cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MicroRNA Changes Occur in Multiple Myeloma Cells in the Context of Bone Marrow Milieu.

Abstract Abstract 1785 Poster Board I-811 Background We and Others have previously demonstrated that primary multiple myeloma (MM) cells are characterized by a specific microRNA (miRNA) signature compared to the related normal plasmacell counterpart; and that miRNAs play a crucial role in regulating MM pathogenesis. Nevertheless, miRNA changes that occur in MM cells in the context of the bone marrow microenvironment have not been previously examined. Therefore, characterization of miRNA profiling of MM cells in conjunction with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) is important to better understand the underlying molecular changes that lead to initiation and progression of this disease. Methods We performed miRNA-expression-profiling of MM cell lines (MM.1S; RPMI8226) that were co-cultured with primary BMSCs obtained from 5 MM patients, using liquid phase Luminex microbead miRNA profiling (Luminex, Austin, TX). The expression patterns of unfiltered data were performed using unsupervised hierarchical clustering of samples, based on centroid linkage and 1-correlation distance metric, using dChip ( www.dchip.org ). To further define those miRNAs differentially expressed between groups (patients vs normal), the data were filtered on significance of differences using ANOVA test, (P Results miRNA profiling of MM cells cultured with primary BMSCs (MM+BMSC system) differs from MM cells which were not grown in contact with primary BMSCs (MM cells alone). Specifically, we observed increased expression of miRNA-450, -432*, -299-5p, -409-3p, -29b, -542-5p, -184, -517*, -218, 128b, -142-5p and -211 (P These data demonstrate that bone marrow stromal cells exert a modulatory effect on miRNA profiling in MM cells, which results in promoting MM cell growth and reducing MM cell survival. Disclosures Ghobrial: Millennium : Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau.
Compressed gas insulation for electric power transmission

It can be claimed that gases at elevated pressure are the logical and, perhaps, inevitable, replacement for atmospheric air as the primary insulating medium for transmission of high-voltage power. Such compressed gas-insulated lines would reduce or eliminate most of the problems of open overhead lines, i. e., the inadequate insulating strength of air at 1 atm, corrosive contamination of insulators, exposure to lightning, radio interference, need for extensive rights-of-way, and the alleged unsightliness of overhead lines.
Zanthoxylum piperitum, an Asian spice, inhibits food intake in rats.

We investigated the effects of a total extract from Zanthoxylum piperitum fruit, of the volatile components of extract, and of a non-volatile fraction containing the major alkylamides of Zanthoxylum (NVA) on food intake in rats. In Experiment 1, three groups (A, B, C) of mildly food deprived rats were given one hour long feeding trials during which they were offered choices between an oat-bran wafer paired with vegetable oil and a wafer paired with a Zanthoxylum preparation in vegetable oil. Trials were divided into three blocks of two tests each. During Blocks 1 and 3, two wafers coated with vegetable oil were offered to establish baseline consumption. During Block 2, Group A was given choices between wafers coated with oil and wafers coated with total extract. Group B was offered oil coated wafers and wafers coated with the NVA fraction. Group C received two oil coated wafers. One was served on top of a screened dish containing a sample of total extract. In this manner, the rats were exposed to volatile compounds emanating from the extract but could not contact the extract. The second wafer was served on top of a screened sample of oil. Results: In Blocks 1 and 3 trials, the rats fed indiscriminately from both wafers. During Block 2, total extract, the NVA fraction and the volatile compounds from extract all significantly reduced food consumption. In Experiment 2, habituation to the NVA fraction and to the volatile constituents of extract was examined in two additional groups (D, E), using the methods described above. Baseline consumption was tested in Blocks 1 and 3 by offering two oil coated wafers. During Block 2, group D was given 10 trials with oil coated and NVA-fraction coated wafers. Group E was given 10 trials with oil coated wafers paired with the volatile constituents of total extract and with those of oil. Results: Both groups failed to habituate to the Zanthoxylum stimuli. Wafers treated with the NVA fraction and wafers paired with the volatile constituents of extract were avoided throughout the 10 test days.
Celebrating a Jubilee of Compassion and Engagement in Dominican Higher Education

In 2016, as the Catholic Church celebrates an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, the Dominican friars celebrate their 800th Jubilee year. Recent meetings of the Biennial Colloquium of Dominican Colleges and Universities have discussed the virtue of mercy as it pertains to its educational mission. If the Dominican Movement can be characterized by the virtues of intellectual humility and pastoral compassion, educators at Dominican colleges and graduate schools need only turn to Pope Francis’s call in Evangelii Gaudium for all the baptized to be missionary disciples at the peripheries in order to set Dominican mission in context for putting faith into action today.
Same feathers, different flocks: Breaking down the meaning of 'behavioral Homophily' in the etiology of crime.

Abstract Purpose This study's purpose is to (1) examine how behavioral homophily relates to deviance among friendship pairs and (2) to assess how deviance and non-deviance homophily may be independently and jointly important for deviant behavior. Methods Using a sample of 2154 individuals nested within 1077 dyadic friendship pairs, a series of mixed-effects models explore how behavioral, deviance, and non-deviance homophily at the dyadic level relate to an actor's theft, vandalism, violence, drug, and alcohol use. Results Findings demonstrate that behavioral homophily is a more robust protective factor than risk factor for deviance. Specifically, non-deviance homophily is significantly more related to abstaining from offending than deviance homophily is in promoting offending for theft, vandalism, violence, and drug use. And while behavioral homophily was not significantly associated with alcohol use, deviance homophily related to higher levels of alcohol use and non-deviance homophily related to less alcohol use with relatively equal effect sizes. Conclusions Behavioral homophily contains two empirically and theoretically distinct components – deviance and non-deviance homophily. While both criminological theory and research have long established that peers “matter,” behavioral homophily across friendships can operate in a bifurcated role by associating with offending while simultaneously relating to normative behavior.
Counting Secondary Loops Is Required for Accurate Prediction of End-Linked Polymer Network Elasticity

To predict and understand the properties of polymer networks, it is necessary to quantify network defects. Of the various possible network defects, loops are perhaps the most pervasive and yet difficult to directly measure. Network disassembly spectrometry (NDS) has previously enabled counting of the simplest loops—primary loops—but higher-order loops, e.g., secondary loops, have remained elusive. Here, we report that the introduction of a nondegradable tracer within the NDS framework enables the simultaneous measurement of primary and secondary loops in end-linked polymer networks for the first time. With this new “NDS2.0” method, the concentration dependences of the primary and secondary loop fractions are measured; the results agree well with a purely topological theory for network formation from phantom chains. In addition, semibatch monomer addition is shown to decrease both primary and secondary loops, though the latter to a much smaller extent. Finally, using the measured primary and secondary loop...
Binding a hopfion in a chiral magnet nanodisk

Hopfions are three-dimensional (3D) topological textures characterized by the integer Hopf invariant ${Q}_{H}$. Here we present the realization of a zero-field, stable hopfion spin texture in a magnetic system consisting of a chiral magnet nanodisk sandwiched by two films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The preimages of the spin texture and numerical calculations of ${Q}_{H}$ show that the hopfion has ${Q}_{H}=1$. Furthermore, another nontrivial state that includes a monopole-antimonopole pair (MAP) is also stabilized in this system. By applying an external magnetic field, hopfion and MAP states with the same polarization can be switched between each other. The topological transition between the hopfion and the MAP state involves a creation (annihilation) of the MAP and twist of the preimages. Our work paves the way to study nontrivial 3D topological spin textures and stimulates more investigations in the field of 3D spintronics.
Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factors

Despite the first recognition of red cells in the blood by the Dutch scientist Jan Swammerdam around 1658 and the first description of the shape of erythrocytes by his acquaintance Antoni van Leeuwenhoek in 1695, the colorless cellular component of the blood remained unrecognized until 1843. At this time “white globules” were identified in the blood simultaneously by Gabriel Andral and William Addison (working in France and Scotland, respectively) and shown to be associated with disease. Addison, for instance, recognized pus cells as being blood cells that had passed out of the circulation to the site of infection [1].
Glyphosate perturbs the gut microbiota of honey bees

Glyphosate, the primary herbicide used globally for weed control, targets the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) enzyme in the shikimate pathway found in plants and some microorganisms. Thus, glyphosate may affect bacterial symbionts of animals living near agricultural sites, including pollinators such as bees. The honey bee gut microbiota is dominated by eight bacterial species that promote weight gain and reduce pathogen susceptibility. The gene encoding EPSPS is present in almost all sequenced genomes of bee gut bacteria, indicating that they are potentially susceptible to glyphosate. We demonstrated that the relative and absolute abundances of dominant gut microbiota species are decreased in bees exposed to glyphosate at concentrations documented in the environment. Glyphosate exposure of young workers increased mortality of bees subsequently exposed to the opportunistic pathogen Serratia marcescens. Members of the bee gut microbiota varied in susceptibility to glyphosate, largely corresponding to whether they possessed an EPSPS of class I (sensitive to glyphosate) or class II (insensitive to glyphosate). This basis for differences in sensitivity was confirmed using in vitro experiments in which the EPSPS gene from bee gut bacteria was cloned into Escherichia coli. All strains of the core bee gut species, Snodgrassella alvi, encode a sensitive class I EPSPS, and reduction in S. alvi levels was a consistent experimental result. However, some S. alvi strains appear to possess an alternative mechanism of glyphosate resistance. Thus, exposure of bees to glyphosate can perturb their beneficial gut microbiota, potentially affecting bee health and their effectiveness as pollinators.
Low‐dose ACTH stimulation testing in dogs suspected of hypoadrenocorticism

Background Low-dose ACTH stimulation testing would lower cost and may increase sensitivity for identification of partial ACTH deficiency. Hypothesis (1) The low-dose ACTH stimulation test will provide comparable results to the standard-dose ACTH stimulation test in dogs suspected of hypoadrenocorticism and (2) partial ACTH deficiency exists in dogs and can result in chronic, intermittent gastrointestinal signs. Animals Thirty-one client-owned dogs suspected of having hypoadrenocorticism. Methods Prospective study. Dogs suspected of having hypoadrenocorticism received 1 μg/kg cosyntropin IV for the first ACTH stimulation test; the second test was performed 4 h later and dogs received 5 μg/kg cosyntropin IV. Blood samples were obtained pre-ACTH and 1 hour post-ACTH for each dose (4 measurements total). Samples for endogenous ACTH measurement were obtained at the time of initial blood collection. Results No significant difference was observed in the basal cortisol concentration before administration of a 1 μg/kg versus before a 5 μg/kg dose of cosyntropin (P = .544). For dogs suspected of having hypoadrenocorticism, the ACTH-stimulated cortisol concentrations in response to both doses of ACTH were equivalent (90% confidence interval [CI], 80.5-97.2%; P = .04). No cases with partial ACTH deficiency were identified conclusively. Conclusions and clinical importance A 1 μg/kg dose of cosyntropin is equivalent to a 5 μg/kg dose of cosyntropin for screening dogs suspected of hypoadrenocorticism. The existence of partial ACTH deficiency was not identified in this small group of dogs.
Hal’s Class Performance and Francis’s Service Learning: 1 Henry IV 2.4 as Parable of Contemporary Higher Education

Despite claims of fostering social mobility, four-year colleges and universities often further entrench the socioeconomic gaps they seek to bridge. This essay, analogizing Prince Hal as the privileged “traditional student” and the tapster Francis as the “new traditional student,” critiques both the efficacy and utility of liberal education. The interaction between Hal and Francis also illustrates that schools must first, recognize and second, adapt to the particular needs of the nontraditional students who increasingly make up the postsecondary population. The essay advocates prioritizing community college for most low-income first-generation students and reducing liberal arts and/or general education requirements elsewhere to better serve the needs of young people seeking employment in a “skilled services” economy.
The International Journal of Exercise Science: 2010 Year in Review.

On behalf of the editoral board, we would like to thank everyone who contributed to the International Journal of Exercise Science in 2010. This includes, but is not limited to the editors, reviewers, and authors. Thank you for making IJES your destination of choice for your scientific work. We look forward to continuing to work with you in 2011.
(279) Management of SCI-Induced Chronic Pain in Rats: Intensive Locomotor Training and Recombinant GABAergic Cell Tranplants

Management of chronic pain induced by spinal cord injury (SCI) requires a multifactorial approach. Reduced inhibitory GABAergic signaling in the spinal pain processing sites and enhanced excitatory NMDA signaling are among the key events that lead to development of chronic pain. Inflammation related to the SCI also negatively influences the overall behavioral outcome. The goal of this study was to evaluate the analgesic effect of multitargeted approach using intraspinal graft of GABAergic progenitors expressing NMDA antagonist Serine-histogranin in combination with intensive physical exercise. Male Sprague Dawley rats underwent spinal clip compression injury and developed hypersensitivity in the hind paws. Treadmill training was initiated at 5 days or 5 weeks post SCI, with GABAergic cells grafted at 4 weeks post SCI. Tactile allodynia, heat and cold hyperalgesia were monitored bi-weekly up to 15 weeks. Our results show that combined treatment significantly reduced established hypersensitivity (with early training) or in some animals even prevented its development (with late training). The behavioral outcome in animals with recombinant grafts producing SHG was more robust and stable compared to animals with nonrecombinant cells, although both groups show significant recovery from pain related behavior compared with non-transplanted and sedentary controls. The level of inflammatory cytokines in the spinal tissue was reduced in treadmill trained animals and further reduced in animals with combined treatment. Immunohistochemical analysis showed reduced expression of KCC2 transporter, involved in GABAergic inhibition, in the sedentary rats with SCI, compared to treadmill trained animals. Such changes may underlie the persistence of chronic pain in sedentary animals and the beneficial effects of training in restoring of inhibitory signaling in the spinal cord. These findings support the proposed approach of targeting multiple pain-related events in order to manage chronic pain after SCI.
Enhanced Center Coding for Cell Detection with Convolutional Neural Networks.

Cell imaging and analysis are fundamental to biomedical research because cells are the basic functional units of life. Among different cell-related analysis, cell counting and detection are widely used. In this paper, we focus on one common step of learning-based cell counting approaches: coding the raw dot labels into more suitable maps for learning. Two criteria of coding raw dot labels are discussed, and a new coding scheme is proposed in this paper. The two criteria measure how easy it is to train the model with a coding scheme, and how robust the recovered raw dot labels are when predicting. The most compelling advantage of the proposed coding scheme is the ability to distinguish neighboring cells in crowded regions. Cell counting and detection experiments are conducted for five coding schemes on four types of cells and two network architectures. The proposed coding scheme improves the counting accuracy versus the widely-used Gaussian and rectangle kernels up to 12%, and also improves the detection accuracy versus the common proximity coding up to 14%.
Carnosine Supplementation Enhances Post Ischemic Hind Limb Revascularization

High (millimolar) concentrations of the histidine containing dipeptide - carnosine (β-alanine-L-histidine) are present in the skeletal muscle. The dipeptide has been shown to buffer intracellular pH, chelate transition metals, and scavenge lipid peroxidation products; however, its role in protecting against tissue injury remains unclear. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that carnosine protects against post ischemia by augmenting HIF-1α angiogenic signaling by Fe2+ chelation. We found that wild type (WT) C57BL/6 mice, subjected to hind limb ischemia (HLI) and supplemented with carnosine (1g/L) in drinking water, had improved blood flow recovery and limb function, enhanced revascularization and regeneration of myocytes compared with HLI mice placed on water alone. Carnosine supplementation enhanced the bioavailability of carnosine in the ischemic limb, which was accompanied by increased expression of proton-coupled oligopeptide transporters. Consistent with our hypothesis, carnosine supplementation augmented HIF-1α and VEGF expression in the ischemic limb and the mobilization of proangiogenic Flk-1+/Sca-1+ cells into circulation. Pretreatment of murine myoblast (C2C12) cells with octyl-D-carnosine or carnosine enhanced HIF-1α protein expression, VEGF mRNA levels and VEGF release under hypoxic conditions. Similarly pretreatment of WT C57/Bl6 mice with carnosine showed enhanced blood flow in the ischemic limb following HLI surgery. In contrast, pretreatment of hypoxic C2C12 cells with methylcarcinine, a carnosine analog, lacking Fe2+ chelating capacity, had no effect on HIF-1α levels and VEGF release. Collectively, these data suggest that carnosine promotes post ischemic revascularization via augmentation of pro-angiogenic HIF-1α/VEGF signaling, possibly by Fe2+ chelation.
Minimally Invasive Nonresectional Mitral Valve Repair Can Be Performed With Excellent Outcomes.

Background To review the efficacy of a minimally invasive surgical technique for mitral valve (MV) repair, we analyzed a nonresectional technique for degenerative mitral regurgitation. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 101 consecutive patients who underwent a minimally invasive MV repair for severe degenerative mitral regurgitation between 2014 and 2017. All patients underwent a right lateral minithoracotomy and femoral cannulation and were repaired by a nonresectional technique using neochord loop implantation and ring annuloplasty. Patients were followed with longitudinal echocardiograms. Results The median age was 58 years (interquartile range [IQR], 49-64), and 31% were women. The procedure was successfully performed using a right minithoracotomy in all patients except for 1 who required an extended thoracotomy. A median of 4 neochords were placed. The median length was 16 mm (IQR, 14-18), and ring size was 34 mm (IQR, 32-36). Concomitant procedures included left atrial appendage exclusion in 10 patients (10%) and patent foramen ovale closure in 13 (13%). Median cardiopulmonary bypass time was 152 minutes (IQR, 142-164), and aortic cross-clamp time was 90 minutes (IQR, 81-98). Operative mortality was 0% and 1-year survival 100%. At 3 years freedom from recurrent at least moderate mitral regurgitation was 100%, and no patient required a valve-related reoperation. At 1 year the median left atrial diameter decreased by 15% (44 vs 37 mm, P Conclusions Minimally invasive MV repair using a nonresectional technique can be performed for severe degenerative mitral regurgitation with a low complication rate, excellent durability, and promising left ventricular reverse remodeling.
Large, high-severity burn patches limit fungal recovery 13 years after wildfire in a ponderosa pine forest

Abstract Over the past three decades, wildfires in southwestern US ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Lawson & C. Lawson) forests have increased in size and severity. These wildfires can remove large, contiguous patches of mature forests, alter dominant plant communities and increase woody debris, potentially altering fungal community composition. Additionally, post-fire conditions may shift dominant fungal functional groups from plant-symbiotic ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi to more decomposer saprotrophic fungi. We investigated the long-term (13 years post-wildfire) effect of fire severity on 1) fungal sporocarp density, functional groups and community composition and 2) EM colonization and community composition from naturally regenerating ponderosa pine seedlings on the Pumpkin Fire that burned in 2000 in Arizona, USA. Plots were located in four burn severity classes: unburned, moderate-severity, and two high-severity (defined as 100% tree mortality) classes, either adjacent to residual live forest edges (edge plots), or >200 m from any residual live trees (interior plots). We found that high-severity burn plots had a unique sporocarp community composition, and a shift in dominant sporocarp functional groups, with 5–13 times lower EM sporocarp densities, and 4–7 times lower EM sporocarp species richness compared to unburned and moderate-severity plots. In contrast, saprotrophic sporocarp densities and richness were similar among burn severity classes, even with the large amount of coarse wood in the high-severity burn patches. Regenerating ponderosa pine seedlings had similar EM colonization and richness among severity classes, yet high-severity interior plots had a different community composition and a lower relative abundance of EM species compared to moderate-severity burn plots. Taken together, our results suggest that large patches of high-severity fire have long-term consequences for both EM sporocarp and root tip communities. Because EM fungal species vary in function, the limited species pool available in interior high-severity burn patches may influence pine recovery.
A multi-center study for comparison of planar versus tomographic pulmonary ventilation/perfusion imaging for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism

Objective To compare between one-day planar and tomographic pulmonary V/Q imaging for the diagnosis of PE using ROC analysis.Methods From September 2010 to October 2011,272 patients suspected or confirmed of acute/sub-acute PE with Wells scores ≥ 2 or blood D-Dimer values ＞500 μg/L were recruited into this study.Patients' data were collected from six hospitals in Beijing.All patients were followed clinically for at least six months after V/Q imaging.Based on the criteria of prospective investigation of pulmonary embolism diagnosis (PIOPED) study Ⅱ,the diagnosis by planar pulmonary V/Q scans was categorized as high-probability (definite PE),moderate or low probability (suspected PE),and very low probability or normal lung perfusion (no PE).The diagnosis by SPECT V/Q scans was also classified as definite PE,suspected PE and no PE.The final diagnosis was decided by doctors in consensus based on the results of multiple imaging modalities,laboratory tests,clinical data and a six-month follow-up.Kappa test was used to analyze the concordance between planar and tomographic V/Q scans.The difference between the two methods was tested using x2 test.ROC analysis was used to determine the AUCs.Z test was used to calculate the statistical significance of the difference between the AUCs.Results The uncertain diagnosis rate was 1.8％ (5/272) for V/Q SPECT and 9.2％ (25/272) for planar imaging.The diagnostic values for SPECT and planar V/Q scans were respectively:Se 83.6％ (117/140) and 78.3％ (101/129)(x2=1.217,P＞0.05); Sp89.8％(114/127) and 94.9％(112/118) (x2 =2.269,P＞0.05); PPV 90.0％ (117/130) and 94.4％ (101/107) ; NPV 83.2％ (114/137) and 80.0％ (112/140) ; Ac 86.5％ (231/267) and 86.2％ (213/247).There were no significant differences in Se and Sp between the two methods.The concordance between the two methods was 84.9％ (231/272,Kappa =0.727,P ＜ 0.05).The AUC (95％ CI) was 0.891 (0.848-0.933) and 0.865 (0.819-0.911) for SPECT and planar V/Q,respectively (Z =2.65 and 2.03,both P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Pulmonary V/Q imaging using tomographic techniques combined with ROC analysis may significantly improve the diagnostic accuracy of PE when compared with the conventional planar technique. Key words: Pulmonary embolism ; Radionuclide imaging; Tomography, emission-computed,single-photon; Technetium ; MAA
Development of a precision medicine pipeline to identify personalized treatments for colorectal cancer

Metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to be a major health problem, and current treatments are primarily for disease control and palliation of symptoms. In this study, we developed a precision medicine strategy to discover novel therapeutics for patients with CRC. Six matched low-passage cell lines and patient-derived xenografts (PDX) were established from CRC patients undergoing resection of their cancer. High-throughput drug screens using a 119 FDA-approved oncology drug library were performed on these cell lines, which were then validated in vivo in matched PDXs. RNA-Seq analysis was then performed to identify predictors of response. Our study revealed marked differences in response to standard-of-care agents across patients and pinpointed druggable pathways to treat CRC. Among these pathways co-targeting of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR), SRC, platelet derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), or vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) signaling was found to be an effective strategy. Molecular analyses revealed potential predictors of response to these druggable pathways. Our data suggests that the use of matched low-passage cell lines and PDXs is a promising strategy to identify new therapies and pathways to treat metastatic CRC.
Chinese Vaccine Providers’ Perspectives on the HPV Vaccine:

China approved a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in 2018. Recommendations from health care providers can positively impact vaccine receipt. This study characterized vaccine providers’ attitudes ...
Facility and resident characteristics associated with variation in nursing home transfers: evidence from the OPTIMISTIC demonstration project.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) funded demonstration project to evaluate financial incentives for nursing facilities providing care for 6 clinical conditions to reduce potentially avoidable hospitalizations (PAHs). The Optimizing Patient Transfers, Impacting Medical Quality, and Improving Symptoms: Transforming Institutional Care (OPTIMISTIC) site tested payment incentives alone and in combination with the successful nurse-led OPTIMISTIC clinical model. Our objective was to identify facility and resident characteristics associated with transfers, including financial incentives with or without the clinical model. This was a longitudinal analysis from April 2017 to June 2018 of transfers among nursing home residents in 40 nursing facilities, 17 had the full clinical + payment model (1726 residents) and 23 had payment only model (2142 residents). Using CMS claims data, the Minimum Data Set, and Nursing Home Compare, multilevel logit models estimated the likelihood of all-cause transfers and PAHs (based on CMS claims data and ICD-codes) associated with facility and resident characteristics. The clinical + payment model was associated with 4.1 percentage points (pps) lower risk of all-cause transfers (95% confidence interval [CI] − 6.2 to − 2.1). Characteristics associated with lower PAH risk included residents aged 95+ years (− 2.4 pps; 95% CI − 3.8 to − 1.1), Medicare-Medicaid dual-eligibility (− 2.5 pps; 95% CI − 3.3 to − 1.7), advanced and moderate cognitive impairment (− 3.3 pps; 95% CI − 4.4 to − 2.1; − 1.2 pps; 95% CI − 2.2 to − 0.2). Changes in Health, End-stage disease and Symptoms and Signs (CHESS) score above most stable (CHESS score 4) increased the risk of PAH by 7.3 pps (95% CI 1.5 to 13.1). Multiple resident and facility characteristics are associated with transfers. Facilities with the clinical + payment model demonstrated lower risk of all-cause transfers compared to those with payment only, but not for PAHs.
Basic Cardiovascular Physiology

A thorough understanding of cardiovascular physiology is the cornerstone to providing excellent cardiothoracic anesthesia. Fundamentally, the primary purpose of the cardiovascular system is to provide oxygen and metabolites to the body while removing carbon dioxide and other physiologic waste. The principal components of the cardiovascular system are the heart, blood, blood vessels, and lymphatic system. This chapter consists of brief notes on cardiac muscle, electrical activity, excitation contraction coupling, cardiac cycle, cardiac output, and mechanisms of blood pressure control.
Assessment of treatment burden and complexity in cystic fibrosis: A quality improvement project

BACKGROUND Treatment regimens for cystic fibrosis (CF) continue to evolve and grow in complexity. Treatment regimen burden, and associated sequelae, are incompletely understood. OBJECTIVE Quality improvement (QI) methods were used to investigate treatment burden of CF care, family and care team partnerships, and potential interventions to reduce burden. METHODS Patients 6-24 years with CF and caregivers of patients 6-13 years were surveyed. Portions of validated tools and existing surveys measured burden and family-care team partnership. An automated report calculated treatment complexity. Plan-do-study-act cycles tested survey administration during CF visits and run charts tracked progress. Interventions to reduce burden were tracked, and bidirectional assessments explored partnerships among patients, families and clinicians. RESULTS Over 6 months, 110 patients and 62 caregivers completed assessments. Caregivers reported lower burden/higher quality of life (74.0, range 22.2-100) than patients (66.5, range 16.7-100). The mean treatment complexity score was 17.2 (range 6-34). Treatment complexity and burden increased with patient age (p < .05 and p < .01 respectively). Lower lung function correlated with higher patient-reported burden (p < .01) and higher treatment complexity (p < .0001). As burden increased, providers more often performed select interventions (discussed combining treatments, simplified regimens, or involved other team members (p < .05 for each)). Families reported high partnership (mean scores 4.7-4.8, 5 = high), and providers reported high utilization of partnership tools (tool used in 77% of encounters). CONCLUSION We assessed, quantified, and responded to treatment burden and complexity in real-time during outpatient CF visits. Systematic and individualized assessments of treatment complexity and burden may enhance treatment adherence while preserving quality of life.
COVID-19 and the Stock Market: Liquidity, Pricing Efficiency, and Trading

This paper shows that COVID-19 is associated with a decrease in liquidity and increased pricing efficiency and trading activities before the NYSE closed its trading floor. The closure of the trading floor led to a reduction of liquidity, pricing efficiency, and trading activities on the NYSE. Its subsequent reopening led to increases in these variables. The effects of COVID-19 and the trading floor on pricing efficiency can be explained, at least in part, by their impacts on liquidity and informed trading. The effects of COVID-19 on liquidity and pricing efficiency are fully reversed after the NYSE reopened its trading floor.
Religious, Spiritual, or Social Values and Regulations, Utility Function and Demand

Often spiritualism and religion impose social and economic duties (constraints) on its adherents. Islam promotes various encouragements, limitations and prohibitions on expenditure, consumption and production. So, in modern world, does Islamic brand of economics have a place? Capitalism and Communism have marked this era. Tools of utility and profit maximization have supported renditions of Capitalism: Classical, Keynesian, Neo-Classical Economics and Rational Expectations. This paper examines consumer behavior given Islamic constraints. Some Muslim economists are wary about utility maximization, convinced that the selfishness axiom cannot be adequate for a system bound up in selflessness. Besides, they report that, by some accounts, people do not appear to maximize utility. This paper, using the elementary combination of indifference curve and budget line for optimization exercise, besides showing the unfoundedness of this criticism (because selfishness could include selflessness as its end – finding satisfaction in being considerate and generous), illustrates how, through substitution and income effects, Islamic rules and regulations influence consumption. So, the baby need not be thrown out with the bath water. A reinvention of the wheel is unnecessary.
Biomimetic stiffening of cell-laden hydrogels via sequential thiol-ene and hydrazone click reactions.

Abstract Hydrogels with dynamically tunable crosslinking are invaluable for directing stem cell fate and mimicking a stiffening matrix during fibrosis or tumor development. The increases in matrix stiffness during tissue development are often accompanied by the accumulation of extracellular matrices (e.g., collagen, hyaluronic acid (HA)), a phenomenon that has received little attention in the development of dynamic hydrogels. In this contribution, we present a gelatin-based cell-laden hydrogel system capable of being dynamically stiffened while accumulating HA, a key glycosaminoglycans (GAG) increasingly deposited by stromal cells during tumor progression. Central to this strategy is the synthesis of a dually-modified gelatin macromer – gelatin-norbornene-carbohydrazide (GelNB-CH), which is susceptible to both thiol-norbornene photopolymerization and hydrazone click chemistry. We demonstrate that the crosslinking density of cell-laden thiol-norbornene hydrogels can be dynamically tuned via simple incubation with aldehyde-bearing macromers (e.g., oxidized dextran (oDex) or oHA). The GelNB-CH hydrogel system is highly cytocompatible, as demonstrated by in situ encapsulation of pancreatic cancer cells (PCC) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF). This unique dynamic stiffening scheme provides a platform to study tandem accumulation of HA and elevation in matrix stiffness in the pancreatic tumor microenvironment. Statement of significance Hydrogels permitting on-demand and secondary crosslinking are ideal for mimicking a stiffening tumor microenvironment (TME). However, none of the current dynamic hydrogels account for both stiffening and accumulation of hyaluronic acid (HA), a major extracellular matrix component increasingly deposited in tumor stromal tissues, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The current work addresses this gap by developing a dynamic hydrogel system capable of simultaneously increasing stiffness and HA accumulation. This is achieved by a new gelatin macromer permitting sequential thiol-norbornene (for primary network crosslinking) and hydrazone click chemistry (for bioinert or biomimetic stiffening with oxidized dextran (oDex) or oHA, respectively). The results of this study provide new insights into how dynamically changing physicochemical matrix properties guide cancer cell fate processes.
Principles of Fourier Analysis

PRELIMINARIES The Starting Point Basic Terminology, Notation, and Conventions Basic Analysis I: Continuity and Smoothness Basic Analysis II: Integration and Infinite Series Symmetry and Periodicity Elementary Complex Analysis Functions of Several Variables FOURIER SERIES Heuristic Derivation of the Fourier Series Formulas The Trigonometric Fourier Series Fourier Series over Finite Intervals (Sine and Cosine Series) Inner Products, Norms, and Orthogonality The Complex Exponential Fourier Series Convergence and Fourier's Conjecture Convergence and Fourier's Conjecture: The Proofs Derivatives and Integrals of Fourier Series Applications CLASSICAL FOURIER TRANSFORMS Heuristic Derivation of the Classical Fourier Transform Integrals on Infinite Intervals The Fourier Integral Transforms Classical Fourier Transforms and Classically Transformable Functions Some Elementary Identities: Translation, Scaling, and Conjugation Differentiation and Fourier Transforms Gaussians and Other Very Rapidly Decreasing Functions Convolution and Transforms of Products Correlation, Square-Integrable Functions, and the Fundamental Identity of Fourier Analysis Identity Sequences Generalizing the Classical Theory: A Naive Approach Fourier Analysis in the Analysis of Systems Gaussians as Test Functions, and Proofs of Some Important Theorems GENERALIZED FUNCTIONS AND FOURIER TRANSFORMS A Starting Point for the Generalized Theory Gaussian Test Functions Generalized Functions Sequences and Series of Generalized Functions Basic Transforms of Generalized Fourier Analysis Generalized Products, Convolutions, and Definite Integrals Periodic Functions and Regular Arrays General Solutions to Simple Equations and the Pole Functions THE DISCRETE THEORY Periodic, Regular Arrays Sampling and the Discrete Fourier Transform APPENDICES
Development and evaluation of a direct fluorescent antibody method for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii infections in experimental animals.

Abstract Because no fully satisfactory diagnostic method has been available for use in pneumocystis infection, an attempt was made to apply the fluorescent antibody technique in the identification of Pneumocystis carinii. Hyperimmune sera were prepared in rabbits against P. carinii from human and rat sources. After proper adsorption, these antisera were conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate and used as reagents in a direct fluorescent antibody procedure. Each of the two reagents was found to stain trypsin-treated P. carinii organisms from either human or rat sources, indicating the presence of common antigens. Stained organisms were demonstrated in the hypopharyngeal material from rats in which pneumocystis infection had been activated by the administration of corticosteroid. From the results reported here, the procedure outlined is considered sufficiently sensitive and specific to justify tests on pneumocystis infections in man. The findings in a series of specimens from human subjects will be reported separately. The method also provides an extended approach to related research problems. The need for controls of the procedure at all points is emphasized.
New Iterative Geometric Methods for Robust Perceptual Image Hashing

We propose a novel and robust hashing paradigm that uses iterative geometric techniques and relies on observations that main geometric features within an image would approximately stay invariant under small perturbations. A key goal of this algorithm is to produce sufficiently randomized outputs which are unpredictable, thereby yielding properties akin to cryptographic MACs. This is a key component for robust multimedia identification and watermarking (for synchronization as well as content dependent key generation). Our algorithm withstands standard benchmark (e.g Stirmark) attacks provided they do not cause severe perceptually significant distortions. As verified by our detailed experiments, the approach is relatively media independent and works for audio as well.
Report on a Survey of H2O Masers towards the Galactic Center

Galactic H2O masers are associated either with the circumstellar shells of late-type stars or with star-forming regions (SFRs). Previous surveys for H2O masers had revealed relatively few near the Galactic Center (GC). We report on the continuation of a survey using the VLA to make 22.2 GHz observations of IRAS point sources which lie within 2° of the GC and which have either 12 μm or 25 μm flux > 8 Jy. Taylor, Morris and Schulman (TMS, 1992, AJ, 106, 1978) previously observed 97 of 342 candidate sources. We have observed 160 more and plan to complete the survey in early 1995.
New Categories Are Not Enough Rethinking the Measurement of Sex and Gender in Social Surveys

Recently, scholars and activists have turned their attention toward improving the measurement of sex and gender in survey research. The focus of this effort has been on including answer options beyond “male” and “female” to questions about the respondent’s gender. This is an important step toward both reflecting the diversity of gendered lives and better aligning survey measurement practice with contemporary gender theory. However, our systematic examination of questionnaires, manuals, and other technical materials from four of the largest and longest-running surveys in the United States indicates that there are a number of other issues with how gender is conceptualized and measured in social surveys that also deserve attention, including essentialist practices that treat sex and gender as synonymous, easily determined by others, obvious, and unchanging over the life course. We find that these understandings extend well beyond direct questions about the respondent’s gender, permeating the surveys. A hyper...
A Review of “Artifactual Literacies: Every Object Tells a Story”

Pahl and Rowsell view literacy as multifaceted and multimodal. This interpretation moves beyond the commonly held explanation of reading as a situated practice that involves an interaction between ...
A note on the human sex ratio and factors influencing family size in Japan

Data on the sex distribution of children in Tokyo Japan originally analyzed by Elmer Gray Diana Duckworth and Yujiro Nakajima are reanalyzed in this one-page article. The results show that a further increase in family size is related to the sex of the second child. "When the second child is male there is a reduced likelihood of further children." (ANNOTATION)
Bipolar Preplanetary Nebulae: Hydrodynamics of Dusty Winds in Binary Systems. I. Formation of Accretion Disks

Mass-losing giant stars and objects in transition to planetary nebulae often display a bipolar symmetry in their outflowing circumstellar envelopes. Here we initiate a detailed study of the hypothesis that the observational characteristics of asymmetric and bipolar preplanetary nebulae result from the effects of a detached binary companion upon the otherwise spherical wind of a single mass-losing star. We follow the gas flows in this system using three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics models. In this first work we describe the dusty wind models and the numerical procedure employed, and we address the issue of wind accretion and the formation of accretion disks about the binary companion to the mass-losing giant as a function of wind velocity and binary separation. In all of our models, we find that permanent, stable accretion disks of various sizes form around the binary companion. The disks are geometrically thin, and their equilibrium structure has elliptical streamlines with a range of eccentricities. Our results also indicate that such disks may be susceptible to tilt or warping instabilities. We also find that wind accretion in such binaries is stable, displaying no evidence for any type of flip-flop instability.
Basic chromosomal proteins in lower eukaryotes: relevance to the evolution and function of histones.

The occurrence of basic chromosomal proteins in lower eukaryotes provides a useful approach to the study of histone evolution and function in higher eukaryotes. The histones of higher plants and animals are very similar and some are nearly identical, suggesting a high degree of evolutionary conservation within this group of proteins. However, a literature survey reveals that in the lower eukaryotes the histone situation is quite variable. The ciliates, and the true and cellular slime molds possess basic chromosomal proteins that are very similar to the histones of higher plants and animals. Various other lower eukaryotes possess basic chromosomal proteins that resemble at least some of the major histone fractions, and some microorganisms possess basic chromosomal proteins that bear little or no relationship to higher plant and animal histones. Since histones play a major role in the control of gene expression and the maintenance of chromosome structure in higher organisms, the evolution of these proteins represents a major change in the packaging of DNA and the mode of regulating gene expression in eukaryotes.
Microfabricated solid-state dissolved oxygen sensor

Abstract This paper describes the design, fabrication and testing of a microfabricated oxygen concentration sensor consisting of a microfabricated thin-film electrode matrix overlaid with a solid-state proton conductive matrix (PCM) and encapsulated in a bio-inert polytetrafluoroethelene (PTFE) film. Through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and voltage step (VS) measurements, the device was shown to have a linear response with respect to dissolved oxygen concentration over a range from 0 to 601 μM (0–200 atm% O 2 ). The diffusion constant of the PCM was measured to be D 1 =1.7×10 −10 m 2 /s (±2.7×10 −11 m 2 /s, n =40), which translates to a response time constant of τ =0.7 s (±0.11 s, n =40). These results were consistent with those predicted by basic electrochemistry.
An examination of eating patterns in community women with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.

Objective: To better understand the eating patterns of persons with eating disorders. Method: This study investigated typical eating behavior (meal frequency and snacking) and atypical eating behavior among 311 community women with on-line questionnaires. Participants were classified with bulimia nervosa (BN; n =39), binge eating disorder (BED; n = 69), or controls (CON; n = 203). Results: In terms of typical eating behaviors, the BN group ate significantly fewer meals, particularly lunches, than the other two groups. Atypical eating, such as nibbling, eating double meals and nocturnal eating, was significantly more common in the eating disorder groups. More frequent breakfast consumption was associated with lower BMI in the BED and CON groups, and more frequent meal consumption was associated with less binge eating in the BED group only. Discussion: Our study revealed differences in typical and atypical eating patterns, and associations with weight and eating disorder behaviors among eating disorder and control groups. © 2010 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2010