cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 3305: Markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition as indicators of prognosis in lymph node aspirates from lung cancer patients

Lung cancer accounts for the largest number of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite a new more discriminatory staging system for predicting survival, great variation in outcome within stage persists. Gene expression arrays and microRNA signatures from surgically resected primary tumors can predict survival and drug sensitivity within stage I disease better than standard staging protocols. Genes associated with epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) contribute to the malignant phase of tumor cell growth by controlling the switch to a metastatic phenotype. We hypothesize that the analysis of expression of EMT markers in thoracic lymph nodes may predict survival outcomes and drug responses in lung cancer patients. Endobronchial ultrasound fine needle aspiration (EBUS-FNA) of lymph nodes was performed on patients with known or suspected lung cancer to diagnose and/or stage disease. Total RNA was isolated from the FNA specimens, reverse transcribed, and analyzed for expression of a panel of genes associated with EMT using a probe-based real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (pqRT-PCR). Samples were analyzed for the expression of the epithelial markers cytokeratin 17 (CK17) and cytokeratin 19 (CK19) and the EMT markers Ecadherin (ECAD), Ncadherin (NCAD), and transcription factors snail, slug, ZEB1 and ZEB2. Samples from thirty-seven patients were processed for the study. Patients with metastatic disease had higher levels of snail and NCAD and lower levels of slug and ZEB2 compared to node negative and node positive patients, while patients with node negative disease had higher slug and lower levels of NCAD compared to node positive patients. ECAD did not vary by node positivity or presence of metastasis. The patients with adenocarcinoma on cytology showed higher levels of ECAD and snail, while patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma had higher levels of ZEB1. In contrast, two patients with benign disease had low levels of all markers. Four patients with cytopathologically negative nodes expressed the epithelial markers CK17 and CK19, which are not typically present in lymph nodes. In limited follow-up, two patients with cytopathologically negative lymph nodes but high levels of ZEB1 had progression of disease. From this pilot study we have shown that EBUS-FNA consistently provides adequate samples from which RNA can be isolated and that genes associated with EMT can be used to identify cancer cells that have migrated to adjacent lymph nodes. We plan to enroll a total of 100 patients and follow them for 2 years to determine if this technique can identify patients at higher risk of metastatic disease. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3305.
Examining the relationships between the justice facets and turnover intent: The mediating roles of overall justice and psychological strain.

We examined how interpersonal justice from coworkers, the traditional justice facets (i.e., distributive, procedural, interpersonal, informational), and overall justice perceptions relate to employ...
Acetate metabolism in bovine, fasting ketosis.

The metabolism of intravenously injected acetate-1-C14 in bovine fasting ketosis was compared with the acetate metabolism in normal cows and in cows with spontaneous ketosis. The mean standardized specific activity in respired CO2 over the first 3 hours was 18.9 compared with 16.2 for ketotic and 11.0 for normal cows. The mean standardized specific activity in blood glucose and urine ketone bodies over the first 4 hours was 1.88/7.9 compared with 1.29/7.4 in ketotic and 1.09/2.5 in normal cows. Furthermore the mean standardized specific activity of milk citrate, lactose, casein and albumin over the first 48 hours was greater in fasting ketosis than in the normal cows giving a picture similar to that found during spontaneous ketosis. The total C14 recovered in the milk fat within 48 hours was about 4 per cent compared with 14 per cent in the normal cow and 2 per cent during spontaneous ketosis. These results suggest that the metabolic lesions in spontaneous and fasting ketosis are very much alike. The results support the theory of impaired lipogenesis and contradict the assumption of decreased tricarboxylic acid cycle activity during bovine ketosis. Omsaetningen af intravenost injiceret 1-C14 maerket acetat er blevet undersogt hos kvaeg med sultketose og resultaterne sammenlignet med lignende forsog udfort pa normale koer og pa koer med spontan ketose. Den gennemsnitlige specifikke aktivitet i udandingsluftens CO2 i de forste tre timer efter injektionen blev fundet til 18.9 sammenlignet med 16.2 for koer med spontan ketose, og 11.0 for normale koer. Forholdet mellem den gennemsnitlige specifikke aktivitet i blodets glukose og urinens ketonstoffer i de forste 4 timer efter injektionen var 1.88/7.9 sammenlignet med 1.29/7.4 for koer med spontan ketose og 1.09/2.5 hos normale koer. Endvidere var den gennemsnitlige specifikke aktivitet i maelkens indhold af citrat, lactose, casein og albumin i de forste 48 timer efter injektionen storre end hos normale koer, men svarende ganske til de vaerdier, som er fundet ved spontan ketose. — Den maengde C14, som kunne genifindes i maelkens fedt i de forste 48 timer, var omkring 4 % sammenlignet med ca. 14 % hos normale koer og ca. 2 % hos koer med spontan ketose. Disse resultater tyder pa, at de stofskifteforstyrrelser, som findes under spontan ketose og ved sultketose er af samme karakter. Resultaterne understotter endvidere teorien om „impaired lipogenesis”, og gar imod den antagelse, at trikarboxylsyrecy klubaktiviteten skulle vaere nedsat under ketose.
Information processing behaviors related to learning disabilities and educable mental retardation.

All the elementary school age children failing in a county school system were administered a battery of psychoeducational tests to determine their information processing behaviors. Of the 472 child...
Recognition of emotional facial expressions in anxious and nonanxious depression

Abstract Background Anxiety and depression have each been independently associated with impairments in emotional face recognition. However, little is known about the nature of these impairments when anxiety and depression co-occur. Methods This post-hoc analysis evaluated the relationship between anxiety status and performance on the Emotional Expression Multimorph Task within a clinical sample of individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). Results Participants with anxious depression (n=14) and nonanxious depression (n=14) completed the Emotional Expression Multimorph Task. Those with anxious depression required greater intensity of emotion to identify both happy ( p =.01) and sad ( p =.04) facial expressions than those with nonanxious depression. Severity of anxiety also correlated with greater intensity of emotion required to detect sad faces. Contrary to prediction, hypervigilance to angry and fearful facial expressions was not observed in anxious depression. Limitations The present study did not include an anxiety-only group for comparison, and did not assess state anxiety at time of administration. In addition, the extent to which the experimental task correlates with social functioning is not fully understood. Conclusions These findings suggest a diminished sensitivity to happy and sad facial expressions specific to anxious depression, but not a hypervigilance toward threatening facial expressions. Further research on the nature of emotion recognition in anxiety and depression may inform improved clinical interventions.
Preparing senior medical students for surgical internship: the value of a half-day intervention.

Author(s): Mowlds, Donald S; Patel, Madhukar S; Khalsa, Bhavraj; Foe-Parker, Jennifer E; Salibian, Ara A; Rama, Asheen; Jafari, Fariba; Whealon, Matthew D; Hoyt, David B; Stamos, Michael J; Endres, Jill E; Smith, Brian R
Introduction to the Special Section on the 2015 Custom Integrated Circuits Conference

This special issue of the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits highlights some of the best papers from the 2015 Custom Integrated Circuits Conference (CICC), held in the DoubleTree Hotel in San Jose, California, USA, on September 28–30.
How to Fold It: Dürer's Problem: Edge Unfolding

Albrecht Durer's Nets In 1525, the German painter and thinker Albrecht Durer published his masterwork on geometry, whose title translates as “On Teaching Measurement with a Compass and Straightedge.” The fourth part of this work concentrates on polyhedra: the Platonic solids, the Archimedean solids, and several polyhedra “discovered” by Durer himself. Figure 7.1 shows his famous engraving, “Melencolia I,” in which he used a polyhedron of his own invention a decade earlier. His book presented each polyhedron by drawing a net for it: an unfolding of the surface to a planar layout. The net makes the geometry of the faces and the number of each type of face immediately clear to the eye in a way that a 3D drawing, which necessarily hides part of the polyhedron, does not. Moreover, a net almost demands to be cut out and folded to form the 3D polyhedron. Figures 7.2 and 7.3 show two examples of Durer's nets. The first is a net of the snub cube , which consists of six squares and 32 equilateral triangles. The second is a net of the truncated icosahedron, consisting of 12 regular pentagons and 20 regular hexagons. We know the spherical version of this polyhedron as a soccer ball. Durer's nets, an apparently original representational invention, have since become a standard presentation method for describing polyhedra. For example, Figure 7.4 shows a modern display of nets for the so-called Archimedean (or semiregular ) solids.
Knowledge Democracy and Action Research: Pathways for the Twenty-First Century

The chapter examines issues faced by action researchers working within the context of democratizing knowledge. Four vantage points were delineated regarding the origin of knowledge democracy, progress toward knowledge democracy, and current and future prognosis and recommendations. Knowledge monopoly is discussed by examining progress from intellectual colonialism to global South–North convergences. The monocultural view of knowledge production and the role of universities are critiqued in relation to neoliberal globalization and epistemological diversity. The contribution of action research and the global action research community to knowledge democracy and alternative globalization is underscored. The authors introduce strategies for implementing practitioner-research, including knowledge production and dissemination based on practice-based research evidence as a way to increase knowledge democracy.
Der osmanisch-ägyptische Sudan

Der Sudan gehort zu jenen unglucklichen Weltecken, die – wenn uberhaupt – mit schlechten Nachrichten ins Blickfeld der Weltoffentlichkeit geraten. Bis zum Beginn des 19. Jahrhunderts galt Nubien als die osmanisch-agyptische Grenzlandschaft gen Suden. Mit den 1820 unter Mehmed Ali begonnenen Eroberungszugen schuf sich Agypten ein weit sudlich bis zum Fus des athiopischen Hochlandes und den Weisen Nil hinauf reichendes koloniales Ausbeutungsgebiet mit den Schwerpunkten Tributzahlungen und Sklavenhandel. Haupstutzpunkt wurde das erst 1821 am Zusammenflus von Blauem und Weisem Nil gegrundete Khartum. Ab den 1860er Jahren erregten drastischen Berichte uber die agyptische Miswirtschaft das europaische Publikum, so das der hiergegen 1881 ausgebrochene islamistische Aufstand keinen Zeitschriftenleser uberraschte. Bis 1885 hatten die Aufstandischen die Agypter vertrieben und einen Gottesstaat im Sudan errichtet, der schon alle Zuge aktueller Gruppierungen im Orient zeigte. Erst 1898 gelang es agyptischen und britischen Truppen das Mahdi-Reich zu zerschlagen und auf dessen Trummern den Anglo-Agyptischen Sudan zu schaffen, der in dieser Form bis zur Staatsspaltung 2011 bestand.
Nitroxoline: a broad-spectrum biofilm-eradicating agent against pathogenic bacteria.

Bacterial biofilms are surface-attached communities of slow-growing or non-replicating bacteria tolerant to conventional antibiotic therapies. Although biofilms are known to occur in ca. 80% of all bacterial infections, no therapeutic agent has been developed to eradicate bacteria housed within biofilms. We have discovered that nitroxoline, an antibacterial agent used to treat urinary tract infections, displays broad-spectrum biofilm-eradicating activities against major human pathogens, including drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii strains. In this study, the effectiveness of nitroxoline to eradicate biofilms was determined using an in vitro [minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) = 46.9 µM against A. baumannii] and ex vivo porcine skin model (2–3 log reduction in viable biofilm cells). Nitroxoline was also found to eradicate methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) persister cells in non-biofilm (stationary) cultures, whereas vancomycin and daptomycin were found to be inactive. These findings could lead to effective, nitroxoline-based therapies for biofilm-associated infections.
Comparison of two methods of mechanical disaggregation of scirrhous breast adenocarcinomas for DNA flow cytometric analysis of whole cells.

Mechanical release of single cell suspensions from solid tumors for DNA analysis by flow cytometry has been shown to be optimal for adenocarcinomas in general. In the breast, many adenocarcinomas are fibrotic or scirrhous, creating difficulty in separating the neoplastic cells from the stroma. The authors have conducted a parallel study in 20 consecutive cases of scirrhous adenocarcinomas of the breast using two mechanical methods of cell disaggregation by: (1) mincing tumor tissue in culture media (MINCE); and (2) scraping the surface of the solid tumor with a scalpel blade and rinsing the blade in culture media (SCRAPE). Both methods were compared with PI staining and quantitation of percent debris and coefficient of variation (3), as an index of resolution of the Go/G, tumor peak. Debris was quantitated using Cell-FIT (Becton Dickinson Immunocytometry Systems, San Jose, CA) and Multicycle (Phoenix Flow Systems, San Diego, CA) software programs. With Multicycle, in addition to debris and aggregate determination, an index that included background, aggregates and debris (%BAD) occurring between the boundaries of the tumor G 1 and G 2 region was evaluated. In the 4 DNA diploid and 16 DNA aneuploid tumors, there was no significant difference in histogram quality measured by CV or amount of debris, aggregates, and %BAD between MINCE and SCRAPE methods. The authors conclude that either method of mechanical disaggregation will produce DNA histograms of comparable quality and degree of resolution. However, the scrape method may be advantageous in the mechanical disaggregation in scirrhous tumors. The scrape method also may be useful in small tumors, where tissue preservation for histology is paramount, and there is insufficient material to separately submit for flow cytometry. Combination of both MINCE and SCRAPE may provide higher cell yields, than using only one of these dissociation techniques. In addition, DNA analysis methods using intact cells obtained with the SCRAPE method result in percent CV values of similar resolution to those reported for methods producing bare nuclear suspensions from fresh tumors
Microsatellite markers for the dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus caribaeus from high-throughput sequencing data

Members of the benthic dinoflagellate genus Gambierdiscus are the causative agents of ciguatera fish poisoning worldwide. Ciguatera outbreaks appear to be more common in recent years and new incidences are reported from unprecedented regions. To investigate Gambierdicus population dynamics, connectivity, and dispersal routes, we developed microsatellite markers for Gambierdiscus caribaeus, a globally distributed species that is common at our study site at St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. We used high-throughput partial genome sequencing along with an existing transcriptome for microsatellite discovery. Screening of contigs with less than three times coverage resulted in 558 (partial genome) and 33 (transcriptome) candidate microsatellites. Four primer pairs from the partial genome and three from the transcriptome successfully amplified polymorphic microsatellites in multiplexed PCR reactions. The seven markers were tested on 150 G. caribaeus strains isolated monthly from August 2013 to July 2015 at St. Thomas, USVI. The numbers of alleles per locus varied between 3 and 14, and the allele diversity ranged from 0.214 to 0.899 in this dataset. These newly developed microsatellites will enable studies of population structure, connectivity, and dispersal in G. caribaeus and can give new insights into the expansion of ciguatera outbreaks worldwide.
A “scaled” MWPC with 0.5 mm wire spacing

Abstract We have demonstrated that a multiwire proportional chamber may be scaled down to improve its spatial resolution provided that every relevant distance is scaled. We have built a chamber with excellent operating characteristics with wires 0.5 mm apart. The wires are 5 μm in diameter and the chamber operates at a pressure of four atmospheres with a mixture of 80% argon and 20% CO2.
Opioid vs nonopioid prescribers: Variations in care for a standardized acute back pain case.

ABSTRACTBackground: Opioid analgesics are effective and appropriate therapy for many types of acute pain. Epidemiologic evidence supports a direct relationship between increased opioid prescribing and increases in opioid use disorders and overdoses. Objective: To tailor our residency curriculum, we designed and fielded an unannounced standardized patient (USP) case involving a patient with acute back pain who is requesting Vicodin (5/325 mg). We describe residents' case management and examine whether their management decisions, including opioid prescribing, were related to their core clinical skills. Methods: Results are based on 50 (USP) visits with residents in 2 urban primary care clinics. Highly trained USPs portrayed a patient with acute lower back pain who was taking leftover Vicodin with effective pain relief but was running out. We describe how residents managed this case, using both USP report and chart review data, and compare summary clinical skills scores between those who prescribed Vicodin a...
Type 2 Superior Labral Anterior Posterior (SLAP) Tear in 55-Year-Old Male with Concomitant Full-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear Treated with Long Head of the Biceps Tenodesis and Rotator Cuff Repair

Rotator cuff tears are often diagnosed in combination with pathology of the long head of the biceps tendon and superior labrum complex in a middle-aged patient population. While loss of function (motion and strength) can be attributed to the rotator cuff pathology, pain can be generated by the rotator cuff, the biceps anchor, or both. In our experience, patients with concomitant rotator cuff tears and type 2 superior labral anterior posterior (SLAP) lesions have been treated surgically with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and biceps tenodesis, with reproducibly good outcomes.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a neuropathic disorder marked by pain, autonomic and vasomotor instability, and sensory abnormalities. Typically, the syndrome presents after surgery or trauma and is characterized by continuing pain which is disproportionate to the inciting event. Although some cases will resolve within the first year of presentation, many patients progress to a chronic form of the disease. CRPS type I (formerly known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy, or RSD) and CRPS II (formerly known as causalgia) are distinguished by the latter being associated with damage to a specific peripheral nerve. The diagnosis of CRPS is based mainly on history and physical examination. Multiple treatment options have been discussed in the literature, and some as discussed below show potential benefit. However, there is still no clear consensus regarding diagnosis and therapeutic algorithms.
Skeletal mass in long term hemodialysis patients.

Histomorphometric analyses of bone, bony radiographic analysis, bone densitometry and total body mineral content in hemodialyzed patients indicate that skeletal mass is quite variable in patients receiving hemodialysis for one to three years.1’2’3 No long term studies of skeletal mass are available in patients receiving hemodialysis treatments for five to ten years. This study estimates skeletal mass by measurements of total body calcium by neutron activation analysis.
Impromptu teams of heterogeneous mobile robots

As robots become more involved in assisting us in large and hazardous operations, such as search and rescue, we can anticipate that diverse robots will come together with the need to coordinate their efforts. These robots will come from different organizations, creating a heterogeneous team, varying in shape, size, and functionality. How can diverse robots forming such an impromptu team collaborate to accomplish a joint objective? If they are to organize and work together, methods must be developed that allow them to share knowledge in a meaningful way. We propose an ontology-based symbolic communication protocol to provide a shared understanding of physical concepts between units. Coordination is then accomplished through a negotiation of tasks to complete individual and joint goals.
Challenges Towards Achieving Earthquake Resilience Through Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering

Much has been accomplished in performance-based earthquake engineering over the past two decades. Processes have been established that facilitate probabilistic seismic hazard analysis, evaluation of relevant engineering demand parameters through advanced modeling and nonlinear response history analysis, quantification of damage measures and associated repair/replacement costs at the component level, and aggregation of losses for structural and nonstructural systems. The outcome is a probabilistic assessment of direct economic loss and collapse safety due to earthquakes. In contrast to assessment of structural collapse and direct losses, comparatively less has been accomplished in quantifying factors that affect downtime, business interruption, and community functions. These issues are critically important to bridge between performance of a single structure and the earthquake resilience of a community or region or country. A key aspect of resilience is looking beyond direct damage and losses to their implications on disaster response and recovery. From a societal perspective, resilience is the key challenge to mitigate the lasting effects of earthquakes. Drawing upon relevant research and recent initiatives in California to create more earthquake resilient communities, this paper explores challenges to improve performance-based engineering to address specific aspects of resilience.
Catalytic Hydrogen Transfer and Decarbonylation of Aromatic Aldehydes on Ru and Ru Phosphide Model Catalysts

Transition-metal and metal phosphide nanoparticles catalyze hydrogen-transfer steps that reduce biomass-derived aldehydes using either gaseous H2 or organic hydrogen donors (e.g., alcohols) and pro...
Family interventions and prevention of suicide in first-episode schizophrenia

Suicide is one of the leading causes of premature death among individuals with schizophrenia and psychotic spectrum disorders (1). Suicide and suicide attempts occur at a significantly greater rate in schizophrenia than in the general population. Common estimates are that 10% of people with schizophrenia will eventually have a completed suicide, and that attempts are made at two to five times that rate. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Onset of inflation amid backreaction from inhomogeneities

We analyze the onset of inflation for a simple single-field model when the system begins with significant inhomogeneities on length scales shorter than the initial Hubble radius. We incorporate certain nonlinear interactions among the coupled degrees of freedom by using the nonperturbative Hartree approximation. Consistent with recent, more computationally intensive numerical-relativity studies, we find inflation to be robust for large-field models, even when the system begins with significant structure on sub-Hubble scales. We consider the space of initial conditions $(\ensuremath{\varphi}({t}_{0}),\stackrel{\ifmmode \dot{}\else \textperiodcentered \fi{}}{\ensuremath{\varphi}}({t}_{0}))$, where $\ensuremath{\varphi}$ is the vacuum expectation value of the quantized field that drives inflation. Although some regions of $(\ensuremath{\varphi}({t}_{0}),\stackrel{\ifmmode \dot{}\else \textperiodcentered \fi{}}{\ensuremath{\varphi}}({t}_{0}))$ that would have yielded sufficient inflation in the absence of inhomogeneities fail to do so when backreaction from inhomogeneities is incorporated, an equal volume of such regions succeeds in producing sufficient inflation which did not do so in the absence of inhomogeneities. For large-field models, in other words, the total volume of the space of initial conditions $(\ensuremath{\varphi}({t}_{0}),\stackrel{\ifmmode \dot{}\else \textperiodcentered \fi{}}{\ensuremath{\varphi}}({t}_{0}))$ that yields sufficient inflation is conserved when we incorporate nonlinear backreaction from inhomogeneities, compared to the case in which inhomogeneities are neglected.
Using Simulation to Accelerate Development of User Interfaces for Autonomous Vehicles

This paper outlines work being conducted at the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems at Mississippi State University using simulated data to enable interface development for real world vehicles when hardware systems are not available. The ANVEL modeling and simulation tool was used to generate simulated video feeds. These videos feeds were provided to an information server, which was written to accept both simulated and real world camera data, and convert that data into an MJPEG over HTTP stream. An interface was written in Unity 2017 using simulated camera data received as an MJPEG from the information server. This user interface was then tested on a real world autonomous vehicle project, by passing camera data to the information server for conversion to a common vehicle interface format as the simulated camera data. This method allowed for the parallel development of user interface, without the need for physical hardware for testing, while maintaining real-time video capability.
Drought tolerant rice breeding lines developed for rainfed lowland areas

Drought is a major problem in rice production in rainfed areas. Climate change has exacerbated the negative effect of drought on the sustainability of rice production. Development of drought tolerant rice varieties is important strategy to minimize rice yield losses in drought prone areas. This study aimed to determine drought tolerance of twenty-five advanced rice breeding lines under artificial drought environment and to evaluate their agronomic performance in rainfed lowland rice areas. Evaluation of drought tolerance was carried out at seedling stage in greenhouse. Yield trial was conducted in rainfed rice area in Indramayu district, West Java province, during wet season 2017-2018. The trial was designed in randomized complete block design with four replications. Result from this study indicated a variation in drought tolerance of twenty-five breeding lines. Two lines showed highly tolerant response to drought in seedling stage namely B15231-MR-10-1 and B15143C-TGB-12. The grain yield of highly drought tolerant rice line B15231-MR-10-1 (4.81 t ha-1) was comparable to popular rice varieties Situ Bagendit (4.56 t ha-1) and Ciherang (5.09 t ha-1). Drought tolerant rice breeding lines identified from this study have potential to be adopted by farmers in drought prone rainfed areas as an adaptation strategy to the impact of climate change.
Impacts of job control on overtime and stress: cases in the United States and South Korea

Although considerable research has focused on the relationship between working hours and stress, few cross-cultural studies have examined this relationship with job control. This study investigated...
The Scientific Response to COVID-19 and Lessons for Security

While many aspects of the response to the pandemic were wanting, the extraordinary global mobilisation of the scientific community is a source of hope.
Clinical use of biologics for asthma treatment by allergy specialists: A questionnaire survey.

Abstract Background Asthma is a heterogeneous disease with emerging phenotypes and endotypes. At present, 5 distinct biologics are Food and Drug Administration–approved as an add-on therapy for difficult-to-control type 2–high asthma. Because allergy specialists manage a spectrum of diseases for which biologics may be appropriate, it is important to understand their prescribing patterns. Objective To elucidate the allergist’s use of biologics in the treatment of asthma, including barriers, preferences, indications for prescribing, measures to determine effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness. Methods A survey was performed among allergists using a semistructured 10-item self-administered web-based questionnaire and the responses were analyzed using one-way frequencies and multiple logistic regression. Results The response rate was approximately 9%. Omalizumab was the most prescribed biologic for asthma (98%), and “uncontrolled asthma despite adherence to controller medication” was the most common reason. The common selection criteria among the biologics included elevated peripheral eosinophil count, asthma with nasal polyps, and asthma type (type 1; type 2; nonallergic). A decreased exacerbation frequency was the best standard to determine the efficacy among biologics. Benralizumab was considered the most cost-effective. Conclusion This study represents one of the largest surveys among allergy specialists regarding the real-world use of asthma biologics. It seems that there has been reasonably good dissemination and application of current guidelines among allergists based on prescribing patterns. However, their responses reflect the need for the continued modification of asthma guidelines that incorporate novel biologics and other pathway-specific agents into step therapy. As clinical phenotypes and predictive biomarkers develop, allergy specialists will be better prepared to practice precision medicine that optimizes the use of asthma biologics.
Incapacitated Fatherhood: The Impact of Mass Incarceration on Black Father Identity

Despite the growing body of literature detailing the disproportionate social consequences of mass incarceration to black men, many of whom are fathers, insufficient attention has been given to the extent of damage on fatherhood and father identity in particular. This article examines the consequences of mass incarceration on father identity and the performance of fatherhood among a group of black men. Drawing from rich qualitative data, the study uses the lived experiences and perceptions of a group of formerly incarcerated black fathers. This research found that the incarceration experience significantly disrupted the performance of fatherhood among this group of men resulting in acute harm to their identity as fathers during incarceration and ongoing harm after release.
Abstract PO-026: GLUER: integrative analysis of multi-omics data at single-cell resolution

Single-cell omics assays such as RNA-Seq, ATAC-Seq and methylome sequencing have been developed to identify cell types and/or states in heterogeneous tissues. However, it is challenging to integrate these different types of single-cell omics data. Moreover, the advent of spatially resolved single-cell imaging data represent another challenge for integrative analysis with omics data. Here, we present a new algorithm, inteGrative anaLysis of mUlti-omics at single-cEll Resolution (GLUER), for integration of single-cell multi-omics data as well as imaging data. We tested GLUER using multiple datasets generated using multiomics data generated on the same single cells, which was taken as the ground truth. Our results demonstrate that GLUER has significantly improved performance in terms of the accuracy of matching cells with different data modalities, which in turn enhances downstream analyses such as clustering and trajectory inference. GLUER provides a principled analytical framework for studying the heterogeneity of cell populations using multi-omics and imaging data. Citation Format: Tao Peng, Kamyar Esmaeili Pourfarhangi, Kai Tan. GLUER: integrative analysis of multi-omics data at single-cell resolution [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference on Tumor Heterogeneity: From Single Cells to Clinical Impact; 2020 Sep 17-18. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(21 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-026.
Age of Occurrence and Severity of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Impacts on Health Outcomes in Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women.

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with a wide range of health outcomes and is more prevalent among men who have sex with men (MSM) compared to men who have sex with women exclusively and a...
The Long Arm of Oppression: How Structural Stigma Against Marginalized Communities Perpetuates Within-Group Health Disparities.

Understanding and addressing health inequities calls for enhanced theoretical and empirical attention to multiple forms of stigma and its influence on health behaviors and health outcomes within ma...
Complications following regional anesthesia versus general anesthesia for the treatment of distal radius fractures

Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) are commonly utilized for the repair of distal radius fractures (DRF). While general anesthesia (GA) is typically administered for ORIF, recent studies have also demonstrated promising results with the usage of regional anesthesia (RA) in the surgical treatment of distal radius fractures. This study will compare complication rates between the use of RA versus GA for ORIF of DRFs. A multi-institutional surgical registry was utilized to identify patients who had undergone ORIF for DRFs from 2005 to 2018—these patients were stratified into GA and RA cohorts. Patients were matched utilizing coarsened-exact-matching (CEM) to compare postoperative outcomes and rates of 30-day complications were compared between the two cohorts. Upon CEM-matching, 1191 patients receiving RA were matched to 9250 patients who had received GA, with a multivariate imbalance measure (L1) statistic of < 0.001. In the matched-cohort analysis, no significant differences were observed in rates of any complication (all p ≥ 0.083). On multivariate regression analyses, RA was not associated with increased risk for any complication (p = 0.445), minor complications (p = 0.093), major complications (p = 0.758), unplanned reoperations (p = 0.355), unplanned readmissions (p = 0.799), or mortality (p = 0.579). With similar safety profiles, RA is a safe and reasonable alternative to GA when managing DRFs surgically. RA may be the preferred anesthetic technique for ORIF of DRFs in patients at high risk with GA, such as those with reactions to GA in the past or with significant cardiopulmonary risk factors.
Performance and Return to Sport After Open Fracture in National Football League Players.

Background:Open fractures are debilitating injuries for athletes. No prior studies have investigated open fractures in National Football League (NFL) players.Purpose:To compare outcomes after open ...
Evidence from a Longitudinal Photovoice and Interview Assessment with Congolese Refugee Women in the Midwestern United States

Purpose: Refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo have rapidly increased since 2016 and are growing to represent one of the top refugee groups in the United States. They are at high risk for ...
Changes in the Daily Phonotrauma Index Following the Use of Voice Therapy as the Sole Treatment for Phonotraumatic Vocal Hyperfunction in Females

Purpose The aim of this study was to use the Daily Phonotrauma Index (DPI) to quantify group-based changes in the daily voice use of patients with phonotraumatic vocal hyperfunction (PVH) after rec...
Regulation of the cell cycle by somatomedins.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the regulation of the cell cycle by somatomedins. The chapter analyzes a group of growth factors that resemble insulin—insulin-like growth factors (ILGFs). The group consists of somatomedins A, nonsuppressible insulinlike activity (that is made up of insulin growth factors one and two, IGF I, IGF II), and multiplication stimulating activity (MSA). The ILGFs may constitute one of the first groups of growth regulators. A range of different culture lines has been evaluated for responses to insulin-like growth factors. In some cases, the cells are stimulated to increase DNA synthesis by a single purified factor whereas, in others, varying combinations are required. The ones responsive to somatomedin C are chondrocytes, frog and rabbit lens epithelium, Sertoli and granulosa cells, fetal liver and limb bud, some blood cell lines, and pituitary tumor cells. In the lens, the migration of epithelial cells and the fashioning of fibers from these cells are stopped in the absence of somatomedin-like molecules.
Transcriptional regulation of the gene encoding the major surfactant protein (SP-A) in rabbit fetal lung

The expression of the major protein of rabbit pulmonary surfactant (SP-A), a glycoprotein of Mr congruent to 29,000-36,000, is regulated during development and by hormones. In the present study, utilizing a cDNA insert complementary to mRNA coding for SP-A and nuclear transcription elongation assays, we have investigated the developmental and hormonal regulation of transcription of the SP-A gene in rabbit fetal lung tissue. The relative rates of transcription of SP-A mRNA increased as a function of the gestational age of the fetus. The rate of transcription reached a maximum level in lung tissues of 28-day gestational age fetuses and declined slightly in those of neonatal rabbits. The relative rate of transcription of SP-A mRNA increased in rabbit fetal lung explants maintained in organ culture in control medium as a function of incubation time. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (Bt2cAMP) treatment of fetal lung explants increased the rate of transcription of SP-A mRNA over that of control tissues by several-fold; after 12 h of incubation in the presence of Bt2cAMP, there was greater than 4-fold increase in the rate of transcription of SP-A mRNA as compared to control lung explants. In contrast, glucocorticoids had a rapid effect to decrease the rate of SP-A mRNA transcription. The rapid effect of glucocorticoids to inhibit the transcription of SP-A mRNA was transient; in fetal lung explants incubated in the presence of dexamethasone for greater than 24 h, there was an increase in the rate of transcription of SP-A mRNA over that of control explants. Cycloheximide caused an inhibition of both basal as well as Bt2cAMP-stimulated rates of transcription of SP-A mRNA in the rabbit fetal lung tissue in vitro. This finding is suggestive of a role of labile protein factor(s) in mediating transcription of the SP-A gene as well as its induction by Bt2cAMP. The magnitude of changes in the relative rates of transcription of SP-A mRNA during development of rabbit fetal lung in vitro as well as those effected by hormones in vitro were similar to changes in the steady-state levels of SP-A mRNA, suggestive that the regulation of the levels of SP-A mRNA in fetal rabbit lung tissue both in vivo and in vitro occurs primarily at the transcriptional level.
Mapping QTLs associated with drought resistance in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench

Drought is a major abiotic stress factor limiting crop production. Identification of genetic factors involved in plant responses to drought stress will provide a solid foundation to improve drought resistance. Sorghum is well adapted to hot dry environments and regarded as a model for studying drought resistance among the grasses. Significant progress in genome mapping of this crop has also been made. In sorghum, rapid premature leaf death generally occurs when water is limited during the grain filling period. Premature leaf senescence, in turn, leads to charcoal rot, stalk lodging, and significant yield loss. More than 80% of commercial sorghum hybrids in the United States are grown under non-irrigated conditions and although most of them have pre-flowering drought resistance, many do not have any significant post-flowering drought resistance. Stay-green is one form of drought resistance mechanism, which gives sorghum resistance to premature senescence under soil moisture stress during the post-flowering period. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) studies with recombinant inbred lines (RILs) and near-isogenic lines (NILs) identified several genomic regions associated with resistance to pre-flowering and post-flowering drought stress. We have identified four genomic regions associated with the stay-green trait using a RIL population developed from B35 × Tx7000. These four major stay-green QTLs were consistently identified in all field trials and accounted for 53.5% of the phenotypic variance. We review the progress in mapping stay-green QTLs as a component of drought resistance in sorghum. The molecular genetic dissection of the QTLs affecting stay-green will provide further opportunities to elucidate the underlying physiological mechanisms involved in drought resistance in sorghum and other grasses.
Homeowner and homebuyer impressions of visitable features.

Abstract Background Though visitable house features (32+″ wide doors; no-step or low slope entries; and a usable half- or full bathroom on the main floor) have benefits, many developers and builders oppose them because they believe homebuyers do not want them. Objective The present study sought to test the accuracy of developer and builder perceived barriers to including visitable features in new houses. Specifically, we tested the desirability of houses with and without such features to homeowners and homebuyers. We hypothesized that homeowners and homebuyers would prefer to buy homes with visitable features even if they believed such homes would cost more. Methods In a cross-sectional study, we surveyed 96 homeowners and 107 homebuyers in Ohio. For photos of nine matched pairs of visitable and non-visitable features, respondents assessed home would sell faster, which they preferred to buy, and which had an older inhabitant. They also rated effects of each visitable feature on qualities that might affect the marketability of the home, such as good design, aesthetics, appeal to young, appeal to old, ease of hosting visitors, and resale value. Results Both homeowners and homebuyers preferred to buy houses with visitable features, thought they would sell faster, and rated each visitable feature as having favorable effects on the qualities, even though they expected houses with visitable feature to cost more and to house an older person or a person with difficulty walking. Conclusions Contrary to developer and builder beliefs, homeowners and homebuyers may prefer houses with visitable features.
Peripherally inserted central catheter usage patterns and associated symptomatic upper extremity venous thrombosis.

Objectives Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) may be complicated by upper extremity (UE) superficial (SVT) or deep venous thrombosis (DVT). The purpose of this study was to determine current PICC insertion patterns and if any PICC or patient characteristics were associated with venous thrombotic complications. Methods All UE venous duplex scans during a 12-month period were reviewed, selecting patients with isolated SVT or DVT and PICCs placed ≤30 days. All UE PICC procedures during the same period were identified from an electronic medical record query. PICC-associated DVTs, categorized by insertion site, were compared with all first-time UE PICCs to determine the rate of UE DVT and isolated UE SVT. Technical and clinical variables in patients with PICC-associated UE DVT also were compared with 172 patients who received a PICC without developing DVT (univariable and multivariable analysis). Results We identified 219 isolated UE SVTs and 154 UE DVTs, with 2056 first-time UE PICCs placed during the same period. A PICC was associated with 44 of 219 (20%) isolated UE SVTs and 54 of 154 UE DVTs (35%). The rates of PICC-associated symptomatic UE SVT were 1.9% for basilic, 7.2% for cephalic, and 0% for brachial vein PICCs. The rates of PICC-associated symptomatic UE DVT were 3.1% for basilic, 2.2% for brachial, and 0% for cephalic vein PICCs (χ 2 P P P Conclusions The incidence of symptomatic PICC-associated UE DVT is low, but given the number of PICCs placed each year, they account for up to 35% of all diagnosed UE DVTs. Larger-diameter PICCs and malignancy increase the risk for DVT, and further studies are needed to evaluate the optimal vein of first choice for PICC insertion.
Novel Texture Etch Chemistry for Transparent Conducting Oxides Used in Photovoltaic Cells

In thin film photovoltaic silicon stacks, the sun facing contact needs to be transparent and textured. Typically transparent metal oxides are used for this purpose. When using sputtered ZnO as the transparent conducting contact typically an acid etch is used to texture etch the surface. This texturing enables light trapping in the cell and greatly enhances the photoresponse. Traditionally dilute HCl has been used for this purpose. In this paper we present the work on a novel etchant for this purpose consisting of HNO3 and Acetic Acid. This greatly enhances the texturing and hence the light trapping in the cell.
m-Bop, a Repressor Protein Essential for Cardiogenesis, Interacts with skNAC, a Heart- and Muscle-specific Transcription Factor

The m-Bop protein encoded by the mouseBop gene is strongly expressed in heart and skeletal muscle, and recent studies with Bop knockout mice have demonstrated that m-Bop is essential for cardiogenesis in vivo and can act as a HDAC-dependent repressorin vitro. In the present studies, m-Bop was observed to interact with skNAC, a reported transcriptional activator specific to heart and skeletal muscle. The amino-terminal S region of the split S-ET domain of m-Bop as well as the MYND domain were required for interaction with skNAC in both the two-hybrid system and in coimmunoprecipitation experiments from cultured mammalian cells. As shown previously for interaction of the MYND domain-containing transcriptional corepressor, BS69, with several viral and cellular oncoproteins, a PXLXP motif in skNAC was required for interaction with m-Bop. Similar kinetics of induction and localization of m-Bop and skNAC during the induction of myogenesis in cultured C2C12 cells suggests a possible associated role for these proteins during this process.
Modulation of docetaxel-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by all- trans retinoic acid in prostate cancer cells

We report that all- trans retinoic acid (ATRA) enhanced the toxicity of docetaxel against DU145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells, and that the nature of the interaction between ATRA and docetaxel was highly synergistic. Docetaxel-induced apoptotic cell death was associated with phosphorylation and hence inactivation of Bcl-2. ATRA enhanced docetaxel-induced apoptosis and combined treatment with ATRA and docetaxel resulted in down-regulation of Bcl-2. Docetaxel caused phosphorylation and hence inactivation of cdc2 kinase result ing in G2/M arrest. ATRA inhibited docetaxel-induced phosphorylation of cdc2 resulting in activation of cdc2 kinase and partial reversal of the G2/M arrest. ATRA also inhibited docetaxel-induced activation of MAPK indicating that the effects of docetaxel and ATRA on cdc2 phosphorylation are dependent on MAPK. We conclude that ATRA synergistically enhances docetaxel toxicity by down-regulating Bcl-2 expression and partially reverses the docetaxel-induced G2/M arrest by inhibiting docetaxel-induced cdc2 phosphorylation in a pathway that is dependent on MAPK. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.com