cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of breathing manner on inferior vena caval diameter

Aims Although the inspiratory ‘collapse’ of the inferior vena cava (IVC) has been used to signify normal central venous pressure, the effect of the manner of breathing IVC size is incompletely understood. As intra-abdominal pressure rises during descent of the diaphragm, we hypothesized that inspiration through diaphragmatic excursion may have a compressive effect on the IVC. Methods and results We measured minimal and maximal intrahepatic IVC diameter on echocardiography and popliteal venous return by spectral Doppler during isovolemic inspiratory efforts in 19 healthy non-obese volunteers who were instructed to inhale using either diaphragmatic or chest wall expansion. During inspiration, the maximal diaphragmatic excursion and popliteal vein flow were compared between breathing methods. The IVC ‘collapsibility index,’ IVCCI, was calculated as (IVCmax−IVCmin)/IVCmax. The difference in diaphragmatic excursion between diaphragmatic and chest wall breaths in each subject was correlated with the corresponding change in IVCCI. Diaphragmatic breathing resulted in more diaphragmatic excursion than chest wall breathing (median 3.4 cm, range 1.7–5.8 vs. 2.2 cm, range 1.0–5.2, P = 0.0003), and was universally associated with decreased popliteal venous return (19/19 vs. 9/19 subjects, P < 0.004). The difference in diaphragmatic excursion correlated with the difference in IVCCI (Spearman's rho = 0.53, P = 0.024). Conclusion During inspiration of equivalent tidal volumes, the reduction in IVC diameter and lower extremity venous return was related to diaphragmatic excursion, suggesting that the IVC may be compressed through descent of the diaphragm.
The effects of insulin-like growth factor 1 and growth hormone on human meibomian gland epithelial cells.

INTERVENTION Application of IGF-1 and growth hormone to human meibomian gland epithelial cells. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Immunoblotting, cell counting, and neutral lipid staining. RESULTS Insulin-like growth factor 1 activated the phosphoinositol 3-kinase/Akt and forkhead box O1 pathways (showing a dose-dependent effect on immunoblotting), stimulated cellular proliferation (about 1.8-fold increase in cell number), increased sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 expression (about 3-fold increase on immunoblotting), and promoted lipid accumulation in human meibomian gland epithelial cells (about 2-fold increase in lipid staining). These IGF-1 actions, which may be blocked by cotreatment with the anti–IGF-1 antibody, were accompanied by inconsistent effects on extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation. We were not able to demonstrate activation of Akt, forkhead box O1, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, Janus kinase 2, or signal transducers and activators of transcription 5, induced cell proliferation, or lipid accumulation in these cells by growth hormone application. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Our results support the hypothesis that IGF-1 acts on human meibomian gland epithelial cells and may explain why treatment with figitumumab, the IGF-1 inhibitor, causes dry eye disease. Ophthalmic care for dry eye disease may be needed when patients with cancer undergo treatment with drugs that inhibit IGF-1 action.
Engineering biosynthetic excitable tissues from unexcitable cells for electrophysiological and cell therapy studies

Patch-clamp recordings in single-cell expression systems have been traditionally used to study the function of ion channels. However, this experimental setting does not enable assessment of tissue-level function such as action potential (AP) conduction. Here we introduce a biosynthetic system that permits studies of both channel activity in single cells and electrical conduction in multicellular networks. We convert unexcitable somatic cells into an autonomous source of electrically excitable and conducting cells by stably expressing only three membrane channels. The specific roles that these expressed channels have on AP shape and conduction are revealed by different pharmacological and pacing protocols. Furthermore, we demonstrate that biosynthetic excitable cells and tissues can repair large conduction defects within primary 2- and 3-dimensional cardiac cell cultures. This approach enables novel studies of ion channel function in a reproducible tissue-level setting and may stimulate the development of new cell-based therapies for excitable tissue repair.
Longitudinal Effects of Aging on Serum Total and Free Testosterone Levels in Healthy Men

Many studies have shown cross-sectional (and two small studies, longitudinal) declines in total and/or free testosterone (T) levels, with age, in men. The extent to which decline in T is the result of the aging process per se, as opposed to chronic illness, medication use, and other age-related factors, remains controversial. The frequency with which aging leads to T levels consistent with hypogonadism has also not been defined. These issues bear on the potential use of T replacement in aging men, because aging and hypogonadism have, in common, reduced bone and lean body mass and muscle strength and increased total and abdominal fat. We measured T and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), by RIA, in stored samples from 890 men in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging. Using a mixed-effects model, we found independent effects of age and date of sampling to reduce T levels. After compensating for date effects, which investigation suggested was artifactual, we observed significant, independent, age-invariant, longitudinal effects of age on both T and free T index (free T index = T/SHBG), with an average change of -0.124 nmol/L.yr and -0.0049 nmol T/nmol SHBG.yr. T, but not free T index, also decreased with increasing body mass index. Use of beta-blocking drugs was associated with higher T and higher free T index levels. Using total T criteria, incidence of hypogonadal T levels increased to about 20% of men over 60, 30% over 70 and 50% over 80 yr of age, and even greater percentages when free T index criteria were employed. Our observations of health factor independent, age-related longitudinal decreases in T and free T, resulting in a high frequency of hypogonadal values, suggest that further investigation of T replacement in aged men, perhaps targeted to those with the lowest serum T concentrations, are justified.
Non-myopic approaches to scheduling agile sensors for multistage detection, tracking and identification

The paper addresses the problem of sensor scheduling for simultaneous target detection, tracking and identification. We consider sensors with agility in waveform and pointing direction. Scheduling decisions are made using an information based approach, where the merit of competing actions is judged by the information expected to be gained when taking the action. We focus on non-myopic scheduling, where the long-term ramifications of scheduling decisions are accounted for in decision making. Since an exact non-myopic solution is computationally prohibitive, we investigate two approximate approaches: direct approximation of Bellman's equation; reinforcement learning. We show, via simulation, that both techniques provide substantial gains over myopic scheduling.
Structured statistical precoding for correlated MIMO channels

The focus of this paper is on spatial precoding in correlated multi-antenna channels where the number of independent data-streams can be adapted to trade off the data rate with the transmitter complexity. A structured precoding scheme is proposed, where the precoder structure evolves fairly slowly at a rate comparable with the statistical evolution of the channel, and in addition, enjoys low-complexity. A particular case of the proposed scheme, semiunitary precoding, is shown to be near- optimal in matched channels where the dominant eigenvalues of the transmit covariance matrix are well-conditioned and their number equals the number of independent data-streams, and the receive covariance matrix is also well-conditioned. In mismatched channels where the above conditions do not hold, it is shown that the loss in performance with semiunitary precoding when compared with a perfect channel information benchmark is substantial. This loss can be mitigated via limited feedback techniques that provide partial channel information to the transmitter. We also develop matching metrics that capture the degree of matching of a channel to the precoder structure continuously, and allow ordering two matrix channels in terms of their mutual information or error probability performance.
L‐arginine minimizes reperfusion injury in a low‐flow, reflow model of liver perfusion

Abstract A low-flow, reflow model of liver perfusion was used in the rat to investigate the effects of L -arginine on reperfusion injury in the absence of blood elements. In contrast to in vivo studies, L -arginine cannot minimize hypoxia by improving the microcirculation under these special conditions, but rather can only increase oxygen delivery upon reflow. During reflow, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release reached a new steady-state value of 35 ± 3 U/g/h in livers perfused in the absence of L -arginine. L-Arginine (0.1 mmol/L) significantly reduced LDH release during reflow to 14 ± 1 U/g/h; higher concentrations (1.0-3.0 mmol/L) were less effective and the arginine analogue Nomega-nitro L -arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 0.3 mmol/L) reversed the protective effect completely. Infusion of the biologically inactive isomer D- arginine (0.1 mmol/L had no effect on the observed reperfusion injury. Malondialdehyde (MDA) release during reflow averaged 92 ± 10 nmol/g/h and was decreased significantly to 47 ± 13 nmol/g/h with L -arginine (0.1 mmol/L). Oxygen uptake during reflow was not significantly altered by L -arginine, although the time required to reach steady state values upon reflow was reduced significantly (about twofold), indicating improved microcirculation. Trypan blue distribution time, which is used to index the hepatic microcirculation, was decreased significantly from 330 ± 17 to 227 ± 31 seconds by L -arginine, an effect also blocked by L -NAME. Additionally, L -arginine, significantly increased both the rate of entry and exit of fluorescein-dextran, a dye confined to the vascular space, by approximately 50%, also reflecting improved microcirculation. Collectively , these findings indicate that L -arginine protects against hypoxia/reoxygenation injury in a blood-free perfusion model specifically during the reoxygenation period. It is likely that L -arginine rapidly removes substrates for free radical generation by improving the microcirculation. (Hepatology 1996 Jul;24(1):163-8)
Removal of Multiple-Tip Artifacts from Scanning Tunneling Microscope Images by Crystallographic Averaging

Crystallographic image processing (CIP) techniques may be utilized in scanning probe microscopy (SPM) to glean information that has been obscured by signals from multiple probe tips. This may be of particular importance for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and requires images from samples that are periodic in two dimensions (2D). The image-forming current for double-tips in STM is derived with a slight modification of the independent-orbital approximation (IOA) to allow for two or more tips. Our analysis clarifies why crystallographic averaging works well in removing the effects of a blunt STM tip (that consists of multiple mini-tips) from recorded 2D periodic images and also outlines the limitations of this image-processing technique for certain spatial separations of STM double-tips. Simulations of multiple mini-tip effects in STM images (that ignore electron interference effects) may be understood as modeling multiple mini-tip (or tip shape) effects in images that were recorded with other types of SPMs as long as the lateral sample feature sizes to be imaged are much larger than the effective scanning probe tip sizes.
Lesson of the month 1: Broken heart in the intensive care unit

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is an unusual form of acute cardiomyopathy showing left ventricular apical ballooning. TCM can masquerade as ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). TCM usually occurs following a variety of emotional stressors, but physical stressors can also trigger the condition, as highlighted by the present case. TCM can occur after an acute medical illness; therefore, physicians should be aware of this condition as a potential cause of inotrope-resistant hypotension. In patients with hypotension and moderate-to-severe left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction, inotropic agents should be avoided, because they can worsen the degree of obstruction. Instead, beta-blockers are preferred, because they are capable of resolving the obstruction and consequently improve the haemodynamics.
Hemimaxillofacial dysplasia: a report of two new cases and further delineation of the disorder

Miles, Lovas, and Cohen first described hemimaxillofacial dysplasia in two patients in 1987. This disorder consists of facial asymmetry, facial hypertrichosis, unilateral maxillary hyperplasia, and hypoplastic teeth. We report two additional cases with similar findings.
The Upward Trend in Airborne Particulates That Isn’t

Diverse data relating to natural and anthropogenic particulate emissions and trends in atmospheric turbidity are reviewed. It is estimated that man now contributes 13.6% of the 3.5 × 109 tons of primary and secondary particulates presently emitted to the atmosphere annually.
NASA Balloon Program Status

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Balloon Program Office (BPO) continues to support the scientific community by providing enhanced capabilities and reliable platforms. The BPO has been committed to addressing the needs of the science community with the development of a heavy lift balloon as well as a lightweight telemetry system. In addition, to reduce the risk of damage to science payloads, an energy modulator system and an autonomous parachute separation system have been developed. The Long Duration Balloon (LDB) missions have been critical to the success of balloon scientists. The paper presents flight summaries from the past two Antarctica campaigns in which six balloons have been launched.
Functionally charged polystyrene particles activate immortalized mouse microglia (BV2): cellular and genomic response

The effect of particle surface charge on the biological activation of immortalized mouse microglia (BV2) was examined. Same size (∼850–950 nm) spherical polystyrene microparticles (SPM) with net negative (carboxyl, COOH-) or positive (dimethyl amino, CH3)2-N- zeta potentials were exposed to BV2 microglia (5–20 µl/ml). Both stimulated an oxidative burst, increased Caspase 3/7 activity and caused inflammatory cytokine release. Ultrastructure indicated that SPM particles were phagocytosed as single particles but formed large intra-cellular 4–6 µm agglomerates. Microarray analysis indicated that negatively charged SPM-COOH- affected approximately 146 genes while the positively charged SPM-(CH3)2-N- affected approximately 2580 genes. Only 30 genes were significantly affected in common. Of the 48 genes associated with oxidative stress pathways, 33 genes were coordinately down-regulated by SPM-(CH3)2-N- and up-regulated by SPM-COOH- exposure. Together, these data indicate that functionally charged, inert submicr...
Study on Etiology of Acute Pneumonia in Children in Suzhou Area

Objective To investigate etiology of acute pneumonia in children in order to provid basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods The children with acute pneumonia who were hospitalized in children's hospital affiliated to Suzhou university were selected.And the sputum of them were collected.Bacteria and virus were tested using sputum culture and direct immunofluoresence respectively.Antibodies against mycoplasma and chlamydia were detected by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) in paired sera. Results Microbial etiology was obtained in 360 cases (67.7%) of 532 patients.Viral infections were in 178 cases (33.5%).Bacterial infections were in 23 cases (4.3%),mycoplasma pneumoniae 50 cases (9.4%) and chlamydia pneumoniae 19 cases (3.6%),compound infections 90 cases (16.9%).Respiratory syncycial virus was the major viral pathogen,streptococcus pneumoniae were the prominent pathagens of bacterial pneumonia,followed by haemophilus influenza.Conclusions Viral infection is the most common cause of acute pneumonia in children in Suzhou area during winter and spring,followed by mycoplasma pneumoniae,bacteria and chlamydia pneumoniae.Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is more common in children older than 3 years,chlamydia pneumoniae infection is more in infants less than 3 months,most of compound infection children were below the age of 3 years.
Gal-GalNAc: a biomarker of colon carcinogenesis

The disaccharide tumor marker Gal-GalNAc visualized by galactose oxidase-Schiff sequence is commonly present in cancer cells and in rectal mucous of patients with colon cancer. The expression of this marker on tissue sections taken during experimental colon carcinogenesis shows excellent correlation with human precancerous lesions and even higher percentage of colon cancers express this marker, whereas, no expression is seen in the normal human large intestine. Multifocal expression of the marker is seen throughout the entire colon of patients with precancer and cancer; these include dysplasia, dilated and distorted crypts, regenerative dysplasia and hyperplastic crypts, as well as the morphologically normal crypts remote from cancer. Nearly identical pattern of Gal-GalNAc expression throughout the entire colon also appear during rat colon carcinogenesis induced by azoxymethane including non-expression by the normal and regenerative epithelia during wound healing following mechanical injury. Thus, Gal-GalNAc detected by the simple technique of galactose oxidase-Schiff sequence, is a biomarker that appears during the very early stages of progression of carcinogenesis. The expression pattern supports the field effect theory of carcinogenesis and also explains the basis for mass screening for cancer and precancerous conditions. Chemoprevention strategy using Gal-GalNAc as an intermediate marker detected by accurate and cost-effective rectal mucus test may have great potential.
Further Observations on the Mechanism of Vertical Transmission of Flaviviruses by Aedes Mosquitoes

As previously observed for dengue viruses, vertical (i.e., transgenerational) transmission of Japanese and St. Louis encephalitis viruses by Aedes albopictus takes place when the fully formed egg, enclosed in the chorion, is oviposited. The demonstration of such a mechanism for three flaviviruses suggests that vertical transmission of all mosquito-borne flaviviruses may occur in the same manner.
Enhancing cell infiltration of electrospun fibrous scaffolds in tissue regeneration

Electrospinning is one of the most effective approaches to fabricate tissue-engineered scaffolds composed of nano-to sub-microscale fibers that simulate a native extracellular matrix. However, one major concern about electrospun scaffolds for tissue repair and regeneration is that their small pores defined by densely compacted fibers markedly hinder cell infiltration and tissue ingrowth. To address this problem, researchers have developed and investigated various methods of manipulating scaffold structures to increase pore size or loosen the scaffold. These methods involve the use of physical treatments, such as salt leaching, gas foaming and custom-made collectors, and combined techniques to obtain electrospun scaffolds with loose fibrous structures and large pores. This article provides a summary of these motivating electrospinning techniques to enhance cell infiltration of electrospun scaffolds, which may inspire new electrospinning techniques and their new biomedical applications.
STEM Professional Volunteers in Secondary STEM Education: A Study Proposal to Better Understand the Practices of Educators

Recent years have seen major growth in the use of STEM professionals in U. S. secondary school formal and informal programs. Assuming the important perspective of educators in the classroom, this Ph.D. Candidate is studying how educators recruit and deploy STEM professional volunteers in technology-driven STEM competition programs, with a focus on which practices educators find most valuable, and how the use of STEM professional volunteers does or does not relate to pedagogical practices. Study results will shed additional light on how technologies, educators and school settings interact to impact STEM programs that strongly incorporate technology as a driver for learning.
Colonic Motor Function in Humans Is Not Affected by Gender

Functional abdominal pain, including the irritable bowel syndrome, is more common in females. Our aim was to determine if differences in motility or biomechanical properties of the colon could account for this gender difference. In 18 healthy subjects (nine males), a catheter assembly incorporating a balloon and perfused side holes, connected to a barostat, was positioned in the left colon. The system was used to determine compliance, sensation in response to phasic balloon distension, and changes in motor activity and tone in response to a meal. There was no significant difference in any of these variables between males and females. We conclude that there is no gender difference in colonic motor function or sensation to balloon distension. The increased prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in females may be related to psychosocial factors rather than differences in colonic motor function.
MRI and MRS of intracerebral C6 and 9L/lacZ rat gliomas: Assessment of glioma models and antioxidant treatment

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 1064 Malignant gliomas, which are the most common primary brain tumors, still lead to poor prognosis, because of the difficulty of an early and accurate diagnosis. More efficient treatments need to be found. In this point of view, magnetic resonance (MR) techniques would be an interesting non-invasive tool to monitor the growth of gliomas, to give a diagnosis and to follow the efficiency of treatments. We are using MR imaging (MRI) and MR spectroscopy (MRS) to monitor the progression of brain tumors from two cell lines with different degrees of malignancy, C6 (non-aggressive) and 9L/lacZ (9L) (aggressive and infiltrative), and the treatment of these gliomas by 2 antioxidants (phenyl-tert-butyl-nitrone and γ-tocopherol) in a rat model. C6 or 9L cells (106) were injected intracranially in the cortex of male Fischer 344 rats (2 mm from midline, 2 mm anterior to the bregma, and a depth of 3 mm) fed a choline-deficient diet. Treated rats were given 0.065% phenyl-tert-butyl-nitrone in the drinking water or 35 mg/kg γ-tocopherol intraperitoneally at different time points before and after cell injection. MRI (RARE and echo-planar imaging methods) and MRS (PRESS) are performed at 7 Tesla at days 7-10 after cells injection and then every 5-7 days. The echo-planar imaging method is used to create a 3D-reconstruction of the brain, allowing us to measure the size of gliomas and to compare these results to histology. MR spectroscopy is used to monitor several brain tumor biomarkers such as N-acetyl-aspartate, creatine, choline and mobile lipids. After rat death, the brain is extracted for histology. Our preliminary studies showed us that our rat models of non-aggressive and more aggressive gliomas can be differentiated by MR methods. MRI allows the monitoring of the growth of gliomas and estimations of their doubling rates. With MRS, we are able to differentiate gliomas by monitoring metabolic profiles. These results rival those from histology evaluations, with the advantage that MRI and MRS can provide in vivo brain tumor diagnosis. Furthermore these methods can help in the evaluation of therapeutic agents, such as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, which inhibit brain glioma growth and/or infiltration. Grant support for this project is provided by NIH R01 CA-82506 and NIH P20RR016478.
Experimental demonstration of light-assisted templated self assembly using a photonic crystal slab

We demonstrate a technique for using a photonic-crystal slab to assemble periodic arrays of particles. Particles are attracted to the slab due to resonantly enhanced optical forces at the wavelength of a guided resonance mode.
End-of-Life Care in the Treatment of Heart Failure in Older Adults

Heart failure presents unique challenges to the clinician who desires to provide excellent and humane care near the end of life. Accurate prediction of mortality in the individual patient is complicated by a chronic disease that is punctuated by recurrent acute episodes and sudden death. Health care providers continue to have difficulty communicating effectively with terminally ill patients and their caregivers regarding end-of-life care preferences, all of which needs to occur earlier rather than later. This article also discusses various means of providing palliative care, and specific issues regarding device therapy, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and palliative sedation with concurrent discussion of the ethical ramifications and pitfalls of each.
The Function and Diagnostic Potential of Adipocyte-Derived Factors in the Tumor Microenvironment

Solid tumors resemble dysfunctional “organs” comprised of malignant cancer cells and heterogeneous components of the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME includes extracellular matrix and non-cancer stromal cells (e.g., fibroblasts, immune cells, and vascular cells) that may support cancer progression. Adipocytes, despite being the most abundant cell type in certain tumor types (e.g., breast cancer), are often overlooked in the TME. It is now well established that the TME plays an important role in tumor growth and metastasis, and while multiple studies have contributed to our understanding of the TME, relatively little is known about how adipocytes, despite their role as major sources of paracrine and endocrine factors, influence tumor progression. In this chapter, we will briefly introduce the TME and its various components and then provide a comprehensive analysis of the roles of tumor-associated adipocytes and adipokines during solid tumor development. We will also highlight the potential diagnostic/prognostic value of adipose tissue and adipose-derived factors in cancer.
Testing the performance of a prototype lateral flow device using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in high-risk patients.

Summary The diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) increasingly relies on non-culture-based biomarkers in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. The Aspergillus lateral flow device (LFD) is a rapid immunoassay that uses a novel Aspergillus monoclonal antibody to gain specificity. The objective of the study is to compare specificity and sensitivity of the prototype LFD and the galactomannan (GM) enzyme immunoassay in BAL fluid in high-risk patients. A total of 114 BAL samples from 106 patients at high risk for IPA were studied: 8 patients had proven/probable IPA, 16 had possible IPA and 82 did not have IPA. In patients with proven/probable IPA, specificity of LFD was 94% and GM was 89%; sensitivity of LFD was 38% and GM was 75%. Negative predictive value (NPV) for LFD was 94% and for GM was 98%; positive predictive value (PPV) was 38% for both tests. The use of anti-mould prophylaxis did not affect specificity but resulted in decreased NPV of both LFD and GM. Union and intersection analysis showed no improvement in the performance by using both tests. Among patients at risk for IPA, the diagnostic performance of LFD and GM in BAL fluid appears comparable; specificity is high, but sensitivity of both LFD and GM is poor.
Development and testing of a goals of care intervention in advanced heart failure

Abstract Aim The purpose of this paper is to describe the conceptual framework for a goals of care (GoC) intervention, elements, and findings of intervention feasibility, acceptability, and benefits from both patients with heart failure (HF) and their providers. Background Receiving care at a mechanical circulatory support center for advanced HF offers new opportunities for treatment, making the implementation of a GoC intervention timely and crucial in helping patients determine next steps in HF treatment. Methods The GoC intervention was designed using a self-management framework, incorporating the concepts of self-efficacy, patient activation, and patient motivation. At the conclusion of the study, open-ended exit interviews were conducted with patients and providers. Content analysis was used to derive the feasibility, acceptability, and benefits of the intervention. Results Forty-one patients with HF, with average age 58.2 ± 11.3 years, LVEF = 30.3 ± 9.7%, and New York Heart Association Functional Class (NYHA FC) = 2.4 ± 0.8, and nine HF providers participated in the study. Patient benefits from the intervention included enhanced communication with their provider and family members, increased confidence to have a conversation with the provider, and refreshed HF knowledge. Provider benefits from the intervention were facilitating a conversation with the patient and learning new information about the patient's goals and values. Conclusion The GoC intervention provides an avenue to align patient goals and values with treatment choices in the context of advanced heart failure, so that patient quality of life is enhanced and costs of care can be reduced.
Change in residual limb size over time in the NU-FlexSIV socket: A case study.

Background:This case study represented a unique opportunity wherein a long-time user of sub-ischial sockets had kept nearly every socket he wore for a decade. This individual let us borrow these so...
Cost-Justifying Usability Engineering in the Software Life Cycle

Publisher Summary Practitioners and researchers in the field of usability engineering have sought to educate, communicate, and influence corporate decision makers about the value of usability engineering in the software life cycle. Management has a heightened awareness of time, money, and resources allocated for projects. The focus on results has moved from relatively long term goals to near term quarterly deliverables and profits. At the same time, customer service and satisfaction have become the lines for market differentiation. Business leaders with sound judgment invest in usability engineering in order to reap the benefits and solve their pressing business problems. Usability engineering presents management with a vehicle for increased probability of success in the marketplace and reduced software development.
Electricity Restructuring in Practice

Severe flaws exist in the theoretic case for regulation and practice in electric power is worse than theory predicts. Theory suggests regulation was both unneeded and unlikely to succeed. New Deal initiatives in electric power were defective; energy interventions in the 1970s were totally unjustified. Crises arose because restructuring was implemented in disregard of these lessons. In self-defense, electric utilities are merging.
Maintaining Organizational Fields: Immigration law firms as buffers between firms and regulators

This paper examines how third-party stakeholders maintain contested organizational fields. It draws on 106 interviews with employers, government officials, and specialized immigration law firms. Fo...
Induction of Local and Systemic Immunity by Salmonella Typhi in Humans

Abstract Typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi), continues to be a major public health problem worldwide. The two licensed typhoid vaccines available in the United States are moderately immunogenic and protective, particularly in young children, requiring the development of novel vaccines. The emergence of multidrug-resistant strains has added a new sense of urgency for the development of more efficacious vaccines. However, their development has been hindered by a lack of known immunological correlates of protection from disease. The recent re-establishment of the human challenge model of typhoid fever and studies in human volunteers immunized with Ty21a and other attenuated S. Typhi vaccines are providing important novel information regarding S. Typhi immunity in both the systemic and mucosal compartments. In this chapter, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of immunity to this pathogen in humans.
The Marangoni convection effects on directional dendritic solidification

The Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation (PFMI) experiments conducted on the International Space Station revealed that Marangoni convection caused by the presence of bubbles could affect the microstructure formation. The experiment provided information on the bubble movement and morphological evolution during remelting and directional solidification under microgravity condition for a succinonitrile (SCN)-water binary alloy. In this work, a three-dimensional lattice Boltzmann (LB)-Cellular automaton (CA) model was utilized to study the effects of Marangoni convection on the solidification microstructure. The results reveal that the induced convection is strong enough to bend dendrites from their preferential crystallographic direction and can affect the dendrite growth rate.
Update on Sleep and Pulmonary Comorbidities in Psoriasis

The purpose of this review article is to provide an overview of sleep and pulmonary comorbidities in patients with psoriasis and summarize important recent findings. Evidence continues to show that patients with psoriasis experience greater chronic sleep impairment when compared to healthy counterparts. In addition to other comorbidities seen in psoriasis patients, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have increased frequency in this population. Sleep and pulmonary comorbidities in psoriasis contribute to disease burden and impaired quality of life in psoriasis patients. The evaluation of sleep comorbidities is complicated by the overlap with other comorbidities such as depression and anxiety. Regardless, there is strong evidence to indicate an elevated prevalence of insomnia in psoriasis patients. A causal relationship between psoriasis and insomnia has yet to be determined. There is moderate evidence to suggest increased risk of developing OSA in psoriasis patients, even when accounting for increased BMI. Most studies on sleep impairment in psoriasis patients have used self-reported data, of which only a portion has been validated. As such, there is a need to better evaluate sleep dysfunction in psoriasis patients. Regarding pulmonary comorbidities, psoriasis patients are more likely to smoke compared to the general population, which complicates evaluation of risk of COPD, lung cancer, and pulmonary infections in this population.
Pain Management for Chronic Abdominal Pain

Chronic abdominal pain is a complex medical problem and is the leading symptom for referral to a gastroenterologist [1]. Causes of chronic abdominal pain are diverse and can require an extensive workup and repeated imaging sometimes with no clear etiology [2, 3]. Abdominal pain may be due to somatic reasons transmitted through A-delta nociceptors as in chronic abdominal wall pain (CAWP) or visceral reasons transmitted through C-type nociceptors as in chronic pancreatitis and ulcerative colitis. A detailed history and physical examination are key in addressing abdominal pain. Attention to the patient’s pain symptomatology details may reveal the etiology and assist in decision for the best management approach.
Subsurface characterization of moisture content and water-to-cement ratio of concrete specimens using remote synthetic aperture radar imaging

In civil engineering, determining the subsurface moisture content and the water-to-cement (w / c) ratio of concrete structures in the field is a challenging task. Moisture content of concrete structures regards the cement hydration level and short-term strength development of concrete, as well as the phase-distribution (solid, gaseous, and liquid) inside concrete and its long-term durability. We describe a microwave nondestructive evaluation technique using noncontact/nonintrusive synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging to estimate both the w / c ratio and subsurface moisture content of concrete panels. Concrete panels made of three w / c ratios (0.4, 0.5, and 0.55) were air dried for ∼3 months and scanned by a laboratory 10-GHz SAR imaging system. From this research, we found that SAR imaging can capture the moisture content variation and its spatial distribution. A parameter of SAR images, the critical contour area, is identified and proposed for estimating subsurface moisture content and the w / c ratio of concrete panels. At a given w / c ratio, the critical contour area increases with the increase of moisture content. At a given moisture content, the critical contour area decreases with the increase of the w / c ratio.
The (In)Appropriateness of the WAR Metaphor in Response to SARS-CoV-2: A Rapid Analysis of Donald J. Trump's Rhetoric

The virus SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes (COVID-19) are unfamiliar topics to most publics. One mechanism used by political leaders to make the strange and unfamiliar more understandable and familiar to their publics is using metaphor. In his responses to SARS-CoV-2, US President Donald Trump used the WAR metaphor to shape public understanding. In this analysis, I reveal how the entailments chosen by Trump to complete this metaphor lead to rhetorical incoherence and undermine policy response to SARS-CoV02. I conclude with a call to reject WAR as a metaphor for understanding SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 and, instead, encourage adopting alternative metaphors to shape public understanding. © Bates.
Uveal Melanoma: A Review of Prognostic Factors for Metastases

In this article, we review the clinical and molecular prognostic factors for metastasis in uveal melanoma. Prognostic predictors for metastasis in uveal melanoma have evolved from utilizing clinical and histopathologic information to incorporating genetic data (e.g., gene expression profiling and chromosomal abnormality tests). Commercially available gene expression profiling and chromosomal abnormality tests have been validated to provide robust, reproducible prognostic information. Recently, the preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) has been identified as a biomarker for increased risk of metastasis, and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Project has suggested four prognostic categories. Prognostication of uveal melanoma informs patient management decisions in terms of appropriate intervals of surveillance screening and selection of high-risk patients appropriate for clinical trials. Understanding the factors involved in development of metastasis also helps elucidate potential biologic targets for therapeutics.
Chandra large-scale mapping of the Galactic Centre: probing high-energy structures around the central molecular zone

Recent observations have revealed interstellar features that apparently connect energetic activity in the central region of our Galaxy to its halo. The nature of these features, however, remains largely uncertain. We present a Chandra mapping of the central 2x4 square degree field of the Galaxy, revealing a complex of X-ray-emitting threads plus plume-like structures emerging from the Galactic center (GC). This mapping shows that the northern plume or fountain is offset from a well-known radio lobe (or the GCL), which however may represent a foreground HII region, and that the southern plume is well wrapped by a corresponding radio lobe recently discovered by MeerKAT. In particular, we find that a distinct X-ray thread, G0.17-0.41, is embedded well within a nonthermal radio filament, which is locally inflated. This thread with a width of ~1.6" (FWHM) is ~6 pc long at the distance of the GC and has a spectrum that can be characterized by a power law or an optically-thin thermal plasma with temperature ~3 keV. The X-ray-emitting material is likely confined within a strand of magnetic field with its strength > 1 mG, not unusual in such radio filaments. These morphological and spectral properties of the radio/X-ray association suggest that magnetic field re-connection is the energy source. Such re-connection events are probably common when flux tubes of antiparallel magnetic fields collide and/or become twisted in and around the diffuse X-ray plumes, representing blowout superbubbles driven by young massive stellar clusters in the GC. The understanding of the process, theoretically predicted in analog to solar flares, can have strong implications for the study of interstellar hot plasma heating, cosmic-ray acceleration and turbulence.
RACE, RISK, AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE RESPONSE TO COVID-19

The COVID-19 crisis has tragically revealed the depth of racial inequities in the United States. This Piece argues that the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on racial minorities is a symptom of a failing approach to public health, one that privileges individual behaviors over the structural conditions that generate vulnerability and inequitable health outcomes. Despite clear racial disparities in illness and deaths, the neoliberal ideology of personal responsibility shifts the onus for mitigation of risk away from the social and legal determinants of health and onto the individual. To understand how and why these disparate racial outcomes arise, this Piece offers an account of the theoretical frameworks that underpin the personal responsibility approach to public health and argues that it is necessary to foreground the social determinants of health in the response to the pandemic.
A lobate feature adjacent to a double ridge on Ariel: Formed by cryovolcanism or mass wasting?

Abstract We identified a large-scale lobate feature that is proximal to a double ridge on Ariel. We analyzed the morphology of this feature to investigate whether it was formed by cryovolcanism or mass wasting. Our results show that the head of the lobate feature is adjacent to a topographically elevated dome on the double ridge, which may have formed via extrusion and emplacement of cryolava in this location. We find that the coefficient of friction of the material that formed the lobate feature is more consistent with a cryovolcanic flow than either a dry or liquid-aided mass wasting flow. Similarly, the estimated yield strength for the neck and terminus of this feature is similar to geologic features that contained some liquid during formation. Alternatively, upwelling of material, in an ascending diapir, could also explain the morphology of this lobate feature, in particular its topographically elevated terminus, which is higher standing than its neck. Higher resolution images are needed to assess the surface texture of the lobate feature to further investigate whether it formed via flowing cryolava or diapirism. Furthermore, without higher spatial resolution images, the possibility of a mass wasting origin for the lobate feature cannot be ruled out and warrants further investigation. The possible presence of cryovolcanic features on Ariel supports the interpretation that this moon is a candidate ocean world that has, or had, a subsurface liquid water layer beneath its icy exterior.
COVIDCampus Game: Making Safer Choices

This article highlights several game design choices made during the creation of a browser-based game on mitigation strategies for Covid-19. Additionally, it presents a within group comparison of learning gains and self-reported behavioral changes after playing the game. Results show that the short COVIDCampus game has the potential to change college-age players' Covid-19 related mitigation behaviors and it significantly increased players' confidence in asking important health-related questions (Cohen's d=.27). Some implications are discussed.
Assessing variation in state opioid tapering laws: Comparing state laws with the CDC guideline.

OBJECTIVE In 2016, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released an opioid prescribing guideline for primary care in response to opioid overdose deaths. Despite efforts to encourage safer prescribing practices, experts and federal agencies suspect prescribing guidelines may be misapplied in clinical practice, resulting in abrupt tapering from opioid therapy. Although state laws likely influence prescriber behavior, little is known about state tapering laws. Thus, we examined the scope and variation of state tapering laws compared with federal opioid guidelines. METHODS We conducted a comprehensive review of state laws through December 31, 2019 using keyword searches in LexisNexus. Identified laws were coded based on the inclusion of attributes derived from federal opioid guidelines and an expert consensus panel report. We examined whether law attributes were associated with state characteristics, including region, population, governor's political affiliation, opioid prescribing rates, and opioid overdose rates. RESULTS We found 27 states and one federal district had law(s) mentioning tapering. Most laws were authored by medical boards or workers' compensation groups (65.6%) while some laws included a penalty (32.8%). Approximately half of guideline attributes (54.2%) were included in state laws; however, only two state's laws cautioned against abrupt tapering. States with higher overdose death rates were more likely to enact a tapering law (p<.001) and have a penalty (p=.007). CONCLUSIONS State tapering laws incorporate some federal guideline attributes but most lack attributes deemed critical by experts. Without clear instruction, patients risk inappropriate tapering and discontinuation of opioid therapy. Given these findings, policymakers should consider addressing this gap.
The Basic Dialogue and the Capacity for Empathy

In reviewing recent experimental studies of altruism in young children, including their own work, Yarrow et al. noted the hazards of interpreting findings which depend on relating experimentally contrived adult nurturance to experimentally elicited child-behaviors such as sharing, concern for others, and understanding of others (Yarrow, Scott, & Waxier, 1973). Results of experimental study of these variables have been inconsistent. “Nurturance is reported as having facilitating effects, no effects and depressor effects on learning” (p. 257).
A retrospective view of Hicks’s Capital and Time: A Neo-Austrian theory

In 1973 Sir John Hicks published CAPITAL AND TIME: A NEO-AUSTRIAN THEORY. This was his third book with the word "capital" in its title, the first being his classic VALUE AND CAPITAL [1939] and the second being CAPITAL AND GROWTH [1965]. It departed significantly from his earlier work by assuming that the technology of an economy consisted of a set of neo-Austrian production processes in which a time sequence of inputs produces a time sequence of outputs. In June, 1974 I published a review article in the JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC LITERATURE entitled "Synthesizing the Neo-Austrian and Alternative Approaches to Capital Theory: A Survey" using Hicks' book as a filter to select a list of topics for discussion. Now, with some 30 years of hindsight, I will revisit some of those topics that, in my view, remain both unsolved and important.