cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validity and reliability of HOP-Up: a questionnaire to evaluate physical activity environments in homes with preschool-aged children

Early identification of physical activity (PA) opportunities in the home and neighborhood environment may help obesity prevention efforts in households with young children. This cross-sectional study’s purpose was to develop a brief, easy-to-use, self-report inventory called Home Opportunities for Physical activity check-Up (HOP-Up), to evaluate the availability and accessibility of PA space and equipment in and near homes with preschool children, and establish its validity and reliability. The HOP-Up was field tested by two trained researchers and parents of preschool-aged children (n = 50; 71 % white). To establish criterion validity, researchers were the ‘gold standard’ and visited participants’ homes to assess their PA environments using the HOP-Up, while participants separately completed their HOP-Up. Two weeks later, parents completed the HOP-Up online for test-retest reliability. After minor survey refinements, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis using a split-half cross validation procedure was conducted in a larger sample of participants (n = 655, 60 % white) who completed the HOP-Up online to examine its factor structure. To establish convergent validity, correlations were conducted to compare HOP-Up scales from the factor solution generated with PA behavior and cognitions, and reported screen time. Intra-class correlations (ICCs) examining HOP-Up item agreement between researcher and parents revealed slight to substantial agreement (range 0.22 to 0.81) for all items. ICCs for all HOP-Up items ranged from fair to substantial agreement between parent responses at both time points (range 0.42 to 0.95). Exploratory factor analysis revealed a five factor solution (18 items), supported eigen values, scree plots, review for contextual sense, and confirmatory factor analysis. Additionally, there were significant (p < 0.05) positive correlations among nearly all five HOP-Up scales with parent and child physical activity levels (range 0.08 to 0.35), and values parents placed on PA for self and child (range 0.16 to 0.35), and negative correlations of Neighborhood Space & Supports for PA scale with parent and child reported screen time (r = −0.11, r = −0.13, respectively). Findings support the psychometric properties of this brief, easy-to-use, HOP-Up questionnaire, which may help parents, prevention researchers, residential planners, and practitioners increase their understanding of how the home environment—inside, outside, and the neighborhood— impacts preschool children’s physical activity levels.
Identification of Differential Gene Expression Patterns after Acute Exposure to High and Low Doses of Low-LET Ionizing Radiation in a Reconstituted Human Skin Tissue

In this study we utilized a systems biology approach to identify dose- (0.1, 2.0 and 10 Gy) and time- (3 and 8 h) dependent responses to acute ionizing radiation exposure in a complex tissue, reconstituted human skin. The low dose used here (0.1 Gy) falls within the range of certain medical diagnostic procedures. Of the two higher doses used, 2.0 Gy is typically administered for radiotherapy, while 10 Gy is lethal. Because exposure to any of these doses is possible after an intentional or accidental radiation events, biomarkers are needed to rapidly and accurately triage potentially exposed individuals. Here, tissue samples were acutely exposed to X-ray-generated low-linear-energy transfer (LET) ionizing radiation, and direct RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to quantify altered transcripts. The time points used for this study aid in assessing early responses to exposure, when key signaling pathways and biomarkers can be identified, which precede and regulate later phenotypic alterations that occur at hig...
Effects of Parent Implemented Visual Schedule Routines for African American Children with ASD in Low-Income Home Settings

Low-income, minority families are underrepresented in the literature on parent training for school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although the use of visual supports, such as vi...
Responses of male cricket frogs ( Acris crepitans ) to attenuated and degraded advertisement calls.

We examined the vocal and non-vocal responses of male cricket frogs (Acris crepitans) to conspecific advertisement calls that had been attenuated or degraded by reducing the depth of amplitude modulation (AM). Both are characteristic of changes to the call as it is transmitted through natural habitats. As stimulus calls became more intense or less degraded, male cricket frogs gradually decreased their call rate and increased the number of call groups and pulse groups in their calls, changes indicative of increased aggressive interactions. At the higher intensities and lower degradation levels, the probability that males would shift to one of two non-vocal behavioral responses, attacking the perceived intruder or ceasing calling and abandoning the call site, gradually increased. The results show that differences in signal attenuation and AM degradation levels are perceived by males and trigger both vocal and non-vocal behavioral responses consistent with their use in evaluating the distance to a challenging male. Furthermore, the results indicate that the male responses are graded, increasing as intensity rises and degradation falls, and hierarchical, with vocal responses preceding behavioral responses over the range of intensities and degradation levels presented.
Challenges and Opportunities: From Near-memory Computing to In-memory Computing

The confluence of the recent advances in technology and the ever-growing demand for large-scale data analytics created a renewed interest in a decades-old concept, processing-in-memory (PIM). PIM, in general, may cover a very wide spectrum of compute capabilities embedded in close proximity to or even inside the memory array. In this paper, we present an initial taxonomy for dividing PIM into two broad categories: 1) Near-memory processing and 2) In-memory processing. This paper highlights some interesting work in each category and provides insights into the challenges and possible future directions.
Hybrid VCO Based 0-1 MASH and Hybrid ΔΣ SAR

Two hybrid, highly digital \(\Delta \Sigma \) ADCs are presented in this work. A SAR + VCO 0-1 MASH architecture is used for a 12-bit scaling friendly ADC which does not require VCO nonlinearity correction. PVT sensitivity of VCO tuning gain is canceled by using a digital, background calibration technique. A 40 nm CMOS prototype achieves 74.3 dB SNDR while operating at 36 MS/s from 1.1 V supply. The prototype exhibits a Schreier FoM of 171 dB. A hybrid SAR \(\Delta \Sigma \) ADC is presented which uses a passive integrator to achieve first-order noise shaping. The proposed noise-shaping SAR has very high immunity against PVT variations and does not require any calibration. Fabricated in an 130 nm CMOS process, the noise-shaping SAR ADC achieves an SNDR of 74 dB while operating at 2 MS/s from 1.2 V supply. The Schreier FoM for the noise-shaping SAR is 167 dB.
Enhanced sensitivity to socially facilitating and anxiolytic effects of ethanol in adolescent Sprague Dawley rats following acute prenatal ethanol exposure

Abstract Emerging evidence suggests that deficits in social functioning and social anxiety are associated with adolescent alcohol use. Our previous research has shown that acute exposure to a high dose of ethanol on gestational day (G) 12 produces social alterations in adolescent Sprague Dawley rats. The present study assessed whether these social alterations can affect sensitivity to acute ethanol challenge during adolescence. Pregnant females were exposed intraperitoneally (i.p.) to ethanol (2.5 g/kg followed by 1.25 g/kg in 2 h) or saline on G12, and their male and female offspring were tested on postnatal day (P) 42. Rats were challenged i.p. with one of four ethanol doses (0, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 g/kg), and their social behavior was assessed in a modified social interaction test. Social alterations associated with prenatal ethanol exposure and indexed via decreases of social investigation, social preference, and play fighting were evident in males and females challenged with the 0 g/kg ethanol dose. Acute ethanol increased social investigation, social preference, and play fighting in animals prenatally exposed to ethanol. In contrast, rats prenatally exposed to saline, showing no social facilitation, demonstrated significant ethanol-induced (0.75 and 1.0 g/kg) decreases in social behavior. Given that late adolescents demonstrating social alterations induced by prenatal ethanol exposure become sensitive to the socially anxiolytic as well as socially facilitating effects of acute ethanol, it is possible that the attractiveness of ethanol to these adolescents may be based on its ability to alleviate anxiety under social circumstances and facilitate interactions with peers.
Chemical modification and printability of shear-thinning hydrogel inks for direct-write 3D printing

Abstract Shear-thinning hydrogels are often employed in direct-write 3D printing, however, the viscoelastic behaviors that define a printable hydrogel have not been fully established. Herein, we demonstrate a library of hydrogel inks based on the incorporation of water-soluble reactive meth(acrylate) monomers into F127-dimethacrylate hydrogels. This strategy afforded printed hydrogels with a broad range of chemical functionalities and mechanical properties. A systematic investigation was also performed to correlate the printability and mechanical properties to the viscoelastic properties of the hydrogel ink formulations. The materials with a high dynamic yield stress afforded extruded filaments that correlated well with the inner diameter of the printing nozzle. The static yield stress of the material was correlated to the extrusion pressure and print speed required for optimal printing. Thus, this study provides a guide for the future development of hydrogel inks for direct-write 3D printing along with a new set of functional hydrogel inks.
Jet launching radius in low-power radio-loud AGNs in advection-dominated accretion flows

Using our theory for the production of relativistic outflows, we estimate the jet launching radius and the inferred mass accretion rate for 52 low-power radio-loud AGNs based on the observed jet powers. Our analysis indicates that (1) a significant fraction of the accreted energy is required to convert the accreted mass to relativistic energy particles for the production of the jets near the event horizon, (2) the jets launching radius moves radially toward the horizon as the mass accretion rate or jets power increases, and (3) no jet/outflow formation is possible beyond 44 gravitational radii.
Using manual exchanges for an urgent-start peritoneal dialysis program.

Background Urgent-start peritoneal dialysis (USPD) was designed to avoid temporary hemodialysis initiation with a hemodialysis catheter. In these patients, PD is initiated within 2 weeks of catheter placement, but typically these prescriptions utilize automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) with a cycler. Manual exchanges have not been reported previously for USPD. We hypothesize that using multiple, low-volume manual exchanges, patients will have similar rates of peritonitis, exit-site infection (ESI), pericatheter leaks and discontinuation of PD in the first 3 months after initiation. Methods This retrospective study included patients who initiated PD in our unit from May 2014 until August 2016 using our USPD protocol. Patients with a body surface area 1.7 m2 used 1000 mL dwell volumes during the first 7 days. Dwell times were 2-2.5 h for two to three exchanges per day. After 7 days of successful therapy, the dwell volumes were doubled. All patients were maintained on furosemide 160 mg twice daily. Results There were 20 patients enrolled in our USPD program. Our rates of peritonitis, ESI, pericatheter leak and discontinuation of PD were 5%, 0%, 5% and 5%, respectively. Conclusions Manual exchange during USPD is a viable modality with similar results as APD. Using manual exchanges allows patients to be more ambulatory during the day when they are not dwelling, allows nurses to evaluate the amount of ultrafiltration and effluent characteristics and allows for training in manual exchanges as well.
The Delta Method

This chapter is highly technical and is included to show that the approximations for moments of errors in data (chapter 3) and in allocations (chapters 4 and 5) can be developed rigorously. The reader is encouraged to skip this chapter for now and return to it if motivated by a desire to verify approximations developed in Later chapters.
Tracking of migrating and proliferating cells in phase-contrast microscopy imagery for tissue engineering

Tissue Engineering is an interdisciplinary field that applies the principles of biology and engineering to develop tissue substitutes to restore, maintain, or improve the function of diseased or damaged human tissues. One approach for engineering tissue involves seeding biodegradable scaffolds with hormones, then culturing and implanting the scaffolds by means of a printing technology to induce and direct the growth of new, healthy tissue cells. Precise and quantitative tracking of the migrating and proliferating cells by noninvasive phase-contrast video microscopy is a vital component to studying and understanding how the concentration-modulated patterns of hormones direct the migration and proliferation of tissue cells. The varying density of the cell culture and the complexity of the cell behavior (shape deformation, division/mitosis, close contact and partial occlusion) pose many challenges to existing tracking techniques. We propose a multi-target tracking algorithm that simultaneously tracks a very large number of cells based on a topologyconstrained level-set method and Markov-chain Monte Carlo particle filtering. We apply our methodology to in vitro tissue cell tracking under phase-contrast microscopy and demonstrate that the cells proliferate and migrate in alignment with the printed hormone patterns.
Abstract 2369: AMPK regulation of apoptosis through OSBP

Alterations in lipid metabolism have been frequently reported in tumor progression, with impaired PI(4,5)P2 homeostasis in the plasma membrane implicated in various cancers and metabolic disorders. Oxysterol binding protein (OSBP) and its related proteins (ORPs) constitute a large family of ubiquitously expressed, evolutionarily conserved lipid binding proteins that play critical roles in intracellular lipid trafficking. OSBP and ORPs associate with a wide range of cellular activities, however their functions and regulations are largely unclear. Emerging evidence has supported an essential role of OSBP in cell signaling pathways and cancer development. We recently identified yeast oxysterol binding protein Osh7 as a true substrate of yeast AMPK (Snf1). AMPK9s involvement in cancer has been extensively studied in the past decade, and is an important mediator of cellular energy homeostasis. Despite many downstream targets identified, AMPK is not known to regulate oxysterol binding protein activities. We found that Snf1 may be responsible for the degradation of Osh7 and cells deficient in Osh7 and its homolog Osh6 display higher rates of apoptosis. Understanding the regulation of OSBP by AMPK may aid in better targeting AMPK for cancer treatment and prevention, at the same time provide a better understanding to the roles of OSBP in cancer development. Citation Format: Kai Li Ong, Trever Thurgood, Michael Christensen, Jonny Malmrose, Denise Ng, Julianne Grose. AMPK regulation of apoptosis through OSBP [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2369.
TCP Congestion Response for Low Latency HTTP Live Streaming

Adaptive bit rate streaming using HTTP delivery is now widely used to provide live audio-visual content services. However, the quality of experience is often considered inferior to that of conventional broadcast services due to the high end to end latency, which is mostly due to the large amount of buffering required to provide resilience to variable network conditions. In this paper we present our initial research to address this issue of high latency. If each segment of content could be delivered in a consistent period of time, the amount of buffering required could be reduced. We present the results of simulations where we have changed the timing of the TCP congestion response to consider the timing requirements of content segments, while trying to retain fairness to competing flows. We show that with this simple modification to TCP the variation in the delivery time of content segments can be reduced and much lower end to end latency achieved. With no changes to the network or client devices required, this solution may be straightforward to deploy to make the user experience of streaming services much closer to that of conventional broadcast services.
Effect of Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Length on the Mechanical Milling of Ni-CNT Powders and Ni-CNT/Al Reactive Synthesis

The present paper investigates the effect of carbon nanotube (CNT) length (including the use of short multi-wall CNTs) and milling parameters on the nickel matrix crystal size, dislocation density, micro-strain, and CNT integrity post milling of mechanically milled Ni-CNT composite powder. Results show that CNT integrity is independent of CNT length post milling and short CNTs interact differently during milling resulting in more refined matrix microstructures, increased strain and dislocation density within the milled Ni-CNT powders compared with longer CNTs. The Ni-CNT powders were also preliminarily investigated as precursors in the reactive processing of nickel aluminide-CNT composites. Compacts with short CNTs resulted in better reaction characteristics producing composites with more Ni3Al content and greater hardness than reacted compacts with larger CNTs.
Machine Learning Classification of Cancer Cells Migration in 3D Multi-cue Microenvironments 1

Metastasis is the leading cause of deaths among cancer patients. Metastatic dissemination, during which cancer cells from the primary tumor reach the secondary organ, consists of a cascade of events, starting with cancer cell invasion and migration through the surrounding tissue [1]–[3]. During cancer cells invasion, tumor cell movement is directed by multiple guiding cues present in the tissue at different concentrations [1, 4]. Guiding cues can be biophysical, such as aligned collagen fibers inducing contact guidance or biochemical, such as gradients of chemoattractants inducing chemotaxis. Following individual cues will lead to directed cell migration, where the cell velocity and cell persistence will be determined by the concentration of the cue and the presence of the cell receptors that are responsible for communication with the particular cue. However, in complex microenvironments, where multiple cues are present at different levels, distances and orientations, cues can compete with or synergize each other to guide the cell migration. In such conditions, analyzing the cell migration parameters (velocity, persistence, directionality etc.) is a challenging task.
Decarboxylative Mannich Reactions.

The reaction of various aromatic and aliphatic imines with β-keto carboxylic acids does not require any catalyst.
Trauma Recovery in the Transgender and Gender Diverse Community: Extensions of the Minority Stress Model for Treatment Planning

Abstract Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) populations, including those that do not identify with gender binary constructs (man or woman) are increasingly presenting for treatment of posttrauma sequelae. Providers who offer services for trauma survivors including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment should be knowledgeable about evidence-based care and have some cultural familiarity with TGD experiences. Indeed, the Minority Stress Model suggests that the combination of distal and proximal minority stressors can combine to produce increased mental health symptoms as compared with cisgender peers, though this model has yet to be fully tested. Clients often present with a complicated picture of experiences, which include a variety of minority stressors, microaggressions, discrimination, and traumatic events that can all be related to their identity. However, conceptualizations of trauma treatment in the context of extensive minority stress are lacking. This paper summarizes the existing literature and offers guidance to mental health providers who are well positioned to address stigma, discrimination, violence, and related symptoms that arise from micro-, mezzo- and macro-level spheres of TGD individuals’ experience.
Predictors Of Cancer Associated Thrombosis

Abstract Introduction Cancer associated thrombosis is the second most common cause of mortality among patients with malignancy. While preventive low molecular weight heparin is effective in preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE), lack of agreement on risk stratification methods have precluded its widespread use. The most studied VTE prediction tool is the Khorana score, but it does not capitalize on the use of novel biomarkers. We aimed to evaluate the value of biomarkers in prediction of VTE among patients with active cancer receiving outpatient chemotherapy. Methods We prospectively collected pre-chemotherapy blood samples on adult patients with solid organ tumors. We excluded patients on anticoagulation and those unable or unwilling to consent. Along with demographics and cancer specific variables, potential novel predictors of VTE were selected a priori and included: coated platelets (CP), D dimer (DD), protein C (PC), fibrin monomers (FM), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet microparticles (PMP). Type of cancer was grouped according to the Khorana score (Very high risk: Stomach, Pancreas; High risk: Lung, Gynecologic, Bladder, Testicular; Low/Moderate risk: all other sites). VTE events were adjudicated at 6 months of follow up. For all statistical analyses we used SAS 9.2 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). A p value of Results We have recruited a total of 101 patients (mean + standard deviation age 59.7+11 years, 68% female), 20% of the 75 patients with complete follow up have developed a VTE. We found no significant association between the incidence of VTE and age, gender, or baseline Khorana score. The variables associated with incident VTE were: BMI (odds ratio [OR] 8.5 for BMI Conclusion Pre Chemotherapy level of Protein C is a potential biomarker for the incidence of VTE. We confirm that cancer type and BMI are predictors of cancer associated VTE. In addition, lower BMI is not usually recognized as a potential predictor of VTE in other prediction scores. We were underpowered to detect differences in the VTE incidence according to Khorana score. Finally, aspirin may have a role in outpatient cancer associated VTE prevention and deserves further investigation. Disclosures: Tafur: Stago Diagnostica: Research Funding. Rathbun: Stago Diagnostica: Research Funding.
Robust neural network approach to source-range estimation in a simulated Arctic environment

Underwater source-range estimation is conventionally performed via matched field processing (MFP), which relies on precise modelling of the propagation environment to produce accurate estimates. Here, we design a convolutional neural network (CNN) for long range (up to 50 km) source-range estimation in a complex Arctic propagation environment and compare its performance and robustness to MFP. The model parameters are optimized through cross-validation with regularization and other precautions implemented to deter overfitting. It is trained and tested with simulated data recorded on a vertical line array and its robustness to environmental mismatch is examined by introducing deviations to the original sound speed profile (SSP) when generating the test data. Results show that the CNN is more robust to environmental changes than MFP but at the expense of worse performance when the environmental parameters are accurately modelled. Insights into how the CNN performs range estimation is discussed as well. [Work supported by Office of Naval Research.]Underwater source-range estimation is conventionally performed via matched field processing (MFP), which relies on precise modelling of the propagation environment to produce accurate estimates. Here, we design a convolutional neural network (CNN) for long range (up to 50 km) source-range estimation in a complex Arctic propagation environment and compare its performance and robustness to MFP. The model parameters are optimized through cross-validation with regularization and other precautions implemented to deter overfitting. It is trained and tested with simulated data recorded on a vertical line array and its robustness to environmental mismatch is examined by introducing deviations to the original sound speed profile (SSP) when generating the test data. Results show that the CNN is more robust to environmental changes than MFP but at the expense of worse performance when the environmental parameters are accurately modelled. Insights into how the CNN performs range estimation is discussed as well. [Work...
Electrolyte Disorders in Kidney Transplantation.

Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for ESKD. However, transplantation is associated with a variety of potential complications. Although much of the focus surrounds immunosuppression, electrolyte imbalances frequently arise. Herein, we discuss several common issues: hyperkalemia,
Beyond IgE: Alternative Mast Cell Activation Across Different Disease States

Mast cells are often regarded through the lens of IgE-dependent reactions as a cell specialized only for anti-parasitic and type I hypersensitive responses. However, recently many researchers have begun to appreciate the expansive repertoire of stimuli that mast cells can respond to. After the characterization of the interleukin (IL)-33/suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) axis of mast cell activation—a pathway that is independent of the adaptive immune system—researchers are revisiting other stimuli to induce mast cell activation and/or subsequent degranulation independent of IgE. This discovery also underscores that mast cells act as important mediators in maintaining body wide homeostasis, especially through barrier defense, and can thus be the source of disease as well. Particularly in the gut, inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, etc.) are characterized with enhanced mast cell activity in the context of autoimmune disease. Mast cells show phenotypic differences based on tissue residency, which could manifest as different receptor expression profiles, allowing for unique mast cell responses (both IgE and non-IgE mediated) across varying tissues as well. This variety in receptor expression suggests mast cells respond differently, such as in the gut where immunosuppressive IL-10 stimulates the development of food allergy or in the lungs where transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) can enhance mast cell IL-6 production. Such differences in receptor expression illustrate the truly diverse effector capabilities of mast cells, and careful consideration must be given toward the phenotype of mast cells observed in vitro. Given mast cells’ ubiquitous tissue presence and their capability to respond to a broad spectrum of non-IgE stimuli, it is expected that mast cells may also contribute to the progression of autoimmune disorders and other disease states such as metastatic cancer through promoting chronic inflammation in the local tissue microenvironment and ultimately polarizing toward a unique Th17 immune response. Furthermore, these interconnected, atypical activation pathways may crosstalk with IgE-mediated signaling differently across disorders such as parasitism, food allergies, and autoimmune disorders of the gut. In this review, we summarize recent research into familiar and novel pathways of mast cells activation and draw connections to clinical human disease.
Multisensory Integration, Principles of

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by B.E. Stein, M.T. Wallace, and T.R. Stanford, volume 5, pp. 3008–3015, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
Spectral dependence of subwavelength slit geometry

For two decades, extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) has amplified exploration into subwavelength systems. Researchers have previously suggested exploiting the spectrally selective electromagnetic field confinement of subwavelength slits for multispectral detectors. Utilizing the finite-difference frequency domain (FDFD) method, we examine electromagnetic field confinement in both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional scenarios from 2.5 to 6 microns, i.e. midwave infrared (MWIR). We explore the trade space of deep subwavelength slits and its impact on resonant enhancement of the electromagnetic field. This builds fundamental understanding of the coupling mechanisms allowing for prediction of resonant spectral behavior based on slit geometry and material properties.
Robust output feedback control with guaranteed constraint satisfaction

We propose a method to control linear time-varying (LTV) discrete-time systems subject to bounded process disturbances and measurable outputs with bounded noise, and polyhedral constraints over system inputs and states. We search over control policies that map the history of measurable outputs to the current control input. We solve the problem in two stages. First, using the original system, we build a linear system that predicts future observations using the past observations. The bounded errors are characterized using zonotopes. Next, we propose control laws based on affine maps of such output prediction errors, and show that controllers can be synthesized using convex linear/quadratic programs. Furthermore, we can add constraints on trajectories and guarantee their satisfaction for all allowable sequences of observation noise and process disturbances. Our method does not require any assumptions about system controllability and observability. The controller design does not directly take into account the state-space dynamics, and its implementation does not require an observer. Instead, partial observability is often sufficient to design a correct controller. We provide the polytopic representation of observability errors and reachable sets in the form of zonotopes. Illustrative examples are included.
454 Oncolytic parainfluenza virus 5 vector enhances natural killer cell killing of lung tumor cells in 2D and 3D spheroid cultures

Background Natural killer (NK) cells are innate immune cells with natural cytotoxicity towards both tumor cells and virus infected cells. We have developed a particle-based method for in vitro specific expansion of NK cells that yields highly cytotoxic NK cells (PM21-NK cells). There is intense interest in the use of novel oncolytic viruses with the potential to synergize with immune cells to kill tumor cells. Here we have tested the hypothesis that infection with a tumor-selective cytopathic Parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5-P/V) vector will enhance PM21-NK cell-mediated killing of lung cancer cells in both 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) cultures. Methods In 2D cultures, live cell time-lapse imaging, flow cytometry and luminescence-based methods were used to assess the killing efficiency of PM21-NK cells against A549 lung tumor cells infected with PIV5-P/V. Blocking antibodies were used to evaluate different NK cell activating receptors involved in recognition of infected tumor cells. IncuCyte live cell imaging system was used to assess real time killing of 3D lung spheroids by a combination of NK cells and PIV5-P/V virus. Z-stack spheroid images were captured using Keyence microscope. Results In 2D cultures, PM21 NK cells efficiently kill A549 cells that have been infected with P/V CPI- virus and enhance the overall rate of killing compared to uninfected cell targets. Antibody blocking showed that the viral Hemagglutinin-Neuraminidase (HN) glycoprotein and NK cell receptors NKp30, NKp46 and NKG2D were involved in PM21-NK cell recognition of PIV5-P/V infected A549 cells. In 3D cultures of A549 tumor spheroids, PIV5-P/V infection was limited to the outer layer of the spheroid, with restricted spread of the infection to inner compartments. However, addition of PM21-NK cells to PIV5-P/V-infected spheroids resulted in killing of not only the infected surface of the spheroid but continued to the uninfected cells located at the center of the spheroid. Conclusions Our data support the potential of combining oncolytic virotherapy along with PM21-NK cell adoptive therapy against lung cancer.
A Perspective Of Intestinal Immune-Microbiome Interactions In Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease

Uncovering the intricacies of the gut microbiome and how it interacts with the host immune system has opened up pathways in the search for the treatment of disease conditions. Alcohol-associated liver disease is a major cause of death worldwide. Research has shed light on the breakdown of the protective gut barriers, translocation of gut microbes to the liver and inflammatory immune response to microbes all contributing to alcohol-associated liver disease. This knowledge has opened up avenues for alternative therapies to alleviate alcohol-associated liver disease based on the interaction of the commensal gut microbiome as a key player in the regulation of the immune response. This review describes the relevance of the intestinal immune system, the gut microbiota, and specialized and non-specialized intestinal cells in the regulation of intestinal homeostasis. It also reflects how these components are altered during alcohol-associated liver disease and discusses new approaches for potential future therapies in alcohol-associated liver disease.
MRI and MRCP

With continued advancement in resolution and imaging techniques, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become one of the main diagnostic and staging tools for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. High soft tissue contrast and sensitivity for detecting lymph node, liver, vascular, or peritoneal involvement of the disease makes MRI an ideal imaging tool for surgical and treatment planning. In this chapter, MRI techniques and MRI characteristics of pancreatic adenocarcinoma will be introduced.
BackREST: A Model-Based Feedback-Driven Greybox Fuzzer for Web Applications.

Following the advent of the American Fuzzy Lop (AFL), fuzzing had a surge in popularity, and modern day fuzzers range from simple blackbox random input generators to complex whitebox concolic frameworks that are capable of deep program introspection. Web application fuzzers, however, did not benefit from the tremendous advancements in fuzzing for binary programs and remain largely blackbox in nature. This paper introduces BackREST, a fully automated, model-based, coverage- and taint-driven fuzzer that uses its feedback loops to find more critical vulnerabilities, faster (speedups between 7.4x and 25.9x). To model the server-side of web applications, BackREST automatically infers REST specifications through directed state-aware crawling. Comparing BackREST against three other web fuzzers on five large (>500 KLOC) Node.js applications shows how it consistently achieves comparable coverage while reporting more vulnerabilities than state-of-the-art. Finally, using BackREST, we uncovered nine 0-days, out of which six were not reported by any other fuzzer. All the 0-days have been disclosed and most are now public, including two in the highly popular Sequelize and Mongodb libraries.
Is the Way Forward to Step Back? Documenting the Frequency with which Study Goals are Misaligned with Study Methods and Interpretations in the Epidemiologic Literature.

In any research study, there is an underlying research process that should begin with a clear articulation of the study's goal. The study's goal drives this process; it determines many study features including the estimand of interest, the analytic approaches that can be used to estimate it, and which coefficients, if any, should be interpreted. "Misalignment" can occur in this process when analytic approaches and/or interpretations do not match the study's goal; misalignment is potentially more likely to arise when study goals are ambiguously framed. This study documented misalignment in the observational epidemiologic literature and explored how the framing of study goals contributes to its occurrence. The following misalignments were examined: 1) use of an inappropriate variable selection approach for the goal (a "goal-methods" misalignment) and 2) interpretation of coefficients of variables for which causal considerations were not made (e.g., Table 2 Fallacy, a "goal-interpretation" misalignment). A random sample of 100 articles published 2014-2018 in the top 5 general epidemiology journals were reviewed. Most reviewed studies were causal, with either explicitly stated (13/103, 13%) or associationally-framed (71/103, 69%) aims. Full alignment of goal-methods-interpretations was infrequent (9/103, 9%), although clearly causal studies (5/13, 38%) were more often fully aligned than seemingly causal ones (3/71, 4%). Goal-methods misalignments were common (34/103, 33%), but most frequently, methods were insufficiently reported to draw conclusions (47/103, 46%). Goal-interpretations misalignments occurred in 31% (32/103) of studies and occurred less often when the methods were aligned (2/103, 2%) compared with when the methods were misaligned (13/103, 13%).
Depression in Older Adults 12 Months Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A TRACK-TBI Study

Objective To investigate depression at 12 months following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in older compared with younger adults. Design Prospective longitudinal cohort study of persons with medically documented mild, moderate, and severe TBI at 12 months post-injury. Setting Eighteen participating Level One trauma centers in the U.S. Participants 1,505 participants with TBI and primary outcome data at 12-month follow-up. Intervention Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Results PHQ-9 total scores were significantly lower for older adults (age≥65)(M = 3.2) as compared with younger adults (age Conclusions At 12-months post-TBI, older adults endorse lower depressive symptoms than their younger counterparts and are less likely to experience major depression; however, over one-fourth of older adults endorsed symptoms consistent with depression, warranting evaluation and treatment.
Chance and Temporal Asymmetry, edited by Alastair Wilson

Chance is intimately tied to time's arrow in many puzzling ways. Start with chance. Toss a fair coin in the air. It has a 50% chance of landing heads, but after landing we presume the chance has va...
Balance or Bias

The following article is an abridged version of a report prepared for the ERST 635 Group Case Study as part of the Master of Environmental Policy programme at Lincoln University in 2012. The purpose of this study was to analyse the policy process and development behind New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf legislation, which recently was enacted and is now law. The authors of the full report are David Birch, Roby Fadillah, Beatriz Iriarte Marrero, Ruth Markham-Short, Alicia Paulsen and Lara Peter.
Specific Gravity and Voids Relationships in Bituminous Pavement Mix Design

THE USE OF VOIDS CRITERIA HAS BEEN ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS' METHOD FOR DESIGN AND CONTROL OF BITUMINOUS PAVEMENTS.HOWEVER, CERTAIN LIMITATIONS IN THE USE OF VOIDS CRITERIA HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A RESULT OF CONTINUING RESEARCH BY THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS. THIS PAPER DISCUSSES THE BASIC PROBLEM OF SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF AGGREGATES FOR USE IN CALCULATING VOIDS IN BITUMINOUS MIXES, THE APPLICATION OF THE CALCULATED VOIDS DATA, AND A NEW APPROACH IN BITUMINOUS PAVEMENT DESIGN BEING DEVELOPED BY THE FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT LABORATORY, SOILS DIVISION, OF THE WATERWAYS EXPERIMENT STATION WHICH MAY ELIMINATE THE NECESSITY FOR VOIDS CALCULATIONS.
Transfollicular Drug Delivery

The hair follicle, hair shaft, and sebaceous gland collectively form what is recognized as the pilosebaceous unit. This complex, three-dimensional structure within the skin possesses a unique biochemistry, metabolism and immunology. Recent studies have focused on the hair follicle as a potential pathway for both localized and systemic drug delivery. Greater understanding of the structure and function of the hair follicle may facilitate rational design of drug formulations to target follicular delivery. Targeted drug delivery may enhance current therapeutic approaches to treating diseases of follicular origin. Presented here is a review of follicular drug delivery and a discussion of the feasibility of the pilosebaceous unit as a target site.
Optimal Use of Demand Information in Supply Chain Management

Alan Greenspan was puzzled by the data on his computer screen. Capital expenditures in high technology were rising sharply, unemployment was declining, prices were holding steady and profits were rising. At the same time, the Labor Department’s statistics showed that productivity had decreased by one percent during the second quarter. Greenspan did not agree with the productivity data. He found the missing link in the Survey of Current Business from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Woodward [44], which indicated that business inventories were shrinking significantly while the economy was growing. This suggested that new computer technology was allowing just-in-time orders. Instead of stocking products weeks or months in advance, businesses could keep detailed track of what was needed and order within days, while competitive pressures were forcing quality control. Greenspan eventually became convinced by this argument and voiced it publicly in the State of the Economy address before the Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, January 20, 1999.
Direct flux monitoring technique for locating rotor cage defects-how well does it work?

Several methods were developed to detect rotor bar failures in running motors. Those methods have three shortcomings: none are infallible; neither exact number nor exact location of defects are disclosed; bars not completely broken are unlikely to be detected. Other fault localization methods must then be used when the motor is not running and the rotor has been removed for inspection. One such method involves electromagnetically energizing the entire cage to search for faults not readily visible. A discussion is presented of that procedure in light of a variety of results obtained on large machines up to 6000 HP. >
QRS duration changes in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome undergoing hybrid palliation: prehybrid to post-Fontan.

Background QRS prolongation has been shown to be a predictor of mortality in patients with certain forms of congenital heart disease. QRS changes have not been well described in patients with single ventricle physiology, particularly in those undergoing the hybrid procedure. Objective To describe QRS changes in a cohort of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) who underwent hybrid palliation and to evaluate if QRS duration is associated with mortality. Methods Chart review of 54 patients with HLHS who underwent hybrid procedure between 2002 and 2009 was performed. Patients awaiting surgical palliation were excluded. Patients who survived Fontan completion (HLHS-S, n = 30) were compared to non-survivor (HLHS-NS, n = 24). Electrocardiograms were reviewed for maximal QRS duration (ms) at three pre- and postsurgical stages: (1) hybrid procedure, (2) comprehensive stage 2 procedure, and (3) Fontan procedure. Results In HLHS-S, there was a significant increase in QRS from birth to Fontan completion (15.6 ± 9.3 ms). QRS duration increased 8.5 ± 8.9 ms between posthybrid to precomprehensive stage 2, and 5.4 ± 9.7 ms between postcomprehensive stage 2 to Fontan. Following Fontan procedure, mean QRS decreased 4.3 ± 8.5 ms. There was no significant mean difference in QRS change between HLHS-S and HLHS-NS following hybrid procedure. Pre- and posthybrid and pre- and postcomprehensive stage 2 QRS durations were not different between HLHS-S and HLHS-NS who underwent a comprehensive stage 2 procedure. There was a significant difference in QRS difference following comprehensive stage 2 in HLHS-S (0.9 ± 7.1 ms) compared to HLHS-NS (−7.1 ± 10.0 ms). Conclusions QRS duration significantly increased from hybrid to Fontan completion in HLHS-S. There was a significant decrease in QRS duration in patients who died following comprehensive stage 2 procedure. Larger studies are needed to assess the significance of these QRS changes.
Back Pain in Former Intercollegiate Rowers A Long-term Follow-up Study

Background: Research has shown that 32% of intercollegiate rowers develop back pain during their college career.Hypothesis: Rowers who develop back pain in college are more likely than the general population to have back pain later in life.Study Design: Survey.Methods: Surveys from 1561 former intercollegiate rowing athletes were analyzed. Subjects who completed the surveys had graduated from college at a mean and median of 13 years previously, with a range of 0 to 20 years between graduation and completion of the survey. The survey was designed to determine the presence of back pain and its severity before, during, and after intercollegiate rowing. Back pain was defined as pain that lasted at least 1 week.Results: Age was a significant predictor of back pain after college. Nevertheless, the lifetime prevalence of back pain in former intercollegiate rowers was no different from that of the general population (51.4% versus 60% to 80%). However, rowers who developed back pain in college had more subsequent ...
WHEN IS TEMPLATE DIRECTED MINERALIZATION REALLY TEMPLATE DIRECTED

In-situ synchrotron X-ray scattering clarifies the role of templating on calcium carbonate mineralization. Fatty acid monolayers are reorganized by Ca2+ in the subphase, into structures with no epitaxial relation to CaCO3 planes. Crystals are not oriented relative to the film; kinetics dominates polytype selection.
Regeneration of sialic acid on the surface of Chinese hamster cells in culture. I. General characteristics of the replacement process.

Treatment of cultured CHO cells with neuraminidase reduced the mean surface sialic acid density to less than 10% of pretreatment values. Upon return to culture the mean density returned to pretreatment values within 12--16 hours. During the period of surface sialic acid deficiency, no effect on cell volume, cell division, or attachment and spreading of cells on glass could be discerned. Surface sialic acid regeneration occurred at the same rate in suspension and monolayer cultures. Cells treated with neuraminidase, then with 10 mM thymidine or 6 μg/ml actinomycin D, ceased division yet replaced their surface sialic acid at the usual rate. By contrast puromycin (50 μg/ml), while stopping cell division, caused rapid inhibition of the regeneration process. Puromycin did not prevent cells untreated with neuraminidase from maintaining their control amount of surface sialic acid per cell.
The Small Heat Shock Protein Cage from Methanococcus jannaschii Is a Versatile Nanoscale Platform for Genetic and Chemical Modification

Nature has provided us with a range of reactive nanoscale platforms, in the form of protein cage architectures such as viral capsids and the cages of ferritin-like proteins. Protein cage architectures have clearly demarcated exterior, interior, and interface surfaces consisting of precisely located chemical functionalities. In the present work, we demonstrate that the small heat shock protein (MjHsp) cage from Methanococcus jannaschii is a new and versatile nanoscale platform whose exterior and interior surfaces are amenable to both genetic and chemical modification. Wild type and genetic mutants of the Hsp cage are shown to react with activated fluorescein molecules in a site specific manner. In addition, the 12 nm Hsp cage serves as a size constrained reaction vessel for the oxidative mineralization of iron, resulting in the formation of monodispersed 9 nm iron oxide nanoparticles. These results demonstrate the utility of the Hsp cage to serve as a nanoscale platform for the synthesis of both soft (orga...