaden the benefit of atz and rtx, we engineered an IgG1-like biAb, atz × rtx scFv-Fc. The Fc fragment of the biAb facilitates purification by Protein A affinity chromatography and supports a longer circulatory half-life. While atz × rtx scFv-Fc retained both antigen binding specificities, it showed superior binding to CD52+CD20+ B cells compared to CD52+CD20− T cells. Moreover, atz × rtx scFv-Fc mediated potent complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) in vitro and exhibited B-cell depleting but T-cell sparing activities in vivo in a CLL patient-derived xenograft model. B-cell depletion was more pronounced for cells of the proliferative fraction.
Targeted therapies for psoriatic arthritis: an update for the dermatologist

Dermatologists are on the front line to identify psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in their patients with psoriasis. PsA is a prevalent and underdiagnosed disease with potential long-term complications and sequelae for patients. Targeted biologics have transformed the landscape of psoriasis and PsA therapy. These medications variably treat clinical manifestations of psoriatic disease: skin psoriasis, peripheral and axial arthritis, enthesitis, and nail disease. With many new medications either on the market or currently being evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, the purpose of this article is to review PsA for the dermatologist, to identify the current therapies that are available, and to help select which patients may benefit from these medications. Overall, it is important to decide therapy for patients based on the active domains of their disease, their comorbidities, and the safety profiles of these medications, as well as patient preference for route of administration, frequency, and tolerability.
Edith Stein and Regina Jonas: Religious Visionaries in the Time of the Death Camps

This ground-breaking book examines the lives of two extraordinary, religious women. Both Edith Stein and Regina Jonas were German Jewish women who demonstrated 'deviant' religious desires as they pursued their spiritual paths to serve their communities during the Holocaust. Both were religious visionaries viewed as iconoclasts in their own times. Stein, the first woman to receive a doctorate in philosophy from Husserl, the founder of phenomenology, claimed her Jewish identity while she was still a cloistered Carmelite nun. Jonas, the first woman rabbi in Jewish history, served as a rabbi in Berlin and Theresienstadt concentration camp. A study of a contemplative and a rabbi, the book ranges across many spiritual and theological questions, not least it offers a remarkable exploration of the theology of spiritual resistance. For Stein, this meant redemption and the transmutation of suffering on the cross; for Jonas, acts of compassion bring the face of God into our presence.
New Singapore Convention on Cross-Border Mediated Settlements: Key Choices

On 9 February 2018, UNCITRAL’s Working Group II of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) finished three years drafting a convention on cross-border mediated settlement agreements. The Convention, that is designed to facilitate compliance with agreements, offers a more expeditious alternative to relying on expensive and uncertain breach of contract lawsuits. The backstory of this milestone is really two stories: one on the multi-party negotiation process that produced the result and one on the substantive choices in the result. The two stories also illustrate the relationship between a well-designed process and result.
Larvae of Trogoderma respond behaviorally to whole body extracts

Behavioral responses to semiochemicals by Trogoderma (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) stored product pests were assayed in a small arena. Hexane extracts were obtained from Khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium, warehouse beetle, Trogoderma variable, and the larger cabinet beetle Trogoderma inclusum that were killed by being frozen for 48 hours at -20° C. These extracts were analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and it was confirmed that they contain several cuticular hydrocarbons, fatty acids and sterols. Two choice experiments were performed inside Petri dish arenas, with filter paper fully covering the bottom surfaces. Two smaller 3cm filter papers were placed on opposite ends within each arena. Each of the smaller papers were folded three times in parallel to present a corrugated surface that the insects could move underneath if they chose. In each case, one paper had a 100µl aliquot of one of the extracts, and the other 100µl of hexane as a control. 10 late instar larvae of the same species as the treatment extract were placed in the arena and allowed to acclimate overnight in a dark room. For all three species, it was found that larvae were more likely to be found on the side of the Petri dish with the hexane control rather than the conspecific larval extract. They were also more likely to be on or near the smaller corrugated filter paper treated with the control as opposed to the filter paper treated with the larval extract. Thus repellency of the conspecific extract was demonstrated at that particular dose. Further assays using different doses of the raw extracts and their individual chemical components are planned. The use of these semiochemicals in novel management strategies will be considered.
Assessing mortality outcomes of beta-lactam-allergic patients presenting with sepsis

Abstract Objective To determine the impact of reported beta-lactam allergies on in-hospital mortality and other clinical outcomes in patients who presented with severe sepsis or septic shock. Methods This single-center, retrospective cohort study was performed at a 35-bed emergency department in central Kentucky. Patients presenting with sepsis, aged 18 years or older, were identified between October 2016 and June 2017. Results 438 patients with severe sepsis and/or septic shock were identified. Rates of the combined endpoint of in-hospital mortality or transfer to hospice were similar in patients with a beta-lactam allergy (7.2%) versus those with no reported beta-lactam allergy (10.4%) (p = 0.41). Time to initiation of antibiotic therapy was slightly longer in the beta-lactam allergic group (2.2 h) versus those with no reported beta-lactam allergy (2.15 h), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.993). Patients were 20.9% more likely to receive an appropriate empiric antibiotic, based off of retrospective culture review, if they did not report a beta-lactam allergy (p = 0.009). This led to a delay in effective therapy of 1.59 h in the reported beta-lactam allergy arm (p = 0.037). Conclusions Adequate documentation of beta-lactam allergies is vital to ensure timely and appropriate treatment in patients presenting with severe sepsis and septic shock. Choosing alternative treatment options results in increased time to effective antibiotics, reduced likelihood of covering cultures with first antibiotic, and increased total hospital and variable direct cost.
Pretreated household materials carry similar filtration protection against pathogens when compared with surgical masks.

Objective The past 4 months, the emergence and spread of novel 2019 SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19) has led to a global pandemic which is rapidly depleting supplies of personal protective equipment worldwide. There are currently over 1.6 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide which has resulted in more the 100,000 deaths. As these numbers grow daily, hospitals are being forced to reuse surgical masks in hopes of conserving their dwindling supply. Since COVID-19 will most likely have effects that last for many months, our nationwide shortage of masks poses a long term issue that must be addressed immediately. Methods Based on a previous study by Quan et al., a salt-based soaking strategy has been reported to enhance the filtration ability of surgical masks. We propose a similar soaking process which uses materials widely available in anyone's household. We tested this method of pretreating a variety of materials with a salt-based solution by a droplet test using fluorescently stained nanoparticles similar in size to the COVID-19 virus. Results In this study, we found that paper towels and surgical masks pretreated with the salt-based solution showed a noticeable increase in filtration of nanoparticles similar in size to the COVID-19 virus. We also show that the TWEEN20 used by Quan et al. is not a critical component for the solution, and using salt alone in solution still provides a dramatically increased level of protection. Conclusions We believe this method will allow for healthcare workers to create a disposable added layer of protection to their surgical masks, N95s, or homemade masks by using household available products. Adoption of this method may play an essential role in ensuring the safety of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and any pandemics that may arise in the future.
First order thickenings and cotorsors

Let $X$ be a scheme and let $\mathcal{M}$ be a quasi-coherent sheaf on $X$. Then $\mathcal{M}$ can be viewed as a cogroup object in the category of schemes under $X$. We show that the category of first order thickenings of $X$ by $\mathcal{M}$ is equivalent to the category of $\mathcal{M}$-cotorsors.
The Archive as a Social World

Historical scholars often adopt a solitary ethic, conceiving of their work as the product of a lonely and isolated individual toiling away in a dusty archive. In this article, we assess the validity of this ethic by examining the actual practice of archival research. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with practicing historical sociologists, we reveal that the solitary ethic is largely illusory, and that, instead, the archive is in fact a robustly social world. We identify two core sets of social relationships in the archive—relationships with the archivist and with the archival community—that shape the historical sociologist’s experience in the archive. We further show that historical sociologists mobilize these interactions to solve concrete research problems in the archive. We thus argue that the archive’s social character should be understood as a methodological opportunity for historical sociologists, allowing them to maximize and extend their research by inspiring creative research strategies.
Financial Crises and Bank Liquidity Creation

Financial crises and bank liquidity creation are often connected. We examine this connection from two perspectives. First, we examine the aggregate liquidity creation of banks before, during, and after five major financial crises in the U.S. from 1984:Q1 to 2008:Q4. We uncover numerous interesting patterns, such as a significant build-up or drop-off of "abnormal" liquidity creation before each crisis, where "abnormal" is defined relative to a time trend and seasonal factors. Banking and market-related crises differ in that banking crises were preceded by abnormal positive liquidity creation, while market-related crises were generally preceded by abnormal negative liquidity creation. Bank liquidity creation has both decreased and increased during crises, likely both exacerbating and ameliorating the effects of crises. Off-balance sheet guarantees such as loan commitments moved more than on-balance sheet assets such as mortgages and business lending during banking crises. Second, we examine the effect of pre-crisis bank capital ratios on the competitive positions and profitability of individual banks during and after each crisis. The evidence suggests that high capital served large banks well around (mild) banking crises - they improved their liquidity creation market share and profitability during these crises and were able to hold on to their improved performance afterwards. In addition, high-capital listed banks enjoyed significantly higher abnormal stock returns than low-capital listed banks during (mild) banking crises. These benefits did not hold or held to a lesser degree around market-related crises and in normal times. In contrast, high capital ratios appear to have helped small banks improve their liquidity creation market share during banking crises, market-related crises, and normal times alike, and the gains in market share were sustained afterwards. Their profitability improved during two crises and subsequent to virtually every crisis. Similar results were observed during normal times for small banks.
In the fungus where it happens: History and future propelling Aspergillus nidulans as the archetype of natural products research.

In 1990 the first fungal secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene was cloned in Aspergillus nidulans. Thirty years later, >30 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) have been linked to specific natural products in this one fungal species. While impressive, over half of the BGCs in A. nidulans remain uncharacterized and their compounds structurally and functionally unknown. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of past advances that have enabled A. nidulans to rise to its current status as a natural product powerhouse focusing on the discovery and annotation of secondary metabolite clusters. From genome sequencing, heterologous expression, and metabolomics to CRISPR and epigenetic manipulations, we present a guided tour through the evolution of technologies developed and utilized in the last 30 years. These insights provide perspective to future efforts to fully unlock the biosynthetic potential of A. nidulans and, by extension, the potential of other filamentous fungi.
Epitope prediction and identification- adaptive T cell responses in humans

Epitopes, in the context of T cell recognition, are short peptides typically derived by antigen processing, and presented on the cell surface bound to MHC molecules (HLA molecules in humans) for TCR scrutiny. The identification of epitopes is a context-dependent process, with consideration given to, for example, the source pathogen and protein, the host organism, and state of the immune reaction (e.g., following natural infection, vaccination, etc.). In the following review, we consider the various approaches used to define T cell epitopes, including both bioinformatic and experimental approaches, and discuss the concepts of immunodominance and immunoprevalence. We also discuss HLA polymorphism and epitope restriction, and the resulting impact on the identification of, and potential population coverage afforded by, epitopes or epitope-based vaccines. Finally, some examples of the practical application of T cell epitope identification are provided, showing how epitopes have been valuable for deriving novel immunological insights in the context of the immune response to various pathogens and allergens.
Resource Utilization and Outcomes in Isolated Low-Grade Renal Trauma at a Level 1 Trauma Center.

Abstract Objective To examine admission and transfer patterns of isolated low-grade renal trauma given lack of evidenced based guidelines. Methods We employed a retrospective cohort design to analyze patients with low grade renal trauma from 2005 to 2018. We used an Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS) Results Mean age for floor (n = 31) and intensive care unit (ICU) (n = 46) patients were 33 (IQR = 20) and 42 (IQR = 46) years old, respectively. Mean injury severity score (ISS) was 7.7 (IQR 4) for floor and 8 (IQR=3.75) for ICU admissions (P = .61) Mean ISS was 7.53 (IQR = 4) for transfers and 8.27 (IQR = 3.25) for non-transfers (P = .26). Blood products were administered only to 3 (6.5%) ICU patients all over 60 years old. Fourteen (45.1%) and 26 (56.5%) of floor and ICU admissions were transferred from a lower-level trauma center. ICU mean length of stay (LOS) was 37 hours (IQR = 23 h.). Mean hospital LOS was 43.4 hours and 71.9 hours for the floor and ICU patients (P = .08), and 69.02 hours and 52.58 hours for transfer vs non-transferred (P = .31). All patients were discharged alive and the majority (94%) was discharged home. Conclusion Given expedient ICU discharge, low transfusion rate, and low complication rate, inter-hospital transfer and ICU admission are unnecessary for patients under 65 years. Transfer and admission protocols for isolated renal trauma are needed to avoid resource overutilization.
Silibinin enhances UVB-induced apoptosis in human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells via proapoptotic mitochondrial proteins and caspases activation

1373 Several recent studies by us have shown that silymarin (a mixture of different flavanolignans with silibinin being a major active principle) as well as pure agent silibinin exert strong chemopreventive efficacy against both ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation and chemical carcinogen-induced tumorigenesis in mouse skin models. The molecular mechanisms underlying silibinin protective efficacy, however, are not completely known. In the present study, we examined the effect of silibinin pre-treatment on UVB-caused apoptosis in human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells. Treatment of cells with silibinin resulted in a further increase in UVB-induced apoptosis as observed by flow cytometry analysis of annexin V-propidium iodide-stained apoptotic cells. Irradiation of A431 cells with 15 and 30 mJ/cm2 UVB doses resulted in 42.4±3.4 and 52.8±5.06% apoptosis, whereas pre-treatment with silibinin (100 μM) for 12 h significantly increased apoptotic cell population to 69.6±2.8 and 77.5±6.25% (P
Interpretation of distal limb nerve blocks in the horse

Diagnostic analgesia of the distal limb is frequently performed in equine practice to localise lameness. The specificity of blocks has been widely investigated and it is important that clinicians u...
Double ProGlide preclose technique for vascular access closure after leadless pacemaker implantation.

The use of vascular closure devices in patients receiving the Micra leadless pacemaker may shorten time to ambulation, facilitate same-day discharge, and reduce risk of venous thrombosis associated with manual hemostasis. We sought evaluate the feasibility of double Perclose ProGlide (Abbott, CA) preclosure for access site hemostasis after leadless pacemaker implant. Patients with leadless pacemaker implant and double preclosure for access hemostasis from 2020 to 2021 were reviewed for complications requiring increase of flat time or transfusion, incidence of venous thromboembolism, and hemoglobin decrement. Two ProGlide devices were deployed with a double preclose technique after ultrasound guided wire access. Patients were instructed to lay flat for 2–4 h and were allowed to ambulate after. A total of 36 patients (age 74.5 ± 15.1 years, BMI 27.9 ± 9.0 kg/m2, 30% female gender) were included with 6 having prior venous thromboembolism, 21 with AF, and 15 with chronic kidney disease. Anticoagulation was continued in 14 (8 direct oral anticoagulants, 2 warfarin, 4 intravenous heparin) and interrupted in 5. In one patient, minor rebleeding prompted 10 min of manual pressure and extension of flat time by 2 h. No patients had other complications, prolongation of flat time, transfusion, delayed re-initiation of anticoagulation, or venous thromboembolism within 30 days. The double preclose technique is a safe and feasible method of achieving access site hemostasis and facilitates early ambulation after leadless pacemaker implantation.
When Fringe Hate Goes Mainstream: How White Nationalist Discourse Manifests in Online News Commenting:

After protestors clashed in Charlottesville, Virginia over the planned removal of a statue of a Confederate general, President Trump refused to condemn white nationalists. Over the following days, ...
The Efficacy of a Book Club to Promote Biomedical Trainee Professional Development

Professional development for biomedical doctoral and postdoctoral trainees is vital, especially due to the increase in individuals pursuing non-faculty career paths. We created a professional development-focused discussion group between trainees and faculty/staff by utilizing a book club format in which monthly small group meetings occurred over an 8-month period. A pre- and post-survey consisting of Likert and free-response questions was completed by participants. Results demonstrated that after the book club, trainees: 1) were more knowledgeable about a variety of career paths; 2) had improved awareness of their interests in relation to their career; 3) were more knowledgeable of their transferrable skills; 4) were more comfortable engaging with their PI and completing/updating an Individual Development Plan; 5) were more likely to find mentors in addition to their PI to address career specific needs; and 6) were more likely to seek opportunities to conduct informational interviews or experiential learning. Additionally, we found that faculty/staff: 1) were more knowledgeable about careers outside of academia; 2) had greater consideration for their mentee’s values and interests in relation to their career; 3) had a better understanding of their mentee’s transferable skills; and 4) were more comfortable engaging with their mentee about their career path and addressing an Individual Development Plan. Overall, we found that the utilization of a book club consisting of trainees and faculty/staff as a professional development tool was beneficial for both groups of participants, and this format is feasible for use in biomedical education professional development.
Low Profile Dual-Band Shared Aperture Array for Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication

In this paper, we present a non-standalone dual-band shared aperture antenna array that operates at both the current Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) band (viz. 5.9 GHz) and the future 5G millimeter-wave (mm-wave) band (viz. 28 GHz) allocated for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications. The design consists of a 2 $\times $ 2 differentially fed patch array operating at 5.9 GHz, co-printed with a 1 $\times $ 2 series fed array operating at 28 GHz on a single layer substrate. In particular, the shared aperture array operates from 5.84-5.94 GHz (DSRC band) with a 100 MHz impedance bandwidth and from 27.75 - 28.47 GHz (5G mm-wave band) with a 720 MHz impedance bandwidth. Gain improvement of ~1.44 dB at 28 GHz is observed as a result of the higher order modes generated by the 5.9 GHz array. The shared aperture array was fabricated and measured showing a gain of ~9.97 dBi at 5.9 GHz and ~12.3 dBi at 28 GHz. The ports of the array are highly isolated with measured isolation >55 dB at the DSRC band and >33 dB at the 5G mm-wave band.
Case 42: A Potentially Life-Threatening Problem

It is your first day of work at a hospital in Burkina Faso, which is a small landlocked country in West Africa. It is in June, their wintertime. The hospital consists of huts that are built in a field and surrounded by dense bush. The matron of the hospital greets you and asks you if you are allergic to wasps.
Membrane Surface Charge

Publisher Summary Lipids and proteins contain groups that are charged at the appropriate pH. Many biological membranes possess surface charges due to the presence of these lipids and proteins. There is experimental evidence for a surface charge present on both the outer and inner surfaces of the squid giant axon membrane. This chapter illustrates the way this surface charge relates to membrane channel proteins. One method of determining membrane surface charge is to measure the electrophoretic mobility of cells. This approach provides an estimate of the average charge density over the entire cell membrane. Another method utilizes the voltage-dependent properties of membrane ionic channels to provide the estimates of surface charge density near the channels. It is noted that the surface-charge density at ionic channels is considerably larger than the average surface-charge density over the membrane as a whole. The surface-charge density at ionic channels is also considerably larger on the external surface than on the internal surface. These generalizations apply not only to squid axon membranes, but also to a wide variety of other membranes.
Physical Linkage of the Human Growth Hormone Gene Cluster and the CD79b (Igβ/B29) Gene

We have previously characterized a locus control region for the GH1 gene consisting of four DNase I hypersensitive sites (HS) located between 14.5 and 32 kb 5′ to the GH1 gene transcription start site. Sequence analysis of the region between the GH1 gene and its most proximal HS (HSI) revealed a perfect match to the B-lymphocyte-specific CD79b gene. Restriction mapping and hybridization analysis of YAC and cosmid clones confirmed the close linkage of the CD79b gene to the hGH gene cluster and facilitated the assembly of a 100-kb physical map linking the hGH locus, the CD79b gene, and the more distant muscle-specific sodium channel α-subunit (SCN4A) gene.
On-chip iDD pulse response method using a high-speed dynamic current sensor

This paper presents design considerations for a high-speed dynamic current sensor for iDD analysis. This testing scheme, known as the iDD pulse response method is a built-in scheme for analog, digital and mixed-signal circuitry compatible with the IEEE 1149.4 mixed-signal test bus standard. A high-speed dynamic current sensor is required for this method and is described in this paper. Simulation results are provided for the current sensor used to observe the iDD supply current of analog and digital devices. Simulation results include iDD waveforms of defect-free circuits, for circuits with parametric/global faults, and circuits with catastrophic faults. This testing technique serves as an early screening method for defect-free circuits and will potentially allow a fault-free IC to enter the market in significantly less time.
Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluation of atenolol during and after pregnancy.

Study Objective. To evaluate changes due to pregnancy on atenolol's pharmacokinetics, response of maternal heart rate to atenolol, and the drug's effect on fetal heart rate. Design. Prospective study Setting. Large university teaching hospital. Patients. Fourteen pregnant women who were receiving oral atenolol for cardiac disease were enrolled and 10 completed the study Interventions. Patients were studied for 12 hours during the third trimester (TT) and again 6 weeks postpartum (PP). Measurements and Main Results. Fetal heart rates, and maternal heart rates at rest and during exercise were recorded. Maternal plasma and urine atenolol concentrations were measured. Average resting heart rates (TT 68 ± 10, PP 62 ± 9 beats/min) and maximum heart rate during exercise (TT 100 ± 6, PP 87 ± 7 beats/min) were significantly higher in the third trimester than postpartum (p<0.05). The 12-hour atenolol area under the curve (TT 0.208 ± 0.061, PP 0.215 ± 0.089 ng/ml/day) and maximum plasma concentrations during the time of exercise tests (TT 1.07 ± 0.39, PP 1.14 ± 0.53 mmol/L) were not significantly different. Individual and population pharmacokinetics did not differ significantly between study periods. The fetal heart rate did not correlate with maternal atenolol concentration. Conclusion. Constant dosages of atenolol result in higher heart rates during pregnancy compared with the postpartum period. This lack of heart rate control is not due to significant changes in atenolol's pharmacokinetics or plasma concentrations.
Real-time failure prediction for chemical processes: Plantwide framework

Abstract Methods for plant-specific, real-time risk assessment are presented for an ethyl-benzene plant using Bayesian theory and copula to predict: (i) the frequencies of occurrence of abnormal events, (ii) failure probabilities of safety systems involving equipment and human actions, (iii) probabilities of consequences, and (iv) fuzzy memberships to various critical zones to indicate the proximity of a current plant state to a failure or disaster, utilizing accident precursor data. These methods, which involve repetitive risk analysis after abnormal events occur, are especially beneficial for operations involving complex nonlinearities and multi-component interactions, helping to achieve inherently safer operations. Furthermore, these methods demonstrate the importance of using plant-specific estimates of failure probabilities rather than generic values in the risk assessment of chemical plants.
Life after Video Coding Standards: Rate Shaping and Error Concealment

Is there life after video coding standards? One might think that research has no room to advance with the video coding standards already defined. On the contrary, exciting research opportunities arise after the standards are specified. In this paper, we introduce two standard-related research areas: rate shaping and error concealment, as examples of interesting research that finds its context in standards. Experiment results are also shown.
The role of activated orphan nuclear receptor, PXR, in cancer cell growth and drug metabolism

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 4495 Objective: The orphan nuclear receptor, PXR, regulates cancer drug metabolism by affecting the transcription and translation of CYP3A4 and MDR1 genes and may affect cancer cell growth. Controlling the activation of PXR may regulate these processes. Experimental procedures: In vitro RNA, protein and transcription based assays in hepatocellular and colon cancer cell lines and PXR wild-type and null mouse studies were performed to demonstrate the effects of ketoconazole on ligand-activated PXR-mediated gene transcription and translation. We also performed the MTT assay to study cell proliferation in ovarian and colon cancer cells with activation of PXR by specific ligands. Results: Human PXR (hPXR) agonists, paclitaxel and rifampicin, significantly increased the expression of CYP3A4 mRNA when compared to DMSO-treated cells in cell lines derived from hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and colon cancer (LS174T). When these same cells were treated with ketoconazole alone, a modest increase in CYP3A4 mRNA was observed when compared to DMSO controls. However, when ketoconazole was combined with either paclitaxel or rifampicin, the CYP3A4 expression decreased by >90% compared to cells treated with paclitaxel or rifampicin alone. This finding was further confirmed by co-transfecting HepG2 and Cos-1 cells with a plasmid expressing hPXR protein and a reporter plasmid containing CYP3A4 promoter tagged with luciferase gene. There was a dose-dependent decrease in hPXR activation by ketoconazole. We also investigated whether paclitaxel drug levels are affected by PXR in mice. C57BL/6 PXR (+/+) and PXR (-/-) mice were given 20mg/kg paclitaxel intravenously for 5 days. In PXR (+/+) mice, the mean day 1 and day 5 paclitaxel AUC were 28116 and 13582 as compared to day 1 and day 5 paclitaxel AUC of 20205 and 35186 in PXR (-/-) mice. These results suggest that PXR activation by xenobiotic ligands reduces the blood paclitaxel levels in mice by inducing its metabolism and efflux. We further studied the effect of PXR activation on ovarian (SKOV-3) and colon (LS174T) cancer cell lines. Activating PXR by rifampicin and hyperforin (the active metabolite of St. John’s Wort), resulted in cancer cell proliferation. An investigational drug, T1317, which has been shown to activate PXR, confirmed these results. Conclusion: These in vitro and mouse studies demonstrate that ligand-mediated activation of PXR is associated with variable drug metabolism, reduced blood levels of chemotherapeutic drugs, and cancer cell proliferation. Developing target-specific analogs of ketoconazole may result in more consistent drug levels and decreased cell proliferation in solid tumors.
Lung replantation: Respiratory reflexes, vagal integrity, and lung function in chronic dogs

Summary In order to assess the importance of nerve regeneration to the maintenance of adequate respiration by the replanted lung, bronchospirometric and blood gas analyses were made in 7 dogs 6 to 18 months after replantation of the left lung. Contralateral pneumonectomy was performed in 5 of these animals. Histologic regeneration of anatomically normal nerve fibers was demonstrated 6 to 18 months after replantation. However, these nerve fibers were functionally inadequate as evidenced by the absence of the Hering-Breuer reflex in all replanted lungs and of the cough reflex in the 2 dogs so tested. Respiratory rate and oxygen consumption were found to be dependent on the chemoreflexes initiated by the altered pO 2 and pCO 2 of the circulating blood. The replanted lungs exhibited substantial functional capacity but were unable to maintain normal oxygen exchange 6 to 18 months after surgery.
Cardiac positions: a primer.

Abstract A study of the current concepts of cardiac positions reveals that there are 96 possibilities. One needs to understand that returning systemic venous blood may reach either the aorta or pulmonary artery, always by the right atrium, but thence either by the right or left ventricle (four basic alignments); that the cardiac apex may be anywhere from left to right; that visceral situs may be normal, reversed, or indeterminate; and that the aorta may swing on a full circle around the pulmonary artery. Terminology based on embryologic considerations is confusing, descriptive terminology is cumbersome, and classical terminology is illogical. A guide through this maze is presented and the simplicity of the basic anatomic facts is emphasized. The ECG and chest film are the most reliable routine diagnostic tools but selective angiocardiography is necessary for definitive diagnosis.