cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Airborne Multi-Spectral Remote Sensing of Russian Wheat Aphid1 Injury to Wheat

Abstract The Russian wheat aphid (RWA), Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), is a severe pest of wheat in the High Plains region of the United States. Remote sensing may be an effective way to detect RWA infestations in fields for pest management decision-making purposes. We evaluated an airborne multi-spectral remote sensing system for its ability to differentiate varying levels of injury caused by RWA infestation in winter wheat fields. Two fields located in southeastern Colorado were studied in spring 2004 and two fields located in far western Oklahoma were studied in spring 2005. The proportion of wheat stems damaged by RWA in each field was measured in 20 to 24 3×3-m plots with varying levels of RWA infestation. Prior to sampling plots, multi-spectral imagery was obtained using an SSTCRIS® multi-spectral imaging system mounted NADIR in a Cessna 172 aircraft. The multi-spectral data were compared with the intensity of RWA damage to wheat plants within the plots. Correlations between vegetation indices calcula...
The Effect of pH on the Availability of Acid Substrates for Polytomella caeca with Unexpected Activity by Succinate

SYNOPSIS. Membrane permeability of Polytomella caeca for acid substrates was examined by determining inhibition of growth by high concentrations of sole carbon sources in a pH range of 2.5–7.5, growth stimulation by compounds which are inadequate as sole carbon sources, and respirometry of these compounds at various pH levels. Fatty acid penetration appeared to be based on lipid solubility. Succinate, however, was better absorbed when ionized and therefore less lipid soluble. There was an indication that pyruvate and α-ketoglutarate may be more easily absorbed as ions also. Ethanol, glyceraldehyde, pyruvate, lactate, α-ketoglutarate, succinate and malate stimulated oxygen uptake at different pH values. Fumarate was inactive in both growth and respiration experiments.
Dynamic cortical lateralization during olfactory discrimination learning

Bilateral cortical circuits are not necessarily symmetrical. Asymmetry, or cerebral lateralization, allows functional specialization of bilateral brain regions and has been described in humans for such diverse functions as perception, memory and emotion. There is also evidence for asymmetry in the human olfactory system, although evidence in non-human animal models is lacking. In the present study, we took advantage of the known changes in olfactory cortical local field potentials that occur over the course of odour discrimination training to test for functional asymmetry in piriform cortical activity during learning. Both right and left piriform cortex local field potential activities were recorded. The results obtained demonstrate a robust interhemispheric asymmetry in anterior piriform cortex activity that emerges during specific stages of odour discrimination learning, with a transient bias toward the left hemisphere. This asymmetry is not apparent during error trials. Furthermore, functional connectivity (coherence) between the bilateral anterior piriform cortices is learning- and context-dependent. Steady-state interhemispheric anterior piriform cortex coherence is reduced during the initial stages of learning and then recovers as animals acquire competent performance. The decrease in coherence is seen relative to bilateral coherence expressed in the home cage, which remains stable across conditioning days. Similarly, transient, trial-related interhemispheric coherence increases with task competence. Taken together, the results demonstrate transient asymmetry in piriform cortical function during odour discrimination learning until mastery, suggesting that each piriform cortex may contribute something unique to odour memory.
Protective effect of hydrogen gas therapy after germinal matrix hemorrhage in neonatal rats.

Background: Germinal matrix hemorrhage (GMH) is a neurological disease of very low birth weight premature infants leading to post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy, and mental retardation. Hydrogen (H2) is a potent antioxidant shown to selectively reverse cytotoxic oxygen-radical injury in the brain. This study investigated the therapeutic effect of hydrogen gas after neonatal GMH injury.
Item response modeling: An evaluation of the children's fruit and vegetable self-efficacy questionnaire.

Perceived self-efficacy (SE) for eating fruit and vegetables (FV) is a key variable mediating FV change in interventions. This study applies item response modeling (IRM) to a fruit, juice and vegetable self-efficacy questionnaire (FVSEQ) previously validated with classical test theory (CTT) procedures. The 24-item (five-point Likert scale) FVSEQ was administered to 1578 fourth graders from 26 Houston schools. The IRM partial credit model indicated the five-point response options were not fully utilized. The questionnaire exhibited acceptable (>0.70) reliability except at the extremes of the SE scale. Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses revealed no response bias due to gender. However, DIF was detected by ethnic groups in 10 items. IRM of this scale expanded what was known from CTT methods in three ways: (i) areas of the scale were identified that were not as reliable, (ii) limitations were found in the response format and (c) areas of the SE scale levels were not measured. The FVSEQ can be improved by including items at the extreme levels of difficulty. DIF analyses identified areas where IRM can be useful to improve the functioning of measures.
Superradiance from a System of 3-Level Particles

Superradiance, first discussed in 1954 by Dicke [1], has recently re-emerged as one of the central interests in the field of atomic radiation, due in part to experimental developments in the area of short pulse coherent interactions [2],[3].
Impaired Function of Antibodies to Pneumococcal Surface Protein A but Not to Capsular Polysaccharide in Mexican American Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

The goal of the study was to determine baseline protective titers of antibodies to Streptococcus pneumoniae surface protein A (PspA) and capsular polysaccharide in individuals with and individuals without type 2 diabetes mellitus. A total of 561 individuals (131 individuals with diabetes and 491 without) were screened for antibodies to PspA using a standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A subset of participants with antibodies to PspA were retested using a WHO ELISA to determine titers of antibodies to capsular polysaccharide (CPS) (serotypes 4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, and 23F). Functional activity of antibodies was measured by assessing their ability to enhance complement (C3) deposition on pneumococci and promote killing of opsonized pneumococci. Titers of antibodies to protein antigens (PspA) were significantly lower in individuals with diabetes than controls without diabetes (P = 0.01), and antibodies showed a significantly reduced complement deposition ability (P = 0.02). Both antibody titers and complement deposition were negatively associated with hyperglycemia. Conversely, titers of antibodies to capsular polysaccharides were either comparable between the two groups or were significantly higher in individuals with diabetes, as was observed for CPS 14 (P = 0.05). The plasma specimens from individuals with diabetes also demonstrated a higher opsonophagocytic index against CPS serotype 14. Although we demonstrate comparable protective titers of antibodies to CPS in individuals with and individuals without diabetes, those with diabetes had lower PspA titers and poor opsonic activity strongly associated with hyperglycemia. These results suggest a link between diabetes and impairment of antibody response.
Linking stages of life history: How larval quality translates into juvenile performance for an intertidal barnacle (Balanus glandula)

Synopsis Many marine invertebrates with complex life cycles produce planktonic larvae that experience environmental conditions different from those encountered by adults. Factors such as temperature and food, known to impact the larval period, can also affect larval size and consequently the size of newly settled juveniles. After documenting natural variation in the size of cyprids (the final larval stage) of the barnacle Balanus glandula, we experimentally manipulated temperature and food given to larvae to produce cyprids of differing sizes but within the size range of cyprids found in the field. In a set of trials in which larvae of B. glandula were raised on full or reduced rations in the laboratory and subsequently outplanted into the field as newly metamorphosed juveniles, we explored the effects of larval nutrition and size on juvenile performance. Larvae that received full rations throughout their feeding period produced larger cyprids (with more lipid and protein). These larger cyprids grew faster as juveniles and sometimes survived better in the field than juveniles from larvae that had their food ration reduced in the last feeding instar. For naturally settling barnacles brought into the laboratory within 2 days of settlement and fed, we found that initial juvenile size was a good predictor of juvenile size even after 2 weeks of growth. By manipulating food given to juveniles that were derived from larvae fed either full or reduced rations, we found that larval nutritional effects persisted in juveniles for 2–3 times the period that larvae experienced altered food rations.
Mobile phone use among college students is a sedentary leisure behavior which may interfere with exercise

Research suggests that cell phone use is related to sedentary behavior, that cell phone use during exercise reduces intensity, and that high frequency cell phone users are less fit than other users. Thus, cell phone use appears connected to health and fitness behaviors and should be better understood within this context. The present study investigated the sedentary nature of cell phone use, and examined the likelihood of cellphone use interfering with exercise behavior. DesignA validated survey was administered to a random sample of students from a public US university (N?=?226). ResultsMean self-reported cell phone use was 380?min day-1, 87% reported cell phone use primarily occurs while sitting, and 70% of use was for leisure. Cell phone use was positively related to sedentary behavior (β?=?0.30, p?<?0.001). It was not related to physical activity. However, the likelihood of cell phone use during moderate (p?=?0.006) and mild (p?<?0.001) intensity exercise increased as cell phone use increased. ConclusionLike other screens (e.g., TVs), cell phone use appears to be a sedentary leisure behavior. Furthermore, high frequency use increases the likelihood that it will occur during exercise, likely lowering exercise intensity.
El papel de los periódicos en la construcción de la ciudadanía

Civic Journalism is an answer to the "bad practices of journalism". A new form of engagement with the people, the community, and the public is arising with Civic Journalism, There is an interactive relation between the press and the citizens.
Headaches in multiple sclerosis: Cross-sectional study of a multiethnic population.

Abstract Objectives Headaches in MS are common, but there is little data on the influence of race, comorbidities, MS disability and socioeconomic issues on headaches, especially migraine. We aimed at looking at prevalence and type of headache across a multiethnic MS population, and relationship between MS related clinical factors and migraine. Patients and methods This is a cross-sectional study of 233 MS patients at two clinical sites, one at a county hospital, and the other a private academic center clinic. We collected demographic data, MS characteristics, and headache histories using validated survey instruments including Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The relationship between MS and migraine was examined using logistic regression. Results Majority of our patients were female ( N =156, 67%), average age 44 years, with relapsing remitting MS ( N =214, 92%). Our cohort was multi-ethnic predominantly Whites ( N =106, 46%) and Hispanics ( N =87, 37%). Public sector patients were significantly disadvantaged in socioeconomic measures ( p p N =115, 49.4%), the most common type being migraine ( N =83, 36%). Chronic migraine was more common among Hispanics (82%) than Whites (18.2%) ( p =0.012). Headache impact on daily life, measured by HIT-6 score ( p =0.006) and PHQ-9 score ( p =0.004) were significantly higher in the public sector. After controlling for income and education, female gender (OR 2.59, 95% CIs 1.312–5.127) and ambulatory disability were found to be more likely to suffer from migraines. Conclusion Headache, especially migraine is common among MS patients regardless of socio-economic status and treatment setting. Female MS patients with walking disability and longer disease duration tend to get migraines. Hispanic MS patients have a higher likelihood of suffering from chronic migraines. Thorough headache evaluation and headache treatment are essential to comprehensive MS care.
Traffic Management Advisor Flow Programs: an Atlanta Case Study

Starting in 2010, the FAA began using new traffic flow management initiatives called Traffic Management Advisor Flow Programs to control flights destined for capacity-limited airports. This study explores through fast-time simulations the impact of these new traffic management initiatives on Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport arrival operations. The emphasis of this study is on examining the distribution of delays for flights included and exempted from this new initiative. Of the 476 flights included in the Traffic Management Advisor Flow Programs, the results showed that when Atlanta was operating near maximum capacity, the mean total delay assigned to these flights was 31.6 minutes. However, the mean total delay increased to over 49.3 minutes when the airport capacity was reduced by 25%. In contrast, for the 408 arrivals that were exempt from the Traffic Management Advisor Flow Program the mean delay assigned to these flights by the Traffic Management Advisor was found to increase from 6.5 minutes when the airport was operating near maximum capacity to 24.8 minutes when the capacity was reduced by 25%. The experiments clearly illustrated the potential for imbalance in the distribution of delays assigned to the flights included within and exempt from the Traffic Management Advisor Flow Program. The mean total delay experienced by the included flights was between 85% and 99% higher than the delays experienced by the exempt flights. To alleviate this imbalance, a simulation-based approach is presented for selecting the "best" flow rate to reduce this imbalance, when developing a Traffic Management Advisor Flow Program. This approach depends on the arrival demand, airport configuration, and acceptance rate.
A Study of On-Chip Aqueous Two Phase System Formation and its Applications

Although there are several reports demonstrating the use of aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) for biological sample separation in miniaturized devices, they only used ATPS prepared in macro scale by following the conventional way. Formation of ATPS in a confined micro scale environment and their characteristics has not been studied yet. While ATPS formation in macro scale is supported by vigorous mixing and gravitational force to form two phases, both mixing capability and gravitational force aid are insignificant in micro scale. Hence, in this study, we investigated the formation of ATPS under these inferior conditions of micro scale. An electrowetting on a dielectric (EWOD) digital microfluidic chip was used as the confined miniaturized environment. In an EWOD device, micro/nano scale droplets are manipulated on an array of electrodes by sequential application of voltages to the electrodes. The common polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran (DEX) polymer/polymer ATPS was used as the model system. Nanoliter volume droplets of the two pure polymer solutions were brought into contact, mixed, and successfully formed ATPS on an EWOD chip. Furthermore, it was possible to separate the two phases into two droplets, demonstrating the promising capability of on-chip biological sample separations effectively by integrating formation of ATPS and separation process using ATPS in a single chip. This study also compares the characteristics of ATPS generated in microfluidic chip with that generated in conventional macro scale. The effect of mixing performance on the ATPS formation is studied experimentally.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Electrical Switching and Memory Effects in Thin Amorphous Chalcogenide Films

Many important features of a wide variety of solid state devices result from situations where a sufficiently high bias is applied so that the device either switches from one conductive state to another or oscillates between two different conductive states. Many of these phenomena are classified as electronic instabilities. Among devices that behave this way are the: Tunnel diode (Esaki, 1958); Gunn diode (Gunn, 1964); Avalanche diode (Shockley, 1954); Josephson junction device (Josephson, 1962); Thyristor (Fulop, 1963); PIN diode (Prince, 1956). Others are classified as electrothermal instabilities, such as chalcogenide thin film switching devices (DeWald, et al., 1962; Ovshinsky, 1968), or thermal instabilities, such as Vanadium dioxide, VO2 (Anderson, 1959), and many cases of second breakdown in transistors (Thornton and Simmons, 1958). Although threshold switching in chalcogenide films is fundamentally electronic in nature (see, e.g., Adler, et al., 1978, 1980; Kotz and Shaw, 1984), the intrinsically thermal nature of memory and “forming” type processes, which can be associated with the transition, and the “delay time phenomenon”, make it important to stress both the thermal and electronic aspects of the problem in this review, where threshold switching, rather than memory effects, will be emphasized.
Thermoelectric properties of bromine filled CoSb3 skutterudite

Historically, the improved thermoelectric performance of skutterudite compounds has largely been driven by the incorporation of electropositive donors on interstitial sites. These “rattlers” serve to optimize both electronic and thermal properties by tuning the carrier concentration and scattering phonons. In this work, we show that interstitial bromine can be incorporated into CoSb3 and assess the impact on electronic and thermal transport. In contrast to prior high pressure syntheses with iodine, interstitial bromine incorporation is achieved at ambient pressure. Transport properties are stable up to at least 375 °C. Bromine serves as an electronegative acceptor and can induce degenerate (>5 × 1019 cm−3) hole densities. In contrast to other p-type skutterudite compositions, bromine preserves the intrinsically high hole mobility of CoSb3 while significantly reducing the lattice thermal conductivity. The development of a stable p-type dopant for the interstitial filler site enables the development of skutterudites with both donor and acceptor interstitials to maximize phonon scattering while maintaining the high mobility of CoSb3.
Feeding status of children under 2 years old in poor rural areas of Gansu province in 2007-2009

Objective To analyze feeding status of children under 2years old in the poor rural areas of Gansu province in 2007-2009. Methods Feeding status of 672infants to study were studied who were selected from the program of "Surveillance of health-related risk factor of children under 6years old in poor rural areas" and "Study on appropriate technology of children under-nutrition improvement in poor rural areas".SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. Results The rate of almost exclusive breast-feeding of children under 6months in poor rural areas of Gansu province in different years had statistical significance(χ2=9.068,P=0.011).It was 59.5%in 2008,and dropped to 45.0%in 2009.There were 75.8% of infants and young children without breast-feeding because of mother's milk was not enough.Approximately 19.0% of infants and young children were weaned under 6months of age,13.4% of infants and young children were given complementary food in 6months of age correctly. Conclusion The study demonstrated that it is unreasonable of feeding status of children under 2years old in the poor rural areas of Gansu province,and we must carry out health education universally about knowledge of infant feeding.
Combined myocardial revascularization and carotid endarterectomy. Operative and late results in 331 patients.

Simultaneous coronary artery bypass and carotid endarterectomy were performed in 331 patients (mean age 61 years) at the Cleveland Clinic from 1973 through 1981. Of these, 195 (59%) had Functional Class III-IV angina pectoris, 308 (93%) had multiple-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD), 68 (21%) had over 50% stenosis of the left main coronary artery, and 185 (56%) had either segmental or diffuse impairment of left ventricular function. Asymptomatic carotid stenosis was documented in 173 patients (52%), and the remaining 158 had experienced either previous transient cerebral ischemia (38%) or completed strokes (10%). Single aorta-coronary grafts were placed in 59 patients (18%), double grafts in 131 (40%), and three or more grafts in 141 (42%). Nineteen patients (5.7%) died postoperatively in the hospital. Neurologic deficits occurred in 30 patients (9.0%) and produced permanent functional impairment in 15 (4.5%). Late results have been obtained for 312 operative survivors at a mean postoperative interval of 38 months. Thirty-eight patients (12%) have died, but the 5 year life-table survival rate of the study group was identical to that of the normal population aged 61 years. Significant differences in cumulative 5 year survival rates were identified among diabetic patients (p less than 0.025) and among those receiving single rather than double (p less than .005) or multiple (p less than .01) coronary grafts. Although 18 patients (5.8%) have had late strokes, only five (1.6%) of these strokes have involved the cerebral hemisphere on the same side as combined carotid endarterectomy.
Urinary Tract Infection in Children

After a discussion of the definition, classification, and incidence of urinary tract infections and of the importance of the localization of the infection, this article focuses on the treatment of simple infections, the treatment of acute pyelonephritis and complicated infections, the treatment of recurrent infections, and the prevention of recurrent simple urinary tract infections.
Ceramic-Reinforced Polymers: CAD/CAM Hybrid Restorative Materials

Newly developed ceramic-reinforced polymers CAD/CAM restorative materials (CRP) represent a viable esthetic material for dental restorations. They can be classified into polymer-infiltrated ceramic (PIC) and resin nano-ceramic (RNC). This review article analyzes the latest scientific findings on wear, fatigue resistance, bonding mechanisms, fracture resistance, and esthetic properties. The literature shows that fatigue resistance of ceramic-reinforced polymers appears to be adequate to survive the masticatory forces. PIC and RNC CAD/CAM blocks have similar fracture toughness, but lower than that of ceramic-based CAD/CAM blocks. The roughness of polished different ceramic-reinforced polymers is comparable; however, aging increases the surface roughness significantly. Different CRPs require a dedicated surface treatment; nonetheless, PIC and RNC are able to attain high bond strengths. The esthetic properties of CRPs are clinically acceptable. Ceramic-reinforced polymers appear to be an ideal material for minimally invasive restorations.
Upconversion in Cr:LiSGaF and Cr:LiSAF

Upconversion was quantitatively investigated as a function of Cr concentration, pumping density and temperature. The application range of the simplest upconversion law “αn2” was found.
Friction and Fracture

Many technologies depend upon knowledge of the coefficient of friction between a surface and a probe that slides across the surface. Since the coefficient of friction μ = F s /F n , where F s is the shear force, and F n is the normal force, a device that simultaneously measures both components of force during sliding is needed. In addition, such a device should be able to be applied to surfaces that are initially atomically clean, followed by studies on the surface which has a known coverage of lubricant.
The role of MHC class II molecules in the pathogenesis and prevention of Type I diabetes.

Although strong associations, and genetic linkage between the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) complex and susceptibility to a wide variety of autoimmune diseases has been documented for the last 30 years, the mechanisms by which genes in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) mediate susceptibility to autoimmunity remain poorly understood.’ While the primary functions of the MHC Class I and Class II molecules—antigen presentation of peptides to the receptors on T-cells, and T-cell positive and negative selection in the thymus—are now well documented and at least partially delineated, the precise molecular mechanisms by which particular alleles of MHC Class I or Class II molecules increase or decrease susceptibility to autoimmune diseases have not yet been worked out.
Key Survival Factor, Mcl-1, Correlates with Sensitivity to Combined Bcl-2/Bcl-xL Blockade

An estimated 40,000 deaths will be attributed to breast cancer in 2016, underscoring the need for improved therapies. Evading cell death is a major hallmark of cancer, driving tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. To evade apoptosis, cancers use antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins to bind to and neutralize apoptotic activators, such as Bim. Investigation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family members in clinical breast cancer datasets revealed greater expression and more frequent gene amplification of MCL1 as compared with BCL2 or BCL2L1 (Bcl-xL) across three major molecular breast cancer subtypes, Luminal (A and B), HER2-enriched, and Basal-like. While Mcl-1 protein expression was elevated in estrogen receptor α (ERα)-positive and ERα-negative tumors as compared with normal breast, Mcl-1 staining was higher in ERα+ tumors. Targeted Mcl-1 blockade using RNAi increased caspase-mediated cell death in ERα+ breast cancer cells, resulting in sustained growth inhibition. In contrast, combined blockade of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL only transiently induced apoptosis, as cells rapidly acclimated through Mcl-1 upregulation and enhanced Mcl-1 activity, as measured in situ using Mcl-1/Bim proximity ligation assays. Importantly, MCL1 gene expression levels correlated inversely with sensitivity to pharmacologic Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibition in luminal breast cancer cells, whereas no relationship was seen between the gene expression of BCL2 or BCL2L1 and sensitivity to Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibition. These results demonstrate that breast cancers rapidly deploy Mcl-1 to promote cell survival, particularly when challenged with blockade of other Bcl-2 family members, warranting the continued development of Mcl-1-selective inhibitors for targeted tumor cell killing.Implications: Mcl-1 levels predict breast cancer response to inhibitors targeting other Bcl-2 family members, and demonstrate the key role played by Mcl-1 in resistance to this drug class. Mol Cancer Res; 15(3); 259-68. ©2016 AACR.
Purposeful Explanation and Causal Gaps

In this paper, I argue that a commitment to science and the methodo- logical commitment to causal closure do not require a rejection of the idea that the choices of souls explain the occurrence of certain events in the physical world. Stated slightly differently, I maintain that one can both affirm science and believe that souls causally interfere in the course of events in the physical world. Such an affirmation and belief are compatible. In short, science vis-a-vis the methodological principle of causal closure poses no problem for souls as explanatory agents.
Repeatability and agreement of ultrasonography with computed tomography for evaluating forefoot structure in the coronal plane

Forefoot structure is important to understand some foot problems such as hallux valgus and metatarsalgia. Ultrasonography (US) is a highly portable, noninvasive, low cost, and fast imaging method, especially when compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and radiography. As the use of US for evaluating forefoot bony structure has not been validated, except for the presence of synovitis, erosions and bursitis within the forefoot in people with inflammatory arthritis, the purpose of this study was to determine whether US is a reliable method for evaluating forefoot structure. Sixty feet (30 women, age = 40.1 ± 11.8 years) were examined by US and CT to assess agreement with CT and repeatability of US evaluation of the 2nd metatarsal head height, length between the medial sesamoid bone and 5th metatarsal head, transverse arch height, transverse arch index, sesamoid rotation angle, and area under the transverse arch. The measurement data were evaluated for agreement with CT using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC)3, 1, Pearson correlation coefficient, and Bland-Altman plot, and with ICC1, 1 for repeatability. The ICC3, 1 values of 0.78–0.89, Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.78–0.90, and Bland-Altman plots showed almost perfect agreements between the US and CT method for all parameters, except the area under the transverse arch (AUTA). The ICC1, 1 also showed perfect agreements (0.84–0.92) between two sets of US measurements in all parameters. The US evaluation of forefoot structure in the coronal plane showed good agreement with CT and repeatability of two ultrasonograms in adult women. This reliable evaluation method of forefoot structure can contribute to a quick clinical assessment screening for risk factors of foot problems such as hallux valgus and metatarsalgia. However, because of some limitations such as a lack of inter-observer reliability, more research is needed to validate US evaluation of forefoot structure. The current study (trial registration number: R0297) was approved by the Ethical Committee for Human Experiments of Kyoto University ( http://www.ec.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp ) on December 3, 2015. The first participant in this study was enrolled on November 17, 2015 and retrospectively registered.
Iatrogenic Injuries in Percutaneous Pinning Techniques for Fifth Metacarpal Neck Fractures

Background: There is little information regarding anatomic structures at risk during closed percutaneous treatment of fifth metacarpal neck fractures. This study evaluates a variety of common percu...
Classifiers: a theoretical and empirical study

This paper describes how a competitive tree learning algorithm can be derived from first principles. The algorithm approximates the Bayesian decision theoretic solution to the learning task. Comparative experiments with the algorithm and the several mature AI and statistical families of tree learning algorithms currently in use show the derived Bayesian algorithm is consistently as good or better, although sometimes at computational cost. Using the same strategy, we can design algorithms for many other supervised and model learning tasks given just a probabilistic representation for the kind of knowledge to be learned. As an illustration, a second learning algorithm is derived for learning Bayesian networks from data. Implications to incremental learning and the use of multiple models are also discussed.
Inclusion of spiritual pain in patient reported outcome assessments as part of an integrative medicine physician consultation.

190Background: Complementary and integrative health services are increasingly available to patients at cancer centers to help address physical and psychological needs. We review inclusion of spirit...
Quantitative characterization of targeted nanoparticulate formulations for prediction of clinical efficacy

Abstract Molecular targeting is an important, ongoing aspect of nanomedical technology that involves covalent coupling (conjugation) of targeting ligands, such as antibodies to nanoparticle functional groups. Targeting comprises the essence of the so-called magic bullet ideal that is fundamental to the science of pharmacology and promises to enlarge the pharmacologic window between drug efficacy and toxicity. The production of clinically useful targeted drug nanocarriers, however, has proven elusive for a complex combination of reasons. This chapter explores the different aspects of targeted nanoparticulate formulations, while presenting an approach to calculating ligand-target binding force; a practical, targeted, nanoparticle binding force parameter will allow for more effective examination of factors preventing clinical development of this important nanotechnology.
Optical purity determination of threo-methylphenidate hydrochloride using a chiral europium nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) shift reagent.

A 1H-NMR spectroscopic method for the determination of the optical purity of threo-methylphenidate hydrochloride is presented. Complexation of the free-base form of the substrate with a chiral Eu(III) shift reagent resulted in two distinct enantiomeric ester methyl proton signals of utility for quantitative work. The accuracy of the method was validated by analyzing six synthetic mixtures of various proportions of ( + )- and (–)-threo-methylphenidate. In addition to yielding assay results that were in close agreement with the known weights of each enantiomer in the mixture, and a mean recovery of the (–)-threo-enantiomer of better than 99.0%, the proposed method was capable of accurately measuring as little as 2% of one enantiomer in the presence of the other.
Neurotoxicity of low-level lead exposure: History, mechanisms of action, and behavioral effects in humans and preclinical models.

Abstract Lead is a neurotoxin that produces long-term, perhaps irreversible, effects on health and well-being. This article summarizes clinical and preclinical studies that have employed a variety of research techniques to examine the neurotoxic effects of low levels of lead exposure. A historical perspective is presented, followed by an overview of studies that examined behavioral and cognitive outcomes. In addition, a short summary of potential mechanisms of action is provided with a focus on calcium-dependent processes. The current level of concern, or reference level, set by the CDC is 5 μg/dL of lead in blood and a revision to 3.5 μg/dL has been suggested. However, levels of lead below 3 μg/dL have been shown to produce diminished cognitive function and maladaptive behavior in humans and animal models. Because much of the research has focused on higher concentrations of lead, work on low concentrations is needed to better understand the neurobehavioral effects and mechanisms of action of this neurotoxic metal.
Abstract 5090: Epitope mapping of mouse TERT for vaccine development

Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is one of two essential components of telomerase, an enzyme complex that generates and maintains telomeres. Telomerase is expressed mainly in embryonic and adult stem cells. Telomere biology has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases, and mutations in telomerase components result in a predisposition to solid malignancies. More recent findings show that TERT is not only expressed in late stage primary tumor cells and metastatic cells, but also expressed in incipient cancer stem cells and/or tumor-initiating cells, indicating that TERT has essential roles at every stage of tumorigenesis. However, the clinical benefit of a TERT (hTERT)-targeting vaccine, given as a single agent or in combination with chemotherapeutic agents, has been limited in patients with advanced cancer, possibly due to insufficient epitope coverage as well as tumor-induced immune suppression. Thus, targeting TERT in tumor-initiating cells in early stage lesions may be more effective in preventing cancer development and progression. To develop cancer preventive TERT vaccines, novel immunogenic epitopes must be first identified and evaluated in a relevant preclinical model of tumorigenesis. The goal of this project is to identify the epitopes of mouse TERT with high immunogenicity using MHC I-peptide binding assay by flow cytometry analysis. The in vitro peptide-induced MHC Class I stabilization assay was carried out using RMA/S cell line, which was derived from a Rauscher leukemia virus-induced C57BL/6 T cell lymphoma and is deficient in transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP). Results of screening the overlapping peptide library will be presented. Funded by NCI Contract No. HHSN261200800001E Citation Format: Yurong Song, Jason Marshall, Travis Kerr, Ligia Pinto, Shizuko Sei, Robert Shoemaker. Epitope mapping of mouse TERT for vaccine development [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5090.
Strong Like My Mama: The Legacy of “Strength,” Depression, and Suicidality in African American Women

AbstractThe present study reframes the strong Black woman (SBW) identity as an intersectional cultural coping style that impacts experiences of depression and suicide for African American women in ...
Community-Acquired Pneumonia due to Streptococcus pneumoniae: When to Consider Coinfection with Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is an important cause of hospitalizations in adults. In the United States, Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most frequently identified bacterial pathogen responsible for CAP. Other etiologic pathogens of CAP vary based on the geographic region. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an uncommon cause of CAP in the United States, while it is a principal cause in many African and Asian countries. Coinfection with Streptococcus pneumoniae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis is rare and has only been reported in the setting of underlying HIV infection in areas of high tuberculosis prevalence. Here, we report a case of CAP in the absence of HIV, where Streptococcus pneumoniae was identified on admission and delay in diagnosis of concomitant active pulmonary tuberculosis led to inappropriate isolation. In addition to a high index of suspicion, epidemiologic and radiographic findings can be helpful to recognize tuberculosis as a cause of CAP even when other pathogens have already been identified.
Enhancing Outpatient Dihydroergotamine Infusion With Interdisciplinary Care to Treat Refractory Pediatric Migraine: Preliminary Outcomes From the Comprehensive Aggressive Migraine Protocol ("CAMP").

OBJECTIVE To determine preliminary outcomes of a treatment for refractory pediatric migraine that integrates outpatient dihydroergotamine (DHE) infusion with interdisciplinary adjunctive care. BACKGROUND Limited data are available to inform treatment of refractory migraine in children. Intravenous DHE therapy has shown promise but has been implemented in costly inpatient settings and in isolation of nonpharmacological strategies shown to enhance analgesia and functional improvement. METHODS We conducted a retrospective chart review of 36 patients ages 11-18 with refractory migraine who underwent a pilot treatment program in an outpatient neurology clinic. The treatment integrated up to 5 days of outpatient DHE infusion with adjunctive nonpharmacological care (pain coping skills training, massage, aromatherapy, and school reintegration support). Changes in headache, healthcare utilization, and functional limitations were assessed as indicators of treatment response through 3-month follow-up. RESULTS On average, headache intensity declined (M = 5.8 ± 2.5 to M = 2.4 ± 2.7; P < .0001) during the treatment period and remained statistically significantly improved through 3-month follow-up. Headache frequency decreased by a mean of 1.5 days per week (M = 6.7 ± 1.0 vs M = 5.2 ± 2.7, P = .012) through 3-month follow-up, with a 27% reduction (from 0.91 to 0.66) in the proportion of patients reporting a continuous headache (P = .009). Over this same follow-up period, there was a reduction in school days missed per month (median [25th, 75th percentile]: 4.5 [0, 21.0] vs 0 [0.0, 0.5]). There also were reductions in headache-related visits per month to the emergency department and medical providers. Adverse effects were common but typically minor and transient. CONCLUSIONS Combining outpatient DHE infusion with interdisciplinary adjunctive care has promise as an effective treatment option for adolescents with refractory migraine.
mRNA Metabolism in Cardiac Development and Disease: Life After Transcription

The central dogma of molecular biology illustrates the importance of mRNAs as critical mediators between genetic information encoded at the DNA level and proteomes/metabolomes that determine the diverse functional outcome at the cellular and organ levels. Although the total number of protein-producing (coding) genes in the mammalian genome is ~20,000, it is evident that the intricate processes of cardiac development and the highly regulated physiological regulation in the normal heart, as well as the complex manifestation of pathological remodeling in a diseased heart, would require a much higher degree of complexity at the transcriptome level and beyond. Indeed, in addition to an extensive regulatory scheme implemented at the level of transcription, the complexity of transcript processing following transcription is dramatically increased. RNA processing includes post-transcriptional modification, alternative splicing, editing and transportation, ribosomal loading, and degradation. While transcriptional control of cardiac genes has been a major focus of investigation in recent decades, a great deal of progress has recently been made in our understanding of how post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA contributes to transcriptome complexity. In this review, we highlight some of the key molecular processes and major players in RNA maturation and post-transcriptional regulation. In addition, we provide an update to the recent progress made in the discovery of RNA processing regulators implicated in cardiac development and disease. While post-transcriptional modulation is a complex and challenging problem to study, recent technological advancements are paving the way for a new era of exciting discoveries and potential clinical translation in the context of cardiac biology and heart disease.
Control of Bering Strait Transport by the Meridional Overturning Circulation

Author(s): Cessi, Paola | Abstract: AbstractIt is well established that the mean transport through Bering Strait is balanced by a sea level difference between the North Pacific and the Arctic Ocean, but no mechanism has been proposed to explain this sea level difference. It is argued that the sea level difference across Bering Strait, which geostrophically balances the northward throughflow, is associated with the sea level difference between the North Pacific and the North Atlantic/Arctic. In turn, the latter difference is caused by deeper middepth isopycnals in the Indo-Pacific than in the Atlantic, especially in the northern high latitudes because there is deep water formation in the Atlantic, but not in the Pacific. Because the depth of the middepth isopycnals is associated with the dynamics of the upper branch of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC), a model is formulated that quantitatively relates the sea level difference between the North Pacific and the Arctic/North Atlantic with the wind stress in the Antarctic Circumpolar region, since this forcing powers the MOC, and with the outcropping isopycnals shared between the Northern Hemisphere and the Antarctic circumpolar region, since this controls the location of deep water formation. This implies that if the sinking associated with the MOC were to occur in the North Pacific, rather than the North Atlantic, then the Bering Strait flow would reverse. These predictions, formalized in a theoretical box model, are confirmed by a series of numerical experiments in a simplified geometry of the World Ocean, forced by steady surface wind stress, temperature, and freshwater flux.
Do intravenous fluid substitutions influence methotrexate clearance? An unanticipated impact of an intravenous sodium bicarbonate drug shortage

BACKGROUND National drug shortages of essential medications for childhood cancer have increasingly posed a challenge in the treatment of patients. The efficacy of standardized supportive care practices to avoid treatment-related toxicities may be limited during these drug shortages. High-dose methotrexate (HDMTX) plays a critical role in modern treatment protocols for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and requires stringent supportive care measures to mitigate toxicity. As the result of a national intravenous (IV) sodium bicarbonate shortage, institutional standard HDMTX supportive care guidelines had to be modified. We describe the unanticipated consequences on HDMTX clearance. METHODS We performed a retrospective chart review assessing the impact of alternative compositions of IV fluids on the mean 24-h methotrexate levels (Cpss ) of 25 patients receiving 76 total HDMTX infusions at Texas Children's Hospital Cancer Center from March to October 2017. During the sodium bicarbonate drug shortage, all patients received IV hydration consisting of either dextrose 5%, 0.45% normal saline (D5 ½ NS-Group A) or dextrose 5%, 0.2% normal saline (D5 ¼ NS-Group B). RESULTS Patients receiving a higher total sodium dose demonstrated significantly lower Cpss (25.36 ± 16.6 μMol) compared to patients receiving less sodium (53.9 ± 37.9 μMol; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Our report shows that in the setting of IV sodium bicarbonate shortage, the composition of hydration IV fluids may affect methotrexate clearance. Patient who received a higher sodium load had a lower 24-h methotrexate level. This demonstrates the potential for unanticipated outcomes resulting from national drug shortages.
Impedance Control Applied to Automated Deburring

This paper considers some aspects of automatic deburring by robot. The strategy proposed is based on impedance control. Impedance control is a parameter-adaptive approach to manipulation aimed at modulating the effective dynamic behavior of a robot, rather than just its end-effector force or motion. To apply impedance control to robotic deburring, a simple model of the deburring process is developed. A target impedance for the robot is proposed which facilitates the identification of the parameters of the model of the deburring environment and leads to a straightforward parameter-adaptive control strategy for the robot. A method for selecting values for the parameters of an impedance appropriate for deburring is developed by describing the robot’s task as an optimization problem. This method yields simple expressions relating the target impedance parameters to tolerances on the interface forces between the tool and the workpiece and tolerances on the desired motion of the tool.
Tuple-oriented Compression for Large-scale Mini-batch Stochastic Gradient Descent

Data compression is a popular technique for improving the efficiency of data processing workloads such as SQL queries and more recently, machine learning (ML) with classical batch gradient methods. But the efficacy of such ideas for mini-batch stochastic gradient descent (MGD), arguably the workhorse algorithm of modern ML, is an open question. MGD's unique data access pattern renders prior art, including those designed for batch gradient methods, less effective. We fill this crucial research gap by proposing a new lossless compression scheme we call tuple-oriented compression (TOC) that is inspired by an unlikely source, the string/ text compression scheme Lempel-Ziv-Welch, but tailored to MGD in a way that preserves tuple boundaries within mini-batches. We then present a suite of novel compressed matrix operation execution techniques tailored to the TOC compression scheme that operate directly over the compressed data representation and avoid decompression overheads. An extensive empirical evaluation with real-world datasets shows that TOC consistently achieves substantial compression ratios by up to 51x and reduces runtimes for MGD workloads by up to 10.2x in popular ML systems.