cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of contaminated drinking water and male breast cancer at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina: a case control study

Solvents contaminated drinking water supplies at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune during 1950s-1985. We conducted a case–control study among Marines to evaluate associations between residential exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune and male breast cancer risk. The study included 71 male breast cancer cases and 373 controls identified from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) cancer registry whose military personnel records were available. Controls were selected from cancers not known to be associated with solvent exposure and included 270 skin cancers, 71 mesotheliomas, and 32 bone cancers. Base assignment and risk factor information came from military personnel and VA records. Groundwater contaminant fate/transport and distribution system models provided monthly estimated residential contaminant levels. We conducted exact logistic regression using the 50th percentile level among exposed controls to create low and high exposure categories. We calculated 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) to indicate precision of effect estimates. Exploratory analyses used proportional hazards methods to evaluate associations between exposures and age at diagnosis. After adjusting for age at diagnosis, race, and service in Vietnam, the odds ratio (OR) for ever stationed at Camp Lejeune was 1.14 (95 % CI: 0.65, 1.97). Adjusted ORs for high residential cumulative exposures to tetrachloroethylene (PCE), t-1,2 dichloroethylene (DCE), and vinyl chloride were 1.20 [95 % CI: 0.16-5.89], 1.50 [95 % CI: 0.30-6.11], 1.19 [95 % CI: 0.16-5.89], respectively, with a monotonic exposure response relationship for PCE only. However these results were based on two or three cases in the high cumulative exposure categories. Ever stationed at Camp Lejeune and high cumulative exposures to trichloroethylene (TCE), PCE, DCE and vinyl chloride were associated with earlier age at onset for male breast cancer; hazard ratios ranged from 1.4-2.7 with wide confidence intervals for cumulative exposure variables. Findings suggested possible associations between male breast cancer and being stationed at Camp Lejeune and cumulative exposure to PCE, DCE, and vinyl chloride. TCE, PCE, DCE and vinyl chloride cumulative exposures showed possible associations with earlier age at onset of male breast cancer. However, this study was limited by small numbers of cases in high exposure categories.
Failure of Castlegate Sandstone Under True Triaxial Loading

A test series designed to investigate and quantify the effect of the intermediate principal stress on the failure of Castlegate sandstone was completed. Using parallelepiped specimens and a true triaxial testing system, constant mean stress tests were conducted. Stress states ranged from axisymmetric compression to axisymmetric extension. Results suggest a possible failure dependence on the third invariant of deviatoric stress at lower mean stresses.
Coastal South Africa and the Coevolution of the Modern Human Lineage and the Coastal Adaptation

The fossil record indicates that Homo sapiens appears sometime around 195–160 ka (White et al. 2003; Clark et al. 2003; McDougall et al. 2005; Smith et al. 2007). Evolutionary genetics (Ingman et al. 2000; Tishkoff et al. 2007; Gonder et al. 2007; Fagundes et al. 2007; Behar et al. 2008) point to the time between 200 and 100 ka as the origin point for the modern human lineage. Modern humans have relatively very low genetic diversity that is best explained by one or more population bottlenecks late in the evolution of the lineage, with estimates for the first bottleneck ranging from 144 ka (103,535–185,642 ka 95%CI) (Fagundes et al. 2007) to 194.3 ± 32.5 ka (Gonder et al. 2007) to 203 ± 12.6 ka (Behar et al. 2008). Fagundes et al. (2007) estimate the effective population of that bottleneck at ∼600 (76–1,620 95%CI). A computer simulation by Rogers reported in (Ambrose 1998) suggests that this bottlenecked population was a single contiguous breeding group in one region, since if this population sampled a broad range of populations across Africa the original genetic variation would have been preserved. This bottleneck seems to have occurred during the glacial MIS6 (∼195–125 ka), one of the longest coldest stages of the Quaternary (Petit et al. 1999), during which time Africa would have been primarily dry with relatively few isolated refugia. Paleoanthropologists now have a gripping question to address – where did this progenitor population arise, how, and why there?
The Śaiva Mystic and the Symbol of Androgyny

In probably the earliest Upanisad text, one learns that at the beginning of the world there was only Ātman in the form of a person. Discovering that only he existed, he declared ‘I am’. After losing his fear of being alone, he found that he did not have pleasure because of his solitary condition. Thereupon, he divided himself and became a man and a woman. When the two beings copulated other beings and forms of life were produced. Thus the original universal principle is androgynous. By knowing itself, it became all that there is in the universe. The philosophical implication of this myth is that he who knows that he is Brahman becomes the All. It is unclear, however, whether or not the author of this section of the text means to imply that the one who knows becomes androgynous.
Inadequate Training in Billing and Coding as Perceived by Recent Pediatric Graduates

Introduction. The literature supports a high rate of error in physician coding for professional services, suggesting that residency training in this area is inadequate to meet the needs in clinical practice. Method. From the American Board of Pediatrics database of recent graduates, 1200 generalists and 1100 subspecialists were selected to receive a structured questionnaire. Participants rated the adequacy of their training in billing and coding using 3 choices. Results. The response rate was 76% among the generalists and 77% among the subspecialists. Eighty-one percent of generalists (N = 549) and 78% (N = 423) of subspecialists indicated that they could have used additional training in billing and coding. This finding was common throughout all practice settings. Conclusions. Pediatric residency training programs are not meeting the needs of generalist or subspecialist physicians in training of billing and coding. Residency programs must enhance this training component to prepare physicians to maintain a...
Rapid stimulation of intestinal D-glucose transport in teleosts by 17 alpha-methyltestosterone

Effects of 17 alpha-methyltestosterone (MT) on transmural transport of 0.5 mM D-[3H]-glucose across upper intestine of the herbivorous teleost, Oreochromis mossambicus, were examined using modified Ussing chambers containing a physiological saline. Treatment tissues were preincubated with MT on the serosal surface for 30 min, while control tissues were incubated with an equivalent volume of 70% ethanol. Stimulation of mucosal-to-serosal D-glucose flux (Jm----s) by MT was dose dependent with maximal transport enhancement at 15 ng MT/ml saline (215% of control) and inhibition of sugar transfer occurring at 50 ng MT/ml (60% of control). Hormone treatment (15 ng MT/ml) significantly (P less than 0.05) increased net transmural D-glucose flux (Jnet; control = 0.36 +/- 0.084, MT = 0.75 +/- 0.130 nmol.cm-2.min-1) as a result of enhancing Jm----s (control = 0.52 +/- 0.048; MT = 0.91 +/- 0.078 nmol.cm-2.-1) without having a significant effect on the serosal-to-mucosal flux (Js----m). Mucosal addition of 1 mM phloridzin significantly (P less than 0.05) reduced glucose transport Jm----s in the presence and absence of MT, without altering the respective Js----m fluxes. Serosal addition of the hormone led to significant increases in Jm----s and Jnet in less than 20 min. This rapid intestinal response to MT was abolished by serosal addition of 1 mM colchicine, and therefore an increased insertion rate of performed glucose carriers is a suggested mechanism of hormone action.
Temperature calibration and phylogenetically distinct distributions for freshwater alkenones: Evidence from northern Alaskan lakes

Abstract Alkenones are a class of unsaturated long-chain ketone biomarkers that have been used to reconstruct sea surface temperature and, more recently, continental temperature, by way of alkenone unsaturation indices (e.g. U 37 K and U 37 K ′ ). Alkenones are frequently found in brackish and saline lakes, however species effects confound temperature reconstructions when multiple alkenone-producing species with different temperature responses are present. Interestingly, available genetic data indicate that numerous freshwater lakes host a distinct phylotype of alkenone-producing haptophyte algae (the Group I or Greenland phylotype), providing evidence that species effects may be diminished in freshwater lakes. These findings encourage further investigation of alkenone paleotemperature proxies in freshwater systems. Here, we investigated lakes from northern Alaska (n = 35) and show that alkenones commonly occurred in freshwater lakes, where they featured distinct distributions, characterized by dominant C37:4 alkenones and a series of tri-unsaturated alkenone isomers. The distributions were characteristic of Group I-type alkenone distributions previously identified in Greenland and North America. Our analysis of suspended particulate matter from Toolik Lake (68° 38′N, 149° 36′W) yielded the first in situ freshwater U 37 K calibration ( U 37 K = 0.021 * T − 0.68; r2 = 0.85; n = 52; RMSE = ±1.37 °C). We explored the environmental significance of the tri-unsaturated isomers using our northern Alaskan lakes dataset in conjunction with new data from haptophyte cultures and Canadian surface sediments. Our results show that these temperature-sensitive isomers are biomarkers for the Group I phylotype and indicators of multiple-species effects. Together, these findings highlight freshwater lakes as valuable targets for continental alkenone-based paleotemperature reconstructions and demonstrate the significance of the recently discovered tri-unsaturated isomers.
Enumeration of cells synthesizing antiprotein antibodies by a modified hemolytic plaque assay.

SummaryCellular production of antibody to several proteins was studied using antigen-coupled erythrocytes in a modified passive hemolytic plaque assay. The kinetics of plaque formation correlated well with serum 19s IgM antibody, although a modified antigen binding test indicated early concomitant synthesis of 7s IgG antibody. Results of plaque assays for several protein antigens are presented.
Clinical Aspects and Electromagnetic Details of Low Field Magnetic Stimulation in Depression

s / Brain Stimulation 8 (2015) 395e411 400 study in hearing patients can incorporate broadband noise stimulation to potentially achieve stronger tinnitus suppression.
Effects of Salt and Phosphate Treatments on Deboned Meat from Light and Heavy Fowl

Abstract Experiments were conducted on white and dark raw deboned meat from light and heavy fowl to observe effects of sodium chloride and polyphosphate (Kena) soak treatments before cooking. Treatments were soaked overnight at 3 C in the following solutions: distilled water, 2% sodium chloride, 3% Kena (commercial polyphosphate mixture), and 2% sodium chloride + 3% Kena. White and dark meat from light and heavy fowl were treated separately. Determinations were made of proximate composition after soak and after cook, sodium chloride and phosphorus absorption and retention, percent weight gain after soak, and percent cook yield. Sensory evaluations and objective texture measurements were also made on water-cooked pieces. Significant (P≤.05) effects of the phosphate, with and without sodium chloride, were noted in improved sensory quality and lower shear values of meat from light fowl. Soaking heavy fowl in phosphate, with and without sodium chloride, significantly (P≤.05) reduced objective texture values for hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness. The various meat-fowl combinations responded differently to the amount of sodium chloride and phosphorus absorbed on soaking and retained after cooking. However, the primary source of variation in the data was due to treatment of soaking in sodium chloride or phosphate, alone or in combination.
LONGITUDINAL DIFFERENCES IN PSYCHOLOGICAL ANOMY AND SOCIOLOGICAL ANOMY

Wolfe (1974) has presented evidence suggesting a eneral increase in anomy over the past decade. Following writers such as Remanis (19f7) Wolfe supports the "Social Barometer" approach to anomy. Two problems arise from this conceptualization: crosssectional methods may not adequately define the changes in anomy, and the distinction berween sociological anomy and psychological anomy is not clearly recognized. The present longitudinal study was designed to reflect changes in anorny more clearly. From a sample of 200 college students tested in 1964, 100 were retested in 1974 on the Srole Index of Anomy and the McClosky-Schaar Measure of Anomy. Srole's measure taps the individual's feelings that community leaders are indifferent to his needs and that little can be accomplished in a society which is basically unpredictable and lacking order (Merton in Clinard, 1964, p. 228). McClosky and Schaar (1965) argue that Srole's conceptualization is restricted to the traditional sociological approach to anomy wherein "the psychological state of anomy reflects economic and social conditions." They reconceptualize anomy as ". . . a state of mind, a cluster of attitudes, beliefs, and feelings in the minds of the individuals" (p. 19). In sum, the Srole-Merton approach argues that anomy is better understood as a sociological construct whereas McClosky-Schaar argue that anomy is better understood as a psychological construct. A careful check was made to assure that the 1974 sample was representative of the original 1964 sample. The results demonstrate the necessity of retaining both the sociological perspective and the psychological perspective. Over a 10-yr. period scores on the Srole scale increased significantly (1964 M = 5.4, 1974 M = 7.0; t = 2.18, p < .05). Over the same period, the scores on the McClosky-Schaar scale decreased significantly (1964 M = 3.0: 1974 M = 2.36; r = -5.18, p < .01). When F ratios were computed, no slgn~f~cant d~fferences in variance were found, adding clear significance to the differences ln means. Correlations indicated a substantial relationship in 1964 (r = .68) and a moderate relationship in 1974 (r = .35). Moderate stability of scores was also demonstrated. It seems rational to argue that, while an individual may perceive a breaking down of social rules and norms, he could believe without inconsistency that his own personal value and rule systems are still intact and well grounded. It can be concluded that normlessness can be viewed as a sociological phenomenon and as a psychological phenomenon. These two positions, while perhaps complementary, are not identical.
Lifetimes of some low-lying levels of Co 55

Excitation energies and nuclear lifetimes of levels in $^{55}\mathrm{Co}$ have been measured via the reactions $^{54}\mathrm{Fe}(^{3}\mathrm{He}, d\ensuremath{\gamma})^{55}\mathrm{Co}$ induced by 11.0 MeV incident $^{3}\mathrm{He}^{++}$ particles. The Doppler shifted $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray spectra, taken in coincidence with the outgoing deuterons, were fitted by a line shape analysis program to determine the lifetimes. Experimental results for excitation energies (\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1 keV) and lifetimes (ps) are: 2166, ${0.141}_{\ensuremath{-}0.021}^{+0.020}$; 2566, ${0.620}_{\ensuremath{-}0.090}^{+0.120}$; 2940, \ensuremath{\ge}0.590; 3324, ${0.090}_{\ensuremath{-}0.012}^{+0.017}$; 4166, ${0.050}_{\ensuremath{-}0.005}^{+0.010}$.NUCLEAR STRUCTURE $^{54}\mathrm{Fe}(^{3}\mathrm{He}, d\ensuremath{\gamma})$, $E=11$ MeV; measured ${E}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$, Doppler shifts; $^{55}\mathrm{Co}$ deduced levels, lifetimes.
The Immune System and Immunity in Cartilaginous Fish

Modern cartilaginous fishes, representatives of the earliest jawed vertebrates that diverged >450 million years ago, are grouped into two subclasses, Elasmobranchii (sharks, skates, and rays) and Holocephali (chimeras). They are the closest living relatives to ancestral vertebrates in which adaptive immunity based on immunoglobulin (Ig), T cell receptor, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes had evolved. The origins of today's specialized immune genes can sometimes be deduced, as in the conserved linkage and structural kinship among MHC-linked genes in sharks. Their Ig multiple cluster organization is considered the precursor to the classical IgH locus in tetrapods, and the 2–5 rearranging gene segments in a cluster showcases the effectiveness of V(D)J recombination in generating the antibody repertoire primarily by junctional diversification. Research on their immune cells, genes, and mechanistic pathways have underlined central aspects of adaptive immunity such as memory response, H chain exclusion, and somatic diversification. Preliminary analyses of a chondrichthyan immunogenome suggest a possibly unusual T cell subset configuration that may enable us a glimpse of T cell lineage fate decisions that first emerged in jawed vertebrates. Such studies contribute to fundamental knowledge about the cellular and molecular bases of immunity and the evolutionary history of our immune system.
Metabolic channeling of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxycytidine utilizing inhibitors of its deamination in cell culture.

The metabolism of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxycytidine (FdC) with and without tetrahydrouridine (H4U) or 2'-deoxytetrahydrouridine (dH4U) was examined in log phase HEp-2 cells using HPLC and TLC methods which quantified: the incorporation of FdC-related antimetabolites into RNA and DNA and pool size levels of FdC-related antimetabolites. [3H]-FdC administered to log phase HEp-2 cells at a concentration of 0.01 microM for 24 hr resulted in the incorporation of 5.22 X 10(-8) mol of FdC/mol of DNA phosphate, a 0.021% substitution of FdC for dC. Coadministration of 1.0 mM H4U or dH4U resulted in 2- and 25-fold increases in the incorporation of FdC, respectively. No detectable incorporation of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (FdU) into HEp-2 DNA resulted (detection limit, approximately 5 fmol). In contrast, treatment of HEp-2 cells with 0.1 microM FdU resulted in the incorporation of 1.83 X 10(-9) mol of FdU (74.7 fmol detected)/mol of DNA phosphate. A linear incorporation of FdC into the DNA of HEp-2 cells was found with increasing concentrations of FdC and 1.0 mM dH4U . 0.1 microM FdC resulted in the incorporation of 2.39 X 10(-6) mol of FUMP/mol of cytoplasmic RNA phosphate and 2.23 X 10(-5) mol of FUMP/mol of nuclear RNA phosphate. Similarly, HEp-2 cells treated with 0.1 microM FdU resulted in the incorporation of 1.10 X 10(-5) mol of FUMP/mol of nuclear RNA phosphate and 9.44 X 10(-7) mol of FUMP/mol of cytoplasmic RNA phosphate. In contrast, no detectable FUMP incorporation into either nuclear or cytoplasmic RNAs of HEp-2 cells resulted when H4U or dH4U was coadministered with 0.1 microM FdC. Pool size analyses of log phase HEp-2 cells following a 30-min exposure to FdU or FdC with and without H4U or dH4U were also performed; 0.1 microM FdC treatment resulted in the formation of 169 fmol of FUMP/1.0 X 10(6) viable HEp-2 cells. Treatment with 0.1 microM FdU produced 253 fmol of FUMP/1.0 X 10(6) viable HEp-2 cells. In contrast, no detectable FUMP pools were formed when H4U or dH4U was coadministered with 0.1 microM FdC (detection limit, approximately 5 fmol). Pool levels of FdUMP, the inhibitor of thymidylate synthetase, were also assayed; 36.9 fmol of FdUMP/1.0 X 10(6) viable HEp-2 cells were detected upon administration of 0.1 microM FdC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Linear Filtering Of Stationary Processes: Steady-State Analysis

In a number of important applications of the theory of random processes, various linear operations are performed on stationary random processes.
Biological Effects and Health Hazards of RF and MW Energy: Fundamentals and Overall Phenomenology

Extensive investigations into microwave bioeffects during the last quarter century have shown that for frequencies between 200 and 24,500 MHz, exposure to a power density of 100 mW/cm2 for several minutes or hours can result in pathophysiologic manifestations of a thermal nature in laboratory animals. Such effects may or may not be characterized by a measurable temperature rise, which is a function of thermoregulatory processes and active adaptation of the animal. The end result is either reversible or irreversible change, depending on the irradiation conditions and the physiologic state of the animal. At lower power densities, clear evidence of pathologic changes or physiologic alteration is nonexistent or equivocal. A great deal of discussion, nevertheless, has taken place on the relative importance of thermal or nonthermal effects of radiofrequency (RF) and microwave (MW) radiation.
Designing a clock cleaner with an on-demand digital sigma-delta modulator

We present the design of a digital clock cleaner that reduces clock jitter. Analog phase-locked loops (PLL) are traditionally used to clean clock jitter, but they consume high power and large chip area. A digital solution is more practical because it consumes less power, avoids using large analog components, and covers a wide frequency range. In this paper, we demonstrate a system that measures the instantaneous pulse width of the input clock, finds the average pulse width, and produces a non-jittery clock. We employ a digital sigma-delta modulator to low-pass filter the input pulse count because the DSDM is simple yet provides the narrow bandwidth to compute the average. It is also immune to quantization error and allows fast lock. To reduce power consumption, we activate the filter only when both the input and output counters are ready. We further reduce component count by implementing the DSDM as a three-cycle process. MATLAB- and RTL-level simulation results are presented.
Role of CLSI in Assuring Quality Testing in Clinical Laboratories.

The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) was founded nearly 50 years ago by clinicians and laboratory scientists as a not-for-profit standards development organization with the intention to work collaboratively on ways to ensure the quality of laboratory testing, improve patient care, and develop a formal consensus process for standardization in the field of laboratory medicine. CLSI's work is closely aligned with the goals of The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine. CLSI's mission continues to be to “develop clinical and laboratory practices and promote their use worldwide.” …
Alginate-Chitosan Hydrogels Provide a Sustained Gradient of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate for Therapeutic Angiogenesis

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a bioactive lipid, is a potent candidate for treatment of ischemic vascular disease. However, designing biomaterial systems for the controlled release of S1P to achieve therapeutic angiogenesis presents both biological and engineering challenges. Thus, the objective of this study was to design a hydrogel system that provides controlled and sustained release of S1P to establish local concentration gradients that promote neovascularization. Alginate hydrogels have been extensively studied and characterized for delivery of proangiogenic factors. We sought to explore if chitosan (0, 0.1, 0.5, or 1%) incorporation could be used as a means to control S1P release from alginate hydrogels. With increasing chitosan incorporation, hydrogels exhibited significantly denser pore structure and stiffer material properties. While 0.1 and 0.5% chitosan gels demonstrated slower respective release of S1P, release from 1% chitosan gels was similar to alginate gels alone. Furthermore, 0.5% chitosan gels induced greater sprouting and directed migration of outgrowth endothelial cells (OECs) in response to released S1P under hypoxia in vitro. Overall, this report presents a platform for a novel alginate-chitosan hydrogel of controlled composition and in situ gelation properties that can be used to control lipid release for therapeutic applications.
Theoretical and Experimental Developments in Ultrasonic Evaluation of Periodic Surfaces

Most ultrasonic NDE experiments and their theoretical models deal with perfectly smooth interfaces, but true materials generally exhibit rough interfaces. As an approach to include the ultrasonic scattering which occurs on the different interfaces along the beam path, the reflection factors of acoustic waves diffracted by periodic surfaces is investigated theoretically and experimentally by looking at the frequency dependence of the reflected signal. Mode conversion bulk and surface waves are shown to be the result of strong coupling between the incident wave and the geometry of the grating. As a consequence, the geometrical parameters of the interface can be obtained to within 5%.
Segmentation of inner and outer bladder wall using deep-learning convolutional neural network in CT urography

We are developing a computerized system for detection of bladder cancer in CT urography. In this study, we used a deep-learning convolutional neural network (DL-CNN) to segment the bladder wall. This task is challenging due to differences in the wall between the contrast and non-contrast-filled regions, significant variations in appearance, size, and shape of the bladder among cases, overlap of the prostate with the bladder wall, and the wall being extremely thin compared to the overall size of the bladder. We trained a DL-CNN to estimate the likelihood that a given pixel would be inside the wall of the bladder using neighborhood information. A segmented bladder wall was then obtained using level sets with this likelihood map as a term in the level set energy formulation to obtain contours of the inner and outer bladder walls. The accuracy of the segmentation was evaluated by comparing the segmented wall outlines to hand outlines for a set of 79 training cases and 15 test cases using the average volume intersection % as the metric. For the training set, the inner wall achieved an average volume intersection of 90.0±8.7% and the outer wall achieved 93.7±3.9%. For the test set, the inner wall achieved an average volume intersection of 87.6±7.6% and the outer wall achieved 87.2±9.3%. The results show that the DL-CNN with level sets was effective in segmenting the inner and outer bladder walls.
Mechanics of Materials Creation: Nanotubes, Graphene, Carbyne, Borophenes

Abstract In this article, we provide brief overview of how mechanics and computations play a role in understanding materials growth, creating new low-dimensional materials and exploring structural defects. First, we introduce a concept of screw dislocation for describing carbon nanotube growth and derive a kinetic relationship between growth rate and chiral angle. Deeper analysis of the subtle balance between the kinetic and thermodynamic views reveals sharply peaked distribution of near-armchair nanotubes, explaining puzzling (n, n-1) types observed experimentally. A combination of ab initio calculations and Monte Carlo models further explains the low symmetry shapes of graphene on substrates. Being monoatomic chains of carbon, carbynes are shown to be strong yet flexible, and undergo metal-semiconductor transition under tension, offering promising innovations for future nanotechnology. We then reveal how metal substrates could facilitate the formation of boron monolayers whose bulk counterparts are non-layered and lower in energy. Further remarks are given to High Burger's vector graphene defects called D-loops and interfaces in hybrid graphene-BN materials, both with significant out-of plane distortion and impact on the mechanical properties. All of these computationally modeled systems have significant implications for the future use of these nanomaterials.
Data-driven combinatorial optimization for sensor-based assessment of near falls

Falls represent a considerable public health problem, especially in older population. We describe and evaluate data-driven operations research models for detection and situational assessment of falls and near falls with a system of wearable sensors. The models are formulated as instances of the multidimensional assignment problem. Our computational studies provide some initial empirical evidence of the potential usefulness of this new application of the multidimensional assignment problem.
Pneumothorax After Paravertebral Block and Radiofrequency

Chest wall pain is a common complaint after thoracic and chest wall surgery, radiation, and tumor invasion, with significant impact on patients and the healthcare system. If left unmanaged, chest wall pain can significantly impair quality of life. Detection and diagnosis are paramount to management and recovery. Chronic pain also is highly prevalent after breast surgery and thoracotomy. Although many therapies may reduce chest wall pain, a comprehensive treatment plan incorporating potent and targeted interventions may relieve pain and restore function. Chest wall procedures carry several specific risks unique to thoracic anatomy. In this chapter, we explore these risks and present a case of pneumothorax after paravertebral radiofrequency ablation.
Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography: a Review

In this review, we shall attempt to explain the physics behind swept source-optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT), the advantages and disadvantages of SS-OCT when compared with spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and the current clinical applications of SS-OCT. SS-OCT offers improvements in visualizing the vitreous, retina, choroid, and sclera. The increased scan speeds, decreased signal attenuation, and deeper tissue penetration make SS-OCT ideal for capturing wide fields of view and for studying structures below the RPE, especially the choroid. SS-OCT is an exciting new technology offering enhanced visualization of ocular structures. However, its everyday clinical utility remains unclear.
Micron-sized laser particles for massively multiplexed cellular labelling and tracking

Laser particles are a promising technology for massively multiplexed cellular labelling and tracking. We demonstrate the fabrication of optical barcodes with four hundred distinct spectral channels, their uptake in cells and stability in biological environments.
Microbiology: Learning about who we are.

Microbial inhabitants outnumber our body's own cells by about ten to one. These residents have become the subject of intensive research, which is beginning to elucidate their roles in health and disease. See Articles p.207 & p.215 The Human Microbiome Project (HMP), supported by the National Institutes of Health Common Fund, has the goal of characterizing the microbial communities that inhabit and interact with the human body in sickness and in health. In two Articles in this issue of Nature, the HMP Consortium presents the first population-scale details of the organismal and functional composition of the microbiota across five areas of the body. An associated News & Views discusses the initial results — which, along with those of a series of co-publications, already constitute the most extensive catalogue of organisms and genes related to the human microbiome yet published — and highlights some of the major questions that the project will tackle in the next few years.
Control of Materials Management Functions

Companies are constantly searching for new and better ways to improve their profit structure. Programs are established and given “catchy” designations, such as productivity improvement program (PIP), quality circles (QC), and profit efficiency program (PEP). Basically each of these programs is an attempt to improve productive control of critical resources. The key word is control.
Application of Catastrophe Theory to Population Dynamics of Rangeland Grasshoppers

Catastrophe theory is a form of non-linear mathematics which allows predictions of discontinuities within systems that are governed by a relatively small number of control variables and are derivable from smooth potentials. Grasshopper population dynamics appear to possess properties which can be described by a cusp catastrophe. Previous work has shown that weather conditions at the time of hatching and early development appear to mediate outbreaks and crashes of grasshopper populations. Using several measures of temperature and precipitation and various expressions of grasshopper infestations in Wyoming, we developed a series of models using Catastrophe Theory. The cusp catastrophe based on outbreak levels of infestation (> 9.6 grasshoppers per m2) and monthly (April and May) weather data generally provided the most appropriate descriptions of grasshopper population dynamics; the best models were up to 76% accurate based on a priori criteria. Catastrophic changes in grasshopper populations occur on a very large scale (state-wide), and it appears that different weather parameters affect high and low density outbreaks.
The Use of Deliberative Discussion to Enhance the Critical Thinking Abilities of Nursing Students

Deliberative discussion is a teaching method that invites nursing students to engage in a shared inquiry regarding public issues. The purpose of this pretest-posttest control group experimental study was to investigate the effects of using the deliberative discussion method to enhance the critical thinking abilities of first year nursing students. Forty four students were randomly assigned to attend three deliberative discussion sessions over a 13 week period or to the control group. Using the California Critical Thinking Skills Test, no statistically significant differences were found in critical thinking scores between the two groups. The level and depth of students’ critical thinking abilities during the discussions did not increase from session one to session three. The authors of this study suggest that participation in deliberative discussions may not produce an immediate effect on critical thinking and possible long term benefits are not known. Further considerations include having more exposures to the deliberative method and having opportunities to critically reflect after the discussions.
Uncertainty Quantification for Decision-Making in Engineered Systems

This chapter discusses current research and opportunities for uncertainty quantification in performance prediction and risk assessment of engineered systems. Model-based simulation becomes attractive for systems that are too large and complex for full-scale testing. However, model-based simulation involves many approximations and assumptions, and thus, confidence in the simulation result is an important consideration in risk-informed decision-making. Sources of uncertainty are both aleatory and epistemic, stemming from natural variability, information uncertainty, and modeling approximations. The chapter draws on illustrative problems in aerospace, mechanical, civil, and environmental engineering disciplines to discuss (1) recent research on quantifying various types of errors and uncertainties, particularly focusing on data uncertainty and model uncertainty (both due to model form assumptions and solution approximations); (2) framework for integrating information from multiple sources (models, tests, experts), multiple model development activities (calibration, verification, validation), and multiple formats; and (3) using uncertainty quantification in risk-informed decision-making throughout the life cycle of engineered systems, such as design, operations, health and risk assessment, and risk management.
Sodium Bicarbonate Plus N-Acetylcysteine Prophylaxis: A Meta-Analysis

Objectives: We sought to conduct a meta-analysis to compare N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in combination with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) for the prevention of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (AKI).B...
Geriatric Continuum of Care

This chapter is an in-depth examination of the Veterans Administration (VA) experience with developing a geriatric continuum of care and examines the benefits and shortcomings of a system of care that is applicable in many respects to what the rest of the nation faces in dealing with the geriatric patient. The VA faces a growing number of older veterans who will need geriatric continuing care in that there are presently about 4.2 million veterans over the age of 65. This number will grow to seven million by 1990 at which time approximately two out of every three American males over the age of 65 will be a veteran.1,2
Changing the Guard at a Prostate Cancer SNP

The molecular underpinnings of a prostate-cancer-associated SNP are investigated in a pair of papers in this issue of Cell. Together, Gao et al. and Hua et al. paint a picture of competition between transcription factors that, in turn, toggle the function of a regulatory region from a promoter to an enhancer and induce a switch in noncoding RNA isoforms.
Mitigating the initial capacity loss and improving the cycling stability of silicon monoxide using Li5FeO4

Abstract Silicon monoxide (SiO) is a promising next-generation anode material for lithium-ion batteries due to the high capacity it offers. However, such material also exhibits a large initial capacity loss which results in significant loss of Li inventory to irreversible reactions in a full cell. To mitigate the Li inventory loss due to the initial capacity loss of the SiO anode, a prelithiation reagent, Li5FeO4, is added to the LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 (NCM523) cathode, which is then paired with a SiO anode for electrochemical evaluation. The addition of Li5FeO4 leads to a significant 22% improvement in lithium utilization in NCM523. Furthermore, the capacity retention of the full cell increased from 90.94% to 98.92% for 50 cycles. We then further studied the impact of Li5FeO4 addition on the energy density of the cell via modeling. In order to maximize the energy density improvement, thicker electrodes need to be utilized.
Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy to convert borderline-resectable, locally-advanced esophageal carcinoma to resectable disease.

e15500Background: The treatment of T3-4/N+ esophageal cancer is challenging, outcomes are suboptimal and a conclusive management pattern is not well defined for borderline-resectable esophageal can...
Elasticity and stability of shape-shifting structures

Abstract As we enter the age of designer matter — where objects can morph and change shape on command — what tools do we need to create shape-shifting structures? At the heart of an elastic deformation is the combination of dilation and distortion or stretching and bending. The competition between the latter can cause elastic instabilities, and over the last fifteen years, these instabilities have provided a multitude of ways to prescribe and control shape change. Buckling, wrinkling, folding, creasing, and snapping have become mechanisms that when harmoniously combined enable mechanical metamaterials, self-folding origami, ultralight and ultrathin kirigami, and structures that appear to grow from one shape to another. In this review, I aim to connect the fundamentals of elastic instabilities to the advanced functionality currently found within mechanical metamaterials.
Binaural ambiguity amplifies visual bias in sound source localization.

Auditory spatial perception relies on more than one spatial cue. This study investigated the effects of cue congruence on auditory localization and the extent of visual bias between two binaural cues—interaural time differences (ITDs) and interaural level differences (ILDs). Interactions between these binaural cues were manipulated by stereophonic techniques. The results show that incoherent binaural information increased auditory response noise and amplified visual bias. The analysis further suggests that although ILD is not the dominant cue for low-frequency localization, it may strengthen the position estimate by combining with the dominant ITD information to minimize estimation noise.
Marketing via Email Solicitation by Predatory (and Legitimate) Journals: An Evaluation of Quality, Frequency and Relevance

INTRODUCTION Open access (OA) journals have proliferated in recent years. Many journals are highly reputable, delivering on the promise of open access to research as an alternative to traditional, subscription-based journals. Yet some OA journals border on, or clearly fall within, the realm of so-called “predatory journals.” Most discussion of such journals has focused on the quality of articles published within them. Considerably less attention has been paid to the marketing practices of predatory journals—primarily their mass e-mailing—and to the impact that this practice may have on recipients’ perception of OA journals as a whole. METHODS This study analyzed a subset of the 1,816 e-mails received by a single university biology faculty member during a 24-month period (2015 and 2016) with an update from December 2017 and January 2018. RESULTS Of those e-mails sent in 2015, approximately 37% were copies or near-copies of previous e-mail messages sent to the recipient, less than 25% of e-mails from predatory journals mentioned publication fees, only about 30% of soliciting journals were listed in DOAJ, and only about 4% had an identifiable impact factor. While most e-mails indicated a purported familiarity with, and respect for, the recipient, more than two thirds of the e-mails did not, implying use of mass-e-mailing methodologies. Almost 80% of the e-mail solicitations had grammar and/or spelling mistakes. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, only a staggeringly small 4% of e-mails were judged highly relevant to the recipient’s area of expertise. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION In light of the marketing practices of many predatory journals, we advocate specific instructions for librarians, faculty mentors, and administrators of legitimate OA journals as they interact with new researchers, junior faculty, and other professionals learning how to discern the quality of journals that send direct e-mail solicitations.
Abstract P187: The Associations of White Coat and Masked Hypertension With Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in the Jackson Heart Study

Introduction: The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) blood pressure (BP) guideline uses lower clinic and out-of-clinic BP thresholds to define hypertension com...
Potential anti-cancer agents--II. A proposed mechanism for the anti-cancer action of L-azaserine and 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine.

Abstract An organic mechanism of action for the enzymic activation of the amide-NH 2 group of l -glutamine as an animating agent has been proposed, with pyridoxal phosphate acting as the coenzyme. The non-competitive inhibition of l -glutamine and l -glutamate function by l -azaserine and 6-diazo-5-oxo- l -norleucine (DON) has been attributed to irreversible alkylation of the phosphate group of the pyridoxal complex formed from these inhibitors. l -Azaserine and DON have been classified as members of a generic class of compounds called irreversible amino acid antagonists.
Materials informatics for the screening of multi-principal elements and high-entropy alloys

The field of multi-principal element or (single-phase) high-entropy (HE) alloys has recently seen exponential growth as these systems represent a paradigm shift in alloy development, in some cases exhibiting unexpected structures and superior mechanical properties. However, the identification of promising HE alloys presents a daunting challenge given the associated vastness of the chemistry/composition space. We describe here a supervised learning strategy for the efficient screening of HE alloys that combines two complementary tools, namely: (1) a multiple regression analysis and its generalization, a canonical-correlation analysis (CCA) and (2) a genetic algorithm (GA) with a CCA-inspired fitness function. These tools permit the identification of promising multi-principal element alloys. We implement this procedure using a database for which mechanical property information exists and highlight new alloys having high hardnesses. Our methodology is validated by comparing predicted hardnesses with alloys fabricated by arc-melting, identifying alloys having very high measured hardnesses.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support following liver transplantation-A case series.

Background Postoperative severe cardiopulmonary failure carries a high rate of mortality. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be used as a salvage therapy when conventional therapies fail. Methods We retrospectively reviewed our experience with ECMO support in the early postoperative period after liver transplant between September 2011 and May 2016. Results Out of 537 liver transplants performed at our institution, seven patients required ECMO support with a median age of 52 and a median MELD score of 28. Veno-venous ECMO was used in four patients with severe respiratory failure while the rest required veno-arterial ECMO for circulatory failure. The median time from transplant to cannulation was 3 days with a median duration of ECMO support of 7 days. All patients except one were successfully decannulated. The median hospital length of stay was 58 days with an in-hospital mortality of 28.6%. Conclusion Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can be considered a viable rescue therapy in the setting of severe postoperative cardiopulmonary failure. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy was successful in saving patients who were otherwise unsalvageable.
Tree species diversity and composition relationship to biomass, understory community, and crown architecture in intensively managed plantations of the coastal Pacific Northwest, USA

Trends in land cover and the demand for ecosystem services suggest that plantation forests will be expected to provide a larger quantity and diversity of ecosystem services. We identified three mea...
Sampling and degradation of biodegradable plastic and paper mulches in field after tillage incorporation.

Abstract Plastic biodegradable mulch (plastic BDM) is tilled after use, but there is concern about incomplete degradation and potential impact on subsequent crops, and we lack a reliable method to measure mulch degradation post soil-incorporation. We conducted two field experiments to (i) develop a sampling method to estimate the amount of mulch (fragments size >2.36 mm) in the field post soil-incorporation, and (ii) assess the amount of BDM in the soil after four consecutive years of mulch incorporation. In Expt. 1, we used the quartering method to reduce soil from a 1 m2 field sample area to a representative 19 L sample. In Expt. 2, we applied and tilled four plastic BDMs: BioAgri, Naturecycle, Organix AG, and an experimental mulch; and one paper mulch, WeedGuardPlus, in their respective plots for four consecutive years. Starting in year 2, we sampled soil with the quartering method each spring and fall to determine mulch recovery. With respect to the total amount of mulch applied, average mulch recovery in the fall for the three commercial plastic BDMs was 71%, 50%, and 35% after second, third and fourth applications, respectively. For the experimental mulch, the average recovery was 80%, 69%, and 54% in the fall after second, third, and fourth applications, respectively. Recovery was slightly lower in spring than in preceding fall all years. For WeedGuardPlus, average recovery was 14%–20% in each fall, and no recovery in any spring (complete degradation). The results show that the quartering method reliably estimates the amount of mulch in a field and BDMs degrade over time in the field even with repeated applications, but complete degradation takes >1 year. While a few standards (e.g., ASTM D5988) specify how to determine biodegradation of plastics in soil under controlled laboratory conditions, our sampling method assesses plastic degradation under diverse field conditions.