cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical And Radiological Characteristics Of Hospitalized Patients With COPD Exacerbation And Cocaine Use

Rationale: There have been numerous reports of premature chronic lung disease and radiological abnormalities seen in patients using crack-cocaine. The impact of cocaine use on asthma exacerbation has been studied however to date there have been no studies which evaluated the clinical outcomes or radiological abnormalities in patients admitted with COPD exacerbation and crack-cocaine use. In this study we aimed to describe clinical features, outcomes and radiological findings in this particular group. Methods: Retrospective chart review of consecutive patients admitted to a tertiary care urban hospital via the emergency department with acute COPD exacerbation who had a urine drug screen performed at the time of admission. The cocaine positive group was then compared to cocaine negative controls from this population. Clinical variables were collected including but not limited to; demographics, hospitalization cost and length of stay, smoking pack years and CT scan findings of emphysema as described by the interpreting radiologist. Results: We identified 400 patients admitted with a diagnosis of COPD exacerbation who also had a urine drug screen done. Among this population 106 (26.5%) tested positive for cocaine use. The mean age was 49 ± 8 yrs. Majority were black (79%), male (53%) and smokers (97%). Compared to cocaine negative controls there was no difference in smoking pack years, hospital length of stay, steroid use during hospitalization, admission lactate or cost of hospitalization. A CT scan was performed on 54% of the patients from both cocaine positive and cocaine negative controls. CT scan evidence of emphysema was present in a significantly larger number of patients with cocaine use compared to cocaine negative controls (p=0.0384). Conclusion: There is a significant prevalence of crack-cocaine use in patients admitted with COPD exacerbation. Patients with COPD who both smoke and use crack-cocaine may represent a distinct phenotype with increased radiological evidence of emphysema.
Student Perceptions of Interest, Learning, and Engagement from an Informal Traveling Science Museum.

Informal Science Education (ISE) programs have been increasing in popularity in recent years. The National Research Council has laid out six strands that ISE programs should try to address, including increasing interest, knowledge, and allowing participants to engage in scientific activities. Past research suggests that informal settings can increase interest in science and may lead to knowledge gains. This study examined the impact of a unique ISE program that resembles a traveling museum and offers small-scale, interactive experiences. Affective outcomes and self-reported learning outcomes of the students who participated in the program were examined. In general, students reported increases in science interest and some knowledge gains. Students also reported they thought the program allowed them to engage in science. There were differences in student responses based on grade level, with intermediate elementary students more likely to report greater knowledge gains and more likely to see the educational value of the experience. Interestingly, middle school students were more likely to value the social aspects of the experience, another important aspect of ISE. This study provides some insight into the connections between the different ISE strands of informal science education and offers suggestions for future research.
Diagnosis of Fault Modes Masked by Control Loops with an Application to Autonomous Hovercraft Systems

This paper introduces a methodology for the design, testing and assessment of incipient failure detection techniques for failing components/systems of critical engineered systems/processes masked or hidden by feedback control loops. It is recognized that the optimum operation of critical assets (aircraft, autonomous systems, industrial processes, etc.) may be compromised by feedback control loops, which mask severe fault modes while compensating for typical disturbances. Detrimental consequences of such occurrences include the inability to detect expeditiously and accurately incipient failures, loss of control, and inefficient operation of assets in the form of fuel overconsumption and adverse environmental impact. A novel control-theoretic framework is presented to address the masking problem. Major elements of the proposed approach are employed in simulation to develop, implement and validate how faults are distinguished from disturbances and how faults are detected and identified with performance guarantees, i.e., prescribed confidence level and given false alarm rate.The demonstration and validity of the tools/methods employed necessitates, in addition to the theoretical content, a suitable testbed. We have employed and describe briefly in this paper an autonomous hovercraft as the test prototype. We pursue a systems engineering process to design, construct and test the prototype hovercraft instrumented appropriately for purposes of fault injection, monitoring and the presence of control loops. We emphasize a general control-theoretic framework to the masking problem and utilize a simulation environment to derive results and illustrate the efficacy of the methodology.
Addition von (kleinen) Geschwindigkeiten

In Kap. 1 haben wir mit dem Relativitatsprinzip Stosprozesse untersucht, bei denen nicht ganz offensichtlich ist, wie sich die Stospartner nach der Kollision verhalten, indem wir andere Kollisionen betrachtet haben, bei denen die Losung auf der Hand liegt. An dieser Stelle mochte und muss ich darauf hinweisen, dass wir implizit noch ein weiteres Prinzip benutzt haben, als wir die Geschwindigkeiten der Balle zwischen Bezugssystemen hin- und hertransformiert haben. In diesem kurzen Kapitel stelle ich Ihnen diese Regel explizit vor.
Experiment on hybrid fiber reinforced plastic beam

In order to research the influence of CFRP(carbon fiber reinforced plastic) content on the hybrid fiber reinforced plastic beam,14 HFRP pultruded thin-walled beams of three different carbon content were tested.The stability of density flexural stiffness,ultimate shear load,and failure modes were analyzed.The conclusion is reached that the density of the HFRP beams is stable,and the stability of flexural stiffness depends upon the fiber-entrance process.Compared with the single FRP beam,the flexural stiffness of the HFRP increases substantially,but the ultimate shear load doesn't increase.There are three failure modes: local flange failure,web shear failure and interlaminate failure.
HER-2/ neu Oncogene Amplification and Expression in Human Mammary Carcinoma

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of HER-2/neu oncogene amplification and expression in human mammary carcinoma. HER-2/neu is a proto-oncogene highly homologous to the epidermal growth factor-receptor (EGFR) gene that resides on human chromosome 17. It codes for a 185-kDa membrane protein with intracellular tyrosine-kinase activity, and is thought to function as a growth factor receptor. Amplification and overexpression of the HER-2/neu oncogene is present in up to 30% of invasive human breast cancers. The incidence of expression is nearly twice as high in pure in situ carcinomas of the breast, suggesting that HER-2/neu plays an important role in the early stages of tumor development. The observation that expression dramatically declines, as tumors progress from noninvasive to pure invasive lesions, suggests that individual tumors lose expression over time, and that many invasive carcinomas arise de novo by mechanisms not involving HER-2/neu. Amplification and expression of HER-2/neu are strongly associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients with positive axillary lymph nodes. In contrast, the prognostic significance of HER-2/neu in patients with node-negative disease appears to be restricted to small subsets of these patients.
Extreme manipulation of light-matter interactions in 2D TMDC materials

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) materials have the potential to open up a new age of atomic-scale photonics. However, much fundamental of the light-matter interaction of these materials has generally remained to be elusive. The optical response of the materials is very weak due to the atomically thin dimension, which stands as a huge challenge for the device development. Here we present our recent results on the light-matter interaction of 2D TMDC. We have demonstrated that excitonic effects dominate the light-matter interaction of the TMDC materials with layer number less than 5–7. The light absorption of atomically thin TMDC materials ( 75% for narrowband or broadband incidence like solar radiation. Additionally, we have demonstrated that the light-matter interaction of 2D TMDC materials can be substantially tuned in electrical ways.
Impact of routine tumor genotyping on enrollment in targeted therapy trials for metastatic breast cancer (MBC): 4-year review.

145 Background: Major barriers to enrollment in therapeutic clinical trials (<5% in United States) include low response rate in phase I/II trials and low enthusiasm among oncologists. Stratified clinical trial enrollment based on molecular profiling of tumors represents a potential paradigm shift in drug development. Here we assess the clinical utility of tumor genotyping for identification of oncogenic driver mutations and enrollment in therapeutic clinical trials for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Methods: A robust, high-throughput tumor genotyping assay (Snapshot), was developed at our institution to assess for presence of potentially actionable oncogenic driver mutations (15 genes, 130 mutations) using DNA derived from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue. The tumor genotyping assay was ordered by oncologists in clinic for patients with MBC. Relevant clinical information was gathered from chart reviews. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results: From 2009-2012, 3...
Transgender Noninclusive Healthcare and Delaying Care Because of Fear: Connections to General Health and Mental Health Among Transgender Adults.

Abstract Purpose: There are many barriers to reliable healthcare for transgender people that often contribute to delaying or avoiding needed medical care. Yet, few studies have examined whether noninclusive healthcare and delaying needed medical care because of fear of discrimination are associated with poorer health among transgender adults. This study aims to address these gaps in the knowledge base. Methods: This study analyzed secondary data from a statewide survey of 417 transgender adults in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. Independent variables included noninclusive healthcare from a primary care provider (PCP) and delay of needed medical care because of fear of discrimination. Dependent variables assessed general health and mental health. Results: Transgender individuals who delayed healthcare because of fear of discrimination had worse general health in the past month than those who did not delay or delayed care for other reasons (B=−0.26, p<0.05); they also had 3.08 greater odds o...
Impact of molecular structure of working fluids on performance of organic Rankine cycles (ORCs)

Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power plants are the most mature and economically competitive technology used for converting low- and medium-temperature heat to electricity, especially for renewable energy sources such as geothermal and solar thermal. This paper analyzes the performance of four types of ORC plants (subcritical and supercritical cycles, both with and without heat recuperator) optimized for maximum utilization or exergetic efficiency. The analysis was performed for 13 working fluids, heat source temperatures from 100 to 230 °C, and for cycles with either a wet cooling tower or an air cooled condenser. The primary objective of this work was to investigate the effect of the molecular structure of the working fluids on the efficiency of ORC plants. Using group contribution methods, a number of thermodynamic properties of working fluids can be easily evaluated based on their molecular structures. We show that using two of such properties, namely, the reduced ideal gas heat capacity C0p/R and the critical temperature of the working fluid, one can accurately predict a number of ORC performance metrics including: (1) maximum utilization efficiency of the ORC plant and the heat source temperature at which it is achieved, (2) sensitivity of utilization efficiency to changes in the heat source temperature, and (3) increase in both thermal efficiency and heat source outlet temperature due to addition of heat recuperator.
A new diagnosis of Williams–Beuren syndrome in a 49-year-old man with severe bullous emphysema

Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a chromosomal microdeletion syndrome typically presenting with intellectual disability, a unique personality, a characteristic facial appearance, and cardiovascular disease. Several clinical features of WBS are thought to be due to haploinsufficiency of elastin (ELN), as the ELN locus is included within the WBS critical region at 7q11.23. Emphysema, a disease attributed to destruction of pulmonary elastic fibers, has been reported in patients without WBS who have pathogenic variants in ELN but only once (in one patient) in WBS. Here we report a second adult WBS patient with emphysema where the diagnosis of WBS was established subsequent to the discovery of severe bullous emphysema. Haploinsufficiency of ELN likely contributed to this pulmonary manifestation of WBS. This case emphasizes the contribution of rare genetic variation in cases of severe emphysema and provides further evidence that emphysema should be considered in patients with WBS who have respiratory symptoms, as it may be under-recognized in this patient population.
Support to the design of a drying oven for big motors

Abstract Big motors, with diameters up to two meters, are used in several stages of the seamless steel tube manufacturing processes. The maintenance operations of these motors require drying them after they are washed or painted. The oven used for this process has an external blower that recirculates hot air (at a temperature of approximately 120°C) through the drying chamber. The air is heated using electrical resistances that can be either located on the outer circulation duct or into the chamber. This is a time and energy consuming operation that can take up to three days to be completed. This paper deals with the application of Computational Fluid Dynamics for supporting the design of a new drying oven for big motors. ANSYS Fluent software is used to simulate the transient process, but also some stationary conditions are evaluated in order to optimize the oven design process. The objective is to identify the best drying conditions within the framework of the geometric and operational requirements of the plant. Several inlet and outlet configurations are studied, and the influence of the changes in the geometry and the boundary conditions on the heating rate and drying quality is analyzed.
Systemic Therapy in the Setting of Central Nervous System (CNS) Metastases in Breast Cancer

Over 25% of patients with metastatic breast cancer will develop brain metastases. Recent advances in systemic therapy, especially molecularly targeted agents, have improved control of extracranial disease, but have had limited effect on intracranial disease. In this review, we discuss the barriers and challenges associated with employing systemic therapy to treat brain metastases. We also provide an overview of current systemic therapy used as standard of care in all subtypes of breast cancer that have metastasized to the brain, as well as describe novel agents that are currently under study in preclinical models or clinical trials. While there are few systemic therapies that are standard of care for the treatment of breast cancer brain metastases, there are many novel agents currently in development or under active investigation. Detailed genomic analysis has led to a better understanding of the molecular aberrations that drive metastasis in the different subtypes of breast cancer, leading to rational approaches to the development of targeted molecular therapy. The most promising systemic therapeutic modalities for treating breast cancer brain metastases utilize targeted molecular agents or molecular exploitation of the blood-brain barrier in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy to enhance entry into the CNS.
Regional Radiation Dose-Response Modeling of Functional Liver in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients With Longitudinal Sulfur Colloid SPECT/CT: A Proof of Concept.

PURPOSE Hepatotoxicity risk in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is modulated by radiation dose delivered to normal liver tissue, but reported dose-response data are limited. Our prior work established baseline [99mTc]sulfur colloid (SC) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) liver function imaging biomarkers that predict clinical outcomes. We conducted a proof-of-concept investigation with longitudinal SC SPECT/CT to characterize patient-specific radiation dose-response relationships as surrogates for liver radiosensitivity. METHODS AND MATERIALS SC SPECT/CT images of 15 patients with HCC with variable Child-Pugh (CP) status (8 CP-A, 7 CP-B/C) were acquired in treatment position before and 1 month (nominal) after stereotactic body radiation therapy (n = 6) or proton therapy (n = 9). Localized rigid registrations between pre/posttreatment CT to planning CT scans were performed, and transformations were applied to pre/posttreatment SC SPECT images. Radiation therapy doses were converted to EQD2 and Gy RBE (relative biological effectiveness) and binned in 5 GyEQD2 increments within tumor-subtracted livers. Mean dose and percent change (%ΔSC) between pre- and posttreatment SPECT uptake, normalized to regions receiving <5 GyEQD2, were calculated in each binned dose region. Dose-response data were parameterized by sigmoid functions (double exponential) consisting of maximum reduction (%ΔSCmax), dose midpoint (Dmid), and dose-response slope (αmid) parameters. RESULTS Individual patient sigmoid dose-response curves had high goodness-of-fit (median R2 = 0.96, range 0.76-0.99). Large interpatient variability was observed, with median (range) in %ΔSCmax of 44% (20%-75%), Dmid of 13 Gy (4-27 GyEQD2), and αmid of 0.11 GyEQD2-1 (0.04-0.29 GyEQD2-1), respectively. Eight of 15 patients had %ΔSCmax of 20% to 45%, whereas 7 of 15 had %ΔSCmax of 60% to 75%, with subgroups made up of variable baseline liver function status and radiation treatment modality. Fatal hepatotoxicity occurred in patients (2 of 15) with low total liver funcation (<0.12) and low Dmid (<7 GyEQD2). CONCLUSIONS Longitudinal SC SPECT/CT imaging revealed patient-specific variations in dose-response and may identify patients with poor baseline liver function and increased sensitivity to radiation therapy. Validation of this regional liver dose-response modeling concept as a surrogate for patient-specific radiosensitivity has potential to guide HCC therapy regimen selection and planning constraints.
The Normative Vision of the Prosecution Service

One cannot understand the institutional mission of the German prosecution service without situating the creation of the service within the development of Germany’s civil law tradition. That tradition nurtured and shaped the institution’s birth and purpose. Furthermore, unless we understand the role that law plays within the civil law world view, we cannot fully appreciate the depth and significance of scholars’ present concerns about the prosecution service. Indeed, the current allegations that charge prosecutors with abandoning their search for the material truth in pursuit of efficiency, not only threaten the service’s reputation, they also threaten the foundational pillars of Germany’s civil law tradition.
Evaporation and Transpiration

Water is ubiquitous and extremely important to life throughout the biosphere. Evaporation of water from both physical and organic surfaces is of great significance not only for cooling the surface and surrounding media but also in adding water to the atmosphere, where it is a significant meteorological factor. Water is found in all plant and animal cells, where it plays many roles, including acting as a solvent and transporting solutes of various kinds. The water molecule is small and therefore diffuses easily through cell walls. Because of its highly polar character, water readily accepts other polar substances.
EFFECTS OF NUCLEOTIDES ON ASSEMBLY OF THE 26S PROTEASOME AND DEGRADATION OF UBIQUITIN CONJUGATES

We have investigated three aspects of nucleotide usage by the 26S proteasome and its regulatory complex (RC). Both particles hydrolyze the four major ribonucleotides, but ATP and CTP have substantially lower K_s for hydrolysis than do GTP and UTP. The K_ for ATP hydrolysis is 15 μm for the 26S proteasome and 30 μm for the regulatory complex. Formation of the 26S proteasome from the RC and the 20S proteasome requires about 5 μm ATP. Although measurable degradation of Ubiquitin(Ub)-lysozyme conjugates occurs in the presence of CTP, GTP, and UTP, the best nucleotide for Ub-conjugate degradation by the 26S proteasome is ATP, with an estimated K_ of 12 μm. In summary, our studies show that micromolar concentrations of ATP are sufficient for several 26S proteasome activities.
Safety of implementing a sleep protocol in hospitalized patients.

Abstract Background Although good sleep during hospitalization may promote positive outcomes, some patients and clinicians may have concerns about nursing interventions designed to reduce night-time sleep disturbances. Methods A randomized prospective trial of an intervention to promote sleep was conducted with stable, post-operative oncology patients. Eligible patients were randomized to receive usual nursing care overnight or sleep-promoting interventions. Results All thirty-seven surgeons in the organization agreed to let their qualified patients participate. One hundred and forty-four patients met the study criteria. Of those, 117 (81%) consented to participate, while 27 (19%) declined. The primary reason for non-enrollment was wanting to be checked on throughout the night (n = 21, 78%). There were no adverse events during the study period. Patients’ perceptions of pain and nausea control among the two groups were equivalent. Conclusion An intervention to decrease sleep disturbances can be safely executed in a post-operative population while maintaining adequate symptom management.
Sensory Over-Responsivity: An Early Risk Factor for Anxiety and Behavioral Challenges in Young Children

Anxiety disorders are prevalent and significantly impact young children and their families. One hypothesized risk factor for anxiety is heightened responses to sensory input. Few studies have explored this hypothesis prospectively. This study had two goals: (1) examine whether sensory over-responsivity is predictive of the development of anxiety in a large prospective sample of children, and (2) identify whether anxiety mediates the relationship between sensory over-responsivity and behavioral challenges. Children’s sensory and anxiety symptoms were assessed in a community sample of 917 at 2–5 and again in 191 of these children at 6 years old. Parents also reported on a number of additional behavioral challenges previously found to be associated with both sensory over-responsivity and anxiety separately: irritability, food selectivity, sleep problems, and gastrointestinal problems. Forty three percent of preschool children with sensory over-responsivity also had a concurrent impairing anxiety disorder. Preschool sensory over-responsivity symptoms significantly and positively predicted anxiety symptoms at age six. This relationship was both specific and unidirectional. Finally, school-age anxiety symptoms mediated the relationship between preschool sensory over-responsivity symptoms and both irritability and sleep problems at school-age. These results suggest sensory over-responsivity is a risk factor for anxiety disorders. Furthermore, children who have symptoms of sensory over-responsivity as preschoolers have higher levels of anxiety symptoms at school-age, which in turn is associated with increased levels of school-age behavioral challenges.
Systemic Treatment for Clinically Amyopathic Dermatomyositis at 4 Tertiary Care Centers.

This study investigates the use of systemic treatment for clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis using natural language queries and ICD codes for amyopathic and hypomyopathic dermatomyositis.
Studies of thermally activated processes in gas-atomized Al alloy powders: in situ STEM heating experiments on FIB-cut cross sections

Gas atomization is the most common approach used to produce powders of metallic alloys, and the high cooling rates involved frequently lead to the formation of non-equilibrium microstructures and phases. The transformations that occur in the powders upon heating are of great interest but are challenging to study experimentally. Here we use a novel focused ion beam-based specimen preparation protocol to obtain cross sections through individual gas-atomized powder particles of three different aluminum alloys: solid solution-strengthened Al5056, precipitation-hardenable Al6061, and an Al–Cr–Mn–Co–Zr alloy which contains icosahedral quasicrystal dispersoids. In situ scanning transmission electron microscopy heating experiments were performed on these cross-sectional specimens to investigate the changes that occur in the metastable phases and non-equilibrium microstructures upon heating. The experiments reveal the details of a wide variety of thermally activated processes occurring in the particles including: solute redistribution to eliminate micro-segregation; dissolution, coarsening, transformation and decomposition of secondary phases; and precipitation within the aluminum matrix.
The Role of Self-Efficacy and Motivation in Postpartum Sustained Smoking Abstinence.

Abstract Background Postpartum relapse to cigarette smoking is common and relapse prevention interventions have indicated limited efficacy. Abstinence motivations and self-efficacy are two factors that might fluctuate during the postpartum period and predict smoking abstinence. The present study was a secondary analysis that examined statistical trends in motivations and self-efficacy to sustain postpartum abstinence and evaluated their association with sustained abstinence from pregnancy through 52 weeks postpartum. Methods Former smokers (N = 300) were recruited for a parent study evaluating two postpartum behavioral relapse prevention interventions. Participants completed assessments prenatally (baseline) and at 12, 24, and 52 weeks postpartum. Motivations to sustain abstinence for internal (intrinsic motivation) and external (extrinsic motivation) reasons, for the health of the baby (baby's health motivation), to maintain a healthy pregnancy (pregnancy motivation), and to avoid children becoming smokers (parenting motivation) were measured at each assessment. Confidence in maintaining abstinence, despite negative affective experiences (internal self-efficacy) and outside circumstances (external self-efficacy), was also assessed. Smoking was biochemically verified at each assessment. Results Linear mixed models indicated decreasing intrinsic, baby's health, and parenting motivations from baseline to 12 and 24 weeks postpartum and increasing motivations from 24 to 52 weeks postpartum (ps .10). Conclusions Levels of abstinence motivations fluctuated from pregnancy through postpartum. Future work should investigate more potent predictors of postpartum abstinence.
Greeting Behaviors in Male Alouatta palliata at La Pacifica, Costa Rica

Greeting behaviors are ritualized, nonaggressive interactions that serve as a form of tactile communication between two individuals; however, our understanding of the function of male greetings and how they vary inter- and intraspecifically is limited, particularly in Neotropical species. I examined greeting behavior in male Alouatta palliata to determine their social function by testing the tension reduction, social bonding, and formal dominance hypotheses. I collected 1751 h of behavioral data on two groups (G2 and G12/42) of similar size and sex ratio, with clear male dominance hierarchies. The overall number of greetings was low in both groups (N = 36 for both groups). More greetings occurred during times of social disruption (i.e., intergroup encounters, competition for food or females) than during neutral contexts (i.e., traveling or resting without potentially cycling females nearby), though frequencies varied by context in each group. Greetings occurred during all intergroup encounters in G2 but not in G12/42. With the exception of the competitive context in G12/42, alpha males and the higher-ranked male in the dyad initiated the majority of greetings in all contexts, though unidirectionality was not consistent. The pattern of greetings differed among dyads and between the groups. Subordinates in the dyad initiated more greetings than dominants only in G12/42 in the context of competitive activities, and the number of greetings decreased in G12/42 as rank distance increased. These results partially support the tension reduction hypothesis, and suggest greetings communicate nonagonistic intent among males. However, the nature of these encounters can vary by dyad and group within the same population, suggesting that greetings may also be partly driven by differing group histories, the social and ecological environments surrounding each group, and individual male temperaments.
Differences in response of irradiated eggs and spermatozoa ofHabrobracon to anoxia: With One Text-figure

A study of dominant and recessive lethal and visible mutations induced in eggs and in spermatozoa ofHabrobracon by X-rays in atmospheres of air and of nitrogen demonstrates, that in nitrogen, (a) For eggs in metaphase I and in prophase I and for spermatozoa, all types of mutations are reduced. (b) For eggs in both stages, response of dominant and recessive lethal mutations is greater than for spermatozoa. (c) For eggs in metaphase I, dominant lethal mutations, apparently associated with iso chromatid breakage and lateral sister union, and with tension, conditions which prevent restitution, decrease in the same ratio as do recessive lethal and visible mutations.
Metabolome of Mammary Tumors Differs from Normal Mammary Glands But Is Not Altered by Time-restricted Feeding Under Obesogenic Conditions.

Background/aim Time restricted feeding (TRF) mitigates the high-fat diet-enhanced mammary tumorigenesis in a MMTV-PyMT breast cancer model. Materials and methods We performed untargeted metabolomic and targeted transcriptomic analyses on mammary tumors from MMTV-PyMT mice fed a standard AIN93G diet, a high-fat diet (HFD), or HFD with TRF (12 h, dark phase) and mammary glands from wild-type mice fed the AIN93G diet. Results The metabolic profile of mammary tumors differed from that of mammary glands; there was no impact of TRF upon tumor metabolome. TRF did reduce elevated expression of Hmgcr, Srebp1, Fads2, and Ppard in mammary tumors, indicating a down-regulation of lipid metabolism. Conclusion The null effect of TRF on the metabolomic profile does not rule out changes in more refined intracellular signaling pathways. It suggests that the protection of TRF against mammary tumorigenesis may rely upon its action on the host rather than a direct effect on tumor metabolism.
The added value of the advanced practice provider in paediatric acute care cardiology.

Objectives: Advanced practice providers (APPs) are being employed at increasing rates in order to meet new in-hospital care demands. Utilising the Paediatric Acute Care Cardiology Collaborative (PAC3) hospital survey, we evaluated variations in staffing models regarding first-line providers and assessed associations with programme volume, acuity of care, and post-operative length of stay (LOS). Study design: The PAC3 hospital survey defined staffing models and resource availability across member institutions. A resource acuity score was derived for each participating acute care cardiology unit. Surgical volume was obtained from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons database. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the relationship between staffing models and centre volume as well as unit acuity. A previously developed case-mix adjustment model for total post-operative LOS was utilised in a multinomial regression model to evaluate the association of APP patient coverage with observed-to-expected post-operative LOS. Results: Surveys were completed by 31 (91%) PAC3 centres in 2017. Nearly all centres (94%) employ APPs, with a mean of 1.7 (range 0–5) APPs present on weekday rounds. The number of APPs present has a positive correlation with surgical volume (r = 0.49, p < 0.01) and increased acuity (r = 0.39, p = 0.03). In the multivariate model, as coverage by APPs increased from low to moderate or high, there was greater likelihood of having a shorter-than-expected post-operative LOS (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The incorporation of paediatric acute care cardiology APPs is associated with reduced post-operative LOS. Future studies are necessary to understand how APPs impact these patient-specific outcomes.
Viral competence data improves rodent reservoir predictions for American orthohantaviruses

Identifying reservoir host species is crucial for understanding the risk of pathogen spillover from wildlife to people. Orthohantaviruses are zoonotic pathogens primarily carried by rodents that cause the diseases hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in humans. Given their diversity and abundance, many orthohantaviruses are expected to be undiscovered, and several host relationships remain unclear, particularly in the Americas. Despite the increasing use of predictive models for understanding zoonotic reservoirs, explicit comparisons between different evidence types for demonstrating host associations, and relevance to model performance in applied settings, have not been previously made. Using multiple machine learning methods, we identified phylogenetic patterns in and predicted unidentified reservoir hosts of New World orthohantaviruses based on evidence of infection (RT-PCR data) and competence (live virus isolation data). Infection data were driven by phylogeny, unlike competence data, and boosted regression tree (BRT) models using competence data displayed higher accuracy and a narrower list of predicted reservoirs than those using infection data. Eight species were identified by both BRT models as likely orthohantavirus hosts, with a total of 98 species identified by our infection models and 14 species identified by our competence models. Hosts predicted by competence models are concentrated in the northeastern United States (particularly Myodes gapperi and Reithrodontomys megalotis) and northern South America (several members of tribe Oryzomyini) and should be key targets for empirical monitoring. More broadly, these results demonstrate the value of infection competence data for predictive models of zoonotic pathogen hosts, which can be applied across a range of settings and host-pathogen systems.
A multimillennial snow water equivalent reconstruction from giant sequoia tree rings

The first dendroclimatic reconstruction of May 1 snow water equivalent (SWE) was developed from a Sequoiadendron giganteum regional tree-ring chronology network of 23 sites in central California for the period 90–2012 CE. The reconstruction is based on a significant relationship between May 1 SWE and tree-ring growth and shows climate variability from interannual to intercentennial time scales. A regression-based reconstruction equation explains up to 55% of the variance of SWE for 1940–2012. Split-sample validation supports our use of a reconstruction model based on the full period of reliable observational data (1940–2012). Thresholds for May 1 SWE low (15 percentile) and high (80 percentile) years were selected based on the exploratory scatterplots relationship between observed and reconstructed data for the period 1940–2012. The longest period of consecutive low-SWE years in the reconstruction is 2 years and the frequency of the lowest SWE years is highest during the period 710–809 CE. The longest high-SWE period, defined by consecutive wet years, is 3 years (558–560 CE). SWE and its reconstruction positively correlate with northeastern Pacific sea surface temperatures, the low-frequency variability of which may provide some predictive ability. Ultimately, the instrumental record and reconstruction suggest that unlike other sites in the region, twentieth century SWE variability in these Sequoia groves has remained within historical boundaries and relatively buffered from extremes and severe declines, though this is likely to change in coming decades with potentially negative effects on water availability for these trees.
Assessment of the Educational Value of Distal Hypospadias Repair Videos on YouTube.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the quality of YouTube videos depicting distal hypospadias repair. Methods The search terms “distal hypospadias repair” were used to identify surgical videos on YouTube. Videos were sorted by view count and the top 34 videos were reviewed for baseline video characteristics, key surgical steps covered, and conformity to a modified LAParoscopic surgery Video Educational GuidelineS (LAP-VEGaS) checklist. All videos were reviewed and discussed for conformity by 2 attending pediatric urologists and a urology resident. Results Of the 34 videos reviewed, 16 videos were excluded due to content. The median length of videos was 9.94 minutes (range, 2.57-99.12 minutes). Video quality was deemed of high quality in only 39% of videos. The most common type of hypospadias procedures described were tubularized incised plate urethroplasty (n = 13) and meatal advancement and glanuloplasty incorporated (n = 2). The median view count was 7828.5 (range, 1,133-58,619 views). Only 1 video met all modified LAP-VEGaS criteria (range of 33%-100%), and only 2 videos showed every surgical step of distal hypospadias repair (range 33%-100%). Modified LAP-VEGaS score, surgical step score, or quality of the video was not associated with a higher view count. Conclusion Despite being a common procedure, there is a paucity of high-quality videos on YouTube describing distal hypospadias repair techniques. It is unclear how learners select videos for study purposes and the most utilized videos on YouTube are not the most educational videos.
'But I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For': The Supreme Court’s Struggle to Understand Factual Investigations in Federal Habeas Corpus

The Supreme Court’s decision in McQuiggin v. Perkins found that a defendant’s actual innocence of his conviction may trump the 28 USC § 2244(d)(1)(D) one year statute of limitations for filing a habeas corpus petition. However, a federal court must take into account the delay in bringing the case when considering whether a miscarriage of justice occurred. In other words, the longer the delay after the one year trigger to bring the evidence to federal court, the less likely an inmate will be able to prove his innocence. The problem with application of a sliding scale is the Court’s failure to appreciate the difficulties in gathering the hard evidence necessary to establish actual innocence. For a pro se inmate, this task is near insurmountable because of the investigation needed to locate witnesses, find records, and obtain expert analysis of physical evidence required to substantiate an innocence claim. Even those agencies tasked with proving innocence take years to gather evidence that establishes innocence regardless of whether the case involves DNA testing.What makes the Court’s reasoning on innocence issues more troubling is the leniency that is extended to a much broader range of constitutional violations. Inmates who argue a Sixth Amendment ineffective assistance of counsel claim may have an easier time obtaining relief than an innocent inmate, even though both face the same obstacles concerning factual evidence to support their arguments. The Court’s recent decisions for Martinez v. Ryan and Trevino v. Thaler, which permits raising improperly pled ineffective assistance of counsel claims either on direct appeal or state post-conviction, to satisfy the cause and prejudice standard for not bringing a viable claim of failure to investigate within the proper procedural mechanism. The Court’s disconnect in recognizing that the same difficulties exist between the innocent and the wider pool of inmates challenging convictions must be remedied to permit those wrongfully convicted an easier path to freedom.
Results of Non-Surgical Treatment of Uric Acid and Cystine Calculi

Of 1,650 patients who underwent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) treatment for renal calculi at UCLA between March 1985 and October 1987, 48 patients (2.97%) had symptomatic uric acid stones and ten patients (0.61%) suffered from symptoms of cystine calculi. Treatment consisted of ESWL combined with urinary alkalinization. Prior to ESWL, radiolucent stones were focused as filling defects on retrograde pyelography. In some cases additional renal ultrasound was necessary to identify the stone-bearing calices. At the three-month follow-up, 34 of 48 (70.8%) patients treated for uric acid stones were stone free; at six months, 40 of 48 (83.3%) patients. In the cystine group five of ten (50%) were stone free after six months. Thirty-six of 48 uric acid stone patients and all cystine stone patients required auxiliary procedures such as placement of percutaneous nephrostomy tubes or double-J stents. Two of the cystine stone patients underwent secondary percutaneous stone surgery to remove larger residual stones for a final stone-free rate of 87.5%. The guidelines for treatment of uric acid and cystine lithiasis in the upper urinary tract are described.
Adjunct Therapy and Calcium Channel Blockers

Before the era of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-specific therapies, clinicians treating patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) employed nonspecific, time-honored treatments in an effort to help these unfortunate patients. While the role of these therapies has not been rigorously studied they are still commonly used as adjuncts to PAH-specific therapies. This chapter outlines the logic and rationale behind the use of digoxin therapy, anticoagulation, oxygen therapy, diuretic therapy, and high-dose calcium channel blocker therapy and reviews the limited data supporting the use of these therapies in patients with PAH.
Resonances and beam loss in high intensity rings

Operation of high-intensity rings requires minimal beam loss. Among numerous effects which contribute to losses in rings, the interplay of excited resonances is typically an unavoidable source of halo and beam loss. Such resonances can be driven by space charge itself, magnet errors or a combined effect of both. In this paper we review several resonant effects which can limit beam intensity in a circular machine. The space-charge limit and selection of a working point in the ring are also discussed.
Healing Families: An Outcome Evaluation of a Community Family Court

In this paper, a model community family court program that seeks to break the intergenerational cycle of crime and substance abuse by treating families holistically will be presented. This model court seeks to reduce crime and provide safe and permanent homes for children of substance-abusing parents. In this community family court, the prototypical problem-solving court has been both focused and expanded. The community family court provides a focused response designed to address the unique combination of problems facing families on a family-by-family basis. At the same time, supervision and treatment services have been expanded to include every family member and all open court cases including criminal charges, juvenile delinquency, dependency, and civil cases. An overview of the court's evolution and discussion of integrated services designed to provide a wraparound style intervention will be highlighted as key contributors to the largely positive results of this community family court's evaluation.
Building Adaptive Applications using Active Mediators

We extend current DBMS technology to support applications in dynamic and heterogenous environments. Our approach raises the level of software support available from DBMSs to include an intermediate layer of software to mediate between databases and their use by applications and users. In particular we are demonstrating active mediators, where the application instructs a mediator to actively monitor databases for change in information that the application depends on. We identify how mediators can support applications that are sensitive to change.
Relationship between cutin monomers and tomato resistance to powdery mildew infection

Introduction of the yeast Δ-9 desaturase gene into tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) led to distinctive changes in their fatty acid and cutin monomer profiles. Most evident were the dramatic increases in 9-hexadecenoic acid and similarly sharp increases of this acid as a cutin monomer in transgenic plants. The transgenic plants were also more resistant to powdery mildew caused by Erysiphe polygoni DC. Cutin monomers from transgenic plants inhibited the germination of spores of powdery mildew. Germination of spores on transgenic cutin sheets was also inhibited.
Relations between the simultaneous and sequential transfer of two nucleons

The transfer of two nucleons between projectile and target in a direct or peripheral reaction such as (p,t) or (/sup 16/O,/sup 14/C) may occur in one-step or two-steps. These we refer to as simultaneous and sequential transfers, respectively. In the former, the interaction acts once and both nucleons are transferred. In the latter, the interaction acts once to transfer one nucleon, the system then propagates in one or more intermediate states and is followed by a second action of the interaction to transfer the second nucleon. This process may be symbolized for the above examples as (p,d;d,t) and (/sup 16/O,/sup 15/N;/sup 15/N,/sup 14/C), implying the intermediate formation of a deuteron or the nucleus /sup 15/N. (Of course, the intermediate system may exist in more than one state of excitation). For simplicity, the (t,p) reaction is chosen to illustrate the theory.
A case study of two NRL Pump prototypes

As computer systems become more open and interconnected, the need for reliable and secure communication also increases. The NRL (Naval Research Laboratory) Pump was introduced by Kang and Moskowitz (1993) to balance the requirements of reliability, congestion control, fairness and good performance against those of threats from covert channels and denial-of-service attacks. In this paper, we describe two prototype efforts. One (the event-driven Pump or E-Pump) implements the Pump at the process (top) layer in terms of a 4-layer network reference model, and the other (the DOS-Pump or D-Pump) implements the Pump at the transport layer. We then discuss lessons learned and how these lessons are to be used in deciding upon the final hardware implementation of the Pump.
Asymptotic Behavior for a Strongly Damped Nonlinear Wave Equation.

Abstract : This paper is a specific application of the author's recent paper, on 'Limiting Behavior for Strongly Damped Nonlinear Wave Equations' where results of Webb and Fitzgibbon were extended by applying results of a few recent papers written by the author. Some of the main results of this paper are to show boundedness of orbits in one space implies boundedness of orbits in other spaces (the technique ehre provides an interesting alternative proof of the main results of Alikakos. Invariant sets in one space are automatically invariant sets in many spaces (which implies smoothness properties of invariant sets), point dissipative and compact dissipative are equivalent in many spaces and imply bounded dissipative in spaces of 'smoother' functions, the existence of a 'very smooth' maximal compact invariant set under a very weak dissipative assumption, along with its strong stability and attractivity properties in several spaces, and fixed point theorems under these weak dissipative hypotheses.