cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Patients with Acute and Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease Deploy Normal Phenotype, Differentiation Plasticity, and Immune-Suppressive Activity

Abstract The success of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is often limited by the development of acute and/or chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The lack of effective therapies to treat steroid-refractory GVHD patients has bolstered clinical evaluation of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy for GVHD. Currently, testing of MSCs for the treatment of GVHD has exclusively used allogeneic MSCs despite emerging evidence that MSCs lose their immunoprivileged status in vivo. We hypothesized that autologous MSCs could be a viable alternative MSC source for treating active GVHD. MSCs were isolated and successfully expanded from the bone marrow of 12 volunteers (ages 2 to 55 years) who had allo-HSCT transplants and subsequently developed GVHD. MSCs from subjects with GVHD demonstrated an initial lag in growth compared with healthy control subjects; however, this lag disappeared with continued ex vivo expansion. Immunophenotype and mesodermal differentiation capacity of MSCs from GVHD patients were indistinguishable from that of healthy control MSCs. In vitro immunomodulatory functional analyses also demonstrated that GVHD MSCs were equivalent to healthy control MSCs with regards to dose dependently suppressing T cell proliferation and up-regulating indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase expression when primed with IFN-γ. Single tandem repeat chimerism analyses further demonstrated that MSCs expanded from GVHD patients were exclusively recipient derived. Based on these data, we conclude that recipient-derived MSCs from patients with GVHD are analogous to MSCs from healthy volunteers and represent a viable option for clinical testing as an immunomodulatory option for symptomatic GVHD.
Charges of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Discrimination in the Workplace: The Americans with Disabilities Act in Action

Congress enacted the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide persons living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other vulnerable populations with legal means of redress against discrimination, yet virtually nothing is known about how the intended beneficiaries have used these protections. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of ADA charges alleging employment-related discrimination due to HIV and to investigate the charge-filing behavior of workers with HIV. Using a national database of all HIV discrimination charges filed since the inception of the ADA in 1991, the author described respondent employers, issues in dispute, and outcomes of charges. Next, he used multivariate regression analyses to compare the sociodemographic characteristics of charge filers with those of a nationally representative baseline sample of workers with HIV. Of the 3,520 HIV discrimination charges filed through 1999, 18.0% had merit and 14.1% received monetary compensation. Workers who were female (odds ratio (OR) = 0.79, p < 0.01), aged less than 25 years (OR = 0.36, p < 0.01), and aged 25-34 years (OR = 0.77, p < 0.01) filed disproportionately fewer charges. Controlling for underlying rates of discrimination in the baseline population magnified this "underclaiming" among young workers. The findings should help to target dissemination and support activities, designed to help workers take advantage of antidiscrimination protections, at the subgroups of workers who need them most.
Book Review Essay: Industrial Invention, Electronic Competition—A Review of Three Books on Global Strategic Competition

The article reviews the books “Inventing the Electronic Century: The Epic Story of the Consumer Electronics and Computer Industries,” by Alfred D. Chandler Jr., “Managing New Industry Creation: Global Knowledge Formation and Entrepreneurship in High Technology,” by Thomas P. Murtha, Stefanie A. Lenway, and Jeffrey A. Hart, and “From Global to Metanational: How Companies Win in the Knowledge Economy,” by Yves Doz, Jose Santos, and Peter Williamson.
Some Physiological Responses of New Hampshire Chickens to a Mixture of Penta- and Hexachloronaphthalenes

Abstract THE use of chlorinated naphthalenes in electrical insulation and as additives to some lubricating greases used in feed processing and farm machinery has exposed farm animals to the inadvertent ingestion of these compounds. One causative agent of hyperkeratosis (X-disease) in cattle has been reported to be chlorinated naphthalene (Bel, 1952; Sikes et al., 1952). Cotter (1944) reported several deaths among workers who had been in prolonged contact with these compounds. Schwartz (1936) was the first to report that chlorinated naphthalenes caused acute yellow atrophy of the liver. Pudelkiewicz et al. (1958) in a study of physiological responses of Broad Breasted Bronze poults to a mixture of penta- and hexachloronaphthalenes reported that 5 p.p.m. was definitely toxic while 100 p.p.m. was fatal to all poults within 33 days. They also reported that octachloronaphthalene showed no toxic effects at a dietary level of 125 p.p.m. No other reports could be found in …
Preoperative Predictors of 30-Day Mortality and Prolonged Length of Stay after Above-Knee Amputation.

Background The above-knee amputation (AKA) is an operation of last resort with high postoperative morbidity and mortality. This study identifies preoperative risk factors predictive of both 30-day mortality and extended length of stay (LOS) in AKA patients. Methods Two hundred ninety-five AKA patients from 2004 to 2013 from a single institution were retrospectively reviewed using a deidentified electronic medical record. Rationally selected factors potentially influencing 30-day mortality and LOS were chosen, including demographics, etiologies, vascular surgical history, lifestyle factors, comorbidities, and laboratory values. Variables trending with one of the end points on bivariate analysis ( P ≤ 0.10) were entered into multivariate forward stepwise regression models to determine independence as a risk factor ( P ≤ 0.05). Subgroup analysis of AKA patients without a traumatic, burn, or malignant etiology was similarly conducted. Results Within the 295 patient cohort, 60% of the patients were male, 18% were African American, mean age was 58 years and mean body mass index was 28 kg/m 2 . The 30-day mortality rate was 9%, and mean postoperative LOS of discharged patients was 9.3 days. Upon logistic regression, thrombocytopenia (platelet count 6 /mL, P P = 0.02, odds ratio 5.1) were identified as independent risk factors for 30-day mortality. Upon linear regression, burn etiology ( P B = 15.8 days), leukocytosis (white blood cell count > 12 × 10 6 /mL, P B = 6.2 days), and guillotine amputation ( P B = 7.6 days) were independently associated with prolonged LOS. Excluding patients with AKAs due to trauma, burn, or malignancy, only thrombocytopenia (platelet count 6 /mL, P 12 × 10 6 /mL, P = 0.01, B = 5.2 days) were independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality and prolonged LOS, respectively. Conclusions Preoperative septic shock and thrombocytopenia are independent risk factors for 30-day mortality after AKA, while burn etiology, leukocytosis, and guillotine amputation contribute to prolonged LOS. Awareness of these risk factors may help enhance both preoperative decision making and expectations of the hospital admission.
Imaging Psoas Sign in Lumbar Spinal Infections: Evaluation of Diagnostic Accuracy and Comparison with Established Imaging Characteristics.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Lumbar discitis-osteomyelitis has imaging characteristics than can overlap with noninfectious causes of back pain. Our aim was to determine the added accuracy of psoas musculature T2 hyperintensity (imaging psoas sign) in the MR imaging diagnosis of lumbar discitis-osteomyelitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective case-control study evaluated lumbar spine MR imaging examinations, during a 30-month period, that were requested for the evaluation of discitis-osteomyelitis. Of this pool, 50 age-matched control patients were compared with 51 biopsy-proved or clinically diagnosed patients with discitis-osteomyelitis. Two reviewers, blinded to the clinical information, assessed the randomly organized MR imaging examinations for abnormalities of the psoas musculature, vertebral bodies, discs, and epidural space. RESULTS: Psoas T2 hyperintensity demonstrated a high sensitivity (92.1%; 95% CI, 80%–97.4%) and specificity (92%; 95% CI, 80%–97.4%), high positive likelihood ratio (11.5; 95% CI, 4.5–29.6), low negative likelihood ratio (0.09; 95% CI, 0.03–0.20), and individual area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.92; 95% CI, 0.87–0.97. Identification of psoas T2 abnormality significantly improved (P = .02) the diagnostic accuracy of discitis-osteomyelitis in noncontrast examinations from an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of the established variables (vertebral body T2 and T1 signal, endplate integrity, disc T2 signal, and disc height) from 0.93 (95% CI, 0.88–0.98) to 0.98 (95% CI, 0.96–1.0). Psoas T2 abnormalities also had the highest interobserver reliability with a κ coefficient of 0.78 (substantial agreement). CONCLUSIONS: Psoas T2 hyperintensity, the imaging psoas sign, is highly correlated with discitis-osteomyelitis. T2 hyperintensity in the psoas musculature, particularly when there is clinical suspicion of spinal infection, improves the diagnostic accuracy of discitis-osteomyelitis compared with routine noncontrast variables alone.
Assessment of provider attitudes toward #naloxone on Twitter

ABSTRACTBackground: As opioid overdose rates continue to pose a major public health crisis, the need for naloxone treatment by emergency first responders is critical. Little is known about the views of those who administer naloxone. The current study examines attitudes of health professionals on the social media platform Twitter to better understand their perceptions of opioid users, the role of naloxone, and potential training needs. Methods: Public comments on Twitter regarding naloxone were collected for a period of 3 consecutive months. The occupations of individuals who posted tweets were identified through Twitter profiles or hashtags. Categories of emergency service first responders and medical personnel were created. Qualitative analysis using a grounded theory approach was used to produce thematic content. The relationships between occupation and each theme were analyzed using Pearson chi-square statistics and post hoc analyses. Results: A total of 368 individuals posted 467 naloxone-related twee...
A New Virus Isolated from the Human Respiratory Tract.

SummaryA new ether sensitive RNA virus was isolated during surveillance of URI among medical students in the winter of 1962. This virus is antigenically unrelated to all known human myxoviruses.
Lords and Order: Credible Rulers and the Causes of State Failure

Why do states fail? Why do failed states persist without collapsing into complete anarchy? This paper argues that given insurgency or weakened state capacity, rulers may find it best, paradoxically, to reduce the amount of political good it provides as a means of sustaining some amount of their rule. Moreover, although the consequence is political fragmentation and increasing levels of violence, this is not inconsistent with the continuation of attenuated central governance. To evaluate this argument, I select the case of King Stephen’s reign in medieval England. Although far removed historically from contemporary cases of state failure, the reign of King Stephen exhibits just those characteristics of modern, failed states: insurgency, civil war, territorial fragmentation, increasing disorder and violence (even between adherents to the same side of the civil conflict), and yet the persistence of some amount of centralized rule.
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis associated with visceral leishmaniasis.

![Figure][1] A 15-year-old boy, who had recently emigrated from Sudan to the United States, presented with persistent high fevers of 2 months’ duration, and a reported diagnosis of malaria with intermittent therapy. On admission, he was pancytopenic and imaging studies showed
A unified model for estimating the in-situ small strain shear modulus of clays, silts, sands, and gravels

Abstract This paper proposes a unified model to estimate the in-situ small strain shear modulus of clays, silts, sands, and gravels based on commonly available index properties of soils. We developed a model to predict the laboratory small strain shear modulus (Gmax,lab) using a mixed effects regression of a database that contains 1680 tests on 331 different soils. The proposed model includes the effect of void ratio, effective confining stress and overconsolidation ratio as well as plasticity index, fines content, and coefficient of uniformity. We compiled a second database to estimate the in-situ small strain shear modulus (Gmax,in-situ) from laboratory (Gmax,lab) measurements. This study validated and compared the resulting model with other existing models using a third database of measured Gmax,in-situ values. The residuals of the proposed model had a mean and median closer to zero and the smallest standard deviation of all the models considered. By including a statistical description of the residuals, this work allows uncertainty of the small strain shear modulus to be included in probabilistic studies.
Overlay-independent comparisons of X-ray structures reveal small, systematic conformational changes in liganded acetylcholinesterase

Background and Purpose: Comparisons of macromolecular 3D structures by minimizing corresponding atom RMSDs can by virtue of averaging, hide small unexpected deviations caused by ligand binding or site-directed mutagenesis. We developed an overlay-independent comparison approach and used it to compare selected, PDB structures of acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC 3.1.1.7) in the apo state, in complexes with reversible ligands, in covalent conjugates or upon AChE mutagenesis. Methods: The active serine alpha carbon of the AChE monomer was used as a frame of reference for each of the structures, and distances calculated to remaining alpha carbons of the monomer backbone. Differences in distances at corresponding backbone positions from pairwise comparisons with apo-AChE structures were taken as a measure of changes in tertiary structures of liganded or mutant AChE monomers. Results: This analysis revealed small, yet significant backbone shifts in monomeric tertiary structures of AChEs. While reversible complexes with neurotoxin Fas2 showed global expansion of AChE monomer backbones, covalent conjugates at the active serine and high affinity reversible inhibitor hupA complexes revealed backbone compression towards the active serine. In some of AChE homodimers 0.6 - 1A shifts of monomer backbone affected crystallographic quaternary structures by causing significant, up to seven degree tilts in monomers, relative to angles measured in the apo-AChE. Conclusions: Small but systematic differences detected in tertiary structures of liganded or mutagenized AChEs appear consistent with larger magnitude alterations of several AChE homodimer quaternary structures. Those observations vaildate our overlay-independent approach for detecting small, yet significant, tertiary backbone shifts in macromolecular 3D structures.
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Satisfaction with Care Coordination Among VA and non-VA Medicare Beneficiaries.

Abstract Purpose: Patients who have multiple sources of care are at risk for fragmented and uncoordinated care, which can lead to poorer outcomes. Veteran Medicare beneficiaries who use the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system (VA users), particularly racial/ethnic minorities, often have complex medical conditions that may require care from multiple sources, leaving them especially vulnerable to the effects of fragmented care. We examined racial/ethnic differences in the level of satisfaction with care coordination among Medicare beneficiaries, comparing those who do and do not use the VHA healthcare system. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, pooled, cross-sectional study of Medicare beneficiaries using the 2009–2011 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. The outcomes are self-reported satisfaction with care items related to three dimensions of care coordination: (1) integrated care, (2) care continuity, and (3) follow-up care. We present descriptive statistics and use generalized linear models t...
Intrinsic Neuronal Stress Response Pathways in Injury and Disease

From injury to disease to aging, neurons, like all cells, may face various insults that can impact their function and survival. Although the consequences are substantially dictated by the type, context, and severity of insult, distressed neurons are far from passive. Activation of cellular stress responses aids in the preservation or restoration of nervous system function. However, stress responses themselves can further advance neuropathology and contribute significantly to neuronal dysfunction and neurodegeneration. Here we explore the recent advances in defining the cellular stress responses within neurodegenerative diseases and neuronal injury, and we emphasize axonal injury as a well-characterized model of neuronal insult. We highlight key findings and unanswered questions about neuronal stress response pathways, from the initial detection of cellular insults through the underlying mechanisms of the responses to their ultimate impact on the fates of distressed neurons.
Topological electronic properties of silicon

The central role that materials play in human history is exemplified by the three-age division of prehistory into the stone, bronze, and iron ages. References to our present time as the information age or silicon age epitomizes the important role that this semiconducting material came to play in the development of computers and devices that permeate our daily lives. Here we show that the electronic states in silicon have nontrivial topological structures that are captured by a network of Berry flux lines that link at points of high symmetry in the Brillouin zone. This complex network has ice-nodal points where fluxes satisfy ice rules, making silicon a nodal-chain insulator. Fixing the longitudinal momentum parallel to such flux lines yields a two-dimensional Dirac Hamiltonian for the transverse degrees of freedom. Similar to nodal-chain semimetals, we find drumheadlike states in the regions that are delimited by the projections of the bulk Berry flux network on the surface Brillouin zone.
Identifying novel factor XIIa inhibitors with PCA-GA-SVM developed vHTS models

Abstract There currently is renewed interest in blood clotting Factor XII as a potential target for thrombosis inhibition. Historically untargeted, there is little drug information with which to start drug candidate searches. Typical high-throughput screening can identify potential drug candidates, but is inefficient. Virtual high-throughput screening can be used to raise efficiency by focusing experimental efforts on compounds predicted to be active and is applied here to identify new Factor XIIa inhibitors. We combine principal component analysis, genetic algorithm and support vector machine to create the models used in the virtual high-throughput screening. In this work, experimental data from a PubChem Bioassay was used to train predictive models of Factor XIIa inhibition activity. The models created were then used to virtually screen the entire 72 million PubChem Compound database. Experimental validation of select candidates identified by this process resulted in a 42.9% hit-rate in the first-pass and 100% hit-rate in the second-pass, suggesting the effectiveness of the approach.
The Effect of Body Mass Index on Clinical Outcomes in Patients Without Radiographic Evidence of Degenerative Joint Disease After Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy

Purpose To examine the effect of obesity on clinical outcomes at 1 year after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of the ChAMP (Chondral Lesions and Meniscus Procedures) randomized controlled trial (N = 256). The visual analog scale for pain, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), range of motion, and presence of effusion were assessed preoperatively and at 1 year after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Body mass index was categorized as normal weight, 24.99 or less; overweight, 25 to 29.99; or obese, 30 or greater. Analysis of variance or the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test was used to examine differences in clinical outcomes between body mass index categories, and mean ± standard deviation or number (percentage) is reported. Results Preoperatively, obese patients had worse WOMAC pain (56.2 ± 17.2 vs 61.3 ± 17.2, P = .02), WOMAC physical function (55.8 ± 17.1 vs 62.8 ± 17.1, P = .004), pain visual analog scale (4.9 ± 2.1 vs 4.2 ± 1.9, P = .01), KOOS pain (49.5 ± 14.9 vs 54.0 ± 15.1, P = .02), and KOOS quality-of-life (27.9 ± 18.3 vs 36.9 ± 17.0, P = .001) scores, as well as decreased flexion (121.8° ± 22.6° vs 132.3° ± 16.5°, P = .003), compared with normal-weight patients. Overweight patients (n = 51 [51.5%], P = .03) and obese patients (n = 56 [52.8%], P = .002) were more likely to have knee effusion before surgery than normal-weight patients (n = 17 [34%]). At 1 year after surgery, overweight (130.2° ± 7.7°, P = .03) and obese (128.1° ± 7.1°, P = .003) patients had decreased flexion compared with normal-weight patients (134.5° ± 8.3°). Conclusions Obese patients had worse pain, physical functioning, and quality-of-life scores, as well as decreased flexion, compared with normal-weight patients before arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. At 1 year after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, there were no statistically significant differences in clinical outcomes but obesity was associated with decreased knee flexion. Level of Evidence Level II, prospective comparative trial.
Big Data Analytics Using the VA’s ‘VINCI’ Database to Look at Delirium

Acute Mental Status Change (AMSC) or delirium is a fluctuating disturbance of cognition and/or consciousness with reduced ability to focus, sustain, or shift attention and is associated with poor patient outcomes. Managing these patients is a central nursing concern because patients with AMSC involve significant nursing resources and increased monitoring. Big Data can be used to develop cognitive support interventions at all levels, ranging from individual nurses to the team to institutional-level stewardship. However, developing and designing this support requires transformation of big data resources to match the information needs at these different levels of analysis. This chapter illustrates how the Veterans Health Administration’s, large data repositories are being used to address the goals of improved classification of patients with delirium: by combining text data with ICD9 codes (International Classification of Diseases); creating algorithms that can successfully identify patients at risk; by examining patterns of real patients; building useful alerts and supplying the metrics needed to create and maintain a stewardship program.
Rhythmic Variability in European Vocal Music

Rhythmic variability in the vocal music of four European nations was examined, using the nPVI measure (normalized pairwise variability index). It was predicted that English and German songs would show higher nPVI than French and Italian ones, mirroring the differences between these nations in speech rhythm, and in accord with previous studies of instrumental music. Surprisingly, there was no evidence of this pattern, and some evidence of the opposite pattern: nPVI is higher in French and Italian vocal music than in English and German vocal music. This casts doubt on the theory that the differences in instrumental rhythm between these nations are due to differences in speech rhythm.
The comprehension problems of children with poor reading comprehension despite adequate decoding: A meta-analysis.

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine the comprehension problems of children who have a specific reading comprehension deficit (SCD), which is characterized by poor reading comprehension despite adequate decoding. The meta-analysis included 86 studies of children with SCD who were assessed in reading comprehension and oral language (vocabulary, listening comprehension, storytelling ability, and semantic and syntactic knowledge). Results indicated that children with SCD had deficits in oral language (d = -0.78, 95% CI [-0.89, -0.68], but these deficits were not as severe as their deficit in reading comprehension (d = -2.78, 95% CI [-3.01, -2.54]). When compared to reading comprehension age-matched normal readers, the oral language skills of the two groups were comparable (d = 0.32, 95% CI [-0.49, 1.14]), which suggests that the oral language weaknesses of children with SCD represent a developmental delay rather than developmental deviance. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Finite-Element Modeling and Analysis of Early-Age Cracking Risk of Cast-In-Place Concrete Culverts:

Extensive cracking was found in several cast-in-place concrete culverts in Alabama. This condition can decrease the long-term durability of the culverts. Early-age stress development in concrete is...
Clinicopathologic Findings of CARS2 Mutation.

Abstract Objectives We describe a 13-year-old girl with a past medical history of epilepsy, intellectual impairment, dysphagia with gastric tube dependence, and autism spectrum disorder who presented with focal status epilepticus. Methods Video-electroencephalography revealed left occipital pseudoperiodic epileptiform discharges and frequent seizures originating from the left hemisphere. The seizure was refractory to antiepileptic medications and pharmacologic coma. Subsequently, left occipital lobectomy was done. Extensive evaluation including whole exome sequencing, histopathologic examination of brain and muscle samples, mitochondrial DNA content analysis of tissue sample was completed to detect the etiology. Results Skeletal muscle mitochondrial DNA content (qPCR) analysis showed approximately 37% of the mean value of age and tissue matched control group consistent with a mitochondrial depletion syndrome. Microscopic examination of the brain showed cortical abnormalities that largely consisted of infarct-like pathology in a laminar manner, abnormalities of neuronal distribution, and white matter changes. Compound heterozygous mutations of the CARS2 gene were identified by whole exome sequencing; V52G variant [p.Val52Gly (GTG>GGG):c.155 T>G in exon 1] was inherited from the mother and T188M variant[p.Thr188Met (ACG>ATG): c.563 C>T in exon 5] was inherited from the father. Conclusion This is the first detailed clinicopathologic description of the Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome phenotype from CARS mutations.
Hyperthermia for Malignant Disease — A History of Medicine Note — The Work of Georges Lakhovsky

As hyperthermia is becoming more important in the treatment of malignant disease, it is appropriate to bring attention to the life and work of one of the pioneers in the field, Georges Lakhovsky, who is today a forgotten man. Georges Lakhovsky was born in Illia, Russia (near Minsk) in 1870. He studied engineering at Odessa and came to France in 1894 where he studied physics at the University of Paris. He remained in France, married, and became a naturalized french citizen. During the first world war he was attached to the French Army and devised an improved method of laying railroad tracks. He elucidated a rule (The “Lakhovsky Rule”) which was used in predicting failure of railroad tracks. For this work he was awarded a medal and given a commendation by the French government.
Towards Modeling of Metabolic Syndrome: Tissue Crosstalk in Lipid Spillover

In this chapter we propose a framework for development of the mathematical model of Metabolic Syndrome. The cornerstone of the model is “adipose tissue expandability hypothesis”, which treats long-term increase in FAs concentration in blood and their subsequent accumulation in muscle and liver as a main cause of decrease in insulin sensitivity and, consequently, MetS development. The key biological facts underlying the construction of MetS model have been collected and analyzed and the main requirements of the model have been formulated. To take these facts into account and meet the requirements formulated, we have developed a novel algorithm enabling us to combine kinetic models, which describe changes in metabolite (lipoproteins) concentrations due to biochemical transformations in blood and tissues, with the mathematical model of the molecular movement in blood flow.
Laparoscopic Pelvic Lymphadenectomy

Laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy is rapidly supplanting open surgery for assessing lymphatic dissemination of disease in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer. Both limited and extended pelvic lymph node dissections can be performed laparoscopically. Complications are minimal. Laparoscopic techniques have also been used in the laboratory and clinically for transperitoneal lymphadenectomy for staging of cervical cancer. Additional experience with these procedures is necessary before their accuracy and safety can be fully evaluated.
Validating Psychosocial Pathways of Risk Between Neuroticism and Late Life Depression Using a Polygenic Score Approach

Neuroticism is a stable and heritable personality trait that is strongly linked to depression. Yet, little is known about its association with late life depression, as well as how neuroticism eventuates into depression. This study used data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS; N = 4,877) to examine the direct and indirect effects of neuroticism on late life depression at 3 points in the life course-ages 53, 64, and 71-via stressful life events (i.e., independent and dependent) and social supports measured across adulthood and into later life. Neuroticism was assayed using multiple methods, including self-report measures (phenotypic model) and a polygenic score (polygenic model) informed by a meta-analytic genome-wide association study. Results indicated that the phenotypic model of neuroticism and late life depression was partially mediated via dependent stressful life events experienced after the age of 53 and by age 64 social support. This association was replicated in the polygenic model of neuroticism, providing key evidence that the findings are robust. No indirect effects emerged with respect to age 53 social support, age 71 social support, adult dependent stressful life events (experienced between age 19 and 52), and adult and late life independent stressful life events in either the phenotypic or polygenic models as they pertained to late life depression. Results are consistent with previous findings that individuals with high neuroticism may be vulnerable to late life depression through psychosocial risk factors that are, in part, attributable to their own personality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Preservice Teachers’ Learning to Respond on the Basis of Children’s Mathematical Understanding

This study examined the extent to which preservice teachers (PSTs) develop their capacity to attend to children’s strategies and interpret and respond on the basis of children’s mathematical understanding in the context of two well-designed assignments: Inquiry into Student Thinking assignment and tutoring assignment. The two assignments were assigned after 6 and 10 weeks of instruction, respectively. The analysis revealed that PSTs attended to children’s strategies and interpreted children’s mathematical understanding but struggled with the component skill of responding to children’s mathematical understanding in the two assignments. Although the nature of tasks selected differed across the two assignments, generally PSTs focused on tasks that would develop children’s mathematical understanding. The findings have theoretical implications for a hypothesized trajectory of professional noticing of children’s mathematical understanding and the design of mathematics methods courses.
Hiding in Plain Sight: Text Comprehension, Hyperlexia, and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Purpose Reading comprehension is a critical skill for success in academic, social, and vocational settings. However, comprehension problems for readers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often...
Real-World Outcomes of EKOS Ultrasound-Enhanced Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis for Acute Limb Ischemia.

Background Ultrasound-enhanced catheter-directed thrombolysis (UET) using the Ekosonic® Endovascular System device for acute, peripheral arterial ischemia has been purported in clinical trials to accelerate the fibrinolytic process to reduce treatment time and lytic dosage. We aim to describe outcomes of UET in a real-world clinical setting. Methods We performed a retrospective review of all patients undergoing UET for acute limb ischemia at a single institution. Data collected included patient demographics, procedural details, and 30-day and 1-year outcomes. The primary endpoints for analysis were major adverse limb events (MALEs; reintervention and/or amputation) and mortality within 30-days and 1-year. Secondary endpoints included technical success, use of adjunctive therapies, and postoperative complications. Results A total of 32 patients (mean age 67.4 ± 14.9 years; 25% women) underwent UET for acute limb ischemia between 2014 and 2018. The Rutherford Acute Limb Ischemia Classification was Rutherford (R) 1 in 56.3%, R2a in 31.3%, and R2b in 12.5%. Etiology was thrombosis of native artery in 12.5% of patients, prosthetic bypass in 31.3%, autogenous bypass in 6.3%, and stented native vessel in 50.0%. Mean duration of thrombolytic therapy was 22.2 ± 11.3 hr, and mean tissue plasminogen activator dose was 24.5 ± 15.3 mg. MALEs occurred in 16.7% of patients within the first 30 days and 38.9% experienced a MALE by 1 year. Limb salvage at 30 days and 1 year was 93.8% and 87.5%, respectively. Ipsilateral reintervention was required in 12.5% of patients within 30 days and 37.5% of patients within 1 year. Overall mortality was 6.2% at 30 days and 13.5% at 1 year. In-line flow to the foot was re-established in 90.6% of patients, with a significant improvement in preoperative to postoperative ankle-brachial index (0.31 ± 0.29 vs. 0.78 ± 0.34, P Conclusions UET with the EKOS device demonstrates acceptable real-world outcomes in the treatment of acute limb ischemia. UET is generally safe and effective at re-establishing in-line flow to yield high limb salvage rates. However, UET is associated with a high rate of reintervention. Further investigation is needed into specific predictors of limb salvage and need for reintervention, as well as cost-efficacy of this technology compared with that of traditional methods.
Machine Preventive Replacement Policy for Serial Production Lines Based on Reinforcement Learning

In the manufacturing industry, the random failures of machines introduce unexpected disruptions to the production. It is preferable to replace those aged machines with new ones before they fail. In this paper, the machine preventive replacement problem in serial production lines is discussed. To obtain an optimal machine replacement policy, the problem is formulated as a reinforcement learning problem and solved with the Q-learning algorithm. A reward function is proposed based on the production loss evaluation of the serial production lines. The data-driven modeling of serial production lines is used during the training process of the agent. A simulation study is conducted to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed method.
A Brief Educational Intervention Enhances Basic Cancer Literacy Among Kentucky Middle and High School Students

Kentucky experiences the highest overall cancer incidence and mortality rates in the USA with the greatest burden in the eastern, Appalachian region of the state. Cancer disparities in Kentucky are driven in part by poor health behaviors, poverty, lack of health care access, low education levels, and low health literacy. Individuals with inadequate health literacy are less likely to participate in preventive measures such as obtaining screenings and making healthy lifestyle choices, thus increasing their chances of developing and dying from cancer. By increasing cancer literacy among youth and adults, it may be possible to decrease cancer disparities across Kentucky. This study aimed to establish connections with middle and high schools in Kentucky that would facilitate pilot implementation of a brief cancer education intervention and assessment of cancer health literacy among these student populations. A baseline pretest cancer literacy survey consisting of 10 items was given to 349 participants, followed by the delivery of a cancer education presentation. Immediately following the presentation, participants were given a posttest with identical items to the pretest. Participants were primarily Caucasian (89.4%), female (68.7%), and in 10th through 12th grade (80.5%). Significant (p < 0.0001) increases in both average and median percent of correctly marked items were observed between the pretest and posttest (average, pretest = 56% versus posttest = 85%; median, pretest = 60% versus posttest = 90%). The scores for all individual items increased after the brief intervention. The results demonstrated a significant increase in cancer literacy levels immediately after the pilot educational intervention. We suggest that it may be possible to improve cancer literacy rates in Kentucky by integrating cancer education into middle and high school science and/or health education curricula. This could ultimately drive changes in behaviors that may help lower cancer incidence and mortality rates. Plans for future interventional studies measuring long-term cancer knowledge retention and resultant behavioral changes among middle and high school students as well as the feasibility of integrating cancer education into middle and high school curricula are also discussed.
Abstract P3-02-05: Targeting glutamine metabolism inhibits GD2+breast cancer stem cell function in triple negative breast cancer

Breast cancer stem cells (BSCs) constitute a fraction of primary tumor cells that exhibit drug resistance and have metastatic potential. Ganglioside GD2 has been shown by us and others as a marker for BCSCs. Nutrient deprivation-associated metabolic stress observed during tumor progression is reportedly associated with the cancer stem cell phenotype, and we have shown that oxidative stress caused by serum deprivation induces GD2 expression in vitro and in vivo. To identify metabolic signatures associated with GD2+ cells and their potential adaptive mechanisms to oxidative stress, global metabolic profiling was performed using a mass spectroscopy-based approach. We found that metabolites associated with amino acid metabolism, particularly glutathione metabolism, to be most highly upregulated in GD2+ compared to GD2− cells. In addition, glutathione biosynthesis and oxidation to glutathione disulfide was also increased in cells undergoing oxidative stress. These data suggest that the glutathione-mediated detoxification pathways play a key role in GD2+ or basal type breast cancer cells. As glutamine is a major precursor molecule for glutathione biosynthesis, we hypothesized that glutamine, at least in part, regulates cellular redox tone and the GD2+ phenotype in breast cancer cells. To test our hypothesis, we cultured breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and SUM159 in media containing 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, or 4% of L-glutamine for 3 days. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that the percentage of GD2+ increased from 6% to 12% and from 12% to 22% in MDA-MB-231 and SUM159 cells, respectively when the cells were cultured at 0 or 4% glutamine. Glutaminase, an enzyme that converts glutamine to glutamate, which further leads to glutathione biosynthesis, has been shown to be overexpressed in basal-type breast cancer cells. To investigate the role of glutaminase on stem cell redox homeostasis and phenotype, we treated TNBC cell lines MDA-MB-231 and SUM159 cells with glutaminase inhibitors CB-839 or 968 compound for 3 days. Flow analysis revealed 70-80% reduction in GD2 expression after treatment in a dose dependent manner. In addition, treatment with CB-839 inhibited cell proliferation by over 80% in a dose-dependent manner in MDA-MB-231 cells and SUM159 cells (p Citation Format: Stanley Ly, Khoa Nguyen, Michael Andreeff, Venkata Lokesh Battula. Targeting glutamine metabolism inhibits GD2+ breast cancer stem cell function in triple negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-02-05.
House Dust Mite Related Allergic Rhinitis and REM Sleep Disturbances.

Abstract Purpose Sleep disturbances are common in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). Perennial allergens like house dust mites (HDM) are difficult to avoid and have nocturnal impacts on the respiratory system and Quality of Life (QOL). The Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep stage is associated with memory, cognition, dreams, and overall restfulness, which can be impaired in AR patients with Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) even when normal all-night apnea-hypopnea (AHI) or respiratory disturbance (RDI) indices are noted on polysomnography (PSG). We hypothesized that AR HDM allergen positive patients would show REM-specific SDB reflected in their objectively elevated REM-RDI values. Materials and methods This retrospective analysis of 100 patients included 47 with HDM positive allergy testing. All patients underwent PSG testing calculating the RDI during REM. Multivariate logistic regression models evaluated relationships between allergic statuses and sleep parameters while controlling for potential confounders. Results Compared with allergy negative patients, HDM allergen positive patients were significantly more likely (OR 4.29, 95%CI 1.26–14.62) to have a REM-RDI in the moderate/severe range (≥15 events/h). Conclusions Our study highlighted the significance of respiratory allergies to HDM in patients with SDB. We revealed a significant relationship between HDM allergen positivity and SDB characterized by elevated REM-RDI regardless of all-night AHI, RDI, or REM-AHI values. Clinical implications of knowing about disturbed REM and/or HDM allergenicity include better preparation, treatment, outcomes, and QOL for allergic, SDB, and upper airway surgery patients.
Design and Finite Element Analysis of IoT based Smart Helmet

As mentioned in the global two-wheeler market report, the two-wheeler market is projected to surpass $ 125 billion by 2024. According to WHO statistics, approximately 1.35 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes. And more than half of those are pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. Correct helmet use can lead to a 42 percent reduction in risk of fatal injuries and a 69 percent reduction in the risk of head injuries. These are concerning statistics. These growing numbers call forth new and upcoming technological advancements concerning the safety of the users. The main reason behind coming up with this smart helmet is the very issue of safety. The main objective of the project is to build a smart system which is integrated with sensors and modules for the safety of the user. While working on improving the safety of riders, it was ensured that its aesthetics and ergonomics are not compromised.
Is the secondary loan market valuable to borrowers

Abstract In recent years, the secondary loan market has developed into an over-the-counter market where loans are not only sold but also subsequently traded. This shift away from traditional banking is altering the business of lending. Loan sales are valuable to banks because they free up capital, generate fee-based income and facilitate risk management; but they may be costly to borrowers because they negatively affect bank monitoring incentives. In this paper, however, we argue that there is another potential benefit to borrowers from loan sales. Borrowers with trading loans, in particular those with liquid loans, may “demand” a share of bank benefits from loan sales when they take out new loans as it will be easier for banks to sell these loans afterwards. We investigate this potential benefit of the secondary loan market by comparing the interest rates borrowers pay before their loans start to trade with the interest rates they pay on loans originated post-trading. Our results show that, on average, borrowers pay higher spreads on the loans they take out after the onset of trading on their loans. Importantly, our results also show that borrowers with liquid trading loans are able to borrow at lower interest rates after the onset of trading on their loans. Thus, while the banks’ decision to sell loans may initially impose a cost on borrowers, those whose loans enter the secondary loan market and become liquid benefit from an interest rate discount on their subsequent loans.
Assessing Resource Provisioning and Allocation of Ensembles of In Situ Workflows

Scientific breakthroughs in biomolecular methods and improvements in hardware technology have shifted from a single long-running simulation to a large set of shorter simulations running simultaneously, called an ensemble. In an ensemble, each independent simulation is usually coupled with several analyses that apply identical or distinct algorithms on data produced by the corresponding simulation. Today, In situ methods are used to analyze large volumes of data generated by scientific simulations at runtime. This work studies the execution of ensemble-based simulations paired with In situ analyses using in-memory staging methods. Because simulations and analyses forming an ensemble typically run concurrently, deploying an ensemble requires efficient co-location-aware strategies, making sure the data flow between simulations and analyses that form an In situ workflow is efficient. Using an ensemble of molecular dynamics In situ workflows with multiple simulations and analyses, we first show that collecting traditional metrics such as makespan, instructions per cycle, memory usage, or cache miss ratio is not sufficient to characterize the complex behaviors of ensembles. Thus, we propose a method to evaluate the performance of ensembles of workflows that captures resource usage (efficiency), resource allocation, and component placement. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method can effectively capture the performance of different component placements in an ensemble. By evaluating different co-location scenarios, our performance indicator demonstrates improvements of up to four orders of magnitude when co-locating simulation and coupled analyses within a single computational host.
Products Liability: A Commentary

My initial reaction, when I was invited to comment on Professor McKean's paper,' was one of blank astonishment, since I could think of no lawyer in the United States-indeed, in the free world-less qualified than myself for such an assignment. In speculating on what the committee on arrangements could have had in mind the only plausible explanation I have been able to come up with is this: it was decided that the Conference would be enlivened by a contribution from a lawyer who knew nothing-and was known to know nothing-either about economic theory or about current legal trends in what has come to be called Products Liability. In preparing to discharge the assignment, I could, of course, have undertaken a crash program of reading myself into some degree of familiarity with at least the legal aspects of the problem. I concluded, hovever, that such a course was not desirable: I would, had I followed it, have been derelict to the trust which the committee reposed in my ignorance. My function is evidently to comment, in a childlike fashion, on these mysteries-more or less, it may be, like the little boy who, rightly or wrongly, cried out in mid-procession that the Emperor had no clothes on.