cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serum non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration and risk of death from cardiovascular diseases among U.S. adults with diagnosed diabetes: the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey linked mortality study.

Background: Non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) measures all atherogenic apolipoprotein Bcontaining lipoproteins and predicts risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The association of non-HDL-C with risk of death from CVD in diabetes is not well understood. This study assessed the hypothesis that, among adults with diabetes, non-HDL-C may be related to the risk of death from CVD. Methods: We analyzed data from 1,122 adults aged 20 years and older with diagnosed diabetes who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey linked mortality study (299 deaths from CVD according to underlying cause of death; median follow-up length, 12.4 years). Results: Compared to participants with serum non-HDL-C concentrations of 35 to 129 mg/dL, those with higher serum levels had a higher risk of death from total CVD: the RRs were 1.34 (95% CI: 0.75-2.39) and 2.25 (95% CI: 1.30-3.91) for non-HDL-C concentrations of 130-189 mg/dL and 190-403 mg/dL, respectively (P = 0.003 for linear trend) after adjustment for demographic characteristics and selected risk factors. In subgroup analyses, significant linear trends were identified for the risk of death from ischemic heart disease: the RRs were 1.59 (95% CI: 0.76-3.32) and 2.50 (95% CI: 1.28-4.89) (P = 0.006 for linear trend), and stroke: the RRs were 3.37 (95% CI: 0.95-11.90) and 5.81 (95% CI: 1.96-17.25) (P = 0.001 for linear trend). Conclusions: In diabetics, higher serum non-HDL-C concentrations were significantly associated with increased risk of death from CVD. Our prospective data support the notion that reducing serum non-HDL-C concentrations may be beneficial in the prevention of excess death from CVD among affected adults.
Isolated deltahedral clusters of lead in the solid state: synthesis and characterization of Rb4Pb9 and Cs10K6Pb36 with Pb94−, and A3A′Pb4 (A=Cs, Rb, K; A′=Na, Li) with Pb44−

Abstract The title compounds were synthesized by direct fusion of the corresponding elements in appropriate atomic ratios at 700 °C, and the structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. They contain isolated deltahedral clusters of lead with charge of 4−. The clusters in Rb 4 Pb 9 and Cs 10 K 6 Pb 36 are Pb 9 4− . They are nido according to their charge, but their shapes do not always correspond to the classical nido geometry, a monocapped square antiprism. Some are differently distorted tricapped trigonal prisms. The relationship between these different geometries is discussed, and new classification for such clusters is proposed. The A 3 A′Pb 4 compounds are isostructural and contain isolated tetrahedra of Pb 4 4− .
High-quality scanning using time-of-flight depth superresolution

Time-of-flight (TOF) cameras robustly provide depth data of real world scenes at video frame rates. Unfortunately, currently available camera models provide rather low X-Y resolution. Also, their depth measurements are starkly influenced by random and systematic errors which renders them inappropriate for high-quality 3D scanning. In this paper we show that ideas from traditional color image superresolution can be applied to TOF cameras in order to obtain 3D data of higher X-Y resolution and less noise. We will also show that our approach, which works using depth images only, bears many advantages over alternative depth upsampling methods that combine information from separate high-resolution color and low-resolution depth data.
Contesting the dinosaur image — the U. S. labour movement's search for a future

Abstract In the period following World War II, unions in the U.S. adopted administrative practices that set the stage for implementation of the “servicing model.” This strategic approach worked reasonably well for more than a quarter of a century but inhibited any effective response to the multifaceted crisis of the 1980s. In spite of labour's vigilant efforts to adapt as it struggled to weather the storm, the priority placed on institutional preservation inhibited creativity. Cautious strategic modifications failed to reverse the movement's fortunes, persuading a majority of national union officials to support calls for more radical change. With a clear focus on organizing, the new AFL-CIO team is vigorously contesting labour's dinosaur image, but substantial challenges remain.
Electrocardiographic T-wave changes underlying acute cardiac and cerebral events

T-wave inversions produced by myocardial infarction (MI) are classically narrow and symmetric. Electrocardiography T-wave changes including low-amplitude and abnormally inverted T waves may be the result of noncardiac path physiology. We present a series of cases that presented with different electrocardiography T-wave changes. The first case involved a 64-year-old woman who presented to the emergency department with diffuse splayed T-wave inversions and was found to have an MI in the context of an acute cerebrovascular accident. We contrasted this case with that of a 76-year-old man with hypercholesterolemia who presented with T-wave widening and a prolonged QT interval and was found to have a subarachnoid hemorrhage secondary to a basilar aneurysm and no MI. Several mechanisms have been suggested to explain the cardiac and cerebral injury, including microvascular spasm and increased levels of circulating catecholamines. Accurate interpretation of T-wave changes can assist the clinician toward a timely therapeutic intervention and accurate diagnosis.
Cost comparison of patients with 3-level artificial total lumbar disc replacements versus 360° fusion at 3 contiguous lumbar vertebral levels: an analysis of compassionate use at 1 site of the US investigational device exemption clinical trial

Background We sought to evaluate the difference between hospital service costs of 2 treatment options for patients diagnosed with 3-level degenerative disc disease (DDD) in the lumbar spine. In this retrospective analysis, itemized billing records of hospital stay for patients with 3-level DDD treated with artificial disc replacement (ADR) were compared with those treated with circumferential fusion (standard of care).
The productivity of San Cristobal Reef, Puerto Rico

San Cristobal Reef, Puerto Rico, was the site of a community metabolism study based on a new upstream-downstream method with expcrimcntal channels 4 m deep. Net productivity rates varied from 0.03 to 1.85 g 0,. me2 reef area-h-’ (X = 0.39; n = 59). Respiration measurements of one reef section from which light was excluded ranged from 0.26 to 0.48 g 02* m-2 reef area. h-1. The linear regression equation y = 0.58x 0.18, where y = g 0, * rnp2 reef areash-’ and x = mEin.m-2*s-*, describes the correlation between light and metabolism at this site. Net primary productivity was 2.45 g O2*m-2 reef area and gross primary productivity 5.42. The ratio of gross primary productivity to 24-h respiration was 0.7. Productivity rates of this heterotrophic zone are lower than those reported for shallower reef zones with greater algal cover. Since the work of Sargent and Austin (1949) at Rongelap Atoll and Odum and Odum (1955) at Enewetak, several workers have studied reef metabolism using upstream-downstream methods (e.g. Kohn and Helfrich 1957; Odum et al. 1959; Gordon and Kelly 1962; Marsh 1974). Kinsey (1977) suggested that the high rates of productivity obtained in these studies probably represented maximum rates as they are from very shallow, seaward reef zones. Apart from studies by Smith and Marsh (1973), Kinsey and Domm (1974), and Kinsey (1977), there is little information on the zonation of reef productivity or on metabolic rates from deeper reef zones. The objective of my study was to measure the productivity of a deeper reef zone (4 m) at San Cristobal Reef, off La Parguera, Puerto Rico, with a modification of the upstreamdownstream method. Odum et al. (1959) discussed sources of error in the upstream-downstream method as used previously. The new method is based on submerged flow-through channels and eliminates some of the difficulties. The most extensive reefs in Puerto 1 While doing this study, I was under contract with the Department of Natural Resources in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Funding was from contract I426-2767 under the Pittman-Robertson and DingellJohnson Acts, Bureau of Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Rico are off the southwest coast of the island. Odum et al. (1959) measured the metabolism of the shallow reef flat sections of some of these reefs. Most of this work was submitted to the University of Florida as part of a Ph.D. thesis. I thank A. Lugo, H. T. Odum, J. Ewel, A. Carr, and F. Maturo for advice. I thank A. Kohn, D. Kinsey, B. Gladfelter, and W. Adey for reading the manuscript. The Puerto Rico Nuclear Center (now Center for Energy and Environmental Research) provided laboratory space and field equipment.
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound-guided Sentinel lymph node biopsy of the ocular conjunctiva.

Objectives/Hypothesis Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has been utilized for cutaneous melanoma and other malignancies arising from the eye and ocular adnexa. Currently, SLNB requires blue dyes and/or radiopharmaceuticals; both of which have significant shortcomings. This study sought to evaluate the feasibility of SLNB with the use of real-time, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) as an alternative technique for tumors arising in the conjunctiva. Study Design Prospective feasibility study in a porcine model. Methods Twelve experiments were performed on six non–tumor-bearing Yorkshire swine. An ultrasound contrast agent, Sonazoid (GE Healthcare, Oslo, Norway), 99mtechnetium (99mTc), and methylene blue (MB) (Covidien, Mansfield, MA) were injected in the ocular conjunctiva. Sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) were localized with CEUS and findings were compared to that of MB and 99mTc. Fisher exact test was used. Results Contrast-enhanced SLNs were identified within an average of 6.2 minutes from time of injection of Sonazoid. A total of 17 SLNs were identified by at least one of the three techniques. Correlation between Sonazoid and 99mTc was 94.1% (16/17 SLNs). Correlation between 99mTc and MB was 88.2% (15/17). One SLN that was positive for 99mTc but negative for Sonazoid and was considered to be a false positive (1/17); findings were similar for MB (1/17). Differences between the three techniques were not significant (P = .886). Conclusions CEUS-guided injection of conjunctiva for SLNB is technically feasible and correlates well with standard detection techniques. This technique shows promise for rapid, real-time, intraoperative imaging for SLNB, using a widely available imaging modality and avoiding the need for radiopharmaceuticals. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 124:2531–2536, 2014
Fragility Assessment of Wood Poles in Power Distribution Networks against Extreme Wind Hazards

Distribution networks in wind-prone areas along the Gulf Coast of the United States suffer extensive damage during hurricane seasons. This often results in loss of power in both small and large geographical areas depending on the configuration of the network and the spatial distribution of damage to the network components. Wood poles support overhead lines, which are primary components of power distribution networks, and are highly vulnerable to failure during strong winds. This paper presents the failure fragility function of typical classes of wood poles against strong winds. Using the provisions of the ASCE7 standard, an analytical model for wind load profiles along distribution wood poles is considered. Also assessed are categories of dimensions and material properties of dominant classes of wood poles. Uncertainties in applied wind loads and the structural response of the wood poles are accounted for in this framework to improve the accuracy of the derived fragility curves. This is achieved by making reasonable assumptions on the dispersion of the pole dimensions and material properties. The Latin hypercube sampling technique is used to generate and randomly pair 5,000 samples of the parameters of wind load and pole response. A Monte Carlo simulation is then used to compare realizations of the wind demand and pole capacities across a wide range of wind speeds, which serve as the intensity measure of the demand. The failure fragility curve is developed from the comparisons. The results of this research constitute a portion of risk analysis of power distribution networks against strong winds.
A Generic Russellian Elimination of Abstract Objects

As their name implies, we might describe abstract objects as those arrived at through a process of abstraction. An informal description of abstraction might be that it is a process whereby we recognize what is in common between a group of things sharing a certain kind of relevant similarity despite certain irrelevant di erences. We overlook, ignore or “abstract” away those di erences, and what is left is then rei ed and identi ed as an abstract “thing”. This informal characterization is open to several criticisms. It almost makes it seem as if we could turn one thing, a speci c, possibly concrete thing, into an abstract thing just by ignoring certain features of it, or perhaps even make more than one thing “the same” by ignoring their di erences. A thing is what it is regardless of what aspects of it we choose to focus on or pay attention to. Frege was particularly harsh in criticizing those who liked to describe a number such as three as arrived at by ignoring or putting aside the di erences between di erent collections of three objects by thinking of the members of those collections as “bare units”, indistinguishable from the units in any other collection of three. He accused them of adopting such absurd-on-their-face principles as the “principle of the non-di erentiation of the di erent” [see, e.g., 2], whereby we simply “decide” to treat di erent things as the same. Much of the post-Fregean philosophy of language literature portrays abstract objects instead as those introduced, or at any rate introduce-able, by means of abstraction principles, which are
Overview of the Research and the Roundsman System

This chapter presents an overview of the Roundsman project and the Roundsman computer program which is its central focus. Section 3.1 discusses an early stage of the Roundsman project: informal protocol analysis with an expert oncologist. Section 3.2 describes the development of a set of “scripts” which served as targets during program development and also helped to identify the set of publications which were incorporated into the Roundsman library (as described in section 3.3). Section 3.4 breifly presents the hardware and software which were used in program development. Section 3.5 outlines the steps taken by Roundsman when analyzing a case and then describes each of those steps in detail by tracing the execution of the system during an actual consultation.
Wave-equation based Q tomography from angle-domain common image gathers

To produce a reliable Q model, we present a new method for wave-equation migration Q analysis in angle-domain common image gathers. We develop two ways of choosing the reference images for the objective function: one using the near angles of each angle gather and one using the near angles of the reference angle gather. We apply our methods to two 2D synthetic tests. The results show that the inverted Q anomalies are well retrieved. Compared with Q analysis from the stacked image, Q estimation using pre-stack gathers can obtain a higher resolution result. In addition, Q estimation from pre-stack gathers mitigates the side lobe problems that arise in the stacked gather.
Leave policies in challenging times: what have we learned? What lies ahead?

This article reflects on the studies included in this special issue on leave policies during challenging economic times. It highlights three major conclusions: (1) the regime-type framework remains illuminating; (2) the recent period is characterized by resilience of leave provisions; and (3) persistent gender disparities in leave-taking continue to shape policy debates. Three recommendations are made for future lines of work: (1) adopt a life course perspective; (2) reassess the growing emphasis on instrumental justifications for policy provision; and (3) continue to assess the possibility of unintended consequences, in particular the potential for harmful effects on women’s employment outcomes.
Explaining Judicial Diversity: The Differential Ability of Women and Minorities to Attain Seats on State Supreme and Appellate Courts

Representation in political institutions, including the judiciary, is an important consideration for both political scientists and citizens. What factors systematically influence diversity among judges? In particular, does the method of selection affect the relative success of political minorities in attaining a seat on the bench? The answers to these questions have substantial normative and theoretical implications. We examine judges on all state supreme and intermediate appellate courts in 1985 and 1999 to assess the influence of various structural, political, and demographic factors on judicial diversity. We demonstrate that the ability of political minorities to attain a place in the judiciary is not solely a function of any single factor. Instead, their success is influenced by a multifaceted combination of factors contingent on time and the level of the court, and these influences differ for women and for minorities.
Detecting ‘Request Alternatives’ User Dialog Acts from Dialog Context

Having the ability to predict request alternatives (reqalts) user acts accurately is essential to tracking dialog state, especially when users are allowed to change their mind during the dialog. These can be detected reasonably well using ASR n-grams and additional features derived from dialog context on the Dialog State Tracking Challenge corpus. We are somewhat surprised at the high detection F1 score (90 %), and find that with transcripts we can obtain almost perfect accuracy (F1 \(=\) 99 %). There may be a wording bias introduced during the data collection process, which implies that the task may not generalize beyond the corpus.
Dielectric absorption in low loss materials

In 1949 a paper was presented before this Conference on Electrical Insulation giving the results of measurements of volume and surface conductivities made on Polystyrene, Polymethylmethacrylate and Polyvinylbutyral under standard room conditions. The use of a vibrating reed electrometer in place of a more sluggish quadrant electrometer has permitted a more detailed study of the current flow through dielectric specimens having very low conductivities, Dr. Paul Ehrlich has recently published a paper(1) on results obtained with the vibrating reed electrometer in which the change of volume conductivity with time was followed from a few seconds up to 10 4 seconds, for Polystyrene and Polymethylmethacrylate. In the work now being described measurements were made of both volume and surface conductivities at various relative humidities. The materials on which measurements were made are Diallyl Phthalate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Polystyrene and Teflon.
Constraints of ligament growth, form and function on evolution in the Arcoida (Mollusca; Bivalvia)

Growth processes and patterns set functional limits on the adaptive range of organisms that have evolved a particular “Bauplan.” The design of the elastic ligament has played a large part in determining the scope of the evolutionary radiation of the Arcoida. Tensional lamellar and compressional fibrous materials of this ligament, which appear to be similar in their elastic properties to those of other bivalves, are not segregated in positions where they could best perform their different mechanical functions. The growth of this unspecialized ligament exhibits strong positive allometry, with respect to shell size, in many fossil and living arcoids. A simple mechanical model shows that this allometry is essential if the strength of the ligament is to keep up with the weight of the animal, during ontogeny. Inherent disadvantages of the allometry include increasing dorsal breakage of the ligament itself, interference with the function of the hinge teeth and reduction of the closing moment exerted by the adductor muscles. Direct measurements of living arcoids show that allometric growth just maintains a linear relationship between ligament strength and animal volume. Major differences in ligament strength are related to shell growth patterns and substantially different environmental adaptations. Ligament strength is highly variable within individual populations; between populations, it is correlated with shell thickness and local environmental conditions. Most arcoids are adapted for shallow-burrowing or epifaunal modes of life in physically unstable environments, where they are frequently disturbed. The large, muscular foot enables these mobile animals to regain suitable living positions after such disturbances. The weak ligament has limited the potential specialization of the arcoids for either deeper burrowing or permanent epibyssal attachment, also requiring the retention of the foot in epifaunal forms. This ligament has made diverse adaptations possible, while preventing extreme specialization, except in isolated taxa. As such, it is largely responsible for the evolutionary reversals documented by Stanley (1972). This is konstrukionsmorphologie No. 46.
Women’s Wage Theft

In this study, the authors identify and analyze a distinct and understudied source of gender inequality: gender differences in violations of wage-related workplace laws. The authors find that women have significantly higher rates of minimum wage and overtime violations than men and also lose more of their earnings to wage theft than men. In the case of minimum wage violations, the authors also find that nativity and immigration status strongly mediate this gender difference. Multivariate analysis suggests that demand-side characteristics—occupation and measures of nonstandard work and informality—account for more of the gender difference in minimum wage violations than do worker characteristics.
Geothermal power plants

This chapter describes the most common systems used for geothermal power generation: director dry steam, single- and double-flash, and binary plants. Simple line diagrams and descriptions of major components are provided. Working equations are given to allow simple calculations of power output and efficiency. Some performance assessments are presented and typical efficiencies for various plants are given. Geothermal technology has advanced over the past 100 years to the extent that energy conversion systems are now available to work with any kind of geothermal reservoir conditions over a wide range of temperatures. Several innovative systems are discussed, including a promising new technology that may open up vast areas to geothermal development, namely, enhanced geothermal systems (EGS).
The association of cumulative discrimination on quality of care, patient-centered care, and dissatisfaction with care in adults with type 2 diabetes

Abstract Aims Discrimination is linked to negative health outcomes, but little research has investigated how the cumulative effect of discrimination impacts perceptions of care. This study investigated the influence of cumulative perceived discrimination on quality of care, patient-centeredness, and dissatisfaction with care in adults with type 2 diabetes. Methods Six hundred two patients from two primary care clinics in Charleston, SC. Linear regression models assessed associations between perceived discrimination and quality of care, patient-centered care, and dissatisfaction with care. The models control for race, site, age, gender, marital status, duration of diabetes, education, hours worked weekly, income, and health status. Results The mean age was 61.5years, with 66.3% non-Hispanic blacks, and 41.9% earning less than $20,000 annually. In final adjusted analyses, lower patient-centered care was associated with a higher discrimination score ( β =−0.28; p =0.006), reporting at least 1 category of discrimination ( β =−1.47; p =0.002), and reporting at least 2 categories of discrimination ( β =−1.34; p =0.004). Dissatisfaction with care was associated with at least 2 categories of discrimination ( β =0.45; p =0.002). No significant associations were seen with quality of care indicators. Conclusions Increased cumulative discrimination was associated with decreased feeling of patient-centeredness and increased dissatisfaction with care. However, these perceptions of discrimination were not significantly associated with quality indicators.
Assessing the Mechanism of Cytarabine-Induced Killing in Acute Leukemia

Abstract The nucleoside analogue cytarabine is part of standard therapy for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and is also widely used in various acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) regimens. During a 7-day infusion at 100 mg/m2/d, which is part of the “7 + 3” AML induction regimen, steady-state cytarabine concentrations in the 100-200 nM range are achieved. Previous literature suggesting the mechanism of cytarabine-induced killing in AML examined cytarabine concentrations in the micromolar range, which might be less pertinent to routinely achieved drug exposure. To better understand the mechanism of cytarabine-induced killing, AML and ALL cell lines were exposed to varying cytarabine concentrations (25-200 nM) for 24-48 hours and assayed for cell death using a variety of assays. Dose- and time-dependent induction of apoptosis was observed in both AML and ALL cell lines, as detected by phosphatidylserine externalization (Annexin V staining), DNA fragmentation (propidium iodide staining for subdiploid cells), nuclear morphological changes, and cleavage of caspase substrates. Jurkat T cell ALL variants lacking critical components of the death receptor pathway (FADD or procaspase 8) underwent apoptosis with kinetics indistinguishable from parental cells, arguing against involvement of the death receptor pathway. Immunoblotting for Bcl-2 family members in AML and ALL cell lines revealed upregulation of the BH3-only proteins Bim, Puma and Noxa across multiple lines. In further experiments, small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of Bim, Puma, and Noxa or the mitochondrial proteins Bax and Bak markedly diminished the apoptotic response to cytarabine. These results suggest that cytarabine at nanomolar concentrations kills cells through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway but, in contrast to more targeted agents, does so by upregulating multiple BH3-only Bcl-2 family members simultaneously. Additional studies to determine the mechanisms of Bim, Puma, and Noxa upregulation are underway. (Supported in part by R01 CA166741 and predoctoral fellowships from the Mayo Foundation for Education and Research.) Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The Influence of Religion on Interstate Armed Conflict: Government Religious Preference and First Use of Force, 1946–2002

Effects of religious norms on interstate armed conflict are understudied compared to such effects on intrastate conflict. Yet religion exerts no less influence on states’ preferences and outcome of interstate interaction than other factors. Religion fosters emotion, in turn generating cognitive and motivational biases in states’ leaders. Religion acts as a political ideology that inculcates worldviews and programs political agendas. Religion accomplishes these things through scripture, clergy, and historical narrative. Through these media, religion instills standards of behavior, including for resort to (political) violence. Thus, religions influence states’ propensities to initiate interstate armed conflicts, even when belligerents’ goals are not necessarily sacralized. However, different norms are ingrained in different religions, and median war ethics of different religions range from permissive to restrictive. Therefore, over time and space, different religions are expected to have different effects on initiation of interstate armed conflicts. Regressing that outcome against the newly introduced Government Religious Preference (GRP) scores for Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism reveals that such is the case; different religions are differently associated with war and peace.
Current Research at the Connley Caves (35LK50): Late Pleistocene/early Holocene Western Stemmed Tradition Occupations in the Fort Rock Basin, Oregon

ABSTRACTThe Connley Caves in the Fort Rock Basin of Oregon contain stratified deposits dating to the late Pleistocene/early Holocene transition and a stone tool assemblage characteristic of the Western Stemmed Tradition. This research brief details preliminary results including stratigraphic, geochronological, and cultural information yielded from Cave 4. Ongoing research at the site stands to shed light on WST technological activities, intra- and inter-assemblage variability and geochronology, and Paleoarchaic subsistence strategies of the northern Great Basin.
Curriculum Development in the Area of Reading

This article describes curriculum development in the area of reading. It takes the perspective that reading curriculum is a process of development that relies on the expertise of multiple stakeholders and is based on diverse students' needs. The content of reading curricula includes – but is not limited to – conventional components such as decoding, word knowledge, and comprehension strategies. Reading curricula for the twenty-first century, however, builds upon these components to address current contexts, texts, and literacy practices in order to best serve today's linguistically, economically, and ethnically diverse learners. The standards-based change process is presented as illustrative of an effective developmental approach to constructing a school's reading curriculum.
Abstract 5910: Influence of 3D- cultured prostate cancer and stromal cells on drug response

Background: Response to chemotherapeutic drugs presents a significant challenge to effective treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Exploration of therapeutic response has focused largely on the tumor cell. However, evidence suggests mechanisms that involve the tumor microenvironment mediate response to therapeutics. Therefore, it is imperative to mimic the in vivo tumor microenvironment, to bridge the gap between in vitro studies and the development of therapeutics. The concept of three-dimensional (3D) cell culture and co-culture of multiple cell types is critical to predict therapeutic efficacy and outcome. Thus, these studies sought to determine the distinct responses to anti-cancer drugs in 3D cell spheroids. Methods: In this study, we utilized metastatic prostate cancer cells (PC3) and fluorescently labeled prostate bone stromal cell line (HS27a) to generate tumor spheroids. Tumor spheroid viability was measured at 72 and 120 h using the CellTiter-Glo 3D assay after treatment with three common anti-cancer drugs, Docetaxel (4ηM), Enzalutamide (30μM), and Bicalutamide (30μM).Treatments were compared with spheroids originated from HS27a and PC3 cells alone and in co-culture. The cell viability percentage was normalized using the untreated cells as 100% cell survival. Results: Spheroid formation increased resistance to Docetaxel, Enzalutamide, and Bicalutamide. However, PC3 spheroid cells was significantly higher compared to HS27a and co-culture spheroids. For all three spheroids, as the size of the spheroids increase, cellular resistance to anti-cancer and hormone drugs increased. Conclusion: The findings in this study demonstrated that the use for 3D-cell cultures influence many aspects of PCa behavior including, proliferation rates, and response to chemotherapeutics. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Dominique N. Gales, Sonni Miller, Temesgen Samuel, Clatyon Yates. Influence of 3D- cultured prostate cancer and stromal cells on drug response [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5910. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5910
Methods of Reflective Practice in a Service-Learning Dance Pedagogy Course

AbstractIn redesigning a pedagogy course for college dance majors, the author sought ways to provide practical teaching experience for students that coincided with making connections within the local community. Through research on best practices in service-learning courses, diverse methods of reflection proved key toward enhancing student experience beyond surface volunteerism by connecting the service (teaching dance to elementary students in this case) to broader and deeper personal learning. This article describes best practices from a survey of service-learning literature and shares reflective assignments specific to the author’s dance pedagogy course. Emphasis is placed on how the process of reflection aims to link course content to problem solving in real-world contexts, thus providing a deeper and more significant learning experience for students.
A kinetic study of the fast micro-pyrolysis of hybrid poplar

Abstract Hybrid poplar from the clone DN34 was studied to determine the rate of production of bio-oil species with respect to time during the fast pyrolysis process. 300–660 ug samples were pyrolyzed using a micropyrolzer at 500 °C at very high heating rates and very short vapor residence times. Individual poplar samples were run in triplicate at discrete time points ranging from 1 to 20 s in the micropyrolzer. Several bio-oil compounds from each individual sample were analyzed using GC/MS. Select bio-oil compounds, derived from the hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin fractions of the wood, were used to determine their rates of production from thermal degradation of the biomass. These rates were quantified using standards to determine the weight percent relative to the original raw biomass with respect to time. Pyrolysis kinetic reaction models were fit to this experimental data in order to determine suitability of each model. A first order exponential decay model for degradation of the solid biomass was fit against the data along with a six-step consecutive degradation model previously developed by our group. The experimental data suggests that compounds derived from the hemicellulose are produced at faster rates than that of the lignin or cellulose fractions of the wood, consistent with prior data from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). When applying the first order exponential decay model, the reaction rates calculated did prove that holocellulose compounds reaction rates were approximately twice that of the lignin compounds reaction rate but did not provide the best fit. The six-step degradation model provided a better fit to all of the biooil compounds and char data, and the stoichiometric parameters derived from the model fit showed that the first three reactions involved mostly the hemicellulose derived compounds while reaction steps 4–6 released cellulose- and lignin-derived compounds.
Effects of alloying elements on the elastic properties of bcc Ti-X alloys from first-principles calculations

Abstract Titanium alloys are great implant materials due to their mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, a large difference in Young’s modulus between bone (∼10–40 GPa) and common implant materials (ie. Ti-6Al-4V alloy ∼110 GPa) leads to stress shielding and possible implant failure. The present work predicts the single crystal elastic stiffness coefficients (cij’s) for five binary systems with the body centered cubic lattice of Ti-X (X = Mo, Nb, Ta, Zr, Sn) using first-principles calculations based on Density Functional Theory. In addition, the polycrystalline aggregate properties of bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young’s modulus, and Poisson ratio are calculated. It is shown that the lower Young’s modulus of these Ti-alloys stems from the unstable bcc Ti with a negative value of (c11–c12). The data gathered from these efforts are compared with available experimental and other first-principles results in the literature, which set a foundation to design biocompatible Ti alloys for desired elastic properties.
Deficits in discharge documentation in patients transferred to rehabilitation facilities on anticoagulation: results of a systemwide evaluation.

Article-at-a-Glance Background Anticoagulation is a commonly prescribed and effective therapy for several medical conditions but requires detailed communication among clinicians to avoid adverse patient outcomes following hospital discharge. Methods Discharge documentation packets of a sample of patients discharged from all five acute care hospitals of the Partners Healthcare System to 30 subacute facilities in Boston and prescribed anticoagulation for treatment or prophylaxis of thromboembolic disease were evaluated. Required data elements included information on anticoagulation indication, duration, dosing, monitoring, and follow-up. Discharge documentation packets were randomly selected for reviewers at acute sites, whereas reviewers at subacute sites selected which packets to review. Results Of 757 patients prescribed anticoagulation at discharge from March 2005 through June 2007, duration of therapy (for unfractionated or low-molecular-weight heparin [UFH/LMWH]) and recent dosing and monitoring information (for warfarin) were the areas with the biggest deficits. Of the patients prescribed UFH/LMWH or warfarin, 45.4% and 16.4%, respectively, had all the required information in the discharge summary. Patients discharged from community hospitals were more likely to be discharged with all the information needed for the use of warfarin (Odds Ratio [OR], 2.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20–5.46) or UFH/LMWH (OR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.98–4.44) than patients discharged from academic medical centers. Discussion Important information to safely prescribe anticoagulation after discharge was often missing from the discharge summaries of patients transferred from acute hospitals to subacute facilities. Future research should focus on developing, implementing, and evaluating quality improvement interventions to address this gap.
Assessment of dietary factors, dietary practices and exercise on mental distress in young adults versus matured adults: A cross-sectional study

The importance of the diet in modulating mental health is uncovering as many dietary factors have been described to alter brain chemistry. Brain maturation may not complete until the age of 30 whic...
Treatment-refractory ALK-positive inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour of the oral cavity

We present a challenging case of a previously healthy 23-year-old man who developed an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour of the hard palate, harbouring a rearrangement of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) locus. Despite surgical intervention, radiotherapy and ALK-inhibition therapy, the tumour recurred locally and metastasised to regional lymph nodes, and the patient passed away roughly 9 months after diagnosis from local progression. The rapid progression of this patient's disease and its resistance to treatment demonstrate the potentially aggressive clinical course of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours. ALK-inhibition therapy was unsuccessful in this ALK-positive tumour, highlighting the need for further investigation of markers predictive of disease progression and treatment response.
The Undue Hardship Thicket: On Access to Justice, Procedural Noncompliance, and Pollutive Litigation in Bankruptcy

This Article offers new insights into understanding the complexities and costs of the litigation burden that Congress has imposed on debtors who seek a fresh start in bankruptcy. In order to explore the problems inherent in a system that necessitates litigation as the path for obtaining certain types of bankruptcy relief, this Article focuses on the particular example of debtors who seek to discharge their student loans in bankruptcy. Such debt may be discharged only if the debtor can establish through a full-blown lawsuit that repaying the loans would impose an undue hardship. The procedure and burdens of proof governing undue hardship adversary proceedings have created access-to-justice barriers that ratchet up the difficulty faced by student-loan debtors in establishing the merits of their claims for relief. Moreover, the complexity of the litigation framework has created opportunities for creditors to engage in unchecked careless practices that, to the detriment of debtors, prejudicially distort the form in which courts consider undue hardship claims. To demonstrate this phenomenon, the Article examines how some of the litigation conduct by Educational Credit Management Corporation — a legal entity that routinely litigates against debtors in undue hardship adversary proceedings — can be characterized as a pattern of procedural noncompliance and pollutive litigation that has exacerbated the access-to-justice barriers confronted by student-loan debtors. Absent congressional intervention, the solution to this problem will require bankruptcy courts to engage in more robust monitoring. Consequently, this Article illustrates the need to pay careful attention to procedural realities when assessing whether debtors in bankruptcy will be able to vindicate their legal entitlements.
Assessment of psychiatrically hospitalized suicidal adolescents: self-report instruments as predictors of suicidal thoughts and behavior

ABSTRACT Objective The validity and clinical utility of the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire-Junior, and Suicide Probability Scale (SPS) were examined longitudinally among suicidal adolescents. Method Between 1998 and 2000, 289 psychiatrically hospitalized, suicidal youth, ages 12 to 17 years, participated in this study. Self-report measures were completed at baseline. Clinician-rated suicidality and suicide attempt were collected at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Results Baseline self-reports were internally consistent and strongly intercorrelated within male, female, white, and black subsamples. All of the measures predicted follow-up suicidality and suicide attempts. Using published cutoff scores, the Beck Hopelessness Scale and SPS were moderately to highly sensitive predictors of subsequent suicide attempts, as was the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire-Junior for predicting suicide attempts and broad suicidality. Alternative cutoff scores that predicted outcomes with moderate and high sensitivity also were examined, with attention to resultant sacrifices in specificity. Conclusions Baseline self-report scores predicted follow-up suicidality. SPS contributed uniquely to prediction of future suicidality and suicide attempt. SPS may supplement other sources of information when assessing suicide risk with this population.
Performance Analysis of C-core and E-core Flux-Switching Permanent Magnet Machine With Airfoil-Shaped Rotor

The goal of this paper is to investigate the performance of integrated E-core and C-core stator flux-switching permanent magnet machine with airfoil-shaped rotor by analytical equations and finite element analysis (FEA). The integrated flux-switching PM machine with airfoil-shaped rotor can provide electromagnetic torque and accelerate the flow at the same time. The motor mechanical output power is used to rotate and accelerate the flow as well as drive the additional compressor stages to achieve high pressure ratio. The topology of integrated motor-compressor based on E-core and C-core flux-switching permanent magnet machine has fewer magnets, but larger slot area and higher electrical loading compared to conventional flux-switching PM (FSPM) machine at same current density and dimension. Therefore, E-core and C-core machine can provide larger output power and drive more compressor stages to obtain higher pressure ratio with respect to conventional FSPM machine. The designs are compared with a conventional FSPM machine with the airfoil-shaped rotor on electromagnetic and thermodynamic aspects. The number of rotor pole is also analyzed as it has a significant effect on both the electromagnetic and thermodynamic performance of the integrated machine.
Systemic nature of spinal muscular atrophy revealed by studying insurance claims

Objective We investigated the presence of non-neuromuscular phenotypes in patients affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a disorder caused by a mutation in the Survival of Motor Neuron (SMN) gene, and whether these phenotypes may be clinically detectable prior to clinical signs of neuromuscular degeneration and therefore independent of muscle weakness. Methods We utilized a de-identified database of insurance claims to explore the health of 1,038 SMA patients compared to controls. Two analyses were performed: (1) claims from the entire insurance coverage window; and (2) for SMA patients, claims prior to diagnosis of any neuromuscular disease or evidence of major neuromuscular degeneration to increase the chance that phenotypes could be attributed directly to reduced SMN levels. Logistic regression was used to determine whether phenotypes were diagnosed at significantly different rates between SMA patients and controls and to obtain covariate-adjusted odds ratios. Results Results from the entire coverage window revealed a broad spectrum of phenotypes that are differentially diagnosed in SMA subjects compared to controls. Moreover, data from SMA patients prior to their first clinical signs of neuromuscular degeneration revealed numerous non-neuromuscular phenotypes including defects within the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, metabolic, reproductive, and skeletal systems. Furthermore, our data provide evidence of a potential ordering of disease progression beginning with these non-neuromuscular phenotypes. Conclusions Our data point to a direct relationship between early, detectable non-neuromuscular symptoms and SMN deficiency. Our findings are particularly important for evaluating the efficacy of SMN-increasing therapies for SMA, comparing the effectiveness of local versus systemically delivered therapeutics, and determining the optimal therapeutic treatment window prior to irreversible neuromuscular damage.
MYPT1 O-GlcNAcylation controls the sensitivity of fibroblasts to sphingosine-1-phosphate mediated cellular contraction

Many intracellular proteins can be modified by N-acetylglucosamine, a posttranslational modification known as O-GlcNAc. Because this modification is found on serine and threonine side-chains, O-GlcNAc has the potential to dynamically regulate cellular signaling pathways through interplay with phosphorylation. Here, we discover and characterize one such pathway. First, we find that O-GlcNAcylation levels control the sensitivity of fibroblasts to actin contraction induced by the signaling lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). In subsequent mechanistic investigations, we find that S1P agonizes the S1PR2 receptor, resulting in activation of the Rho/Rho kinase signaling pathway. This pathway typically culminates in the phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC), resulting in myosin activation and cellular contraction. We find that O-GlcNAcylation of the phosphatase subunit MYPT1 inhibits this pathway by blocking MYPT1 phosphorylation, maintaining its activity and causing the dephosphorylation of MLC. Therefore, MYTP1 O-GlcNAcylation levels function as a rheostat to regulate the sensitivity of cells to S1P-mediated cellular contraction. Our findings have important implications for the role of in fibroblast motility and differentiation, as well as several other signaling pathways that use MLC/MYTP1 to control actin contraction in various tissues.