cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract P5-05-05: Low molecular weight cyclin E regulates response to aromatase inhibitors in post-menopausal breast cancer patients

Almost seventy percent of all breast cancer patients have estrogen receptor (ER) positive tumors requiring hormonal therapy. Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are considered as the first line hormonal therapy for ER+ post-menopausal patients. However, resistance to these drugs remains a major challenge in clinic and the biology of such resistance is not clear. Previous studies have shown that cyclin E pathway, a key regulator in the G1 to S transition of cell cycle, is deregulated in breast cancer. Full-length cyclin E is abnormally cleaved into low molecular weight isoforms (LMW-E) that renders patients to poor survival. Here we hypothesize that cyclin E deregulation can confer resistance to AIs. To address this, we engineered aromatase overexpressing MCF7 cells to overexpress LMW-E under doxycycline inducible promoter. Full-length cyclin E, GFP and empty vector transfected cells were also generated and used as controls. Our results indicated that AIs inhibited proliferation by arresting the cells at G1 phase of the cell cycle. However, LMW-E expression significantly enhanced proliferation of the cells when treated with AIs. In addition, LMW-E bypassed G1 arrest following AI treatment. At the molecular level, AIs decreased CDK2, pCDK2, and Rb levels and attenuated Rb phosphorylation. However, these effects were completely rescued only when LMW-E was expressed. Moreover, using an in vitro kinase assay we indicated that AIs decreased CDK2 kinase activity while LMW-E expression reversed this effect by increasing CDK2 enzymatic activity. Taken together, these results suggest that LMW-E inactivates Rb protein as a tumor suppressor and renders the cells to bypass G1 checkpoint following AI treatment. In addition, this study provides early evidence that CDK2 inhibitors could be beneficial in combination with AIs for LMW-E expressing tumors. Currently we are investigating whether LMW-E can bypass the activity of AIs using inducible breast cancer cell line xenograft. We are also examining the correlation between cyclin E status and response to treatment in a cohort of patients who received AIs in the neo-adjuvant setting. Citation Format: Iman Doostan, Stacy L Moulder, Kelly K Hunt, Khandan Keyomarsi. Low molecular weight cyclin E regulates response to aromatase inhibitors in post-menopausal breast cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-05-05.
Histone H4 Lysine 20 (H4K20) Methylation, Expanding the Signaling Potential of the Proteome One Methyl Moiety at a Time

Covalent post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins can regulate the structural and functional state of a protein in the absence of primary changes in the underlying sequence. Common PTMs include phosphorylation, acetylation, and methylation. Histone proteins are critical regulators of the genome and are subject to a highly abundant and diverse array of PTMs. To highlight the functional complexity added to the proteome by lysine methylation signaling, here we will focus on lysine methylation of histone proteins, an important modification in the regulation of chromatin and epigenetic processes. We review the signaling pathways and functions associated with a single residue, H4K20, as a model chromatin and clinically important mark that regulates biological processes ranging from the DNA damage response and DNA replication to gene expression and silencing.
No Longer a Stepchild: How the Management Field can Come into Its Own

The article presents an overview of the status of the discipline of management science. There are indications the field is thriving. Membership in the Academy of Management has nearly doubled from ...
Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes with Amine-Functionalized Weak Polyelectrolytes for Electrochemically Tunable pH Sensitivity

The layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of carboxylated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) is demonstrated to tune the electrochemical pH sensitivity of thin-film devices. The positively charged amine containing weak polyelectrolyte (wPE) is used as a counter species to control the proximal ions. The LbL assembly process is monitored by the quartz crystal microbalance, which results in the linear growth of a multilayer. The amount adsorbed is strongly dependent on the surface charge of previously deposited species. However, the thickness of the multilayer is determined by both the amount adsorbed and the coiling of polyelectrolyte chains. Indeed, electrical and structural characteristics of the (wPE/SWCNT) multilayer thin film are obtained according to the acid dissociation constants of amino groups in wPE. The electrochemical pH sensitivity in the physiological range demonstrates the effects of both charge carrier doping/trapping and proximal ions on the conductance of the SWCNT multilayer. Although doping/trapping shows the decreasing conductance, the proximal ion effect reveals the increasing conductance with pH in the basic region as a result of the p-type semiconducting nature of SWCNTs and the ability of wPE to capture hydrogen ions. This work sheds light on the applicability of nanostructured and/or engineered functional thin films of SWCNTs as chemical and biological sensors.
Renal MODY-fier genes

it is supposed that every gene in the body has a constellation of controlling elements serving as binding sites for transcription factors working coordinately in a tissue-specific, temporal, and/or developmental fashion. These DNA elements are bound by a community of protein factors organized around
Head and Neck Injury Prevention

In high school athletics, concussion comprises more than 10 % of sport-related injuries [1]. Approximately 7 % of paraplegia or quadriplegia cases occur during sport participation [2]. More than a third of life-threatening injuries to the head and neck sustained by children are sport-related, and 12 % of those sustained by adults are sport-related [3]. This includes nearly a quarter of cervical spine fractures sustained by children [3]. Therefore, seeking out proactive methods for preventing head and neck injuries sustained during sports is crucial to preserving the safety of young athletes. Although the prevention of head and neck injuries has proven a difficult task, substantial gains have been made over the last 50 years. Although there are no empirically proven methods to eliminate head and neck injury risk, researchers have employed various intervention programs and treatment protocols in order to investigate the best ways to keep athletes safe. Thus, the purpose of this chapter is to briefly review the mechanism and epidemiology of common head and neck injuries sustained during sports participation and discuss various proposed methods for preventing those injuries.
Chronic leg ulcer in diseases of the blood.

The literature pertaining to the association of chronic leg ulcer with diseases of the blood other than sickle cell anemia has been reviewed. Two patients with this association have been presented. One patient had a hemolytic anemia and the other a pancytopenia (secondary hypersplenism) in association with congestive splenomegaly due to cirrhosis of the liver. It is suggested that the association of leg ulcer with these various diseases of the blood is related in an unknown manner to either splenomegaly or hyperfunction of the spleen (hypersplenism).
Release of norepinephrine from the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus of hypertensive rats.

The push-pull cannula was used to examine the release of endogenous norepinephrine (NE) from the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH) of unanesthetized freely moving 7- to 10- and 12- to 14-wk-old Sprague-Dawley (SD), Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. Basal NE release, K+ (56 mM) stimulation-induced NE release, and NE release in response to pressor/depressor drugs were examined in all three strains at both ages. Significant increases in basal and K+-stimulated release of endogenous NE from the PVH were observed in 7- to 10- and 12- to 14-wk-old SHR compared with the normotensive control rats suggesting that enhanced central noradrenergic nerve activity may be involved in the development and maintenance of hypertension in the SHR. In addition, a reciprocal relationship exists with respect to blood pressure and NE release from the PVH, i.e., decreases in blood pressure elicit increases in NE release, and increases in blood pressure elicit decreases in NE release in all three strains at both age groups, suggesting that the noradrenergic pathways of the PVH contribute to the maintenance of arterial blood pressure homeostasis.
HIV Knowledge Among Pregnant Latinas in Rural South Carolina

To inform and strengthen culturally-tailored HIV perinatal prevention, we assessed HIV knowledge among pregnant Latinas receiving prenatal care in rural South Carolina. We administered an 11 item HIV knowledge scale (n = 171). Women who answered 8 of 11 (73 %) items correctly were categorized as having “high” knowledge; <8 items correct was categorized as “low” knowledge. Seventy-six percent of participants had low HIV knowledge; only 37 % knew that there is medicine to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. In multivariate analyses, high HIV knowledge was more likely among women who had ≥high school education compared with women with elementary school education only (Adjusted Odds Ratio 10.5, 95 % Confidence Interval 3.3–33.6). These findings highlight the need for targeted educational interventions to better inform Latinas regarding perinatal HIV prevention and transmission risks. Enhancing efforts with patients and providers is aligned with national goals for HIV prevention and elimination of perinatal transmission.
Chiral twist drives raft formation and organization in membranes composed of rod-like particles

Lipid rafts are hypothesized to facilitate protein interaction, tension regulation, and trafficking in biological membranes, but the mechanisms responsible for their formation and maintenance are not clear. Insights into many other condensed matter phenomena have come from colloidal systems, whose micron-scale particles mimic basic properties of atoms and molecules but permit dynamic visualization with single-particle resolution. Recently, experiments showed that bidisperse mixtures of filamentous viruses can self-assemble into colloidal monolayers with thermodynamically stable rafts exhibiting chiral structure and repulsive interactions. We quantitatively explain these observations by modeling the membrane particles as chiral liquid crystals. Chiral twist promotes the formation of finite-sized rafts and mediates a repulsion that distributes them evenly throughout the membrane. Although this system is composed of filamentous viruses whose aggregation is entropically driven by dextran depletants instead of phospholipids and cholesterol with prominent electrostatic interactions, colloidal and biological membranes share many of the same physical symmetries. Chiral twist can contribute to the behavior of both systems and may account for certain stereospecific effects observed in molecular membranes.
Optimizing Soft Information in Relay Networks

We classify relay forwarding schemes on the basis of soft and hard information. While soft information is highly beneficial, it may also incur additional expenditure of network resources such as power and bandwidth. The relay functionality optimization problem is therefore related to optimizing soft information. With SNR as a metric, we show that the optimal soft information relay mechanism for uncoded communication is the estimate and forward (EF) policy. We demonstrate that EF is well suited to both parallel and serial relay networks due to its optimized soft information content. We also provide an example of a hybrid network where the performance gain from EF is significant.
No-till snap bean performance and weed response following rye and vetch cover crops

Fall-planted cover crops offer many benefits including weed suppressive residues in spring sown crops when controlled and left on the soil surface. However, vegetable growers have been slow to adopt direct-seeding (no-till) into cover crop residues. Field studies were conducted in 2009 and 2010 near Paterson, WA and Urbana, IL to evaluate mortality of rye and common vetch (WA) hairy vetch (IL) cover crops, weed density and biomass, and snap bean growth and yield following four cover crop control methods utilizing a roller–crimper. Rye had higher mortality than common and hairy vetch by roller-crimping, and carfentrazone applied after roller crimping only slightly increased vetch mortality. Heavy residues of rye and escaped vetch were difficult to plant into, often resulting in lower snap bean populations. Rye and hairy vetch residues suppressed final weed biomass, while common vetch reduced weed biomass 1 of 2 years. Escaped plants of both vetch species became a weed. Snap bean yields were inconsistent and often lower following cover crops compared with a fallow treatment. Being able to completely control cover crops and to plant, manage escaped weeds and mechanically harvest in the presence of heavy residues are challenges that deter vegetable growers from readily adopting these systems.
Laws relating runs, long runs, and steps in gambler's ruin, with persistence in two strata

Define a certain gambler’s ruin process \(\mathbf {X}_{j}, \, j\ge 0,\) such that the increments \(\varepsilon _{j}:=\mathbf {X}_{j}-\mathbf {X}_{j-1}\) take values \(\pm 1\) and satisfy \(P(\varepsilon _{j+1}=1|\varepsilon _{j}=1, |\mathbf {X}_{j}|=k)=P(\varepsilon _{j+1}=-1|\varepsilon _{j}=-1,|\mathbf {X}_{j}|=k)=a_k\), all \(j\ge 1\), where \(a_k=a\) if \( 0\le k\le f-1\), and \(a_k=b\) if \(f\le k<N\). Here, \(0<a, b <1\) denote persistence parameters and \( f ,N\in \mathbb {N} \) with \(f<N\). The process starts at \(\mathbf {X}_0=m\in (-N,N)\) and terminates when \(|\mathbf {X}_j|=N\). Denote by \({\mathscr {R}}'_N\), \({\mathscr {U}}'_N\), and \({\mathscr {L}}'_N\), respectively, the numbers of runs, long runs, and steps in the meander portion of the gambler’s ruin process. Define \(X_N:=\left( {\mathscr {L}}'_N-\frac{1-a-b}{(1-a)(1-b)}{\mathscr {R}}'_N-\frac{1}{(1-a)(1-b)}{\mathscr {U}}'_N\right) /N\) and let \(f\sim \eta N\) for some \(0<\eta <1\). We show \(\lim _{N\rightarrow \infty } E\{e^{itX_N}\}=\hat{\varphi }(t)\) exists in an explicit form. We obtain a companion theorem for the last visit portion of the gambler’s ruin.
Performance Simulations of a Gas Turbine Disk-Blade Assembly Employing Miniature Rotating Heat Pipes

With a substantially increased gas inlet temperature in modern gas turbine engines, the cooling of turbine disks is becoming a challenging task. In order to reduce the temperature at the disk rim, a new turbine disk incorporating radially rotating heat pipes has been proposed. The objective of this paper is to conduct a numerical investigation for the cooling effectiveness of the rotating heat pipe. One of the major tasks of this paper is to compare the performance between a proposed disk-blade assembly incorporating radially heat pipes and a conventional disk-blade assembly without the heat pipes under the same heating and cooling conditions. The numerical investigation illustrates that the turbine disk cooling technique incorporating radially rotating heat pipes is feasible. The maximum temperature at the rim of the proposed disk can be reduced by more than 100°C in comparison with that of a conventional disk without heat pipes. However, the average temperature at the blade airfoil surface can be reduced by only about 10 degrees. Therefore, the results indicate that the average temperature of the airfoil surface is not very sensitive to the disk cooling condition. In addition, both the heat pipe length and diameter have an important effect on the turbine disk cooling. Under the permission of material strength, a longer heat pipe or a larger heat pipe will produce a lower temperature at the proposed disk rim.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Are Twitter and Blogs Important Tools for the Modern Psychological Scientist

Psychological scientists have many roles, one of which is, arguably, to communicate their research findings to a broader audience. Twitter and blogging offer relatively inexpensive options for this type of outreach. Engagement in these outreach efforts can lead to career enhancement, but also comes at a cost. We examined a sample of 327 psychological scientists to determine the prevalence of this type of outreach; while the use of Twitter appears to be on the rise, blogging remains very rare. In this piece, we explore the costs and benefits for psychological scientists of blogging and engaging with the general public on Twitter, and how tweeting and blogging might relate to academic merit and varieties of fame in psychology.
Clear Resin Casting of Arthropods of Medical Importance for Use in Educational and Outreach Activities

Arthropod-related morbidity and mortality represent a major threat to human and animal health. An important component of reducing vector-borne diseases and injuries is training the next generation of medical entomologists and educating the public in proper identification of arthropods of medical importance. One challenge of student training and public outreach is achieving a safe mounting technique that allows observation of morphological characteristics, while minimizing damage to specimens that are often difficult to replace. Although resin-embedded specimens are available from commercial retailers, there is a need for a published protocol that allows entomologists to economically create high-quality resin-embedded arthropods for use in teaching and outreach activities. We developed a detailed protocol using readily obtained equipment and supplies for creating resin-embedded arthropods of many species for use in teaching and outreach activities.
The Teaching-Family Model: The First 50 Years

The Teaching-Family Model was perhaps the first "evidence-based program" in human services. This article describes the development of the treatment model, the failure of the first attempts to replicate the treatment model, the discovery of larger units for replication, the modest success of first attempts to replicate larger units, and the eventual success of replications. The Teaching-Family Model is a testament to the sustainability (and continual improvement) of innovation and implementation methods and the value of the Teaching-Family Association for sustaining a community of practice and for managing the practitioner fidelity and organization fidelity data systems nationally. The benefits of applied behavior analysis and the implications for a new science of implementation for having research purposefully used in practice are explored.
Ordered Polymer Colloids

Uniform polymer latices were first produced in the early 1950’s in the plants and laboratories of the Dow Chemical Company. Shortly thereafter, Alfrey, Bradford, Vanderhoff and Oster (1) described the iridescence exhibited by concentrated uniform latices, attributing it to long-range order. Luck et al. (2), studying Bragg diffraction of visible light from uniform latices, determined lattice parameters of the “supermolecular crystals” which were responsible for the observed diffraction peaks. Because their measured lattice parameters agreed closely with the diameters of their particles, Luck et al. attributed the ordering phenomenon to packing of the uniform spheres.
Level System Use in Special Education: Classroom Intervention with Prima Facie Appeal.

Abundant descriptive literature exists regarding the use of level systems in classrooms for students with significant behavior problems. Despite this abundance, only prima facie evidence as to its ...
The safety and efficacy of combination N-butyl-deoxynojirimycin (SC- 48334) and zidovudine in patients with HIV-1 infection and 200-500 CD4 cells/mm3

We conducted a double-blind, randomized phase II study to evaluate the safety and activity of combination therapy with N-butyl-deoxynojirimycin (SC-48334) (an alpha-glucosidase I inhibitor) and zidovudine versus zidovudine alone. Patients with 200 to 500 CD4 cells/mm3 who tolerated 0.36). For patients with prior zidovudine therapy, the mean change in CD4 cells in the combination and zidovudine groups was 63.7 cells/mm3 and 4.9 cells/mm3 at week 8 and 6.8 cells/mm3 and -45.1 cells/mm3 at week 16, respectively. The number of patients with suppression of HIV p24 antigenemia in the combination and zidovudine groups was six (40%) and two (11%) at week 4 (p = 0.10) and five (45%) and two (14%) at week 24 (p = 0.08), respectively. Diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal pain, and weight loss were common for combination recipients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
How Nitrogen-Fixing Trees Change Soil Carbon

Nitrogen-fixing tree species have larger effects on forest soils than other species, and these effects include consistent increases in soil organic matter and carbon (C). Across 19 case studies, an increase of 1 g N was associated with an increase of 12 to 15 g C. Few studies have examined the mechanisms behind the accumulation of soil C; documented processes include reduced decomposition of older, stabilized soil C, increased rates of formation of stabilized soil C, and higher rates of input of C in detritus. The influences of N-fixing trees on stabilized soil C may not derive directly from the increased supply of N, as fertilization with inorganic N did not alter soil C. More experimentation is needed on the influence of N-fixing trees on the soil biotic community, as the soil microbes and invertebrates may hold the key to the influence of N-fixation on soil C.
A cell cycle-related RNA expression signature of neoantigen burden in lung adenocarcinoma.

12072Background: Tumor somatic mutation burden (TMB) and neoantigen burden (NB), are emerging therapeutic biomarkers for immune checkpoint blockade in NSCLC; however, these biomarkers are costly an...
Circulating tumor DNA analysis in patients with EGFR mutant lung cancer.

Genotype-oriented treatment has led to dramatic clinical improvements for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring a targetable oncogenic driver (1). The identification of several targetable oncogenes and improved knowledge of resistance mechanisms provide rationale for obtaining clinical samples to assess tumor biology and the evolution of drug resistance (2).
Circulating Adrenomedullin Is Elevated in Gestational Diabetes and Its Role in Impaired Insulin Production by β-Cells

Context Defective pancreatic β-cell adaptation in pregnancy plays an important role in the pathophysiology of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), but the molecular basis remains unclear. Objectives of this study were to determine if circulating levels of adrenomedullin (ADM) in women with GDM are elevated and to assess the effects of ADM on insulin synthesis and secretion by human pancreatic β-cells. Design A stable gene product of ADM precursor, midregional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM), was measured in plasma of pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT, n = 10) or GDM (n = 11). The β-Lox5 cell line, derived from human pancreatic β-cells, was transduced with homeodomain transcription factor pancreatic-duodenal homeobox (PDX) factor 1 (PDX1) encoding lentiviral vector and treated with different doses of ADM. mRNA for insulin, ADM, and its receptor components in β-Lox5 cells and insulin in media were measured. Results Plasma MR-proADM levels were significantly higher in GDM compared with patients with NGT. Pancreatic β-Lox5 cells express mRNA for insulin, ADM, and its receptor components. PDX1 transduction and cell-cell contact synergistically promote β-Lox5 cells insulin mRNA and secretion. Furthermore, ADM dose-dependently inhibited mRNA and secretion of insulin in β-Lox5 cell aggregates. These inhibitory effects were blocked by ADM antagonist ADM22-52, cAMP-dependent protein kinase A inhibitor KT5720, and Erk inhibitor PD98059, but not by PI-3K the inhibitor wortmannin. Conclusions Circulating ADM concentrations were elevated in pregnant women with GDM. ADM suppresses insulin synthesis and secretion by pancreatic β-cells in vitro. Thus, increased circulating ADM may contribute to the defective adaptation of β-cells in diabetic pregnancies, and blockade of ADM actions with its antagonists may improve β-cell functions.
Virtual Surgical Planning (VSP)

Orthognathic surgery has seen many developments and advances throughout its evolutionary history. Recent trends have seen a shift away from traditional model surgery and have sought to embrace more contemporary methods of virtual surgical planning (VSP) [1]. Since its inception, orthognathic surgery has successfully and predictably been planned and performed by means of traditional, analytical model surgery. Introduction of the cone-beam CT in 1998 in Europe and then in the USA in 2001 provoked the beginnings of a paradigm shift [2, 3]. The literature has since been replete with studies focused on providing evidence that virtual surgical planning is as effective and predictable as traditional model surgery [4–6].
Faculty Motivation for Scholarly Teaching and Innovative Classroom Practice—An Empirical Study

The transformation of undergraduate science and math education will require broad-based faculty motivation to integrate innovative evidence-based pedagogies into classroom practice and advance scholarship in teaching and learning. Currently, the traditional lecture approach remains the dominant model in these disciplines. While research suggests that high-impact practices and active learning pedagogies may improve the success of students from historically underrepresented groups (HUGs), faculty must be motivated to invest their time and effort to do this work. Consequently, three strands of motivation theory (motivation, self-determination, and self-efficacy) may provide a framework for exploring faculty adoption and advancement of potentially transformative practices. Herein, motivation theory can support our investigation of the personal and institutional dynamics that promote and/or hinder faculty integration of high-impact and evidence-based pedagogical innovations into classroom practice. The study reported in this chapter uses quantitative methods to explore faculty engagement in scholarly teaching and other innovative educational practices that purport to increase success of HUGs in the STEM fields at a land-grant doctoral research university in the southeastern region of the USA. The university has a historical mission of educating HUGs and a designation of HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). One primary research question guides this effort: “To what extent do HBCU STEM faculty feel motivated to engage in high-impact, evidence-based pedagogies?” This work is important in the broader STEM education community for understanding how to foster faculty engagement in transforming the paradigm of instruction in the college classroom with a focus on student success.
Calculations of Structural Phases of Transition Metal Surfaces Using the Embedded Atom Method

The Embedded Atom Method (EAM) has been combined with Monte Carlo simulations to study examples of surface phases. We find that the (I×2) missing row structure of Au(110) disorders at 570K, in close agreement with the experimental value of 650K. For Pt(110), we predict a similar transformation at 750K. Au deposited on Cu(100) is predicted to form a stable ordered surface alloy of c(2×2) symmetry, with a rippled surface, in agreement with experiment. In addition, the EAM predicts that Au/Cu(111) forms a√3×√3R30° ordered surface alloy and that Au/Cu(110) forms a weakly stable, c(2×2) ordered, surface alloy.
Porosity characterization of additively manufactured transparent MgAl2O4 spinel by laser direct deposition

Abstract Polycrystalline magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4) spinel has established itself as one of the leading candidates for use as transparent, high strength ceramics. In this study, additive manufacturing of spinel ceramics by laser direct deposition was investigated with a particular focus on porosity characterization. Residual porosity was the most significant factor hindering transparency of spinel ceramics. Hence, this paper systematically studied how processing conditions and initial powder particle size affected porosity and densification of laser direct deposited spinel samples. Scan speed, laser power, and powder flow rate, along with powder size, were all shown to have substantial influences on density and porosity of produced parts. High density bulk spinel ceramics, with average densities of nearly 98%, were produced at a low powder flow rate of 0.58 g/min. In addition, the pore size distribution was studied under various processing conditions as it was closely related to transmission properties of transparent spinel at different wavelengths. The reduction in average porosity was mainly attributed to a significant reduction in large pores (>30 μm) whereas less obvious effects were found on smaller pores. An increase of scan speed resulted in an initial increase in density, followed by a subsequent decrease at scan speeds higher than 2000 mm/min. No obvious difference in porosity was observed between pulsed mode and continuous mode during laser deposition. The use of nanoparticles in initial MgO–Al2O3 mixtures for deposition also promoted densification of the deposited samples. A systematic understanding of residual porosity in this study can help process optimization to minimize porosity in additively manufactured transparent spinel ceramics, potentially eliminating the needs of time-consuming and expensive post-processing procedures.
Comparison of fiber tract low frequency stimulation to focal and ANT stimulation in an acute rat model of focal cortical seizures.

Abstract Background Current implementations of direct brain stimulation for epilepsy in patients involve high-frequency (HFS) electrical current and targeting of grey matter. Studies have shown that low-frequency (LFS) fiber-tract stimulation may also prove effective. To compare the efficacy of high-frequency grey matter stimulation to the low-frequency fiber tract stimulation technique a well-controlled set of experiments using a single animal model of epilepsy is needed. Objective The goal of this study was to determine the relative efficacy of different direct brain stimulation techniques for suppressing seizures using an acute rat model of focal cortical seizures. Methods 4-AP was injected into the S1 region of cortex in rodents over 3 h. LFPs were recorded from the seizure focus and mirror focus to monitor seizure frequency during the experiments. CC-LFS, HFS-ANT, Focal-HFS, or a transection of the CC was applied. Results Stimulation of the CC yielded a 65% ±14% (p = 0.0014) reduction of seizures in the focus and a 97% ±15% (p = 0.0026) reduction in the mirror focus (n = 7). By comparison transection of the CC produced a 65% ±18% reduction in the focus and a non-statistically significant reduction of 57% ±18% (p = 0.1381) in the mirror focus (n = 5). All other methods of stimulation failed to have a statistically significant effect on seizure suppression. Conclusions LFS of the CC is the only method of stimulation to significantly reduce seizure frequency in this model of focal cortical seizures. These results support the hypothesis that LFSof fiber tracts has significant potential for seizure control.
Pre-Intervention Assessment of Behavior Disordered Children: Where Does the School Psychologist Stand?.

Assessment of behavior disorders and emotional disturbance is a difficult task; a generally recognized classification system does not exist, definitions of emotional disturbance are far from clear,...
Use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in quinine-associated visual disturbances.

Introduction Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2 ) therapy is infrequently reported as a treatment for poison-induced retinal damage. We describe a case in which HBO2 therapy was used to treat suspected retinal toxicity induced by quinine. Case report We present a case in which HBO2 was used to treat visual disturbances thought to be caused by quinine-induced retinal damage. The patient intentionally ingested undisclosed amounts of citalopram and quinine. Following a complicated hospital course, including profound shock requiring treatment with four vasopressors and a peripheral left-ventricular assist device, the patient, once extubated, reported visual abnormalities consistent with those described from quinine-induced retinal toxicity. Visual disturbances seemed to show improvement following HBO2 treatment. Several months following hospitalization visual defects continued to be present on examination. However, with corrective lenses the patient's visual acuity was normal. No adverse events were attributed to the use of HBO2. Discussion HBO2 for treatment of quinine-induced retinal damage is infrequently reported or studied. In the reported case, use of HBO2 appeared to be associated with substantial improvement in visual disturbances occurring in the setting of an overdose of quinine. The patient's improvement is remarkable, given her retinas were also jeopardized by her profound shock. Additional data are needed to understand the risks and benefits of this procedure, but due to limited treatment options for poison-induced retinal toxicity and the low likelihood for implementation of a controlled randomized trial of HBO2 in this population, the procedure may be considered in quinine-induced retinal toxicity.
Philosophy, Politics, and Austrian Economics

Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, as an interdisciplinary endeavour, has surged in popularity in recent years. Work in this field usually draws on standard microeconomics to grapple with questions from political philosophy. But what might Austrian economics, which provides an alternative approach, have to offer to this endeavour?
Is Social Isolation Related to Emotion Dysregulation and Retention in Care Among Older Persons Living with HIV

Retention in care is important in managing HIV among older persons living with HIV (PLWH). We used Theory of Loneliness—loneliness affects emotion-regulatory processes which lead to dysfunctional health behaviors—to test whether social isolation is related to retention in care either directly or indirectly through emotion dysregulation in older PLWH (≥ 50 years of age; N = 144). Retention in care was defined as the proportion of attended scheduled medical visits; visit data were collected prospectively over 12 months from electronic medical records. Self-reported social isolation, emotion dysregulation, and covariates were assessed cross-sectionally at baseline. Most participants were male (60%), African American/Black (86%), and single (59%); 56% were optimally retained in care. Retention was related to monthly income, CD4 + T cell count, and drug use with no direct or indirect effects of social isolation on retention in care. Socioeconomic and behavioral vulnerabilities are closely related to retention in care among older PLWH.
Estimating and comparing cropland nitrogen need with dairy farm nutrient recovery: a case study in Whatcom County, WA

In agricultural regions, like Whatcom County, Washington, crop and dairy production co-exist, but increased agricultural specialization and intensification have divorced what was, historically, an integrated approach to production. This agricultural segregation contributes to farm, regional and watershed-scale nutrient imbalances, and several different management approaches have been devised to improve, correct and close these nutrient cycling disparities. In high-density production regions, utilizing locally produced bio-based fertilizers may provide one avenue toward closing regional nutrient loops. Technologies such as dairy-operated nutrient recovery systems may help improve the flow of nutrients between dairy and cropping systems by extracting nutrients from raw manure and producing materials that are more easily used on farms than raw manure. To evaluate the potential impact of a nutrient recovery system and its related product, we estimated nitrogen balances between cropland use and manure production within Whatcom County, Washington and examined a theoretical scenario in which a specific nutrient recovery product was utilized across the region. We considered one economic barrier, transportation cost, and calculated a hypothetical comparison for transporting nitrogen in two forms, a downstream nutrient recovery product and raw manure. The scenarios presented here demonstrate a potential gap between regional nutrient supply and demand, illustrate the tradeoffs with a technological approach, and make clear that both technological tools and practical management strategies are needed to address the challenges of redistributing nutrients in high-density production areas.
Association of household food insecurity and childhood weight status in a low-income population.

One in seven US households with children are food insecure. The health effects of household food insecurity (HFI) are well documented, but its association with childhood weight status remains unclear. We aimed to assess this association and to describe correlates of HFI in children. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 3019 low-income children aged 2 to 17 years. Data were extracted via chart review. HFI was assessed using the hunger vital sign screener. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from documented clinical measurements. We used adjusted linear and logistic regression to assess the association of HFI with BMI z-score (BMIz) and weight status. We used logistic regression to examine correlates of HFI including age, race/ethnicity, tobacco exposure, number of parents and siblings living at home, weight status, and census-tract poverty rate and food access. Of participants whose HFI status was documented, 91% were food secure and 9% were food insecure. The mean (SD) BMIz was 0.81 (1.11). Fifty five percentage of children were healthy weight, 18% overweight, and 26% obese. In adjusted analyses, HFI was not associated with BMIz but was associated with decreased odds of obesity (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.36-0.87). Tobacco exposure (1.63; 1.10-2.44), additional siblings (1.16; 1.04-1.30), and residence census tract with high poverty rate (1.02; 1.01-1.03) were all associated with HFI. We concluded that food-insecure children were less likely to have obesity and had differences in household makeup, exposures, and residential location compared to food-secure children. Clinicians should understand these relationships when counselling families about weight status and food insecurity.
An underrepresented majority: A systematic review utilizing allodynic criteria to examine the present scarcity of discrete animal models for episodic migraine.

BackgroundDespite increasing evidence differentiating episodic and chronic migraine, little work has determined how currently utilized animal models of migraine best represent each distinct disease...
Acquired acrodermatitis enteropathica from a ketogenic diet.

Acrodermatitis enteropathica (AE) is a condition of zinc deficiency and is either congenital or acquired. The congenital form is caused by an autosomal recessive genetic defect resulting in decreased zinc absorption, whereas acquired AE is due to reduced zinc intake or absorption from other causes. Up to one-third of some populations in developing countries are at risk of zinc deficiency, which has been associated with increased disease and stunting of growth in children.1 In developed countries, AE most commonly affects individuals with risk factors such as alcoholism, vegetarianism, premature infancy, and malnourishment.1 Here, we present a unique case of AE in a child on a ketogenic diet.
Blockchain as a Solution to the United States’ Voter Turnout Issue

Compared to other developed nations, the United States fairs poorly when it comes to voter participation in general elections. Our elections are plagued by long lines, mechanical failure, human error, voter intimidation, and poorly enforced election laws. The state of our election’s process has left some social scientists to conclude that voting may be irrational, because voter power rarely outweighs the burdens of voting. If large voter participation is a mark of a healthy democracy , then our elected officials should consider remote blockchain e-voting as a solution. Blockchain technology is preferable to other methods of online voting due to its ability to promote trust, protect against duplication, and its security. A blockchain e-voting system could solve a number of problems that Americans face at the polls, including long wait times, voter intimidation, human error, and can solve voter identification problems. But, while blockchain technology is a viable solution, it is not perfect – and could create new problems, most notably voter privacy issues. This paper seeks to identify current trends and problems in United States’ elections, analyze blockchain technology as a potential solution to these problems, as well as identify areas where it may fail.
Virtual reality for pediatric periprocedural care.

Purpose of review Commercial availability of virtual reality headsets and software has exponentially grown over the last decade as it has become more sophisticated, less expensive, and portable. Although primarily used by the general public for entertainment, virtual reality has been adopted by periprocedural clinicians to improve patient experiences and treatments. The purpose of this review is to explore recently reported evidence for virtual reality effectiveness for pediatric periprocedural care and discuss considerations for clinical implementation. Recent findings In the preprocedure setting, practitioners use virtual reality to introduce children to periprocedural environments, distract attention from preprocedural vascular access, and increase cooperation with anesthesia induction. Intraprocedure, virtual reality decreases sedation requirements, and in some instances, eliminates anesthesia for minor procedures. Virtual reality also augments pain reduction therapies in the acute and extended rehabilitation periods, resulting in faster recovery and improved outcomes. Virtual reality seems to be well treated for pediatric use, given close clinical care and carefully curated content. Summary Given the multiple clinical applications of virtual reality to supplement pediatric periprocedural care, practitioners should consider developing clinical programs that reliably provide access to virtual reality. Future research should focus on identification of patient characteristics and types of software that yield optimal patient outcomes.
Evaluation of spontaneous seizure activity, sex-dependent differences, behavioral comorbidities, and alterations in CA1 neuron firing properties in a mouse model of Dravet Syndrome

Abstract Dravet syndrome (DS) is a rare childhood epilepsy disorder resulting in spontaneous, recurrent seizures (SRS) and behavioral co-morbidities. To facilitate the discovery and development of anti-seizure drugs for DS, the contract site of the NINDS Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program (ETSP) has continued to evaluate a mouse model of DS. Scn1aA1783V/WT mice exhibited increased hyperactivity, thigmotaxis, and deficits in nest-building behavior. Ex-vivo brain slice electrophysiology experiments revealed increased excitability of hippocampal CA1 neurons specifically due to increased action potential firing frequency in response to brief depolarizations and decreased frequency of spontaneous GABAergic synaptic events. A video-EEG study revealed mice had on average, 1 seizure per day, with males seizing significantly more frequently than females. Increased proportion of seizure activity occurred during the dark phase of the light/dark cycle in both sexes. While clobazam, a drug commonly prescribed to patients with DS, had no effect on SRS activity at the tested doses, the seizure history and frequency observed in this study aids in determining the sample sizes and experimental timeline needed for adequately powered preclinical drug studies. Overall, this study provides a broad description of the Scn1aA1783V/WT mouse and highlights the utility of this model in therapy discovery.
Power Loss Modeling and Thermal Comparison of SiC-MOSFET-Based 2-level Inverter and 3-level Flying Capacitor Multicell Inverter

This paper presents a fair comparison between SiC-based 2-level inverter and 3-level flying capacitor multilevel (FCM) PWM inverter considering thermal variation effects on losses. A general block diagram is presented in detail which is applicable in any software to provide the loss analysis with high accuracy. Having the same heatsink and the same THD and FFT at the output stage, the 3-level FCM inverter can generate 30% higher output power with almost the same total costs. Indeed, both inverters have almost similar power losses and efficiency in the considered conditions.
Twin Quark Dark Matter From Cogenesis

We extend the fraternal twin Higgs scenario to include a novel dark matter candidate as well as a mechanism for generating a matter/antimatter asymmetry in both sectors. A spontaneous breaking of twin color results in quark degrees of freedom that are singlets under the residual twin color group. These twin-color-singlet quarks, along with a subdominant component of twin leptons, constitute the asymmetric dark matter. The asymmetry between matter in antimatter in both sectors is co-generated from the decay of singlet fermions that provide an additional portal between the visible and twin sectors. We discuss the phenomenological aspects of this model, evaluating constraints on the parameter space and highlighting promising discovery channels in future experiments. We briefly discuss how the discovery of signals in multiple experiments may help establish the connection between the mechanisms that address the naturalness, dark matter and matter/antimatter asymmetry puzzles.
Rapid On Site Evaluation (ROSE): A Pathologists’ Perspective

Rapid on site evaluation (ROSE) has been recognized as a safeguard to help ensure adequate aspirate or biopsy sample is present for diagnostic evaluation. The method involves having a pathologist (generally a cytopathologist) on site during specimen collection to allow for feedback for the performing proceduralist. ROSE can allow for appropriate ancillary tests to be collected at the time of biopsy (eg, flow cytometry or cultures), fewer passes in the event of adequate lesional representation on initial pass(es), or adjusting the biopsy target. This article was written from the pathologists' perspective in terms of things that improve their ability to be of value on site. As you might imagine, a lot of it comes down to communication; in a sense taking advantage of the opportunity of having both the radiologist and pathologist in the same room. While not every institution has the staffing to provide ROSE, for those that do it's a good exercise to occasionally sit down and examine how to get the most out of the unique collaboration that is ROSE.
Strong Rigidity for Kähler Manifolds and the Construction of Bounded Holomorphic Functions

In this paper we shall give a survey of the known results and methods concerning the strong rigidity of Kahler manifolds and present some new related results. The important phenomenon of strong rigidity was discovered by Professor G.D. Mostow in the case of locally symmetric nonpositively curved Riemannian manifolds. He proved [18] that two compact locally symmetric nonpositively curved Riemannian manifolds are isometric up to normalization constants if they have the same fundamental group and neither one contains a closed one or two dimensional totally geodesic submanifold that is locally a direct factor. This last assumption is clearly necessary because of the existence of non-trivial holomorphic deformations of any compact Riemann surface of genus at least two. Mostow’s result says that if one can rule out the possibility of contribution to the change of metric structure from certain submanifolds of dimension two or lower, the metric structure is rigidly determined by the topology for compact locally symmetric nonpositively curved manifolds. Mostow’s result also holds for the non-compact complete case under the assumption of finite volume.