cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 987: Unanticipated cardiotoxicity due to targeted anti-cancer therapy in hematologic malignancies patients: Natural history and risk factors

INTRODUCTION: Unanticipated cardiotoxicity is now identified as a significant clinical problem associated with new anti-cancer targeted agents. Risk factors and natural history are still poorly understood. We aim to determine potential clinical risk factors for cardiotoxicity among patients with hematologic malignancies (HM) who were treated with targeted therapies over a 10-year period. METHODS: We used 114 diagnosis codes for HM and 17 codes for cardiac diseases in order to identify patients in our electronic medical records (EPIC) and identify patients with HM who met above criteria. Cardiotoxicity was defined mainly by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of RESULTS: Of 820 patients with both HM and cardiac diagnosis, 29 patients developed cardiotoxicity after initiation of targeted therapies. We selected 70 matched controls based on type of targeted therapy. In the study group, the median time from exposure to cardiac event was 120 days (range, 1-1176). Significantly higher number of patients had prior exposure to anthracyclines in study versus control group (65.5% vs 42.8%, P=0.04), however, this was not significant in multivariable analysis. Multiple other variables, including traditional risk factors for heart disease, were analyzed and did not differ significantly between the two groups. Only two variables remained significant in the multivariable analysis, including prior history of DVT/PE (OR 4.88, 95% CI: 1.44-16.54, P=0.011), and Karnofsky score of ≥80% (OR 3.99, 95% CI: 1.51-10.6, P= 0.005). With median follow-up of 27 months (range, 1-120), 17 patients in the study group died, but only 2 of cardiac causes. Repeat echocardiograms showed worsening of LVEF in 4 patients while stable/improved in 23 patients, and 21 patients were able to receive further chemotherapy. There was a trend towards worse overall survival in the study group (P= 0.071). CONCLUSIONS: About 3.5% of patients with HM experience unanticipated cardiotoxicity due to targeted anti-cancer agents with related mortality of 6.8 %. Most patients do well with stable compensated cardiac function and 35% have an objective improvement in LVEF. Risk of cardiotoxicity was significantly higher in patients with known history of DVT/PE. Future studies of possible underlying genetic predisposition will be of great importance. Citation Format: Chintan Shah, Yan Gong, Anita Szady, Qian Sun, carl J. Pepine, Taimour Langaee, Alexandra R. Lucas, Jan S. Moreb. Unanticipated cardiotoxicity due to targeted anti-cancer therapy in hematologic malignancies patients: Natural history and risk factors [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 987. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-987
The Next Generation of ALI Genetics: Insights into Pathophysiology

The last few years have seen an explosion in the publication of gene association studies, particularly genome wide analyses, giving insight into the molecular underpinnings of disease [1, 2]. For acute lung injury (ALI), the field of genetics is just beginning to move past its infancy, from candidate gene studies to higher throughput, hypothesis-generating designs. As a phenotype, ALI can be challenging to study given the lack of available pedigrees for family-based analyses, the necessity for a severe environmental insult such as sepsis, pneumonia, trauma, or aspiration, and the heterogeneity of the populations at-risk for the syndrome and those who manifest it [3]. The search to identify genetic risk factors for ALI susceptibility or outcome draws input from molecular advances as well as from large epidemiological studies with carefully phenotyped critically ill subjects, and these efforts in tandem have recently produced exciting results. In this chapter, we will discuss the most recent developments in the effort to identify genetic risk factors contributing to ALI susceptibility or outcome, and will highlight the more novel techniques applied to this question. A glossary of genetic terms is provided (Box).
Is there a benefit to adjuvant radiation in stage III penile cancer after lymph node dissection? Findings from the National Cancer Database.

Abstract Objective The role of adjuvant radiation in advanced penile cancer (PC) is unknown. We used the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to determine factors associated with receiving adjuvant radiation (aXRT) and their influence on prognosis in men who underwent inguinal lymph node dissection (ILND) for stage III disease. Materials and methods We queried the NCDB from 1998–2012 for all men with PC who had pathologic nodal status and aXRT data available. Clinical and pathologic variables associated with aXRT were examined using chi-square testing. Logistic regression evaluated the odds of receiving aXRT while multivariate Cox regression analysis evaluated the influence of aXRT on overall survival (OS). Results A total of 589 patients underwent ILND for stage III PC with 23% (N = 136) receiving aXRT. Mean age was 61.8 ±13.7 years. Factors associated with receiving aXRT included higher pathologic nodal stage (MV OR 1.85, 95% CI: 1.13–3.05), while greater distance of travel (MV OR 0.48, 95% CI: 0.25–0.92), and treatment in an academic setting (MV OR 0.53, 95% CI: 0.35–0.81) were inversely associated with receiving aXRT. On Cox regression analysis, aXRT improved OS (combined HR 0.58, 95% CI: 0.39–0.86), which appeared to have been driven by higher nodal burden (N2: HR 0.53, 95% CI: 0.32–0.88; N1: HR 1.36, 95% CI: 0.60–3.09). Conclusions Determinants of aXRT delivery in stage III PC appear to be related to the proximity to community cancer centers and greater nodal burden. We find evidence of a survival benefit with the use of aXRT, particularly in those with higher nodal stage. Multi-institutional studies are needed to confirm these findings and improve treatment algorithms for high-stage PC.
Understanding NAFTA’s ISDS: A Challenge for Mexican Attorneys

In the context of the 20th anniversary of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), this article will analyze its Chapter XI: Investor- State Dispute Settlement. Chapter XI embodies the investor’s real and practical experience under NAFTA rules. An examination of the historical record demonstrates that Mexican lawyers have been passive participants in defending investors’ rights. On the other side of the coin, Mexican investors have not been active participants in NAFTA’s Chapter XI, in contrast to Canadian and US investors. Finally, Mexico’s experience in international arbitration has not always been negative, but Mexico has been criticized for a lack of transparency and due process for foreign investors.
A numerical study of spent nuclear fuel dry storage systems under extreme impact loading

Abstract The structural integrity of concrete dry storage systems under an impact loading caused by a simulated commercial airplane engine crash is evaluated in this study. A finite element model of a generic vertical dry storage system including the concrete overpack, multi-purpose canister, spent nuclear fuel (SNF) basket, and SNF assemblies was developed using a commercial finite element analysis software. The strain rate effect was considered for the steel parts of the cask via a rate dependent and nonlinear constitutive model. The modeling approach was first validated using experimental data available in literature on projectile impact of concrete and steel/concrete composite (sandwich) panels. Then, a comprehensive comparison in terms of strains, damage and deformations was performed for two configurations of reinforced and sandwich cask overpacks commonly used in the industry. Critical impact height was identified by an examination of the strains and accelerations in the SNF assemblies. Furthermore, the effect of boundary conditions for the two cases of free-standing and anchored configuration was investigated. The maximum deformation and stress as well as the peak acceleration were identified in the SNF basket to assess safety of the SNF assemblies. The minimum impact velocity causing tip-over from aircraft engine impact was determined.
Reactions to inequity

This article proposes a model for integrating equity theory, a framework for studying the psychology of the legal process, with some tenets of attribution theory. Attempts to restore equity and redress an injustice are viewed as being related to how responsible the victim and the harmdoer are for causing or contributing to the inequitable situation. Judgments of responsibility rest on causal attributions concerning the locus of causation, intentionality, stability, and controllability of the injustice. Some implications for future theorizing in equity are discussed along with some possible connections between the present attributional analysis and problems in dispute resolution.
On the falling of objects in non-Newtonian fluids

The falling of a lamina in between two parallel plates containing a fluid of second grade is studied. The velocity of the lamina and the fluid are determined by solving the mixed initial—boundary value problem using Laplace transform. Explicit exact solutions are obtained for the velocity of the lamina and the fluid. Next, the falling of a cylinder in a tube containing a fluid of second grade is analyzed using Laplace transform, and once again exact solutions are found.
Drug-induced leukopenia and aplastic anemia.

Hematopoietic damage following treatment with certain medications remains a major problem of drug therapy. As long as drugs remain indispensable in the treatment of disease, this problem cannot be resolved simply by avoiding their use. Instead, development of information that pertains to the mechanism and prediction of drug-induced blood dyscrasias must be acquired for the safe use of drugs. Forewarned is forearmed; if it were possible to identify a susceptible patient or a potentially dangerous drug, then the potential risk of producing a serious blood re action with treatment would be minimized. A precedent for this concept was established with the discovery that patients whose erythrocytes are deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase are unusually susceptible to hemolytic anemia if treated with oxidant drugs.41 For most of the other toxic blood dyscrasias, knowledge of the pathogenesis remains obscure because certain difficulties limit acquisition of such information. The mechanisms of a drug reaction produced by one drug may differ from that produced by another drug. Also, the rare incidence of druginduced blood dyscrasias has made very few patients available for studies. Few papers have appeared which deal with the mechanism of drug-induced hematopoietic disease. In addition, the difficulties entailed in obtaining bone marrow and other specimens in sufficient quantity has restricted effective investigation. Since the technique required to study mechanisms of drug reactions may be complex and expensive, it may be logistically unsound for a laboratory to “tool up” and then sit back and wait for the first patient to arrive.
Defending Shylock: Productive Work in Financial Markets

Like Shakespeare's Shylock, market speculators, "junk bond" dealers, and other market specialists are criticized as manipulators of money who create no real value. But is this true? Or do financiers perform a valuable function in the economy? In this essay, Stephen Hicks challenges a conventional view of financiers and financial markets – that those who work in them are zero-sum parasites upon the physical labor and that they make merely "paper profits." In contrast to the conventional view, Hicks explains the great value that financial markets add to an economy and the nature of the intellectual work that underlays them.
Impact of a Make-A-Wish experience on healthcare utilization.

To evaluate the impact of receiving a wish from the Make-A-WishR Foundation on (1) patient healthcare utilization and (2) savings benefit measures. Make-A-WishR arranges experiences, or “wishes,” to children with progressive, life-threatening, or life-limiting illness. A retrospective, case–control analysis was performed comparing patients who received or did not receive a wish and associated impact on healthcare utilization and costs across 2 years. Healthcare utilization was defined as visits to primary, urgent, emergent care, and planned/unplanned inpatient hospitalizations. We defined wish savings benefit as a decline in the cost of care from years 1 to 2, which exceeded the average cost of a wish in 2016, $10,130. From 2011 to 2016, 496 Nationwide Children’s Hospital patients received a wish. We matched these patients to 496 controls based on age, gender, disease category, and disease complexity. Patients who received a wish were 2.5 and 1.9 times more likely to have fewer unplanned hospital admissions and emergency department visits, respectively. These decreases were associated with a higher likelihood (2.3-fold and 2.2-fold greater odds) of the wish achieving a savings benefit compared to hospital charges. Participation in the Make-A-WishR program may provide children quality of life relief while reducing hospital visits and healthcare expenditures.
An examination of socioeconomic equity in health experiences in six Latin American and Caribbean countries

ABSTRACT Objective Most Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries are working toward the provision of universal health coverage, and ensuring equity is a priority for those nations. The goal of this study was to examine the extent to which adults’ socioeconomic status was related to health care experience in six LAC countries. Methods This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between educational attainment and seven health experience outcomes in three areas: assessment of the health system, access to care, and experience with general practitioner. For this work, we used data from an Inter-American Development Bank survey of adults in Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Jamaica, Mexico, and Panama that was conducted in 2012-2014. Results Brazil and Jamaica, the two countries with unified public coverage, stood out for having substantially greater inequality, according to the results of bivariate analyses, with more-educated respondents reporting better health care experiences for five of the seven outcomes. For Jamaica, educational differences largely remained in multivariate analyses: college graduates were less likely (odds ratio (OR) = 0.37) than those with primary education to report their health system needs major reform and were more likely (OR = 2.57) to have a regular doctor. In Brazil, educational differences were mostly eliminated in multivariate models, though people with private insurance consistently reported better outcomes than those with public coverage. Colombia, in contrast, exhibited the least inequality despite having the highest income inequality of the six countries. Conclusions Future research is needed to understand the policies and strategies that have resulted in Colombia achieving high levels of equity in patient health care experience, and Jamaica and Brazil demonstrating high levels of inequality.
Papillary thyroid carcinoma : etiology, assessment and therapy

Papillary thyroid carcinoma, the most common type of differentiated thyroid cancer, is a heterogeneous collection of histologic variants with distinct biologic behaviors and clinical implications. These subtypes are described, including new clinical data on the tall cell variant. Recent genetic and environmental findings relating to etiology are presented, as well as the prognostic features of tumor presentation that correlate to risks of tumor recurrence and patient survival. Finally, within the context of significant controversy, a particular clinical approach is recommended for surgery and radioiodine therapy.
Effects of Computer-Based Cognitive Mapping on Reading Comprehension for Students with Emotional Behavior Disorders:

Three students with behavior disorders who exhibited difficulty with reading in content area courses learned to use a computer program to create cognitive maps of the reading material required for ...
Bit by bit: social research in the digital age: Review of Matthew J. Salganik, Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press, 2017.

In his 1963 book Informal Sociology, William Bruce Cameron wrote the often-misattributed quote “not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted”. With this ...
Correlation of Values for Indocyanine Green Angiography in the Arterographically Normal Lower Extremity.

Introduction Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) is an assessment tool used to detect the degree of perfusion of tissue. This technology is being utilized in a variety of applications, including in the lower extremity. Principally, ICGA has been reported as a tool to determine pre-, intra-, or post-operative perfusion. The aim of this study is to determine objective values for ICGA in patients with arterographically normal lower extremities. Materials and methods Prospectively, 20 patients were identified with no history of peripheral vascular disease who were scheduled to undergo distal subtraction angiography of the lower extremity. Based on the angiogram, 18 patients were deemed anatomically normal-a patent posterior tibial, anterior tibial, and peroneal artery with blood flow past the ankle into the foot. These patients then underwent ICGA on the dorsal and plantar aspects of the foot. The time to blush (seconds) and ingress and egress rates (units/second) were calculated. Results The mean time to blush for the dorsal aspect is 26.7s (standard deviation [SD]=22.16) and the median is 14s (range=4-81s) and for the plantar aspect is 9.33s (SD=18.64), and the median is 3.5s (range=1-68s). The region of interest (ROI) ingress rates for the dorsal foot is: mean 3.29 (SD=5.18) and median is 1.60 (range=0.2-21.7). The ROI egress rates for the dorsal foot is: mean 0.55 (SD=0.43) and median is 0.35 (range=0.3-1.40). The ROI ingress rates for the plantar foot is: mean 10.02 (SD=11.91) and median 2.60 (range=0.30-34.20). The ROI egress rates for the plantar foot is: mean 1.57 (SD=1.65) and median is 1.00 (range=0.10-5.70). Conclusions This is the first study attempting to establish objective values for ICGA in the vascularly patent lower extremity.
Exponentially Convergent Receding Horizon Strategy for Constrained Optimal Control

Receding horizon control has been a widespread method in industrial control engineering as well as an extensively studied subject in control theory. In this work, we consider a lag L receding horizon strategy that applies the initial L optimal controls from each quadratic program to each receding horizon. We investigate a discrete-time and time-varying linear-quadratic optimal control problem that includes a nonzero reference trajectory and constraints on both state and control. We prove that, under boundedness and controllability conditions, the solution obtained by the receding horizon strategy converges to the solution of the full problem interval exponentially fast in the length of the receding horizon for some lag L. The exponential rate of convergence provides a systematic way of choosing the receding horizon length given a desired accuracy level. We illustrate our theoretical findings using a small, synthetic production cost model with real demand data.
A field guide to existential risk

It is in society9s best interest to prevent existential catastrophes by reducing natural, anthropogenic, and future threats, argues Toby Ord in The Precipice. His goal is not merely to aggregate research findings, but to assign a quantitative estimate to individual threats with regard to their potential to cause an existential catastrophe.
Permafrost thermal conditions are sensitive to shifts in snow timing

Changes in snow precipitation at high latitudes can significantly affect permafrost thermal conditions and thaw depth, potentially exposing more carbon-laden soil to microbial decomposition. A fully coupled process-based surface/subsurface thermal hydrology model with surface energy balance is used to analyze the impact of intra-annual variability in snow on permafrost thermal regime and the active layer thickness. In the four numerical scenarios considered, simulations were forced by the same meteorological data, except the snow precipitation, which was systematically altered to change timing of snowfall. The scenarios represent subtle shifts in snow timing, but the snow onset/melt days, the end of winter snowpack depth, and total annual snow precipitation are unchanged among scenarios. The simulations show that small shifts in the timing of snow accumulation can have significant effects on subsurface thermal conditions leading to active layer deepening and even talik formation when snowfall arrives earlier in the winter. The shifts in snow timing have a stronger impact on wetter regions, especially soil underneath small ponds, as compared to drained regions. This study highlights the importance of understanding potential changes in winter precipitation patterns for reliable projections of active-layer thickness in a changing Arctic climate.
Occupational Hazards and Health and Safety Risks for Latino Tree Trimmers in the Pine Forest Industry.

A pilot project was conducted to evaluate the working conditions and work-related body pain among Latino immigrant tree trimmers (n = 57) in the commercial pine forest service industry. Participant...
Counterfactual Hypothesis Testing of Tumor Microenvironment Scenarios Through Semantic Image Synthesis

AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWRecent multiplexed protein imaging technologies make it possible to characterize cells, their spatial organization, and interactions within microenvironments at unprecedented resolution. Although observational data can reveal spatial associations, it does not allow users to infer biologically causative relationships and interactions between cells. To address this challenge, we develop a generative model that allows users to test hypotheses about the effect of cell-cell interactions on protein expression through in silico perturbation. Our Cell-Cell Interaction GAN (CCIGAN) model employs a generative adversarial network (GAN) architecture to generate biologically realistic multiplexed cell images from semantic cell segmentations. Our approach is unique in considering all imaging channels simultaneously, and we show that it successfully captures known tumor-immune cell interactions missed by other state-of-the-art GAN models, and yields biological insights without requiring in vivo manipulation. CCIGAN accepts data from multiple imaging technologies and can infer interactions from single images in any health or disease context.
Conclusion: Localised Modernity, Hybrid Knowledge, and Postcolonial (Dis-)Continuities

Localised Modernity, Hybrid Knowledge and Postcolonial (Dis-)Continuities analyses how schemes and visions of the modern Sikh and citizen as elaborated at Khalsa College, Amritsar, translated after 1947 and the subcontinent’s Partition into the postcolonial order of independent India. Addressing questions of education, science, and hegemony in colonial South Asia, the chapter examines the possibilities and boundaries of knowledge ‘hybridisation’. It retraces how both local and global factors and ramifications nurtured a modernist Khālsā interpretation of Sikh tradition which bore the seed of both universalisation and particularisation—formative until today and indicative of a prevailing simultaneity of global integration and regional disintegration.
Antimicrobial Resistance in U.S. Retail Ground Beef with and without Label Claims Regarding Antibiotic Use.

ABSTRACT Antibiotics used during food animal production account for approximately 77% of U.S. antimicrobial consumption by mass. Ground beef products labeled as raised without antibiotics (RWA) are perceived to harbor lower levels of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria than conventional (CONV) products with no label claims regarding antimicrobial use. Retail ground beef samples were obtained from six U.S. cities. Samples with an RWA or U.S. Department of Agriculture Organic claim (n = 299) were assigned to the RWA production system. Samples lacking these claims (n = 300) were assigned to the CONV production system. Each sample was cultured for the detection of five antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Genomic DNA was isolated from each sample, and a quantitative PCR assay was used to determine the abundance of 10 antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. Prevalence of tetracycline-resistant Escherichia coli (CONV, 46.3%; RWA, 34.4%; P < 0.01) and erythromycin-resistant Enterococcus (CONV, 48.0%; RWA, 37.5%; P = 0.01) was higher in CONV ground beef. Salmonella was detected in 1.2% of samples. The AMR gene blaCTX-M (CONV, 4.1 log-normalized abundance; RWA, 3.8 log-normalized abundance; P < 0.01) was more abundant in CONV ground beef. The AMR genes mecA (CONV, 4.4 log-normalized abundance; RWA, 4.9 log-normalized abundance; P = 0.05), tet(A) (CONV, 3.9 log-normalized abundance; RWA, 4.5 log-normalized abundance; P < 0.01), tet(B) (CONV, 3.9 log-normalized abundance; RWA, 4.5 log-normalized abundance; P < 0.01), and tet(M) (CONV, 5.4 log-normalized abundance; RWA, 5.8 log-normalized abundance; P < 0.01) were more abundant in RWA ground beef. Although these results suggest that antimicrobial use during U.S. cattle production does not increase human exposure to antimicrobial-resistant bacteria via ground beef, quantitative microbiological risk assessments are required for authoritative determination of the human health impacts of the use of antimicrobial agents during beef production. HIGHLIGHTS
Intraoperative near-infrared imaging of parathyroid glands: A comparison of first- and second-generation technologies.

Background Intraoperative near-infrared imaging (NIFI) of parathyroid glands (PG) by first-generation technology had limited image quality and depth penetration. Second-generation NIFI has recently been introduced. Our aim was to compare (1) capability to detect PG and (2) image quality between older and newer technologies. Methods Accurately detecting PG, as well as, quality of autofluorescence (AF) was compared between an older charge-coupled device (CCD) camera and a newer complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS). χ2 , t test, and analysis of variance were used for analysis. Results There were 300 patients who underwent parathyroidectomy (PTX) and/or thyroidectomy (THY) with NIFI, 200 with CCD, and 100 with CMOS. Although both NIFI technologies detected >94% of PG, CMOS was superior to CCD. Comparing AF quality, mean pixel intensity of PG compared with the background was higher with CMOS compared with CCD. When comparing PG detected by NIFI before visual identification by a surgeon, both CCD and CMOS had similar results (25% vs. 22%; p = .3). Conclusion Both NIFI cameras were excellent at detecting PG. Second-generation NIFI (CMOS) displayed higher detection rates and AF intensity. Although surgeons identified majority of PG before NIFI detection, 25% of PG were identified with NIFI first, suggesting future advancements of this technology may expand its applications during parathyroid/thyroid operations.
Design optimization of urban typologies: A framework for evaluating building energy performance and outdoor thermal comfort

Abstract In the physics-based simulation of urban geometries, the outdoor environment was usually simulated separately from buildings – until recently, when the holistic assessment of the urban environment began to attract more attention. Although analyzing design alternatives with multiple objectives is still a challenge, computational tools enable generating thousands of scenarios to rapidly assess performance corresponding to a specific goal. In this study, we developed a multi-phase optimization framework for conceptual urban design. We tested this framework for urban typologies in Syracuse. The energy performance of each alternative was compared with a baseline. The alternatives that generate wasteful energy performance were filtered out first, then remaining scenarios that performed better than the baseline were analyzed using outdoor thermal comfort autonomy (OTCA). Mid-rise multifamily buildings showed the best performance (55.8% energy improvement compared to the baseline). Although hot week outdoor comfort satisfaction among selected mid-rise typologies was high (92.9–98.5%), the satisfaction in cold week was very low (between 8.4–11.6%) among them. This framework contributes to identifying an acceptable range of design solutions by broadening the perspective of the field toward using a more customized optimization framework in early design that will further guarantee the requirements of energy efficient and sustainable cities.
The Physical Basis of Precocity and Dullness

(1897). The Physical Basis of Precocity and Dullness. American Physical Education Review: Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 155-173.
SU-D-207-06: Clinical Validations of Shading Correction for Cone-Beam CT Using Planning CT as a Prior

Purpose: Current cone-beam CT (CBCT) images contain severe shading artifacts mainly due to scatter, hindering their quantitative use in current radiation therapy. We have previously proposed an effective shading correction method for CBCT using planning CT (pCT) as prior knowledge. In this work, we investigate the method robustness via statistical analyses on studies of a large patient group and compare the performance with that of a state-of-the-art method implemented on the current commercial radiation therapy machine -- the Varian Truebeam system. Methods: Since radiotherapy patients routinely undergo multiple-detector CT (MDCT) scans in the planning procedure, we use the high-quality pCT as “free” prior knowledge for CBCT image improvement. The CBCT image with no correction is first spatially registered with the pCT. Primary CBCT projections are estimated via forward projections of the registered image. The low frequency errors in the projections, which stem from mainly scatter, are estimated by filtering the difference between original line integral and the estimated scatter projections. The corrected CBCT image is then reconstructed from the scatter corrected projections. The proposed method is evaluated on 40 cancer patients. Results: On all patient images, we compare errors on CT number, spatial non-uniformity (SNU) and image contrast, using pCTmore » as the ground truth. T-tests show that our algorithm improves over the Varian method on CBCT accuracies of CT number and SNU with 90% confident. The average CT number error is reduced from 54.8 HU on the Varian method to 40.9 HU, and the SNU error is reduced from 7.7% to 3.8%. There is no obvious improvement on image contrast. Conclusion: Large-group patient studies show that the proposed pCT-based algorithm outperforms the Varian method of the Truebeam system on CBCT shading correction, by providing CBCT images with higher CT number accuracy and greater image uniformity.« less
The Occurrence of a Glucose-Enzyme Complex in the Reaction Catalyzed by Sucrose Phosphorylase

Abstract Evidence has been obtained for the formation of a glucose-enzyme complex in reactions catalyzed by sucrose phosphorylase isolated from Pseudomonas saccharophila. When sucrose phosphorylase is denatured after exposure to uniformly labeled sucrose-14C, the denatured protein contains firmly bound d-glucose or a compound derived from the d-glucose moiety of sucrose. The d-fructose moiety of sucrose is not bound to the protein.
Metapelites: Diversity in Progressive Regional Metamorphism

Metabasites are mineralogically sensitive to variations in temperature and pressure. This is the reason why Eskola (1920, 1939) based his definitions of individual metamorphic facies on the mineral assemblages of metabasites. The main characteristics are synoptically shown in table 8A–1. The mineralogical sensitivity is especially great under high rock-pressures, as exemplified by the formation of glaucophane schist and eclogite.
Random‐Primed, Phi29 DNA Polymerase‐Based Whole Genome Amplification

Whole-genome amplification by multiple displacement amplification (MDA) is a patented method to generate potentially unlimited genomic material when researchers are challenged with trace samples, or the amount of genomic DNA required for analysis exceeds the amount on hand. It is an isothermal reaction, using Phi29 DNA polymerase and random hexamer primers for unbiased amplification of linear DNA molecules, such as genomic DNA. The random-primed MDA reaction provides extensive amplification coverage of the genome, generates extremely long DNA products, and provides high DNA yields. This unit explains the reaction, and describes use of the commercial kits available.
Flight Management System (FMS) Execution Task Time Modeling for Loading Terminal Area Navigation (RNAV) Procedure Changes

Flexibility needs for managing terminal operations are proposed to be accomplished in the future by issuing Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP) procedure changes. The aircraft response latency and variability introduced by choosing to issue RNAV and/or RNP procedure changes in lieu of radar vectoring must be considered due to the time-critical nature of Air Traffic Control (ATC). Among the causes for latency and latency variability in aircraft response is flight deck procedure loading requirements. A Keystroke Level Model was used to estimate task execution times for loading three types of RNAV procedure changes in two simulated Flight Management Systems (FMS), the Honeywell Pegasus model and a Smiths U10.6 model, using Aerosim Technologies Inc. desktop simulator software. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted for each procedure change type to evaluate differences in task execution times across FMS types. Significant differences were shown for runway transition ...
Detection of 10- to 100-MeV photons with lead-glass Cherenkov counters

Abstract We describe the use of a 10 × 10 × 15cm3 lead-glass Cherenkov counter as a detector of photons with energies as low as 10 MeV. A procedure for calibrating the efficiency of the counter without the use of tagged photons is presented. Using electron-beam measurements and a Monte Carlo calculation, we find that a normally-incident photon is detected with an efficiency of 62% at 15 MeV and 87% at 25 MeV.
Partial restoration of Con A-induced proliferation, IL-2 receptor expression, and IL-2 synthesis in aged murine lymphocytes by phorbol myristate acetate and lonomycin

The activation by concanavalin A (Con A) of murine lymphocytes derived from aged animals is impaired, as demonstrated by lower IL-2 synthesis, display of fewer IL-2 receptors, and less [3H]thymidine incorporation relative to similarly treated cells from young animals. The ability of the phorbol ester, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), and the calcium ionophore, ionomycin, in conjunction with Con A, to improve these parameters of activation has been assessed. When splenic lymphocytes derived from aged mice are cultured with Con A plus ionomycin, IL-2 synthesis and IL-2 receptor expression are increased over the values obtained in parallel cultures triggered by Con A alone up to levels equal to that obtained in Con A-activated young cultures. The proliferative response is less sensitive to the augmenting effect of ionomycin. PMA is much less effective in improving these parameters of Con A activation. PMA plus ionomycin, in the absence of Con A, triggers cell cycle transition of lymphocytes derived from both aged and young animals. Both IL-2 synthesis and IL-2 receptor expression induced by PMA plus ionomycin reach levels equal or near equal that found in parallel cultures of cells from young animals; however, proliferation is lower than in young adult cultures.
Estimation of the numbers of trichostrongylid larvae on pastures

Estimates of the density of larvae on herbage are used in epidemiologic studies to determine seasonal or monthly variations in contamination of pastures with third-stage larvae of the trichostrongyles, and to provide an index of the risk of exposure of grazing animals. Estimates of density are affected by many variables, including laboratory techniques, climate, forage types, and farm and animal management methods. Thus, a comparison of results given by different workers is not desirable. In obtaining and interpreting larval density estimates, it is important to standardize the technique over the period of observation. Because techniques for estimation of larvae are cumbersome and time-consuming, statistical design is often compromised. Herbage samples should be taken randomly and with sufficient replication to overcome the variability of the herbage sampling technique. Studies to determine an appropriate sampling design to obtain the best estimate for pastures of all sizes have not as yet been carried out.
Synthesis and Evaluation of a Conjugate Vaccine Composed of Staphylococcus aureus Poly-N-Acetyl- Glucosamine and Clumping Factor A

The increasing frequency, severity and antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus infections has made the development of immunotherapies against this pathogen more urgent than ever. Previous immunization attempts using monovalent antigens resulted in at best partial levels of protection against S. aureus infection. We therefore reasoned that synthesizing a bivalent conjugate vaccine composed of two widely expressed antigens of S. aureus would result in additive/ synergetic activities by antibodies to each vaccine component and/or in increased strain coverage. For this we used reductive amination, to covalently link the S. aureus antigens clumping factor A (ClfA) and deacetylated poly-N-b-(1–6)acetyl-glucosamine (dPNAG). Mice immunized with 1, 5 or 10 mg of the dPNAG-ClfA conjugate responded in a dosedependent manner with IgG to dPNAG and ClfA, whereas mice immunized with a mixture of ClfA and dPNAG developed significantly lower antibody titers to ClfA and no antibodies to PNAG. The dPNAG-ClfA vaccine was also highly immunogenic in rabbits, rhesus monkeys and a goat. Moreover, affinity-purified, antibodies to ClfA from dPNAG-ClfA immune serum blocked the binding of three S. aureus strains to immobilized fibrinogen. In an opsonophagocytic assay (OPKA) goat antibodies to dPNAG-ClfA vaccine, in the presence of complement and polymorphonuclear cells, killed S. aureus Newman and, to a lower extent, S. aureus Newman DclfA. A PNAG-negative isogenic mutant was not killed. Moreover, PNAG antigen fully inhibited the killing of S. aureus Newman by antisera to dPNAG-ClfA vaccine. Finally, mice passively vaccinated with goat antisera to dPNAG-ClfA or dPNAG-diphtheria toxoid conjugate had comparable levels of reductions of bacteria in the blood 2 h after infection with three different S. aureus strains as compared to mice given normal goat serum. In conclusion, ClfA is an immunogenic carrier protein that elicited anti-adhesive antibodies that fail to augment the OPK and protective activities of antibodies to the PNAG cell surface polysaccharide.
Executive cognitive function and food intake in children.

Abstract Objective The current study investigated relations among neurocognitive skills important for behavioral regulation, and the intake of fruit, vegetables, and snack food in children. Design Participants completed surveys at a single time point. Setting Assessments took place during school. Participants Participants were 107 fourth-grade children from a large US city. Ninety-one percent were Latino, and 4% were African-American, which represented school ethnic distribution. Main Outcome Measure(s) Independent variable included was self-reported executive cognitive function (ECF). Dependent variables included self-reported fruit, vegetable, and snack food intake. Analyses Primary analyses general linear regression models covarying for appropriate demographic variables. Results Analyses demonstrated that ECF proficiency was negatively related to snack food intake, but was not significantly related to fruit and vegetable intake. Conclusions and Implications Since ECF is correlated with snack food intake, future studies may consider assessing the potential of enhancing ECF in health promotion interventions.
Chemical Ecology of Marine Angiosperms: Opportunities at the Interface of Marine and Terrestrial Systems

This review examines the state of the field for chemically mediated interactions involving marine angiosperms (seagrasses, mangroves, and salt marsh angiosperms). Small-scale interactions among these plants and their herbivores, pathogens, fouling organisms, and competitors are explored, as are community-level effects of plant secondary metabolites. At larger spatial scales, secondary metabolites from marine angiosperms function as reliable cues for larval settlement, molting, or habitat selection by fish and invertebrates, and can influence community structure and ecosystem function. Several recent studies illustrate the importance of chemical defenses from these plants that deter feeding by herbivores and infection by pathogens, but the extent to which allelopathic compounds kill or inhibit the growth of competitors is less clear. While some phenolic compounds such as ferulic acid and caffeic acid act as critical defenses against herbivores and pathogens, we find that a high total concentration of phenolic compounds within bulk plant tissues is not a strong predictor of defense. Residual chemical defenses prevent shredding or degradation of plant detritus by detritivores and microbes, delaying the time before plant matter can enter the microbial loop. Mangroves, marsh plants, and seagrasses remain plentiful sources of new natural products, but ecological functions are known for only a small proportion of these compounds. As new analytical techniques are incorporated into ecological studies, opportunities are emerging for chemical ecologists to test how subtle environmental cues affect the production and release of marine angiosperm chemical defenses or signaling molecules. Throughout this review, we point to areas for future study, highlighting opportunities for new directions in chemical ecology that will advance our understanding of ecological interactions in these valuable ecosystems.
Media Exposure of the Ideal Physique on Women’s Body Dissatisfaction and Mood: The Moderating Effects of Ethnicity

Although body image concerns are influenced by cultural and ethnic factors, most research on the media and body image has focused exclusively on Caucasians. The goal of this study was to examine whether ethnicity moderates the body dissatisfaction and mood of women exposed to media images portraying the ideal physique. Two ethnic groups of women (Caucasians and African Americans) viewed two sets of slides (mass media ideals and controls) and completed pre- and posttest mood state measures of anxiety, depression, anger, and body dissatisfaction. Findings reveal that although the African American women reported no changes from pre- to posttest body dissatisfaction after viewing either slide condition, the Caucasian women reported higher body dissatisfaction after viewing the model slides and lower body dissatisfaction scores after viewing the control slides. No other results were significant. Study results and future research directions are discussed.
Comparing two devices of suspended treadmill walking by varying body unloading and Froude number

In rehabilitation, treadmill walking with body weight support is commonly used to reduce loads on lower extremities. (1) However, gait pattern alterations during unloading at constant Froude number are infrequently reported. (2) Furthermore, differences between two common devices for unloading are not well known. Therefore, we investigated two devices; a waist-high chamber with increased pressure called Lower Body Positive Pressure (LBPP), and a harness system (LiteGait), considered a standard system for unloading the lower body. Four gait parameters (cadence, normalized stride length, duty factor, and leg angle at touch down), heart rate, and comfort level were monitored in 12 healthy volunteers. Subjects walked at three body weight (BW) conditions (100%, 66%, and 33% BW) and three Froude numbers (Fr), which refer to a dimensionless speed reflecting slow walking (Fr=0.09), comfortable walking (Fr=0.25), and walk-run transition (Fr=0.5). Absolute treadmill speed was determined using Froude numbers reflecting dynamically similar motions during unloading. We found that (1) the normal gait pattern is altered during unloading at a constant Froude number. In rehabilitation, physical therapists should be aware that normal gait pattern may not need to be maintained during unloaded treadmill walking. (2) Gait parameters were not different when comparing LBPP to harness supported walking. However, heart rate was lower and comfort higher during unloaded LBPP ambulation compared to suspended harness walking. Therefore, suspended LBPP walking may be more appropriate for patients with cardiovascular disease and for conditions at high unloading.
Habitat fragmentation in marine landscapes: relative effects of habitat cover and configuration on juvenile crab survival in California and North Carolina seagrass beds

Processes that dictate faunal abundance (e.g. predation) may be linked primarily to the configuration of habitat (e.g. patch size, patch isolation, proximity to edge) or simply to the amount of habitat (i.e. habitat cover) in marine and terrestrial systems. I asked whether juvenile crab survival in marine seagrass habitats is linked to habitat cover or to habitat configuration, and whether relationships between crab survival and habitat features were similar in two widely separated seagrass landscapes (Bodega Harbor, California and Back Sound, North Carolina, USA). I also evaluated the independent effects of seagrass structural complexity (shoot density and shoot biomass per unit area) and habitat fragmentation on crab survival. Juvenile red rock crabs (Cancer productus: 1+year class) were tethered in Bodega Harbor and juvenile blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus: 0+year class) were tethered in Back Sound. Seagrass cover in both landscapes ranged from <10 to 100% over 10×10 m areas. Crab survival was correlated with elements of landscape structure and structural complexity in both landscapes, but relationships between crab survival and specific habitat features differed between the two landscapes. In California, juvenile red rock crab survival was negatively correlated with seagrass cover and was positively correlated with seagrass shoot density, and was marginally (P=0.06) negatively correlated with seagrass shoot biomass. In North Carolina, juvenile blue crab survival was positively correlated with log10 patch area and was negatively correlated with seagrass shoot biomass. The results indicate that (1) both seagrass cover and configuration may influence crab survival; (2) seagrass structural complexity influences crab survival independently of landscape structure; (3) the relative influence of cover, configuration and structural complexity on survival likely differ among seagrass landscapes; and (4) increasing structural complexity (e.g. shoot biomass) may not always lead to increased faunal survival. The results correspond to those of recent studies in marine and terrestrial landscapes showing widely variable faunal responses to landscape structure among species, geographic location and through time, and imply that seagrass restoration and conservation strategies should incorporate species-specific responses to habitat structure at multiple scales.