cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 12-Month Follow-Up Evaluation of Integrated Treatment for Homeless Individuals With Co-Occurring Disorders

This study examined the effectiveness of the Comprehensive, Continuous, Integrated System of Care (CCISC) model in addressing co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Clients were eligible for participation if they had co-occurring disorders and were homeless or at risk of homelessness. Forty-eight clients received a comprehensive array of services consistent with the CCISC model. Measures assessing housing, employment, mental health, and substance use were completed at baseline, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up. Results demonstrated significant improvements in housing, employment, mental health, and substance use at 12-month follow-up. These results underscore the effectiveness of implementing evidence-based care.
Prevalence and ethnicity of sleep-disordered breathing and obesity in children

Objectives To compare the prevalence of obesity in children with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) who undergo adenotonsillectomy to that in the general pediatric population. Design Cross-sectional controlled study. Methods A body-mass-index (BMI-for-age) percentile was determined for children with SDB and for matched controls from a general pediatric clinic. Children who were obese (>85th %) were analyzed. Groups were compared using a t test or χ2 analysis. Risk factors were estimated with logistic regression. Results The study population included 299 children, of whom 170 (56.9%) had SDB. Compared with controls, more children with SDB were obese (46% vs 33%, P = 0.029) or underweight (8% vs 3%, P = 0.110), and fewer children with SDB were healthy weight (46% vs 64%, P = 0.002). Among African American children, those who were obese were more likely to have SDB (OR, 2.22, P Conclusions Children with SDB who undergo adenotonsillectomy are more likely to be obese than children seen in a general pediatric clinic. African American children who are obese are more likely to have SDB.
Assessment of the equine neonate in ambulatory practice

Summary The ambulatory practitioner is usually the first to evaluate the equine neonate and must assess the foal and determine its health status. If there is suspicion of one or more abnormalities, then the ambulatory veterinarian must initiate appropriate treatment and determine if the foal can be successfully treated in the field or should be referred to a specialty hospital. This article will describe the examination procedure including an accurate history, a comprehensive physical examination, laboratory evaluation and application of point-of-care diagnostics. The initial examination is the basis for the correct determination of health or illness and informing the owner of the correct course of action for the neonatal foal.
Towards a rational development of anti-endotoxin agents: novel approaches to sequestration of bacterial endotoxins with small molecules

Endotoxins, or lipopolysaccharides (LPS), present on the surface of Gram-negative bacteria, play a key role in the pathogenesis of septic shock, a common clinical problem and a leading cause of mortality in critically ill patients, for which no specific therapeutic modalities are available at the present time. The toxic moiety of LPS is a glycolipid called 'lipid A', which is composed of a bisphosphorylated diglucosamine backbone bearing up to seven acyl chains in ester and amide linkages. Lipid A is structurally highly conserved in Gram-negative bacteria, and is therefore an attractive target for developing anti-endotoxin molecules designed to sequester, and thereby neutralize, the deleterious effects of endotoxins. The anionic and amphipathic nature of lipid A enables the interaction of a wide variety of cationic amphiphiles with the toxin. This review describes the systematic evaluation of several structural classes of cationic amphiphiles, both peptides and non-peptidic small molecules, in the broader context of recent efforts aimed at developing novel anti-endotoxin strategies. The derivation of a pharmacophore for LPS recognition has led to the identification of novel, nontoxic, structurally simple small molecules, the lipopolyamines. The lipopolyamines bind and neutralize LPS in in vitro experiments as well as in animal models of endotoxicity, and thus present novel and exciting leads for rational, structure-based development of LPS-sequestering agents of potential clinical value.
Dynamic Simulation of Performance and Cost of Hybrid PV-CSP-LPG Generator Micro Grids With Applications to Remote Communities in Developing Countries

Energy infrastructure in rural areas of developing countries is currently deployed on an ad-hoc basis via grid extension, public and private sector solar home system (SHS) service using photovoltaic (PV) panels, and community distributed generation systems, also called mini or micro grids. Universal access to energy is increasingly pursued as a policy objective via e.g. the U.N. Millennium Develop Goals (MDG), Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All), and U.S. Power Africa initiatives. Rational allocation of energy infrastructure for 1.6b people currently lacking access requires a screening process to determine the economic break-even distance and consumer connection density favoring topologically diverse energy technology approaches. Previous efforts have developed approaches to determine grid-connection break-even distances, but work on micro-grid and SHS break-even distance and density is limited.The present work develops an open access modeling platform with the ability to simulate various configurations of PV, Concentrating Solar Power (CSP), and fueled generator backup systems with exhaust waste heat recovery. Battery and thermal storage options are examined, and typical meteorological year (TMY) data is combined with probabilistic and empirical load curve data to represent the appropriate physical dynamics. Power flow control strategy and infrastructure is optimized for a minimum tariff (USD/kWh) for cost recovery. Cost functions derived from manufacturers’ data enable performance and economic assessment for a case study micro grid in Lesotho.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Transcriptome-Wide Identification of RNA Targets of Arabidopsis SERINE/ARGININE-RICH45 Uncovers the Unexpected Roles of This RNA Binding Protein in RNA Processing

Plant SR45 and its metazoan ortholog RNPS1 are serine/arginine-rich (SR)-like RNA binding proteins that function in splicing/postsplicing events and regulate diverse processes in eukaryotes. Interactions of SR45 with both RNAs and proteins are crucial for regulating RNA processing. However, in vivo RNA targets of SR45 are currently unclear. Using RNA immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing, we identified over 4000 Arabidopsis thaliana RNAs that directly or indirectly associate with SR45, designated as SR45-associated RNAs (SARs). Comprehensive analyses of these SARs revealed several roles for SR45. First, SR45 associates with and regulates the expression of 30% of abscisic acid (ABA) signaling genes at the postsplicing level. Second, although most SARs are derived from intron-containing genes, surprisingly, 340 SARs are derived from intronless genes. Expression analysis of the SARs suggests that SR45 differentially regulates intronless and intron-containing SARs. Finally, we identified four overrepresented RNA motifs in SARs that likely mediate SR45’s recognition of its targets. Therefore, SR45 plays an unexpected role in mRNA processing of intronless genes, and numerous ABA signaling genes are targeted for regulation at the posttranscriptional level. The diverse molecular functions of SR45 uncovered in this study are likely applicable to other species in view of its conservation across eukaryotes.
Modeling hepatitis B virus infection, immunopathology and therapy in mice.

Despite the availability of a preventive vaccine, chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection-induced liver diseases continue to be a major global public health problem. HBV naturally infects only humans and chimpanzees. This narrow host range has hindered our ability to study the characteristics of the virus and how it interacts with its host. It is thus important to establish small animal models to study HBV infection, persistence, clearance and the immunopathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B. In this review, we briefly summarize currently available animal models for HBV research, then focus on mouse models, especially the recently developed humanized mice that can support HBV infection and immunopathogenesis in vivo. This article is part of a symposium in Antiviral Research on “From the discovery of the Australia antigen to the development of new curative therapies for hepatitis B: an unfinished story.”
A phase II trial of gemcitabine, docetaxel, and bevacizumab (GDB) in metastatic pancreas cancer

4606 Background: Metastatic pancreas cancer (MPC) remains identified with poor outcome. Benchmark response statistics in MPC include response rate (RR) 20–30%, time to disease progression (TTP) 3.5...
Phase I study of the sequential administration of edatrexate and paclitaxel in patients with advanced solid tumors

Summary Background: The antifolate edatrexate and the microtubulestabilizing agent paclitaxel have both demonstrated singleagent activity in lung and breast cancer. In vitro, the sequential combination of edatrexate followed by paclitaxel produced synergistic antitumor effects. This trial was designed to find the maximum tolerated doses of edatrexate and paclitaxel when given every two weeks utilizing this sequential schedule. Patients and methods: Thirty-four patients with solid tumors received edatrexate intravenously on days 1 and 15 and paclitaxel intravenously as a three-hour infusion on days 2 and 16 of each 28-day cycle. Edatrexate was escalated from 40 to 120 mg/m 2 and the paclitaxel dose fixed at 135 mg/m 2 . When the maximum-tolerated dose was not reached, edatrexate was fixed at 120 mg/m 2 and paclitaxel escalated to 175 and 210 mg/m 2 . Results: All 34 patients were assessable. The maximum tolerated doses were 120 mg/m 2 of edatrexate and 210 mg/m 2 of paclitaxel. Grade 3 myalgia, peripheral neuropathy, leukopenia, and an infusion-related reaction occurred. Eight patients with non-small-cell lung cancer and one with bladder cancer achieved major objective responses. Conclusions: The recommended phase II doses are 120 mg/m 2 of edatrexate days 1 and 15 and 175 mg/m 2 of paclitaxel as a three-hour infusion days 2 and 16 of a 28 day cycle. These results warrant phase II trials of the combination leading to phase III studies comparing the two drugs to a single agent to confirm the preclinical evidence of synergy.
Growth Inhibitor To Homogenize Nucleation and Obtain Smooth HfB2 Thin Films by Chemical Vapor Deposition

We describe an example of a new phenomenon: the use of a growth inhibitor to homogenize nucleation and improve the smoothness of a thin film deposited by chemical vapor deposition. For many film–substrate combinations, the rate of nucleation on the substrate is slow relative to the growth rate, a situation that produces a broad distribution of island sizes and a rough surface morphology. We show an example in which this outcome is avoided by directing a second component onto the substrate that has little effect on the nucleation rate but significantly retards the island growth rate. The case studied is the growth of HfB2 films on SiO2 substrates using the chemical vapor deposition precursor Hf(BH4)4 with NH3 as the inhibitor. The addition of the inhibitor increases the island density at coalescence by 50× and decreases the roughness by 10× to the subnm range. We suggest that the use of inhibitors to homogenize nucleation may be applicable to other film–substrate combinations.
Implementation Effect of Tuberculosis Prevention and Treatment Combined With New Rural Co-operative Medical Service

Objective To analyze and evaluate the implementation effect of TPT combined with NRCMS in Mianzhu city,and thus to provide scientific evidence for establishing new TPT management pattern under new situation. Methods Comparative analysis were conducted on data of patients' discovery,referral,treatment and management in 2007 when the policy had not been implemented,and in 2012 after the implementation,accordingly. Results After the implementation of TPT combined with NRCMS,the fixed compensation pattern was adapted towards tuberculosis patient's out- patient medical fee. As a result,the outpatient rate of first-visit increased by 3. 7%( P 0. 05); the tuberculosis patient' s referral arrival rate,track arrival rate and general arrival rates respectively increased by 38. 02%,17. 08% and 10. 48%(all P 0. 01). The examination rates of standard sputum at the second month,the 5th month and 6th(8th) month respectively increased by 6. 41%,5. 90% and 5. 90%( P 0. 01),and the standard treatment rate increased by 9. 74%( P 0. 01). Conclusion The implementation of TPT combined with NRCMs in Mianzhu city plays a positive effect in aspects of the tuberculosis patient's early discovery,standard treatment and management.
Analysis of Energy Consumption and Energy-saving Key Issues of Large-scale Coal Enterprises

This essay aims to make an analysis on the energy structure and energy consumption of largescale coal enterprises. The utilization efficiency of resources is low,high energy-consuming equipment occupies most of the production line,lack of awareness of the use of new energy. The energy-saving mode with characteristics of coal enterprise groups can build well.
Hepatic manifestations of non-steroidal inflammatory bowel disease therapy

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is composed of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and is manifested by both bowel-related and extraintestinal manifestations. Recently the number of therapeutic options available to treat IBD has dramatically increased, with each new medication having its own mechanism of action and side effect profile. A complete understanding of the hepatotoxicity of these medications is important in order to distinguish these complications from the hepatic manifestations of IBD. This review seeks to evaluate the hepatobiliary complications of non-steroid based IBD medications and aide providers in the recognition and management of these side-effects.
Staghorn Calculi in Children

Abstract Nineteen children who underwent extensive nephrotomies and anatrophic nephrotomies for staghorn calculi (bilateral in 4 cases) are presented. Proteus infection was the cause of the calculus in most cases. In the absence of recurrent stones, renal growth and function were excellent postoperatively. Stone recurrence was minimal if all calculi were removed and infection was controlled. Followup ranged from a few months to 13 years.
Severe mannitol-induced hyponatremia complicating transurethral prostatic resection.

AbstractA case is presented in which the absorption of mannitol irrigation solution across prostatic veins resulted in severe hyponatremia in a patient undergoing transurethral prostatic resection. Since hyposmolality of the extracellular fluid was not seen because of the presence of mannitol the patient was asymptomatic despite a rapid decrease in the serum sodium concentration to 99mEq./l. The importance of distinguishing dilutional hyponatremia from hyponatremia with normal or elevated osmolality is discussed.
Immunomodulation of TH2 biased immunity with mucosal administration of nanoemulsion adjuvant

TH2-biased immune responses are associated with inadequate protection against some pathogens and with cancer, colitis, asthma and allergy. Since most currently used vaccine adjuvants induce a TH2-biased response, this has led to interest in developing adjuvants capable of activating TH1 immunity and modulating existing TH2 responses. Immunotherapies to shift immune responses from TH2 to TH1 have generally required prolonged immunization protocols and have not induced effective TH1 responses. We have demonstrated that nanoscale emulsions (NE), a novel mucosal adjuvant, induce robust IgA and IgG antibody responses and TH1/TH17 cellular immunity resulting in protection against a variety of respiratory and mucosal infections. Because intranasal (i.n.) delivery of NE adjuvant consistently induces TH1/TH17 biased responses, we hypothesized that NE could be used as a therapeutic vaccine to redirect existing TH2 polarized immunity towards a more balanced TH1/TH2 profile. To test this, a TH2 immune response was established by intramuscular immunization of mice with alum-adjuvanted hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs), followed by a single subsequent i.n. immunization with NE-HBs. These animals exhibited increased TH1 associated immune responses and IL-17, and decreased TH2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-5) and IgG1. NE immunization induced regulatory T cells and IL-10, and IL-10 was required for the suppression of TH2 immunity. These data demonstrate that NE-based vaccines can modulate existing TH2 immune responses to promote TH1/TH17 immunity and suggest the potential therapeutic use of NE vaccines for diseases associated with TH2 immunity.
Field Metabolism and Food Consumption of Savannah Sparrows during the Breeding Season

-I applied the doubly labeled water (DLW) technique to measure rates of water flux and energy expenditure of Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) during two breeding seasons on Kent Island, New Brunswick, Canada. Simultaneous to DLW measurements, I constructed time-activity budgets for territorial males, monitored nest attentiveness for incubating females, and quantified frequency of nest visitation for parents feeding young. To ascertain the relationship between brood size and adult energy expenditure, I measured the energy expenditure of adults feeding 2, 4, and 6 nestlings. There was little difference in field metabolic rates (FMR) between territorial males [161.0 ? 21.7 (SD) ml CO2/h] and males that fed 4 nestlings (157.6 ? 19.7 ml CO2/h). Incubating females expired CO2 at rates lower than males during the same time period (134.4 ? 7.9 vs. 161.0 ? 21.7 ml CO2/h) but similar to rates for females feeding 4 young, the normal brood size (134.4 ? 7.9 ml CO2/h for incubating females vs. 136.5 ? 26.9 ml CO2/h for females feeding young). Incubating females expended energy at a lower rate than females making 8 or more trips to the nest per hour, the average feeding rate for females late in the nestling period. For males and females together, water influx and efflux rates averaged 17.1 ? 3.2 and 17.2 ? 3.0 ml H2O/day, suggesting that birds balanced water intake against water losses. Mean daily solar radiation (MDSR; W/m2) also influenced FMR during the nestling period. The equation ml C02/h = 172.6 0.07 (MDSR) described the relationship. When brood sizes were manipulated, parents responded by altering their frequency of nest visitation; as frequency increased, so did the FMR of females but not of males. The equation ml CO2/h = 98.4 + 5.3 (mean visits/h) described the relationship. Construction of a food budget indicated that, on average, territorial males consumed 21.1 g fresh arthropods per day, while incubating females ingested 17.5 g/day or 210.0 g during the 12-day incubation period. Through the 8-day nestling period, males augmented their foraging by 75%, females by 87%, to feed a brood of 4. Received 20 March 1986, accepted 6
Religion, spirituality, and mental health of U.S. military veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study.

Abstract Background In the last three decades, there has been increased interest in studying the association between religion/spirituality (R/S), and mental health and functional outcomes. Methods Using data from a contemporary, nationally representative sample of 3151 U.S. military veterans maintained by GfK Knowledge Networks, Inc., we evaluated the relation between R/S and a broad range of mental health, and psychosocial variables. Veterans were grouped into three groups based on scores on the Duke University Religion Index: High R/S (weighted 11.6%), Moderate R/S (79.7%) and Low R/S (8.7%). Results A “dose-response” protective association between R/S groups and several mental health outcomes was revealed, even after adjustment for sociodemographic and military variables. High R/S was associated with decreased risk for lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (odds ratio [OR]=0.46), major depressive disorder (MDD; OR=0.50), and alcohol use disorder (OR=0.66), while Moderate R/S was associated with decreased risk for lifetime MDD (OR=0.66), current suicidal ideation (OR=0.63), and alcohol use disorder (OR=0.76). Higher levels of R/S were also strongly linked with increased dispositional gratitude, purpose in life, and posttraumatic growth. Limitations In this cross-sectional study, no conclusions regarding causality can be made. The study provides a current snapshot of the link between R/S and mental health. The study also cannot determine whether religious coping styles (negative vs positive coping) contributed to observed differences. Conclusions Although the present study does not have treatment implications, our results suggest that higher levels of R/S may help buffer risk for certain mental disorders and promote protective psychosocial characteristics in U.S. military veterans.
Safety of endoscopic sinus surgery in children with cystic fibrosis.

Abstract Introduction Data on the safety of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) are limited in children with cystic fibrosis (CF). We used a multi-institutional surgical registry to examine ESS outcomes in children with CF. Methods The 2014–2015 American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric database was queried for patients age 1 day), 30-day readmission, and 30-day unplanned reoperation were compared according to presence of CF diagnosis. Results The data included 213 children with CF (age 10 ± 5 years, 105/108 male/female) and 821 children without CF (age 10 ± 5 years, 504/317 male/female). CF patients were more likely than non-CF patients to require prolonged hospital stay (30% vs. 9%, p Conclusions We demonstrate the safety of ESS in the largest cohort of children with CF reviewed to date. Multi-institutional review of ESS safety may contribute to monitoring expansion of this intervention in children with CF.
Factors affecting consumption of raw or undercooked foods in restaurants

As consumers increase their consumption of Food and Drug Administration defined risky foods, more restaurants have begun to offer risky foods. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of...
P17 An audit of enoxaparin prescribing and monitoring in child health

Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is becoming increasingly recognised in children’s healthcare despite being relatively uncommon in comparison to the adult population. 1,2 The incomplete haemostatic system that is present at birth responds with different pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics to anticoagulation therapy using low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) in comparison to adults. 3 It is not clear from what age adult dosing can be applied however this is thought to be around 16–18 years. Currently no comprehensive local guidelines are available for the prescribing and monitoring of enoxaparin in paediatric patients. Due to the increasing use of enoxaparin, there is a need to develop local guidelines for both prophylaxis and therapeutic treatment. Aim To audit prescribing and monitoring of enoxaparin within the Children’s Hospital prior to the development of comprehensive local guidelines. Method Retrospective and concurrent methods were used to collect data from all paediatric patients prescribed enoxaparin between the 1 st January 2015 and the 31 st January 2016. A range of computer systems, including ePrescribing records, an electronic results server and electronic and paper based notes were used to investigate each patient identified. Data was collected regarding enoxaparin indication, dosing and anti-Xa levels with data being entered into the audit tool. Results 71% (n=17) of therapeutic treatment enoxaparin prescriptions were dosed according to the BNFc with no documentation found to justify alternative dosing regimens. 35% of patients had an anti-Xa level taken within 36 hours of therapeutic treatment initiation. 71% of levels (n=17) were taken 4–6 hours post dose. Where levels were found not to be in range, 82% of patients (n=11) had their dose adjusted. 56% (n=9) of patients then went on to have their anti-Xa level re-checked within 24 hours of dose change. 76% (n=25) of prophylactic enoxaparin prescriptions were dosed according to the BNFc. 93% (n=42) of all enoxaparin prescriptions were dosed as whole numbers. Conclusion The results indicate that prescribers may benefit from having access to clear dosing and monitoring guidelines, to help improve the prescribing and monitoring in paediatric patients prescribed enoxaparin for both prophylaxis and therapeutic treatment of venous thromboembolism. The guidelines should contain details of dosing, monitoring, and how to adjust levels when necessary. Practice should be re-audited 12 months after the guidelines are published. One limitation was the difficulty ascertaining the indication for treatment due to inadequate documentation. References Chalmers E, Ganesen V, Liesner R, Maroo S, Nokes T, Saunders D, et al. Guideline on the investigation, management and prevention of venous thrombosis in children. British Journal of Haematology2011;154(2):196–207. Payne J. Aspects of anticoagulation in children. British Journal of Haematology2010;150(3):259–277. Guzzetta N, Miller B. Principles of hemostasis in children: Models and maturation. Paediatric Anaesthesia2010;21(1):3–9.
All-Optical Signal Processing Techniques for Flexible Networks

1. Optical signal processing could add tunable and reconfigurable functions in physical layer that can enhance network flexibility 2. Flexible conversion between different levels of modulations formats without O/E/O conversions enable transparent gateways between optical networks and efficient use of fiber spectral resources 3. Reconfigurable bandwidth allocation in flex-grid optical network can improve spectral efficiency by fragmentation and overlapping optical channels. 4. Phase sensitive amplification could be beneficial for in-line optical signal regeneration. Raman assistant further enhances the parametric amplification in a phase-sensitive amplifier.
Precise Control of Target Temperature Using N6-Cyclohexyladenosine and Real-Time Control of Surface Temperature.

Targeted temperature management is standard of care for cardiac arrest and is in clinical trials for stroke. N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA), an A1 adenosine receptor (A1AR) agonist, inhibits thermoge...
Effectiveness of a carbohydrate restricted diet to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adolescents with obesity: Trial design and methodology.

Abstract Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disorder among children in the developed world and can progress to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver failure. No evidence-based dietary guidelines exist on the most effective diet prescription to treat NAFLD. Objective To compare the effect of a carbohydrate (CHO)-restricted diet vs fat-restricted diet, the current standard of care, on changes in hepatic fat infiltration, body composition, and metabolic health over an 8-week period among overweight and obese children diagnosed with NAFLD. Methods In this two-arm, parallel design randomized controlled trial (RCT), 40 participants aged 9 to 18 years were randomized to a CHO restricted diet ( 50:25% daily calories from CHO: fat: protein) or control, fat restricted diet (55,20:25% daily calories from CHO: fat: protein). This family-based diet intervention included: (1) a 2-week supply of groceries to feed a four-person household specific to the assigned diet; and (2) extensive education on diet implementation through biweekly, diet-specific group and individualized counseling sessions with participants and one parent or guardian led by a registered dietitian (RD). The primary outcome measure of this study was hepatic lipid, measured using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Secondary outcomes included liver transaminases; markers of inflammation (hsCRP, IL-6, TNF-α); body composition; visceral adipose tissue; and insulin resistance. All testing was conducted at baseline and week 8; hepatic transaminases were also measured at weeks 2 and 4. This RCT is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT02787668 ).
Hypoxia Supports Epicardial Cell Differentiation in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells through the Activation of the TGFβ Pathway.

Epicardium-derived cells (EPDCs) are an important pool of multipotent cardiovascular progenitor cells. Through epithelial-to-mesenchymal-transition (EMT), EPDCs invade the subepicardium and myocardium and further differentiate into several cell types required for coronary vessel formation. We previously showed that epicardial hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) signaling mediates the invasion of vascular precursor cells critical for patterning the coronary vasculature. Here, we examine the regulatory role of hypoxia (1% oxygen) on EPDC differentiation into vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Results: Hypoxia stimulates EMT and enhances expression of several VSMC markers in mouse epicardial cell cultures. This stimulation is specifically blocked by inhibiting transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) receptor I. Further analyses indicated that hypoxia increases the expression level of TGFβ-1 ligand and phosphorylation of TGFβ receptor II, suggesting an indispensable role of the TGFβ pathway in hypoxia-stimulated VSMC differentiation. We further demonstrate that the non-canonical RhoA/Rho kinase (ROCK) pathway acts as the main downstream effector of TGFβ to modulate hypoxia’s effect on VSMC differentiation. Conclusion: Our results reveal a novel role of epicardial HIF in mediating coronary vasculogenesis by promoting their differentiation into VSMCs through noncanonical TGFβ signaling. These data elucidate that patterning of the coronary vasculature is influenced by epicardial hypoxic signals.
Endocrine Disruptors and Obesity

Abstract Obesity is an epidemic in children and adults worldwide and is associated with comorbidities including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease and cancers. In the past, obesity has been considered the result of an imbalance between caloric intake and expenditure. However, more recent research has shown the roles of genetics, the endocrine system, and environmental toxins on obesity development. The DOHaD Hypothesis holds that prenatal and early life nutrition affect the development of obesity, and that there are critical periods of development during which environmental factors can cause phenotypical changes that result in increased susceptibility to diseases later in life. The Obesogen Hypothesis proposes that environmental chemicals, termed “obesogens,” promote obesity by acting to increase adipocyte commitment, and differentiation or by altering the regulation of metabolism, appetite and satiety. These effects often begin during development, and lead to obesity later in life. Many obesogens are endocrine disrupting chemicals that interfere with normal endocrine regulation of metabolism, adipose tissue development and maintenance, appetite, weight and energy balance. Endocrine disruptors are abundant in our environment, used in everyday products from food packaging to fungicides. This review explores the genetic, endocrine, and environmental factors that promote obesity in order to better understand their contribution to the obesity epidemic.
Time For Change: A Forecast of the 2016 Election

American presidential elections run in cycles that have turning points after about two to three terms of a party’s control of the White House. This is not the pattern associated with realignment eras that are presumed to last 30 years or so. The cyclical dynamic is estimated with a second-order autoregressive model. More than three years before the day of the next presidential election is not too early for the cyclical model to offer its forecast. With parameter estimates and the requisite values for the predictors at hand, the cyclical forecast is able to make an unconditional forecast for the 2016 presidential election: 51.4% of the two-party popular vote for the Republican candidate. The 2016 contest shapes up as “Time for a Change” election. After two terms, consistent with the logic of the cyclical model, change looms larger than continuity.
On-line estimation and identification of a nonlinear, distributed-parameter process: The dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to form styrene in a tubular, fixed-bed, catalytic reactor

The industrial production of styrene monomer is achieved via the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene in the presence of steam over a metal oxide catalyst at a temperature around 600°C. The goal of this investigation was to develop and demonstrate an online scheme for estimation of process variables and identification of the dehydrogenation reaction parameters using a distributed-parameter, Kalman filter. This technique was first tested by computer simulation and accurately estimated the process states. Reaction parameters were identified well also, although they proved to be more sensitive to process noise than the state variables. A pilot plant and digital computer system were constructed in order to investigate experimentally the on-line identification scheme. The filter proved effective in estimating process variables. As the simulation predicted, the experimental identification of dehydrogenation reaction parameters was sensitive to process noise; however, the identified parameters are shown to be of potential use in optimization of the reactor operating conditions.
Coding and coded modulation techniques for reliable satellite and space communications

This paper presents two coding and coded modulation schemes for reliable data transmission with high spectral efficiency, large coding gain, and reduced decoding complexity. In the first scheme, coded modulation is used in conjunction with concatenation either in single level or in multiple levels. In the second scheme, multilevel coded modulation is combined with multiple product codes. Three specific concatenated coded modulation schemes and one product coded modulation scheme are presented. Analytical and simulation results show that these schemes provide high reliability and achieve large coding gains over the uncoded QPSK system with reduced decoding complexity. These schemes have been proposed for the new NASA Bandwidth Efficient Standard for high-speed satellite communications.
Mother-infant dyadic dysregulation and postpartum depressive symptoms in low-income Mexican-origin women

Abstract The current study evaluated a mechanistic pathway by which prenatal stress increases the risk of postpartum depressive (PPD) symptoms via observed dyadic emotional, behavioral, and attentional dysregulation and associated cortisol responses during mother-infant interactions. Methods Participants included 322 low-income Mexican American mother-infant dyads. Depressive symptoms, economic hardship, and negative life events were assessed at a prenatal visit. Dysregulation in dyadic (mother-infant) interactions and cortisol responses to mother-infant interaction were evaluated at 12 weeks after the birth. Twenty-four weeks after the birth, PPD symptoms were predicted from prenatal stress (negative life events and economic hardship) and prenatal depressive symptoms, mediated through dyadic dysregulation and maternal and infant cortisol responses. Results More negative life events in the prenatal period predicted more dyadic dysregulation at 12 weeks postpartum. Dyadic dysregulation and economic hardship predicted elevated 12-week infant cortisol total response and reactivity, and higher total infant cortisol response predicted higher maternal PPD symptoms at 24 weeks. Maternal cortisol response was not associated with dyadic dysregulation, either form of prenatal stress, or PPD symptoms. Conclusion The results indicate the salience of early psychosocial processes and mother-infant relationship challenges for subsequent maternal affective well-being.
Supporting Online Dating Decisions with a Prompted Discussion Interface

Online dating systems are popular tools for pursuing romance, yet first dates between online daters are commonly unenjoyable because of incompatibility signaled through face-to-face conversation. This paper presents the prompted discussion interface, which aims to inform online daters' expectations for face-to-face interactions by prompting them with messaging discussion topics that theoretically spur the expression of attraction-relevant traits. Preliminary findings are presented from a qualitative study (n=35) about user perceptions of the interface.
The Dynamics of a Marketing Orientation in Transition Economies: A Study of Russian Firms:

This article reports the results of a cross-sectional data collection in four Russian cities. The objective of the research is to ascertain whether, during the evolution of marketing in a transitio...
Stem cell treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a critical overview of early phase trials

Introduction: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease of cortical, brainstem, and spinal motor neurons; it causes progressive muscle weakness and atrophy, respiratory fai...
A Multidisciplinary Approach to a Complex Anorectal Malformation and Urologic Anomaly

Abstract Background: Anorectal malformation (ARM) is a common congenital anomaly. The combination of a utricle cyst and an ARM is rare. The purpose of this video is to describe a multidisciplinary ...
Abstract 5278: Separate and combined effects of metabolic reprogramming interventions, autophagy inhibition, and carboplatin on murine triple-negative breast cancer cells

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) are an aggressive BC subset currently lacking targeted therapies. TNBCs exhibit aberrant fuel metabolism, including increased flux through glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway, increased lactate production (Warburg metabolism), and elevated dependence on glutamine (glutaminolysis). While dietary interventions such as caloric restriction, intermittent fasting, or ketogenic diets have demonstrated benefits (e.g, reduced tumor incidence, progression, and sensitization to some chemotherapeutic agents) in preclinical BC models, translation to humans has proven challenging, and concerns remain regarding tolerance and long-term safety of extreme diets in cancer patients. We hypothesized that targeted disruption of select metabolic pathways could recapitulate the beneficial effects of the aforementioned dietary interventions and improve the efficacy of carboplatin, part of first-line chemotherapy for primary and metastatic TNBCs. Moreover, we posited that blocking autophagy would further enhance the anticancer effects of metabolic reprogramming interventions (MRIs) alone and in combination with carboplatin. To test these hypotheses, we are using a high-throughput screening approach employing several MRIs with or without the addition of chloroquine and/or carboplatin in vitro. Serum starvation (an in vitro model of caloric restriction), rapamycin, BMS-754807 (a dual IGF-1R/insulin receptor), and nicotinamide significantly reduced cell viability (assessed by MTT assay) and clonogenicity (assessed by colony formation assay) of M-Wnt and M6 cells, both well-characterized TNBC cell lines derived from mammary tumors of MMTV-Wnt-1 and C3-TAg transgenic mice, respectively. The growth suppressive effects of these MRIs were further enhanced when combined with autophagy inhibition via chloroquine (CQ). Treatment of M-Wnt and M6 cells with CQ (20-80 µM) also increased in vitro cytotoxicity of carboplatin. Ongoing analyses and planned in vivo studies will confirm whether co-treatment with MRIs and/or CQ are an effective strategy for increasing the efficacy of carboplatin in TNBC cells. Citation Format: Alyssa J. Cozzo, Michael F. Coleman, Ciara H. O9Flanagan, Jane B. Pearce, Magdalena A. Rainey, Stephen D. Hursting. Separate and combined effects of metabolic reprogramming interventions, autophagy inhibition, and carboplatin on murine triple-negative breast cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5278.
Durable Clinical Benefit in Patients with Advanced Cutaneous Melanoma after Discontinuation of Anti-PD-1 Therapies Due to Immune-Related Adverse Events.

Introduction. Anti-PD-1 therapies, pembrolizumab and nivolumab, are currently the standard of care for treatment of patients with metastatic melanoma. Treatment is usually continued until toxicity or disease progression. Though these therapies are well tolerated, some patients discontinue them due to immune-related adverse events (irAE). Discontinuation of therapy brings challenges to their management due to limited treatment options and lack of long-term prognostic information for these patients. Herein, we reviewed patients at our institution to analyze their clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods. Charts of 1264 consecutive patients enrolled between 8/1/2012 and 7/31/2017 at Melanoma Skin & Ocular Tissue Repositories at Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinic were reviewed. Eligible patients were those who received single-agent anti-PD-1 therapy and subsequently discontinued it due to irAE. Reviewed data included patient demographics, prior medical history, baseline disease parameters, and outcomes. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was done to determine progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results. Overall 169 patients with advanced, unresectable, or metastatic cutaneous melanoma received anti-PD-1 therapy of which 16 (9.5%) white, non-Hispanic patients with median age of 64.5 (range 35 to 81 years) discontinued treatment due to irAE. Fifteen patients received pembrolizumab and one received nivolumab. The median duration of treatment was 4.7 (range 0.7 to 11.5) months. Median follow-up was 30.3 (range 4.6 to 49.4) months. Median PFS was 24.6 months and median OS was not reached. Durable clinical benefit (time to progression or next treatment of more than 6 months from last treatment) was observed in 13 (81.2%) patients. At the time of analysis, 8 patients had progressed and 4 patients died (all-cause). Discussion. Our results suggest that advanced melanoma patients discontinuing anti-PD-1 therapy due to irAE usually experience durable clinical benefit. However, caution is needed with these agents in patients with underlying autoimmune diseases.
The association of Toxoplasma gondii IgG and cognitive function scores: NHANES 2013–2014

Abstract Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) causes chronic, latent infections of global concern. Its subclinical influence on behavior and cognition are poorly understood. The objective of this research is to determine the relationship of T. gondii IgG with cognition using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, 2013–2014 in older adults ≥60 years. A composite cognitive function score was created by adding the scores of the memory test, language/verbal fluency, and working memory test. T. gondii IgG was dichotomized at
PIK3 mutation as a predictor of immune checkpoint inhibitor response.

e15257Background: Although several biomarkers predicting response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy have been evaluated, the emerging data is conflicting. There is a lack of real-world d...
The impact of brachytherapy boost and radiotherapy treatment duration on survival in patients with vaginal cancer treated with definitive chemoradiation.

Abstract Purpose Vaginal cancer is a rare tumor that is optimally treated with a combination of chemotherapy (CHT) and radiation therapy. Because of the rarity of this cancer, the benefit of a brachytherapy boost (BT) and the relevance of radiotherapy time to treatment completion (TTC) are unclear. Methods Patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 with non-metastatic vaginal cancer treated with definitive CHT and external beam radiotherapy with or without BT but with no surgery were identified in the National Cancer Database. Overall survival (OS) was assessed with Kaplan-Meier curves, and differences between groups were compared with the log-rank test. A Cox model was constructed to evaluate survival after controlling for confounders. A Cox model using a penalized spline function was constructed to evaluate how the length of radiation therapy correlated with OS among patients receiving BT. Results A total of 1094 patients who met the inclusion criteria were identified. The utilization of BT was associated with improved 5-year OS (62.9% vs. 49.3%, p = 0.0126) on propensity score-weighted analyses. TTC of 63 days or less was associated with improved 5-year OS (67.8% vs. 54.5%, p = 0.0031) in patients who underwent BT. Other factors associated with improved OS in patients who received CHT, external beam radiotherapy, and BT were younger age, absent comorbidity score, and negative lymph nodes. Conclusions A brachytherapy boost and shorter TTC were associated with a survival benefit in a cohort of patients with non-metastatic vaginal cancer treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy.
Decoy-based Moving Target defense Against Cyber-physical Attacks On Smart Grid

The design of successful covert cyber-physical attacks against smart grids requires a good level of knowledge about the dynamics of the target power system. Consequently, in the reconnaissance phase of a cyber-physical attack on a power system, the attacker usually needs to perform an accurate identification of the dynamics of the underlying control system. To degrade the accuracy of the system identification process, artificial noise can be added to the system measurements sent from the plant to the controller. While this approach might be effective in degrading the accuracy of recovering the parameters of the underlying target system, it comes at the expense of degrading the control system performance. In this paper, and inspired by the concept of decoy flare in air defense, a moving target defense mechanism is developed by leveraging an auxiliary set of virtual state-based decoy systems. More precisely, in this approach, the plant maintains and simulates a set of several decoy system models, designed to be indistinguishable from actual system models. At each time step, the plant sends a randomly permuted version of the corresponding measurements, of both the decoys and real system, to the controller which then evaluates and sends the corresponding optimal control of each system. The plant applies the received control inputs to the corresponding decoy models and the real system, respectively. The indistinguishability of the deployed decoy models, combined with the time-varying nature of the utilized permutation and system parameters, hinders the attacker’ ability to perform an accurate system identification process. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is confirmed by considering an application example of an Automatic Generation Control (AGC) system. Based on our simulation results, the proposed decoy-based approach degrades the attacker’ ability to correctly identify the underlying state-space model of the considered system from the intercepted control inputs and sensor measurements. It also does not impose any penalty on the control performance of the underlying system.
Emotional Labor and Depressive Symptoms Among Healthcare Workers: The Role of Sleep:

Background:Depression is the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Health care workers report a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms than the general population. Emotional labor has con...