cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Overweight, obesity, and associated disease burden in the Veterans Affairs ambulatory care population.

Background: This report describes the prevalence of overweight and obesity and estimates the disease burden associated with excess weight in ambulatory Veterans Affairs (VA) patients. Methods: Height and weight were measured, and self-reported age and self-reported morbidities were obtained for 1,731 patients. Prevalence odds ratios explain the association of self-reported disease on increasing weight status category using body mass index. Results: Seventy-five percent of the participants were overweight or obese. Obesity was significantly higher in the younger patients. Graded increases in odds ratios were observed with increasing severity of overweight and obesity for all morbidities, except heart disease. Conclusion: Overweight, obesity, and associated disease burden are prevalent in the VA health care system, particularly in younger VA patients, which may contribute to the higher prevalence of certain morbidities observed in VA populations compared with private sector outpatients. Department of Veterans Affairs should emphasize obesity prevention and treatment during the design and implementation of ambulatory care services.
Human pheochromocytoma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase: purification and molecular parameters of the tetramer.

Several investigators have reported multiple molecular forms of dopamine-β-hydroxylase purified from human pheochromocytoma and human plasma. We purified the soluble dopamine-β-hydroxylase from the chromaffin vesicles of two human pheochromocytomas, using carbohydrate affinity chromatography on Concanavalin A-Sepharose. The purified products were electrophoretically homogeneous. No evidence of multimeric forms of the enzyme were found by analytical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with activity elution, analytical gel filtration chromatography, or zonal sedimentation on sucrose density gradients. By combining the hydrodynamic parameters of s20,w and Stokes radii, the tumor enzyme was characterized as having a molecular mass of 300,000 to 317,000 daltons, as compared to the bovine adrenomedullary enzyme at 282,000 daltons. Its frictional ratio was 1.68 to 1.69, leading to anomalously high molecular weights when estimated by gel filtration alone. The tetrameric enzyme was composed of monomeric subunits of 78,000 to 80,500 daltons each, joined by disulfide linkages to form dimeric subunits of 155,000 to 160,000 daltons, two of which join by noncovalent interaction to form each tetramer.
Henry Hatfield, Aesthetic Paganism in German Literature. From Winckelmann to the Death of Goethe

(1966). Henry Hatfield, Aesthetic Paganism in German Literature. From Winckelmann to the Death of Goethe. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 41, No. 4, pp. 308-310.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Guillain-Barre syndrome is an acute inflammatory immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy presenting typically with tingling, progressive weakness, and pain. Variants and formes frustes may complicate recognition. The best known variant is the sensory ataxic form of Miller Fisher syndrome, which also affects the oculomotor nerves and the brain stem. Divergent pathologic mechanisms lead to demyelinating, axonal, or mixed demyelinating-axonal damage. In the demyelinating form, yet to be identified antigens are inferred by complement activation, myelin destruction, and macrophage-activated cleanup. In the axonal and Miller Fisher variants, gangliosides (GM1, GD1a, GQ1b) are targeted by immunoglobulins and share antigenic epitopes with some bacterial and viral antigens. Campylobacter jejuni infection is associated with an axonal-onset variant; affected patients commonly experience more rapid deterioration. Many other antecedent infectious agents have been recognized including the most recently identified, Zika virus. Supportive care remains the mainstay of therapy. Plasma exchange or intravenous immunoglobin hastens recovery. Combination immunotherapy is not more effective, and the efficacy of prolonged immunotherapy is unproven. One in 3 patients will have deterioration severe enough to require prolonged intensive care monitoring or mechanical ventilation. Full recovery is often seen; most patients regain ambulation, even in severe cases, but disability remains in up to 10% and perhaps more. Numerous challenges remain including early identification and control of infectious triggers, improved access of modern neurointensive care worldwide, and translating our understanding of pathogenesis into meaningful preventive or assistive therapies. This review provides a historical perspective at the centenary of the first description of the syndrome, insights into its pathogenesis, triage, initial immunotherapy, and management in the intensive care unit.
Toggling of diacylglycerol affinity correlates with conformational plasticity in C1 domains

Conserved homology-1 (C1) domains are peripheral membrane domains that target their host proteins to diacylglycerol (DAG)-containing membranes. It has been previously shown that a conservative aromatic mutation of a single residue in the C1 domain has a profound effect on DAG affinity. We report that the “DAG-toggling” mutation changes the conformational dynamics of the loop region that forms the binding site for the C1 activators. Moreover, there is a correlation among the residue identity at the mutation site, DAG affinity, and loop dynamics in four C1 variants. We propose that “toggling” of DAG affinity may occur through modulation of both protein–membrane interactions and the geometry of the activator-binding cleft, with the loop dynamics being responsible for the latter.
Abstract 5663: A potential role for NKG2A to influence post-transplant outcomes in multiple myeloma

While there is currently no clear consensus regarding optimal maintenance therapy after autologous stem cell transplant (autoSCT), the early post-transplant setting is a potential site of augmentation to improve post-transplant outcomes. We previously characterized stem cell graft lymphocytes in association with progression free survival (PFS) after autoSCT in multiple myeloma (MM), and showed that there was an inverse correlation between NKG2A expression on CD56dim NK cells and PFS. Therefore, we aimed to investigate a potential role for NKG2A modulation, especially in the post-transplant setting with maintenance chemotherapy. We performed immunophenotypic analyses of NK cells from patients in the immediate post-transplant setting as well as from patients at various time points after transplant on lenalidomide maintenance therapy. In the immediate post-transplant setting (mean time since transplant=13 days) NKG2A was upregulated on NK cells when compared with KIR2DL1 (p=0.001) and KIR2DL2 (p=0.002). Additionally, in immunophenotypic analyses of PBMC from MM patients on various treatments, patients receiving lenalidomide maintenance therapy that recently underwent stem cell transplant (mean time since transplant=0.53 years) had elevated NKG2A expression compared to patients receiving no treatment (p=0.029). Conversely, patients receiving lenalidomide maintenance therapy over years (mean time since transplant=4.21 years) after transplant showed reduced NKG2A expression compared to patients receiving no treatment (p=0.0161). In bone marrow aspirates from patients with MM, primary CD138-positive myeloma cells in the bone marrow express HLA-E, the cognate antigen for NKG2A, which makes the overexpression of NKG2A biologically relevant. These data suggest that the NKG2A/HLA-E checkpoint axis may be more biologically relevant than KIR in myeloma, particularly in the post-transplant setting. This has important potential implications for treatment, as it demonstrates that NKG2A could serve as a potential target for modulation in the immediate post-transplant setting to improve survival, especially in the setting of maintenance chemotherapy. Further investigation should be aimed delineating the potential effect of NKG2A modulation on immune recovery and tumor surveillance to increase survival in the post-transplant setting. Citation Format: Jennifer Cooperrider, Paul D. Ciarlariello, Tiffany Hughes, Nita Williams, Craig Hofmeister, Robert Baiocchi, Don M. Benson. A potential role for NKG2A to influence post-transplant outcomes in multiple myeloma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5663. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5663
Computed Tomography Artifacts

Artifacts are commonly encountered pitfalls in musculoskeletal computed tomography (CT) which frequently reduce image quality. CT artifacts are manifestations of a divergence between actual attenuation coefficients and measured Hounsfield units of objects on a CT image. Unavoidable CT artifacts emanate from dense objects, while avoidable CT artifacts are outcomes of less than optimal protocol parameters affecting study acquisition and image reconstruction. Although unavoidable, several strategies exist to mitigate CT artifacts associated with metal. Utilizing protocol parameters specific for metal during CT acquisition and reconstruction, using metal artifact reduction software, and scanning with dual energy CT all play a role in improving CT image quality when dense objects are present. Attention to detail for protocol optimization regarding patient-specific factors and CT acquisition and reconstruction are effective techniques to reduce the amount of avoidable CT artifacts.
A pilot study evaluating surfactant on eustachian tube function in divers.

ABSTRACT Background: Middle ear barotrauma (MEBT) is the most common medical complication in diving, aviation, and hyperbaric medicine. Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) quantifies the inability to open the eustachian tube (ET), risking MEBT. Surfactant administration improved ET function and efficaciously treated otitis media in a host of animal models. We performed a pilot study evaluating the efficacy of intranasal surfactant administration in reducing MEBT in repetitive diving. Methods: Eight divers participated in a subject-blinded, placebo-controlled, random order, multiarm (air and O2 )-repeated measures trial investigating the relative efficacy of intranasally administered surfactant, acetylcysteine and oxymetazoline, and orally administered pseudoephedrine versus saline-placebo in middle ear equilibration during repetitive, multiday diving. Subjects were tested with the Nine-Step Inflation/Deflation Tympanometry Test (NSI/DT) and sonotubometry (testing eustachian tube opening pressure [ETOP]) bef...
Relationship between total dissolved solids and electrical conductivity in Marcellus hydraulic fracturing fluids.

The production of hydraulic fracturing fluids (HFFs) in natural gas extraction and their subsequent management results in waste streams highly variable in total dissolved solids (TDS). Because TDS measurement is time-consuming, it is often estimated from electrical conductivity (EC) assuming dissolved solids are predominantly ionic species of low enough concentration to yield a linear TDS-EC relationship: TDS (mg/L) = k e × EC (μS/cm) where k e is a constant of proportionality. HHFs can have TDS levels from 20,000 to over 300,000 mg/L wherein ion-pair formation and non-ionized solutes invalidate a simple TDS-EC relationship. Therefore, the composition and TDS-EC relationship of several fluids from Marcellus gas wells in Pennsylvania were assessed. Below EC of 75,000 μS/cm, TDS (mg/L) can be estimated with little error assuming k e = 0.7. For more concentrated HFFs, a curvilinear relationship (R 2 = 0.99) is needed: TDS = 27,078e 1.05 × 10 −5 *EC . For hypersaline HFFs, the use of an EC/TDS meter underestimates TDS by as much as 50%. A single linear relationship is unreliable as a predictor of brine strength and, in turn, potential water quality and soil impacts from accidental releases or the suitability of HFFs for industrial wastewater treatment.
Comparable outcomes in intestinal retransplantation: Single-center cohort study.

Background Graft loss in intestinal transplantation (ITx) is close to 25% in the first year and 50% at 5-year post-transplantation. Although technically and immunologically challenging, intestinal retransplantation is now the 4th most common indication for ITx. Methods The aim of this study was to review and compare the outcomes of intestinal retransplantation with primary ITx, which included isolated ITx, modified multivisceral transplantation (mMVTx), and full MVTx, between 2003 and 2014 at Indiana University. Results Of 218 ITx, 18 (8.3%) were retransplantation. Causes of graft loss were rejection(78%), pancreatitis (11%), and severe intestine dismotility (11%). MVTx (16/18, 89%) was the preferred retransplantation option. In 7 (39%) patients, graftectomy was performed between primary and intestinal retransplantation. Median interval between primary ITx and retransplantation was 421 days. Although patient and graft survival rates at 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years were comparable between primary and retransplants, the number of retransplants was limited in the follow-up after post-transplant year 3. Conclusions We identified that timing of retransplantation, graftectomy prior to retransplant allowing an immunosuppression free state, inclusion of the liver, and preserved renal function are important factors in the consideration of intestinal retransplantation. Immunological aspects remain challenging in the decision making and for short- and long-term outcomes.
Assay Techniques Available for the Toxicologist

Publisher Summary Radioimmunoassay (RIA) and other newer assay methodologies have added new weapons to the arsenal of endocrine toxicologists and have given the practitioners of toxicology tools with which to monitor the endocrine effects of toxic agents. But for this single technology to capture the attention of scientists worldwide, other events had to fall into place such as the development of a novel protein radioiodination technique using the oxidant chloramine T and relatively small amounts of 131I Fractions of cell membranes and cell receptors were employed as “reagents” in the new assays with the hope of imparting a greater degree of specificity. It was unique antibody production that played a second crucial role in the development of RIAs. The assays that are frequently used are quantitate serum cholesterol and triglycerides, bioassays, radioreceptor assays, and radioimmunoassays. Assays available to the toxicologist or endocrine toxicologist provide state of the art schemes for the measurement of hormones and endocrine related molecules for research and clinical uses. They have evolved from very simple bench manipulations to assays encompassing complex and sophisticated automated technology.
The effectiveness of relevant pictures in multiple-channel communications

1 This research was performed pursuant to contracts with the United States Office of Education, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, under the provisions of the Cooperative Research Program at the University of Wisconsin Research and Development Center, Center No. C-o3, Contract OE 5-10o-154. It is also a portion of the author's Ph.D. dissertation for the University of Wisconsin School of Journalism. The author wishes to acknowledge the advice of his major professor, Bruce H. Westley, and the cooperation of the University of Wisconsin Computing Center.
Normed Linear Spaces

This chapter gives an introduction to the theory of normed linear spaces. A skeptical reader may wonder why this topic in pure mathematics is useful in applied mathematics. The reason is quite simple: Many problems of applied mathematics can be formulated as a search for a certain function, such as the function that solves a given differential equation. Usually the function sought must belong to a definite family of acceptable functions that share some useful properties. For example, perhaps it must possess two continuous derivatives. The families that arise naturally in formulating problems are often linear spaces. This means that any linear combination of functions in the family will be another member of the family. It is common, in addition, that there is an appropriate means of measuring the “distance” between two functions in the family. This concept comes into play when the exact solution to a problem is inaccessible, while approximate solutions can be computed. We often measure how far apart the exact and approximate solutions are by using a norm. In this process we are led to a normed linear space, presumably one appropriate to the problem at hand. Some normed linear spaces occur over and over again in applied mathematics, and these, at least, should be familiar to the practitioner. Examples are the space of continuous functions on a given domain and the space of functions whose squares have a finite integral on a given domain.
Diabetestherapie in besonderen Lebenssituationen

Die hyperglykame Entgleisung unter dem Einfluss einer Kortisontherapie oder einer parenteralen Ernahrung stellt im klinisch praktischen Alltag immer ofter eine Herausforderung dar. Hier gibt es weder Leitlinien noch relevante evidenzbasierte Daten, wie die Diabeteseinstellung optimal zur fuhren ist. Die Gute der Stoffwechseleinstellung ist noch mehr als sonst individuell zu definieren und mit den Patienten, Angehorigen und allen Beteiligten des therapeutischen Teams abzusprechen. Bei der oft palliativen Situation ist die Devise eher die Vermeidung von Hypo- und starken Hyperglykamien und nicht die Vermeidung von diabetischen Folgeerkrankungen wie mikro- und makroangiopathischen oder neuropathischen Erkrankungen. Im Folgenden wird darauf eingegangen, wie eine mogliche – meist insulinbasierte Therapie – begonnen werden kann.
A Quality Cost Model to Determine Optimal Policies for Purchased Components

This study develops a technique for predicting purchasing quality costs and studying their behavior as random variables. The resulting model extends prior research that treats purchasing costs deterministically or not at all, thereby providing a valuabl..
Introduction to Evolutionary Computation

In this chapter we discuss biological evolution, and the way it has evolved the organisms and structures that we see around us today. We then extract the essentials of this natural stochastic search method, and discuss how one could implement the same, or an even more efficient version, in software. Once the standard evolutionary algorithm methods are introduced (genetic algorithms, genetic programming, evolutionary strategies, and evolutionary programming), we also discuss the slightly lesser known memetic algorithm approaches (hybrid algorithms), and how it compares to the already discussed methods. Finally, we discuss the equivalency between all these methods, and the fact that all of them are just different sides of the same coin.
Automated microfluidic droplet sampling with integrated, mix-and-read immunoassays to resolve endocrine tissue secretion dynamics

A fully automated droplet generation and analysis device based on pressure driven push-up valves for precise pumping of fluid and volumetric metering has been developed for high resolution hormone secretion sampling and measurement. The device consists of a 3D-printer templated reservoir for single cells or single tissue culturing, a Y-shaped channel for reagents and sample mixing, a T-junction channel for droplet formation, a reference channel to overcome drifts in fluorescence signal, and a long droplet storage channel allowing incubation for homogeneous immunoassays. The droplets were made by alternating peristaltic pumping of aqueous and oil phases. Device operation was automated, giving precise control over several droplet parameters such as size, oil spacing, and ratio of sample and reference droplets. By integrating an antibody-oligonucleotide based homogeneous immunoassay on-chip, high resolution temporal sampling into droplets was combined with separation-free quantification of insulin secretion from single islets of Langerhans using direct optical readout from the droplets. Quantitative assays of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion were demonstrated at 15 second temporal resolution while detecting as low as 10 amol per droplet, revealing fast insulin oscillations that mirror well-known intracellular calcium signals. This droplet sampling and direct optical analysis approach effectively digitizes the secretory time record from cells into droplets, and the system should be generalizable to a variety of cells and tissue types.
Treatment of Sleep Disturbance May Reduce the Risk of Future Probable Alzheimer's Disease.

Objective: This study explored two research questions: (a) Does sleep medication neutralize or provide a protective effect against the hazard of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)? (b) Do apolipoprotein (APO...
Largo dislocare: connecting microhistories to remap and recenter histories of science

This brief essay uses Pandurang Khankhoje, an Indian scientist and political refugee in Mexico, as an example of the value of using a largo dislocare approach to write histories of science. Largo d...
Independent discussion sections for improving inferential reproducibility in published research.

Summary There is a reproducibility crisis in science. There are many potential contributors to replication failure in research across the translational continuum. In this perspective piece, we focus on the narrow topic of inferential reproducibility. Although replication of methods and results is necessary to demonstrate reproducibility, it is not sufficient. Also fundamental is consistent interpretation in the Discussion section. Current deficiencies in the Discussion sections of manuscripts might limit the inferential reproducibility of scientific research. Lack of contextualisation using systematic reviews, overinterpretation and misinterpretation of results, and insufficient acknowledgement of limitations are common problems in Discussion sections; these deficiencies can harm the translational process. Proposed solutions include eliminating or not reading Discussions, writing accompanying editorials, and post-publication review and comments; however, none of these solutions works very well. A second Discussion written by an independent author with appropriate expertise in research methodology is a new testable solution that could help probe inferential reproducibility, and address some deficiencies in primary Discussion sections.
Police-Related Deaths and Neighborhood Economic and Racial/Ethnic Polarization, United States, 2015-2016.

Objectives. To estimate the association between rates of police-related deaths and neighborhood residential segregation (by income, race/ethnicity, or both combined) in the United States.Methods. W...
The impact of pore size distribution data presentation format on pore structure interpretation of shales

Understanding the nature of pore structures in unconventional reservoirs such as shale oil/gas can assist in evaluating the storage potentials and reveal transport mechanisms. Pore size distribution is one of the most importance pore structure parameters which needs to be evaluated accurately and presented in various formats to provide more in-depth information from the rocks. In this paper, several shale samples were collected and analyzed by using N 2 adsorption and high-pressure mercury intrusion. Three different presentations of the pore size distributions: incremental pore volume versus diameter ( DV ), differential pore volume versus diameter ( DV/Dd ) and the log differential pore volume versus diameter ( DV/DlogD ) were calculated from these two different methods, respectively. The comparison results showed that different presentations from the same sample could demonstrate various type of important pore information. The DV curve is largely depended on the experimental data spacing while the other two presentations do not. The DV/Dd curve could amplify the role of smaller pore ranges while the DV/Dlogd would represent the importance of the larger pore ranges. The multifractal analysis showed that the heterogeneity index calculated from the DV/Dd curve is much larger than the heterogeneity index from the DV/Dlog curve. It was concluded that DV/Dd is more suitable for characterizing the pore size distribution from N 2 adsorption while DV/Dlogd works better for the high-pressure mercury intrusion. Cited as : Liu, K., Ostadhassan, M. The impact of pore size distribution data presentation format on pore structure interpretation of shales. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2019, 3(2): 187-197, doi: 10.26804/ager.2019.02.08
Predicting the need for ICU admission in community-acquired pneumonia.

Abstract Background Multiple criteria have been proposed to define community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) severity and predict ICU admission. Validity studies have found differing results. We tested four models to assess severe CAP built upon the criteria included in the 2007 IDSA/ATS guidelines, hypothesizing that a model providing different weights for each individual criterion may be of better predictability. Methods Retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort study of adult hospitalizations for CAP at nine hospitals in Louisville, KY from June 2014 to May 2016. Four models were tested. Model 1: original 2007 IDSA/ATS criteria. Model 2: modified IDSA/ATS criteria by removing multilobar infiltrates and changing BUN threshold to ≥30 mg/dL; adding lactate level >2 mmol/L and requirement of non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV). CAP was severe with 1 major criterion or 3 minor criteria. Model 3: same criteria as model 2, CAP was severe with 1 major criterion or 4 minor criteria. Model 4: multiple regression analysis including the modified criteria as described in models 2 and 3 with a score assigned to each variable according to the magnitude of association between variable and need for ICU. Results 8284 CAP hospitalizations were included. 1458 (18%) required ICU. Model 4 showed highest prediction of need for ICU with an area under the curve of 0.91, highest accuracy, specificity, positive predictive value, and agreement among models. Conclusion Assigning differential weights to clinical predictive variables generated a score with accuracy that outperformed the original 2007 IDSA/ATS criteria for severe CAP and ICU admission.
Statistical Applications of the Pseudo Inverse

Publisher Summary Generalized and pseudo inverses find their primary statistical applications in linear models. Many formulas, derivations and explanations become simpler and more unified when these concepts are employed. This chapter reviews a selected list of statistical topics on which the Moore-Penrose Pseudo Inverse can be fruitfully borne to bear. It discusses constrained least squares, maximum likelihood estimation and the singular normal distribution, the Gauss Markov theorem, when a naive least square estimator (L. S. E.) is a best linear unbiased estimates (B. L. U. E.), the distribution of quadratic forms in normal random variables, sums of squares, and conditional expectations and covariances for normal random variables.
Effects of vehicle safety design on road traffic deaths, injuries, and public health burden in the Latin American region: a modelling study

Summary Background The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to halve global traffic deaths by 2020, will not be met by most low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region, traffic deaths have remained stable at a high-level despite strong progress in other health domains. We evaluated the effects of road safety interventions in LAC and estimated the benefits that vehicle design improvements would have in this region. Methods In our study done in October, 2018, we used a counterfactual analysis to assess the reduction in deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost if eight proven vehicle safety technologies were made more widely available in LAC countries. We estimated: (1) country-level incidence of traffic injuries, (2) the effectiveness of technologies through a systematic literature review, (3) the prevalence of car safety technologies, and (4) the lives saved and DALYs averted if all cars had these technologies. We characterised uncertainty in estimates by reporting the sensitivity of the results to alternative modelling assumptions. Findings Increasing availability of electronic stability control, which includes antilock-brake systems, would have the largest benefits in the LAC region, estimated at 19·4% (sensitivity analysis range 8·6–31·1) fewer deaths and 17·0% (5·7–29·2) fewer DALYs. Increasing use of seatbelts would reduce deaths by 12·1% (9·1–15·5) and DALYs by 12·6% (9·4–16·3). Optimisation for side-impacts would result in 6·3% (3·1–6·5) fewer deaths, and improvements to vehicle front-end design would result in 6·0% (2·2–10·4) fewer deaths. The overall effect of improved vehicle design in the region would be 28·1% (12·8–39·2) fewer deaths, and 29·1% (13·5–39·8) fewer DALYs. Other safety technologies modelled, including airbag (front and side), side door beam, and side structure and padding, have smaller benefits. Interpretation Regulating and encouraging the use of proven vehicle safety technologies in LMICs would have large gains and needs to be prioritised in the SDG agenda for 2030. Funding Inter-American Development Bank.
COVID-19 and the next influenza season.

Even in non-pandemic years, influenza and other etiologies of pneumonia represent the eighth leading cause of death in the United States, and respiratory viruses are the most commonly identified pathogens among hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia ( 1 ). Epidemics of seasonal influenza occur on an annual basis. In the United States, the 2019-2020 seasonal influenza epidemic resulted in tens of millions of cases—the majority of which occurred before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic surged. Now, COVID-19, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an ongoing pandemic that has strained and, in some locales, overwhelmed healthcare systems. What can we expect as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves and seasonal influenza comes again? How can the epidemiology and biology of these infections inform our preparation strategies? The last influenza pandemic, caused by the then-novel H1N1pdm09 virus, began in the spring of 2009 and caused an estimated 61 million cases, 274,000 hospitalizations, and 12,500 deaths in the United States over …
Considerations for development of pharmacy support models for COVID-19 alternate care sites

Purpose Guidance on alternate care site planning based on the experience of a health-system pharmacy department in preparing for an expected surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases is provided. Summary In disaster response situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare institutions may be compelled to transition to a contingency care model in which staffing and supply levels are no longer consistent with daily practice norms and, while usual patient care practices are maintained, establishment of alternate care sites (eg, a convention center) may be necessitated by high patient volumes. Available resources to assist hospitals and health systems in alternate care site planning include online guidance posted within the COVID-19 resources section of the US Army Corps of Engineers website, which provides recommended medication and supply lists; and the Federal Healthcare Resilience Task Force's alternate care site toolkit, a comprehensive resource for all aspects of alternate care site planning, including pharmacy services. Important pharmacy planning issues include security and storage of drugs, state board of pharmacy and Drug Enforcement Administration licensing considerations, and staff credentialing, education, and training. Key medication management issues to be addressed in alternate site care planning include logistical challenges of supply chain maintenance, optimal workflow for compounded sterile preparations (eg, on-site preparation vs off-site preparation and delivery from a nearby hospital), and infusion pump availability and suitability to patient acuity levels. Conclusion Planning for and operation of alternate care sites in disaster response situations should include involvement of pharmacists in key decision-making processes at the earliest planning stages.
Prediction of MGMT Status for Glioblastoma Patients Using Radiomics Feature Extraction From 18F-DOPA-PET Imaging.

Purpose Methylation of the O6-methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) gene promoter is associated with improved treatment response and survival in patients with glioblastoma (GB), but the necessary pathologic specimen can be nondiagnostic. In this study, we assessed whether radiomics features from pretreatment 18F-DOPA positron emission tomography (PET) imaging could be used to predict pathologic MGMT status. Methods and Materials This study included 86 patients with newly diagnosed GB, split into 3 groups (training, validating, and predicting). We performed a radiomics analysis on 18F-DOPA PET images by extracting features from 2 tumor-based contours: a “Gold” contour of all abnormal uptake per expert nuclear medicine physician and a high-grade glioma (HGG) contour based on a tumor-to-normal hemispheric ratio >2.0, representing the most aggressive components. Feature selection was performed by comparing the weighted feature importance and filtering with bivariate analysis. Optimization of model parameters was explored using grid search with selected features. The stability of the model with increasing input features was also investigated for model robustness. The model predictions were then applied by comparing the overall survival probability of the patients with GB and unknown MGMT status versus those with known MGMT status. Results A radiomics signature was constructed to predict MGMT methylation status. Using features extracted from HGG contour alone with a random forest model, we achieved 80% ± 10% accuracy for 95% confidence level in predicting MGMT status. The prediction accuracy was not improved with the addition of the Gold contour or with more input features. The model was applied to the patients with unknown MGMT methylation status. The prediction results are consistent with what is expected using overall survival as a surrogate. Conclusions This study suggests that 3 features from radiomics modeling of 18F-DOPA PET imaging can predict MGMT methylation status with reasonable accuracy. These results could provide valuable therapeutic guidance for patients in whom MGMT testing is inconclusive or nondiagnostic.
Correction: Additive manufacturing of natural biopolymers and composites for bone tissue engineering

Correction for ‘Additive manufacturing of natural biopolymers and composites for bone tissue engineering’ by Susmita Bose et al., Mater. Horiz., 2020, DOI: 10.1039/d0mh00277a.
Blood Flow Restriction as an Exercise Alternative to Ameliorate the Effects of Aging

Blood flow restriction (BFR) exercise is a recent and novel intervention showing promising results in counteracting several physiological effects related to aging, leading to disability in older adults. The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature within the last 5 years on the effectiveness of BFR training in older adults. BFR performed during light load (20–30% of one-repetition maximum) resistance exercise have showed to enhance musculoskeletal and cardiometabolic health in healthy and frail older adults without any adverse events. Other novel findings are improvements in mobility and gait after performing a BFR training intervention. Including BFR simultaneously with resistance exercise increases bone and muscle mass primarily through several hormonal pathways at the same time it enhances cardiovascular function without any adverse events. The improvements in mobility and gait are indicators of greater health-related quality of life minimizing disability in older adults.
A Radiographic Assessment of Dental Morbidity in Patients with Multiple Myeloma Undergoing Autologous Stem Cell Transplant: A Retrospective Study:

Aim:To assess the dental and oral morbidity in multiple myeloma patients as expressed in dental radiographs before autologous stem cell transplant.Materials and Methods:A retrospective study involv...
Maskless lithography laser source target light dose reversed mapping

The laser direct imaging exposure machine directly images the CAM data on the printed circuit board (PCB) substrate, thus do without film procedures in the exposure process, reducing the deviation caused by film expansion and undergo distortion during fabrication, and improving the productivity of PCB production. As the line width of the circuit diagram continues to become smaller, a smaller spot is required to expose a small line width, but because the laser spot size cannot be reduced without limit, the circuit diagram line width is reduced to smaller than the spot, which will cause insufficient exposure accuracy. It is the main motivation of the present invention to use a larger laser spot size to expose a small line width, and to improve the accuracy of the circuit line diagram. Based on this, this paper proposes a laser source target light dose reversed mapping output strategy. Through trial exposure, the initial spot position map, connected component labeling (CCL) and parallelized 0-1 integer programming are found out laser spot exposure position map, are reconstructed with a new spot distribution. It can achieve the accuracy requirement of exposing small line width and line spacing with a twice laser spot size. In addition, the mathematical calculation amount of the target light dose reversed mapping are very huge matrix, and calculating the image pixels point by point is very time-consuming. This paper proposes a method to effectively reduce the amount of calculation and acceleration.
Characterizing the aggressiveness of prostate cancer using an all optical photoacoustic needle probe: feasibility study

This study examines the performance of an all-optical and disposable photoacoustic needle probe for characterizing the aggressiveness of prostate cancer in human samples ex vivo. The needle probe consists of a 800um diameter fiber diffuser and a 200um diameter fiber optics hydrophone. The signals acquired by the needle probes were quantified by photoacoustic spectral analysis and envelop statistic methods. Both methods have differentiated between normal tissues and cancerous tissues (n=30 p<0.005), as well as between indolent and aggressiveness cancer tissues (n=16, p<0.01) with statistical significance.
Philipp Kastner (ed.), International Criminal Law in Context (Routledge, Abingdon, 2018). isbn 9781138675476 xvii + 346 pp.

In this new edited collection, the cover art captures the book’s guiding theme: the relationship between core and periphery in international criminal law (icl). In both introductory and more innovative chapters, the book prompts us to conceive of icl’s foundations, norms and actors relationally; marginalising its core ideas while centralising those that tend to languish on the fringes. Contextualising icl in this way, the book offers a more doctrinally-led companion to another recent critical volume in the field by Schwobel. With this methodological thrust, the book aims to ‘enhance the nexus between research and teaching’ in icl (p. ix).
Authenticity Beats Eloquence

Most experts stress the need for practice before making a presentation, but this chapter provides an anecdote illustrating the possible dangers of overpreparing and studied eloquence and losing on authenticity. Rehearsing before making a presentation probably does the most good for the most people. A quick flip through the slides just before the talk is fine, but frantic last‐minute cramming will just get the presenter even more keyed up without really helping. This chapter suggests that if a person is not quite ready to face the audience, the bathroom mirror is always handy. After talking to the mirror, the person should relax. The chapter also suggests the following points for making the presentation: speaking up, standing tall, avoiding rhetoric, engaging audience, and staying in charge. The three rules of public speaking are being forthright; being brief; and being seated.
Oncogenic functions of the β4 Integrin during ErbB-2 mediated mammary tumorigenesis.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 SY16-01 We have introduced a targeted deletion of the integrin β4 signaling domain in MMTV- Neu mice. The results reveal that loss of β4 signaling suppresses mammary tumor onset and invasive growth. Ex vivo studies indicate that β4 signaling coordinately disrupts epithelial adhesion and polarity and promotes hyperproliferation. The β4 integrin combines, through its signaling domain, with ErbB2, allowing Src Family Kinase-mediated amplification of signaling and activation of STAT3 and c-Jun. STAT3 disrupts mammary epithelial adhesion and promotes invasion and metastasis but not hyperproliferation. By contrast, c-Jun is required for hyperproliferation but does not affect adhesion. Finally, deletion of the β4 signaling domain enhances the efficacy of ErbB2-targeted therapy. Therefore, the β4 integrin amplifies ErbB2 oncogenic signaling and promotes tumor progression through activation of STAT3 and c-Jun. This unexpected layer of complexity suggests novel approaches for molecular therapy of breast cancer.
A Closer Look: A Symposium Among Legal Historians and Law Librarians to Uncover the Spanish Roots of the Louisiana Civil Law

The debate regarding whether the origin of Louisiana civil law is based in the Spanish or in the French legal tradition has been ongoing since that state’s incorporation into the United States as a result of the Louisiana Purchase. Distinguished legal scholars have argued in favor of one tradition being dominant over the other, and each has been staunch in support of that view. This article proposes and demonstrates that the Spanish, not French, civil law had an enormous influence on the creation and evolution of Louisiana civil law, and that this legacy resonates today.The article begins with a brief historical account of the formation of Louisiana from territory to statehood. It then closely examines the contributions of Louis Casimir Elisabeth Moreau Lislet, the architect of the Digest of 1808 and the Code of 1825. Original Spanish documents and resources that were the foundation of the Digest of 1808 are analyzed and used to demonstrate how these Spanish civil law sources had a profound impact on Moreau Lislet and on the creation of Louisiana civil law. Finally the continuing evolution of Louisiana civil law and the now-famous Batiza-Pascal debate on the origins of the Louisiana civil law are carefully examined.
Analysis of Protein Glycosylation and Phosphorylation Using Liquid Phase Separation, Protein Microarray Technology, and Mass Spectrometry

Protein glycosylation and phosphorylation are very common posttranslational modifications. The alteration of these modifications in cancer cells is closely related to the onset and progression of cancer and other disease states. In this protocol, strategies for monitoring the changes in protein glycosylation and phosphorylation in serum or tissue cells on a global scale and specifically characterizing these alterations are included. The technique is based on lectin affinity enrichment for glycoproteins, all liquid-phase two-dimensional fractionation, protein microarray, and mass spectrometry technology. Proteins are separated based on pI in the first dimension using chromatofocusing (CF) or liquid isoelectric focusing (IEF) followed by the second-dimension separation using nonporous silica RP-HPLC. Five lectins with different binding specificities to glycan structures are used for screening glycosylation patterns in human serum through a biotin–streptavidin system. Fluorescent phosphodyes and phosphospecific antibodies are employed to detect specific phosphorylated proteins in cell lines or human tissues. The purified proteins of interest are identified by peptide sequencing. Their modifications including glycosylation and phosphorylation could be further characterized by mass-spectrometry-based approaches. These strategies can be used in biological samples for large-scale glycoproteome/phosphoproteome screening as well as for individual protein modification analysis.
Generalized Vickrey Auctions

We describe a generalization of the Vickrey auction. Our mechanism extends the auction to implement efficient allocations for problems with more than one good, multiple units for the goods, and externalities. The primary restriction on preferences is that they must be quasilinear.
Increased myocardial extracellular volume in active idiopathic systemic capillary leak syndrome

Background The Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome (SCLS) is a rare disorder of unknown etiology presenting as recurrent episodes of shock and peripheral edema due to leakage of fluid into soft tissues. Insights into SCLS pathogenesis are few due to the scarcity of cases, and the etiology of vascular barrier disruption in SCLS is unknown. Recent advances in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) allow for the quantitative assessment of the myocardial extracellular volume (ECV), which can be increased in conditions causing myocardial edema. We hypothesized that measurement of myocardial ECV may detect myocardial vascular leak in patients with SCLS.
Automating PACS Quality Control with the Vanderbilt Image Processing Enterprise Resource.

Precise image acquisition is an integral part of modern patient care and medical imaging research. Periodic quality control using standardized protocols and phantoms ensures that scanners are operating according to specifications, yet such procedures do not ensure that individual datasets are free from corruption; for example due to patient motion, transient interference, or physiological variability. If unacceptable artifacts are noticed during scanning, a technologist can repeat a procedure. Yet, substantial delays may be incurred if a problematic scan is not noticed until a radiologist reads the scans or an automated algorithm fails. Given scores of slices in typical three-dimensional scans and widevariety of potential use cases, a technologist cannot practically be expected inspect all images. In large-scale research, automated pipeline systems have had great success in achieving high throughput. However, clinical and institutional workflows are largely based on DICOM and PACS technologies; these systems are not readily compatible with research systems due to security and privacy restrictions. Hence, quantitative quality control has been relegated to individual investigators and too often neglected. Herein, we propose a scalable system, the Vanderbilt Image Processing Enterprise Resource (VIPER) to integrate modular quality control and image analysis routines with a standard PACS configuration. This server unifies image processing routines across an institutional level and provides a simple interface so that investigators can collaborate to deploy new analysis technologies. VIPER integrates with high performance computing environments has successfully analyzed all standard scans from our institutional research center over the course of the last 18 months.