cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Safety of proteasome inhibitors for treatment of multiple myeloma.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Proteasome inhibitors (PIs) have revolutionized the treatment of multiple myeloma and are a backbone of therapy. Bortezomib, the first PI approved, has shown efficacy in both front-line and relapsed/refractory settings however the development of resistance and side effects such as peripheral neuropathy can limit its use. The second generation PIs carfilzomib and ixazomib, both approved in relapsed/refractory cases, may help to overcome resistance mechanisms and increase tolerability. While bortezomib is approved to be administered intravenously (IV) or subcutaneously (SC) and carfilzomib IV, ixazomib is the first and only approved PI that is orally bioavailable.Areas covered: This review focuses on the safety data from clinical trials for the three approved PIs and how to manage adverse effects. A summary of efficacy data from select clinical trials is also included.Expert commentary: Targeting the proteasome/ubiquitin system is a validated and important part of current anti-myeloma ...
Fate of Listeria monocytogenes on Ready to Serve Lettuce1

The ability of Listeria monocytogenes to survive and grow on head lettuce obtained from a retail outlet over a period of 10 months was determined. Lettuce was torn into bite sized pieces, inoculated with L. monocytogenes ATCC 7644, placed into plastic bags, and held under a variety of storage conditions. Samples stored at 5°C and 12°C were subjected to aerobic plate count analysis, and levels of L. monocytogenes were determined immediately after inoculation and after 7 and 14 d of storage. Samples stored at 25°C were sampled after inoculation and after 4 and 8 h storage. Lettuce juice was inoculated, stored at 5°C and sampled as described for head lettuce. Aerobic plate counts on lettuce stored at 5°C and 12°C increased greatly during the 14 d of storage. Behavior of L. monocytogenes was variable. In most trials, numbers increased by several log cycles during 14 d of storage, but in several trials growth never occurred or did not persist for 14 d. The same general growth patterns were observed in lettuce ...
The History of Metabolic Surgery

Metabolic surgery and its offshoot bariatric surgery have been under development for decades with many rapid advances in recent years. The earliest operations performed for the express intent of weight loss were performed in the 1950s at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Richard Varco completed the first jejunoileal bypass in 1953, a procedure that involved bypassing the majority of the small bowel while leaving the stomach intact [1]. Patients enjoyed a high level of success in weight loss but were fraught with complications including severe vitamin deficiencies, gas-bloat syndrome, kidney stones, liver degeneration, and even mental status changes. The excluded portion of the intestine often suffered complications due to bacterial overgrowth, and a large majority of these patients have had their operations revised [2].
Significance of CD44-positive and EMT phenotype on the tumorigenic properties of pancreatic cancer cells.

e15210 Background: Heterogeneity of cancer cells within tumors and established cancer cell lines is well-known. The impact of this heterogeneity in regards to pathobiology and therapy has not been ...
Triple-hit blastoid mantle cell lymphoma presenting like acute leukemia.

![Figure][1] A 67-year-old woman presented with leukocytosis (white blood cells, 65.5×109/L) and 82% circulating “blasts.” The “blasts” were large with irregular nuclei and some had “flower-like” nuclei (panels A-B; original magnification ×500, Wright-Giemsa stain). Bone marrow
Finite-sample analysis of iterate averaging method for stochastic approximation with quadratic loss function

Consider the stochastic approximation algorithms with quadratic loss functions, where we have noisy measurements of gradients at each iteration. A widely-used technique of stochastic approximation is to average some or all of the iterates in order to reduce the variance of the resulting estimate. Under proper settings for coefficients, the averaged sequence converges to its limit at an optimum rate. In practice, however, the results on iterate averaging are more mixed than the above suggests. Under proper assumptions, we provide a formal analysis under finite iterations and derive conditions under which iterate averaging benefits the algorithm output, in terms of reducing mean squared errors. Simulations and examples support the practical importance of the given conditions.
Community-Based Study Recruitment of American Indian Cigarette Smokers and Electronic Cigarette Users

Data on the effectiveness of strategies for the recruitment of American Indians (AIs) into research is needed. This study describes and compares methods for identifying and recruiting AI tobacco users into a pilot study. Community-based strategies were used to recruit smokers (n = 35), e-cigarette users (n = 28), and dual users (n = 32) of AI descent. Recruitment was considered proactive if study staff contacted the individual at a pow wow, health fair, or vape shop and participation on-site or reactive if the individual contacted the study staff and participation occurred later. Screened, eligible, participated and costs and time spent were compared with Chi square tests. To understand AI descent, the relationship between number of AI grandparents and AI blood quantum was examined. Number of participants screened via the proactive strategy was similar to the reactive strategy (n = 84 vs. n = 82; p-value = 0.8766). A significantly greater proportion of individuals screened via the proactive than the reactive strategy were eligible (77 vs. 50%; p-value = 0.0002) and participated (75 vs. 39%; p-value = < 0.0001). Per participant cost and time estimated for the proactive strategy was $89 and 87 min compared to $79 and 56 min for the reactive strategy. Proportion at least half AI blood quantum was 32, 33, and 70% among those with 2, 3, and 4 AI grandparents, respectively (p = 0.0017). Proactive strategies resulted in two-thirds of the sample, but required more resources than reactive strategies. Overall, we found both strategies were feasible and resulted in the ability to reach sample goals. Lastly, number of AI biological grandparents may be a good, non-invasive indicator of AI blood quantum.
Stuttering adults' lack of pre-speech auditory modulation normalizes when speaking with delayed auditory feedback

Auditory modulation during speech movement planning is limited in adults who stutter (AWS), but the functional relevance of the phenomenon itself remains unknown. We investigated for AWS and adults who do not stutter (AWNS) (a) a potential relationship between pre-speech auditory modulation and auditory feedback contributions to speech motor learning and (b) the effect on pre-speech auditory modulation of real-time versus delayed auditory feedback. Experiment I used a sensorimotor adaptation paradigm to estimate auditory-motor speech learning. Using acoustic speech recordings, we quantified subjects' formant frequency adjustments across trials when continually exposed to formant-shifted auditory feedback. In Experiment II, we used electroencephalography to determine the same subjects' extent of pre-speech auditory modulation (reductions in auditory evoked potential N1 amplitude) when probe tones were delivered prior to speaking versus not speaking. To manipulate subjects' ability to monitor real-time feedback, we included speaking conditions with non-altered auditory feedback (NAF) and delayed auditory feedback (DAF). Experiment I showed that auditory-motor learning was limited for AWS versus AWNS, and the extent of learning was negatively correlated with stuttering frequency. Experiment II yielded several key findings: (a) our prior finding of limited pre-speech auditory modulation in AWS was replicated; (b) DAF caused a decrease in auditory modulation for most AWNS but an increase for most AWS; and (c) for AWS, the amount of auditory modulation when speaking with DAF was positively correlated with stuttering frequency. Lastly, AWNS showed no correlation between pre-speech auditory modulation (Experiment II) and extent of auditory-motor learning (Experiment I) whereas AWS showed a negative correlation between these measures. Thus, findings suggest that AWS show deficits in both pre-speech auditory modulation and auditory-motor learning; however, limited pre-speech modulation is not directly related to limited auditory-motor adaptation; and in AWS, DAF paradoxically tends to normalize their otherwise limited pre-speech auditory modulation.
Comparison of clinical pharmacy specialists and primary care physicians in treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in rural Veterans Affairs facilities

PURPOSE Results of a study to compare the impact of clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) interventions with primary care physician (PCP) interventions in veterans with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) in a rural setting are presented. METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed examining veterans diagnosed with T2D with a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of ≥8% receiving treatment at a rural community-based outpatient clinic associated with the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Propensity score matching was used to create a 1:1 cohort of patients managed by physicians or clinical pharmacy specialists. Patients were evaluated as their own control and as compared cohorts. The primary outcome was the difference in HbA1c. Secondary outcomes included changes in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and body mass index. RESULTS Data were collected from 124 patients (n = 62 CPS patients, n = 62 PCP patients). Baseline HbA1c in the CPS and PCP groups were 10.2% ± 1.9% and 9.6% ± 1.6%, respectively. Postintervention HbA1c in the CPS cohort was 7.5% ± 1.1% (range, 6-11.7%), indicating an absolute reduction of 2.7% (p < 0.001). Postintervention HbA1c in the PCP cohort was 8.5% ± 1.5% (range, 5.4-12.6%), resulting in an absolute reduction of 1.1% (p < 0.001). The CPS intervention resulted in a greater mean HbA1c absolute reduction of 1.6 percentage points compared to physician intervention (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Compared with physician intervention, clinical pharmacy intervention in the treatment of T2D led to a greater mean HbA1c reduction in patients receiving care through VA facilities in rural settings.
Spasticity: History, Definitions, and Usage of the Term

The term “spasticity” is derivated from the Greek spasticos (δπαδτικσζ) and spaon (δπασν, to draw out, stretch). While the term spasm (Greek spasmos, δπαδμσζ) was already in use by Hippocrates to describe an epileptic fit (Skinner 1970), the term spasticity has been used only in the more recent literature. It was first used in English by Good in 1829. He describes “spastic wryneck: from excess of muscular action on the contracted side.” Thus, by this time usage was similar to that of today.
Temperament Development Modeled as a Nonlinear Complex Adaptive System

Using approach-withdrawal (AW) as a specific instance of temperament, a theoretical model of temperament as a complex dynamic system is proposed. Developmental contextualism (Lerner, 1998) serves as a guiding theory in determining the structural components of the system and Kauffman's (1993) Boolean models of self-organization are adapted to estimate the parameter functions. In this model P(AW) = f(φ, θ) where P(AW) is the probability density function of an approach or a withdrawal response, (φ is a standardized parameter estimate of the biological sensitivity to stimulation, and θ is a standardized parameter estimate of the contextual response to an approach or withdrawal response. It is theorized that the functions of (φ and θ follow a Hill function of the forms: dφ /dt = (θ2/c2 + θ2) − K1φ dφ /dt = (φ 2/c2 + φ2) − K2φ, where K1, K2, and c are system constants. This results in a double sigmoid function in which at extreme values of φ and θ the system stabilizes on a steady state of either approach or withdrawal response patterns. At intermediate parameter values the probability density functions of approach and withdrawal responses are wider. Thus, AW can be modeled as representing two basins of attraction. In addition, considerations are given to the systems sensitivity to initial conditions.
The Effect of Parathyroid Hormone on Water Metabolism

Numerous reports exist showing that humans with primary hyperparathyroidism are unable to concentrate the urine normally (1–3). These patients develop polyuria, and when challenged with vasopressin do not respond by increasing urine osmolality. Usually all have hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria, and nephrocalcinosis.
Dune plant species diversity and function in two barrier island biogeomorphic systems

Barrier island dune systems exhibit strong geographic contrasts in theinteraction between extrinsic disturbance from storm overwash and intrinsicbiogeomorphic recovery processes. To examine how these interactions shape duneplant species diversity, I sampled species cover and topography alongfrequentlystorm-overwashed (South Core Banks, North Carolina) and infrequently overwashed(Sapelo Island, Georgia) barrier islands. The observed compositional anddiversity patterns were in agreement with a complex systems model in whichextrinsic overwash exposure is either reinforced (South Core Banks) or dampened(Sapelo Island) by intrinsic biogeomorphic controls of topography. A largespatial-scale regularity in the distributional pattern of along-shore speciesdiversity was correlated to primary foredune height on South Core. On Sapelo, afine-spatial scale differentiation of species diversity patterns was lessstrongly correlated to topographic metrics. There were no significantdifferences between islands in along-shore alpha diversity (Shannon-Weinerindex). However, Sapelo was more diverse given its smaller area and finer-scalehabitat heterogeneity. I posit that the relevancy of the IntermediateDisturbance Hypothesis is weak when examining diversity patterns along a shoredisturbance gradient. Intrinsic biogeomorphic processes decouple the directcause-and-effect relationship between disturbance and diversity, a basicassumption of IDH. I posit that the Dynamic Equilibrium Model may be a moregenerally applicable conceptual framework. DEM incorporates the interaction ofintrinsic and extrinsic processes that shape habitat heterogeneity, aprerequisite for understanding how complex systems interactions shape diversitypatterns.
Hypoxia activates a neuropeptidergic pathway from the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus to the nucleus tractus solitarii.

The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) contributes to both autonomic and neuroendocrine function. PVN lesion or inhibition blunts cardiorespiratory responses to peripheral chemorefle...
RELIGIOUS COMMITMENT MEDIATES HOSPICE NURSES’ SOCIAL POLITICAL IDEOLOGY AND ATTITUDES TOWARD EUTHANASIA

Medical aid in dying is currently legal in five states, with other states considering legislation. While hospice organizations officially oppose medical aid in dying, individual nurses’ attitudes vary. Previous research has linked both religiosity and conservative social political ideology to attitudes toward euthanasia (ATE). The purpose of the study was to investigate religious commitment as a mediator between social political ideology and ATE among hospice nurses. Participants consisted of hospice nurses (N = 90) who completed an online survey containing the Religious Commitment Inventory, the Attitudes Towards Euthanasia Scale, and a single self-report item concerning participants’ social political ideology. Conservative social political ideology and religious commitment were associated with more negative ATE. Religious commitment partially mediated the relationship between conservative social political ideology and overall ATE and fully mediated the relationship between conservative social political ideology and attitudes toward active euthanasia. Among hospice nurses, religious commitment may explain the relationship between conservative social political ideology and ATE, and this appears to be particularly true for active euthanasia methods, which would include medical aid in dying. These results suggest that religious commitment may drive hospice nurses’ political views regarding medical aid in dying.
Parallel High-Order Anisotropic Meshing Using Discrete Metric Tensors

This paper presents a metric-aligned meshing algorithm that relies on the Lp-Centroidal Voronoi Tesselation approach. A prototype of this algorithm was first presented at the Scitech conference of 2018 and this work is an extension to that paper. At the end of the previously presented work, a set of problems were mentioned which we are trying to address in this paper. First, we show a significant improvement in code performance since we were limited to present relatively benign (analytical) test cases. Second, we demonstrate here that we are able to rely on discrete metric data that is delivered by a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) solver. Third, we demonstrate how to generate high-order curved elements that are aligned with the underlying discrete metric field.
The Influence of Agents

…We learn from anatomy, that the immediate object of power in voluntary motion, is not the member itself which is moved, but certain muscles, and nerves, and animal spirits, and, perhaps, something still more minute and more unknown, through which the motion is successively propagated, ere it reach the member itself whose motion is the immediate object of volition. Can there be a more certain proof, that the power, by which the whole operation is performed…is, to the last degree, mysterious and unintelligible?1
Assessing carotid plaque neovascularity and calcifications in patients prior to endarterectomy

Abstract Objective The objective was to use two ultrasound image and signal processing techniques (MicroPure and superb microvascular imaging [SMI]; Toshiba Medical, Tokyo, Japan) to investigate carotid plaque calcification and intraplaque neovascularity flow as biomarkers for plaque vulnerability in patients before endarterectomy. Methods Thirty patients, with preoperative computed tomography angiography and scheduled for carotid endarterectomy, were enrolled in an institutional review board-approved study. Bilateral grayscale, power Doppler, SMI and MicroPure imaging of the carotids were performed using an Aplio 500 Platinum scanner (Toshiba). MicroPure combines nonlinear imaging and speckle suppression to mark calcifications as white spots in a blue overlay, and SMI uses clutter suppression to extract microvascular flow signals. Readers counted calcifications and scored them as present or absent; intraplaque neovascularity was scored on a 4-point scale by ultrasound imaging as well as by pathology (as the reference). MicroPure and SMI assessments were compared with conventional ultrasound examination and computed tomography angiography with pathology as the reference standard. Results Owing to technical difficulties and cancelled operations, 57 carotids were studied; endarterectomies yielded 28 specimens. Intraplaque neovascularization was detected by SMI in significantly more plagues than by power Doppler (41 vs 22 out 57 examined plaques or 72% vs 39%; P .37). Sensitivity specificity and accuracy for detecting intraplaque neovascularity based on color SMI and PDI were 84% (95% confidence interval [CI], 64%-96%), 33% (95% CI, 1%-91%), 79% (95% CI, 59%-92%), and 52% (95% CI, 31%-72%), 100% (95% CI, 23%-100%), and 57% (95% CI, 37%-76%), respectively. MicroPure did not correlate with any measures of intraplaque flow (P > .13). Conclusions SMI may have potential for providing evidence of plaque vulnerability. MicroPure appears less useful in carotid applications.
Dual mechanisms of posttranscriptional regulation of Tet2 by Let-7 microRNA in macrophages

Tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (Tet2) is an epigenetic regulator that removes methyl groups from deoxycytosine residues in DNA. Tet2-deficient murine macrophages show increased lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced and spontaneous inflammation at least partially because Tet2 acts to restrain interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 expression in induced cells. MicroRNAs have emerged as critical regulatory noncoding RNAs that tune immune cell responses to physiological perturbations and play roles in pathological conditions in macrophages. To determine if a microRNA played any role in Tet2 activity, we examined the interrelationship of Tet2 action and the let-7 microRNA family, utilizing several let-7 microRNA engineered murine models. We first showed that Tet2, but not Tet3, is a direct target of the let-7a-1/let-7d/let-7f-1 (let-7adf) microRNAs in macrophages. We found that overexpression or deletion of the let-7adf gene cluster causes altered IL-6 induction both in tissue culture cells induced by LPS treatment in vitro as well as in a Salmonella infection mouse model in vivo. Mechanistically, let-7adf promotes IL-6 by directly repressing Tet2 levels and indirectly by enhancing a Tet2 suppressor, the key TCA cycle metabolite, succinate. We found that Let-7adf promotes succinate accumulation by regulating the Lin28a/Sdha axis. We thereby identify two pathways of let-7 control of Tet2 and, in turn, of the key inflammatory cytokine, IL-6, thus characterizing a regulatory pathway in which a microRNA acts as a feedback inhibitor of inflammatory processes.
Photophysical study of [Ru(2,2′-bipyridine)3]2+ and [Ru(1,10-phenanthroline)3]2+ encapsulated in the Uio-66-NH2 metal organic framework

Abstract Metal organic frameworks are stable porous materials that provide an excellent environment for the encapsulation of photoactive guests. The ruthenium(II) polyimine complexes, in particular, ruthenium(II) tris-(1,10-phenanthroline) (RuPhen) and ruthenium(II) tris-(2,2′-bipyridine) (RuBpy) are ideal candidates for encapsulation due to their unique photophysics. Here the excited state properties of RuPhen and RuBpy encapsulated within the zirconium oxide based MOF Uio-66 and the amine derivatized MOF Uio-66-NH2 are reported. The encapsulated complexes exhibit stabilization of the excited triplet metal to ligand charge transfer state (3MLCT) resulting in a bathochromatic shift of the emission band and extension of the emission lifetime. The introduction of an amine functional group into the Uio-66 framework gives rise to a reduction in lifetimes relative to the parent Uio-66 framework materials that may arise from perturbation to low lying singlet in character MLCT states.
Stethoscope hygiene: Using cultures and real-time feedback with bioluminescence-based adenosine triphosphate technology to change behavior.

Background Stethoscope hygiene is rarely done despite guideline recommendations. We wanted to determine whether demonstrating what is growing on the stethoscopes of providers via culture or bioluminescence technology alters perceptions and improves compliance. Methods Providers were given the opportunity to (1) culture their stethoscopes before and after disinfection with alcohol pads, alcohol-based hand rub, or hydrogen peroxide disinfectant wipes and (2) swab stethoscopes for bioluminescence-based adenosine triphosphate testing before and after disinfection. Outcomes were observed for hand and stethoscope hygiene rates and before and after intervention survey responses. The bacteria that were isolated, colony-forming units (CFU), and bioluminescence scores were tracked. Results A total of 1,245 observed hand hygiene opportunities showed that compliance improved from 72.5%-82.3% (P Conclusions Showing providers what is growing on their stethoscopes via cultures and bioluminescence technology before and after disinfection improved “buy in” regarding stethoscope hygiene importance. Both methods were rated as having an equal impact, however, objective observations failed to show improvement.
Impact of Extended Aging Time and Freezing on Tenderness of Beef Top Sirloin Steaks

ObjectivesThe beef top sirloin steak is a popular cut among cost-conscious consumers, yet often does not deliver a desirable eating experience when compared to other cuts from the rib and loin. The objectives of this study were to 1) assess whether extended aging periods for the top sirloin were necessary to improve tenderness, and 2) evaluate the impact of freezing top sirloin butts during subprimal storage to see if quality attributes of resulting steaks would be enhanced.Materials and MethodsPaired USDA Choice top sirloin butts (n = 40) were collected from 20 carcasses and divided equally among 2 experiments: 1) left sides 14- versus right sides 35-d refrigerated aging (all subprimals stored ∼ –1°C for the assigned number of days), and 2) right sides refrigerated aging (aged under refrigeration for 35 d before cutting into steaks) versus left sides frozen aging (aged under refrigeration for 14 d, frozen for 14 d, and then placed back in refrigeration for 7 d before cutting into steaks). Consumers (n = 80 per experiment) evaluated 4 samples for sensory testing to determine if they could discern a difference in tenderness, flavor, juiciness, and overall likeability between treatments. Steaks also were subjected to Warner-Bratzler Shear (WBS) force for objective tenderness evaluation.ResultsComparisons for both objective and subjective tenderness evaluations showed no (P > 0.05) treatment differences in either experiment (Table 1). Results of the 14- versus 35-d refrigerated aging treatments indicated that top sirloin butts do not require extending-aging periods to increase tenderness. The lack of differences in consumer panel ratings between refrigerated and frozen treatments reflect an absence of consumer preference for either treatment.ConclusionRegardless of treatment, there were no differences in subjective or objective evaluations indicating that purveyors have options and flexibility in inventory control for top sirloin butts.
Adenosine A2A receptor agonist (regadenoson) in human lung transplantation.

BACKGROUND Currently, there are no clinically approved treatments for ischemia-reperfusion injury after lung transplantation. Pre-clinical animal models have demonstrated a promising efficacy of adenosine 2A receptor (A2AR) agonists as a treatment option for reducing ischemia-reperfusion injury. The purpose of this human study, is to conduct a Phase I clinical trial for evaluating the safety of continuous infusion of an A2AR agonist in lung transplant recipients. METHODS An adaptive, two-stage continual reassessment trial was designed to evaluate the safety of regadenoson (A2AR agonist) in the setting of lung transplantation. Continuous infusion of regadenoson was administered to lung transplant recipients that was started at the time of skin incision. Adverse events and dose-limiting toxicities, as pre-determined by a study team and assessed by a clinical team and an independent safety monitor, were the primary end-points for safety in this trial. RESULTS Between January 2018 and March 2019, 14 recipients were enrolled in the trial. Of these, 10 received the maximum infused dose of 1.44 µg/kg/min for 12 hours. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed. The steady-state plasma regadenoson levels sampled before the reperfusion of the first lung were 0.98 ± 0.46 ng/ml. There were no mortalities within 30 days. CONCLUSIONS Regadenoson, an A2AR agonist, can be safely infused in the setting of lung transplantation with no dose-limiting toxicities or drug-related mortality. Although not powered for the evaluation of secondary end-points, the results of this trial and the outcome of pre-clinical studies warrant further investigation with a Phase II randomized controlled trial.
Utilizing environmental remediation to teach research skills: An instructional case

Abstract This case allows you to examine the accounting and tax implications of environmental remediation costs in a scenario modeled after real-world investigations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The case specifically examines the costs that arise at each stage of an EPA investigation into hazardous materials and how to treat them from an accounting and tax perspective. By building on the timeline of facts from real investigations, you can understand the integrated implications to businesses of environmental remediation and the relevancy of each fact in answering each element of the case. The case consists of two individual parts requiring you to work in groups and research accounting and tax standards related to a similar set of facts. You will need to analyze relevant facts against these authorities to reach conclusions on the financial accounting and tax treatment for environmental remediation obligations and prepare memorandums documenting your research process and resulting conclusions.
Small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder

BACKGROUND Small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is an uncommon tumor that has been described in case reports or small series. Herein, the authors report a series of 64 patients with small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. METHODS Histologic slides and medical records from 64 patients with small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder were reviewed for morphologic, demographic, and clinical data. All patients fulfilled the criteria established for small cell carcinoma according to the World Health Organization classification system. The 2002 tumor, lymph node, and metastasis (TNM) system was used for pathologic staging. The correlations of various clinicopathologic characteristics with survival were analyzed. RESULTS Patients ranged in age from 36 years to 85 years (mean age, 66 years). The male-to-female ratio was 3.3:1.0. Among patients with clinical information available, 65% had a history of cigarette smoking, and 88% presented with hematuria. All but one patient had muscle-invasive disease at presentation. Thirty-eight patients (59%) underwent cystectomy. Sixty-six percent of patients had lymph node metastasis at the time of cystectomy. Twenty patients (32%) had pure small cell carcinoma, and 44 patients (68%) had small cell carcinoma with other histologic types (35 patients had urothelial carcinoma, 4 patients had adenocarcinoma, 2 patients had sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma, and 3 patients had both adenocarcinoma and urothelial carcinoma). With a mean follow-up of 21 months, 68% of patients died of bladder carcinoma. None of the clinicopathologic parameters studied (age, gender, presenting symptoms, smoking history, the presence of a nonsmall cell carcinoma component, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy) were associated with survival. No significant survival difference was found between patients who did and did not undergo cystectomy (P = 0.65). Patients who had organ-confined disease had marginally better survival compared with patients who had nonorgan-confined disease (P = 0.06). The overall, 1-year, 18-month, 3-year, and 5-year disease-specific survival rates were 56%, 41%, 23%, and 16%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The prognosis for patients with small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder remains poor, even though the overall survival for patients with bladder carcinoma has improved significantly over the last decade. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Disproportionate COVID-19 Related Mortality Amongst African Americans in Four Southern States in the United States

Abstract Background African Americans have been severely affected by COVID-19 noted with the rising mortality rates within the African American community. Health disparities, health inequities and issues with systemic health access are some of the pre-existing issues African Americans were subjected to within the southern states in the United States. Second, social distancing is a critical non-pharmacological intervention to reduce the spread of COVID-19. However, social distancing was not practical and presented a challenge within the African American community, specifically, in the southern states. Objective This article assesses the effect of COVID-19 on African Americans in the southern states. Methodology This short communication queried the publicly available Department of Health statistics on COVID-19 related mortality and underlying health conditions in four southern states (Alabama [AL], Georgia [GA], Louisiana [LA] and Mississippi [MS]) with a high proportion of African American residents. Second, the unacast COVID-19 toolkit was used to derive a social distancing (SD) grade for any given state, based on three different metrics: (i) percent change in average distance travelled (ii) percent change in non-essential visits and (iii) decrease in human encounters (compared to national baseline). Results Across the four states, on average, as many as 54% of COVID-19 related deaths are in the African American community, although this minority group comprises only 32% of the population cumulatively. This article finds that all four southern states received a social distancing grade of F. COVID-19 have demonstrated that adverse outcomes are higher in individuals with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, or pre-existing pulmonary compromise. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed racial disparities in our healthcare system that disproportionately impacts African Americans within the four states of the southern United States. In addition, the lack of diversity in the healthcare system likely impacts this disproportionate impact on African American communities because it is not able to address its primary obligations within minority communities. Recognizing that there is a great need for African American representation or diversity in the health workforce would be able to better address the health disparities.
Attentional biases to emotional faces among women with a history of single episode versus recurrent major depression.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent psychiatric disorder, and recurrent depression is associated with severe and chronic impairment. Identifying markers of risk is imperative to i...
Graph Models of Pathology Spread in Alzheimer's Disease: An Alternative to Conventional Graph Theoretic Analysis

Background: Graph theory and connectomics are new techniques for uncovering disease-induced changes in the brain's structural network. Most prior studied have focused on network statistics as bioma...
Telehealth to Avoid Emergency Department Visit and Hospitalization for a Person With Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

Z.R. is a 20-year-old White man with no prior relevant medical or surgical history. He presented to his pediatrician’s office in April 2020 with a 1-month history of thirst and polyuria and an unintentional weight loss of 25 lb. His weight was 167 lb, and he was 6 feet tall. He was not in distress, dehydrated, or hyperventilating. His vital signs and physical examination were normal, but point-of-care glucose levels were in the 300-mg/dL range, with urine positive for glucose and ketones. Z.R. is a college student majoring in sports medicine. He reports not smoking tobacco or drinking alcohol. At the time of his clinic visit, he was home from college and staying with parents during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown. He had no family history of diabetes or autoimmune diseases. He is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. The pediatrician contacted the endocrine service at 5:00 p.m. on a Thursday night. The pediatrician and endocrinologist mutually agreed that it would be in the best interests of the patient to avoid both an emergency department visit and a hospital stay. The COVID-19 outbreak was straining hospital resources and posing a potential nosocomial infection risk. Furthermore, telehealth resources were in place to safely and effectively manage Z.R.’s needs remotely. The endocrinologist contacted Z.R. and his parents and conducted an initial telehealth consultation by telephone that evening. The family was informed of the likely diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and agreed to initiate glucose monitoring and insulin administration that evening and that Z.R. would undergo laboratory testing the next morning. The value of blood glucose monitoring and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was discussed along with the requirement for insulin therapy. The endocrinologist also reviewed how to recognize and treat hypoglycemia, the basic nutrition principles of matching insulin to carbohydrates, and the potential …
Comparison of Staphylococcus aureus from bovine and caprine milk

Staphylococcus aureus is a frequent cause of infection in humans and animals. It is the most common cause of chronic subclinical bovine mastitis. Genotypes of S. aureus associated with one host can be transmitted among species. The purpose of this study was to compare genotypes and antimicrobial susceptibilities of representative bovine and caprine S. aureus isolates, and determine possible interspecies transfer of genotypes. It was hypothesized that genotypes and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of S. aureus would be similar for bovine and caprine isolates.
Using social media affordances to support Ill-structured problem-solving skills: considering possibilities and challenges

Educators consider the development of problem-solving skills in learners to be a primary goal of contemporary teaching and learning efforts. Yet, participating in problem-centered instruction is challenging for learners, and educators have sought different ways of supporting learners as they make sense of complex content. Social media applications are readily available for use by educators, which in turn provides many opportunities for these tools to support teaching and learning activities. While social media affordances offer educators exciting opportunities to support learners in authentic problem-solving contexts, these tools do not come without challenges, and little research has considered how such tools can specifically facilitate the development of learners’ problem-solving abilities. The purpose of this paper is to identify prominent educational affordances of social media and to explore how these identified affordances have the potential to support ill-structured problem-solving activities. This paper offers researchers and educators new directions for facilitating problem-centered learning when using social media.
The Effects of Noise on the Perception of Animated Human Running

Cyclic motions such as running or walking are difficult to animate because limitations in time and technology often result in only a small number of distinct cycles being produced. These few cycles are then repeated to create an animation of the desired length. Unfortunately, the repetitiveness of the resulting motion often appears unnatural. This paper seeks to fix this problem by determining how to introduce natural-looking variability into cyclic animations of human motion. We construct a noise function based on biomechanical considerations that introduces natural-looking perturbations in a base running motion produced either by dynamic simulation or from motion capture data. We evaluate our results through human subject testing.
EARLY DISCHARGE ALERT

Early discharge from the hospital after birth has transformed a special rite-de-passage into a crisis for the family. One of the victims of this crisis may be an infant who is breastfeeding. When the process of breastfeeding is not going well, a common response is often to abandon breastfeeding and turn to artifical feeding. Breastfeeding, however, is the ideal method of feeding for the human infant. Human milk is species-specific, ideal for brain growth, physical nourishment, infection protection, immunologic protection, allergy avoidance, and optimal mother-infant interaction. Breastfeeding may be difficult for some mothers because we live in a bottle-feeding culture where the symbol for infancy is a bottle.
Poisson brackets associated to the conformal geometry of curves

In this paper we present an invariant moving frame, in the group theoretical sense, along curves in the Mobius sphere. This moving frame will describe the relationship between all conforrnal differential invariants for curves that appear in the literature. Using this frame we first show that the Kac-Moody Poisson bracket on Lo(n + 1,1)* can be Poisson reduced to the space of conformal differential invariants of curves. The resulting bracket will be the conformal analogue of the Adler-Gel'fand-Dikii bracket. Secondly, a conformally invariant flow of curves induces naturally an evolution on the differential invariants of the flow. We give the conditions on the invariant flow ensuring that the induced evolution is Hamiltonian with respect to the reduced Poisson bracket. Because of a certain parallelism with the Euclidean case we study what we call Frenet and natural cases. We comment on the implications for completely integrable systems, and describe conformal analogues of the Hasimoto transformation.
Project‐Based ORMS Education

Operations research and management science (ORMS) is not simply the rote application of formulas and algorithms but also an involved process of modeling ill-posed real-world problems. Students must therefore learn both the mathematical foundations of the field as well as the craft of the practice of ORMS. In this article, the author surveys different approaches to project-based education, which attempts to teach the practice of ORMS. The author also provides best practices for the specific example of student field projects with clients. Keywords: education; case studies; applications; student projects
Occurrence of Branched-Chain Hydroxy Fatty Acids in Pseudomonas maltophilia

Three branched-chain hydroxy acids not previously reported in other bacteria were found in extracts from saponified whole cells of Pseudomonas maltophilia. On the basis of evidence from mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, and gas chromatographic procedures, they were identified as 2-hydroxy-9-methyldecanoic acid, 3-hydroxy-9-methyldecanoic acid, and 3-hydroxy-11-methyldodecanoic acid. These acids appeared to be tightly bound to other cellular components since they were not extracted from lyophilized cells with a chloroform-methanol (3:1) mixture.
Production of aflatoxins B1 and G1 by Aspergillus flavus in a semisynthetic medium.

Isolates of Aspergillus flavus produced 0.2 to 63 mg of aflatoxins B1 and G1 per 100 ml in a nutrient solution consisting of 20% sucrose and 2% yeast extract. Various factors influencing the fermentation were studied. The maximal amount of toxin was produced by ATCC culture 15548 in 1-liter flasks containing 100 ml of medium incubated as stationary cultures for 6 days at 25 C.
Shared workplace experiences of lesbian and gay police officers in the United Kingdom

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explores the contemporary workplace experiences of lesbian and gay officers who serve across the UK. Design/methodology/approach – Using an online survey, the research asked lesbian and gay officers to share their experiences in law enforcement environments. Acknowledging the changing climate in many law enforcement environments, this respondents here were asked to focus on both positive and negative experiences in the workplace. Findings – The responses of 243 police officers revealed that lesbian and gay officers face barriers to equal employment opportunities similar to those faced by women and other minorities in law enforcement, but lesbian officers appear to experience and witness lower levels of discrimination than gay male police officers. Attitudinal bias against lesbian and gay officers remains a significant problem in the force. Lesbian officers report feelings of tokenism at higher levels than gay male police officers. Research limitations/implications...
Limited creep-feeding supplementation effects on performance of beef cows and calves grazing limpograss pastures

Abstract Limpograss ( Hemarthria altissima ) is a warm-season grass used by cow–calf producers in South Florida; however, limpograss protein concentration may limit animal performance. The objective of this study was to test the effects of creep-fed protein supplement on performance of cow–calf pairs grazing limpograss pastures. The experiments were conducted in Ona, FL from June to September 2011 (Experiment 1) and from June to August 2012 (Experiment 2). Twenty-four cows and calves [Angus-sired calves on crossbred cows (approximately 63% Bos taurus and 37% Bos indicus )] were randomly distributed in eight limpograss pastures (1.0 ha/pasture). In Experiment 1, calves received 200 g/d of soybean meal (SBM, 48% CP) daily by creep-feeding or no supplement (control). Treatments were distributed in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. In Experiment 2, calves received 200 or 400 g/d of SBM daily by creep-feeding or no supplement (control) distributed in a randomized incomplete block design with three replicates for 200 g/d and control and two replicates for 400 g/d. In Experiment 1, there was no difference in HM ( P =0.54; mean=4500±800 kg/ha), in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM; P =0.92; mean=62±1.4%) and crude protein concentration (CP; P =0.14; mean=14.3±0.9%) between treatments. In addition, there was no difference in cow and calf ADG ( P =0.51; mean=0.25±0.1 kg/d and P =0.24; 0.55±0.1 kg/d for cows and calves ADG, respectively). In Experiment 2, there was no effect of creep-feeding on HM ( P =0.28; mean=6800±700 kg/ha), IVDOM ( P =0.31; mean=52±3.5%), and CP ( P =0.63; mean=11.1±0.5%) concentrations; however, there was a linear ( P =0.03) increase in ADG from 0.33 to 0.62 kg/d for calves receiving from 0 to 400 g/d SBM. Cow ADG was similar among treatments ( P =0.44; mean=0.23±0.12 kg/d). Calves receiving 400 g/d SBM had 0.75 kg BW/kg feed added gain efficiency {[BW gain of creep-fed calves (kg) – BW gain of control calves (kg)]/[amount of feed consumed during the experimental period (kg)]}, and a tendency for 70% linear increase in economic return ( P =0.06), when compared with the control calves. Limited creep-feeding of SBM supplement may be an effective management practice to improve weaning weights of beef calves on limpograss pastures.
Development of inhibitory and facilitatory modulation in the rat dentate gyrus

The present study was undertaken to examine age-related changes in the facilitatory/inhibitory modulation of dentate granule cell excitability in the hippocampus of freely-moving male rats. Dentate granule cell population responses to paired-pulse stimulation of the perforant pathway were recorded across a range of interpulse intervals at 15, 30 and 90 days of age. Paired-pulse indexes were constructed based on the percent change in the response to the second pulse from the response to the first pulse. Results indicate an age-dependent rise in the level of both inhibitory and facilitatory modulation of dentate granule cell excitability. The results indicate that the relationship between inhibitory neurons and dentate granule cells depends on the maturational state of the local hippocampal circuit.
Cerebellar learning: a possible phase switch in evolution

The strength of synapses from granule cells (GrC) to Purkinje cells (PC) changes, as a function of the interval between firing of GrCs and the PC's climbing fiber (CF). In the case of constant and piecewise constant signals, an adequate tuning could be provided by a phase-based memorizing system, based on the observed properties of cerebellar neurons. We now discuss the cerebellar model for general nonstationary signals.