cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Old Dogs Learning New Tricks: Neuroplasticity Beyond the Juvenile Period

Twenty years ago, the prevalent view in psychology was that although learning and the formation of new memories are lifelong occurrences, the neural changes associated with these events were all in the existing receptors. No new neural hardware, from synapses to neurons, was thought to appear after a protracted period early in life. In the past 20 years, another view has supplanted this one, showing that although the juvenile period is especially suited to neuroplastic adaptation, there is hard neuroplastic change later in life as well. We review a selection of evidence for this view from both animal and human models, showing how it reflects three principles of neuroplasticity: 1) earlier and later experience-induced changes to neuroarchitecture differ in degree more so than in type; 2) the types of experiences that lead to neuroplastic change narrow with age; and 3) differences in the amenability of neural circuitry to change result from basic differences in neuroarchitecture and neuroenvironment in different phases of development.
Developing a system to assess the quality of cancer care: ASCO's national initiative on cancer care quality.

Research on the quality of care throughout at least the last decade has demonstrated that increases in the knowledge of treatments with proven efficacy do not translate directly to the optimal delivery of such treatments to patients. The goal of a quality monitoring system should be to measure and report on the quality of cancer care as accurately as possible for the lowest achievable cost.
Wet spinning of aliphatic and aromatic polyamides

Bench-scale equipment for wet spinning was designed and built. An experimental study of the wet spinning of several polyamides has been carried out. The polymers studied include nylon 6, nylon 66, redissolved Nomex, and redissolved Kevlar. The superstructure of the wet-spun fibers were studied by optical and scanning electron microscopy as well as small- and wide-angle x-ray diffraction. Mechanical properties were measured and related to the spinning variables. For nylon 6 and nylon 66, the coagulation bath composition was found to be of major importance in determining fiber superstructure. For the case of the redissolved Kevlar, anisotropic spinning dopes were obtained from redissolved fiber, and the wet-spun filaments produced from such solutions were investigated. These fibers proved to have relatively high modulus and strength as spun. They had even greater strengths after hot drawing.
Renal mechanism of action of rat atrial natriuretic factor.

Abstract There has been conflict as to whether crude extracts of atrial natriuretic factor increase renal solute excretion by a hemodynamic mechanism or by direct inhibition of tubular transport. To investigate this issue, seven rats were studied during a euvolemic control period and following continuous administration of pure, synthetic 24 amino acid atrial natriuretic factor. A 10-25-fold increase in urinary sodium and chloride excretion occurred with a brisk kaliuresis but little bicarbonaturia. Atrial natriuretic factor caused whole kidney glomerular filtration rate to increase from 1.17 +/- 0.04 to 1.52 +/- 0.07 ml/min (P less than 0.005). A parallel increase in single nephron glomerular filtration rate, from 34 +/- 1 to 44 +/- 2 nl/min (P less than 0.001), and from 26 +/- 1 to 37 +/- 2 nl/min (P less than 0.005) was measured at the end-proximal and early distal nephron sites, respectively. Appropriate for the higher flows were an increase in absolute proximal and loop reabsorptive rates for bicarbonate, chloride, and water, with a slight decrease in fractional solute and volume reabsorption in proximal and loop segments. To exclude the possibility that atrial natriuretic factor increased filtration rate only in anesthetized animals, eight unanesthetized rats were studied. Glomerular filtration rate increased by 45%, from 2.04 +/- 0.17 to 2.97 +/- 0.27 ml/min (P less than 0.005) without significant change in renal plasma flow, as reflected by 14C-para-aminohippurate clearance (5.4 +/- 0.5-5.6 +/- 0.9 ml/min). The clearance and micropuncture data did not preclude changes in relative blood flow distribution to or in transport by deep nephron segments. In conclusion, atrial natriuretic factor appears to increase renal solute excretion predominantly by a hemodynamic mechanism without directly inhibiting superficial tubular transport.
Increasing discussions of intimate partner violence in prenatal care using Video Doctor plus Provider Cueing: a randomized, controlled trial.

Abstract Purpose To report the effectiveness of a prenatal intervention and to provide evidence that prenatal visits provide an opportune time for health assessment and counseling with abused women. Methods Fifty ethnically diverse pregnant women who presented for routine prenatal care and who also reported being at risk for intimate partner violence (IPV) were recruited to the study. Participants were assigned to either usual care or the Video Doctor plus Provider Cueing intervention. At baseline and 1 month later at another routine prenatal visit, intervention group participants received a 15-minute Video Doctor assessment and interactive tailored counseling. Their providers received a printed Cue Sheet alert and suggested counseling statements. Main Findings Participants in the intervention group were significantly more likely to report provider–patient discussions of IPV compared with participants receiving usual care at baseline (81.8% vs. 16.7%; p p = .005). Summing the number of patient–provider discussions across the two visits at baseline and 1 month later, intervention participants were significantly more likely to have IPV risk discussion with their providers at one or both visits (90.0% vs. 23.6%; p Conclusion Video Doctor plus Provider Cueing intervention significantly increases the likelihood of provider–patient IPV discussion with pregnant women with a history of abuse.
Lessons From a Hunger Strike at Harvard

A study of on-line postings by Harvard College students in the wake of a campus protest reveals the majority of students to feel little responsibility for the well-being of their campus security guards. These students’ reactions highlight the need for universities to become more pro-active in graduating socially responsible citizens.
A Solution to the Problem of Indeterminate Desert

A desert-sensitive moral theory says that whether people get what they deserve, whether they are treated as they deserve to be treated, plays a role in determining what we ought to do. Some popular forms of consequentialism are desert-sensitive. But where do facts about what people deserve come from? If someone deserves a raise, or a kiss, in virtue of what does he deserve those things? One plausible answer is that what someone deserves depends, at least in part, on how well he meets his moral requirements. The wicked deserve to su er and the decent do not. Shelly Kagan (2006) has argued that this plausible answer is wrong. But his argument for that conclusion does not succeed. I will show how to formulate a desert-sensitive moral theory (and also a desert-sensitive version of consequentialism) on which this answer is correct.
Leukocytes regulate retinal capillary degeneration in the diabetic mouse via generation of leukotrienes.

Understanding the early pathogenesis of DR may uncover new therapeutic targets to prevent or slow the progression of this sight-threatening disorder. We investigated the role of leukocyte-mediated generation of LTs in regulation of retinal capillary degeneration and inflammation in the diabetic mouse. We generated (1) chimeric mice that lacked the ability to generate LTs by transplanting 5LO-/- bone marrow cells into ND.WT mice and into SD.WT mice and (2) "control" chimeric mice by transplanting WT bone marrow cells into 5LO-/- mice or into WT mice. Retinas from diabetic chimeric mice with WT marrow demonstrated capillary degeneration to the same extent as retinas from diabetic, nonchimeric WT mice. In contrast, retinas from diabetic chimeric mice with 5LO-/- marrow developed significantly less capillary degeneration and pericyte loss (P 50% in diabetic chimeras containing 5LO-/- leukocytes (P<0.05). Our data suggest the critical involvement of leukocytes and LTs in the regulation of inflammation and capillary degeneration in DR.
A Hypotensive 22-Year-Old Man With Chest Pain, Cough, and an Abnormal Chest Radiograph

(CHEST 2009; 135:228–232) A 22-year-old Hispanic man presented to the emergency department with fever, chills, and headache of 5 days in duration accompanied by productive cough and hemoptysis for almost 2 days. He also admitted intermittent chest pain that was sharp in nature, nonradiating, and aggravated by swallowing. The patient had a negative medical history, but he reported night sweats for the past 2 weeks and a significant loss of appetite associated with weight loss. He was an immigrant from Mexico but had been in the United States for a year. There was no history of recent travel or sick contacts, and he denied prescribed or illicit drug use. He also denied any high-risk sexual behavior in the past year.
Evolution of Neocortex

In this chapter I shall attempt to derive the outlines of a theory of neocortical evolution from a series of observations based mainly on the anatomy and physiology of cerebral cortex in living animals. Such an exercise in evolutionary inference is by its nature a speculative enterprise. Hopefully, it will serve to guide future comparative, developmental and biophysical studies that might shed some additional light on this intriguing but inaccessible topic. To illustrate organizational features of cortex, I have drawn examples mainly from visual cortex.
Usama bin Ladin, the Qur'an and Jihad

Abstract Does Usama bin Ladin speak for all Muslims? Is he qualified to interpret the Qur’an? Does ‘jihad’ really mean ‘holy war’? Most Muslims answer ‘No!’ to all three questions, especially in the war of 9/11, but on what basis? Western mass media have in effect allowed bin Ladin to set the agenda by not examining the reasoning on all sides of the issue. This article analyses the Qur’anic basis for bin Ladin's arguments in two crucial pre-9/11 documents: his three-part Declaration of War of August 1996, and the ‘fatwa’ (legal opinion) of 23 February 1998, of which the formal title is The Statement of the World Islamic Front Urging Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders. It shows that, while bin Ladin does not use the commonly abused exegetical technique of abrogation, he also does not hesitate, whenever convenient, to ignore the authoritative sources that he often cites, to take Qur’anic verses or passages out of context, and to define key words in ways that seem to lend scriptural support to his extremism.
A Population Density Approach That Facilitates Large-Scale Modeling of Neural Networks: Extension to Slow Inhibitory Synapses

A previously developed method for efficiently simulating complex networks of integrate-and-fire neurons was specialized to the case in which the neurons have fast unitary postsynaptic conductances. However, inhibitory synaptic conductances are often slower than excitatory ones for cortical neurons, and this difference can have a profound effect on network dynamics that cannot be captured with neurons that have only fast synapses. We thus extend the model to include slow inhibitory synapses. In this model, neurons are grouped into large populations of similar neurons. For each population, we calculate the evolution of a probability density function (PDF), which describes the distribution of neurons over state-space. The population firing rate is given by the flux of probability across the threshold voltage for firing an action potential. In the case of fast synaptic conductances, the PDF was one-dimensional, as the state of a neuron was completely determined by its transmembrane voltage. An exact extension to slow inhibitory synapses increases the dimension of the PDF to two or three, as the state of a neuron now includes the state of its inhibitory synaptic conductance. However, by assuming that the expected value of a neuron's inhibitory conductance is independent of its voltage, we derive a reduction to a one-dimensional PDF and avoid increasing the computational complexity of the problem. We demonstrate that although this assumption is not strictly valid, the results of the reduced model are surprisingly accurate.
Stability of Shock Waves Attached to Wedges and Cones

A numerical study of a reduced set of the Euler equations shows that both weak and strong attached shock waves are stable configurations depending on the boundary conditions imposed. The results obtained are in good agreement with experimental observations and with the minimum entropy principle. A heuristic ex- planation of the behavior observed is given in terms of quasistatic considerations. OR flow over a wedge or cone, whose deflection angle is less than the angle associated with shock detachment for the incoming supersonic flow, it is a well-known fact that the steady-state Euler equations admit two different solutions. Each solution is distinguished by the strength of the attached oblique shock. Thus a solution is labeled strong or weak if the shock-wave inclination is, respectively, greater than or less than the shock-wave inclination at detachment. For the strong shock solution, the flow is always subsonic downstream of the shock; for the weak shock solution, the flow is supersonic downstream of the shock, except for a small range of deflection angles in the neighborhood of the detachment angle where the weak shock is followed by subsonic flow. This small region will be ignored in the present work. The existence of multiple solutions has attracted considerable theoretical scrutiny, which has mainly succeeded in obscuring the problem. Indeed, our understanding of this problem has changed little since 1948, when Courant and Friedrichs1 wrote .. .The question arises which of the two actually occurs. It has frequently been stated that the strong one is unstable and that, therefore, only the weak one could occur. A convincing proof of this instability has apparently never been given. Quite aside from the question of stability, the problem of determining which of the possible shocks occurs cannot be formulated and an- swered without taking the boundary conditions at infinity into account. The confusion has come about because the question posed by Courant and Friedrichs and every succeeding investigator has not been the proper question to ask. The question should not be which solution actually occurs, since we have ex- perimental evidence2 that both the weak and the strong solutions do occur, but under what conditions do one or the other solutions occur. The answer to this latter question obviously depends on the boundary conditions, as already indicated by Courant and Friedrichs. Moreover, since the nature of steady-state solution is elliptic for the strong shock and hyperbolic for the weak shock, we should suspect that each problem is governed by a different set of boundary conditions. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to study the stability of the weak and strong solutions with boundary conditions which are appropriate to each case under in- vestigation.
Porous Metal Carboxylate Boron Imidazolate Frameworks

Integrated Material for Efficient CO2 Storage A new family of porous materials with tunable gas sorption properties have been made by integrating metal carboxylates and boron imidazolates under hydro- or solvothermal conditions. One hydrothermally synthesized phase exhibits a very high volumetric CO2 storage capacity at 81 L/L (273K, 1atm).
On bisimple semigroups generated by a finite number of idempotents

Non-completely simple bisimple semigroups S which are generated by a finite number of idempotents are studied by means of Rees matrix semigroups over local submonoids eSe, e = e 2 ∈ S . If under the natural partial order on the set E s of idempotents of such a semigroup S the sets ω( e ) = { ƒ ∈ E s : ƒ ≤ e } for each e ∈ E s are well-ordered, then S is shown to contain a subsemigroup isomorphic to Sp 4 , the fundamental four-spiral semigroup. A non-completely simple hisimple semigroup is constructed which is generated by 5 idempotents but which does not contain a subsemigroup isomorphic to Sp 4 .
Linear programming approach for performance-driven data aggregation in networks of embedded sensors

Cyber Physical Systems are distributed systems-of-systems that integrate sensing, processing, networking and actuation. Aggregating physical data over space and in time emerges as an intrinsic part of data acquisition, and is critical for dependable decision making under performance and resource constraints. This paper presents a Linear Programming-based method for optimizing the aggregation of data sampled from geographically-distributed areas while satisfy timing, precision, and resource constraints. The paper presents experimental results for data aggregation, including a case study on gas detection using a network of sensors.
Parallel Parkin: Cdc20 Takes a New Partner

CDC20 and CDH1 are well-established substrate receptors for the Anaphase Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C). In this issue of Molecular Cell, Lee et al. (2015) show that these adaptors can also target cell cycle proteins for destruction through a second ubiquitin ligase, Parkin.
Reconstruction of a Bilateral Hypoplastic Soft Palate in a Cat

A 2-year-old, female spayed, domestic shorthair cat was presented with a history of dyspnea, upper respiratory congestion, and aspiration. Physical examination revealed a bilaterally hypoplastic soft palate resembling a uvula. A novel surgical technique was performed to reconstruct the soft palate, utilizing both a hard palate-derived mucoperiosteal flap combined with two pharyngeal wall-derived, random-pattern mucosal flaps. This is the first report of a bilaterally hypoplastic soft palate in the cat, as well as a description of a new surgical method for soft palate reconstruction.
A 3.9 mW, 35–44/41–59.5 GHz distributed injection locked frequency divider

Distributed injection-locked frequency division concept, principle, and design methodology at mm-wave frequencies are presented. A proof-of-concept prototype, realized in a foundry 130 nm BiCMOS SiGe HBT technology, achieves a measured locking range of 35–44 GHz and 41–59.5 GHz while consuming 3.9 mW from a 1.1 V supply.
The Implementation of the Ophidia Desktop GUI

This report introduces the Ophidia Graphic User Interface, the key elements of the system and the implementation aspects related to the “Access” section of the framework. A description of the adopted technologies is also provided. The research leading to these results has received funding from the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research and the Italian Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea under the GEMINA project. To download the unabridged version of this research paper, please contact: giovanni.aloisio@cmcc.it.
Bis{μ-4,4',6,6'-tetra-tert-butyl-2,2'-[N-(2-oxidoeth-yl)imino-dimethyl-ene]diphenolato}dialuminium(III).

The title compound, [Al2(C32H48NO3)2], exists as a dimer with bridging ethoxide groups. It was isolated from a reaction mixture of the parent ligand and trimethyl­aluminium in tetra­hydro­furan. The geometry around the AlIII atom is a slightly distorted trigonal-bipyramid, typical of atrane derivatives.
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy for youth who experience continuous traumatic exposure.

Many evidence-based treatments are now available for traumatized children and youth, and their families. Although these are typically based on past traumas, a large portion of these youth experience continuous traumas. Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment that has been used successfully with youth and families who experience ongoing traumas. Within these studies and projects, TF-CBT trainers have worked collaboratively with stakeholders, families, and service providers to develop TF-CBT strategies to best respond to populations with continuous trauma. This article highlights certain projects, presents common conceptualizations of continuous trauma, and describes four practical strategies commonly and successfully utilized with youth/families experiencing continuous trauma. Each strategy is exemplified with case studies. The addition of such strategies helped to assure safety and enhance the uptake of coping skills as traumas arise. Research suggests that even in cases of continuous traumas, youth can be treated with TF-CBT and significantly improve symptoms.
Topological Analysis of Pattern-Forming Systems

A few basic motifs, such as hexagonal lattices, are prevalent in a wide variety of pattern-forming biological and other chemical and physical systems. These include phyllotaxis (the arrangement of elements such as leaves or seeds on plants) [1], biomineralization processes [2], and nanostructures formed by the bombardment of binary materials by ions [3]. The chemical and physical mechanisms behind the formation of these similar patterns are, however, very different. It is a challenge to compare mathematical models with observations or experiments since very disparte mechanisms can produce similar steady-state patterns. Over the last decade, a powerful new tool of computational topology called persistent homology has been developed to characterize the topological properties of a set of points or a surface at all length scales. Applying variations on this technique to the surfaces produced by simulations of pattern-forming systems, we find that, although the topological properties of the steady-state solutions are similar, the evolution of the topological properties to that steady state can differ significantly. This provides a potential way of distinguishing between mechanisms and for determining parameters. ...
Study on Hierarchical Dynamic Decision-making in Air Formation to Ground Attack-defends Campaign

According to the strong oppositional, the multi-objective and hierarchical characteristic of air formation to ground attack-defends system, and by using dynamic space state model of military campaign, a principal and subordinate hierarchical interactive decision making way, the Nash-Stackelberg-Nash model, was established to solve the problems in military operation, and the associated best strategy in hierarchical dynamic decision making was found out. The simulating result shows that when applying the model to air formation to ground attack-defends decision-making system, it can solve the problems of two hierarchies dynamic oppositional decision making favorably, and reach preferable effect in battle. It is proved that the model can provide an effective way for analyzing a battle.
In the Matrix

Tolson and Pynchon, between them ... allow us to examine how canonicity is produced and theorized by writers and critics, and how, accordingly, academic critics regard their roles as agents of the cultural center.... I want to examine the rhetoric of cultural marginality and the uses to which it is put by disparately positioned writers and critics. And the purpose of mapping this rhetoric, in turn, is to make visible the microphenomena of reception and neglect in individual case histories. (5)
Automatic Five-Dimensional Single Particle Tracking in Live Cells

A novel single particle tracking (SPT) technique has been developed to visualize the intracellular transport of cargos in five dimensions (5D): the three spatial coordinates (x, y, z) and two orientation angles (azimuthal angle and polar angle) of a probe's transition dipole over a series of time steps. Tracking rotational probes, such as gold nanorods, in the z-axis is challenging because translational motions in the z-axis can be easily confused with rotational motions as both types of motion result in similar changes in signal intensity. The 5D-SPT method overcomes this long-standing challenge by utilizing the concept of parallax to sense the axial movement of the target object and employs an automatic feedback loop algorithm to control the objective's focal plane and bring the target object back to focus repetitively. In such an implementation, the target object is kept in focus to provide the highest possible S/N for 2D localization and orientation determination, while the z positions are recorded from the vertical movement of a high-precision objective scanner. Through the live-cell SPT experiments, we demonstrate that the 5D-SPT technique has potential to significantly improve the capacity to study the intracellular transport of cargos in a cellular environment.
The Sexual Insult: Medicalized Views of Singleness during the Long Nineteenth Century

The last chapter highlighted Ly’s concept of the self-sufficient female body, which served as the basis of her demand for women’s active participation in the civic realm. Ly’s model of agency was partly a response to the nineteenth-century understanding of female honor as rooted in a woman’s marital status, or in her sexual and familial relationship to a man. As the Ly-Massat affair and all of the gendered conflicts over honor near the turn of the century illustrate, women’s adoption of social and sexual identities outside of marriage was the crucial factor that blurred the public and private boundaries of both the codes of sociability and republican citizenship. Whether observers accepted Ly’s idea of an “honor without sex,” or whether they defended the virtuous “honest woman” from assaults on her sexual reputation, they positioned women’s marital status as the pivot around which discussions of women’s civic capacity revolved.
UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTS OF WORKFORCE DIVERSITY ON EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY AND COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK

In this paper, we develop a conceptual framework for understanding the impact of workforce diversity on labor market outcomes. We argue that to understand the impact of workforce diversity, we must consider the effects of power (the distribution of valued and scarce resources), status (the relationships among people and groups), and numbers (the compositional effects of the unit), whether in the work group, job, occupation, firm, or society. We then discuss the mechanisms that generate and reproduce these dimensions of inequality and explain how they contribute to everyday practices such as allocation decisions and evaluative processes and ultimately lead to sustained or durable inequality (e.g. labor force outcomes including attitudes, behaviors, and material and psychic rewards).
Factors affecting job satisfaction among hospital pharmacists

Objective: Job satisfaction is the favorableness with which employees view their work. Two main factors that affect job satisfaction are intrinsic and extrinsic job characteristics. Intrinsic factors lead to satisfaction,whereas extrinsic characteristics prevent dissatisfaction. The objective of this study was to determine the level of job satisfaction among hospital pharmacists at the Texas Medical Center by looking specifically at intrinsic and extrinsic factors that managers may use to promote a higher level of job satisfaction. Methods: A survey about intrinsic and extrinsic job characteristics was administered to hospital pharmacists. The survey employed a 5-point "strongly agree" (5) to "strongly disagree" (1) scale; satisfaction was measured using two previously validated scales abbreviated as JS1 and JS2. Eighty-five completed surveys were received for a response rate of 26%. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 40 years (′ 9.7); the majority of respondents were female (64.3%). In general, pharmacists were satisfied with their job. The mean job satisfaction scores on the two scales were 3.32 ′ 0.86 for JS1 and 3.43 ′ 0.84 for JS2. Job satisfaction was significantly correlated with intrinsic (r J S 1 = 0.61, r J S 2 = 0.54, P < 0.05) and extrinsic factors (r J S 1 = 0.64, r J S 1 = 0.61, P < 0.05). Furthermore, intrinsic and extrinsic factors were significantly correlated with each other (r = 0.48, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Hospital pharmacists at the Texas Medical Center were satisfied with their current jobs and liked their jobs. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors were significantly correlated with job satisfaction and with each other, indicating their importance when measuring job satisfaction.
Treatment of Residual Facial Arteriovenous Malformations after Embolization with Percutaneous Cryotherapy

This report presents 4 patients (mean age, 22 y; range, 17-26 y) with facial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) who underwent arterial ethanol and N-butyl cyanoacrylate embolization followed by percutaneous cryoablation of residual inaccessible AVMs. After the procedure, minor complications classified as type B according to the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) classification system occurred in 75% (3/4) of patients. One patient achieved 90% obliteration of AVM, and 3 patients had complete obliteration of AVM at 1-year follow-up. This reports shows that percutaneous ablation may be a viable treatment option for residual facial AVMs after ethanol and glue embolization.
Handling Plant Variation via Error-Triggered On-line Model Identification: Application to Economic Model Predictive Control

Abstract: In the present work, an error-triggered on-line model identification approach is introduced for closed-loop systems that is able to detect and compensate for significant disturbances and variations in the plant. A moving horizon error detector is used to quantify the model accuracy and to trigger the model re-identification on-line when necessary. The proposed approach is applied in the context of economic model predictive control (EMPC), which is a feedback control approach that optimizes plant economics on-line by utilizing a process model. The on-line model identification scheme coupled with the EMPC system was applied to a benchmark catalytic chemical reactor example where the reaction rates decrease with time due to catalyst deactivation. In the presence of such plant variation, more accurate state predictions were made under the proposed EMPC scheme with on-line model identification than under an EMPC for which the model was not updated, which significantly impacted the plant economics.
Immunotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma: current status and future directions

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) has been marked historically by poor prognosis. Current standard of care for this deadly disease results in sub-optimal improvements in overall survival (OS), which has prompted researchers to explore innovative treatment alternatives. Immunotherapy is an emerging therapeutic modality that harnesses the power of the human immune system. In this review, we summarize the different methods of immunotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Using ClinicalTrials.gov we searched the terms "immunotherapy" and "immune therapy" combined with "pleural mesothelioma". Our search yielded 75 trials, among which 37 trials met our specific criteria. Our search identified immune checkpoint blockade, immunotoxin therapy, anticancer vaccines, oncolytic viral therapy, and adoptive cell therapy as the most common and pertinent methods of immunotherapy currently being assessed in clinical trials. We have reviewed the most up-to-date clinical trials involving immunotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. In addition to highlighting some of the successes of immunotherapy, we also have identified limitations that must be overcome to improve the efficacy of these therapies.
Cultivating (a) Sustainability Capital: Urban Agriculture, Ecogentrification, and the Uneven Valorization of Social Reproduction

Urban agriculture (UA), for many activists and scholars, plays a prominent role in food justice struggles in cities throughout the Global North, a site of conflict between use and exchange values a...
Understanding the thermal challenges of high-performance mobile devices with a detailed platform temperature model

Modern high-performance electronics are embedded in smartphones, self-driving automobiles, and augmented reality wearable. These computing platforms are high performance and multifunctional. One of the major performance limiting factors in these platforms is the poorly designed thermal solution that is triggered to prevent overheating at the processor transistor junction and at the platform surface. Even though the dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) feature widely available in modern processors can be used as a control knob in processor temperature management, its associated performance cost is tremendous and the response time for temperature control is significant.
Peripheral arterial tonometry events and electroencephalographic arousals in children.

Study Objectives: Peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) is a sensitive measure of moment-to-moment changes in sympathetic activity and reliably identifies arousals in adult subjects. We investigated whether PAT events during sleep are associated with visually recognizable electroencephalographic arousals in healthy children and in children with sleep-disordered breathing. Design: Prospective cohort. Setting: Pediatric Sleep Research Laboratory. Participants: Twenty children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, 20 children with mild sleep-disordered breathing, and 20 control children with a mean age of 7.6 ± 2.6 years (range: 5.7-16.5 years); 53% of children were boys. Interventions and Measurements: Polysomnographic evaluation in the sleep laboratory with concomitant recording of PAT. PAT events were defined as attenuations from immediately preceding baseline of 20% to 50% (PAT20) and > 50% (PAT50) for at least 5 seconds and the indexes calculated per hour of sleep time that included good-quality PAT signals. Total PAT index (the sum of PAT20 index and PAT50 index) was also calculated. Results: Total PAT index correlated with total arousal index and spontaneous arousal index (r = 0.55, P <.0001, r = 0.64, P <.001, respectively), especially in the group with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (r = 0.71, P <.0001). The sensitivity and specificity of PAT for identifying electroencephalographic arousals were 95% and 35%, respectively. The PAT device identified pathologic arousals indexes (≥ 16 per hour) (area under the curve 0.79, P =.002). Thirty-five percent of respiratory events (eg, obstructive apnea or hypopnea) were associated with a visual electroencephalographic arousal, compared to 92% being associated with PAT attenuation events. Conclusions: Arousals in sleeping children are associated with increased sympathetic discharge, as evidenced by attenuations in PAT signal. However, a significant proportion of PAT attenuations were not accompanied by visual electroencephalographic arousals. Thus, the importance of these autonomic arousals has yet to be explored in association with morbidities related to sleep-disordered breathing and, therefore, PAT technology cannot be recommended as an alternative tool for measuring arousals in children. Nevertheless, these data further support the contention that adult criteria for the measurement for arousals may not be adequate in children.
Measurement of Mast Cell Cytokine Release by Multiplex Assay

Mast cells are highly responsive cells that are capable of secreting a variety of inflammatory mediators, including histamine, heparin, serine proteases, leukotrienes, prostaglandins, and thromboxanes. Studies from several laboratories have demonstrated that mast cells have the capacity to produce a variety of cytokines in response to various stimuli. Characterization of the cytokine profiles in mast cells has routinely been determined by the performance of individual enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. This process is expensive, time-consuming, and requires a great deal of material to characterize multiple cytokines. In this chapter, we describe a multiplex cytokine assay to detect 17 cytokines simultaneously in 50 microL of culture supernatant derived from stimulated human cord blood-derived mast cells.
Time to treatment discontinuation (TTD) as a pragmatic endpoint in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC): A pooled analysis of 8 trials.

9064Background: Progression-free survival (PFS) is an important efficacy endpoint in oncology trials. However, clinical trials increasingly allow treatment beyond objective radiographic progression...
The graduate school mess: what caused it and how we can fix it

Deciding to pursue graduate education is undoubtedly the most challenging intellectual and professional experience a college student can face. Those who do prevail in pursuing a master’s or doctora...
Antioxidants ameliorate hyperoxia-induced lung injury by inhibition of HMGB1

Hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury (HALI) is mediated by the production of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), which overwhelms intracellular antioxidant systems and induces oxidative stress. This damages macromolecules critical for cell survival, inducing apoptosis in lung epithelial cells and compromising alveolar macrophage phagocytosis. In this study, we demonstrate that antioxidants protect against HALI and improve macrophage dysfunction by reducing ROS and inhibiting the release of the damage associated molecular pattern (DAMP), HMGB1. While hyperoxia exposure (≥98% O2, 72 h) alone induced alveolar thickening, leukocyte infiltration, and an increase in total protein in the broncheolar lavage fluid (BALF) of C57BL/6 mice, ascorbic acid (AA) supplementation reversed these hallmarks of HALI. Reduced lung injury was correlated to reduced oxidative redox potential and nitric oxide production in BALF and in RAW 264.7 macrophages, and decreased accumulation of airway HMGB1. Increased activation of the endogenous antioxidant regulator, Nrf-2, by sulforaphane (SUL) similarly showed protection against hyperoxia-compromised cell function in RAW 264.7 cells and in bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDM) by reducing both intracellular levels of ROS and the release of HMGB1. Our results suggest that supplementation of antioxidants during oxygen therapy can prevent lung damage and preserve macrophage function, providing a preventive measure for HALI.
Randomized comparison of two web-based interventions on immediate and 30-day opioid overdose knowledge in three unique risk groups.

Abstract Background In response to the opioid overdose epidemic, scalable interventions that instruct at-risk populations how to prevent and respond to overdose scenarios are needed. Method The following groups of at-risk individuals were recruited online: (1) Acute Pain patients with an opioid prescription, (2) Chronic Pain patients with an opioid prescription, and (3) persons without pain who use Illicit Opioids. Participants were tested on their opioid overdose knowledge using the Brief Opioid Overdose Knowledge (BOOK) questionnaire and randomized to one of two web-based interventions that contained 25 educational content slides. One intervention consisted of embedded questions with corrective feedback (Presentation + Mastery, n = 58), the other did not (Presentation, n = 61). Participants completed the BOOK again at the end of the intervention and 30 days later. Overdose risk behaviors were assessed at baseline and 30-days. Results Relative to baseline, both Presentation and Presentation + Mastery interventions increased total BOOK scores immediately and 30 days later. There was a significant effect of Group on BOOK Knowledge, whereby those with Acute Pain had lower scores across time, regardless of intervention, relative to those with Chronic Pain and Illicit Opioid Use. Compared to baseline, all three groups reported fewer instances of using opioids alone or concurrently with alcohol at the 30-day follow-up. Conclusions A web-based intervention increased opioid overdose knowledge and decreased overdose risk behavior immediately and at a one-month follow-up, suggesting that this brief, practical, and scalable program could have utility in several populations who are at-risk of opioid overdose.
Counselor development across the lifespan: A Q methodology study

A strategic sampling of eighteen counselors and counselors-in-training at different points in their professional development participated in a Q methodology design to help researchers better unders...
Mechanisms underlying higher order interactions: from quantitative definitions to ecological processes

Abstract When species simultaneously compete with two or more species of competitor, higher order interactions (HOIs) can lead to emergent properties not present when species interact in isolated pairs. In order to extend ecological theory to multi-competitor communities, ecologists must develop a practical and general definition for HOIs that can be applied to a wide range of competition models. In this paper we propose a definition for HOIs and outline a set of criteria for testing whether a model has or does not have HOIs. These criteria are valuable for empirical ecologists in need of clarity when discussing HOIs in empirical data. We also provide thorough discussion of how our definition compares with previous definitions of HOIs and interaction modification in the literature. In the second part of the paper we demonstrate the steps required for a rigorous test of HOIs in empirical data. To do this we simulate resource competition between three annual plant species which differ in phenology. We then fit phenomenological competition models to the outcome of simulated competition and use these to test for the presence of HOIs. In our simulations, we find the strength of HOIs varies with phenology: species that grow later experience stronger HOIs than earlier growing species. Our simulation shows how HOIs could emerge in ecosystems where resource availability and individual size change rapidly throughout the course of the growing season and where there are differences in the timing of resource acquisition between competitors.
Fertility and the puzzle of female employment in the Middle East and North Africa

Female labour force participation rates across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have remained low for over four decades even though, in the same period, women's education rapidly increased and fertility rates substantially decreased. This study provides a better understanding of this surprising phenomenon by testing whether the number of children affects the mother's labour supply (using twins at first birth as an instrumental variable.) Despite a strong first stage, it does not find statistically significant effects in the second stage, even in the combined sample of over 100,000 observations. This non‐result, however, does not rule out that fertility affects women's employment in these countries. But it rejects impacts larger than 0.09. Similar twin‐studies in the United States found effects between 0.12 and 0.31. The paper discusses the implications of this result in understanding the puzzle of female participation in MENA and in designing policies to increase women's employment.
Abstract P6-10-25: Characterization of the tumor immune microenvironment (TME) in early stage HR-positive HER2-positive breast cancer

Background: In patients (pts) with early stage HER2-positive breast cancer (BC) who are treated with combination neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and HER2-targeted therapy, recent studies report that increased tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density is associated with higher rates of pathologic complete response (pCR) and improved overall survival. However, in the subset of HER2-positive pts who are hormone receptor (HR)-positive, less is known about the relationship between the composition of the tumor immune infiltrate and clinical outcomes. In this study, we sought to characterize the TME of pts with early stage HR+ HER2+ BC using HE 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-10-25.
Mask Reuse in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Creating an Inexpensive and Scalable Ultraviolet System for Filtering Facepiece Respirator Decontamination

As the current COVID-19 pandemic illustrates, not all hospitals and other patient care facilities are equipped with enough personal protective equipment to meet the demand in a crisis. Health care workers around the world use filtering facepiece respirators to protect themselves and their patients, yet during this global pandemic they are forced to reuse what are intended to be single-use masks. This poses a significant risk to these health care workers along with the people they are trying to protect. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) has been validated previously as a method to effectively decontaminate these masks between use. However, not all facilities have access to the expensive commercial ultraviolet type C (UV-C) lamp decontamination equipment required for UVGI. UV-C bulbs are sitting idle in biosafety cabinets at universities and research facilities around the world that have been shuttered to slow the spread of COVID-19. These bulbs may also be available in existing medical centers where infectious diseases are commonly treated. We developed a method to modify existing light fixtures or create custom light fixtures that are compatible with new or existing UV-C bulbs. This system is scalable; can be created for less than US$50, on site and at the point of need; and leverages resources that are currently untapped and sitting unused in public and private research facilities during the pandemic. The freely accessible design can be easily modified for use around the world. Health care facilities can obtain this potentially lifesaving UVGI resource with minimal funds by collaborating with research facilities to obtain the UV-C meters and UV-C bulbs if they are unavailable from other sources. Although mask reuse is not ideal, we must do what we can in emergency situations to protect our health care workers responding to the pandemic and the communities they serve.
Sensorimotor deficits in distance runners with medial plantar pain

ContextMedial plantar pain is a complex and multifactorial condition experienced by some distance runners, which makes etiological differentiation and diagnosis challenging. ObjectiveTo assess plantar sensation, pain perception and sensitivity, intrinsic foot strength, and foot morphology before and after a 9.7 km run in long-distance runners with and without medial plantar pain. DesignDescriptive laboratory study SettingLaboratory. PatientsSeven distance runners with medial plantar pain (four males, three females; aged 22.3{+/-}3.7 years; BMI 22.3{+/-}3.5 kg/m2) and seven matched healthy controls (four males, three females; aged 20.3{+/-}1.0 years; BMI 22.0{+/-}1.7 kg/m2) were recruited from a public university. Intervention(s)Participants ran a six-mile course in their own footwear at a self-selected pace. Main Outcome MeasuresPain visual analogue scale (VAS), pressure pain thresholds (PPT), plantar sensation, foot morphology, weight-bearing dorsiflexion (WBDF), forefoot joint mobility, toe flexion, intrinsic foot muscle strength, and a seated neural provocation test were analyzed pre-and post-run utilizing mixed model group by time ANOVAs, post hoc effect size point estimates, and 95% confidence intervals. ResultsA significant group by time interaction was observed for PPT at the mid-arch (Control: pre: 83.0{+/-}27.4N, post: 79.5{+/-}22.6N; Symptomatic: pre: 90.5{+/-}31.9N, post: 70.1{+/-}32.7 N; p=.03) and posterior tibialis (PT) (Control: pre: 75.7{+/-}19.5 N, post: 65.7{+/-}14.2N; Symptomatic: pre: 75.8{+/-}20.4 N, post: 51.1{+/-}11.9 N; p=.05) sites. PPT in the posterior tibialis significantly decreased in the symptomatic group following the run (ES=1.5, 95% CI: 0.3, 2.7). Both groups demonstrated significantly decreased plantar sensation thresholds at the base of the 5th metatarsal (p=.04), PPT at the calcaneal tuberosity (p=.001), and increased TMT extension (p=.01) and WBDF (p=.01) following the run. ConclusionsThe etiology of medial plantar pain observed in our sample was likely attributed to central sensitization and running-induced sensory changes. Clinicians should include sensorimotor testing when managing patients with medial plantar pain. Key PointsMedial plantar pain is a unique pathologic entity that has not been previously well described and likely caused by central sensitization. Clinicians should include sensorimotor testing and interventions when managing patients with medial plantar pain.