cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developing future clinician scientists while supporting a research infrastructure.

Background Supporting clinical research is a national priority. Clinician scientists are rare and clinical trials in academic medical centers (AMC) often fail to meet enrollment goals. Undergraduate students interested in biomedical careers often lack opportunities to perform clinical research. Objective Describe an innovative undergraduate course that supports clinical research in an AMC. Methods The course, Clinical Research Methods and Practice, offers undergraduate students the opportunity to learn clinical research through didactic and practical experiences. The students in turn support clinician scientists’ conduct of clinical studies in an AMC. Clinician scientists receive research support and participate in mentoring sessions for students. Results Over seven semesters, 128 students have assisted in 21 clinical studies located in outpatient and inpatient units of two hospitals. Students identified and screened eligible patients, collected clinical data, assisted in obtaining informed consent, and transported specimens. Many of the clinician scientists have met their enrollment goals and several have been top-enrollers in multicenter clinical trials as a result of student support. Conclusions The Clinical Research Methods and Practice class addresses barriers to clinical research in AMC. This may be a model for institutions committed to mentoring students early in their career and to developing infrastructures for clinical research. Clin Trans Sci 2013; Volume 6: 94–97
Balancing tumor immunity and autoimmunity

Vaccination with irradiated tumor cells engineered to secrete granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) enhances tumor immunity in murine models through improved tumor antigen presentation by mature CD11b+ dendritic cells and macrophages. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, CD1d-restricted invariant NKT cells, and antibodies are required for tumor protection. We have conducted several Phase I clinical trials of this vaccination scheme, using adenoviral-mediated gene transfer to engineer autologous tumor cells, in patients with advanced melanoma, non-small lung carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma, and myeloid leukemia. These studies have revealed that vaccination increases tumor immunity in the majority of subjects, as distant metastases become densely infiltrated with T and B cells that accomplish extensive tumor necrosis. Antibody based-expression cloning technologies have uncovered a large number of novel targets of these vaccine-induced responses, with evidence of a coordinated antigen-specific cellular and humoral reaction. Despite improved immunity, however, the majority of vaccinated patients eventually succumb to progressive disease. While the evolution of antigen-loss variants presents one obstacle to durable tumor control, negative immune regulation constitutes an additional major challenge. In preliminary clinical studies, the administration of a fully human monoclonal antibody that blocks cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) to previously vaccinated patients evokes additional tumor destruction with lymphocyte and granulocyte infiltrates and the disruption of the tumor vasculature. CTLA-4 blockade may also breach tolerance to normal tissues, as indicated by the development of autoimmunity. A key issue of ongoing investigation is to determine whether tumor destruction and serious autoimmunity can be dissociated. This abstract was published in Cancer Immunity, a Cancer Research Institute journal that ceased publication in 2013 and is now provided online in association with Cancer Immunology Research.
Combined Robot-assisted Kidney Transplantation and Sleeve Gastrectomy in a Morbidly Obese Recipient.

Background Kidney transplantation confers a well-documented survival advantage for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) over dialysis, regardless of body mass index (BMI). However, obese patients with ESRD have limited access to kidney transplantation. In most transplant centers, a patient with a BMI above 35 to 40 kg/m is either completely excluded from transplantation or is required to lose weight before being considered for transplantation. Materials and methods Herein, we present the first case of a 35-year-old woman with a BMI of 42 kg/m (96.8 kg) and ESRD, who underwent combined robot-assisted kidney transplant and sleeve gastrectomy. Results The total operative time was 318 minutes with an estimated blood loss of 125 mL. At 24 months after transplantation, the patient's weight, BMI, creatinine, and estimated glomerular filtration rate were 81.9 kg, 35.1 kg/m, 0.79 mg/dL, and 81.2 mL/min per 1.73 m, respectively. Conclusions Combined robot-assisted kidney transplant and sleeve gastrectomy is feasible in morbidly obese patients and adds little additional operative time.
Brain cholesterol x: effect of scheduling on the sterol lowering capability of methylphenidate (Ritalin).

SummaryThe amount of cholesterol in brain tissue of male mice (5–10 weeks old) can be lowered by intraperitoneal injection of small amounts of Ritalin. Maximum effect occurs twenty-four hours after the initial dosage. Adjustment to normal levels occurs in the ensuing 48 and 72 hour periods. It is hypothesized that the stimulating effect of analeptics is related to brain sterol metabolism.
Design of the Spraying Silicon Sand Production Line of Environmental Protection Type for Cleansing Oil Pipe Surface

The spray sand production line of environmental protection type for cleansing oil pipe surface has been designed.The design contents include the overall scheme,the spray sand mode,the muzzle type,the process flow and main parameters,the dust system,and the electrical control system and program.The line can realizes the semi-automatic spray sand cleansing on internal and external pipe surface.This line can improve quality of production and operator's working conditions,and bring obvious economic and social benefit for an enterprise.
Effective observation on Reduning Injection for treating children acute upper respiratory tract infection

Objective To investigate the effects of Reduning Injection in treating children acute respiratory infection(ARI).Methods 108 children cases diagnosed as ARI were randomly divided into the treatment group(56 cases) and the control group(52 cases).The treatment group was given Reduning Injection,while the control group was given Ribavirin Injection for 3 d.The changes of symptoms and physical signs before and after treatment were summarized.Results The treatment group and control group had statistical differences in the total effective rate and the time of symptomatic improvement(P0.05).Conclusion Reduning Injection is significantly effective in treating children ARI.
Effect of compensatory hypertrophy studied in individual motor units in medial gastrocnemius muscle of the cat.

1. Compensatory hypertrophy of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle was produced by denervating or removing its synergists (i.e., the lateral gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris muscles) in adult cats. Following survival times of 14-32 wk, intracellular recording and stimulation techniques were used to study the motor-unit population in MG. The data obtained were compared with results from MG motor units in normal unoperated cats of the same body size and weight. 2. Using criteria employed for normal motor units, the units in hypertrophic MG muscles were readily classified into the same groups (types FF, F(int), FR, and S) as in normal MG. There was no detectable difference in the distribution of motor-unit types after hypertrophy. 3. When compared with a normal motor-unit sample, there was a large increase in mean tetanic tension, but no significant change in twitch tension, for each motor-unit type in the hypertrophied muscles. The most marked increase was found among the fatigue-resistant type S and type FR motor units. There was no alteration of twitch contraction times or fatigue resistance in any unit type after hypertrophy. 4. For each motor-unit type, the mean homonymous (MG) group Ia EPSP amplitude was the same in normal and hypertrophic MG populations. There was, however, a significant increase in the average conduction velocity of MG motor axons in the animals with uncomplicated MG synergist removal and maximal MG hypertrophy. 5. On the basis of histochemical staining, muscle fibers from comparable sections of hypertrophic and contralateral (unoperated) MG muscles were presumptively identified as belonging to FF, FR, or S units. There was no significant difference between hypertrophic and contralateral MG muscles in the percentage of each fiber type, although there was some variability in muscle composition from one cat to another. One muscle pair was studied in detail for fiber cross-sectional area. In this cat, with marked hypertrophy by muscle weight, there was a modest increase in the mean fiber areas of histochemical S and FR muscle fibers, but no evident change in FF fibers, on the hypertrophic side. 6. MG motor units were examined in several cats in which synergist removal resulted in scarring and marked limitation of passive ankle mobility, and no evident weight gain in MG. Motor units of all types in these animals showed a decrease in twitch tension and in mean twitch/tetanus ratios, with little alteration in mean tetanic tensions. 7. The main effect of compensatory hypertrophy under the present conditions was a large increase in tetanic tension output from individual motor units due, at least in part, to an increase in fiber cross-sectional area. There was no evidence indicating any "conversion" of motor units or of their muscle fibers from one type to another.
Maintenance immunotherapy for primary central nervous system lymphoma following complete response after first-line chemotherapy.

e13531Background: High response rates have been reported following high-dose methotrexate (MTX)-based regimens for newly diagnosed primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). However maintaini...
Dual-Responsive Reversible Plasmonic Behavior of Core–Shell Nanostructures with pH-Sensitive and Electroactive Polymer Shells

We report novel dual-responsive plasmonic core–shell anisotropic nanostructures composed of gold nanorod (AuNR) and responsive polyaniline (PANI) shells with plasmonic mode appearance reversibly modulated through orthogonal stimuli (i.e., electrical potential and pH change). In this system, the PANI shells provide AuNR cores with three different refractive index environments depending on stimuli (pH and electrical potential). Therefore, no additional secondary responsive component is necessary to induce the dual-responsive properties of AuNR cores. Furthermore, in this study, dual-responsive properties can be realized for nanostructures fixed on substrates, whereas previously reported dual-responsive plasmonic systems can only be controlled in solution. Here, the highest localized surface plasmonic resonance (LSPR) shift of the AuNR cores can be induced by changing both local pH and applying electric potential. Notably, a significant plasmon band shift by 107 nm is realized with only 8 nm thick PANI shell...
Poplar PtabZIP1-like enhances lateral root formation and biomass growth under drought stress

Developing drought-resistance varieties is a major goal for bioenergy crops, such as poplar (Populus), which will be grown on marginal lands with little or no water input. Root architecture can affect drought resistance, but few genes that affect root architecture in relation to water availability have been identified. Here, using activation tagging in the prime bioenergy crop poplar, we have identified a mutant that overcomes the block of lateral root (LR) formation under osmotic stress. Positioning of the tag, validation of the activation and recapitulation showed that the phenotype is caused by the poplar PtabZIP1-like (PtabZIP1L) gene with highest homology to bZIP1 from Arabidopsis. PtabZIP1L is predominantly expressed in roots, particularly in zones where lateral root primordia (LRP) initiate and LR differentiate and emerge. Transgenics overexpressing PtabZIP1L showed precocious LRP and LR development, while PtabZIP1L suppression significantly delayed both LRP and LR formation. Transgenic overexpression and suppression of PtabZIP1L also resulted in modulation of key metabolites like proline, asparagine, valine and several flavonoids. Consistently, expression of both of the poplar Proline Dehydrogenase orthologs and two of the Flavonol Synthases genes was also increased and decreased in overexpressed and suppressed transgenics, respectively. These findings suggest that PtabZIP1L mediates LR development and drought resistance through modulation of multiple metabolic pathways.
Global Citizenship Education and Human Rights Education: Are They Compatible with U.S. Civic Education?.

Global citizenship education (GCE) and human rights education (HRE) offer substantive contributions to civic education. Interconnections between the fields exist in curricula from intergovernmental organizations (UNESCO), non-governmental organizations (Oxfam Great Britain) and national ministries (Learning and Teaching Scotland). This essay explores how civic education curricula, learning outcomes, and teacher preparation can be developed to enhance the roles played by GCE and HRE in U. S. civic education. GCE and HRE are defined, GCE and HRE aspects of recent curriculum models are examined, and challenges for integrating GCE and HRE into social studies education are discussed. Key findings 1. Global citizenship education programs share a philosophy of cosmopolitanism; commitments to universal human rights norms; respect for cultural diversity and sustainable development; and issues-based curriculum designs. 2. A high degree of compatibility exists between GCE program goals and the goals of the values-awareness-socialization HRE model. This strong compatibility does not extend to the accountability-professional development or the activism-transformation models of HRE. 3. Implementing GCE faces major obstacles, notably emphases on national identity in nation-state civic education, the potential incompatibility between national interests and cosmopolitan commitments in the study of global issues, and the low commitment to GCE or HRE in teacher preparation.
Music Therapy for Symptom Management After Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation: Results From a Randomized Study.

Abstract High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is frequently performed in patients with hematologic malignancies. ASCT can result in significant nausea, pain, and discomfort. Supportive care has improved, and pharmacologic therapies are frequently used, but with limitations. Music has been demonstrated to improve nausea and pain in patients undergoing chemotherapy, but little data are available regarding the effects of music therapy in the transplantation setting. In a prospective study, patients with lymphoma or multiple myeloma undergoing ASCT were randomized to receive either interactive music therapy with a board-certified music therapist or no music therapy. The music therapy arm received 2 music therapy sessions on days +1 and +5. Primary outcomes were perception of pain and nausea measured on a visual analog scale. Secondary outcomes were narcotic pain medication use from day −1 to day +5 and impact of ASCT on patient mood as assessed by Profile of Mood States (POMS) on day +5. Eighty-two patients were enrolled, with 37 in the music therapy arm and 45 in the no music therapy arm. Patients who received MT had slightly increased nausea by day +7 compared with the no music therapy patients. The music therapy and no music therapy patients had similar pain scores; however, the patients who received music therapy used significantly less narcotic pain medication (median, 24 mg versus 73 mg; P = .038). Music therapy may be a viable nonpharmacologic method of pain management for patients undergoing ASCT; the music therapy patients required significantly fewer morphine equivalent doses compared with the no music therapy patients. Additional research is needed to better understand the effects of music therapy on patient-perceived symptoms, such as pain and nausea.
Nonsurgical Facial Rejuvenation: Outcomes and Safety of Neuromodulator and Soft-Tissue Filler Procedures Performed in a Resident Cosmetic Clinic.

The ability to perform nonsurgical facial rejuvenation procedures is a core competency requirement for plastic surgery residents. However, limited data exist on training models to achieve competency in nonsurgical facial rejuvenation and on outcomes of these procedures performed by residents. The purpose here is to evaluate patient-reported outcomes and safety of nonsurgical facial rejuvenation procedures performed by plastic surgery residents. We prospectively enrolled 50 patients undergoing neuromodulator and/or soft-tissue filler injections in a resident cosmetic clinic between April and August 2016. Patients completed FACE-Q modules pre-procedure, and at 1 week and 1 month post-procedure. Paired t-tests were used to calculate statistical significance of changes between pre- and post-procedure scores. Effect sizes were calculated to assess clinical improvement from pre- to post-procedure. The magnitude of change was interpreted using Cohen’s arbitrary criteria (small 0.20, moderate 0.50, large 0.80). Forty-five patients completed the study. Patients experienced significant improvements (p < 0.001) in all FACE-Q domains, including aging appearance appraisal (improved from 49.7 ± 29.4 to 70.1 ± 21.6, effect size 0.79), psychological well-being (44.0 ± 14.6–78.6 ± 20.7, effect size 1.93), social functioning (48.6 ± 16.6–75.5 ± 21.7, effect size 1.20), and satisfaction with facial appearance (50.1 ± 13.7–66.2 ± 19.7, effect size 0.95). At 1 month, overall satisfaction with outcome and decision were 75.8 ± 20.7 and 81.1 ± 20.4, respectively. No patients experienced complications. Nonsurgical facial rejuvenation procedures performed by residents can improve patients’ quality of life and provide high satisfaction without compromising safety. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors http://www.springer.com/00266 .
Pharmacogenetics of lipid-lowering therapies

Cardiovascular disease is associated with nonmodifiable risk factors such as age, gender, and genetic background, and with modifiable risk factors such as lipid concentrations. Lowering serum lipid levels has been demonstrated to slow the progression of, or even induce regression in, atherosclerosis. However, like any other drug treatment, the magnitude of plasma lipid responses to drug therapies varies considerably among individuals. Pharmacogenetics provides the experimental basis to understand the variability in response to drugs as a function of the individual genetic makeup. Information from small clinical trials reveals that several candidate genes may hold some promise in our quest to predict individual success to hypolipemic drug treatment. However, the current clinical relevance of this knowledge is quite limited due to the small effects observed for each of the genetic markers examined. Future progress in this area will be driven by studying gene-gene and gene-treatment interactions in much larger patient populations.
Epigenesis by experience: Romantic empiricism and non-Kantian biology

Reconstructions of Romantic-era life science in general, and epigenesis in particular, frequently take the Kantian logic of autotelic "self-organization" as their primary reference point. I argue in this essay that the Kantian conceptual rubric hinders our historical and theoretical understanding of epigenesis, Romantic and otherwise. Neither a neutral gloss on epigenesis, nor separable from the epistemological deflation of biological knowledge that has received intensive scrutiny in the history and philosophy of science, Kant's heuristics of autonomous "self-organization" in the third Critique amount to the strategic capture of epigenesis from nature, for thought, in thought's critical transcendence of nature. This essay looks to Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and his English contemporary Erasmus Darwin to begin to reconstruct the rigorously materialist, naturalist, and empiricist theories of epigenesis (still) marginalized by Kantian argumentation. As theorists of environmental and social collaboration in the ontogeny of viable forms, Lamarck and Darwin illuminate features of our own epigenetic turn obscured by the rhetoric of "self-organization," allowing us to glimpse an alternative Romantic genealogy of the biological present.
Spectrally tunable Airy beam generation using cholesteric liquid crystals

We demonstrate spectrally tunable Airy beams via a chiral Bragg reflector. Specifically, we photo-align a cholesteric liquid crystal such that it conditionally imparts a cubic phase dependent on voltage applied across the sample.
Understanding Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration: Encouraging a View of Biological Nested Systems

Connecting plant processes on multiple ecological levels has shown to be exceptionally challenging for learners. Decades of research suggest that learners are challenged in their conceptions of photosynthesis and plant cellular respiration. These processes include multiple biochemical steps, occur simultaneously within plant cells, and share common molecular components. Learners often compartmentalize functions without considering the interconnections of the processes within and across multiple system levels. Understanding connections among biological systems at macro, micro, and symbolic levels is important for biological literacy. Given that photosynthesis and cellular respiration impact multiple system levels, implications exist for those educators who traditionally emphasize only the biochemical level to address these processes. This chapter presents two individual cases and one summary case of preservice teachers who uniquely described their conceptions about photosynthesis and cellular respiration and the connections between these two processes. Pedagogical implications and strategies are discussed which include multiple representations to scaffold student thinking across biological levels.
The Spectral and Spatial Decomposition of Extragalactic Radio Sources

We have developed a new set of techniques for extracting information from maps of synchrotron emission. Some of these methods are used to determine the shape of the spectrum and then to isolate the contributions of the number and energy of relativistic electrons and the local magnetic field strength to the total intensity images. These are discussed in Katz-Stone, Rudnick & Anderson (1993), Katz-Stone & Rudnick (1994), and Rudnick, Katz-Stone & Anderson, (1994). Here, we describe a method - called spectral tomography - to remove confusion from various features along the line of sight. We find that both structural and spectral confusion are commonplace, and therefore our dynamical and radiative models of extragalactic sources need significant revision.
An off-the-Shelf Reticon System

EG&G Princeton Applied Research produces a Reticon detector system intended for laboratory applications. However, current versions of the system are well-suited to astronomical observations at observatories with modest financial and technical resources.
Fidelity monitoring in complex interventions: a case study of the WISE intervention

Researchers face many decisions in developing a measurement tool and protocol for monitoring fidelity to complex interventions. The current study uses data evaluating a nutrition education intervention, Together, We Inspire Smart Eating (WISE), in a preschool setting to explore issues of source, timing, and frequency of fidelity monitoring. The overall study from which these data are drawn was a pre/post design with an implementation-focused process evaluation. Between 2013 and 2016, researchers monitored fidelity to evidence-based components of the WISE intervention in 49 classrooms in two Southern states. Data collectors obtained direct assessment of fidelity on a monthly basis in study classrooms. Research staff requested that educators provide indirect assessment on a weekly basis. We used mean comparisons (t-tests), correlations (Pearson’s r), and scatterplots to compare the direct and indirect assessments. No mean comparisons were statistically different. Correlations of direct and indirect assessments of the same component for the same month ranged between − 0.51 (p = 0.01) and 0.54 (p = 0.001). Scatterplots illustrate that negative correlations can be driven by individuals who are over reporting (i.e., self-report bias) and that near zero correlations approximate the ideal situation (i.e., both raters identify high fidelity). Our findings illustrate that, on average, observed and self-reports may seem consistent despite weak correlations and individual cases of extreme over reporting by those implementing the intervention. The nature of the component to which fidelity is being monitored as well as the timing within the context of the intervention are important factors to consider when selecting the type of assessment and frequency of fidelity monitoring. NCT03075085 Registered 20 February 2017. Trial registration corresponds to the funding that supported the writing of this manuscript, not the data collection. The original study was not a trial and was collected without registration. However, the data reported here provided foundational preliminary data for the trial.
Overall survival (OS) of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) treated in academic (AC) versus non academic (NAC) centers.

e18142Background: Prior studies have shown better OS of cancer patients treated at AC as compared to NAC because of availability of expertise, adequately trained support staff and access to multidi...
Keynes’ Revolutionary Vision: Consumer Satisfaction as Moral Crusade

Describes how John Maynard Keynes reacted against the moral emptiness of the nineteenth-century classical approach to economics by offering an economics that was morally normative, but not teleological—a fervent moral crusade, but without any ethical basis or purpose higher than the goodness of satisfying consumer appetites. Heavily influenced by his social circles, including the legendary Bloomsbury group, Keynes sought to organize society to make it happier and healthier for all. This chapter lays out his Keynes made critical changes to the nineteenth-century homo economicus model, establishing the initial theoretical basis for a new Consumption paradigm in economics.
MRI of Patients with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices

The purpose of this review is to clarify the risks associated with MRI exams for patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) and to provide information regarding the MRI examination protocol for patients with CIEDs. Several prospective studies evaluated the feasibility of MRI exams for patients with CIEDs and reported no adverse events. These studies suggest that by following a specific MRI examination protocol and monitoring both CIED parameters and the patient’s symptoms, an MRI exam can be performed by appropriately trained personnel with an acceptable benefit-to-risk ratio. Both MR unsafe and MR conditional CIEDs are commercially available, but there are no MR safe CIEDs. The potential risks faced by patients with CIEDs during an MRI exam are always present and warrant careful monitoring. Three magnetic fields in the MRI scanner interact with the device in ways that can damage the CIED or harm the patient. Due to safety concerns and out of an abundance of caution, the majority of MRI exams for patients with CIEDs are currently denied. However, when following a specific MRI exam protocol, these risks can be mitigated.
Measurement Bounds for Compressed Sensing in Sensor Networks With Missing Data

In this paper, we study the problem of sparse vector recovery at the fusion center of a sensor network from linear sensor measurements when there is missing data. In the presence of missing data, the random sampling approach employed in compressed sensing provides excellent reconstruction accuracy. However, the theoretical guarantees associated with this sparse recovery problem have not been well studied. Therefore, in this paper, we derive a sufficient condition on the number of measurements required to ensure faithful recovery of a sparse signal using random (subGaussian) projections when the generation of missing data is modeled using a Bernoulli erasure channel. We analyze three different network topologies, namely, star, (relay aided-)tree, and serial-star topologies. Our analysis establishes how the minimum required number of measurements for recovery scales with the network parameters, the properties of the random measurement matrix, and the recovery algorithm. Finally, through numerical simulations, we study the minimum required number of measurements as a function of different system parameters and validate our theoretical results.
Magnetic sphincter augmentation at the time of bariatric surgery: an analysis of the MBSAQIP.

Abstract Background Magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) has gained popularity as a treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The role of MSA in treating GERD in metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) patients at the time of primary MBS is unknown. Objective To determine the short-term outcomes of MSA placed at the time of MBS. Setting National database, United States. Methods We queried the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) database for MSA performed at time of the sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) for the years 2017–2018. A propensity adjusted analysis was performed to assess 30-day outcomes of patients who had MSA placed versus those who did not. Results There were 319,580 patients who underwent MBS in the study period. Twenty-four patients had MSA at time of surgery. These patients did not have a higher reported rate of preoperative GERD (P = .93). Six patients (25%) with MSA had a RYGB; the other 18 patients (75%) patients had SG (P Conclusion MSA is safe in the short term in MBS. There is no difference in major morbidity or mortality and operative times are similar in MSA patients. The long-term efficacy of this practice is unknown.
Non-monotonic double layers and electron two-stream instabilities resulting from intermittent ion acoustic wave growth

Transient characteristics of a current-carrying plasma subjected to ion acoustic instability are studied via Vlasov–Poisson simulations. After saturation of the ion acoustic instability, when a sufficient range of long-wavelength ion acoustic modes is considered, ion acoustic wave packets form and give rise to ion phase space holes. These ion holes grow in magnitude until asymmetric electron reflection, due to the current carrying plasma, results in a potential gradient across the hole known as a non-monotonic double layer. Downstream of the double layer, an electron two-stream instability is generated due to a depletion of forward-streaming electrons by reflection. This secondary instability initiates a plasma wave whose phase velocity is determined by the magnitude of the double layer potential. While the double layer potential depends on the ion mass for a given domain length, the phase velocity of the secondary wave is consistently observed to be greater than the ion acoustic speed. Implications for the presence of these transient phenomena are discussed in the context of experimental plume measurements of hollow cathode devices.
Circulating Biomarkers in Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Liquid biopsy has emerged as a promising tool for detecting cancer and monitoring the disease status. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) warrant close attention because of their apparent clinical implications. Circulating biomarkers have led to a paradigm shift and opened up novel therapeutic avenues, starting a new era of precision medicine. An increasing number of studies suggest that circulating biomarkers can be used to detect cancer, plan treatment, monitor treatment response, and assess the prognosis. However, no validated circulating biomarkers have been integrated into clinical practice for head and neck cancer despite their potential clinical utilities. This chapter focuses on the recent advances in studying and utilizing circulating biomarkers in the context of head and neck cancer, together with the limitations and key clinical applications.
Procedural and distributive justice: Effects on attitudes toward body-worn cameras:

The purpose of this study was twofold. First, it examined how procedural and distributive justice influence college students’ perceptions of adoption of body-worn cameras by the police. Second, it ...
MOF-derived hierarchical carbon network as an extremely-high-performance supercapacitor electrode

Abstract Electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC), as one type of supercapacitor, holds great promises for fast-charging energy storage devices but suffers from limited specific capacitance. The design and development of high performance EDLC-type carbon materials with the effective synergistic effect of high conductivity, tailored porous structure, and high surface area still remain challenging. Here, we report a novel hierarchical porous carbon with a combination of highly conductive electronic pathways and rich ionic storage units in three-dimensional network morphology, leading to high specific capacitance of EDLC. Specifically, by facile hydrothermal synthesis and carbonization, the carbon electrode derived from metal-organic framework and polymer fibers, exhibits extremely high specific capacitance of ∼ 385 F g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 and can still maintain capacitance of 303 F g−1 at 10 A g−1. The high electrochemical performance can be attributed to the rich network of micro and mesoporous structures for electrolyte transport and ion adsorption as well as highly conductive electronic pathways inside the electrodes. The assembled EDLC thus delivers a high energy density of 10.51 Wh kg−1 and a power density of 5.454 kW kg−1 at the current density of 10 A g−1 in the aqueous electrolyte. Hence, the present study is expected to open a promising route to developing porous materials for high-performance energy devices.
Decomposition of Clinical Disparities with Machine Learning

Differences in average rates of access to quality care, mortality from specific diseases, and surgery for conditions such as emergency cardiac care point to racial disparities in healthcare. The optimal approach to alleviate a given disparity depends on whether the main driver is differential health risk or differential treatment within the healthcare system. In this paper, I propose an extension of the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition framework that capitalizes on advances in clinical data and machine learning prediction to quantify the portions of a given disparity due to differential clinical health and differential healthcare treatment. The proposed method applied to the surgery decision for heart attacks using electronic medical records data from a major academic hospital system in Indiana suggests a smaller potential healthcare treatment disparity compared to the conclusion from the standard approach. The method reveals that 1/3 of the cardiac surgery rate difference can be explained by differences in clinical health variables between Black and non-Black patients pointing towards the existence of worse relative social health risks for patients clinically recorded as Black. Differential health risks for the socially constructed concept of race indicates the need for society-wide solutions to address differences in risk factors such as healthcare access and socioeconomic status. However, a substantial cardiac surgery disparity, constituting 2/3 of the rate difference, remains even after machine learning-based clinical health adjustment pointing towards the need for solutions that target differential clinical treatment.
Response and recurrence correlates in individuals treated with neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy for resectable oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

Summary Neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade may be efficacious in some individuals with high-risk, resectable oral cavity head and neck cancer. To explore correlates of response patterns to neoadjuvant nivolumab treatment and post-surgical recurrences, we analyzed longitudinal tumor and blood samples in a cohort of 12 individuals displaying 33% responsiveness. Pretreatment tumor-based detection of FLT4 mutations and PTEN signature enrichment favors response, and high tumor mutational burden improves recurrence-free survival. In contrast, preexisting and/or acquired mutations (in CDKN2A, YAP1, or JAK2) correlate with innate resistance and/or tumor recurrence. Immunologically, tumor response after therapy entails T cell receptor repertoire diversification in peripheral blood and intratumoral expansion of preexisting T cell clones. A high ratio of regulatory T to T helper 17 cells in pretreatment blood predicts low T cell receptor repertoire diversity in pretreatment blood, a low cytolytic T cell signature in pretreatment tumors, and innate resistance. Our study provides a molecular framework to advance neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy for individuals with resectable head and neck cancer.
Potential Applications of MTS and HTS to MRI Imaging Systems for Particle Beam Therapy.

Purpose/Objective(s) To explore the potential application of medium temperature superconductors (MTS) and high temperature superconductors (HTS) to the development of background magnets for MRI systems for use in combination with particle beam therapy (PBT) and the concept design for MRI-guided PBT. Materials/Methods In proton/heavy ion therapy, because of the sharp dose drop off owing to the Bragg peak effect, imaging guidance becomes crucial. Various imaging techniques have been considered, but MRI, with its soft tissue contrast, 3D imaging, high spatial resolution, and potential on-live monitoring feature would be particularly useful in combination with PBT. One of the key challenges is that the charged particle beam will be deflected in a transverse magnetic field. The deflection of the particle beam in the presence of the background B0 has received significant interest, and both in-line and transverse configurations have been considered. For in-line configurations, smaller deflections are seen, with some rotation, and for transverse, greater deflection, and momentum change. With the use of a pencil beam PCT approach in combination with computation, such deflections can in principle be compensated. However, if “real time” imaging is to be enabled, minimum computation and reconstruction time is desirable. For these reasons, minimizing and simplifying the deflection is desirable. This can be enabled with the use of the in-line configuration, but in this case an in-line system compacts enough to mount on a gantry may be of interest. This can be made more achievable with the use of MTS or HTS where less bulky magnets are possible, cooling is simplified, and systems are much less quench sensitive. At the same time, the minimization of fringe fields can also substantially simplify the particle beam trajectories and minimize their deflection. This may also be enabled for open configuration transverse configurations with the use of less bulky HTS and MTS magnets. For this work we performed magnetic modelling of several different configurations of MTS and HTS magnets, both in-line and transverse, using Vector fields and other modelling software. The sizes and configurations of the MTS and HTS systems as compared to potential competing LTS systems were then compared. Particle beam trajectories were then computed with GEANT software and compared. Results (1) MTS and HTS systems can allow the development of in-line MR which are sufficiently compact, open, and robust (to quench) to allow mounting on a gantry. This reduces particle beam deflection, while at the same time allowing rotation of the beam around the patient; (2) Several designs for minimized fringe fields are given, both for in-line and transverse configurations. Conclusion MTS and HTS have a significant potential for application to MRI-guided Particle Therapy based on their potential for mounting on a gantry, and enabling of more open background magnet configurations. Magnet designs with minimized fringe fields are also possible and useful.
Both Crops Main Crops—Density Constant—Analyses for Each Crop Separately

In the preceding chapter, one crop of the mixture of two crops was considered to be the main crop whose yield was of primary importance. The yield of the second, supplementary, crop was considered to be of secondary importance. The yield of the main crop was not to be reduced or only reduced by a given small percentage if the second crop was to be grown. In the present and following chapters, the two crops of the mixture are considered to be of equal (or specified) importance. That is, the farmer grows both crops as main crops. The two crops need to be evaluated relative to their response in monoculture and in a mixture. The responses of each crop are to be evaluated as is some measure of their joint response. The effect of each crop on the response of the other crop in the mixture needs to be assessed. Within this context, the purpose of the experiment could also include evaluating a number of genotypes of each of the two crops so that best combinations may be chosen for specified climatic conditions. The objectives of these experiments could be maximization of total yield, profit, land utilization, irrigation utilization, insect or disease control, etc., or they could be the study of changes in soil conditions over a period of years for monocultures and for the mixtures of various combinations of the two crops. The objectives might also include an overall evaluation for a combination of previously stated objectives. Different weights could be attached to the various objectives in a given combination.
A Telescience Monitoring and Control Concept for a CELSS Plant Growth Chamber

Consideration is given to the use of telescience to monitor and control a Space Station CELSS plant growth chamber (PGC). The proposed telescience control system contains controllers for PGC subsystems, a local master controller, and remote controllers. The benefits of telescience are discussed and the functional requirements of the PGC are outlined. A typical monitoring and control scenario is described. It is suggested that the proposed concept would provide remote access to a ground-based CELSS research facility, Space Station plant growth facilities, lunar-based CELSS facilities, and manned interplanetary spacecraft.
A comparison of methods for collecting clean-catch urine specimens in a clinic population of obstetric patients

Abstract A descriptive study comparing the use of the gram-positive skin cleansers Zephiran and hexachlorophene to Prepodyne, a gram-negative cleanser, was performed upon 1,469 specimens from patients attending the prenatal clinic of a large university hospital. The period prevalence rate of symptomatic and asymptomatic bacteriuria in 1,350 patients was 11.5 per cent. Group teaching compared to individualized teaching of the patients to collect their own aliquots did not appear to have a measurable effect upon the levels of bacteriuria. Significant differences were found at p=0.05 between all the serially sampled groups using the different cleansers. No significant differences was found between the two groups using only hexachlorophene when compared for differences between patient-collected and nurse-collected specimens; nevertheless, the patient-collected specimens had greater proportions of low bacterial counts than those collected by the nurses. This study indicates that carefully instructed patients in large clinic populations are more efficient than the nurses when they collect their own midstream specimens, using an adequate cleansing agent. An analysis of the rates disclosed that Zephiran cleansing had high contamination levels, whereas Predodyne significantly reduced contamination of the specimens. However, the possible reduction of the rate of 10 5 specimens to 9.1 per cent in the group using Prepodyne did not rule out the possibility of reduced specificity, and the hazard of false-negative results occurring with the use of gram-negative skin cleansers requires further study.
Managing Merger Risk During the Post-Selection Phase

Mergers and acquisitions are an important part of many companies’ strategic plans, yet they often fail to meet expectations. This may be due in part to a lack of understanding of the risks and the failure to apply a practical framework for managing them. Risk management techniques or frameworks have been developed for use in projects involving mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and many other company projects. Here we identify risks present and the risk resolutions available at this stage of the M&A process via a review of the literature and interviews with experienced managers of mergers and acquisitions. We develop a practical framework for managing post-selection phase risks in M&A. We analyzed published case studies to evaluate the framework. This research contributes to the literature by identifying and classifying the risks and risk resolutions in the post-selection phase of the M&A process and providing a practical framework for managing risks.
Analysis and interpretation of multiple motions through surface saliency

The problem of recovering the 3-D camera and scene structure has been intensively studied and is considered well understood. Starting with two images, a process of establishing point correspondences is usually followed by the estimation of epipolar geometry while also rejecting outlier matches, and finally by 3-D structure estimation. However, most existing methods tend to fail in the combined presence of noise and multiple motions, since no single constraint applies to the entire set of matches. Hence, image registration becomes a more challenging problem, as the matching and registration phases become interdependent. We propose a novel approach that decouples the above operations, allowing for separate handling of matching, outlier rejection, grouping and 3-D interpretation. Our method first determines an accurate representation in terms of dense velocities, segmented motion regions and boundaries, by enforcing only the smoothness of image motion, followed by the extraction of 3-D camera and scene geometry.