cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some Remarks on the Origin of Earthly Meteorites

In general, fallen meteorites are probably of planetary origin, whereas consumed meteorites, perhaps in most cases, if not in all, are of cometary origin. The latter variety of bodies are evidently of insufficient mass to escape total vaporization within the Earth's atmosphere. Since no comet—and probably no meteorite, either—has ever been showed to have been traveling on an unmistakably hyperbolic heliocentric orbit, if Earthly meteorites are of planetary and cometary origin, their elliptic heliocentric orbits and their origin within the Solar System are readily explained.
Reflections on Dying, Our Last Thought(s), and Living a Spiritual Life

In this essay, the importance of living a spiritual life while maintaining a regular meditative (reflective) attitude toward life, death, and dying is explored. A review of some clinical studies pointing to the importance of having a spiritual outlook in life and toward death is provided. The basic teachings of the Buddha are used as the foundational theme of this paper to discuss death and the possible barriers to its acceptance. The concept of process from a thermodynamical perspective is discussed, implying that life also consists of many processes, resembling a journey with many stages. I then look at the relationship between spirituality and dying.The article ends with a few remarks and reflections on living a spiritual life.
Monte Carlo-based lung cancer treatment planning incorporating PET-defined target volumes

Despite the well-known benefits of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in lung cancer diagnosis and staging, the poor spatial resolution of PET has limited its use in radiotherapy planning. Methods used for segmenting tumor from normal tissue, such as threshold boundaries using a fraction of the standardized uptake value (SUV), are subject to uncertainties. The issue of respiratory motion in the thorax confounds the problem of accurate target definition. In this work, we evaluate how changing the PET-defined target volume by varying the threshold value in the segmentation process impacts target and normal lung tissue doses. For each of eight lung cancer patients we retrospectively generated multiple PET-target volumes; each target volume corresponds to those voxels with intensities above a given threshold level, defined by a percentage of the maximum voxel intensity. PET-defined targets were compared to those from CT; CT targets comprise a composite volume generated from breath-hold inhale and exhale datasets; the CT dataset therefore also includes the extents of tumor motion. Treatment plans using Monte Carlo dose calculation were generated for all targets; the dose uniformity was approximately 100+/-5% within the internal target volume (ITV) (formed by a uniform 8-mm expansion of the composite gross target volume (GTV)). In all cases differences were observed in the generalized equivalent uniform doses (gEUDs) to the targets and in the mean lung doses (MLDs) and normal tissue complication probabilities (NTCPs) to the normal lung tissues. The magnitudes of the dose differences were found to depend on the target volume, location, and amount of irradiated normal lung tissue, and in many instances were clinically meaningful (greater than a single 2 Gy fraction). For those patients studied, results indicate that accurate dosimetry using PET volumes is highly dependent on accurate target segmentation. Further study with correlation to clinical outcome will be helpful in determining how to apply these various PET and CT volumes in treatment planning, to potentially improve local tumor control and reduce normal tissue toxicities.
Health promoting effects of friends and family on health outcomes in older adults.

Abstract Objective. To highlight the significant impact of social relationships on health and illness and suggest implications of these effects for health promotion efforts among older adults. Data Sources. Published studies on social relationships and health (or health behaviors) for the period 1970–1998 were identified through MEDLINE by using the hey words social relationships, social support, and health, as well as review of health-related journals such as the American Journal of Epidemiology, Annals of Epidemiology, American Journal of Public Health, Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Social Science and Medicine, and the Journals of Gerontology. Study Selection. Major published original research was considered. Where published research was too extensive for full discussion of all studies, preference was given to studies focusing on older adults and those using stronger methodology (i.e., representative samples, longitudinal data, or multivariate analyses controlling for potential confounders). Da...
Presbycusis: reversible with anesthesia drugs?

Summary Age-related hearing impairment, or presbycusis, is a degenerative condition not currently treatable by medication. It is therefore significant that the author, as a patient, experienced a reversal of high-frequency hearing loss during a 2-day period following abdominal surgery with general anesthesia. This report documents the surgery and the subsequent restoration of hearing, which was bilateral and is estimated to have exceeded 50 dB at 4 kHz. A possible role is noted for anesthetic agents such as lidocaine, propofol, or fentanyl. This experience may hold a clue for research toward the development of medical treatments for presbycusis.
Status and performance of the new innermost layer of silicon detector at DØ

The DO experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron collider currently operates one of the largest silicon detectors in the world. The new DO inner-layer detector (Layer 0) was installed during the spring 2006 Tevatron shutdown. It features a novel-type, low mass, radiation-hard layer of silicon at a very small radius. The Layer 0 sensors are connected to the readout chips outside the tracking volume via fine-pitched Kapton flex circuit cable (analog cable). The layer 0 is now fully operational and is integrated part of the DO silicon microstrip tracker (SMT). Preliminary performance of Layer 0 is described.
The challenge of designing scientific discovery games

Incorporating the individual and collective problem solving skills of non-experts into the scientific discovery process could potentially accelerate the advancement of science. This paper discusses the design process used for Foldit, a multiplayer online biochemistry game that presents players with computationally difficult protein folding problems in the form of puzzles, allowing ordinary players to gain expertise and help solve these problems. The principle challenge of designing such scientific discovery games is harnessing the enormous collective problem-solving potential of the game playing population, who have not been previously introduced to the specific problem, or, often, the entire scientific discipline. To address this challenge, we took an iterative approach to designing the game, incorporating feedback from players and biochemical experts alike. Feedback was gathered both before and after releasing the game, to create the rules, interactions, and visualizations in Foldit that maximize contributions from game players. We present several examples of how this approach guided the game's design, and allowed us to improve both the quality of the gameplay and the application of player problem-solving.
Paying Customers to Switch

This paper studies the business practice of offering discounts to new customers in markets with switching costs. In a two-period homogeneous-good duopoly model, it is shown that the equilibrium amount of discounts increases continuously in the expected switching costs of a typical consumer. In equilibrium, firms offer the same prices and discounts in a mature market even if they have different market shares, and the demands faced by these firms in a new market become more elastic. Firms are worse off engaging in the discriminatory pricing, while consumers need not necessarily benefit from it. There is costly equilibrium switching of consumers, which creates a dead-weight loss to the society.
Level-set evolution with region competition: automatic 3-D segmentation of brain tumors

We develop a new method for automatic segmentation of anatomical structures from volumetric medical images. Driving application is tumor segmentation from 3-D MRIs, which is known to be a very challenging problem due to the variability of tumor geometry and intensity patterns. Level-set snakes offer significant advantages over conventional statistical classification and mathematical morphology, however snakes with constant propagation need careful initialization and can leak through weak or missing boundary parts. Our region competition method overcomes these problems by modulating the propagation term with a signed local statistical force, leading to a stable solution. A pre- vs. post-contrast difference image is used to calculate probabilities for background and tumor regions, with a mixture-modelling fit of the histogram. Preliminary results on five cases with significant shape and intensity variability demonstrate that the new method might become a powerful and efficient tool for the clinic. Validity is demonstrated by comparison with manual expert segmentation.
Bioanalytical chemistry: Eavesdropping on interactions.

A method for directly probing binding interactions in free solution, without the need for chemical tagging, offers exciting opportunities for non-perturbative analyses of biomolecules in their native state.
Manganese bioconcentration in aquatic insects: Mn oxide coatings, molting loss, and Mn(II) thiol scavenging.

Streams below mountaintop removal-valley fill coal mining operations often have elevated Mn concentrations, but it remains unclear if Mn plays a role in biodiversity reduction. We examined various aspects of aqueous Mn interactions with aquatic insects exposed to environmentally relevant Mn concentrations, revealing complex behavior. First, Mn accumulation rates varied widely among 9 species. A significant percentage of total Mn accrued (mean 74%, range 24−95%) was associated with the cuticle, predominantly in the form of Mn-oxides, and to a lesser degree Mn(II). Mn II is also absorbed into tissues, possibly through calcium transporters. Increased ambient calcium concentrations decreased both adsorbed and absorbed Mn accumulation from solution. Though species showed similar Mn efflux rate constants (0.032−0.072 d−1), the primary mode of Mn loss was through molting. Both adsorbed and absorbed Mn is lost during the molt. Subcellular compartmentalization studies revealed an overwhelming tendency for internal...
Courtship and Mating Behavior in Agulla Species (Neuroptera: Raphidiidae)

Observations are reported on 5 species of Agulla , especially on A. astuta (Banks), A. adnixa (Hagen), and A. bicolor (Albarda). Mating behavior begins about a week after the adult female emerges, and olfactory senses seem to play a role in bringing the sexes together during the initial, seeking stage, before visual contact is established. Behavior during the second, or courtship, stage, with the insects face to face, includes vertical vibrations of the abdomen, movements of the head laterally or vertically, mandibular movements, and some antennal probing on the part of the male, and similar but less intense movements by the female; the most characteristic action of the latter, however, is a stretching, circular movement of the abdomen. To achieve copulation, the female usually turns to face in the same direction as the male, raises her ovipositor and abdomen, and allows the male to crawl beneath her. The male then turns the abdomen upward and clasps the terminal segments of the female. The female now moves forward; the male loses traction on the substrate, and is turned upside down relative to the female. The pair remains in this position during copulation, for 1½ min to 1½ hr. A spermatophore is transferred to the female. This behavior differs from that seen in the other 2 genera of the suborder Raphidiodea. In Inocellia the male goes beneath the female, grasps her with the mandibles, makes, genital contact, and maintains the position below the female during copulation. In Raphidia the male approaches the female from the side, rotates the abdomen 180° in making genital contact, then (as in Agulla ) is upended during copulation. The antiquity of the suborder Raphidiodea (lower Permian) gives it special importance in the study of insect evolution. The male-beneath-female position for copulation is widely regarded as the primitive one for insects.
Accuracy of a Computer-Based Diagnostic Program for Ambulatory Patients With Knee Pain

Background:Looking up information regarding a medical condition is the third most popular activity online, and there are a variety of web-based symptom-checking programs available to the patient. However, the authors are not aware of any that have been scientifically evaluated as an accurate measure for the cause of one’s knee pain.Purpose/Hypothesis:The purpose of this study was to design and evaluate an Internet-based program that generates a differential diagnosis based on a history of knee pain entered by the patient. The hypothesis was that the program would accurately generate a differential diagnosis for patients presenting with knee pain.Study Design:Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.Methods:A web-based program was created to collect knee pain history and generate a differential diagnosis for ambulatory patients with knee pain. The program selected from 26 common knee diagnoses. A total of 527 consecutive patients aged ≥18 years, who presented with a knee complaint to 7 different boar...
Avoiding Pitfalls in Multiphase Thermo-Hydrodynamic Coupling

Multiphase flow is prevalent in many industrial processes. Therefore, accurate and efficient modeling of multiphase flow is essential to the understanding of these processes as well as the development of technologies to handle and manage them. In the petroleum industry, the occurrence and consequence thereof associated with such hydrodynamic processes are encountered in offshore facilities, surface facilities as well as reservoir applications. In this paper, we consider the modeling of these processes with special consideration to the transport of petroleum products through pipelines. Multiphase hydrodynamic modeling is usually a trade-off between maximizing the accuracy level while minimizing the computational time required. The most fundamental modeling effort developed to achieve this goal is based on applying simplifications to the basic physical laws, as defined by continuum mechanics, governing these processes. However, the modeling of multiphase flow processes requires the coupling of these basic laws with a thermodynamic phase behavior model. This paper highlights the impact of the techniques used to computationally couple the system’s thermodynamics with its fluid mechanics while paying close attention to the trade off mentioned above. It will consider the consequences of the simplifications applied, as well as inherent deficiencies associated with such simplifications. Special consideration is given to the conservation of mass as well as the terms that govern its transfer between the phases. Furthermore, the implications related to the common simplification of isothermal conditions are studied, highlighting the loss of accuracy in the material balance associated with this computational time-saving assumption. This paper concludes by suggesting remedies to these problems, supported by results, showing considerable improvement in fulfilling both the basic constrains which are minimizing time and maximizing accuracy.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Numerical Study of Boundary Layer Receptivity to Free-stream Disturbances and Surface Excrescences

Numerous studies conducted over the years have shown that the transition onset in boundary layer flows is strongly dependent on the receptivity to various environmental disturbances. The objective of this paper is to study the mechanism by which free-stream acoustic and vorticity disturbances interact with a boundary layer flow developing over a flat-plate featuring a small excrescence located at a certain distance from a blunt leading edge. The numerical tool is a high-fidelity implicit numerical algorithm solving for the unsteady, compressible form of the Navier-Stokes equations in a body-fitted curvilinear coordinates, and employing high accurate compact differencing schemes with Pade type filters. Acoustic and vorticity waves are generated using a source term in the momentum and energy equations, as opposed to using inflow boundary conditions, to avoid spurious waves that may propagate from boundaries. The results show that the receptivity to surface excrescences is largely the result of an overall adverse pressure gradient posed by the step, and that the free-stream disturbances accelerate the generation of instabilities in the downstream. As expected, it is found that the acoustic disturbance interacting with the surface imperfection is more efficient in exciting the Tollmien-Schlichting waves than the vorticity disturbance. The latter generates TS waves that are grouped in wave packets with the length consistent with the wavelength of the free-stream disturbance.
The Effect of Temperature and Water Film Thickness on the Linear Instability of an Ice Surface

Solutions are presented for the linear instability of an ice surface using a near wall Navier-Stokes analysis of the coupling between the air boundary layer, the growing ice surface and a thin water film that wets the ice. The ice surface instability is found to be inherently three-dimensional for many cases of interest for glaze ice conditions. Film thickness is found to have a large effect on the instability, and critical film thicknesses for maximum growth rate conditions are identified.
Digital Localism: Understanding Needs of Local Publics in the Transition

Through a multi-methods approach to the analysis of limitations of and incentives for public participation in channel Austin, one of the oldest and most active public access communities in the country, this study proposes and tests a model to evaluate policy and practice in support of media localism in the digital transition. Results suggest that digital community broadcasting offers a great potential to function as a community broadband hub with the ability to serve diverse and economically challenged local publics, supporting inclusion and growth of local creative cultures. However, more attention should be paid to archiving, curation and public networking activities if these organizations are to fully realize their social mediation role, integrating localities into regional, national and global dynamics.
Study on Properties and Preparation Conditions of Cassava Amylodextrins with Acid-alcohol Media

In this research, cassava starch was hydrolyzed at 80～81 ℃ by various acid concentrations (2%, 4%, 6%), solvent media (70% EtOH, 80% EtOH, 90% EtOH) and acid treatment periods (1～5 h). The changes of DE (dextrose equivalent), viscidity, granular shape and the degree of hydrolysis were investigated. The result showed that the degree of hydrolysis increased as the increase acid concentration at the same alcohol concentration (80% or 90%). Viscidity of hydrolyze amylodextrin was lower than of original corn starch. Starches hydrolyzed in 2%, 4%, 6% did not show granular shape changes. In 70% or 80 % ethanol medium, the DE of amylodextrin was lower than in 90% ethanol medium. Processing of acid hydrolysis was optimized. The acid hydrolysis conditions were give as follows: acid concentration 6%, solvent media 90% EtOH and temperature 3 h.
Circulating neutrophil kinetics during tolerance in hemorrhagic shock using bacterial lipopolysaccharide

The objective of this study was to investigate mechanisms by which circulating polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) may contribute to the tolerance to hemorrhagic shock induced by pretreatment with lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Tolerance was developed by daily injections of sublethal doses of LPS for four subsequent days while controls received saline injections. During shock, both groups of rats were maintained for 3 h at 40 mmHg mean arterial pressure and were then observed for survival during a 24-h period. This protocol resulted in 40% survival in the untreated controls and 89% survival in the tolerant group (P < 0.0068). Hypotension caused an initial neutropenia in both groups. The circulating PMN counts remained lower in the tolerant than in the controls rats for most of the low flow period. The number of circulating activated PMNs in whole blood, as assessed by spontaneous nitroblue tetrazolium reduction, was lower in tolerant animals before and during most of the hypotensive period, except immediately after bleeding when both groups have low circulating leukocyte counts. No detectable tumor necrosis factor activity was observed in the plasma of either group. Adhesion of circulating PMNs to nylon fibers in vitro and the number of PMNs adhering to the endothelium in the mesentery in vivo was significantly lower in the tolerant rats. We conclude that LPS pretreatment produces a reduction in the activated circulating PMNs and in the degree of PMN adhesion to endothelium with subsequent improvement of survival after hemorrhagic shock.
A Usage‐Based Investigation of L2 Lexical Acquisition: The Role of Input and Output

This study investigates relations between second language (L2) lexical input and output in terms of word information properties (i.e., lexical salience; Ellis, 2006a). The data for this study come from a longitudinal corpus of naturalistic spoken data between L2 learners and first language (L1) interlocutors collected over a year's time. The corpus was analyzed using word information properties related to concreteness, familiarity, and meaningfulness to examine word repetitions between input and output, correlations between the input and the output, linear trends over time, and whether lexical properties in the output were predictive of growth in TOEFL scores. The results indicate that L2 learners are more likely to repeat word types found in L1 input and that L1 interlocutors and L2 learners follow similar linear trends over time such that words with lower concreteness, lower familiarity, and lower meaningfulness were produced over the course of the study in both the input and output. A linear mixed model analysis showed that decreases in concreteness scores explained significant gains in TOEFL scores over time. The findings from the study indicate strong associations between L2 input and output and provide evidence linking development in word information properties to development in academic English proficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Divide and Conquer to Treat Lung Cancer

The tactic of divide and conquer, which has been attributed to Philip of Macedonia and Julius Caesar in warfare, is transforming the treatment of lung cancer. Biomarkers are being used to identify subsets of patients with lung cancer who can receive initial treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor or a targeted agent. The results of the KEYNOTE-024 trial, now reported in the Journal by Reck and colleagues,1 show therapeutic benefits for the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab for the subset of patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have a high level of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, which is defined by . . .
Foreword: Ambulatory Anesthesia

Over the past 40 years, there has been a marked increase in the percentage of patients having surgery in an ambulatory setting. This has been the result of multiple factors, including the development of new anesthetic and analgesic agents, new surgical techniques and technology, and an increased desire to reduce costs and improve patient convenience. This issue contains a series of articles highlighting some of the important questions related to delivery of ambulatory care and means of measuring and improving outcomes. It also highlights some of the issues related to a growing area of ambulatory practice—the office-based setting. As Guest Editor for this issue, I am fortunate to have Peter Stanley Abraham Glass, MB, ChB, Professor and Chairman, Department of Anesthesiology at Stony Brook University Medical Center. He has authored 96 original articles and 40 book chapters. He has conducted many funded investigations related to delivery of anesthesia and analgesia in the outpatient setting. He has been President of the Society for Intravenous Anesthesia and is an active member and currently Secretary of the Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia. Given his research, education, and leadership roles, he has been able to assemble an outstanding group of contributors to this issue of Anesthesiology Clinics.
GenomicDataCommons: a Bioconductor Interface to the NCI Genomic Data Commons

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Genomic Data Commons (Grossman et al. 2016, https://gdc. cancer.gov/) provides the cancer research community with an open and unified repository for sharing and accessing data across numerous cancer studies and projects via a high-performance data transfer and query infrastructure. The Bioconductor project (Huber et al. 2015) is an open source and open development software project built on the R statistical programming environment (R Core Team 2016). A major goal of the Bioconductor project is to facilitate the use, analysis, and comprehension of genomic data. The GenomicDataCommons Bioconductor package provides basic infrastructure for querying, accessing, and mining genomic datasets available from the GDC. We expect that Bioconductor developer and bioinformatics community will build on the GenomicDataCommons package to add higher-level functionality and expose cancer genomics data to many state-of-the-art bioinformatics methods available in Bioconductor. Availability: https://bioconductor.org/packages/GenomicDataCommons & https://github.com/Bioconductor/GenomicDataCommons
"You Can Carry the Torch Now:" A Qualitative Analysis of Parents' Experiences Caring for a Child with Trisomy 13 or 18.

Trisomy 13 and 18 (T 13/18) are rare chromosomal abnormalities associated with high morbidity and mortality. Improved survival rates and increased prevalence of aggressive medical intervention have resulted in families and physicians holding different perspectives regarding the appropriate management of children with T 13/18. Families were invited for open-ended interviews regarding their experiences with the medical care of a child with T 13/18 over the past 5 years. Seven of 33 invited families were surveyed; those who had spent more than 40 days in the hospital were most likely to accept the invitation (OR 8.8, p = 0.02). Grounded theory technique was used to analyze the interviews. This method elicited four key themes regarding family perspectives on children with T 13/18: (1) they are unique and significant, (2) they transform the lives of others, (3) their families can feel overwhelmed and powerless in the medical setting, (4) their families are motivated to “carry the torch” and tell their story. Families also emphasized ways in which Internet support groups can provide both positive and negative perspectives. The ensuing discussion explores the difficulties of parents and physicians in forecasting the impact that T 13/18 will have on families and emphasizes a narrative approach to elicit a map of the things that matter to them. The paper concludes that while over-reliance on dire prognostic data can alienate families, examining the voice, character and plot of patient stories can be a powerful way for physicians to foster shared decision-making with families.
The influence of international standards on optomechanical design

In the last 10 to 15 years, a considerable body of international standards literature has been published on both mechanical and optical design. We discuss the influence of these internationally developed standards on the design and fabrication of optical systems. We conclude that while there are large benefits to be gained from using these international standards, there will have to be a substantial educational effort at all levels from project scientist to worker on the shop floor to take advantage of the benefits. Many sources to help in this education process are outlined.
Silver Recovery from Laundry Washwater: The Role of Detergent Chemistry

The use of silver nanoparticles as an antimicrobial agent on textiles is rising. Ag leaching during laundry and its subsequent discharge in the environment pose ecotoxicological risks. Removing Ag from laundry washwater is therefore an environmental necessity, but its recovery also leads to environmental sustainability. Low Ag concentration, competition from other cations (such as Ca2+, Mg2+, and Na+), and complexity of the detergent matrix make the recovery process challenging. The present study utilizes a thiol-group functionalized ion-exchange resin in a fixed-bed column to remove Ag from laundry washwater and recover it as Ag2S nanoparticles or high-purity powder. The role of each detergent component in affecting Ag speciation and the resin performance has been analyzed. Builders and bleaching agents are reported to negatively impact the resin performance. pH and cocationic species (Ca2+) concentration are reported to be critical parameters for the successful recovery scheme. The work demonstrates a c...
Design considerations and rationale of a multi-center trial to sustain weight loss: the Weight Loss Maintenance Trial.

Background The Weight Loss Maintenance Trial (WLM) is a multi-center, randomized, controlled trial that compares the effects of two 30-month maintenance interventions, i.e., Personal Contact (PC) and Interactive Technology (IT) to a self-directed usual care control group (SD), in overweight or obese individuals who are at high risk for cardiovascular disease.Purpose This paper provides an overview of the design and methods, and design considerations and lessons learned from this trial.Methods All participants received a 6-month behavioral weight loss program consisting of weekly group sessions. Participants who lost 4 kg were randomized to one of three conditions (PC, IT, or SD). The PC condition provided monthly contacts with an interventionist primarily via telephone and quarterly face-to-face visits. The IT condition provided frequent, individualized contact through a tailored, website system. Both the PC and IT maintenance programs encouraged the DASH dietary pattern and employed theory-based behavior...
A Descriptive Analysis of a Community Clinic Providing Hepatitis C Treatment to Poor and Uninsured Patients

This study describes clinical characteristics of poor and uninsured patients living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who received care from a multidisciplinary HCV clinic, reports treatment completion and cure rates, and estimates the cost of HCV medications provided at no cost to uninsured patients. A retrospective chart review was performed and identified 69 uninsured HCV patients who received medical care at Mercy Health Center, a small non-profit community clinic, between January 2008 and March 2015. Three-fourths of the patients were unemployed, a third had multiple HCV exposures, nearly half acquired HCV due to illicit drug use, and more than half had active psychiatric disorders. Of those who received HCV treatment, 81% completed treatment and 85% were achieved virological cure. The multidisciplinary community clinic provided > $1.4 million of HCV antivirals at no cost to uninsured patients. Findings suggest a multidisciplinary community clinic comprised of a social worker, pharmacist, gastroenterologist, nurse, nurse practitioner, psychologist, and dietitian can help patients achieve HCV treatment completion and cure rates comparable to traditional physician-led clinics, and successfully manage uninsured and underserved HCV patients-who are often regarded as "difficult-to-treat" patients. Public health social workers and other health professionals are encouraged to advocate for treatment and care of poor and uninsured patients living with HCV in health agencies and health systems, otherwise population-wide reductions in HCV morbidity and mortality will not be realized.
UV Resonance Raman Study of Apoptosis, Platinum-Based Drugs, and Human Cell Lines.

As a noninvasive molecular analysis technique, ultraviolet resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy represents a label-free method suitable for characterizing biomolecules. Using UVRR spectroscopy, we collected spectral fingerprints of UV absorbing cellular components, including proteins, nucleic acids, and unsaturated lipids. This knowledge was used to guide the assignment of spectra derived from intact human cell lines (i. e., HSC-3 and HaCaT) and from the apoptotic events induced by cisplatin. Notably, a jet-flow system was employed to generate flowing cell suspensions during UVRR measurements, minimizing UV-induced damage. A spectral marker is established based on the ratio of Raman intensities at 1488 and 1655 cm-1 ; this ratio correlates to the level of cell death due to apoptosis. Collectively, this work demonstrates that UVRR spectroscopy is a sensitive and informative probe of cellular physiology and molecular composition. The molecular insight obtained from UVRR measurements can be used to improve understanding of therapeutic treatment and to guide drug development and the choice of therapeutic agents.
Victimized Twice. Promoting Accountability and Justice for Survivors of Wartime Rape in South Sudan

In December 2013, South Sudan plunged into a massive scale of violence because of the outbreak of conflict between the Sudan Liberation Army and the Sudan People Liberation Movement. The fight took an ethnic turn as soldiers from the country's largest groups, the Dinka, and Nuer, divided their loyalties to either President Kiir or Mr. Machar respectively. While some civilians were caught in the cross fire, others were deliberately targeted along ethnic lines. Women are the immediate victims of this conflict because of rampant sexual abuse perpetrated against them.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE SALMONELLA MUTAGENICITY TEST

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the Salmonella mutagenicity test. The Salmonella test is the most widely used short-term test for screening environmental mutagens and carcinogens. In addition to its use in chemical screening programs, the assay has been used in a variety of other ways, such as providing toxicological information about a chemical that cannot be easily obtained from conventional animal tests. The chapter describes the methods for testing in Salmonella. Almost all of the organic chemicals that are known or suspected human carcinogens are mutagenic in Salmonella; however, this is not sufficient to validate the test because the number of chemicals is small and it must be shown that the test gives a negative response with non-carcinogens. The chapter presents a current assessment of the Salmonella assay and discusses the recent modifications of the assay that have increased its usefulness as a screening tool. The chapter further discusses a few of the important modifications that have increased the usefulness of the assay as a screening tool.
Anticholinergic Burden in Hospice Patients With Dementia.

Background:End-of-life (EOL) patients with dementia have an increased risk for anticholinergic toxicities due to age-related pharmacokinetic and physiologic changes in conjunction with an increased...
Gain Switched and Q-switched Fe:ZnSe Lasers tunable over 3.60-5.15 µm

We report on gain-switched room temperature Fe:ZnSe laser tunable over 3.60-5.15 µm pumped by Er:YAG laser operating at 2.94 µm. The maximum output energy was measured to be 5 mJ under 15mJ of pump energy.
Who Climbs the Academic Ladder? Race and Gender Stratification in a World of Whiteness:

Under-represented minority (URM) faculty can expand the range of perspectives taught to students, but only if they are hired, granted tenure, and promoted. Their career paths can be constrained due...
Bovine viral diarrhea in captive Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep associated with administration of a contaminated modified-live bluetongue virus vaccine

In late summer 2017, we observed acute, fatal cases of bovine viral diarrhea in captive Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis canadensis) in Colorado following use of a contaminated modified-live bluetongue virus vaccine. Following vaccination, at least 14 of 28 (50%) vaccinated bighorn sheep developed hemorrhagic diarrhea, and 6 of 28 (21%) vaccinated bighorn sheep died. Autopsy findings were predominantly necroulcerative-to-necrohemorrhagic gastrointestinal lesions. Less frequent lesions included suffusive hemorrhages of serosal surfaces of abdominal viscera, and lymphoid necrosis in gut-associated lymphoid tissues. All of the 6 bighorn sheep that died were positive on real-time PCR (rtPCR) for bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in multiple tissues. Seroconversion to BVDV-1 and immunohistochemistry for BVDV in affected tissues confirmed rtPCR results. Next-generation sequencing confirmed a match between the infecting strain of BVDV-1b and the contaminated vaccine.
Why Is a Cow? Curiosity, Tweetorials, and the Return to Why.

Why Is a Cow? The “what” questions stressed in medical education are not as absorbing — and their answers not as gratifying — as “why” questions. Tweetorials provide a tool for physicians who aim t...
Response to letters by M. Jawad Hashim and Chuan Zou: Advancing curriculum development and medical education research.

In response to Hashim and Zou: We appreciate the thoughtful read of our article[1][1] ‘Curriculum development: a how to primer’ and the commentaries about this topic by Drs Hashim and Zou. We thank Dr Hashim for bringing to light another specific type of teaching style, called here a mini-
Structural basis for the activation of PLC-gamma isozymes by phosphorylation and cancer-associated mutations.

Direct activation of the human phospholipase C-γ isozymes (PLC-γ1, -γ2) by tyrosine phosphorylation is fundamental to the control of diverse biological processes, including chemotaxis, platelet aggregation, and adaptive immunity. In turn, aberrant activation of PLC-γ1 and PLC-γ2 is implicated in inflammation, autoimmunity, and cancer. Although structures of isolated domains from PLC-γ isozymes are available, these structures are insufficient to define how release of basal autoinhibition is coupled to phosphorylation-dependent enzyme activation. Here, we describe the first high-resolution structure of a full-length PLC-γ isozyme and use it to underpin a detailed model of their membrane-dependent regulation. Notably, an interlinked set of regulatory domains integrates basal autoinhibition, tyrosine kinase engagement, and additional scaffolding functions with the phosphorylation-dependent, allosteric control of phospholipase activation. The model also explains why mutant forms of the PLC-γ isozymes found in several cancers have a wide spectrum of activities, and highlights how these activities are tuned during disease.
Comparison of Body Size, Morphomics, and Kidney Function as Covariates of High-Dose Methotrexate Clearance in Obese Adults with Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma

Background High-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) is used to treat primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), but potential differences in MTX clearance (CL) due to obesity have not been studied. We characterized the relationship between HD-MTX CL and computed tomography (CT)-generated body composition (morphomic), body size descriptors, and laboratory measurements in a cohort of obese and non-obese patients with PCNSL. Methods Medical records from adult patients with PCNSL treated with HD-MTX over a 10-year period were queried. Individuals with CT data within 30 days of the first cycle of treatment were included. Population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed using a 2-compartment base structural model. We specifically compared body surface area (BSA) to standard body size, morphomic, and renal function estimation methods as covariates of HD-MTX CL. Results The final data set consisted of non-obese (n=45) and obese (n=28) patients with 291 observations (3-7 samples per patient) with a mean (standard deviation) weight of 69.8 (11.6) kg and 104 (14.9) kg, respectively (p=0.0001). Vertebral body height was more informative than BSA of MTX CL. Similarly, a CL model incorporating age, albumin, and serum creatinine was more informative than kidney function equations and body size. The final model of MTX CL was based on age, albumin, serum creatinine, and vertebral body height. Conclusions Common clinical variables coupled with vertebral body height are more predictive of first cycle MTX CL than BSA, alternate body size descriptors, and commonly used kidney function equations.
Pick’s disease: clinicopathologic characterization of 21 cases

Pick’s disease (PiD) is a unique subtype of frontotemporal lobar degeneration characterized pathologically by aggregates of 3-Repeat tau. Few studies have examined the clinical variability and disease progression in PiD. We describe the clinical features, neuropsychological profiles and coexistent pathologies in 21 cases of autopsy-confirmed PiD. This study was a retrospective analysis of patients with Pick’s disease evaluated at Mayo Clinic, Rochester or Jacksonville (1995–2018), and identified through an existing database. Twenty-one cases with sufficient clinical data were identified. Behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD; 12/21) was the most common phenotype, followed by primary progressive aphasia (PPA; 7/21), corticobasal syndrome (CBS; 1/21) and amnestic dementia (1/21). Median age at disease onset was 54 years, with PPA cases (median = 52 years) presenting earlier than bvFTD (median = 59). Median disease duration (onset–death) overall was 10 years and did not differ significantly between bvFTD (median = 9.5 years) and PPA (median = 13). Age at death was not significantly different in PPA (median = 66) compared to bvFTD (median = 68.5). A third of the cases (n = 7/21) demonstrated pure PiD pathology, while the remainder showed co-existent other pathologies including Alzheimer’s type (n = 6), cerebral amyloid angiopathy (n = 3), combined Alzheimer’s and amyloid angiopathy (n = 4), and Lewy body disease (n = 1). Our study shows that bvFTD and PPA are the most common clinical phenotypes associated with PiD, although rare presentations such as CBS were also seen. Coexisting non-Pick’s pathology was also present in many cases. Our study highlights the clinical and pathologic heterogeneity in PiD.
Housing Development and Enrollment Trajectories in K-12 School Districts

School district stakeholders including administrators, board members, and parents often look nervously at plans for new housing, anticipating school overcrowding or the costs of adding classrooms or building new schools. To answer the question of how many students might be generated by new housing development, we identify comparable existing developments and calculate student generation rates (SGRs) by school level. SGRs are the average number of public school students per housing unit. A naive approach simply adds the estimated future students to existing enrollment. However, growth or decline in the population of students residing in existing homes must also be included in a housing-based enrollment forecast.
Simultaneous Achiral/Chiral HPLC Separation of Ketoprofen, Ibuprofen, Flurbiprofen, and Naproxen

An HPLC method that separates four Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (Ketoprofen, Naproxen, Ibuprofen, and Flurbiprofen) and three of the four pairs of enantiomers in one run is reported. The NSAID samples were prepared with 1 mg/mL of Ketoprofen, Naproxen, Ibuprofen and Flurbiprofen, and 0.5 mg/mL thiourea as a t0 marker in a sample solvent consisting of 1: 1 acetonitrile and 0.2% formic acid. The separation of the enantiomers of the NSAIDs was investigated using a chiral column in two different lengths (5-cm, 10-cm) packed with Amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) coated on silica gel and using a tandem column that consists of a biphenyl column connected by a zero dead volume connector to a 5-cm chiral column packed with amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) coated on silica gel. Both isocratic and step-gradient methods were investigated, and the results of the different methods were compared to determine the benefits and drawbacks of each approach, with an emphasis on the resolution and analysis time.
Architectures of mis/managed retreat: Black land loss to green housing gains

Hurricane Katrina submerged thousands of single-story, slab-on-grade homes in low-lying New Orleans, disproportionately displacing African Americans they sheltered and sustained. Critical disaster studies cast charitable individuals and organizations as sponsors of Black survival, yet nongovernmental aid programs remain marginal to scholarship on environmental justice and Black geographies. This paper sheds light on the funding programs, public-private partnerships, and design-build projects by which philanthropies and charities aid Black, Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC) in retreat from flood hazards. This nested case study of HUD’s Neighborhood Stabilization program and the Salvation Army’s EnviRenew program shows Black developers, planners, and architects of retreat from New Orleans’s Pontchartrain Park Historic District gained public, private, and philanthropic sponsors at steep costs: the loss of land, life, and leadership in sustainable development. Drawing on administrative data, legal documents, and stakeholder interviews, the mixed-methods analysis finds new housing built above projected base flood elevations inside flood hazard zones not by choice or by chance, but in compliance with aid programs requiring Black participation in land buyout programs (Road Home) and Black facilitation of green home building and buying (Build Back Better). The Pontchartrain Park case of “management failure,” which included rescinded grants and land takings, not only illuminates the macroeconomics and microaggressions that restrict where and how Black resettlement takes place. Ultimately, this article reveals climate mitigation patrons relocate BIPOC households and heritage from endangered places in theory, yet, in practice, their relief formulas may house marginalized minorities in precarious places above measured risks.
Additively manufactured reactive material architectures for exothermic brazing

Abstract Exothermic brazing uses the heat generated by an exothermic reaction to melt and flow filler material, but generally involves complex fixtures placed around the joint to hold the energetic material in place. Additive manufacturing can replace the fixture by creating a reactive material architecture that acts as a programmable heat source for the brazing process. This work presents the additive manufacturing capabilities of a thermite-based reactive material architecture and demonstrates its potential as a heat source for brazed copper joints.
On the Efficient Siting of Noxious Facilities

This paper considers the efficient siting of noxious facilities. Damages are modeled as being either monetary (e.g., increased health care costs) or non-monetary (e.g., increased pollution), or both. It is shown that if damages are non-monetary, then there can exist multiple efficient locations for a noxious facility. As a result, policy makers may be forced to use other criteria in addition to efficiency when choosing a site for a noxious facility. It is also shown that random allocations, including siting lotteries, can Pareto dominate siting with host compensation when damages are non-monetary, but not when damages are monetary. Thus, the appropriate policy prescription depends upon the nature of the damages.
A TECHNIQUE FOR OBTAINING AN ENGINE EMISSIONS MODEL BASED ON CONTINUOUS EPA-CVS TEST DATA AND A DYNAMIC VEHICLE MODEL

A new technique for obtaining engine emission flow rate maps has been developed. The maps are based on specific emissions data obtained on a continuous basis over a single EPA-CVS urban driving cycle test. The data are averaged for the various torque-speed ranges of the engine. It has been found that these dynamic average emission flow rate maps, which are functions only of engine torque and speed, allow instantaneous emissions to be fairly accurately predicted. /GMRL/