cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Associations Between Hospital and Surgeon Procedure Volumes and Patient Outcomes After Ovarian Cancer Resection

Background Strong associations between provider (i.e., hospital or surgeon) procedure volumes and patient outcomes have been demonstrated for many types of cancer operation. We performed a population-based cohort study to examine these associations for ovarian cancer resections. Methods We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database to identify 2952 patients aged 65 years or older who had surgery for a primary ovarian cancer diagnosed from 1992 through 1999. Hospital- and surgeon-specific procedure volumes were ascertained based on the number of claims submitted during the 8-year study period. Primary outcome measures were mortality at 60 days and 2 years after surgery, and overall survival. Length of hospital stay was also examined. Patient age at diagnosis, race, marital status, comorbid illness, cancer stage, and median income and population density in the area of residence were used to adjust for differences in case mix. All P values are two-sided. Results Neither hospital- nor surgeon-specific procedure volume was statistically significantly associated with 60-day mortality following primary ovarian cancer resection. However, differences by hospital volume were seen with 2-year mortality; patients treated at the low-, intermediate-, and high-volume hospitals had 2-year mortality rates of 45.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 42.1% to 48.4%), 41.1% (95% CI = 38.1% to 44.3%), and 40.4% (95% CI = 37.4% to 43.4%), respectively. The inverse association between hospital procedure volume and 2-year mortality was statistically significant both before (P = .011) and after (P = .006) case-mix adjustment but not after adjustment for surgeon volume. Two-year mortality for patients treated by low-, intermediate-, and high-volume surgeons was 43.2% (95% CI = 40.7% to 45.8%), 42.9% (95% CI = 39.5% to 46.4%), and 39.5% (95% CI = 36.0% to 43.2%), respectively; there was no association between 2-year mortality and surgeon procedure volume, with or without case-mix adjustment. After case-mix adjustment, neither hospital volume (P = .031) nor surgeon volume (P = .062) was strongly associated with overall survival. Conclusion Hospital- and surgeon-specific procedure volumes are not strong predictors of survival outcomes following surgery for ovarian cancer among women aged 65 years or older.
Probabilistic planning via determinization in hindsight

This paper investigates hindsight optimization as an approach for leveraging the significant advances in deterministic planning for action selection in probabilistic domains. Hindsight optimization is an online technique that evaluates the one-step-reachable states by sampling future outcomes to generate multiple non-stationary deterministic planning problems which can then be solved using search. Hindsight optimization has been successfully used in a number of online scheduling applications; however, it has not yet been considered in the substantially different context of goal-based probabilistic planning. We describe an implementation of hindsight optimization for probabilistic planning based on deterministic forward heuristic search and evaluate its performance on planning-competition benchmarks and other probabilistically interesting problems. The planner is able to outperform a number of probabilistic planners including FF-Replan on many problems. Finally, we investigate conditions under which hindsight optimization is guaranteed to be effective with respect to goal achievement, and also illustrate examples where the approach can go wrong.
Carcinogenic effects of polychlorinated biphenyls.

As part of its mandate, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) prepares toxicological profiles on hazardous chemicals found at Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) National Priorities List (NPL) sites that have the greatest public health impact. These profiles comprehensively summarize toxicological and environmental information. This article constitutes the release of an important section of the Toxicological profile for polychlorinated biphenyls [ATSDR. 2000: Toxicological profile for polychlorinated biphenyls. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.] into the scientific literature. This article focuses on the carcinogenic effects of this group of synthetic organic chemicals (polychlorinated biphenyls) in humans and animals. Information on other health effects, toxicokinetics, mechanisms of toxicity, biomarkers, interactions, chemical and physical properties, potential for h...
Teachers' Characteristics and Information Application Strategies of the World Wide Web

This study investigated the use of the World Wide Web (WWW) for instruction by two groups of teachers: teachers who are naive or knowledgeable about the Web. Both groups of teachers' characteristics and associated information-seeking strategies for using a hypermedia information system such as the WWW were identified. The teachers' instructional application strategies for applying Web-based information were studied. This study found that WWW-knowledgeable teachers were able to utilize advanced application strategies and higher-level learning activities for teaching, and their application strategies were reflexive.
Assessing the state of clinically applicable research for evidence-based practice in prosthetics and orthotics

Evidence-based practice combines a practitioner's training and experience with evidence established through scientific research. Fundamental to the evidence-based process for prosthetics and orthotics is the ongoing availability of clinically applicable research on relevant conditions, components, and patient populations. In the past, research has been successfully applied to practice, sometimes producing substantial changes. Examples include clinically applicable research that has assessed treatment effectiveness, altered clinical patient interaction, led to the development of new components and technologies, and challenged or changed long-standing clinical opinion. Despite past successes, obstacles remain in the application of research to practice. Practitioners have stated a desire for research and have identified a list of research needs but lack the training or resources necessary to conduct the research. A gulf also exists between the perceived research needs and the clinically applicable research that is being produced, possibly because of the broad nature of those needs.
Visual Support In Automated Tracing

Automated traceability facilitates the dynamic generation of candidate links between requirements and other software artifacts. It provides an alternative option to the arduous and error-prone process of manually creating and maintaining a trace matrix. However the result set contains both true and false links which must therefore be evaluated by an analyst. Current approaches display the candidate links to the user in a relatively bland textual format. This position paper proposes several visualization techniques for helping analysts to evaluate sets of candidate links. The techniques are illustrated using examples from the Ice Breaker System.
A 4096 cell switched capacitor analog waveform storage integrated circuit

A full-custom switched-capacitor transient analog waveform storage and reconstruction integrated circuit containing 4096 sample and hold cells has been designed, fabricated, and tested. The switched capacitor array (SCA) is organized as 16 parallel channels of 256 serially addressed samples per channel with multiplexed and buffered analog output. Signal sampling frequencies of up to 100 MHz have been accomplished, with a dynamic range, measured at 10 MHz, of at least 8000 to 1. The circuit operation and performance are described, limits on performance are examined, and future implementations are discussed. >
Subnanosecond Electrical Pulses for Medical Therapies and Medical Imaging

The use of prolate-spheroidal reflectors as part of a sub-nanosecond Impulse Radiating Antenna (IRA) allows us to generate near-field electric fields with high spatial resolution in biological tissue. If the power of such ultrashort electrical pulses is very high, it becomes possible to deposit substantial electromagnetic energy into deep-lying tissue, even at the rather high conductivity and consequently strong absorption of most tissues. This electromagnetic energy may be used either to stimulate bioelectric effects, such as pulsed electric field induced apoptosis of tumor cells, or to generate local hyperthermia. Besides using ultrashort electrical pulses for medical therapies, the use of Impulse Radiating Antennas in the hundred-picosecond temporal range leads to medical imaging methods with sub-centimeter spatial resolution. The method is based on the measurement of changes in the complex permittivity of tissue, and may complement imaging methods based on the measurement of other physical parameters. For example, breast tumors are characterized by conductivity and permittivity approximately five times higher than surrounding healthy tissue. Our experimental work focuses on the design and construction of subnanosecond pulse generators, which has resulted in a 150 ps, 50 kV, 50 Ohm generator. The design of prolate-spheroidal antennas for these medical applications is pursued in cooperation with C. Baum at the University of New Mexico. A three-dimensional, time-dependent electromagnetic code (MAGIC) is used to model the electric field distribution in tissue. The pulse power research efforts are complemented by studies on the biological effect of subnanosecond electrical pulses.
Pathological case of the month

A 15-month-old boy presented with tachypnea and rales on examination after a mild upper-respiratory tract infection. Pregnancy and delivery were normal. An intermittent nonproductive cough developed at approximately age 5 months that did not improve with bronchodilators. At age 12 months, intercostal retractions, crackles, and wheezes were noted. The retractions continued despite nebulized bronchodilators and oral corticosteroids. The family history was negative for cystic fibrosis, asthma, or cardiovascular disease. There was one smoker and one dog in the home, but no woodburning stove or fireplace. Laboratory findings were as follows: sweat chloride, normal; arterial oxygen saturation, 96%; hemoglobin, 130 g/L; prothrombin time, 11.3 seconds; activated partial thromboplastin time, 25.0 seconds; and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (Wintrobe method), 4 mm/h. Titers of respiratory viruses in serum were nondiagnostic. A chest roentgenogram (Fig 1) and angiogram (Fig 2) were obtained. An electrocardiogram demonstrated possible right ventricular hypertrophy. An echo-Doppler study demonstrated normal anatomy
Comparison of the BD GeneOhm Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) PCR Assay to Culture by Use of BBL CHROMagar MRSA for Detection of MRSA in Nasal Surveillance Cultures from Intensive Care Unit Patients

This study compared the BD GeneOhm methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) real-time PCR assay to culture by the use of BBL CHROMagar MRSA for the detection of MRSA in 627 nasal surveillance specimens collected from intensive care unit (ICU) patients. The PCR assay had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 100%, 96.7%, 70.3%, and 100%, respectively. Nine of 19 false-positive PCR specimens grew methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) from broth enrichment culture, of which two demonstrated evidence of mecA gene dropout. Compared to culture by the use of BBL CHROMagar MRSA, the BD GeneOhm MRSA PCR assay demonstrated sensitivity and specificity above 95% for the detection of MRSA nasal colonization and provided shorter turnaround time in generating positive and negative final results.
Towards an Implementation of Smart Hospital: A Localization System for Mobile Users and Devices

The advancements of wireless and mobile computing technologies and the diffusion of pervasive healthcare technologies are changing our perception of healthcare. In this paper, we describe how the pervasive computing technologies can be used to build a Smart Hospital. In particular, we propose a concrete implementation of a smart hospital and discuss how e-Health services and applications can be enhanced by location information. As a solution, we present semantic models, mechanisms and a system to locate diverse kinds of mobile entities in Smart Hospitals. The key feature of the system is the semantic integration of different positioning systems that not only enables the hospital to transparently handle such physical positioning systems, but also to reason on location information coming from different systems and to combine them in order to get higher context information or to resolve inconsistencies or conflicts due to sensing errors or limitations of the positioning systems.
Children's music of the Shangana-Tsonga

Among the Shangana-Tsonga of the Northern Transvaal and Mozambique (hereafter referred to as the Tsonga), childrenâ€™s music occurs seasonally within a broad range of social contexts, the separate boundaries of which are not always sharply defined. They include winter fireside storytelling, where the audience of children is assigned a recurring stereotyped response, and where the song-within-the-story often possesses magical power which overcomes blocks encountered by the hero. They include childrenâ€™s games played before or after the rainy season when the ground is firm enough, and light subsistence activities where children traditionally help, as with herding the cattle.
Accurate stepping on a narrow path: mechanics, EMG, and motor cortex activity in the cat

How do cats manage to walk so graciously on top of narrow fences or windowsills high above the ground while apparently exerting little effort? In this study we investigated cat full-body mechanics ...
Brain Responsiveness After Severe Brain Injury: Revolutions and Controversies

In the past 18 years, neuroimaging techniques have become central to studying the healthy and pathological brain. In the context of disorders of consciousness, neuroimaging approaches have radically changed our understanding of how much cortical and cognitive function can be retained after severe brain injury. In this chapter we review some of the main contributions these approaches have given to the field of disorders of consciousness, and we discuss both the power of these techniques and the main complexities tied to employing them to assess residual brain function in otherwise nonresponsive individuals.
A Multivariate Weight Enumerator for Tail-biting Trellis Pseudocodewords

Tail-biting-trellis representations of codes allow for iterative decoding algorithms, which are limited in effectiveness by the presence of pseudocodewords. We introduce a multivariate weight enumerator that keeps track of these pseudocodewords. This enumerator is invariant under many linear transformations, often enabling us to compute it exactly. The extended binary Golay code has a particularly nice tail-biting-trellis and a famous unsolved question is to determine its minimal AWGN pseudodistance. The new enumerator provides an inroad to this problem.
Calculations of isothermal elastic constants in the phase-field crystal model

The phase-field crystal (PFC) method is an emerging coarse-grained atomistic model that can be used to predict material properties. In this work, we describe procedures for calculating isothermal elastic constants using the PFC method. We find that the conventional procedures used in the PFC method for calculating the elastic constants are inconsistent with those defined from a theory of thermoelasticity of stressed materials. Therefore we present an alternative procedure for calculating the elastic constants that are consistent with the definitions from the thermoelasticity theory, and show that the two procedures result in different predictions. Furthermore, we employ a thermodynamic formulation of stressed solids to quantify the differences between the elastic constants obtained from the two procedures in terms of thermodynamic quantities such as the pressure evaluated at the undeformed state.
A New Species of Mexican Corethrella (Diptera: Chaoboridae) and a Description of a New Antennal Sensillum

Specimens of Corethrella from Tuxpan, Veracruz, and Santiago Tuxtla, all in the state of Vera Cruz, Mexico, are described as Corethrella metcalfi , n. sp. A previously undescribed antennal sensillum is designated sensillum pediconicum.
DINÁMICA SOCIAL EN LA EXPRESIÓN DE IMPERSONALIDAD EN BOGOTÁ: UN CAMBIO LINGÜÍSTICO EVIDENTE EN TRES PERIODOS

DOI: 10.17533/udea.lyl.n69a07 Resumen: Este trabajo examina el efecto de variables sociales en el predominio de uno para expresar impersonalidad. Con el fin de evidenciar un posible cambio linguistico, se analizan muestras recogidas en Bogota, Colombia, en tres periodos. Los resultados revelan la importancia de la ocupacion, edad y sexo del hablante: el avance de uno desde los anos noventa, procedente de los grupos de ocupacion mas bajos y liderado por los jovenes y las mujeres. Por haberse utilizado principalmente para referir la experiencia del hablante y de nosotros , se sugiere que un futuro analisis semantico-pragmatico indague si se trata de una individualizacion del discurso. Palabras clave: uno, impersonalizacion, cambio linguistico, ocupacion, variacion temporal. SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN THE EXPRESSION OF IMPERSONALITY IN BOGOTA: A LINGUISTIC CHANGE VISIBLE IN THREE PERIODS Abstract: This paper examines the effect of social variables in the predominant use of uno to express impersonality. In order to evidence a possible linguistic change, we analyse interviews collected in Bogota, Colombia, in three periods. The results reveal the importance of the level of occupation, age and sex of the speaker: the advance of the use of uno in the 1990s, coming from low levels of occupation and led by the youngest and women. Because this form is mainly used to refer to the speaker and group experiences , it is suggested that future semantic-pragmatic analysis investigate if this is a sign of the individualisation of discourse. Keywords: uno, impersonalisation, linguistic change, occupation, temporal variation.
Motor responses of the sigmoid colon and rectum to exogenous cholecystokinin and secretin.

The effects of exogenous cholecystokinin (CCK) and secretin on motor activity of the sigmoid colon and rectum were studied in 10 subjects. CCK stimulated and secretin inhibited basal motor activity of the sigmoid. In addition, CCK-induced motor activity of the sigmoid colon was inhibited by secretin. Neither CCK nor secretin influenced motor activity of the rectum.
Craft as a Place of Knowing in Natural Law

The article offers a proposal about natural law inquiry in terms of knowledge attendant in the practices of a craft. We begin by discussing Aristotle’s analogical use of crafts in considering knowledge of ethics and politics in the Nicomachean Ethics. We inquire further into craft as a way of knowing by consulting the works of psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and sociologist Richard Sennett. The framework of a craft is connected to moral realism through an analysis of works by Iris Murdoch and Simone Weil. Finally we provide a proposal for natural law inquiry in relation to the embodied and embedded nature of craft.
Sylvia Plath, The Poet and her Writing Life

The temptation to do little but re-create Plath’s biography through readings of her work — and, implicitly, to try to unearth the complex reasons for her tragic suicide — overtakes the most focused reader. What happens as one studies Plath’s oeuvre is that the vivid humanness of her narrated experience becomes overpowering. Too often, the mere establishment of intellectual boundaries, some means of separating the work from what appears to be the story told in it, proves ineffectual. For Sylvia Plath to be valued as the magisterial poet she was, readers must accept a number of her writerly principles as guides for their absorption of her work.
The Use of Multivariate Biometric Methods for the Analysis of Human Growth Data

Multivariate analytic methods have been used to further research in Human Growth and Physical Anthropology (Howells, 1953; Schull and Neel, 1965 Solow, 1966; Palomino et al., 1979; Mueller and Reid, 1979; Moriyama and Malina, n.d.). Since the measurements used in growth research are often many, it is useful to have statistical methods aimed at reducing the essential information to a few key variables. In this paper I will discuss some applications to growth data of one multivariate method: principal components analysis. This method is allied to factor analysis, canonical correlation and discriminant function. It is now widely available due to its inclusion in packaged computer programs (e.g., Nie et al., 1975). This relatively new ease of use of this multivariate method may open its potential misuse when the assumptions of the method are not met or its limitations understood.
High Angular Resolution Studies of Coronal Structures with SOHO

Since January 1996, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)has been providing unprecedented views of the extended solar coronato heliocentric distances of up to 32 solar radii. During the past threeyears we carried out studies of the morphology and dynamical evolutionof various structures in the solar corona using two instruments on boardSOHO: the Large Angle Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) and the ExtremeUltraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT). We have applied advanced image resolutionenhancement techniques to explore in detail the characteristics of thesmall-scale structures and/or the low contrast structures in the solarcorona. We describe here the results from these high-angular resolutionstudies, including of the kinematics of several Coronal Mass Ejections andpolar jets.
A transfer network linking Earth, Moon, and the triangular libration point regions in the Earth-Moon system

Abstract In the near future, several space applications in the Earth-Moon system may require a spacecraft to hold a stable motion, but the transfer trajectory infrastructure to access such stable motions has not been fully investigated yet. The triangular libration points, L 4 and L 5 , in the Earth-Moon system have long been thought of as potential locations for a communications satellite. Recently, Distant Retrograde Orbits (DROs) and Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbits (NRHOs) in the vicinity of the Moon have been identified as orbits of interest for manned and unmanned missions with a focus on operations in cislunar space. The triangular libration points, as well as lunar DROs and NRHOs describe special types of possible motion for a spacecraft/satellite that is influenced solely by the gravitational fields of the Earth and the Moon. What is common to the three types of solutions is that they are practically stable, that is, a spacecraft/satellite can naturally follow the solution for extended periods of time without requiring significant course adjustment maneuvers. This investigation proposes the lunar region as the central link to a transfer network that enables travel throughout the Earth-Moon system, connecting the lunar region to the vicinity of the Earth and the neighborhood of the triangular libration points. The work presented here also contributes to the infrastructure supporting such a network by expanding the transfer options available between these regions. Several new transfer options between regions of stability are presented and discussed, including transfer options between Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and lunar DRO, lunar DRO and periodic orbits near L 4 and L 5 , as well as lunar DRO and L 2 NRHOs. Underlying dynamical mechanisms enabling transfers between selected orbits are analyzed, and sample itineraries are provided.
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ modulates mast cell phenotype.

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ (PPARβ/δ) is known to have multiple anti-inflammatory effects, typically observed in endothelial cells, macrophages, T cells and B cells. Despite the fact that mast cells are important mediators of inflammation, to date, the role of PPARβ/δ in mast cells has not been examined. Hence, the present study examined the hypothesis that PPARβ/δ modulates mast cell phenotype. Bone-marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) and peritoneal mast cells from Pparβ/δ+/+ mice expressed higher levels of high-affinity IgE receptor (FceRI) compared with Pparβ/δ-/- mice. BMMCs from Pparβ/δ+/+ mice also exhibited dense granules, associated with higher expression of enzymes and proteases compared with Pparβ/δ-/- mice. Resting BMMCs from Pparβ/δ+/+ mice secreted lower levels of inflammatory cytokines, associated with the altered activation of phospholipase Cγ1 and extracellular signal-regulated kinases compared with Pparβ/δ-/- mice. Moreover, the production of cytokines by mast cells induced by various stimuli was highly dependent on PPARβ/δ expression. This study demonstrates that PPARβ/δ is an important regulator of mast cell phenotype.
The Future of Worm Ageing

The history of the C. elegans model in ageing research is a glittering success story. Since Tom Johnson’s realization that the longevity displayed by Mike Klass’s mutants, at the University of Colorado in the late 1980s, resulted from mutation of a single gene (age-1), we have witnessed the rapid development of this subfield of ageing research. The chapters in this book attest to the dedicated work of scores of labs that utilize the worm in an effort to understand ageing. Hundreds of researchers gather together every year at various C. elegans meetings to consider the molecular pathways and physiological consequences of the myriad of mutations that determine lifespan in this organism. The worm meeting ranks as one of the largest ageing meetings on the calendar. During the last 25 years, increasing lifespan has been the goal and also the gold standard of genetic interventions in ageing. The focus on the lifespan phenotype and its manipulation has allowed ageing research to go well beyond the worm model and enter the mainstream. But what is the future for our beloved worm in ageing research? Will we continue to see new labs established working on ageing or is the ageing field about to move to more complex, and (perhaps) more human-relevant models?
An Adapted Structurational Framework for the Emergence of Communication Networks

Although structuration theory (ST) has endured a considerable influence in communication research across various domains, there remains a paucity of quantitative empirical research using ST as a viable framework. The purpose of this article is to develop an adapted structurational framework to explain the emergence of communication networks. The adapted framework distinguishes between relational states/events and internal/external structural rules. For analysis, we introduce multipanel relational event modeling, a technique using processual inference that can empirically demonstrate the recursive nature of system and structure. As an introductory example of both the framework and method, we examined communication, using cell-phone data, of students living in the same dormitory from September 2008 through February 2009. Our results demonstrated how different structures (i.e., perceived social relations and internal/external structural rules) are reproduced and transformed over time. Our research has implic...
What is special about 200 kDa hyaluronan that activates hyaluronan receptor signaling

The polydispersity of hyaluronan (HA) presents challenges for analyzing its solution properties, such as the relationship between mass and particle size. The broad mass range of natural HA (≤50-fold) makes molecular characterization difficult and ambiguous compared to molecules with known molecular weights (e.g., proteins). Biophysical studies show that large >MDa HA behaves like a random coil, whereas very small (e.g., 10 kDa) HA behaves like a rod. However, the mass range for this conformational transition is not easily determined in natural polydisperse HA. Some HA receptors (e.g., CD44 and HARE) initiate signaling responses upon binding HA in the 100-300 kDa range, but not larger MDa HA. Size-dependent responses are studied using nonnatural HA: purified narrow-size range HA [Pandey MS, Baggenstoss BA, Washburn J, Harris EN, Weigel PH. 2013. The hyaluronan receptor for endocytosis (HARE) activates NF-κB-mediated gene expression in response to 40-400 kDa, but not smaller or sarger, hyaluronans. J Biol Chem. 288:14068-14079] and very narrow size range Select-HA made chemo-enzymatically [Jing W, DeAngelis PL. 2004. Synchronized chemoenzymatic synthesis of monodisperse hyaluronan polymers. J Biol Chem. 279:42345-42349]. Here, we used size exclusion chromatography and multiangle light scattering to determine the weight-average molar mass and diameter of ~60 very narrow size preparations from 29 to 1650 kDa. The ratio of HA mass to HA diameter showed a transition in the 150-250 kDa size range (~65 nm). The HA rod-to-coil transition occurs within the size range that specifically activates cell signaling by some receptors. Thus, size-specific signaling could be due to unique external receptor•HA conformation changes that enable transmembrane-mediated activation of cytoplasmic domains. Alternatively and more likely, transition-size HA may enable multiple receptors to bind the same HA, creating new internal signal-competent cytoplasmic domain complexes.
Abstract 371: Targeted Bone Marrow Cell Delivery Mediated by Nanocarriers Endowed with Molecular Recognition

Introduction: Stem cell therapy has emerged as a promising approach for treatment of a number of diseases, including delayed and non-healing wounds. However, targeted systemic delivery of therapeutic cells to the dysfunctional tissues remains one formidable challenge. Methods: We have developed a targeted nanocarrier-mediated cell delivery method by coating the surface of the cell to be delivered with dendrimer nanocarriers modified with adhesion molecules. Infused nanocarrier-coated cells reach to destination via recognition and association with the counterpart adhesion molecules highly or selectively expressed on the activated endothelium in diseased tissues. Once anchored on the activated endothelium, nanocarriers-coated transporting cells undergo transendothelial migration, extravasation and homing to the targeted tissues to execute their therapeutic role. Wound healing was measured by digital photograph and ImageJ calculation. Targeted tissue homing of LacZ + bone marrow cells (BMC) was detected and quantified by X-gal staining, and BMC-enhanced neovascularization was examined by Dil perfusion and scanning confocal microscopy. Results: Soluble E-selectin (sE-sel) was successful installed on BMC surface by dendrimer nanocarriers. sE-sel-nanocarriers can associate with E-selectin ligands highly expressed on the wound endothelium, by which coated BMC are targeted delivered to skin wound tissues and grafted corneas to promote wound healing and neovascularization. Conclusions: We demonstrate feasibility, efficacy and safety of our targeted nanocarrier for delivery of BMC to cutaneous wound tissues and grafted corneas and its advantages over conventional BMC transplantation in mouse models for wound healing and neovascularization. This versatile platform is suited for targeted systemic delivery of virtually any type of therapeutic cell.
Examining RAS pathway rewiring with a chemically inducible activator of RAS

RAS signaling pathways govern diverse cellular processes, are dynamic, and exhibit marked plasticity. Yet, these features also present a considerable obstacle to their study. Here, we report the us...
A modified extended finite element method for fluid-driven fractures incorporating variable primary energy loss mechanisms

Abstract A coupled extended finite element method (XFEM) is presented here for modeling propagation of fluid-driven fractures in different regimes including toughness- and viscosity-dominated regimes. The extended finite element method allows to model growth, and coalescence of arbitrary discontinuities (fractures) without requiring the mesh to conform to discontinuities nor significant refinement near the fractures. Fluid-driven fractures propagation is a coupled, nonlinear and non-local problem with moving boundary conditions. The proposed method is based on the extended finite element method with modifications to incorporate variable stress singularity at the crack tips for the transition between toughness-dominated and viscosity-dominated regimes. These modifications consist of enriched functions that are initially inspired by the asymptotic analytical solutions. The standard extended finite element approximation is enriched by adding near tip asymptotic solutions just for displacements, however the proposed method introduces a consistent enriched function for fluid pressure calculations close to the fracture tips to catch the singularity. Additionally, a technique is presented to remove singularity issue for required numerical integrations. Green's functions concept is proposed here to expedite calculations. To circumvent violation of partition of unity and parasitic terms in the approximation space induced by the blending elements at the edge of the enriched domain, the ramp function is utilized to improve the convergence rate. Stress intensity factors are calculated using a new contour integral method that can handle cases with different tip singularities. The proposed technique is verified with the cases that have analytical solutions. Some examples are presented to show the advantages of this technique in comparison to the regular XFEM.
The Myth of Large Pt Hadron Spectra in High-Energy Heavy-Ion Collisions

Hadron spectra in high-energy pp, pA and AA collisions are analyzed in a pQCD parton model, including initial k T and its broadening via initial multiple scattering. Within this model the hadron spectra in both pp and pA or AA collisions can be described very well for pT > 2 GeV/c. The modification of the spectra in pA and AA as compared to that in pp collisions is consistent with multiple parton scattering scenario. Such an analysis will shed new light on the physics one can extract from the single inclusive hadron spectra, e.g.,freeze-out temperature and flow velocity in a thermal fire-ball model, and parton energy loss in dense matter.
The Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Chronic Pain Patients in a Tertiary Care Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background There is limited research regarding the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in civilian multidisciplinary pain clinics. Controlled studies have only examined specific patient populations, such as those with motor vehicle accidents, war veterans, work-related injuries, back pain, and headache. Objective The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of PTSD symptoms in patients with chronic pain at a large multidisciplinary pain clinic. Methods Three hundred consecutive new or newly referred patients with a self-reported history of chronic pain were recruited to complete an in-person screen for PTSD symptoms, which included the Brief Trauma Questionnaire and the PTSD Symptom-Scale Self-Report. Two hundred and sixty-five were eligible for the study. Results Seventy-four (28%) screened positive for PTSD symptoms, a value higher than the lifetime prevalence of PTSD in the general population (6.8%). Those who screened positive for PTSD symptoms were significantly younger (p = 0.007) and had higher levels of pain intensity (p = 0.0005) compared to those who screened negative for PTSD symptoms. Conclusions The prevalence of PTSD symptoms in our chronic pain population (28%) exceeded the prevalence of PTSD in the general population (7%). Patients with chronic pain who screened positive for PTSD reported higher pain severity and were younger. This emphasizes the need for PTSD screening in the chronic pain population, as early identification and treatment may be effective in reducing the mounting health care costs and disease burden of comorbid chronic pain and PTSD.
Hierarchical Ethnic Nationhood in the Formal Membership and Beyond: Joseonjok and Formal and Substantive Citizenship in Their Ethnic Homeland

This chapter broadens the discussion of hierarchical ethnic nationhood in the context of ethnic return migration, from the current narrow focus on the labor market to the often-neglected issue of formal membership in a nation-state. It examines the issue of formal membership from two perspectives: 1) access (or roadblocks) to formal membership, and; 2) the nature of substantive citizenship after securing a formal membership. Analyzing 62 court cases where Joseonjok challenged the denial of their applications, it identifies roadblocks that Joseonjok face in their path to acquiring formal citizenship. Based on a survey data among Joseonjok who have secured formal membership, it evaluates the substantive nature of Joseonjok’s formal membership and demonstrates how hierarchical ethnic nationhood persists even for those who have secured formal membership in Korea.
Effects of the Use of a Mallet during Bone Marrow Biopsy Collection on Specimen Quality: A Quality Improvement Project

CONTEXT Avoiding procedure-related morphologic distortion such as fragmentation and crush artifact is critical in bone marrow diagnosis. Use of a hammer or mallet, although infrequent, is a known technique of advancing the biopsy needle during specimen collection. OBJECTIVES We performed a double-blinded, retrospective review of bone marrow biopsies collected by the Interventional Radiology department at our institution in order to assess specimen quality by using this technique. DESIGN We reviewed 93 bone marrow biopsy specimens collected at our hospitals, between January 2015 and June 2015. Routine bone marrow core biopsy slides were reviewed. The presence of crush artifact, specimen fragmentation, and aspiration artifact, as well as the presence of osteopenia and an overall grade of specimen adequacy, was recorded for each specimen. RESULTS A sterile mallet was used during the bone marrow biopsy procedure in 29 cases. Use of a mallet was significantly associated with the presence of suboptimal or inadequate specimen quality of bone marrow core biopsy (p<0.005) and was independently associated with severe specimen fragmentation (2+) (p<0.0001). There was no statistically significant association between length of the core and use of a mallet. CONCLUSIONS Use of a mallet during bone marrow core biopsy collection is significantly associated with morphologic distortion in the form of severe specimen fragmentation and negatively affects specimen adequacy. There is no difference in length of core biopsy as previously thought by using a mallet to advance the needle during the procedure. We recommend that the use of this technique should be avoided during specimen collection.
Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social–Emotional as a Teacher-Report Measure:

Universal screening of social–emotional deficits in preschool children is a promising avenue for detecting children in need of early intervention. Due to the enormity of this task, it is vital that...
Let-7i inhibition enhances progesterone-induced functional recovery in a mouse model of ischemia

Progesterone (P4) is a potent neuroprotectant and a promising therapeutic for stroke treatment. However, the underlying mechanism(s) remain unclear. Our laboratory recently reported that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a critical mediator of P4’s protective actions and that P4-induced BDNF release from cortical astrocytes is mediated by a membrane-associated progesterone receptor, Pgrmc1. Here, we report that the microRNA (miRNA) let-7i is a negative regulator of Pgrmc1 and BDNF in glia and that let-7i disrupts P4-induced BDNF release and P4’s beneficial effects on cell viability and markers of synaptogenesis. Using an in vivo model of ischemia, we demonstrate that inhibiting let-7i enhances P4-induced neuroprotection and facilitates functional recovery following stroke. The discovery of such factors that regulate the cytoprotective effects of P4 may lead to the development of biomarkers to differentiate/predict those likely to respond favorably to P4 versus those that do not.
Knowledge and Screening Practices of Breast and Cervical Cancer in Rural and Urban South Africa

Background: The South African government has recently released cancer policies for breast and cervical cancer—the most common types and causes of cancer-related death in South African women. Increa...
Relationships Among Home Literacy Behaviors, Materials, Socioeconomic Status, and Early Literacy Outcomes Across 14 Low- and Middle-Income Countries:

Most research on reading acquisition is conducted in high-income countries, and the majority of the limited research from middle- and low-income countries focuses exclusively on school settings. We...
51 Cause of death among lung cancer patients in the national lung screening trial: competing causes of death as a hallmark of overdiagnosis

Objectives Much of the literature on cancer overdiagnosis due to screen detection focuses on the assessment of trends in mortality, incidence, and indolent cancers. Overdiagnosed cases after cancer screening also occur because screen-detected patients die of a non-cancer cause of death (competing cause of death) prior to their hypothetical symptomatic date of cancer diagnosis. The purpose of this study is to characterize cause of death after lung cancer diagnosis for participants in the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST). Method Participants were 55–74 years at randomization to chest X-ray or low dose computed tomography (LDCT) and were asymptomatic current or former smokers with a 30 pack-year history. The primary endpoint was lung cancer specific mortality verified through death certificate and medical records. Participants lost to follow-up were submitted to the National Death Index. Median follow-up duration was 6.5 years. We focus on LDCT as it is the standard screening modality for lung cancer detection. We examined cause of death by cancer characteristics and detection method, calculating time from date of diagnosis to date of death (or censor if alive at the end of the trial) by plotting Kaplan-Meier curves. We enumerated the experience (health history, tumor characteristics, treatment and complications) of those who died of a cause other than lung cancer. In a sensitivity analysis we examined cause of death as reported by death certificate compared with endpoint verification. Results Of the 53 248 participants randomized, 2403 were diagnosed with lung cancer during the trial, 1079 of which were in the LDCT arm. At the end of trial follow-up, 54% did not have a reported death, 41% had a reported death due to lung cancer, and approximately 4% had a death due to a cause other than lung cancer. Among those with death from non-lung cancer causes, 60% were diagnosed with stage I lung cancer and 78% had a positive LDCT screening test. Competing causes of death were primarily other cancers and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses. Overall, those with a cause of death other than lung cancer appear to live longer (median 957 days (IQR 315–1307)) than those with a lung cancer cause of death (median 300 days, (IQR 109–691)). Conclusions Of lung cancer patients who were deceased at that end of the trial, the majority of deaths were due to lung cancer. Among those who were diagnosed but died of competing causes, it may be of public health importance to characterize their experience to elucidate the harms due to screening as well as possible health interventions for co-existing conditions.
Placement and sales of tobacco products and nicotine replacement therapy in tobacco-free and tobacco-selling pharmacies in Northern California: an observational study

Objectives Although tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the USA, it is routinely sold in pharmacies. In 2008, San Francisco became the first city in the USA to pass a tobacco-free pharmacy ordinance. Over the next decade, 171 municipalities enacted similar policies, and in 2018, Massachusetts banned tobacco sales in pharmacies. Our objective was to assess the perceived effects of tobacco-free pharmacy policies on displays, sales, customer visits and counselling. Design Observational study and survey. Setting In 2017, we visited Walgreens and CVS stores in San Francisco and nearby San Jose, which allows tobacco sales, to assess placement of tobacco and over-the-counter tobacco cessation products (nicotine replacement therapy or NRT). We surveyed an employee at each site regarding the impact that tobacco-free pharmacy policies had had on customer traffic and sales of NRT. Participants We obtained display data from 72 pharmacies and collected surveys from 55 employees (76% response rate). Results A majority of respondents at tobacco-free pharmacies (55%) reported that the policy had not affected customer visits. In comparison, 70% of respondents at tobacco-selling pharmacies believed that eliminating tobacco sales would reduce the number of customers visiting their stores. Pharmacies that were tobacco free and those that sold tobacco reported comparable displays, sales and counselling for NRT. Conclusions Pharmacies operating under tobacco-free policies did not report reduced customer visits. Greater awareness of this outcome could help pharmacies implement public health recommendations to eliminate tobacco sales.
Fabrication and study of supercapacitor electrodes based on oxygen plasma functionalized carbon nanotube fibers

Abstract Dry-spun Carbon Nanotube (CNT) fibers were surface-modified by atmospheric pressure oxygen plasma functionalization using a well controlled and continuous process. The fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). It was found from the conducted electrochemical measurements that the functionalized fibers showed a 132.8% increase in specific capacitance compared to non-functionalized fibers. Dye-adsorption test and the obtained Randles-Sevcik plot demonstrated that the oxygen plasma functionalized fibers exhibited increased surface area. It was further established by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measurements that the surface area of the CNT fibers was increased from 168.22 m2/g to 208.01 m2/g after plasma functionalization. The pore size distribution of the fibers was also altered by this processing. The improved electrochemical data was attributed to enhanced wettability, increased surface area, and the presence of oxygen functional groups, which promoted the capacitance of the fibers. Fiber supercapacitors were fabricated from the oxygen plasma functionalized CNT fiber electrodes using different electrolyte systems. The devices with functionalized electrodes exhibited excellent cyclic stability (93.2% after 4000 cycles), flexibility, bendability, and good energy densities. At 0.5 mA/cm2, the EMIMBF4 device revealed a specific capacitance, which is 27% and 65% greater than the specific capacitances of devices using EMIMTFSI and H2SO4 electrolytes, respectively. The practiced in this work plasma surface processing can be employed in other applications where fibers, yarns, ribbons, and sheets need to be chemically modified.