cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vibrational imaging of lipid droplets in live fibroblast cells with coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy

A new vibrational imaging method based on coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) has been used for high-speed, selective imaging of neutral lipid droplets (LDs) in unstained live fibroblast cells. LDs have a high density of C-H bonds and show a high contrast in laser-scanning CARS images taken at 2,845 cm−1, the frequency for aliphatic C-H vibrations. The contrast from LDs was confirmed by comparing CARS and Oil Red O (ORO)-stained fluorescence images. The fluorescent labeling processes were examined with CARS microscopy. It was found that ORO staining of fixed cells caused aggregation of LDs, whereas fixing with formaldehyde or staining with Nile Red did not affect LDs. CARS microscopy was also used to monitor the 3T3-L1 cell differentiation process, revealing that there was an obvious clearance of LDs at the early stage of differentiation. After that, the cells started to differentiate and reaccumulate LDs in the cytoplasm in a largely unsynchronized manner. Differentiated cells formed small colonies surrounded by undifferentiated cells that were devoid of LDs. These observations demonstrate that CARS microscopy can follow dynamic changes in live cells with chemical selectivity and noninvasiveness. CARS microscopy, in tandem with other techniques, provides exciting possibilities for studying LD dynamics under physiological conditions without perturbation of cell functions.
Trajectories of Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease

Background Late-onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD) is a clinically heterogeneous complex disease defined by progressively disabling cognitive impairment. Psychotic symptoms which affect approximately one-half of LOAD subjects have been associated with more rapid cognitive decline. However, the variety of cognitive trajectories in LOAD, and their correlates, have not been well defined. We therefore used latent class modeling to characterize trajectories of cognitive and behavioral decline in a cohort of AD subjects. Methods 201 Caucasian subjects with possible or probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) were evaluated for cognitive and psychotic symptoms at regular intervals for up to 13.5 years. Cognitive symptoms were evaluated serially with the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE), and psychotic symptoms were rated using the CERAD behavioral rating scale (CBRS). Analyses undertaken were latent class mixture models of quadratic trajectories including a random intercept with initial MMSE score, age, gender, education, and APOE 4 count modeled as concomitant variables. In a secondary analysis, psychosis status was also included. Results AD subjects showed six trajectories with significantly different courses and rates of cognitive decline. The concomitant variables included in the best latent class trajectory model were initial MMSE and age. Greater burden of psychotic symptoms increased the probability of following a trajectory of more rapid cognitive decline in all age and initial MMSE groups. APOE 4 was not associated with any trajectory. Conclusion Trajectory modeling of longitudinal cognitive and behavioral data may provide enhanced resolution of phenotypic variation in AD.
Calcium phosphate cement to prevent collapse in avascular necrosis of the femoral head

Subchondral and articular collapse following nontraumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head is an important cause of osteoarthritis in patients between ages 20 and 40. Because hip arthroplasty in the younger population is prone to early wear and failure, it is paramount to prevent collapse once osteonecrosis is detected. Natural remodeling of the osteonecrotic areas by adjacent normal bone is predominated by osteoclastic resorption, which weakens the cancellous bone and allows microfractures to occur before full healing can take place. Current treatment modalities include core decompression and various adjuncts such as bone graft, mesenchymal stem cells and tantalum implants to provide structural integrity and to speed bony creeping substitution. Calcium phosphate cement has been reported in the treatment of fractures, especially depressed tibial plateau fractures. It is slow to resorb and is gradually replaced by bone, allowing prolonged support of periarticular fractures during healing. We hypothesize that calcium phosphate cement in conjunction with standard decompression of osteonecrotic femoral head lesions can prevent collapse.
Dispelling the Meritocracy Myth: Lessons for Higher Education and Student Affairs Educators

“Just work hard and you will succeed.” This phrase and others like it represent the belief in meritocracy, which is repeated and perpetuated in our society by role models, friends, government, media, and ourselves. The myth of meritocracy is a part of the utopian belief in the American Dream, which continues to be an active narrative in Americans’ lives that many do not realize is simply a dream and not based on reality. As educators, how do we confront the meritocracy narrative and better understand how it affects our work and our impact on students? This article updates professionals on current literature and the myth’s effect on higher education. Recommendations on how to challenge and change our views on meritocracy are offered for higher education and student affairs educators.
Sustaining Reciprocity: Generating Social Capital within Peer-Support Communities

The concept of reciprocity is embedded into community. A successful online peer-support community is characterized by its members actively giving and receiving support, namely in the form of advice and encouragement. In this paper, we investigate incentives for sustaining generalized reciprocity and explore its relationship with social capital on InTheRooms.com, an online recovery network.
Book Review of The New Digital Shoreline: How Web 2.0 and Millennials are Revolutionizing Higher Education

In higher education, the integration of new technologies and pedagogies of instruction is often a source of apprehension. The New Digital Shoreline , written by Roger McHaney of Kansas State University, is a guide for understanding millennial learners along with current technologies and strategies used in college classrooms. The audience for this book would likely be faculty and administrators with limited knowledge of the shifting expectations for technology in higher education. On the spectrum of technology adoption ranging from innovators to laggards, The New Digital Shoreline is best suited for late majority adopters. The book is organized around the metaphor of exploring a new world, one with an unfamiliar population, landscape, and culture; the author is your guide on a journey to successfully adapt to the realities of this new world.
Imaging changes in the cytosolic ATP-to-ADP ratio

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a central metabolite that plays fundamental roles as an energy transfer molecule, a phosphate donor, and a signaling molecule inside the cells. The phosphoryl group transfer potential of ATP provides a thermodynamic driving force for many metabolic reactions, and phosphorylation of both small metabolites and large proteins can serve as a regulatory modification. In the process of phosphoryl transfer from ATP, the diphosphate ADP is produced, and as a result, the ATP-to-ADP ratio is an important physiological control parameter. The ATP-to-ADP ratio is directly proportional to cellular energy charge and phosphorylation potential. Furthermore, several ATP-dependent enzymes and signaling proteins are regulated by ADP, and their activation profiles are a function of the ATP-to-ADP ratio. Finally, regeneration of ATP from ADP can serve as an important readout of energy metabolism and mitochondrial function. We, therefore, developed a genetically encoded fluorescent biosensor tuned to sense ATP-to-ADP ratios in the physiological range of healthy mammalian cells. Here, we present a protocol for using this biosensor to visualize energy status using live-cell fluorescence microscopy.
Numerical Prediction of the Electric Field Produced Within Launch Vehicle Plumes

A novel Eulerian-Lagrangian numerical scheme is developed to characterize the electric nature of rocket plumes. An Eulerian flow solver ( Wind-US) is used to simulate the ionized, chemical non-equilibrium, turbulent plume produced by a methane-oxygen rocket engine, including a detailed chemi-ion reaction set (34-spe cies, 178-reactions). A one-way Lagrangian solver is described for simulation of so ot effects on the electrical nature of the plume using the Eulerian flow solution, and address es ion emission from soot, and soot-ion attachment. The numerical scheme is demonstrated for a hypothetical 15000-lbf thrust rocket methane-oxygen engine. The sensitivity of t he electric nature of the plume is evaluated for a stoichiomtetric and fuel-rich mixtu re. Results from initial demonstrations of this scheme suggest that substantial ion fields are generated witin the plumes, and that soot particles capture the free electrons to form a regi on of negatively charged particles which likely persist for hundreds of nozzle exit diameter s downstream.
Comparative Anatomy and General Histology of Tongues of Long-Nosed Bats (Leptonycteris sanborni and L. nivalis) with Reference to Infestation of Oral Mites

Anatomically and histologically, tongues of two species of long-nosed bats, Leptonycteris sanborni and L. nivalis , are generally similar. The tongue in each species is highly adapted for pollen- and nectar-feeding, which is characteristic of glossophagine bats. Differences in the singly-pointed papillae located along the lateral and dorsolateral surfaces were studied in detail by means of histological techniques and the scanning electron microscope. It was concluded that differences in these papillae may well account for the absence of oral mites ( Radfordiella oricola : Macronyssidae) in the oral cavity of L. sanborni .
Preventing vascular catastrophes.

Atherosclerosis can be produced and reversed in animals by manipulation of only one parameter, the serum cholesterol level. In every species in which the disease has been produced experimentally, an elevation of serum cholesterol corresponding to the rise that characterizes the aging process in man has resulted in atherosclerosis. We must identify persons who are susceptible to acceleration of the atherosclerotic process while they are in their 20s and 30s. Prevention must begin before this atherogenic stimulus has been present for 15 or 20 years.
446 KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE REGARDING HIV/AIDS AMONG RURAL WOMEN PRESENTING FOR ANTENATAL CARE IN NAMAKKAL DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU, INDIA

According to National AIDS Control Organization of India, NACO, in 2003 there were 530,000 new HIV infections in India with women accounting for a significant number. This raises the issue of HIV prevalence among pregnant women and the transfer of HIV from mother to child (MTCT) especially in states such as Tamil Nadu where the HIV prevalence rates among pregnant women exceeds 1%1. To prevent MTCT various voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) programs have been implemented but baseline data regarding knowledge, attitude and practice towards HIV/AIDS among the pregnant women in many of the regions is lacking. The goal of this study was to determine the general baseline knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS along with attitudes and practices towards HIV/AIDS among rural women in the Namakkal district presenting for antenatal care at government health facilities. Our results show that about 50% of the women did not think or did not know that HIV transmission from person to person can be prevented and also about 60% of the women did not think or know that MTCT can be prevented. Almost 90% of the women did not know where they can get testing for HIV and 80% did not know where they can go to receive PMTCT services. The majority of the women (70%) indicated they would accept medication to reduce MTCT, however only 32% were willing to accept HIV testing if pregnant. These findings help to identify the gaps in knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS among pregnant women and the barriers they face. Future VCT sessions need to take these factors into consideration to overcome such barriers and to increase the effectiveness of VCT and to reduce MTCT.
Concepts in developing a food composition table.

A new and greatly expanded edition of the U. S. Department of Agriculture Handbook No. 8, Composition of Foods–Raw, Processed, Prepared (1), is in preparation. The philosophy and some of the background out of which this publication is being developed is presented here.
COMPUTING MENU NUTRIENTS BY DATA PROCESSING.

With the advent of computers and data processing techniques, nutritional evaluation of menus can now be done more accurately and with greater speed. The experience of the Veterans Administration in exploring these new techniques for its western-states hospitals is described.
Increases in Intrinsic Thalamocortical Connectivity and Overall Cognition Following Cognitive Remediation in Chronic Schizophrenia.

Abstract Background Thalamic projections to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are critical for cognition, and disruptions in these circuits are thought to underlie the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Cognitive remediation training (REM) is a behavioral intervention that holds promise for improving cognition and functioning in schizophrenia; however, the extent to which it affects thalamo-prefrontal connections has not been researched. This study sought to determine whether patients with schizophrenia who undergo a placebo-controlled trial of REM show increased functional connectivity between the thalamus and PFC, and whether these changes correspond to improvements in cognition. Methods Twenty-six patients with chronic schizophrenia were randomized to either 48 hours (over 16 weeks) of a drill-and-practice working memory–focused REM condition or an active placebo condition. All participants underwent cognitive assessment (MATRICS), as well as both resting and task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging before and after their respective intervention. All clinicians, technicians, and raters were blinded to participant condition. Results We observed changes in resting-state connectivity in the PFC for the REM group but not for the placebo group. Increased intrinsic connectivity between the thalamus and right middle frontal gyrus correlated with improvements in overall cognition. Additionally, lower baseline cognition correlated with greater increases in connectivity between the thalamus and PFC. Similar findings were observed when patients were scanned during a working memory task. Conclusions These results suggest that increases in thalamo-prefrontal circuitry correspond with training-related improvements of the cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia.
A 13 000 year multi‐proxy climate record from central Utah (western USA), emphasizing conditions leading to large mass movements

Younger Dryas to earliest Holocene mega-landslides (>10 km2) in the eastern Fish Lake Plateau of central Utah required unusually wet conditions to drive movement. The sediment from abundant small lakes, ponds and especially fens that formed in swales between hummocks on the landslide surfaces are excellent archives of past climate. An integrated geophysical, geochemical and micro-palaeontological investigation characterized fen deposits, determining the timing of mass movement and establishing the subsequent climate history of the region. High-resolution P-(compressional) wave surveys of fen deposits were conducted to image fen-landslide contacts. Past climate states were assessed through loss on ignition, pollen and diatom abundances. Diatoms, in particular, record large variations in precipitation as the present-day wetland switched from fen (intermittent standing water) to pond states in response to variable precipitation. One core was analysed for detailed climate proxies. A wet episode (pond) prevailed from 11.5 to 10 ka after which the climate became much drier (fen) until 6 ka due to weakening of the North American Monsoon. After 2.5–2.0 ka, reduced insolation produced cooler summers and wet winters (pond). Only recently (<500 years) has a fen re-emerged based on direct observation and the disappearance of diatoms that require standing water. 14C ages of basal sediment from four cores show two episodes of movement: 12.8–12.5 and 10.5 ka. The earlier ages indicate that Younger Dryas high effective precipitation caused mass wasting. Later, during early Holocene times, colder winters followed by warmer summers and vigorous monsoons drove movement as rapid spring snow-melt was followed by wet summers. In broad terms, this work highlights variable climate conditions that can drive mass movement, as well as the sensitivity of diatom records in fens to effective precipitation.
An optimization framework for building energy retrofits decision-making

Abstract Buildings are major consumers of energy in the United States. One way to improve building's energy efficiency is through energy retrofitting. The selection of a combination of retrofitting measures for a specific building is a complex process. Despite of the numerous resources that provide advice on how to retrofit a facility, the study of important variables affecting this decision remains limited. Further research is needed on the development of decision-making models to select the optimum energy retrofitting strategy in order to maximize energy retrofitting benefits. This study proposes a decision-making framework that: (1) calculates the economic benefits of energy retrofitting in terms of reduction of life-cycle cost for a specific building during its service life; (2) determines the optimum retrofitting budget that minimizes the total life-cycle cost of the building during its service-life; and (3) selects the optimum energy retrofitting strategy (among available energy retrofitting measures) to maximize the homeowner economic benefits during service-life of the building based on available investments. This study contributes to the body of knowledge in three aspects: (1) considering a comprehensive economic objective for decision-making in energy retrofits that includes majority of cost-related components of building life-cycle cost; (2) introducing a novel simplified energy prediction method by integrating dynamic and static modeling; and (3) incorporating energy retrofitting decision-making uncertainties to reach more accurate results. In order to demonstrate the implementation of the framework, a case study exercise of a house built in 1960's in Albuquerque, New Mexico is used.
Slow and Stopped Images

We report on the slowing and stopping of transverse images in a hot atomic vapor. The images are shown to be robust to decohering mechanisms. The hot vapor is also shown to preserve quantum fields.
Minilaparotomy Versus Laparoscopic Myomectomy After Cessation of Power Morcellation: Rate of Wound Complications.

Abstract Study Objective After the US Food and Drug Administration statement warning against electronic morcellation devices, gynecologic surgeons are performing laparoscopic and robotic myomectomies with minilaparotomy incisions for tissue morcellation and removal. No data exist that focus on the superficial wound complications as a result of these larger incisions. The objective of this study is to compare the rate of wound complications for myomectomy via minilaparotomy versus laparoscopic or robotic myomectomy. Design Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting Kaiser Permanente Northern California, a large integrated healthcare delivery system. Patients Women > 18 years of age who underwent a myomectomy from either complete laparoscopic or robotic approach (LR) were compared with minilaparotomy myomectomy (MM), comprising complete minilaparotomy (ML) and laparoscopic or robotic assisted by a minilaparotomy for morcellation purposes only (LRM) from January 2011 through December 2014. Intervention Myomectomy via LR, complete ML, and LRM. Measurements and Main Results Medical records were reviewed for outcomes of interest, including superficial wound complications and surgical and demographic data. After exclusion criteria were met, 405 cases were included in the study; 270 cases were classified as MM, which included ML (n = 224), or LRM (n = 46). One hundred thirty-five cases were classified as LR. Parametric and nonparametric analyses were used to compare the 2 groups. There was no significant difference between the groups insofar as patient morbidity, including the primary outcome of wound complications and other postoperative complications; emergency visits; or readmissions. There were 2 (1.5%) wound complications in the LR group and 7 (2.6%) in the MM group (p = .72). Similarly, there were no significant differences in the subcategories of wound complications, including cellulitis, seroma, hematoma, skin separation, wound infection, or postprocedure wound complication. The distribution of estimated blood loss was significantly different between LR and MM groups with an interquartile range of 50 to 150 mL in the LR group versus 50 to 300 mL in the MM group (p Conclusion Compared with MM, LR is associated with a shorter length of hospital stay and longer operating time but no reduction in wound complication or other patient morbidity.
Chronic subthreshold cortical stimulation: a therapeutic and potentially restorative therapy for focal epilepsy.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Approximately one third of patients with focal epilepsy continue to have ongoing seizures despite adequate trials of anti-seizure medications. Surgery to remove the epileptogenic zone remains the most efficacious treatment option for focal drug-resistant epilepsy. However, when cortical areas are eloquent or there are multiple epileptogenic zones, surgical resection is not an ideal approach. Cortical stimulation provides an attractive alternative.Area covered: Here, the authors describe Chronic Subthreshold Cortical Stimulation (CSCS), which uses continuous intracranial electrical stimulation applied near the epileptogenic zone to lower seizure probability. The authors review literature related to CSCS. One challenge is finding the most efficacious set of stimulation parameters for each patient.Expert commentary: Data supporting CSCS are limited but promising for the treatment of patients with focal drug resistant epilepsy who are not surgical candidates. Additional electrophysiologi...
The Discourse of School Dropout: Re-centering the Perceptions of School-Based Service Providers

The purpose of this study is to qualitatively re-center the perceptions of school-based service providers in the discourse of school dropout. Interviews were conducted with a teacher, a dropout prevention counselor, an assistant principal, and a district dropout prevention counselor, all of who work or have worked with one urban middle school in California (pseudonym: UMS). Through a case study design, I analyze how Foucauldian ideas of power and truth emerge from the experiences of these service providers. Results show that although their answers reflected the dominant discourse of school dropout, the actions of the school-based service providers resisted that narrative. They did this by constructing counterstories within and outside the classroom, by valuing and putting effort into qualitative modes of education like relationships and student voice, by attempting to diversify a culturally irrelevant curriculum, and by accepting personal responsibility for their students.
RACC: an approach to cluster-based web servers

RACC is a cluster-based design for scalable cost-effective web servers. Organized around the goal of locality enhancement, the RACC approach seeks to distribute requests arriving at the cluster among the nodes so as to enhance the locality of reference that occurs on individual nodes in the cluster. By improving locality on individual cluster nodes, we can reduce their working set sizes, thereby achieving superior performance for less cost than conventional approaches. We describe here the RACC architecture and its prototype implementation on Windows NT.
Exploratory Machine Learning Studies for Disruption Prediction Using Large Databases on DIII-D

Using data-driven methodology, we exploit the time series of relevant plasma parameters for a large set of disrupted and non-disrupted discharges from the DIII-D tokamak with the objective of devel...
Patient and surgeon ranking of the severity of symptoms associated with fecal incontinence: the fecal incontinence severity index.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to develop and evaluate a severity rating score for fecal incontinence, the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index. METHODS: The Fecal Incontinence Severity Index is based on a type × frequency matrix. The matrix includes four types of leakage commonly found in the fecal incontinent population: gas, mucus, and liquid and solid stool and five frequencies: one to three times per month, once per week, twice per week, once per day, and twice per day. The Fecal Incontinence Severity Index was developed using both colon and rectal surgeons and patient input for the specification of the weighting scores. RESULTS: Surgeons and patients had very similar weightings for each of the type × frequency combinations; significant differences occurred for only 3 of the 20 different weights. The Fecal Incontinence Severity Index score of a group of patients with fecal incontinence (N = 118) demonstrated significant correlations with three of the four scales found in a fecal incontinence quality-of-life scale. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index indicates that the index is a tool that can be used to assess severity of fecal incontinence. Overall, patient and surgeon ratings of severity are similar, with minor differences associated with the accidental loss of solid stool.
Musculoskeletal Symptoms with Long-term Acitretin Therapy for Psoriasis: An Age- and Sex-matched Retrospective Study:

Acitretin, an orally administered retinoid, has been part of the psoriasis treatment armamentarium since 1997. While much has been reported regarding the incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms assoc...
Functional considerations in the postediting of machine translated output

L'experience de l'auteur a la Pan American Health Organization, ou quelques 2,5 millions de mots ont ete traduits d'espagnol en anglais, a revele l'importance, dans la post-edition de textes traduits automatiquement, de la transposition du schema verbe (sujet) objet en sujet-verbe-objet
VALIDATION OF DNA FINGERPRINTING IN ANIMAL CELL TECHNOLOGY: THE DIFFERENTIATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF MURINE HYBRIDOMA CLONES FOR A SINGLE FUSION AND THE STABILITY OF TRANSFORMED CELL LINES

DNA fingerprinting is under assessment for use in the quality assurance of cell stocks: providing information on the consistency and stability of cell stocks as well as screening for cross-contamination. At the European Collection of Animal Cell Cultures (ECACC) Alec Jeffreys probes 33.6 and 33.15 have been used for analysis of cell lines from a wide range of species. We have previously reported our initial assessment of DNA fingerprinting for use in the quality control of cell banks [1, 2]. This report describes further validation of fingerprinting in animal cell technology. DNA fingerprints have demonstrated consistency between human and peripheral blood mononuclear cells and Epstein-Barr virus transformed B lymphoblastoid lines from the same individual. Analysis of long-term cultures of these cell lines (ie up to 6 months) also revealed the stability of their fingerprints. Analysis of murine hybridomas has shown certain limitations of the 33.6 probe in that clones from the same fusion expressing different Ig subclasses, could not be differentiated. Significantly probe 33.15 enabled differentiated of clones producing antibodies of identical heavy chain subclass although it was not possible to differentiate all clones. The work discussed in this report represents the ongoing process of validation of DNA fingerprinting: supporting its use in the authentication of EBV transformed cell lines and the analysis of murine hybridomas.
High Temperature X-Ray Diffraction and Landau Theory Investigations of Thermal Symmetry-Breaking Transitions

The Landau theory of symmetry and phase transitions is applied to the thermal symmetry-breaking transitions corresponding to the special point W in the case of the NaCl-type structure. The results are shown to include the ordered structure of defect niobium mono-nitride.
Thrombospondins: Endogenous Inhibitors of Angiogenesis

The thrombospondin (TSP) gene family consists of five members, two of which, TSP1 and TSP2, have been shown to play important roles in the regulation of angiogenesis. While TSP1 and TSP2 are secreted into the extracellular environment, they do not play structural roles but rather function to regulate cellular behavior by interaction with numerous cell-surface receptors, proteases, cytokines, and other bioactive proteins. As a consequence, these TSPs are termed matricellular proteins. TSP1, but not TSP2, is capable of activating latent TGFβ, and can thereby stimulate the production of extracellular matrix. Matricellular TSPs inhibit angiogenesis both by causing apoptosis of endothelial cells (EC) and by inhibiting their proliferation. However, under some circumstances TSP1 has also been shown to be proangiogenic. TSPs interact with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2 and 9 and function as clearance factors by directing these MMPs to the scavenger receptor, LRP1, and thence to lysosomal degradation. As a consequence, TSPs function to regulate cell adhesion. TSP1 also inhibits nitric oxide-stimulation of EC proliferation by interaction with the CD47/integrin-associated protein receptor. Finally, by virtue of their ability to inhibit angiogenesis, TSPs have the potential to inhibit tumor growth and metastases, a property that may have clinical applications.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Mortality in Healthy Men and Women.

Abstract Background There is a well-established inverse relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and mortality. However, this relationship has almost exclusively been studied using estimated CRF. Objectives This study aimed to assess the association of directly measured CRF, obtained using cardiopulmonary exercise (CPX) testing with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality in apparently healthy men and women. Methods Participants included 4,137 self-referred apparently healthy adults (2,326 men, 1,811 women; mean age: 42.8 ± 12.2 years) who underwent CPX testing to determine baseline CRF. Participants were followed for 24.2 ± 11.7 years (1.1 to 49.3 years) for mortality. Cox-proportional hazard models were performed to determine the relationship of CRF (ml·kg-1·min-1) and CRF level (low, moderate, and high) with mortality outcomes. Results During follow-up, 727 participants died (524 men, 203 women). CPX-derived CRF was inversely related to all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality. Low CRF was associated with higher risk for all-cause (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.20 to 3.50), CVD (HR: 2.27; 95% CI: 1.20 to 3.49), and cancer (HR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.18 to 3.36) mortality compared with high CRF. Further, each metabolic equivalent increment increase in CRF was associated with a 11.6%, 16.1%, and 14.0% reductions in all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality, respectively. Conclusions Given the prognostic ability of CPX-derived CRF for all-cause and disease-specific mortality outcomes, its use should be highly considered for apparently healthy populations as it may help to improve the efficacy of the individualized patient risk assessment and guide clinical decisions.
Right-Sided Versus Left-Sided Pneumonectomy After Induction Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background A right-sided pneumonectomy after induction therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been shown to be associated with significant perioperative risk. We examined the effect of laterality on long-term survival after induction therapy and pneumonectomy using the National Cancer Data Base. Methods Perioperative and long-term outcomes of patients who underwent pneumonectomy after induction chemotherapy, with or without radiotherapy, from 2004 to 2014 in the National Cancer Data Base were evaluated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling and propensity score-matched analysis. Results During the study period, 1,465 patients (right, 693 [47.3%]; left, 772 [52.7%]) met inclusion criteria. Right-sided pneumonectomy was associated with significantly higher 30-day (8.2% [57 of 693] vs 4.2% [32 of 772], p Conclusions In this national analysis, right-sided pneumonectomy after induction therapy was associated with a significantly higher perioperative but not worse long-term mortality compared to a left-sided procedure.
Negotiating Communicative Access in Practice: A Study of a Memoir Group for People With Aphasia:

Resulting from stroke or brain injury, aphasia affects individuals’ ability to produce and comprehend language, but it also creates profound social changes, limiting individuals’ opportunities to c...
Effect of temperature and agitation rate variation on the growth of NS0 cell line in monoclonal antibody production

The quality and yield of the monoclonal antibodies produced in a cGMP environment is heavily influenced by the bioprocess-related parameters which impact the cell growth and metabolism of the mammalian cell cultures. This research report describes a study conducted to examine the effects of varying temperature and RPM set points on viable cell density and viability of NS0 cultures. All cultures were grown in 250 mL shake flasks (working vol. 100 mL). To separately analyze the effects of temperature and agitation rate on NS0 cell metabolism, flask stage cultures were evaluated in triplicates at two cultivation temperatures (36 {degrees}C and 38 {degrees}C) and two agitation rates (120 RPM and 160 RPM) while controls were maintained at 37 {degrees}C and 140 RPM for both the conditions using an incubator. Flasks were sampled every 24 h and analyzed for viable cell density and % viability. Additional data was collected on pH, pO2, pCO2, osmolality, glucose, lactate, glutamate and glutamine levels in the culture. It was observed that variations in temperature has the greatest effect on viable cell density and viability and varying agitation rates had minimal effect on growth of cultures. A temperature set point of 38 {degrees}C is detrimental to the culture growth. The control set points proved to be optimal for this process.
A Simple Procedure to Determine Incoming Quality of Aluminum Alloy Ingots and Its Application to A356 Alloy Ingots

A step-by-step procedure to determine the quality of ingots has been developed. This procedure is built on the reduced pressure test and is designed to guide the foundrymen to decide (1) whether the lot of ingots should be accepted and/or (2) what remedial liquid metal processing should be done to bring the melt to the desired levels. A case study on two aluminum alloy A356 ingots is also presented. The results show wide variability in the initial quality of the ingots. Moreover, traditional metallographic techniques to characterize the quality from the slice of the reduced pressure test sample have been shown to provide similar results to those obtained from computerized tomography.
9 – Number Theory

Publisher Summary The study of the integers and their properties is known as number theory. Number theory is one of the few branches of mathematics in which unique contributions can be made without extensive specialized training. Mathematicians and layman alike can realize the thrill of discovery by considering some of the topics of number theory and rediscovering certain properties and relationships. Number theory contains several problems that while being simple to state, have not been solved. The theory of numbers goes back to the Babylonians. In the 60th century B.C., the Babylonian knowledge of numbers was transmitted to certain Greeks. One of them, a man named Pythagoras, founded a secret brotherhood in Italy. Called the Pythagoreans, it was partly mathematical and scientific and partly religious. The theory of numbers was its central theme. The Pythagoreans believed that mathematics and science were religious occupations. Pythagoras was considered to be more than human, less than divine; he was the prophet of the Pythagorean brotherhood. The Pythagoreans are generally credited with distinguishing between the computational aspects of the numbers and study of relationships among numbers. The computational aspects have developed into arithmetic and the study of relationships among numbers into number theory.
"It's Tricky": Care Managers' Perspectives on Interacting with Primary Care Clinicians.

Care management programs that facilitate collaboration between care managers and primary care clinicians are more likely to be successful in improving chronic disease metrics than programs that do ...
Combined inhibition of JAK2-STAT3 and SMO-GLI1/tGLI1 pathways suppresses breast cancer stem cells, tumor growth, and metastasis

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and HER2-positive breast cancer are particularly aggressive and associated with unfavorable prognosis. TNBC lacks effective treatments. HER2-positive tumors have treatment options but often acquire resistance to HER2-targeted therapy after initial response. To address these challenges, we determined whether novel combinations of JAK2-STAT3 and SMO-GLI1/tGLI1 inhibitors synergistically target TNBC and HER2 breast cancer since these two pathways are concurrently activated in both tumor types and enriched in metastatic tumors. Herein, we show that novel combinations of JAK2 inhibitors (ruxolitinib and pacritinib) with SMO inhibitors (vismodegib and sonidegib) synergistically inhibited in vitro growth of TNBC and HER2-positive trastuzumab-resistant BT474-TtzmR cells. Synergy was also observed against breast cancer stem cells. To determine if the combination is efficacious in inhibiting metastasis, we treated mice with intracardially inoculated TNBC cells and found the combination to inhibit lung and liver metastases, and prolong host survival without toxicity. The combination inhibited orthotopic growth, VEGF-A expression, and tumor vasculature of both TNBC and HER2-positive trastuzumab-refractory breast cancer. Lung metastasis of orthotopic BT474-TtzmR xenografts was suppressed by the combination. Together, our results indicated that dual targeting of JAK2 and SMO resulted in synergistic suppression of breast cancer growth and metastasis, thereby supporting future clinical testing.
Analysis of Geometric Performance and Dosimetric Impact of Using Automatic Contour Segmentation for Radiotherapy Planning

Purpose: To analyze geometric discrepancy and dosimetric impact in using contours generated by auto-segmentation (AS) against manually segmented (MS) clinical contours. Methods: A 48-subject prostate atlas was created and another 15 patients were used for testing. Contours were generated using a commercial atlas-based segmentation tool and compared to their clinical MS counterparts. The geometric correlation was evaluated using the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and Hausdorff distance (HD). Dosimetric relevance was evaluated for a subset of patients by assessing the DVH differences derived by optimizing plan dose using the AS and MS contours, respectively, and evaluating with respect to each. A paired t-test was employed for statistical comparison. The discrepancy in plan quality with respect to clinical dosimetric endpoints was evaluated. The analysis was repeated for head/neck (HN) with a 31-subject atlas and 15 test cases. Results: Dice agreement between AS and MS differed significantly across structures: from (L:0.92/R: 0.91) for the femoral heads to seminal vesical of 0.38 in the prostate cohort, and from 0.98 for the brain, to 0.36 for the chiasm of the HN group. Despite the geometric disagreement, the paired t-tests showed the lack of statistical evidence for systematic differences in dosimetric plan quality yielded by the AS and MS approach for the prostate cohort. In HN cases, statistically significant differences in dosimetric endpoints were observed in structures with small volumes or elongated shapes such as cord (p = 0.01) and esophagus (p = 0.04). The largest absolute dose difference of 11 Gy was seen in the mean pharynx dose. Conclusion: Varying AS performance among structures suggests a differential approach of using AS on a subset of structures and focus MS on the rest. The discrepancy between geometric and dosimetric-end-point driven evaluation also indicates the clinical utility of AS contours in optimization and evaluating plan quality despite of suboptimal geometrical accuracy.
The Image of Education and College as the Pathway to a Better Life

The third mutually reinforcing image is one in which students saw the value of education and college completion as the pathway to their hopes and dreams. As one of the students said, “Education is the whole equation of my life.” The parents of these students continually socialized their children in the notion that education and college were the pathway to a better, financially secure life. They impressed on the students the image of working hard now to lift themselves and their family out of poverty. Additionally, teachers, school principals, guidance counselors, college readiness organizations, and friends also played important roles in helping the students form this image and in supporting and navigating their way into college. Despite the role others played in helping students frame this image, the students, in the end, accepted it as meaningful and worth pursuing.
Are Bank Merger Characteristics Important for Local Community Investment

Using a sample of 3,964 bank mergers during the 1999-2016 period, we examine the effects of merger and local market characteristics on local small business lending through banks’ dependence on soft information acquisition relative to technology driven lending. Mergers involving small or in-state acquirers are positively associated with small business loan (SBL) originations in counties where the target bank has a presence, particularly in counties with a larger number of small firms. In contrast, mergers involving large acquirers are associated with fewer SBL originations while those involving out-of-state acquirers have no impact on SBL originations. Analyses of acquirer bank SBL origination activity post-merger corroborate our county-level results. Post-merger, small bank acquirers increase in SBL originations, while large acquirers do not. Examining the behavior of local competitor banks shows that competitors of small acquirers decrease SBL originations, partially offsetting the positive effect associated small bank acquirers. Taken together, our findings underscore the importance of soft information acquisition in small business lending and suggest one-size-fits-all policy solutions are not likely to lead to common outcomes at the local level. Encouraging mergers by small banks and by in-state acquirers can positively affect small business lending and community investment, particularly in counties with a large fraction of small firms.
Microgrid PCC Power Dispatch Strategy Based on Multi-ESS Control during Peak, Flat and Valley Periods

Due to the self-healing ability and energy storage of microgrid, it can not only improve stability of islanding operation, but also increase the economic when grid operates. This paper takes the PCC point power dispatch strategy as research objective, after analysis the structure and control strategy of microgrid, this paper develop the dispatch strategy of PCC point and put forward the multi-ess charge/discharge strategy based on wavelet packet decomposition, the multi-ess charge/discharge achieved by PQ control method. Finally, a numerical example verifies the correctness and effectiveness of the strategy.
Exploring the Use of Environmental DNA (eDNA) to Detect Animal Taxa in the Mesopelagic Zone

Animal biodiversity in the ocean’s vast mesopelagic zone is relatively poorly studied due to technological and logistical challenges. Environmental DNA (eDNA) analyses show great promise for efficiently characterizing biodiversity and could provide new insight into the presence of mesopelagic species, including those that are missed by traditional net sampling. Here, we explore the utility of eDNA for identifying animal taxa. We describe the results from an August 2018 cruise in Slope Water off the northeast United States. Samples for eDNA analysis were collected using Niskin bottles during 5 CTD casts. Sampling depths along each cast were selected based on the presence of biomass as indicated by the shipboard Simrad EK60 echosounder. Metabarcoding of the 18S V9 gene region was used to assess super-specific taxonomic diversity. Environmental DNA metabarcoding results were compared with those from net-collected (MOCNESS) plankton samples. We found that the MOCNESS sampling recovered more animal taxa, but the number of taxa detected per liter of water sampled was significantly higher in the eDNA samples. Environmental DNA was especially useful for detecting delicate gelatinous animals which are undersampled by nets. We also detected eDNA changes in community composition with depth, but not not with sample collection time (day vs. night). We provide recommendations for applying eDNA in the mesopelagic including the need for studies enabling interpretation of eDNA signals and improvement of barcode reference databases.
Emotional preparedness as a mechanism to improve provider morale during the pandemic

Turnover is already a major concern among social workers;however, the recent pandemic has elevated these concerns because of the emotional burden associated with this once in a lifetime disaster that is prolonged and unpredictable Thoughts of leaving the field may reduce their life satisfaction and sense of purpose, thereby reducing morale and leading to deteriorations in the provider's physical and/or mental health, and ultimately job turnover There is currently a gap in the field of how social workers can be emotionally prepared during the pandemic Through qualitative analytic coding and constant comparative methods of three case studies that reflect common situations encountered by social workers during the pandemic, the purpose of this article is to delineate 11 guidelines of being emotionally prepared from the cases that may be helpful in improving provider morale In particular, the guidelines pertain to issues of liability, altering practice approaches, use of personal protective equipment, provider help-seeking, and racial, cultural or socioeconomic factors Social workers, besides helping their clients, also support their health-care peers in disaster work Because of this role, which takes on additional significance during periods of crisis, social workers need these guidelines to improve their morale and combat stress [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Social Work in Mental Health is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use This abstract may be abridged No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract (Copyright applies to all Abstracts )