cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spirituality and the recovery of quality of life following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Objective Spirituality has been linked to improved adjustment and functioning in individuals with cancer; however, its effect on quality of life following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has not been well-studied. This study investigated changes in spirituality in hematologic cancer patients recovering from HSCT and relationships between spirituality and dimensions of quality of life following HSCT. Methods Participants (N = 220) completed measures of two dimensions of spirituality (meaning/peace and religious faith), depression, anxiety, fatigue, pain, and physical and functional well-being prior to transplant and at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-months posttransplant. Results Meaning/peace declined at 1-month posttransplant and returned to pretransplant levels by 6-months posttransplant, and faith increased from pretransplant to 6-months posttransplant. Mixed-effects linear regression models indicated that greater pretransplant meaning/peace, but not religious faith, predicted less depression, anxiety, and fatigue, and better physical and functional well-being during the 12-months following transplant. Conclusions The capacity to find meaning and peace may facilitate recovery following HSCT. Results suggest that spirituality may be a resilience factor that could be targeted to improve quality of life for HSCT recipients.
Chitinosan-drug complexes: effect of electrolyte on naproxen release in vitro.

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential use of electrolytes to control naproxen sodium (I) release from chitinosan (II) tablets. An ANOVA was employed to evaluate the effects of molecular weight (MW) of II, electrolyte valence (EV), and pH of the dissolution medium on I's release. The intrinsic dissolution rates and saturation solubilities of I were determined at each of the pHs used. Directly compressed tablets were prepared from admixtures containing: I, NaCl, CaCl2, or AlCl3, Mg stearate, and II. The tablets were characterized for their dimensions, crushing strengths, friability, disintegration times, and in vitro dissolution profiles. The slopes of the log–log cumulative percent released-time curves (t=0–5 h) were compared using ANOVA. Based on the ANOVA, each of the variables—chitinosans, EVs, and pHs—significantly affected drug release (P<0.05). Besides the poor aqueous solubility of I, the factors possibly affecting drug release included: (a) the formation of a rate-limiting II gel barrier; (b) the interaction of I with ionized amino groups of II; (c) the effect of electrolyte on the II's gel barrier formation; and/or (d) decreased aqueous solubility of I in the presence of electrolyte.
Down-regulation of Langerhans cell protein kinase C-β isoenzyme expression in inflammatory and hyperplastic dermatoses

The family of protein kinase C (PKC) isoenzymes plays a fundamental part in signal transduction, and thereby regulates important cellular functions, including growth, differentiation, cytokine production and adhesion molecule expression. In lesional psoriatic skin, Ca(2+)-dependent PKC activity, PKC-beta protein and epidermal Langerhans cell (LC) PKC-beta immunostaining are significantly decreased, indicating activation and subsequent down-regulation of PKC. Whether these changes occur in other inflammatory/hyperplastic dermatoses is, however, unknown. We examined PKC-alpha and PKC-beta expression in normal skin, psoriasis, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), lamellar ichthyosis, non-bullous ichthyosiform erythroderma, atopic dermatitis, urushiol-induced allergic contact dermatitis, and sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS)-induced irritant contact dermatitis. Cryostat sections were stained for PKC-alpha and PKC-beta, and the LC marker CD1a, using an immunoperoxidase technique and specific monoclonal antibodies. Double-labelling studies, in normal skin, revealed co-expression of PKC-beta and CD1a by epidermal LCs. Analysis of the number of PKC-beta+ and CD1a+ epidermal LCs, in diseased compared with normal skin, revealed three categories: (i) in psoriasis and CTCL, the PKC-beta+ epidermal LC number was significantly reduced, whereas the CD1a+ epidermal LC number was unchanged; (ii) in allergic and irritant contact dermatitis, both PKC-beta+ and CD1a+ epidermal LCs were significantly reduced in number; and (iii) in atopic dermatitis, the PKC-beta+ epidermal LC number was normal, and CD1a+ epidermal LCs were significantly increased in number. Moreover, the ratio of epidermal LC PKC+/CD1a+ was reduced in all the dermatoses studied, suggesting activation of PKC-beta, with subsequent down-regulation. Within the dermis, increased PKC-beta staining of infiltrating cells was observed in all the conditions studied except lamellar ichthyosis and non-bullous ichthyosiform erythroderma. These data indicate that: (i) down-regulation of LC PKC-beta occurs in a variety of inflammatory and hyperplastic skin disorders, and is not unique to psoriasis, and (ii) the pattern of epidermal LC PKC-beta and CD1a expression varies among the diseases studied. In mice, PKC activation induces LC migration. Thus, down-regulation of epidermal LC PKC-beta associated with reduced CD1a+ epidermal LCs in allergic and irritant contact dermatitis suggests that PKC-beta may transduce the signal for migration of LCs from human epidermis.
Detecting clustering in binary sequences

We consider the following question: given a sequence X 1 ; … ;X n of binary values, how likely is it that the sequence was the output of n i.i.d. Bernoulli trials? And if it was not, can we detect the presence of clustering - increased local density on smaller consecutive intervals - in a reliable way? In this paper we propose a relatively simple statistic Ȓ, the sum of the reciprocal run lengths in the sequence, as a first step towards meeting this goal, and show that it can detect a wide range of clustering with relatively high probability.
CMOS Integrated DNA Microarray Based on GMR Sensors

A high density GMR sensor array was integrated with a standard CMOS chip for DNA hybridization detection. Absorption of magnetic nanoparticles by the hybridized DNA alters the sensor resistance, and generated electrical signals are directly measured with the on-die circuitry. The proposed biochip can be applied to other bio-reaction detection, e.g. protein assay, through different surface modifications.
Transaction log analysis online catalogs

From November 1981 to April 1983, OCLC's Office of Research has been conducting research into online public access catalogs (OPACs). This project has been funded in part by the Council on Library Resources, Inc. as an attempt to provide new insight into the use of online catalogs by obtaining information which may serve as input for better system design of OPACs, utilizing not only desired user features but also more effective searching.The overall study is concerned with the patron and the system and consists of three major parts. The first is the study of current use of online catalogs, i.e., the actual use - what is really happening. The second element is concerned with the perceived patron use of the catalogs and involves the use of questionnaires and focus group interviews at the participating institutions. The third part is an application of the findings from the first two parts.This paper focuses on the current utilization of OPACs. The methodology chosen to employ is to obtain machine-readable transaction logs, via tapes, from the online catalogs and subsequently analyzing these transactions by stochastic search pattern development and mathematical models utilizing Markov chain analysis and the development of transition probability matrices.
Counselor Education and Supervision Golden Anniversary Publication Pattern Review: Author and Article Characteristics From 1985 to 2009

Patterns of articles accepted for publication in Counselor Education and Supervision from the past 25 years were reviewed in this meta-study. Results were described and statistically analyzed to identify trends over time in author characteristics (sex, institutional classifications, employment setting, domicile) and article characteristics (article type, research design, sample, sample size, types of participants, and statistical procedures and sophistication).
Chemoprevention of tobacco-smoke lung carcinogenesis in mice after cessation of smoke exposure

Male strain A/J mice were exposed for 6 h per day, 5 days per week to a mixture of 89% cigarette sidestream smoke and 11% mainstream smoke. Total suspended particulate concentrations were 137 mg/m(3). In experiment 1, animals were exposed for 5 months to tobacco smoke and given a 4 month recovery period in air. Lung tumor multiplicity was 2.4 and incidence 89%. Animals exposed to filtered air had 1.0 tumor per lung (65% incidence). In animals kept for 5 months in smoke, removed into air and then fed a diet containing a mixture of myoinositol and dexamethasone, tumor multiplicity was 1.0 and incidence was 62%. These values were significantly (P < 0.01) lower than in animals exposed to smoke and identical to values seen in controls. In animals fed a diet containing 250 mg/kg each of phenethyl isothiocyanate and benzyl isothiocyanate during the entire 9 months, lung tumor multiplicity was 2.1 and incidence 96%, not significantly different from animals exposed to smoke and fed control diet. In experiment 2, animals were exposed for 5 months to smoke, followed by a 4 month recovery period in air and were fed during the entire period a diet containing either D-limonene or 1, 4-phenylenebis(methylene)selenoisocyanate (p-XSC). In animals exposed to tobacco smoke and fed control diet, lung tumor multiplicity was 2.8, whereas in the animals fed D-limonene it was 2. 6 and in the animals fed p-XSC it was 2.4. The differences to the controls were statistically not significant. It was concluded that myoinositol-dexamethasone successfully prevents the development of tobacco smoke-induced lung tumors even if administered when the animals have 'quit' smoking. On the other hand, agents otherwise shown to prevent lung tumor formation following administration of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone or benzo[a]pyrene were ineffective against tobacco smoke.
Retrospective and Prospective Verification of the Cepheid Xpert Influenza Virus Assay

We performed a retrospective (n = 121) and prospective (n = 305) verification of the Cepheid Xpert Flu assay to determine its performance characteristics. The overall sensitivity and specificity were 93% and 100%, respectively. Nasopharyngeal specimen sensitivities were 100% for seasonal influenza A/H1 virus and influenza A/H3 virus, 90% for influenza A/2009/H1N1 virus, and 95% for influenza B virus.
Family risk as a predictor of initial engagement and follow-through in a universal nurse home visiting program to prevent child maltreatment.

Objective As nurse home visiting to prevent child maltreatment grows in popularity with both program administrators and legislators, it is important to understand engagement in such programs in order to improve their community-wide effects. This report examines family demographic and infant health risk factors that predict engagement and follow-through in a universal home-based maltreatment prevention program for new mothers in Durham County, North Carolina.
There Was a Crooked Man(uscript): A Not-so-Serious Look at the Serious Subject of Plagiarism.

The problem of plagiarism by political scientists has not received much attention. The incidence of plagiarism, however, may be greater than one would think. In this article, I offer a humorous look at what happened when a manuscript of mine was plagiarized. Based on my experience, I offer some suggestions on how scholars might detect and prevent plagiarism.
Intelligent Building Systems - Past, Present, and Future

This paper provides a vision for intelligent HVAC&R equipment that after many years of unfulfilled promise seems closer to reality. The paper describes some enabling technologies and incentives that are driving the development of embedded intelligence for HVAC&R equipment and then provides examples of some specific developments of intelligent servicing and control algorithms.
A structured APL approach to computer aided instruction

The APL-based system for Computer Aided Instruction described in this paper is presented as a general purpose system having interest in its own right, and also as an illustration of a “structured” approach to the solution of a relatively complex computing problem. The system meets the more or less mandatory requirement that neither the student user nor the teacher who creates the CAI instructional material should be required to know APL; but the main features are the ease with which a CAI lesson can be created, edited, and modified by a teacher, the “transparency” of the APL system with respect to a student user, and a “modular” design which permits modifications of the system to be made easily. A student employs only one APL function, and there are four functions used in writing the text. Also, in files there are related sets of permanent control functions, and functions and variables related to the text material, which exist in the active workspace only while the system is in use. The system includes a capability for monitoring the progress of students.
Effect of mammalian insulin on plasma glucose in the mud puppy (Necturus maculosus)

The effect of mammalian insulin on plasma glucose levels was studied in the paedogenic urodele amphibian, Necturus maculosus. Blood was collected from a cannula implanted in the dorsal aorta via the gastric artery and plasma glucose was estimated by the glucose oxidase method. Plasma glucose levels of untreated animals were 31.6 ± 1.6 mg% at the completion of the operation and then declined to 14.1 ± 2.5 mg% on the third post-operative day; the levels remained relatively stable from the third through the fifth day when sampling was terminated. Subsequent experiments began on the third post-operative day. “Normal” plasma glucose levels were judged to be too low to demonstrate a statistically significant insulin effect and a glucose tolerance study was performed to elevate plasma glucose. Plasma glucose levels were 9.3 ± 1.6 mg% before glucose administration and were 68.8 ± 4.2 mg% at 30 minutes after the infusion via the cannula of 25 mg glucose per 100 gm body weight. Plasma glucose levels declined 52% at 3 hours, 75% at 6 hours, and to approximately the pre-treatment levels at 24 hours after the infusion. The effect of insulin on the decay curve of infused glucose was determined. Control animals received glucose and the hormone-free carrier; experimental animals received glucose and 10 IU insulin per 100 gm body weight. Plasma glucose levels were not significantly lower than those of the controls at 30 minutes after the infusion, but were significantly lower at all subsequent sampling times (3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48 hours) and were less than 3 mg% from 12 through 48 hours; no hypoglycemic symptoms were noted even in animals without detectable plasma glucose. The data indicate that plasma glucose is not a required source of energy in the mud puppy.
Retrospective cohort study evaluating the incidence of diabetic foot infections among hospitalized adults with diabetes in the United States from 1996-2010

Background The prevalence of diabetes has increased over the last 2 decades; however, the national incidence of diabetic foot infections (DFIs) in the United States is unknown. We sought to determine national trends in DFIs among hospitalized adults in the United States over 15 years. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of the U.S. National Hospital Discharge Survey from 1996-2010. Adult patients with a principal diagnosis of foot infection and a secondary diagnosis of diabetes were identified using ICD-9-CM codes. Incidence was defined as DFI discharges per 100 diabetes discharges. Independent risk factors for DFI among diabetics were identified using multivariable logistic regression. Results These data represent 1,059,552 DFI discharges over the study period. The incidence of DFI decreased from 1996 (2.3 DFIs/100 diabetes discharges) to 2010 (1.1 DFI/100 diabetes discharges). The proportion of patients experiencing lower-extremity amputation declined from 33.2% in 1996 to 17.1% in 2010. Peripheral vascular disease (odds ratio [OR], 2.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.87-2.91), peripheral neuropathy (OR, 2.62; 95% CI, 2.60-2.64), and male sex (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.66-1.68) were the leading risk factors for DFI. Conclusion The incidence of DFI among hospitalized adults in the United States declined by more than half from 1996-2010.
A mixed-penalty finite element formulation of the linear biphasic theory for soft tissues

Hydrated soft tissues of the human musculoskeletal system can be represented by a continuum theory of mixtures involving intrinsically incompressible solid and incompressible inviscid fluid phases. This paper describes the development of a mixed-penalty formulation for this biphasic system and the application of the formulation to the development of an axisymmetric, six-node, triangular finite element. In this formulation, the continuity equation of the mixture is replaced by a penalty form of this equation which is introduced along with the momentum equation and mechanical boundary condition for each phase into a weighted residual form. The resulting weak form is expressed in terms of the solid phase displacements (and velocities), fluid phase velocities and pressure. After interpolation, the pressure unknowns can be eliminated at the element level, and a first order coupled system of equations is obtained for the motion of the solid and fluid phases. The formulation is applied to a six-node isoparametric element with a linear pressure field. The element performance is compared with that of the direct penalty form of the six-node biphasic element in which the pressure is eliminated in the governing equations prior to construction of the weak form, and selective reduced integration is used on the penalty term. The mixed-penalty formulation is found to be superior in terms of tendency to lock and sensitivity to mesh distortion. A number of example problems for which analytic solutions exist are used to validate the performance of the element.
SNR-Aware Error Detection for Low-Power Discrete Wavelet Lifting Transform in JPEG 2000

This paper presents a SNR-aware error detection technique for a low-power wavelet lifting transform architecture in JPEG 2000. Power reduction is done by over-scaling the supply voltage (voltage-over-scaling (VOS)). A low-cost SNR-aware detection logic is integrated into the discrete wavelet lifting transform architecture, to check if the image quality degradation caused by the resulting timing errors is acceptable, in order to determine the optimal voltage setting in operating condition at run time. The technique behind the SNR-aware detection logic is the weighted checksum code. It is shown that image quality measured in SNR can be correlated with the image checksum difference. If the image checksum difference is above a certain threshold, the SNR of the image will be below the minimal requirement and image quality will be unacceptable. This novel quality-based error detection is significantly different from traditional error detection schemes which look for exact data equivalence. The technique is useful in exploring optimal voltage configurations for Dynamic Voltage Scaling (DVS).
Profiling ALACEs and Other Advances in Autonomous Subsurface Floats

Abstract Over the past decade more than 1200 autonomous floats have been deployed worldwide. In addition to velocity as marked by lateral movement, many of these floats measured quantities like profiles of temperature and salinity, temperature microstructure, and time series of vertical velocity. The authors' laboratory's implementation of profile measurements in what is called a Profiling Autonomous Lagrangian Circulation Explorer is described. Biofouling and degradation of antifouling coatings on the conductivity sensor both cause drifts that mean accurate salinity measurements will depend on corrections based on known temperature–salinity relations. A second generation autonomous float called the Sounding Oceanographic Lagrangian Observer (SOLO) has been developed to provide enhanced reliability and to provide complete two-way depth control. A dual hydraulic-pneumatic buoyancy system reduces the energy cost of vertical cycling and buoyancy generation at the surface. A SOLO Vertical Current Meter has be...
Will Instructors Save Time Using a Specifications Grading System

Review of: Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students, and Saving Faculty Time ; Linda Nilson and Claudia J. Stranny; (2014). Stylus Publishing, Sterling, VA. 184 pages.
V. Cholera: invasion of the intestinal epithelial barrier by a stably folded protein toxin

Cholera toxin (CT) produced byVibrio cholerae is the virulence factor responsible for the massive secretory diarrhea seen in Asiatic cholera. To cause disease, CT enters the intestinal epithelial c...
Two-year assessment of mental and physical health of OVCs in a residential care organisation: duke srtp India report

Orphaned and separated children (OSC) tend to have worse mental health outcomes compared to non-OSC peers. The purpose of this longitudinal study is to help better understand mental health outcomes within a population of OSC children of a residential care programme in New Delhi, India. Children were randomly selected across 11 group homes in 2014 (N = 89) and 2015 (N = 82) and interviewed for measures of self-concept, peer and guardian attachment, self-concept, depression, ego-resiliency and trauma symptoms. To understand the impact of a residential care programme on OSC children after coming of age, aftercare/alumni members (N = 32) were also interviewed in 2015. Descriptive mental health patterns are discussed as well as recommended for service application and further study.
Approximation of Functions from the Isotropic Nikol’skii–Besov Classes in the Uniform and Integral Metrics

We obtain the exact-order estimations for the approximation of the isotropic Nikol’skii–Besov classes of functions of several variables by the de la Vallee-Poussin-type sums in metrics of the spaces L ∞(ℝ d ) and L ∞(ℝ d ).
Error-triggered on-line model identification in economic model predictive control

Economic model predictive control (EMPC) is a feedback control technique that employs real-time dynamic optimization to find optimal control actions with respect to a cost function representing the plant economics. The model used in EMPC must be able to capture the important dynamics of the plant. In industry, it may be difficult in many applications to obtain a first-principles model of the process, in which case a linear empirical model constructed using process data may be used as the process model within an EMPC. However, linear empirical models may not capture the nonlinear dynamics over a wide region of state-space, restricting an EMPC to operate in a small region within which the potential of EMPC for improving process profit is not realized. For this reason, we present a scheme for expanding the level sets used to design state constraints in Lyapunov-based economic model predictive control (LEMPC) with linear empirical models to improve the process profit, incorporating on-line updates of the linear empirical model triggered by model prediction errors quantified by a moving horizon error detector. A chemical process example illustrates that the proposed LEMPC can maintain closed-loop stability of the process and bring the performance close to that which would be obtained if the nonlinear process model were used in LEMPC.
Evaluation of Computational Modeling of Electron Transpiration Cooling at High Enthalpies

A modeling approach for electron transpiration cooling of high-enthalpy flight is evaluated through comparison to a set of experiments performed in a plasma arc tunnel for air and argon. The comparisons include air and argon flow at high enthalpies (27.9 and 11.6 MJ/kg, respectively), with a Mach number of 2.5 to 3. The conversion of the reported enthalpies and Mach numbers to freestream temperatures and velocities is discussed. The numerical approach is described, including implementation of a thermionic emission boundary condition and an electric field model. Also described is the implementation of a finite-rate chemistry model for argon ionization. Materials with different electron emission properties are also investigated, including graphite and tungsten. The comparisons include two different geometries with different leading-edge radii. The numerical results produce a wide range of emitted current due to the uncertainties in freestream conditions and emissive material properties, but they still agre...
A low power pulse position modulation based ultra-wideband transmitter for implantable sensors

This paper demonstrates a novel scheme for converting analog biomedical signal to a M-ary PPM (Pulse Position Modulation) modulated signal to be transmitted using UWB (ultra-wideband) wireless link. PPM modulation provides higher data rate than on-off keying (OOK) or pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) as more than one bit can be represented per symbol. The proposed scheme eliminates the use of power hungry ADC (analog-to-digital converter) blocks that are used in conventional biosensor read-out circuitry. This scheme also enables the option to modify the sampling rate of the acquired signal without changing the power consumption of the overall system. Implemented using a standard 180nm CMOS process, the readout circuitry along with the UWB transmitter consume only 47 μA current with 1.8 V supply voltage.
Features for Ranking Tweets Based on Credibility and Newsworthiness

We create a robust and general feature set for learning to rank tweets based on credibility and newsworthiness. In previous works, it has been demonstrated that when the training and testing data are from two distinct time periods, the ranker performs poorly. We improve upon this by creating a feature set that does not overfit a particular year or set of topics. This is critical for robust analysis of social media over time. In order to derive such features, we use the studies done on credibility perception of social media as well as the clues provided in past works in this domain. We also present new features that, to our knowledge, are more effective than the state of the art.
Notch Signaling: A Rheostat Regulating Oligodendrocyte Differentiation?

Recent studies suggest that Notch signaling provides both instructive and inhibitory cues for oligodendroglial differentiation, depending on the developmental stage and the stimulatory ligand. In the October 17 issue of Cell, Hu et al. present the axonal cell adhesion molecule contactin as a functional Notch ligand, and suggest interesting potential roles for axoglial interactions in regulating oligodendroglial maturation.
Bestimmung des Klarschmelzpunktes von Fetten

Es wird eine leistungsfahige Methode zur automatischen Bestimmung des Klarschmelzpunktes von Fetten beschrieben. Die Erfassung des Schmelzvorganges erfolgt photoelektrisch, wobei das von der Fettprobe durchgelassene Licht in Abhangigkeit der Temperatur fortlaufend registriert wird.
Every restoration is unique: testing year effects and site effects as drivers of initial restoration trajectories

Summary The outcomes of restoration efforts are contingent on the specifics of the restoration practices utilized, but also on uncontrolled contingencies such as site effects and year effects. Although restoration practitioners have long been aware that the successes of their projects vary from site to site and from year to year, there have been few direct experimental tests of these contingencies. We established grassland restoration plots identically across three sites in northern California, in each of four establishment years (for 12 site-year combinations). The resulting plant communities differed significantly across sites and across establishment years. As a consequence of these community differences, there were ‘forb years’ and ‘grass years’, although these sometimes differed among sites. Multivariate analysis identified mean annual temperature and total precipitation as likely drivers of some of these differences. Synthesis and applications. Our results not only confirm the idiosyncratic nature of the results of restoration efforts (and ecological experiments in general) but also demonstrate that some of this variation can potentially be related to measurable environmental conditions. Understanding the drivers of this variability can ultimately aid restoration practitioners by allowing them to focus restoration efforts on years and sites most likely to yield desired outcomes.
Feasibility of Lenalidomide Therapy for Persistent Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia after Allogeneic Transplantation

Abstract In patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), persistence of disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) can result in poor outcomes. In an effort to improve these outcomes, patients with persistent CLL who were 90 to 100 days beyond alloSCT with no evidence of graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) were randomized to receive lenalidomide or standard care (withdrawal of immunosuppression followed by donor lymphocyte infusion). Lenalidomide was initiated at 5 mg every other day and increased to 10 mg daily, if tolerated, in each patient. Of 38 patients enrolled, 17 (45%) met the eligibility criteria for randomization. Of these 17 patients, 8 were randomized to undergo lenalidomide therapy. Five (62%) patients had to stop taking the drug because of toxicity. The main reason for drug discontinuation was acute GVHD in 43% of patients. This incidence was 11% in the patients who were randomized to not receive lenalidomide. With a median follow-up of 2.6 years, the median survival was 3.4 years for those receiving lenalidomide. This was not reached in patients randomized to not receive lenalidomide and in patients in complete remission who were not randomized. These results suggested that treatments other than lenalidomide are needed for persistent CLL after alloSCT.
Poetry as “an effort to understand”: An interview with Gieve Patel

AbstractIn this interview, conducted in Bombay in June 2015, Gieve Patel reflects on his career as a poet, playwright, publisher, artist and educator, from his first arts show in 1966 (a year which also saw the publication of his first collection of poems) to the present. Gieve Patel is also a doctor of medicine, and he discusses the significant place afforded to the human body in his work and his “aromantic” approach to the body in poetry. He recalls the vitality of Bombay as an artistic and literary centre in the 1960s and 1970s, the comradeship among artists at that time, and his involvement in the publishing house Clearing House. He is an important poet and artist in Bombay, who to this day maintains creative contacts across generations of artists.
Placebo Effects of Edible Cannabis: Reported Intoxication Effects at a 30-Minute Delay.

Previous research has demonstrated the ability of non-active smoked cannabis cigarettes to induce subjective effects of intoxication (i.e., placebo effect). No studies have been conduced to test whether edible forms of cannabis, which are associated with a significant delay in onset of effect, are able to induce a placebo effect. In the present study, 20 participants were told that they would receive an edible cannabis lollipop containing a high dose of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but were instead given a placebo control. Measures of intoxication and mood were taken at baseline, 30 minutes, and 60 minutes post-ingestion of the placebo lollipop. Results of four repeated-measures ANOVAs found significant and quadratic changes across time in cannabis (ARCI m-scale) intoxication (F(2,18) = 4.90, p = .01, η2 = .22) and negative mood (F(2,18) = 3.99, p = .05, η2 = .19). Changes in positive mood and the overall measure of general intoxication (ARCI) failed to reach significance. The present study provide...
Cardiac atrial kick shear wave elastography with ultrafast diverging wave imaging: An in vivo pilot study

Increased myocardial stiffness is characteristic of many diseases, leads to a loss of diastolic function, and is a cause of diastolic heart failure (DHF). Methods to estimate myocardial stiffness include Shear Wave Elastography (SWE). Currently, ultrasound-based cardiac SWE includes acoustic radiation force (ARF)-based methods; however, the in vivo generation and detection of shear waves in myocardium is significantly degraded due to limited ARF penetration and clutter noise. Consistently successful cardiac SWE is limited to low BMI patients. The objective of this research is to develop an ultrafast cardiac SWE technique where the shear wave is generated by the mechanical stimulus of the diastolic atrial kick. The amplitude of this wave is at least one order of magnitude higher than ARF-induced shear waves and thus more easily visualized, having a higher chance of detection and measurement in a broader patient population. Cardiac atrial kick SWE was performed on 14 healthy adults using an ultrafast diverging wave imaging technique. The shear wave speed (SWS) was estimated and correlated to common health measures in the clinic and in echocardiography. For all subjects, the SWS was 1.78 ± 0.34 m/s, similar to other SWE studies for late diastole. The atrial kick SWS was correlated to systemic diastolic pressure (r = −0.75, p = 0.002), E' (r = 0.60, p = 0.02), IVRT' (r = −0.60, p = 0.02), and E'/A' (r = 0.58, p = 0.03). These results suggest this method can be used as a measure of diastolic function and myocardial stiffness, and establish the range of normal values of atrial kick SWS that may be used as reference values when studying myocardial pathologies such as DHF. This research is the first to investigate the in vivo atrial kick SWS in humans using an ultrafast diverging wave imaging technique.
Composition and functional roles of the gut microbiota in mosquitoes

An estimated 3500 species of mosquitoes (family Culicidae) exist worldwide of which several are known vectors of pathogens that cause disease in humans and other vertebrates. Mosquitoes also host communities of microbes in their digestive tract that form a gut microbiota. Recent studies provide important insights on how mosquitoes acquire a gut microbiota and the community of microbes that are present. Results also indicate that the gut microbiota affects several aspects of mosquito biology. Altogether, these effects impact mosquito fitness with potential consequences for disease prevalence.
Can we predict stressful technical interview settings through eye-tracking?

Recently, eye-tracking analysis for finding the cognitive load and stress while problem-solving on the whiteboard during a technical interview is finding its way in software engineering society. However, there is no empirical study on analyzing how much the interview setting characteristics affect the eye-movement measurements. Without knowing that, the results of a research on eye-movement measurements analysis for stress detection will not be reliable. In this paper, we analyzed the eye-movements of 11 participants in two interview settings, one on the whiteboard and the other on the paper, to find out if the characteristics of the interview settings affect the analysis of participants' stress. To this end, we applied 7 Machine Learning classification algorithms on three different labeling strategies of the data to suggest researchers of the domain a useful practice of checking the reliability of the eye-measurements before reporting any results.
A CONTINUUM MODEL APPROPRIATE FOR NONLINEAR ANALYSIS OF THE SOLIDIFICATION OF A PURE METAL

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a continuum model appropriate for nonlinear analysis of the solidification of a pure metal. Most researchers in treating controlled solidification situations involving alloys or pure metals in the absence of convection have traditionally adopted a particular conservation of heat condition at the moving boundary separating the phases. The chapter explores the surface free energy and the nonlinear solidification model. Analogous to the concept of surface tension at a liquid–fluid interface, an equivalent effect in terms of surface free energy can be rigorously developed at an interface between a solid and a liquid. It also explores the governing nondimensionalized equations for a prototype problem.
Irreversible effects of trichloroethylene on the gut microbial community and gut-associated immune responses in autoimmune-prone mice.

The developing immune system is particularly sensitive to immunotoxicants. This study assessed trichloroethylene (TCE)-induced effects on the gut microbiome and cytokine production during the development in mice. Mice were exposed to TCE (0.05 or 500 μg/mL) at the levels that approximate to environmental or occupational exposure, respectively. Mice were subjected to a continuous developmental exposure to these doses encompassing gestation, lactation and continuing directly in the drinking water postnatally for 154 days (PND154) or PND259. To observe persistence of the effect TCE was removed from the drinking water in a subset of mice on PND154 and were provided regular drinking water until the study terminus (PND259). Abundance of total tissue-associated bacteria reduced only in mice exposed to TCE until PND259. The ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes did not alter during this continuos exposure; however, cessation of high-dose TCE at PND154 resulted in the increased abundance Bacteroidetes at PND259. Furthermore, high-dose TCE exposure until PND259 resulted in a lower abundance of the genera Bacteroides and Lactobaccilus and increased abundance of genus Bifidobactrium and bacterial family Enterobacteriaceae. TCE exposure until PND154 showed significant changes in the production of interleukin-33; that might play a dual role in maintaining the balance and homeostasis between commensal microbiota and mucosal health. At PND259, interleukin-3, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and Eotaxin were altered in both, the continuous exposure and cessation groups, whereas only a cessation group had a higher level of KC that may facilitate infiltration of neutrophils. The irreversible effects of TCE after a period of exposure cessation suggested a unique programming and potential toxicity of TCE even at the environmental level exposure.
Adaptive Channel Estimation in Side Channel Attacks

Side channel attacks exploit physical information that leaks from the target implementations to extract secret information, for example keys. Since the observable physical leakages are dependent on the internal state of the cryptographic implementation, predicting (or profiling) this dependency, which is also called leakage model or leakage function, can significantly improve the performance of attacks. Previous work shows that the leakage function (side channel) can be represented as a noisy channel in communication theory. In this paper, we focus on how to model the side channel as a fading channel. We treat the leakage model coefficients as channel fading (gains), to develop a weighted leakage model. Under this assumption, the profiling problem in side channel attacks becomes a channel estimation problem in communication. This paper also proposes al 2 -norm based reweighted algorithm for estimating the leakage model. Compared to previous methods, such as the Least Squares and the Ridge-Based method, our algorithm shows significant improvements both in terms of performance of recovery and efficiency of implementation.
What studies of audio-visual integration do not teach us about audio-visual integration

Auditory perception depends on more than just the processing of acoustic stimuli. Visual stimuli can also have a profound influence on listening. Salient examples of such effects include spatial ventriloquism—in which the location percept of an auditory stimulus is “captured” by that of a simultaneous visual stimulus—as well as drastically improved understanding of speech in noise when the talker's face is visible to the listener. These phenomena are typically described as “audio-visual integration,” and are often well modeled, as in the case of the ventriloquist effect, by ideal Bayesian causal inference. However, there is an over-reliance in these studies on single pairs of stimuli (i.e., one auditory and one visual stimulus) and the nature in which cross-modal discrepancies are resolved. This talk will first discuss two problems resulting from that: first, there is ambiguity about whether the integration occurs from weighing two independent sensory estimates or a single bound percept, and second, the design is less useful for studying integration when the stimuli are congruent. The talk will then describe recent work from our lab focused on new designs using multiple stimuli in an attempt to alleviate these issues and inform better models of integration.
Interbody options in lumbar fusion.

Interbody devices have revolutionized lumbar fusion surgery by enhancing mechanical stability, optimizing sagittal parameters, and maximizing fusion potential. There are several lumbar interbody fusion approaches available for varying pathologic etiologies, surgical index levels, or due to surgeon preference. With the advancement of spinal instrumentation and interbody devices, a variety of cage materials and dimensions have been engineered to accommodate various lumbar fusion approaches. The efficacy of a fusion is dependent on the shape, size, and material makeup of that interbody device. Since there are numerous cages available in today’s market, it is important to find the optimal cage to best accommodate specific lumbar fusion cases. This review will explain the properties and future advancements of various interbody devices available for lumbar fusions.
Membrane Dynamics of Lipid Droplet-Mediated ER Proteostasis in the Budding Yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Our previous studies revealed a novel mechanism for lipid droplet (LD)-mediated ER proteostasis that is stimulated by lipid imbalance-induced ER stress. They support the model that this stressor stimulates removal of proteins from the ER by LDs and degradation of LDs by microlipophagy, autophagosome-independent LD uptake into the vacuole (the yeast lysosome). Here, we show that a similar mechanism occurs during dithiothreitol (DTT)- or tunicamycin (TM)-induced ER stress. We identified proteins that are possible targets for LD-mediated ER proteostasis and find that the targets vary in response to different ER stressors. Our live-cell imaging studies provide the first direct evidence that one of these targets (Nup159p) can be removed from ER membranes by LDs, moves with LDs through the cytosol and co-localizes with LDs in the vacuolar lumen. Thus, we obtained the first direct evidence that LDs can mediate ER proteostasis. Microlipophagy induced by all stressors studied does not require core ATG genes and can occur in the absence of liquid-ordered microdomains (Lo) in the vacuolar membrane. Instead, we find that the endosome sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT) I-III are up-regulated, recruited to vacuolar membranes, and required for microlipophagy in response to all ER stressors analyzed. Interestingly, ESCRT 0 is not required for DTT-induced microlipophagy but is required for microlipophagy induced by other stressors studied. Our imaging studies also revealed an unexpected role for vacuolar fusion in remodeling and invagination of the vacuolar membrane during microlipophagy.
Statistics for Small Groups: The Power of the Pretest:

In the area of severe-profound retardation, researchers are faced with small sample sizes. The question of statistical power is critical. In this article, three commonly used tests for treatment-co...
Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty: An Evaluation of Gender and Racial Diversity Compared with Other Specialties.

Background The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has adopted the strategic goal of evolving its culture and governance to become more strategic, innovative, and diverse. Given the charge to increase diversity, a focus on assessing and increasing diversity at the faculty level may help this cause. However, an analysis of gender and racial diversity among orthopaedic faculty has not been performed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate faculty appointments for underrepresented minority (URM) and female orthopaedic surgeons. We also aim to draw comparisons between orthopaedic surgery and other specialties. Methods Data on gender, race, and faculty rank (clinical instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor) of academic faculty for 18 specialties from 1997 to 2017 were obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Faculty Roster. Assistant professors were designated as junior faculty, whereas associate professor and professor were considered senior faculty. URMs were defined using the AAMC definition-groups having lower representation than in the general population. Regression analysis was used to evaluate and compare the change over time and to compare the change across different specialties. Results Over the 20-year study period, the number of female faculty increased (8.8% pts) but represents a lower proportion than other specialties (13.9% pts) (p = 0.029). Female orthopaedic senior faculty grew slower (7.3% pts) than other specialties (14.7% pts) (p < 0.001). There was no difference in the growth of URM faculty positions (2.0% pts) compared with all other specialties (2.4% pts) (p = 0.165). The proportion of orthopaedic URM senior faculty increased less (0.5% pts) than other specialties (2.5% pts) (p < 0.001), whereas more orthopaedic URM junior faculty were added than other specialties (2.2% pts) (p = 0.012). Conclusions Although orthopaedic surgery has increased the representation of female and URM faculty members, it continues to lag behind other specialties. In addition, fewer female and URM orthopaedic faculty members obtained senior faculty status than other specialties. To address the differences seen in faculty diversity, a concerted effort should be made to recruit and promote more diverse faculty, given similar qualifications and capabilities. Level of Evidence Prognostic Level IV.
Earthquake transformer-an attentive deep-learning model for simultaneous earthquake detection and phase picking.

Earthquake signal detection and seismic phase picking are challenging tasks in the processing of noisy data and the monitoring of microearthquakes. Here we present a global deep-learning model for simultaneous earthquake detection and phase picking. Performing these two related tasks in tandem improves model performance in each individual task by combining information in phases and in the full waveform of earthquake signals by using a hierarchical attention mechanism. We show that our model outperforms previous deep-learning and traditional phase-picking and detection algorithms. Applying our model to 5 weeks of continuous data recorded during 2000 Tottori earthquakes in Japan, we were able to detect and locate two times more earthquakes using only a portion (less than 1/3) of seismic stations. Our model picks P and S phases with precision close to manual picks by human analysts; however, its high efficiency and higher sensitivity can result in detecting and characterizing more and smaller events. The authors here present a deep learning model that simultaneously detects earthquake signals and measures seismic-phase arrival times. The model performs particularly well for cases with high background noise and the challenging task of picking the S wave arrival.
Necessary Adjustments: Black Women’s Rhetorical Impatience

This essay examines moments of Black women’s rhetorical impatience, or performances used to manage time within adverse conditions, to expand conceptions of kairos and self-care. It shows how disrup...