cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TH-A-204-01: Part I - Key Data for Ionizing-Radiation Dosimetry

The ICRU is currently finalizing a report on key data for radiation dosimetry. This multi-year review has resulted in a number of recommendations regarding “fundamental” data that are used in dosimetry related to radiation therapy. This educational session will explain the background for the ICRU committee's work, the content and conclusions of the report and the impact on outputs, including NIST primary standards, ADCL calibration coefficients and clinical reference dosimetry. Parameters and beam modalities potentially affected by this report include: The mean excitation energy, I, for graphite, air, and water, The average energy required to create an ion pair in dry air (commonly referred to as W/e), The uncertainty in the determination of air kerma in kV x-rays The absolute value of Co-60 and Cs-137 primary standards and the dissemination of calibration coefficients, The determination of air kerma strength for Ir-192 HDR brachytherapy sources Ion chamber kQ factors for linac MV beams Ion chamber kQ factors for proton beams. The changes in reference dosimetry that would result from adoption of the ICRU recommendations are of the order of 0.5% to 1%, an effect that will not impact clinical dose delivery but will be detectable in the clinical setting. This session will also outline how worldwide metrology is coordinated through the Convention of the Meter and therefore how the international dosimetry community will proceed with adopting these recommendations so that uniformity from country to country in reference dosimetry is maintained. Timelines and communications methods will also be discussed to ensure that users, such as clinical medical physicists, are not surprised when their chamber's calibration coefficient apparently changes. Learning Objectives: 1.Understand the background for the ICRU committee's work on key dosimetry data. 2.Understand the proposed changes to key data and the impacts on reference dosimetry. 3.Understand the methodology and timeline for adoption of the ICRU recommendations.
To Measure the Sky: Matter and light

Because atomic behavior is so unlike ordinary experience, it is very difficult to get used to, and it appears peculiar and mysterious to everyone – both to the novice and to the experienced physicist. Even experts do not understand it the way they would like to, and it is perfectly reasonable that they should not, because all of direct human experience and of human intuition applies to large objects. – Richard Feynman, The Feynman Lectures on Physics , 1965 Chapter 1 introduced the situations that produce line and continuous spectra as summarized by Kirchhoff's laws of spectrum analysis. This chapter descends to the microscopic level to examine the interaction between photons and atoms. We show how the quantum mechanical view accounts for Kirchhoff's laws, and how atomic and molecular structure determines the line spectra of gasses. To understand modern astronomical detectors, we also turn to a quantum mechanical account – this time of the interaction between light and matter in the solid state. The discussion assumes you have had an introduction to quantum mechanics in a beginning college physics course. We will pay particular attention to some simple configurations of solids: the metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitor, the p–n junction, the photo-emissive surface, and the superconducting Josephson junction. Each of these is the physical basis for a distinct class of astronomical detector.
Approach to the Patient with Suspected Renal Artery Stenosis

Atherosclerosis is the underlying mechanism of 90 % of all renal artery stenosis (RAS). There remains a great variability in response to blood pressure control and/or kidney function with percutaneous RAS intervention. Patient selection to determine those who will benefit the most from renal revascularization is the key to correct management of this complex disease state. The purpose of this chapter is to describe an approach to RAS that takes epidemiology, demographics, and kidney function into account prior to intervention.
Positive versus negative effects of VEGF165 on Ca2+ signaling and NO production in human endothelial cells.

In this manuscript, we show that VEGF levels associated with preeclampsia are a net negative contributor to potential vasodilator production in both a human ex vivo and in vitro endothelial cell mo...
Immunodeficiency-Associated Lymphoid Hyperplasia As a Cause of Intussusception in a Case of Activated PI3K-δ Syndrome.

Activated PI3K-Delta Syndrome (APDS) refers to a recently described primary immunodeficiency syndrome consisting of recurrent sinopulmonary infections, lymphadenopathy, mucosal lymphoid aggregates, increased susceptibility to Epstein Barr-virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV), and increased incidence of B-cell lymphomas. Variants in PIK3CD, which encodes the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit delta isoform, enhance membrane association and kinase activity, resulting in increased signal transduction through the PI3K-Akt pathway. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a pathogenic PIK3CD variant in a patient with history of immunologic impairment, recurrent sinopulmonary infections and lymphoid hyperplasia presenting as intussusception. This case illustrates that while lymphoid hyperplasia secondary to immunodeficiency is most often unsurprising and nonthreatening, it can present as an emergency like intussusception.
Vasectomy was associated with lower mortality

Source Citation Giovannucci E, Tosteson TD, Speizer FE, Vessey MP, Colditz GA. A long-term study of mortality in men who have undergone vasectomy. N Engl J Med. 1992 May 21;326:1392-8.
Thermo-Physical and Impact Properties of Epoxy Containing Epoxidized Linseed Oil, 2†

Biobased neat epoxy materials containing epoxidized linseed oil (ELO) were processed with an anhydride curing agent. A defined amount of the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol F (DGEBF) was replaced by ELO. The selection of the DGEBF, ELO, and an anhydride curing agent resulted in an excellent combination, to provide a new biobased epoxy material showing high elastic modulus, high glass transition temperature, and high heat distortion temperature (HDT) with larger amounts of ELO. The Izod impact strength was almost constant while changing the amount of ELO. This is a promising result for future industrial applications in different engineering industries.
Scalable, "Dip-and-Dry" Fabrication of a Wide-Angle Plasmonic Selective Absorber for High-Efficiency Solar-Thermal Energy Conversion.

A galvanic-displacement-reaction-based, room-temperature “dip-and-dry” technique is demonstrated for fabricating selectively solar-absorbing plasmonic-nanoparticle-coated foils (PNFs). The technique, which allows for facile tuning of the PNFs' spectral reflectance to suit different radiative and thermal environments, yields PNFs which exhibit excellent, wide-angle solar absorptance (0.96 at 15°, to 0.97 at 35°, to 0.79 at 80°), and low hemispherical thermal emittance (0.10) without the aid of antireflection coatings. The thermal emittance is on par with those of notable selective solar absorbers (SSAs) in the literature, while the wide-angle solar absorptance surpasses those of previously reported SSAs with comparable optical selectivities. In addition, the PNFs show promising mechanical and thermal stabilities at temperatures of up to 200 °C. Along with the performance of the PNFs, the simplicity, inexpensiveness, and environmental friendliness of the “dip-and-dry” technique makes it an appealing alternative to current methods for fabricating selective solar absorbers.
Life’s Late Digital Revolution and Why It Matters for the Study of the Origins of Life

The information contained in life exists in two forms, analog and digital. Analog information is manifest mainly in the differing concentrations of chemicals that get passed from generation to generation and can vary from cell to cell. Digital information is encoded in linear polymers such as DNA and RNA, whose side chains come in discrete chemical forms. Here, we argue that the analog form of information preceded the digital. Acceptance of this dichotomy, and this progression, can help direct future studies on how life originated and initially complexified on the primordial Earth, as well as expected trajectories for other, independent origins of complex life.
Ethical Vulnerability in Social Work Education: An Analysis of Nasw Complaints

This article reports the findings of a study reviewing ethics complaints filed with the National Association of Social Workers from 1986-97 and details the degree to which students, faculty, and field instructors are the subject of allegations and findings of misconduct. The research is examined in light of the literature on supervision, academic misconduct, and student and personnel grievances. It concludes with recommendations for promoting ethical practice in social work education.
A non-cooperative game theoretic approach for power allocation in intersatellite communication

Static interference management techniques to enable multiple access intersatellite communication in small satellite networks can be inefficient noting the unpredictable variations in network conditions. Game Theory (GT) is a powerful mathematical tool to model the interactions among the cognitive small satellites to observe the network variations as well as actions of other satellites and make the best decisions to optimize their performance. In this paper, a network of multiple slave satellites that want to communicate with a single master satellite over an interference channel is considered. We propose a distributed power allocation mechanism using a non-cooperative game theoretic model to enable the slave satellites to select the optimal power strategy to reduce the interference level and maximize their utility functions. Using a pricing algorithm to control the aggressive behavior of the players of the game, the optimum pricing factor for the system and the optimal values of the power for slave satellites are defined. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first one to propose a decentralized power allocation mechanism in autonomous small satellite networks using a game theoretic model. The simulation results show the performance of this proposed model in enhancing the network sum-throughput.
The telling board: an interactive storyboarding tool for children

The Telling Board uses the concept of storyboarding (organizing graphics in sequence) to enable children ages 6 and up to conceptualize and build their own narratives. By populating square grids on the board with their choice of either pre-illustrated or their own hand drawn "story cards," children practice crafting stories in sequence from beginning to end. They are able to tell those stories and share them via a built-in recording mechanism on the board.We hope to discover how The Telling Board drives creative thinking and may encourage children to practice verbal communication of personally meaningful stories. In this paper, we describe the design of The Telling Board, analyze the meaning of storyboarding, story crafting, and storytelling. In addition, we will explore future direction of the tool.
Imaging studies of memory and attention

Functional brain imaging studies of memory and attention with positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging demonstrate involvement of specific regions of the normal human brain. Possible anatomical substrates for different types of memory have been identified. Different aspects of attention mechanisms, such as modulation of early visual areas, shifts of attention, and selection of response, also appear to involve specific anatomic regions revealed by imaging. Many of these studies show activation in regions clinically considered to be "silent" regions.
Enzymic studies on the biosynthesis of streptomycin. Transamidination of inosamine and streptamine derivatives.

Abstract 1. Heat extracts of mature mycelia of streptomycin-producing strains of Streptomyces contain two compounds which, when incubated with arginine-guanidino-14C plus a crude enzyme preparation from S. griseus ATCC 12475 containing arginine : X amidinotransferase, give products detected as radioactive Peaks I and II. Heat extracts from S. bluensis var. bluensis, which synthesizes bluensomycin, a monoguanidinated analogue of streptomycin, give only Peak I. A number of Streptomyces strains which do not produce streptomycin and which normally give neither Peak I nor Peak II give Peak II after exposure during growth to added streptidine. Evidence is presented that Peak I is N-amidino-scyllo-inosamine-P and Peak II is streptidine-P. 2. Purified amidinotransferase preparations from derepressed S. griseus ATCC 12475 and S. bikiniensis, both streptomycin producers, and a crude enzyme preparation from S. bluensis catalyze the following transamidinations with chemically phosphorylated acceptor compounds: arginine : scyllo-inosamine-P, arginine: streptamine-P, and arginine : 2-deoxystreptamine-P. In each case only one amino group is transamidinated, with the respective formation of N-amidino - scyllo - inosamine - P, N - amidinostreptamine - P, and N-amidino-2-deoxystreptamine-P. Location of the single phosphate group is unknown. Treatment with alkaline phosphatase gives the corresponding dephosphorylated derivatives. 3. Crude enzyme preparations from S. griseus and S. bikiniensis catalyze incorporation of radioactivity from arginine-guanidino-14C into streptidine-P after a lag period which is eliminated following preincubation in the absence of arginine. Preincubation presumably transforms streptidine-P into the actual amidine acceptor, which can now react more rapidly with purified amidinotransferases and the S. bluensis enzyme. 4. A scheme for biosynthesis of the streptidine moiety of streptomycin, the bluensidine moiety of bluensomycin, and the deoxystreptamine moieties of kanamycin and neomycin is presented.
US-based cross-sectional survey of clinicians' knowledge and attitudes about shared decision-making across healthcare professions and specialties.

Objective In this study, we aim to compare shared decision-making (SDM) knowledge and attitudes between US-based physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs) and physicians across surgical and family medicine specialties. Setting We administered a cross-sectional, web-based survey between 20 September 2017 and 1 November 2017. Participants 272 US-based NPs, PA and physicians completed the survey. 250 physicians were sent a generic email invitation to participate, of whom 100 completed the survey. 3300 NPs and PAs were invited, among whom 172 completed the survey. Individuals who met the following exclusion criteria were excluded from participation: (1) lack of English proficiency; (2) area of practice other than family medicine or surgery; (3) licensure other than physician, PA or NP; (4) practicing in a country other than the US. Results We found few substantial differences in SDM knowledge and attitudes across clinician types, revealing positive attitudes across the sample paired with low to moderate knowledge. Family medicine professionals (PAs) were most knowledgeable on several items. Very few respondents (3%; 95% CI 1.5% to 6.2%) favoured a paternalistic approach to decision-making. Conclusions Recent policy-level promotion of SDM may have influenced positive clinician attitudes towards SDM. Positive attitudes despite limited knowledge warrant SDM training across occupations and specialties, while encouraging all clinicians to promote SDM. Given positive attitudes and similar knowledge across clinician types, we recommend that SDM is not confined to the patient-physician dyad but instead advocated among other health professionals.
COMPARATIVE DESTRUCTION OF AIR-BORNE LACTIC BACTERIOPHAGES BY VARIOUS GERMICIDES APPLIED AS AEROSOLS1,2

Summary The chlorine-releasing compounds were highly effective in destroying air-borne lactic streptococcus bacteriophages 144F and 18–16. At a concentration of .048 ppm available chlorine in the c...
Addressing Variability and Heterogeneity of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer great promise in the areas of disease modeling, basic research, drug development, and regenerative medicine. Much of their value comes from the fact that they can be used to create otherwise inaccessible cell types, such as cardiomyocytes, which are genetically matched to a patient or any other individual of interest. A consistent issue plaguing the iPSC platform, however, involves excessive variability exhibited in the differentiated products. This includes discrepancies in genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptional features, cell signalling, the cell types produced from cardiac differentiation, and cardiomyocyte functionality. These properties can result from both the somatic source cells and environmental conditions related to the derivation and handling of these cells. Understanding the potential sources of variability, along with determining which factors are most relevant to a given application, are essential in advancing iPSC-based technologies.
Transition-Metal-Catalyzed and -Mediated Reactions

Many widely used organic reactions require the use of transition metals. You have probably already learned about metal-catalyzed hydrogenations of alkenes and alkynes, dihydroxylation of alkenes using OsO4, and the use of lithium di-alkylcuprates (Gilman reagents) as “soft” nucleophiles. Although the mechanisms of many of these reactions appear mysterious, in fact they are quite easy to understand (in most cases) using some very basic principles. This chapter discusses some of the typical reactions of transition metals. These principles will then be applied to understanding some of the organic transformations mediated by these metals.
Transcriptome analysis of rubber biosynthesis in guayule ( Parthenium argentatum gray)

Natural rubber is currently produced nearly exclusively from latex of the Para rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis. The desire to reduce the environmental cost of rubber production, fears of pathogen susceptibility in clonal Hevea plantations, volatility in the price of natural rubber, and increasing labor costs have motivated efforts to diversify the supply of natural rubber by developing alternative rubber crops such as guayule (Parthenium argentatum Gray). In Hevea, latex is produced as an exudate following wounding while in guayule, rubber is deposited within the cortical parenchyma and its production is strongly influenced by environmental conditions. To better understand the enzymology and regulation of guayule rubber biosynthesis and to identify genes with potential uses in the improvement of rubber yields, we conducted de novo transcriptome assembly and differential gene expression analyses of this process in guayule. This analysis supports a role for rubber in the defense against pathogens, identified new enzymes potentially involved in the biosynthesis of rubber as well as transcription factors specifically expressed in rubber-producing tissues. Data presented here will be useful in the improvement of guayule as an alternative source of natural rubber and in better understanding the biosynthesis of this critical polymer. In particular, some of the candidate transcription factors are likely to control the rubber biosynthesis pathway and are good targets for molecular breeding or engineering of guayule plants with higher and more consistent production of rubber.
Stability of On-Chip Power Delivery Systems With Multiple Low-Dropout Regulators

Low-dropout (LDO) voltage regulators have become prominent elements of on-chip power delivery systems due to the increasing importance of separate voltage domains, fast dynamic voltage scaling, and the need for high-quality power. As the number of LDOs sharing a common power network increases, the stability of the power grid can degrade if the resonance frequency due to the off-chip parasitic impedances is not sufficiently separated from the unity gain frequency of the regulator. In this paper, this source of instability in power delivery networks, consisting of multiple LDO regulators with a balanced load, is described. The effect of the number of LDOs on the resonance frequency of the power delivery network is evaluated to determine the stability of the system when the LDOs operate under similar load conditions.
Optimal tuning of multi-rank keyboards

The Helmholtzian theory of sensory consonance by spectral matching has been used by many scholars to evaluate equal temperaments. This approach highlights certain temperaments, such as the 12-, 19-...
Adjusting Emission Wavelength by Tuning the IntermolecularDistance in Charge-Regulated Supramolecular Assemblies

Controlling and measuring intermolecular distance in supramolecular structures are particularly important, as the intermolecular distance and the corresponding intermolecular forces dominate the fe...
Multimorbidity and mortality risk in hospitalized adults with chronic inflammatory skin disease in the United States

Chronic inflammatory skin diseases (CISD) represent a significant burden of skin disease in the United States, and a growing number of studies demonstrate that CISD are associated with multiple comorbidities. However, few studies examined multimorbidity in adults with CISD. We sought to determine whether hospitalized US adults with chronic inflammatory skin disorders have increased multi-morbidity and mortality risk. Data from the 2002–2012 Nationwide Inpatient Sample were analyzed, including a representative 20% sample of US hospitalizations. Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and mean estimated 10-year survival were calculated. Multivariable linear regression models were constructed with CCI score and mean estimated 10-year survival as the dependent variables and chronic inflammatory skin diagnosis, age and sex as the independent variables. CCI scores were significantly higher in bullous pemphigoid (P = 0.0005) and dermatomyositis (P < 0.0001), lower in hidradenitis suppurativa (P < 0.0001), pemphigus (P < 0.0001), rosacea (P < 0.0001), and not significantly different in atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, and lichen planus compared to psoriasis. Conversely, the mean estimated 10-year survival was higher in pemphigus (P = 0.0451), lichen planus (P = 0.0352), rosacea (P < 0.0001), lower in bullous pemphigoid and dermatomyositis (P < 0.0001), and similar in atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, and hidradenitis suppurativa compared to psoriasis. Each CISD had a distinct profile of comorbidities when compared to psoriasis. Hospitalized adults with multiple CISD have increased multimorbidity and decreased 10-year survival. Further studies are needed to develop multidisciplinary strategies aimed at preventing and treating multimorbidity, especially modifiable cardiovascular factors in adults with CISD.
Numerical testing of evolution theories

An interpretive system for the IBM 704 computer permitting interpretation of the genetic pattern of a numeric symbioorganism as a game strategy has been developed. Selection for best performance in a simple game (the game called Tac Tix published byGardner, 1958) has been applied in a preliminary experiment. An objective method to measure the quality of a game played is described. The results presented in the article show a small but significant improvement of game quality during a period of 2300 generations. The general characteristics of the phenomena observed are similar to those of preceding evolution experiments (Barricelli, 1962 and 1957). However, a startling infection process caused by a parasite whose behaviour was influenced by the game competition is described. The parasite never developed an independent game strategy to any degree of efficiency and was entirely dependent on its host organism for game competitions with, and transmission of the infection to, uninfected hosts. The consequences of substituting the reproduction and mutation rules (or “norm of action”) used in the preceding evolution experiments are discussed. Particularly, the use of rules (DNA-norm) applying the reproduction pattern ofDNA-molecules is considered, and the theoretic aspects of symbiogenetic evolution experiments based onDNA-norm are discussed. A few inferences concerning the origin and history of terrestrial life suggested by the results of the symbiogenesis experiments are presented.
A New Paroxetine-Based GRK2 Inhibitor Reduces Internalization of the μ-Opioid Receptor

G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) kinases (GRKs) play a key role in terminating signals initiated by agonist-bound GPCRs. However, chronic stimulation of GPCRs, such as that which occurs during heart failure, leads to the overexpression of GRKs and maladaptive downregulation of GPCRs on the cell surface. We previously reported the discovery of potent and selective families of GRK inhibitors based on either the paroxetine or GSK180736A scaffold. A new inhibitor, CCG258747, which is based on paroxetine, demonstrates increased potency against the GRK2 subfamily and favorable pharmacokinetic parameters in mice. CCG258747 and the closely related compound CCG258208 also showed high selectivity for the GRK2 subfamily in a kinome panel of 104 kinases. We developed a cell-based assay to screen the ability of CCG258747 and 10 other inhibitors with different GRK subfamily selectivities and with either the paroxetine or GSK180736A scaffold to block internalization of the μ-opioid receptor (MOR). CCG258747 showed the best efficacy in blocking MOR internalization among the compounds tested. Furthermore, we show that compounds based on paroxetine had much better cell permeability than those based on GSK180736A, which explains why GSK180736A-based inhibitors, although being potent in vitro, do not always show efficacy in cell-based assays. This study validates the paroxetine scaffold as the most effective for GRK inhibition in living cells, confirming that GRK2 predominantly drives internalization of MOR in the cell lines we tested and underscores the utility of high-resolution cell-based assays for assessment of compound efficacy. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) are attractive targets for developing therapeutics for heart failure. We have synthesized a new GRK2 subfamily-selective inhibitor, CCG258747, which has nanomolar potency against GRK2 and excellent selectivity over other kinases. A live-cell receptor internalization assay was used to test the ability of GRK2 inhibitors to impart efficacy on a GRK-dependent process in cells. Our data indicate that CCG258747 blocked the internalization of the μ-opioid receptor most efficaciously because it has the ability to cross cell membranes.
Effect of dietary nutrition on dental fluorosis degrees in school children

Objective To investigate the effect of dietary nutrition on dental fluorosis degrees of school children in endemic fluorosis areas. Methods Two hundred and eight children aged 8 to 12 years were chosen using cluster random sampling method from a village of municipal suburban and a town of autonomous region, both with a history of serious endemic fluorosis. Morning urinary fluoride was measured by fluoride ion electrode. The Tooth Surface Index of Dean was applied to measure the severity of dental fluorosis. Food and nutrient intakes were analyzed according to the 3-day diet records and duplicate meals. Results The urinary fluoride concentration of the children in the town [(6.80±3.90)mg/L]was much higher than those in the village [(5.20±2.75)mg/L, t= 3.21, P < 0.01]. Dental fluorosis index of the children in the town was 1.9, higher than that of the village of 1.8 (H=10.266, P < 0.01). The town had more children with fluoride tooth degree higher than Ⅱ [63.3%(57/90)]than the village did[48.3% (57/118), χ2=4.633, P < 0.05]. A 3-days diet records showed that children in the village ate more protein, calcium, vitamin C and so on but less dietary fiber, vitamin E, magnesium than those in the town did(all P < 0.01). Duplicate meals revealed that children in the town had more daily intake of magnesium, lithium, lead and less cadmium than those of the village did(P < 0.01 or < 0.05). Children in the village had higher intake of fluoride[(2.24±1.18)mg/d]than those of the town [(1.78±0.06)mg/d, t = 4.21, P < 0.01]. Conclusions Healthy diet can reduce the incidence of dental fluorosis or mitigate the degree of the impairment. This study can provide scientific basis for the future control and elimination of endemic fluorosis. Key words: Diet surveys; Fluoride poisoning; Fluorosis, dental
Gone with the Galactic wind

A Galactic wind blowing from the Milky Way nucleus has swept up a few hundred clouds of atomic gas. New observations reveal dense molecular cores in two of these clouds, indicating a high loss rate of interstellar gas from the Galactic centre.
Crafting an Image

This chapter is an exploration of how bakers presented themselves to the public and how they constructed not only a collective identity but also a communal ideology. Chapter Six relies heavily on the iconography commissioned by commercial bakers for their tombs, shop signs, and personal accoutrement. In the past, such iconography has largely been read as a documentation of workshop activity, but these images are in fact visual expressions of how the bakers wanted to be perceived, what they valued about their occupations, and their aspirations for themselves and their progeny. As such they offer unique evidence, not for what bakers did or how they lived, but for what they believed. In general, bakers uniformly emphasized trustworthiness and quality work, but businessmen bakers such as Eurysaces in Rome also emphasized their indirect participation by highlighting training and management.
Development of near-infrared imaging agents for detection of junction adhesion molecule-A protein.

Abstract Introduction Prostate and breast cancer are the most prevalent primary malignant human tumors globally. Prostatectomy and breast conservative surgery remain the most common definitive treatment option for the >500,000 men and women newly diagnosed with localized prostate and breast cancer each year only in the US. Morphological examination is the mainstay of diagnosis but margin under-sampling of the excised cancer tissue may lead to local recurrence. In despite of the progress of non-invasive optical imaging, there is still a clinical need for targeted optical imaging probes that could rapidly and globally visualize cancerous tissues. Methods Elevated expression of junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) on tumor cells and its multiple pro-tumorigenic activity make the JAM-A a candidate for molecular imaging. Near-infrared imaging probe, which employed anti-JAM-A monoclonal antibody (mAb) phthalocyanine dye IR700 conjugates (JAM-A mAb/IR700), was synthesized and used to identify and visualize heterotopic human prostate and breast tumor mouse xenografts in vivo. Results The intravenously injected JAM-A mAb/IR700 conjugates enabled the non-invasive detection of prostate and breast cancerous tissue by fluorescence imaging. A single dose of JAM-A mAb/IR700 reduced number of mitotic cancer cells in vivo, indicating theranostic ability of this imaging agent. The JAM-A mAb/IR700 conjugates allowed us to image a specific receptor expression in prostate and breast tumors without post-image processing. Conclusion This agent demonstrates promise as a method to image the extent of prostate and breast cancer in vivo and could assist with real-time visualization of extracapsular extension of cancerous tissue.
Parental Bereavement in Older Age: A Scoping Review:

A scoping review of parental bereavement in older age was conducted to identify the unique needs of older adults after the loss of an adult child. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed in...
Optimizing opioid use disorder treatment with naltrexone or buprenorphine.

Abstract Background Relapse rates during opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment remain unacceptably high. It is possible that optimally matching patients with medication type would reduce risk of relapse. Our objective was to learn a rule by which to assign type of medication for OUD to reduce risk of relapse, and to estimate the extent to which risk of relapse would be reduced if such a rule were used. Methods This was a secondary analysis of an open-label randomized controlled, 24-week comparative effectiveness trial of injection extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX), delivered approximately every 28 days, or daily sublingual buprenorphine-naloxone (BUP-NX) for treating OUD, 2014–2017 (N = 570). Outcome was a binary indicator of relapse to regular opioid use during the 24 weeks of outpatient treatment. Results We found that applying an estimated individualized treatment rule—i.e., a rule that assigns patients with OUD to either XR-NTX or BUP-NX based on their individual characteristics in such a way that risk of relapse is minimized—would reduce risk of relapse by 24 weeks by 12% compared to randomly assigned treatment. Conclusions The number-needed-to-treat with the estimated treatment rule to prevent a single relapse is 14. A simpler, alternative estimated rule in which homeless participants would be treated with XR-NTX and stably housed participants would be treated with BUP-NX performed similarly. These results provide an estimate of the amount by which a relatively simple change in clinical practice could be expected to improve prevention of OUD relapse.
Applying Tracer , a Methodological Driven Model, to Project Control in the Research and Development Environment

Project Management in the research and development environment is a complex operation, involving not only general management techniques but also a technical appreciation of the process of R & D projects and the disciplines involved. The concepts and techniques that can be utilised are therefore diverse, and range from critical path analysis to the management of a project control life cycle. The common thread that runs throughout project management is the involvement of people. The project managers, design engineers, accountants, production personnel and contract managers work together, or at least ought to, to achieve a profitable, on time, result. The nature of this system is, therefore, a Human Interactive System and, as such, a close consideration of human aspects is important to achieve success.
Chapter 24 DNA Recombination and Repair in Oocytes Eggs, and Extracts

Publisher Summary This chapter describes successful approaches to investigation recombination in oocytes and/or eggs and the repair of mismatches, and lesions induced by ultraviolet (UV) and X irradiation. Xenopus oocytes store large quantities of materials for use in the early stages of embryogenesis. In the first several hours after fertilization, a major metabolic activity of cleavage stage embryos is DNA synthesis. It has been, therefore, no great surprise to find that enzymes involved in DNA metabolism are abundant in oocytes and eggs. In the cases of some of the enzymes, activities are masked or suppressed in oocytes, as oocytes are not capable of replicative DNA synthesis. In addition to replication, two other processes are usually included in the three Rs of DNA metabolism: recombination and repair. For purposes of this chapter, it is useful to distinguish two styles of recombination. Homologous recombination depends on extensive sequence similarity between interacting chromosomes, whereas homology-independent (or illegitimate) recombination leads to the joining of unrelated sequences, frequently by ligating molecular ends. DNA repair is a collective term for processes that deal with DNA damage of many different kinds.
Investor Objective and Financial Contracting: Evidence from the PIPE Market

We investigate empirically how investor objectives condition the design of financial contracts as manifest in private investment in public equity (PIPE) deals. We hypothesize that varying objectives among different types of institutional investors affect the observed allocation of cash flow rights, control rights, and other contractual protections. For instance, strategic investors are more likely to request control rights in comparison to financial investors and may be willing to trade off cash flow rights for control rights. Financial investors, in contrast, are more likely to demand investor protections and be adverse to contractual restrictions on their post-issue trading activity. Empirical analysis of more than 3000 PIPE deals occurring between 1999 and 2007 supports these hypotheses. We also find PIPEs associated with strategic investors outperform those with financial investors. The differences in performance can be explained by the contractual differences in PIPEs conditional on investor objective.
Lake and Reservoir Fate and Transport of Chemicals

“Eutrophication” is originally used to describe aging process whereby a lake is transformed from a lake to a marsh to a meadow (fill the lake with sediments). “Cultural eutrophication” occurs when the lake aging process is quickened or accelerated by excess nutrients from human activities [1]. Understanding of the fate and transport of water quality constituents in lakes and reservoirs is essential to sustaining water quality and fish habitat in these inland waters. Constituent is used generically and does not necessarily mean a polluting substance, e.g., dissolved oxygen (DO) is a relatively benign variable. The fate of a constitute typically depends on its transport (movement) through an inland water system (lake or reservoir) and on sources, sinks, chemical and biological reactions, and other decay mechanisms (e.g., settling). When sediment input is more than sediment outflow or nutrients are more than demands of aquatic plants, a lake or reservoir becomes not sustainable and the aging process of a lake is accelerated. The study of fate and transport of a substance in a lake or reservoir is to qualitatively and quantitatively account for mass balance of the substance through boundaries of and within the waterbody. Using the principle of the conservation of mass to investigate mass balance is not a new topic, but closely examining mass balance of various water quality constituents in inland waters was only started a few decades ago, and sustainability of aquatic systems is a relative new topic to researchers, water resources managers, and the public. Due to waterborne pathogens as one of the prime causes of disease, civil engineers began to plan, design, and construct urban water and wastewater systems in the late nineteenth century, and then the water quality management processes or models from streams to lakes and reservoirs emerged. In the United States (U.S.), Rivers and Harbors Act in 1899 to Federal Water Pollution Control Act in 1972 (subsequently amended and called the Act Clean Water Act) promoted studies on water quality in receiving waters. Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the potential for long-term maintenance of well-being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions. Sustainability in lakes and reservoirs involves how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time and how designated uses (e.g., water supply, recreation, fish and wildlife, etc.) endure over time. Lake and reservoir fate and transport involve understanding and maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems and environments that provide vital goods and services to humans and other organisms.
An Efficient Anonymous Authentication Protocol for RFID Systems Using Dynamic Tokens

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies are widely used in many applications. The widespread use of tags in traditional ways of deployment raises a privacy concern: They make their carriers track able. This paper studies the problem of anonymous authentication. Due to resource constraints of low-cost tags, we develop a new technique to generate dynamic tokens for anonymous authentication by following an asymmetric design principle that pushes most complexity to more powerful RFID readers. Instead of implementing complicated cryptographic hash functions, our authentication protocol only requires tags to perform several simple hardware-efficient operations such as bitwise XOR, one-bit left circular shift and bit flip. Moreover, our protocol reduces the communication overhead and online computation overhead to O(1) per authentication for both tags and readers, which compares favorably with the prior art.
Exercise-Induced Noradrenergic Activation Enhances Memory Consolidation in Both Normal Aging and Patients with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Post-trial pharmacological activation of the noradrenergic system can facilitate memory consolidation. Because exercise activates the locus coeruleus and increases brain norepinephrine release, we hypothesized that post-trial exercise could function as a natural stimulus to enhance memory consolidation. We investigated this in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and cognitively normal elderly individuals by examining the effects of an acute bout of post-learning, aerobic exercise (6 minutes at 70% VO2 max on a stationary bicycle) on memory for some emotional images. Exercise significantly elevated endogenous norepinephrine (measured via the biomarker, salivary alpha-amylase) in both aMCI patients and controls. Additionally, exercise retrogradely enhanced memory in both aMCI patients and controls. Acute exercise that activates the noradrenergic system may serve as a beneficial, natural, and practical therapeutic intervention for cognitive decline in the aging population.
Static and dynamic nonlinearity compensation techniques for high performance current-steering digital-to-analog converters

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix CHAPTER 1. OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.
How well do birth certificates describe the pregnancies they report? The Washington State experience with low-risk pregnancies.

Objectives: Birth certificates are a major source of population-based data on maternal and perinatal health, but their value depends on the accuracy of the data. This study assesses the validity of information recorded on the birth certificates for women in Washington State who were considered to be low risk at entry into care. Methods: Birth certificates were matched to data abstracted from prenatal and intrapartum clinic and hospital records of a sample of 1937 Washington State obstetrical patients who were considered to be low risk at the beginning of their pregnancies. Accuracy of a variety of pregnancy characteristics (e.g., complications, procedures) on the birth certificate was analyzed using percentage agreement and sensitivity with record abstracts as the “gold standard.” Next, we weighted the data from each source to produce estimates of pregnancy characteristics in the population. We compared these estimates from the two data sources to see whether they provide similar pictures of this subpopulation. Results: Missing data for specific items on the birth certificates ranged from 0% to 24%. The birth certificate accurately captured gravidity and parity, but was less likely to report prenatal and intrapartum complications. The population estimates of the two data sources were significantly different. Conclusions: Because birth certificates significantly underestimated the complications of pregnancies, number of interventions, number of procedures, and prenatal visits, use of these data for health policy development or resource allocation should be tempered with caution.
Benefits of overload for fatigue cracking at a notch

Abstract : Tests are described which measure the effect of compression overload on fatigue crack initiation and growth from a 0.1 mm radius notch in alloy steel KIc specimens. Other tests are described which measure the effect of tension overload on fatigue crack initiation and growth from a 3.4 mm root radius notch in similar specimens. The effect of overload on the number of cycles required for crack growth is described for both types of tests in relation to a residual stress model.
Somatic mutations associated with MRI-derived volumetric features in glioblastoma

Introduction MR imaging can noninvasively visualize tumor phenotype characteristics at the macroscopic level. Here, we investigated whether somatic mutations are associated with and can be predicted by MRI-derived tumor imaging features of glioblastoma (GBM). Methods Seventy-six GBM patients were identified from The Cancer Imaging Archive for whom preoperative T1-contrast (T1C) and T2-FLAIR MR images were available. For each tumor, a set of volumetric imaging features and their ratios were measured, including necrosis, contrast enhancing, and edema volumes. Imaging genomics analysis assessed the association of these features with mutation status of nine genes frequently altered in adult GBM. Finally, area under the curve (AUC) analysis was conducted to evaluate the predictive performance of imaging features for mutational status. Results Our results demonstrate that MR imaging features are strongly associated with mutation status. For example, TP53mutated tumors had significantly smaller contrast enhancing and necrosis volumes (p=0.012 and 0.017, respectively) and RB1-mutated tumors had significantly smaller edema volumes (p=0.015) compared to wild-type tumors. MRI volumetric features were also found to significantly predict mutational status. For example, AUC analysis results indicated that TP53, RB1,NF1, EGFR, and PDGFRA mutations could each be significantly predicted by at least one imaging feature. Conclusion MRI-derivedvolumetricfeaturesaresignificantly associated with and predictive of several cancer-relevant, drug-targetable DNA mutations inglioblastoma.These results may shed insight into unique growth characteristics of individual tumors at the macroscopic level resulting from molecular events as well as increase the use of noninvasive imaging in personalized medicine.
Reconstructing Rose Hobart: Joseph Cornell's Recutting of East of Borneo

This essay offers a reconstructive analysis of Joseph Cornell's collage film Rose Hobart, and focuses on that film's reediting of the 1931 Universal programmer East of Borneo. First, the essay discusses Cornell's extractive logic while re-working the Universal film, locating Hobart's mise en scene as constructed out of a set of paradigmatic choices offered by Borneo. Second, the essay describes the logic of the film's montage in terms of the formal relationships Cornell creates between shots, which disrupt viewers' apprehension of narrative causality and even basic visual perception while simultaneously constructing eyeline matches and continuities of movement. The essay concludes by placing Cornell's crafting of Rose Hobart within what Jennie-Rebecca Falcetta and Susan Stewart have called ‘the poetics of enclosure’, whereby each of Cornell's works constructs ‘a hermetic world…both full and singular, which has banished repetition and achieved authority’. I argue that Rose Hobart's own Surrealist poetics o...
Cytokines and tuberculosis

The evolution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as an intracellular pathogen has led to a complex relationship between it and its host, the human mononuclear phagocyte. The products of M. tuberculosis-specific T lymphocytes are essential for macrophage activation for intracellular mycobacterial killing. However, some cytokines, including products of both lymphocytes and phagocytic cells, may contribute to enhanced mycobacterial survival and replication. In human immunodeficiency virus-associated tuberculosis, cytokine products may mediate enhanced susceptibility to tuberculosis as well as accelerated progression to AIDS. Better understanding of these interactions will allow the development of increasingly specific immune-based interventions for prevention and treatment of tuberculosis.