cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is traffic congestion overrated? Examining the highly variable effects of congestion on travel and accessibility

Abstract Congestion is universally unpopular, but is it always a problem? Are some places more “congestion-adapted” than others? Using data for Los Angeles, we examine whether the geographies of congestion and accessibility are distinct by mapping and describing them across neighborhoods. We then estimate a series of regression models of trip-making to test the net effects of traffic delays on behavior. We find that there are places where people make many trips and engage in many activities despite lots of congestion, which tend to be more central, built-up areas that host many short trips; in other places, high congestion and low activity coincide. Why the variance? While congestion can constrain mobility and reduce accessibility, traffic is also associated with agglomerations of activity and is thus a byproduct of proximity-based accessibility. Whether agglomeration and congestion have net positive or negative impacts on activity participation thus varies substantially over space. Controlling for factors such as income and working at home, we find that the effects of congestion on access depend on whether congestion-adaptive travel choices (such as walking and making shorter trips to nearby destinations) are viable. Because “congestion-adapted” places tend to host more trip-making, planners may be justified in creating more such places in order to increase accessibility, even if doing so makes absolute levels of congestion worse in the process.
An efficient coal pyrolysis model for detailed tar species vaporization

Abstract An accurate and computationally efficient model for the vaporization of many tar species during coal particle pyrolysis has been developed. Like previous models, the molecular fragments generated by thermal decomposition are partitioned into liquid metaplast, which remains in the particle, and vapor, which escapes as tar, using a vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) sub-model. Multicomponent VLE is formulated as a rate-based process, which results in an ordinary differential equation (ODE) for every species. To reduce the computational expense of solving many ODEs, the model treats tar and metaplast species as a continuous distribution of molecular weight. To improve upon the accuracy of previous continuous thermodynamic approaches for pyrolysis, the direct quadrature method of moments (DQMoM) is proposed to solve for the evolving distributions without assuming any functional form. An inexpensive delumping procedure is also utilized to recover the time-dependent mole fractions and fluxes for every discrete species. The model is well-suited for coal-to-chemicals processes, and any application which requires information on a range of tar species. Using a modified CPD model as the basis for implementation of the VLE submodel, agreement between the full discrete model and DQMoM with delumping is excellent, with substantial computational savings.
PREDICTORS OF UTILIZATION, MORTALITY, AND PROCEDURAL COMPLICATIONS OF CATHETER ABLATION FOR VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA IN ISCHEMIC AND NON-ISCHEMIC PATIENTS

We sought to identify factors associated with utilization and outcomes in patients undergoing catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia (VT) across the nation, comparing those with known ischemic heart disease versus those without. The 2004-2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was used to
Multiple-Pulse Pumping with Time-Gated Detection for Enhanced Fluorescence Imaging in Cells and Tissue

Fluorescence-based sensing and imaging experiments are constrained by the background signal generated on a sample. A main contribution to the background, besides direct scattering of excitation and Raman scattering of the solvent, comes from sample autofluorescence and additives used for sample preparation. Such unwanted signals from endogenous chromophores and fixatives typically are broad and spectrally overlap with the probe signal; thus becoming a major limitation for sensitive detection and quantitative imaging. Since the fluorescence lifetimes of the majority of naturally occurring chromophores are relatively short, long-lived fluorophores allow for background discrimination by time-gated detection. Unfortunately, the brightness of long-lived, red-emitting fluorescent probes is inherently very low, consequently limiting many applications. Recently we reported a simple new approach with bursts of closely spaced laser excitation pulses for excitation (multi-pulse excitation) that allows for many-fold increase in the intensity of a long-lived probe over the background signal. This technology can be easily implemented for biomedical diagnostics and imaging to significantly enhance the signal of long-lived probes over the background. In this report, we are discussing an example of the Ruthenium-based dye tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)dichlororuthenium(II) hexahydrate (Ru) (Sigma–Aldrich) (~2% quantum yield and ~350 ns fluorescence lifetime) that when used with the multi-pulse approach and time-gated detection allows for high quality imaging that can easily be enhanced two orders of magnitude as compared to the normal approach (imaging with typical fluorescence microscopy).
Mobilizing older adults: A multi-site, exploratory and observational study on patients enrolled in the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP).

Abstract The aim of this study was to explore and describe the characteristics of the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) sites and how they mobilize patients with volunteers in the United States and other countries. The purpose was to describe: the number of enrollments, modalities, fall and injury rates, and to identify barriers to mobilization. A survey was distributed to 228 international sites. The responding sites enrolled an average of 53.9 (SD 35.3) patients per month. The majority (76%) reported that mobilization included ‘active range of motion exercises’ and ‘ambulation’. Eighteen percent identified volunteer training, safety and liability concerns as barriers. Falls with injury on HELP units was 0–3%, with an average rate of 0.46 per 1,000 patient days. No patient falls while ambulating with the HELP team and/or volunteers were reported. More research and evidence are needed to further determine barriers and safety of mobilization with the HELP during hospitalization.
Deciphering the role of second phase precipitates on early-stage surface morphology development of dispersion-strengthened W alloys under low energy He irradiation

Abstract Tungsten is the material of choice for plasma-facing components in the divertor region of future plasma-burning tokamak fusion reactors. However, under low energy helium irradiation at elevated temperatures, significant surface morphology changes are expected, including pores, blisters, and fuzz. Dispersion-strengthened tungsten materials with small additions of transition metal carbide dispersoids have been proposed as an alternative to pure tungsten, as they have shown enhanced thermomechanical properties and possible radiation damage tolerance. However, their response to low energy helium irradiation has yet to be fully elucidated. In this work, dispersion-strengthened tungsten alloys containing 1–10 wt.% tantalum carbide, titanium carbide, or zirconium carbide were exposed to 250 eV helium ions at 600 and 800 °C to a 1 × 1020 cm−2 fluence to understand the early-stage irradiation response to helium bombardment. At 600 °C, nanostructuring is only observed on titanium carbide particles. As the temperature is raised to 800 °C, pores and ripples were developed on tungsten grains for all samples; fiber-form structures and isolated tendril growth is observed only on titanium carbide particles. Minimal surface morphology changes were observed on tantalum carbide and zirconium carbide particles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the alloyed specimens post-irradiation at 800 °C indicates the formation of zirconium and titanium oxides on the surface. Potential thermodynamic, sputtering, and composition-based formation mechanisms behind the novel nanostructuring and chemistry changes of the complex materials are discussed.
Cascading microstructures in aluminum-steel interfaces created by impact welding

Abstract With the growing need to develop light weight structures joining dissimilar metals is inevitable. Hence a fundamental understanding of the microstructure evolution and bond formation mechanism is necessary. In this work we probe the welded interface in aluminum and steel joined using vaporizing foil actuator welding (VFAW) a novel impact welding process. The goal of such a detailed characterization campaign is to understand the bond formation mechanism. The study shows that the interfacial microstructure has a pronounced hierarchical nature. At the macro scale, the interface is characterized by a wavy interface which is a result of extensive plastic deformation that accompanies the process. Detailed transmission electron microscopy shows evidence for the formation of a liquid film at the interface resulting in significant inter diffusion of Fe. The solidified structure at the interface consisted of crystalline α-Al and an amorphous metastable Al-Fe intermetallic compound similar to the observations in rapid solidification of Al-Fe alloys. The sub-nm scale characterization of the interface using atom probe tomography showed two distinct zones 1. A magnesium (5 at.%) and oxygen (15 at.%) rich (not detectable using energy dispersive spectroscopy) which was probably from the decomposition of the surface oxide film 2. The rapidly solidified reaction zone consisting of primary crystalline α-Al and an amorphous Al-Fe (15 at.%)-O (0.5 at.%)-Si (1.5 at.%). Based on these observations a mechanism for the bond formation is presented.
LPA receptor 4 deficiency attenuates experimental atherosclerosis.

The widely expressed lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) selective receptor 4 (LPAR4) contributes to vascular development in mice and zebrafish. LPAR4 regulates endothelial permeability, lymphocyte migration, and hematopoiesis, which could contribute to atherosclerosis. We investigated the role of LPAR4 in experimental atherosclerosis elicited by adeno-associated virus expressing PCSK9 to lower LDL receptor levels. After 20 weeks on a Western diet, cholesterol levels and lipoprotein distribution were similar in WT male and Lpar4Y/- mice (P = 0.94). The atherosclerotic lesion area in the proximal aorta and arch was ∼25% smaller in Lpar4Y/- mice (P = 0.009), and less atherosclerosis was detected in Lpar4Y/- mice at any given plasma cholesterol. Neutral lipid accumulation in aortic root sections occupied ∼40% less area in Lpar4Y/- mice (P = 0.001), and CD68 expression was ∼25% lower (P = 0.045). No difference in α-smooth muscle actin staining was observed. Bone marrow-derived macrophages isolated from Lpar4Y/- mice displayed significantly increased upregulation of the M2 marker Arg1 in response to LPA compared with WT cells. In aortic root sections from Lpar4Y/- mice, heightened M2 "repair" macrophage marker expression was detected by CD206 staining (P = 0.03). These results suggest that LPAR4 may regulate the recruitment of specific sets of macrophages or their phenotypic switching in a manner that could influence the development of atherosclerosis.
Microvillus inclusion disease, a diagnosis to consider when abnormal stools and neurological impairments run together due to a rare syntaxin 3 gene mutation.

Background Microvillus Inclusion Disease (MVID) was first described in the literature in 1978 with presentation of severe watery diarrhea, failure to thrive, and metabolic acidosis. Mutations in the myosin Vb (MYO5B) gene have been identified as causative for MVID, but other clinical manifestations and associations with novel mutations are lacking. Methods We report a full-term infant admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with abdominal distension and inability to sustain full enteral feeds. A retrospective chart review and review of the literature was performed. Results An infant with abnormal, mucoid-like stringy stools was incidentally found to have severe metabolic acidosis on routine lab monitoring. Acidosis corrected with total parenteral nutrition (TPN), but the infant experienced recurrent episodes of acidosis with enteral feeds. He was also noted to have abnormal ocular movements, fluctuating tonicity, and staring spells. He underwent an extensive workup and the diagnosis of microvillus inclusion disease was made by findings on electron microscopy. The diagnosis was confirmed with whole exome sequencing, showing a rare homozygous mutation in the syntaxin 3 (STX3) gene. This is the fifth reported patient with microvillus inclusion disease with a mutation in this gene, and the first with abnormal neurologic findings. Conclusion It is important to consider MVID in the differential diagnosis of a neonate or infant with abnormal stools, metabolic acidosis, with and without neurologic symptoms for prompt referral and treatment.
Evaluation of an untargeted nano-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry approach to expand coverage of low molecular weight dissolved organic matter in Arctic soil

Characterizing low molecular weight (LMW) dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soils and evaluating the availability of this labile pool is critical to understanding the underlying mechanisms that control carbon storage or release across terrestrial systems. However, due to wide-ranging physicochemical diversity, characterizing this complex mixture of small molecules and how it varies across space remains an analytical challenge. Here, we evaluate an untargeted approach to detect qualitative and relative-quantitative variations in LMW DOM with depth using water extracts from a soil core from the Alaskan Arctic, a unique system that contains nearly half the Earth’s terrestrial carbon and is rapidly warming due to climate change. We combined reversed-phase and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography, and nano-electrospray ionization coupled with high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry in positive- and negative-ionization mode. The optimized conditions were sensitive, robust, highly complementary, and enabled detection and putative annotations of a wide range of compounds (e.g. amino acids, plant/microbial metabolites, sugars, lipids, peptides). Furthermore, multivariate statistical analyses revealed subtle but consistent and significant variations with depth. Thus, this platform is useful not only for characterizing LMW DOM, but also for quantifying relative variations in LMW DOM availability across space, revealing hotspots of biogeochemical activity for further evaluation.
A fluorescent in vivo microscopic method to assess surface mucosal integrity in the rat stomach

Abstract A new sensitive in vivo fluorescent method to assess gastric mucosal integrity in the anesthetized rat is described. Topically applied fluorescein diacetate enters gastric mucosal cells. The diacetate is cleaved by intracellular esterases leaving fluorescein trapped within the cells. The pattern of fluorescence can be visualized, and the intensity of fluorescence measured, using a fluorescent in vivo microscopy system. Frozen section studies revealed that fluorescein was located in the surface mucous cells and the mucous neck cells. Topically applied ethanol caused a dose-dependent decline in intensity of fluorescence. Measurement of fluorescence in the supernatant bathing the mucosa revealed that leak of fluorescein out of cells or shedding of cells was, at least in part, responsible for the decline in fluorescence intensity. Pretreatment with a "cytoprotective" dose of 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E 2 did not protect against the decline in fluorescence seen after 12.5% and 25% ethanol. This confirms findings of previous histologic studies that prostaglandin "cytoprotection" does not include surface cell protection. We conclude that this technique provides a sensitive, quantitative in vivo method to study gastric surface cell injury.
Acetylene and terminal alkyne complexes of copper(I) supported by fluorinated pyrazolates: syntheses, structures, and transformations

Trinuclear {μ-[3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Cu}3 reacts with acetylene to produce the 2 : 1 copper(I) acetylene complex, Cu4(μ-[3,5-(CF3)2Pz])4(μ-HCCH)2. Related Cu4(μ-[4-Br-3,5-(CF3)2Pz])4(μ-HCCH)2 and Cu4(μ-[4-Cl-3,5-(CF3)2Pz])4(μ-HCCH)2 have also been isolated using the corresponding copper(I) pyrazolate and acetylene. The 1 : 1 adducts Cu2(μ-[3,5-(CF3)2Pz])2(HCCH)2 and Cu2(μ-[4-Br-3,5-(CF3)2Pz])2(HCCH)2 are significantly less stable to the acetylene loss and can be observed in solution at low temperatures under excess acetylene. The X-ray crystal structures of 2 : 1 and 1 : 1 complexes, Cu4(μ-[3,5-(CF3)2Pz])4(μ-HCCH)2 and Cu2(μ-[4-Br-3,5-(CF3)2Pz])2(HCCH)2 are reported. Raman data show a reduction in CC stretching frequency by about ∼340 and ∼163 cm−1 in the 2 : 1 and 1 : 1 Cu(I)/acetylene complexes, respectively, from that of the free acetylene. Copper(I) pyrazolate complexes of the terminal alkynes, phenylacetylene, 1,8-nonadiyne, and 1,7-octadiyne are also reported. They form adducts involving one copper atom on each alkyne moiety. The {μ-[3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Cu}3 is also a very versatile and competent catalyst for alkyne transformations as evident from its ability to catalyze the alkyne C(sp)–H bond carboxylation chemistry with CO2, azide–alkyne cycloadditions leading to 1,2,3-triazoles including the use of acetylene itself as a substrate, and thiol addition to phenylacetylene affording vinyl sulfides.
Locomotor training with adjuvant testosterone preserves cancellous bone and promotes muscle plasticity in male rats after severe spinal cord injury

Loading and testosterone may influence musculoskeletal recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI). Our objectives were to determine (a) the acute effects of bodyweight-supported treadmill training (TM) on hindlimb cancellous bone microstructure and muscle mass in adult rats after severe contusion SCI and (b) whether longer-term TM with adjuvant testosterone enanthate (TE) delivers musculoskeletal benefit. In Study 1, TM (40 min/day, 5 days/week, beginning 1 week postsurgery) did not prevent SCI-induced hindlimb cancellous bone loss after 3 weeks. In Study 2, TM did not attenuate SCI-induced plantar flexor muscles atrophy nor improve locomotor recovery after 4 weeks. In our main study, SCI produced extensive distal femur and proximal tibia cancellous bone deficits, a deleterious slow-to-fast fiber-type transition in soleus, lower muscle fiber cross-sectional area (fCSA), impaired muscle force production, and levator ani/bulbocavernosus (LABC) muscle atrophy after 8 weeks. TE alone (7.0 mg/week) suppressed bone resorption, attenuated cancellous bone loss, constrained the soleus fiber-type transition, and prevented LABC atrophy. In comparison, TE+TM concomitantly suppressed bone resorption and stimulated bone formation after SCI, produced near-complete cancellous bone preservation, prevented the soleus fiber-type transition, attenuated soleus fCSA atrophy, maintained soleus force production, and increased LABC mass. 75% of SCI+TE+TM animals recovered voluntary over-ground hindlimb stepping, while no SCI and only 20% of SCI+TE animals regained stepping ability. Positive associations between testosterone and locomotor function suggest that TE influenced locomotor recovery. In conclusion, short-term TM alone did not improve bone, muscle, or locomotor recovery in adult rats after severe SCI, while longer-term TE+TM provided more comprehensive musculoskeletal benefit than TE alone.
Linking individuals on probation to health care: a pilot randomized trial

Probation offices represent a location where at-risk individuals in need of health care appear on a known and regular basis. We sought to study how providing linkages to health care could improve the proportion of underserved, justice-involved individuals accessing the health care system. This study tested a linkage and referral to health care intervention for individuals on probation designed by a local change team that brought together actors from multiple agencies and tasked them with increasing general practitioner physician access for probationers. The pilot trial randomized 400 individuals on probation in Delaware during 2016–2018 to determine the effectiveness of placing a health navigator in an urban probation office to refer people to an appointment with a primary care physician. The project also tested the impact of offering an incentive to probationers for attending a doctor’s appointment. Referral by a health navigator to a primary care physician was associated with a modest but significant increase in the proportion of individuals accessing care through a general practitioner physician. Offering an incentive had no significant impact on keeping the medical appointment above the effect of referral by the health navigator. Probation offices represent a location where at-risk individuals in need of health care appear on a known and regular basis. This study highlights how providing linkages to health care can improve the proportion of underserved individuals accessing the health care system.
Quantifying Airport Employee Commuting and Related Energy Use: A Comparison of Six US Airports

There has been growing research interest in understanding the energy signatures of airport access and egress as air travel continues to grow. However, these findings generally focus on airport access from the perspective of air travelers rather than ground access modes by airport employees. Using a data set of employment records, this paper uses residential location data of airport employees to estimate the energy implications of employee commuting at six major US airports based on commuting mode choice information from the US Census. This analysis reveals a high degree of variance in commuting energy usage by employees between different airports.
A Two-Phased Approach to Quantifying Head Impact Sensor Accuracy: In-Laboratory and On-Field Assessments

Measuring head impacts in sports can further our understanding of brain injury biomechanics and, hopefully, advance concussion diagnostics and prevention. Although there are many head impact sensors available, skepticism on their utility exists over concerns related to measurement error. Previous studies report mixed reliability in head impact sensor measurements, but there is no uniform approach to assessing accuracy, making comparisons between sensors and studies difficult. The objective of this paper is to introduce a two-phased approach to evaluating head impact sensor accuracy. The first phase consists of in-lab impact testing on a dummy headform at varying impact severities under loading conditions representative of each sensor’s intended use. We quantify in-lab accuracy by calculating the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) between a sensor’s kinematic measurements and headform reference measurements. For sensors that performed reasonably well in the lab (CCC ≥ 0.80), we completed a second phase of evaluation on-field. Through video validation of impacts measured by sensors on athletes, we classified each sensor measurement as either true-positive and false-positive impact events and computed positive predictive value (PPV) to summarize real-world accuracy. Eight sensors were tested in phase one, but only four sensors were assessed in phase two. Sensor accuracy varied greatly. CCC from phase one ranged from 0.13 to 0.97, with an average value of 0.72. Overall, the four devices that were implemented on-field had PPV that ranged from 16.3 to 91.2%, with an average value of 60.8%. Performance in-lab was not always indicative of the device’s performance on-field. The methods proposed in this paper aim to establish a comprehensive approach to the evaluation of sensors so that users can better interpret data collected from athletes.
Powder reuse and its contribution to porosity in additive manufacturing of Ti6Al4V

Abstract Powder reuse has become a central issue in the pursuit to industrialize metal Additive Manufacturing (AM). Furthermore, build porosity is a critical concern to component reliability and damage tolerance of the metal. However, the contributions of powder reuse to metal porosity has received very limited attention. In this study, the porosity resulting from Powder Bed Fusion-Electron Beam Melting (PBF-EB) AM of Ti6Al4V was characterized over a series of 30 build cycles (consisting of ~ 480 h cumulative build time) using X-ray Micro Computed Tomography (μCT). Investigated were the volume fraction of pores (i.e. the porosity), as well as the pore size, shape, and spatial distribution. The most prevalent pores identified were: i) those originating from the gas atomized powder, and ii) those caused by incomplete fusion of the melt pool. Although there was a minor reduction in the pore size distribution with powder reuse, the overall average volumetric porosity was 0.10 ± 0.02% and there was no significant change with increasing reuse. An inverse relationship between pore diameter and sphericity was found, with large pores posing greater effective stress concentration. Whereas the greatest pore density was located at the transition between the contour and melt beams, approximately 0.5–1.0 mm adjacent to the surface of parts, the largest pores were located within the interior hatching region. Hence, despite progressive deformation of the particles and an increase in oxidation, there was no discernable change in metal porosity with powder reuse in PBF-EB AM of Ti6Al4V.
The 2018 update of the US National Seismic Hazard Model: Ground motion models in the central and eastern US

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) is the scientific foundation of seismic design regulations in the United States and is regularly updated to consider ...
Multimodality imaging assessment of bicuspid aortic valve disease, thoracic aortic ectasia, and thoracic aortic aneurysmal disease

Acute aortic syndromes have extremely high mortality rates and those with aortic dilation are at increased risk for these often catastrophic events. Serial monitoring of patients with aortic dilation is critical to determine the appropriate timing of preventative interventions. The thoracic aorta can be imaged and measured using multiple imaging modalities including transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, multidetector cardiac computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. There has not been agreement on the specific techniques that should be used to measure thoracic aortic dimensions with each imaging modality, leading to potential errors and challenges in comparing changes in measurements over time. It is critical to understand the current recommendations on thoracic aortic measurements for each imaging modality and cardiovascular imaging specialists need to be explicit about the methods that they have used to derive the thoracic aortic measurements. In those at high risk for aortic pathology, such as those with connective tissue diseases or bicuspid aortic valve, a multimodality imaging strategy incorporating echocardiography including three-dimensional measurements along with cardiac computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging should be used to establish aortic dimensions and for continued monitoring to avoid progression to acute aortic syndromes.
Testing Facial Recognition Software for Young Adults and Adolescents: An Integrative Review

This integrative review synthesizes research findings from 2008 to 2020 on facial recognition software deployed for young adult and adolescent populations. The aim is to determine the extent to which tests deem these technologies effective, and the extent to which test design considers potential human factors and inherent ethical issues. The review answers the following questions: How are such applications tested? What are the strengths and weaknesses of test design? And what human factors issues do the tests address or implicate? Facial recognition software for this group primarily used experimental design but failed to meet sampling standards necessary for validating and generalizing findings. The software tested, study design, and topics covered left lingering questions about the potential clinical and ethical applications of the technology. They also overwhelmingly did not address the complexities of facial change over time and ethnicities that confound the accuracy of facial recognition software. Facial recognition bodes promising, but human factors could improve their development.
Clinical features of pineal parenchymal tumors of intermediate differentiation (PPTID): A single institution series.

Objective Pineal parenchymal tumors of intermediate differentiation (PPTID) are rare tumors of the pineal gland. Their treatment is often heterogeneous due to the lack of literature to compile standardized treatments. Although no single institution has large numbers of cases, our experience has been that the clinical course is more varied and complicated than reported. Methods We reviewed the clinical data for all patients with pathology found to be consistent with PPTID at our institution between the years 2006 and 2019. Results Nine patients were identified. At initial diagnosis, all were treated with surgery and 4 of 9 patients underwent gross total resection. Adjuvant radiation therapy to the resection bed was administered in 6 of 9 patients. Mean follow-up time was 95.3 months. Mean progression-free survival was 50.5 months, with a tendency to be longer for male sex and after gross total resection. Seven patients developed a recurrence. Five of 6 known locations of first recurrences had either distant metastases or dissemination of disease. First recurrences were treated with radiation alone in 5 patients, craniospinal radiation with multiagent chemotherapy in 1 patient, and surgery with radiation therapy in 1. At last follow-up, 2 patients had died. Conclusions Herein, we report clinical patterns of disease progression and treatment patterns of PPTID. Many patients progressed during the follow-up period. Disseminated disease was the most common presentation at recurrence. Ultimately, given the risk of recurrence and dissemination at recurrence, more aggressive treatment strategies should be considered. Specifically, our series suggests a benefit of adjuvant radiation at initial diagnosis for grade II patients.
Gilteritinib-induced upregulation of S100A9 is mediated through BCL6 in acute myeloid leukemia.

Abstract Drug resistance and relapse are common challenges in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), particularly in an aggressive subset bearing internal tandem duplications (ITD) of the FLT3 receptor (FLT3-ITD+). The tyrosine kinase inhibitor gilteritinib is approved for the treatment of relapse/refractory AML with FLT3 mutations, yet resistance to gilteritinib remains a clinical concern of which the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Using transcriptomic analyses and functional validation studies, we identified the calcium-binding proteins, S100A8 and S100A9 (S100A8/A9), as contributors to gilteritinib resistance in FLT3-ITD+ AML. Exposure of FLT3-ITD+ AML cells to gilteritinib increased S100A8/A9 expression in vivo and in vitro, decreased free calcium levels, and genetic manipulation of S100A9 was associated with altered sensitivity to gilteritinib. Using a transcription factor screen, we identified the transcriptional corepressor BCL6, as a regulator of S100A9 expression, and found that gilteritinib decreased BCL6 binding to the S100A9 promoter, thereby increasing S100A9 expression. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of BCL6 accelerated the growth rate of gilteritinib-resistant FLT3-ITD+ AML cells, suggesting that S100A9 is a functional target of BCL6. These findings shed light on mechanisms of resistance to gilteritinib through regulation of a target that can be therapeutically exploited to enhance gilteritinib’s anti-leukemic effects.
Provider perspectives on and experiences with engagement of patients and families in implementing patient-centered care.

Abstract Objective To study of the efforts of four Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers to engage patients and families in patient-centered care (PCC) transformation. Methods Interviews with 107 providers/employees involved in implementation of PCC innovations. Coding used a mixed inductive-deductive approach. Results Patient and family engagement was considered to be a key element of the design and implementation of PCC innovations. Participants identified formal (e.g., advisory committees, walkthroughs), and informal (e.g., real-time feedback, discussions) methods of engaging patients and families. Asking patients and families what matters most shaped effective, targeted interventions. Participants noted providing a venue for patients and families to engage with planning often became an intervention itself. Conclusion Participants felt that patient and family involvement were beneficial for planning and implementing PCC innovations. Patients and families offer a unique perspective and key understanding of Veterans’ needs, and allow employees/providers to discover unexpected outcomes. Offering multiple engagement options maximizes patients and families involved and ensures feedback is sought from a variety of sources.
Artmap Networks for Classification of Ultrasonic Weld Inspection Signals

Inverse problems in Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) involve estimating the characteristics of flaws from measurements obtained during an inspection. Several techniques have been developed over the years for solving the inverse problem [1]. These techniques range from calibration approaches to numerical methods based on integral equations. Signal identification and classification is one of the more popular approaches for inverse problems encountered in many practical NDE applications.
The Tragedy of the Interstate Child: A Critical Reexamination of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act and the Parental Kidnaping Prevention Act

This Article's thesis is that the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJA) and the Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act (PKPA) have not eliminated jurisdictional competition because a federal system such as ours cannot achieve both of the Acts' two main instrumental goals - preventing or punishing "child snatching" and promoting well-informed decisions. Our system commits custody decisions to sovereign states, which make and modify the decisions according to indeterminate precepts. Such a system will inevitably create some version of the interstate child; so long as these features of our system persist, legislation cannot solve the problem. Therefore, although this Article proposes amendments, to the UCCJA designed to increase its effectiveness, in the alternative, it urges legislatures to repeal both the UCCJA and the PKPA, in order to eliminate the superfluous delays and transaction costs that impede the courts' search for justice in individual child custody cases. This Article begins by examining the fundamental nature of the problem that these statutes were intended to remedy. It then reviews the history of our understanding of the problem and traces the development of reforming legislation, paying particular attention to the courts' interpretations of the statutes. The Article concludes with proposals for further reform.
Disordered quasi-one-dimensional materials

A brief review is given of recent progress in several areas of the theory of quasi-one-dimensional materials: Shanie's theory of hopping conduction in highly anistropic materials; Theodorou's study of the disordered, one-dimensional Hubbard model with application to NMP-TCNQ; the electron-phonon interaction as dynamic disorder; spin and charge ordering in donor (TCNQ)2 salts; and surfaces of organic charge-transfer salts.
Creole phonological restructuring: The role of perception in contact-induced change

This article examines the influence of perception on creole phonological restructuring, drawing comparisons to loanword adaptation and second language learning and outlining a formal framework within which change can be described and explained. The three scenarios of contact-induced modification are compared and contrasted, focusing on the nature of contact, the role of different source and target languages, and the means by which participants access source tokens. Data from Haitian, showing diachronic modification to lexifier rhotics, is used to illustrate the position that perception may be the primary causal factor in phonological modification in some instances. It is argued that source ambiguity and substrate (L1) perceptual knowledge underlie restructuring. Perceptual competence is formalized in a broadly Optimality Theoretic grammar using level-specific constraints referring to the parsing and categorization of experiential input. Putative substrate data are used to establish a perceptual grammar which, when applied to experiential input, predict attested outcomes in Haitian.
Immunohistochemistry of central nervous system tumors. Its contributions to neurosurgical diagnosis.

✓ Immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase (peroxidase-antiperoxidase, PAP) techniques for the demonstration of neural and non-neural cell markers are contributing greatly to increase the diagnostic accuracy of difficult tumors of the central nervous system. Well characterized nervous system markers include glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein, the three protein subunits of neurofilaments, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), myelin basic protein, and S-100 protein. The most important and reliable of these is GFA protein, which is widely in use for the immunohistochemical diagnosis of tumors of the glioma group. Its many practical applications are reviewed and illustrated. Other neural markers, in particular the specificity of NSE and S-100 protein, need to be critically evaluated. Problems related to the immunohistochemical diagnosis of central neuroepithelial tumors of putative neuroblastic origin remain complex and still need to be resolved. Non-neural markers, such as vimentin, desmin, cytokeratins, Factor ...
Visualization of the Timing of Gene Amplification during Multistep Head and Neck Tumorigenesis

Head and neck tumorigenesis is thought to represent a multistep process whereby carcinogen exposure leads to genetic instability in the tissue and the accumulation of specific genetic events, which result in dysregulation of proliferation, differentiation, and cell loss and the acquisition of invasive capacity. Chromosome 11q13 amplification is frequently observed in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and the amplified gene products are assumed to play important functional roles in the tumor phenotype. However, it is not well understood whether gene amplification precedes carcinoma development or results from the unstable nature of intact tumors. To determine the timing of gene amplification during tumorigenesis, tissue sections from amplified HNSCC specimens (containing a contiguous transition from normal epithelium to hyperplasia to dysplasia to carcinoma) were probed for INT2 gene copy number by chromosome in situ hybridization. In addition, representative epithelia were microdissected from the tissue sections, and the DNA was isolated and assessed for INT2 gene copy number by semiquantitative PCR. In those cases containing amplified INT2 in the carcinoma, gene amplification appeared to precede HNSCC development. In one case, INT2 gene amplification appeared in the hyperplasia to dysplasia transition, whereas in two other cases, gene amplification was apparent at dysplasia. These results suggest that gene amplification can occur early during head and neck tumorigenesis and that genetic instability is an important driving force in the tumorigenesis process.
Aerosolized iloprost customized for the critically ill.

BACKGROUND: Aerosolized iloprost, an inhaled synthetic analogue of prostacyclin, is an approved therapy for stage III and IV pulmonary hypertension. However, currently iloprost is delivered via a device that requires a clinically stable patient who can use a hand-held nebulizer. We designed separate aerosol delivery systems to nebulize iloprost to critically ill patients during (1) mechanical ventilation and (2) spontaneous breathing that requires a high fraction of inspired oxygen. The goal was to deliver doses similar to the currently approved high-efficiency I-neb nebulizer system. METHODS: For the intubated patient we used the high-efficiency AeroTech II jet nebulizer and a breath-actuated ventilator circuit, without humidification. For spontaneous breathing, our delivery system consisted of a Pulmanex Hi-Ox disposable oxygen mask and an AeroTech II nebulizer. With a nebulizer charge of 20 μg, the drug presented to the patient (inhaled mass) was captured on a filter and analyzed using radioactivity (technetium-99m). The accuracy of the radiolabel was quantified by directly measuring iloprost with high-performance liquid chromatography and comparing the results. A cascade impactor measured particle distribution. RESULTS: A line of identity confirmed that the radiolabel accurately represented the drug. The mean ± SD inhaled mass was 6.02 ± 0.87 μg (n = 5) on the ventilator and 3.77 ± 0.46 μg (n = 5) during spontaneous ventilation. The mass median aerodynamic diameter and fine-particle fraction were 0.7 μm, 0.99, and 0.7 μm, 0.99, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically effective doses of iloprost can be delivered to patients who require high-flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation.
THE REPRODUCTION OF POVERTY AND POOR HEALTH IN THE PRODUCTION OF HEALTH DISPARITIES IN SOUTHERN PERU

It is a common starting assumption for analyses of health disparities that poverty and poor health occur together and mutually influence one another. While earlier research tended to focus on how poverty leads to poor health, over the past two decades it has become more common to focus on the social and economic costs of illness and disease. Yet, the majority of this research has not employed an ethnographic lens and is limited in accounting for local level factors that shape vulnerability and resilience to illness and its impact on lives and livelihoods. This paper illustrates how the inequality and health dialectic plays out among rural producers in the district of Nunoa in the southern Peruvian Andes. Using a critical biocultural approach attending to global–local interactions, relations of power and human agency, and that is grounded in ethnographic realities, we explore connections between vulnerability and resiliency in the reproduction of poverty and poor health. While the direct costs of healthcare can be catastrophic to a household's economy in extreme cases, indirect costs to labor power and household production create for many a greater cumulative loss that limits resilience in the face of future illness and other problems. The way illness impacts lives and livelihoods in the reproduction of poverty and poor health is shaped by people's access to land, labor power, and cash reserves, so that these effects are experienced unevenly and with different long-term implications among vulnerable populations.
A study of circumferentially-heated and block-heated heat pipes—I. Experimental analysis and generalized analytical prediction of capillary limits

The wall and centerline vapor temperatures and heat output are determined experimentally for a low-temperature copper-water heat pipe under uniform circumferential heating and block heating. The time required to reach a vapor temperature of 60 C from an initial ambient temperature of 21 C is determined for both modes of heating. The experimental capillary limit of the heat pipe is compared to the generalized capillary limits for block-heated pipes over a range of vapor temperatures. A three-dimensional numerical model is then developed for determining the temperature, pressure, and velocity distributions in the entire domain of a circumferentially heated and a block-heated pipe. The problem is formulated as a conjugate problem, without the assumption of a uniform vapor temperature. The predictions of the model are found to be in good agreement with the experimental data.
The effect of high-dose methylprednisolone treatment on GM-CSF level in children with acute leukemia: a pilot study.

Abstract High-dose methylprednisolone therapy (HDMP) induces acceleration of leukocyte recovery in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and the differentiation of myeloblasts to mature granulocytes in acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). These effects of corticosteroids have been shown to be due to the enhanced colony-stimulating activity (CSA) and responses to corticosteroids in some patients with aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) have been related to increased CSA activity. We measured the serum (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) levels by a sandwich linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) in patients with ALL and AML at presentation and following high-dose methylprednisolone (HDMP) therapy. Serum GM-CSF levels at presentation in the ten cases studied ranged between 160 and 700 pg/ml (mean 418.5 ± 252.5). One week following HDMP therapy GM-CSF levels increased to between 260 and 950 pg/ml (733.5 ± 203.2). Four weeks after therapy the GM-CSF levels increased to between 470 and 1350 pg/ml (911 ± 278.7). GM-CSF levels were markedly elevated one week after HDMP in the patients with ALL, suggesting that in addition to the lymphotoxic effects on leukemic blasts, the acceleration in neutrophil recovery may be due to release of GM-CSF induced by HDMP and its effects on myeloid progenitors.
The quantitative investigation of the binding process of calcium blocking drugs in a sinoatrial node

Application of existing models of sinoatrial node pacemaker activity and of channel-drug interaction allow us to reproduce action potential changes as a result of the blocking effect of drugs. Two calcium antagonistic drugs, nifedipine and mesudipine, were investigated and as a result averaged rate constants of binding and unbinding were evaluated. The procedure applied which is based on experimental results and on computer simulations, can be used as an initial step for comparison of different drugs.
The effects of void cluster size on ductile fracture

The effects of void clustering on ductile fracture are studied by modeling a discrete set of randomly distributed clusters. Each cluster consists of four, equally-spaced, cylindrical voids. The spacing between the clusters is held constant while the spacing between the voids is varied. A Eulerian finite element program is used to numerically solve the boundary value problems. A salient feature of the previous investigations is that both the ultimate stress and the fracture strain are functions of the void distribution. In contrast, the ultimate stress remains constant while the fracture strain changes with the void cluster diameter in the current investigation.
The role of surfactant structure and monoethanolamine in the environmental stress cracking of polycarbonate

The critical strains required to initiate cracking of polycarbonate exposed to a number of poly(oxyethylene)ethoxylate surfactants were determined. Solubility parameters of the surfactants were calculated from knowledge of the molecular structure. A model proposed by Jacques and Wyzgoski that uses the square of the solubility parameter difference of the surfactant and polycarbonate and the surfactant molar volume was determined to be useful for predicting critical strains for polycarbonate. A major assumption in this model is that stress cracking is related to swelling or plasticization of the polymer by the cracking agent, which ultimately leads to the polymer's failure. However, the model does not predict the observed strong stress cracking of polycarbonate by monoethanolamine. In this investigation it was determined that polycarbonate is chemically degraded by monoethanolamine. This degradation is sufficient to initiate stress cracking at lower strains than would otherwise be predicted by solubility parameter and molar volume concepts. With the knowledge obtained from this investigation, it is possible to predict which poly(oxyethylene)ethoxylate surfactants are stress cracking agents for polycarbonate.