cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Prognostic Value of Residual FDG-Avidity Prior to Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for Lymphoma.

Abstract 1200 Poster Board I-222 Background: Chemosensitive disease, as determined by computed tomography (CT) or fluorine-18-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), is required for successful autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (autoHSCT) in patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin9s lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). However, whether chemosensitivity, as determined by FDG-PET, is a requirement for successful allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) has yet to be established. Therefore, we analyzed the survival of alloHSCT recipients transplanted at MSKCC between 2001-2007 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory NHL and HL who had both FDG-PET and CT imaging to assess response prior to alloHSCT. Our hypothesis is that FDG-PET prior to alloHSCT will add prognostic information compared to CT scan alone prior to alloHSCT. Methods: Thirty-seven lymphoma patients had combined pre-alloHSCT imaging (10 aggressive NHL, 12 indolent NHL, and 15 HL by WHO classification). Patients were scored as either complete remission (CR), partial remission (PR) or stable disease (SD) by CT according to previously published criteria (Cheson et al. JCO 1999). For the purposes of analysis, patients with PR or SD were classified together as non-CR. FDG-PET was scored as either positive, if FDG-avid disease was measurable on corresponding imaging (CT or magnetic resonance imaging), or FDG-negative prior to alloHSCT. Patients with progression of disease prior to alloHSCT by either FDG-PET and/or CT were excluded in view of their historically poor survival following alloHSCT. Results: The median age was 42 years (range 18-66) with 5 patients receiving myeloablative (MA) conditioning while the remainder received non-myeloablative (NMA) conditioning. Seventeen (46%) had received prior autologous transplants. Thirteen patients were transplanted with HLA-identical related donors (1 mismatched related donor) and the remaining 23 patients from unrelated donors (12 fully HLA-matched and 11 mismatched). Twenty-four (65%) of the patients were FDG-negative and 16 (43%) were in CR by CT prior to alloHSCT. Disparity between CT and FDG-PET response was observed in 8 FDG-PET negative patients (5 SD and 3 PR by CT). With a median follow-up for survivors of 38 months (range 9-92), the Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) at 3 years post-alloHSCT were 64% and 56%, respectively. There was no significant difference in survival according to age Conclusion: Response to therapy prior to alloHSCT as determined by FDG-PET offers critical prognostic information beyond traditional cross-sectional CT imaging considering the significant improvement in both OS and PFS. These data suggests that the goal of therapy prior to alloHSCT should be to normalize FDG-PET independent of tumor bulk. Prospective investigation is warranted to validate this conclusion. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
An integrated trilobite and conodont biostratigraphy across the base of the Laurentian Whiterockian Series (lower Middle Ordovician) at its stratotype, Whiterock Canyon Narrows, Nevada

Abstract. The outcrop at Whiterock Canyon Narrows, Nevada, is the stratotype for the Middle Ordovician Whiterockian Series in Laurentia. Contrasts in the distribution of trilobites and conodonts between two parallel sections at the stratotype demonstrate the presence of an unconformity separating Ibexian faunas (the historic trilobite Zone J, the more recent restricted “Pseudocybele nasuta” trilobite Zone, the Reutterodus andinus conodont Zone) from overlying Whiterockian faunas (Zone L, the Psephosthenaspis pseudobathyurus trilobite Zone, the Orthidiella brachiopod Zone, the Tripodus combsi conodont Zone). The unconformity represents the erosional loss of a minimum of 10m of shale and bedded limestone within the upper Ninemile Formation. In comparison to more continuous section in the Ibex region, Utah, the equivalent to the thin Psephosthenaspis microspinosa trilobite Zone and, possibly, the uppermost interval of the underlying “P. nasuta” Zone are missing. Illaenus welchi new species is described from ...
Modeling timelines for translational science in cancer; the impact of technological maturation

This work examines translational science in cancer based on theories of innovation that posit a relationship between the maturation of technologies and their capacity to generate successful products. We examined the growth of technologies associated with 138 anticancer drugs using an analytical model that identifies the point of initiation of exponential growth and the point at which growth slows as the technology becomes established. Approval of targeted and biological products corresponded with technological maturation, with first approval averaging 14 years after the established point and 44 years after initiation of associated technologies. The lag in cancer drug approvals after the increases in cancer funding and dramatic scientific advances of the 1970s thus reflects predictable timelines of technology maturation. Analytical models of technological maturation may be used for technological forecasting to guide more efficient translation of scientific discoveries into cures.
Advances in central receivers for concentrating solar applications

Abstract This paper provides a review of current state-of-the-art commercial central receiver systems and emerging technologies intended to increase the outlet temperature to >700 °C. Research on particle-based, gas-based, and liquid-based receiver designs that can achieve these higher temperatures are discussed. Particle-based technologies include directly irradiated designs (free-falling, obstructed, centrifugal) and enclosed designs (gravity fed, fluidized). New gas-based receivers include micro-channel designs and light-trapping configurations that increase the surface area, heat transfer, and solar absorptance to enable higher fluxes and pressures. Liquid-based receivers and materials that are reviewed include high-temperature halide salts (chlorides and fluorides), carbonate salts, and liquid metals (sodium and lead bismuth). Advantages and challenges associated with each of the technologies and receiver designs are presented.
What Gene Mutations Affect Serotonin in Mice

Although serotonin neurotransmission has been implicated in several neurodevelopmental and psychological disorders, the factors that drive dysfunction of the serotonin system are poorly understood. Current research regarding the serotonin system revolves around its dysfunction in neuropsychiatric disorders, but there is no database collating genetic mutations that result in serotonin abnormalities. To bridge this gap, we developed a list of genes in mice that, when perturbed, result in altered levels of serotonin either in brain or blood. Due to the intrinsic limitations of search, the current list should be considered a preliminary subset of all relevant cases. Nevertheless, it offered an opportunity to gain insight into what types of genes have the potential to impact serotonin by using gene ontology (GO). This analysis found that genes associated with monoamine metabolism were more often associated with increases in brain serotonin than decreases. Speculatively, this could be because several pathways (...
The complex relationship between oligoclonal bands, lymphocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid, and immunoglobulin G antibodies in multiple sclerosis: Indication of serum contribution

Introduction Intrathecal immunoglobulin G (IgG) and oligoclonal bands (OCBs) are the most consistent and characteristic features of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). OCBs in MS are considered products of clonally expanded B cells in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), representing the sum of contributions from B cells in the brain. However, large amounts of IgG can be eluted from MS plaques in which lymphocytes are absent, and there is no correlation between levels of plaque-associated IgG and the presence of lymphocytes. It is calculated that it would take 3.2 billion lymphocytes to generate such large amounts of intrathecal IgG (30 mg in 500 ml CSF) in MS patients. Therefore, circulating lymphocytes in CSF could only account for <0.1% of the extra IgG in MS. Methods We analyzed clinical laboratory parameters from sera and CSF of 115 patients including 91 patients with MS and 24 patients with other inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) disorders (IC). We investigated the relationship between oligoclonal bands, IgG antibodies, CSF cells, IgG Index, albumin, and total protein. Results MS patients have significantly elevated serum concentrations of IgG antibodies, albumin, and total protein, lower levels of lymphocytes, albumin, and total protein in the cerebrospinal fluid, but no difference in CSF IgG concentration compared to those with other inflammatory neurological disorders. Furthermore, in MS there was no linear relationship between the numbers of OCBs, CSF lymphocytes, CSF IgG, and IgG Index, and between serum IgG and serum albumin, but significant correlation between IgG in CSF and serum, and between CSF IgG and CSF albumin. Conclusion There are unique differences between MS and patients with other inflammatory neurological disorders. Our data suggest that in MS patient (a) B cells and their products in the CSF may not be the sole source of intrathecal IgG; (b) oligoclonal bands may not be the products of single B cell clones in the CSF; and (c) there is a strong connection between serum components in the peripheral circulation and the central nervous system.
Programming Morphogenesis through Systems and Synthetic Biology.

Mammalian tissue development is an intricate, spatiotemporal process of self-organization that emerges from gene regulatory networks of differentiating stem cells. A major goal in stem cell biology is to gain a sufficient understanding of gene regulatory networks and cell–cell interactions to enable the reliable and robust engineering of morphogenesis. Here, we review advances in synthetic biology, single cell genomics, and multiscale modeling, which, when synthesized, provide a framework to achieve the ambitious goal of programming morphogenesis in complex tissues and organoids.
Magnetic-Field-Dependent Lifetimes of Hyperpolarized 13C Spins at Cryogenic Temperature.

Using a home-built cryogen-free dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) system with a variable magnetic field capability, 13C spin–lattice T1 relaxation times of hyperpolarized [1-13C] carboxylates (sodium acetate, glycine, sodium pyruvate, and pyruvic acid) doped with trityl OX063 free radical were systematically measured for the first time at different field strengths up to 9 T at T = 1.8 K. Our data reveal that the 13C T1 values of these frozen hyperpolarized 13C samples vary drastically with the applied magnetic field B according to an apparent empirical power-law dependence (13C T1 ∝ Bα, 2.3 < α < 3.1), with relaxation values ranging from a few hundred seconds at 1 T to over 200,000 s at fields close to 9 T. This low temperature relaxation behavior can be ascribed approximately to a model that accounts for the combined effect of 13C–1H intramolecular dipolar interaction and the relaxation contribution from the paramagnetic impurities present in the DNP sample. Since the lifetime or T1 storage of the hyper...
"Complete Streets" Policies and Eliminating Pedestrian Fatalities.

The author discusses the "Complete Streets" policies to help prevent pedestrian fatalities. He mentions the adoption of the policy in Florida in 1984, the decreasing fatality rate, and the techniques in road design that have facilitated this decrease.
P I – 3–4 The effect of radionuclide water pollution on the structure of childhood disability

Background/aim The objective is to identify the impact of water pollution with radionuclides on the childhood disability structure. Methods A total of 58 persons with disabilities under the age of 18 and 195 disabled adults living in the Valley of the Mayluusuu River passing through the uranium biogeochemical zone were subjected to examination. The examined were divided into 2 groups depending on the nature of water consumption. Group I included 46 children under the age of 18 who consumed water from the Mayluusuu River which is polluted with radionuclides. Group II comprised 12 children under the age of 18 who consumed water from the Naryn River (uranium-free zone). Results The children were divided into 2 groups depending on the source of water supply. Group 1 included 46 children who consumed water from the Mayluusuu River. Group II – 12 children with water supply from the Naryn River. In Group I, congenital pathologies were observed in 97.8%. Of them, oligophrenia in 32.6%, mental retardation in 10.9%, Down’s syndrome in 8.7%, congenital deaf mute in 8.7%. In control, the pathology requiring continuous monitoring – mental retardation was diagnosed in 8.33%, congenital deaf mute in 8.3%, cerebral palsy in 16.7%, congenital heart disorder in 16,7% and congenital dislocation of the hip joint in 16,7%. Among the 195 adults with disabilities, congenital pathologies were diagnosed in 61.02%. The structure of pathologies was similar to that of Group I. Conclusion Thus, congenital pathologies predominate (97.8% versus 91.7% in control) among the population consuming water contaminated with radionuclides. In Group I, mental disabilities predominate, accounting for 60.9% vs 16.6% in control. The number of disabled people requiring constant care is 3.5 times higher in uranium zone than in uranium-free areas. But this question requires further studies.
Modular Attitude Guidance: Generating Rotational Reference Motions for Distinct Mission Profiles

A modular scheme for generating attitude reference motions is presented. This scheme is a generic strategy to develop the guidance profile for a wide range of mission scenarios through combination ...
Spatial-temporal human gesture recognition under degraded conditions using three-dimensional integral imaging

We present spatial-temporal human gesture recognition in degraded conditions including low light levels and occlusions using passive sensing three-dimensional (3D) integral imaging (InIm) system and 3D correlation filters. The 4D (lateral, longitudinal, and temporal) reconstructed data is processed using a variety of algorithms including linear and non-linear distortion-invariant filters; and compared with previously reported space-time interest points (STIP) feature detector, 3D histogram of oriented gradients (3D HOG) feature descriptor, with a standard bag-of-features support vector machine (SVM) framework, etc. The gesture recognition results with different classification algorithms are compared using a variety of performance metrics such as receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, area under the curve (AUC), SNR, the probability of classification errors, and confusion matrix. Integral imaging video sequences of human gestures are captured under degraded conditions such as low light illumination and in the presence of partial occlusions. A four-dimensional (4D) reconstructed video sequence is computed that provides lateral and depth information of a scene over time i.e. (x, y, z, t). The total-variation denoising algorithm is applied to the signal to further reduce noise and preserve data in the video frames. We show that the 4D signal consists of decreased scene noise, partial occlusion removal, and improved SNR due to the computational InIm and/or denoising algorithms. Finally, gesture recognition is processed with classification algorithms, such as distortion-invariant correlation filters; and STIP, 3D HOG with SVM, which are applied to the reconstructed 4D gesture signal to classify the human gesture. Experiments are conducted using a synthetic aperture InIm system in ambient light. Our experiments indicate that the proposed approach is promising in detection of human gestures in degraded conditions such as low illumination conditions with partial occlusion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on spatial-temporal human gesture recognition in degraded conditions using passive sensing 4D integral imaging with nonlinear correlation filters.
A comprehensive process improvement methodology: experiences at Caterpillar's Mossville Engine Center (MEC)

Since the beginning of the 1990s, business process reengineering (BPR) has received considerable attention from the management information systems (MIS) community (Caron et. al, 1994; Davenport, 1993). However, dramatic improvements touted by BPR advocates have failed to materialize in many organizations (Hammer and Champy, 1993; Kotter, 1995). Current research has provided limited explanatory power concerning the underlying reasons behind BPR failure. Hence, in–depth research is needed into companies experimenting with BPR. This case provides a longitudinal view of Caterpillar Inc. Mossville Engine Center experiences with BPR since 1991. It describes how Caterpillar Inc. (Peoria, IL) introduced BPR into one business unit, Mossville Engine Center (MEC), five years ago and saved between US $10 and $20 million. Caterpillar believes that its success with process improvement can be directly tied to adoption and implementation of an enterprise–wide methodology called Business Process Simplification and Improvement (BPS/I). BPS/I provides a systematic methodology for analysis, design, and implementation of reengineering principles. The methodology provides the structure, techniques, and new job roles to effectively implement redesigned business processes. The role of information technology includes facilitation of data transformation, information flow, and communication through each stage of the BPS/I methodology. The case was co–authored by the Process Improvement Manager. His job was to facilitate, instruct, and oversee BPR initiatives. Information was gathered via in–depth interviews, observation, IDEA GROUP PUBLISHING
Family of KdV-type Equations

In this chapter we will study a family of KdV-type equations. These equations. These equations appear in many scientific fields as will be examined for each model. This family of KdV-type equations contains the following forms: (i) The complex modified KdV equation [16] (CMKdV) is of the form $$ w_t+ w_{xxx}+ \alpha (|w|^2 w)_x= 0, $$ (15.1) where w is a complex valued function of the spatial coordinate x and the time t, and αis a real constant.
A Feasibility Study of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Typing for Dried Bloodstains

This paper constitutes a feasibility report on the use of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system for the typing of dried bloodstains. Antigens tested include the HLA-A2, A3, A10, B7, B8, and B14 alleles. An aging study conducted on A3 positive bloodstains showed that HLA-A3 could be reliably detected on bloodstains stored up to 30 days at 22 degrees C. Unlike most earlier reports on HLA typing of bloodstains, no cross-reactivity problems were detected with the antisera used in this study. In addition to the successful typing of bloodstains, we were also able to type fresh, neat seminal and saliva stains in the A2 and A10 antigenic systems.
Axon: a host-network interface architecture for gigabit communications

As increasing processor power and memory availability allow more demanding applications (such as scientific visualisation and imaging), there is the potential for their support in a distributed environment with the high performance and functionality of emerging networks. However, the bottleneck is increasingly in the host-network interface, and therefore the ability to deliver high performance communication capability to applications has not kept up with the advances in computer and network speed. This research is targeted at solving this problem with the design of a new host communication architecture called Axon, whose novel aspects include: (1) an integrated design of hardware, operating systems, and communication protocols; (2) support for virtual shared memory in a wide area network environment; (3) the proper division of hardware and software communication function; (4) and a pipelined network interface between the network and host memory with no per packet buffering. An extensive simulation model of the Axon architecture has been constructed to evaluate the overall performance, the behavior of the error and flow control mechanisms, and the partitioning of function between hardware and software.
The Perceptions of Emergency Vehicle Drivers Using Simulation in Driver Training

The number of accidents over the past decade involving emergency vehicles is a major concern for emergency service providers. This study assessed the perception of adding a driving simulator to a traditional training program. The sample population consisted of Emergency Medical Technician students attending the National EMS Academy in Lafayette, LA. The group self-scheduled which day they would attend the driving portion of the class. This resulted in 52 participants in the control group and 50 participants in the treatment group. The treatment group used a driving simulator prior to driving on the competency course. Surveys were used to assess the emergency vehicle operators’ perceptions of using a driving simulator as part of an emergency vehicle training course. The simulator allowed the treatment group to understand the course prior to actually driving the course. The control group thought the simulator would have afforded them the opportunity to learn the course before actually driving the course. Both groups thought the simulator should be a part of the driver training course, but did not see the simulator replacing actual driving experience. Emergency Medical Technician students in both the treatment and control group thought the simulator would improve their driving ability.
Comparison of left ventricular mass and geometry in black and white patients with essential hypertension.

To assess racial difference in cardiac responses to elevated blood pressure, we compared echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular (LV) mass and the wall thickness to chamber dimension ratio (relative wall thickness) in 380 white and 47 black patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension consecutively enrolled in echocardiographic research studies at The New York Hospital Hypertension Center. Diastolic blood pressure and weight were slightly greater in black as compared with white subjects (104 +/- 18 v 98 +/- 11 mm Hg; P = .014 and 82 +/- 17 v 77 +/- 15 kg; P = .037, respectively), however the groups were similar with respect to age, duration of hypertension, cholesterol level, cigarette smoking, past use of antihypertensive therapy, family history of heart disease, and height. On average, LV mass indexed for body surface area and relative wall thickness were significantly greater in blacks than whites (119 v 105 g/m2; P = .02 and 0.46 v 0.39; P = .003) and blacks had twice the prevalence of LV hypertrophy (41% v 19%; P < .001) or concentric remodeling (21% v 12%; P < .05). The magnitude of increased LV mass and relative wall thickness in blacks was similar in men (132 v 110 g/m2; P = .01 and 0.44 v 0.39; P = .04) and in women (107 v 94 g/m2; P = .11 and 0.48 v 0.39; P = .02). In multivariate analyses, systolic blood pressure, age, and race were consistently predictors of increased LV mass and abnormal cardiac geometry. Cholesterol level was not independently associated with increased LV mass but was weakly associated with increased relative wall thickness.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Portosystemic Shunt Syndrome and Role of Shunt Embolization in the Management of Hepatic Encephalopathy

Portosystemic shunting (PSS) is a result of changes in hepatic hemodynamics where portal flow diverts away from the liver due to increased intrahepatic resistance from cirrhosis and is associated with hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Over time, increased PSS may directly lead to worsening liver failure because of severely decreased loss of effective portal inflow towards the liver and result in recurrent or persistent HE. This clinical scenario has been recently defined as “portosystemic shunt syndrome” and has been associated with poor clinical outcomes. The presence of PSS is common in patients with cirrhosis and increased PSS size appears to correlate with recurrent or persistent HE. Recent studies have shown that patients with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score < 11 have demonstrated high clinical benefit in recurrent or persistent HE when treated with shunt embolization. There is a growing literature that demonstrates potential clinical benefit using PSS embolization for selected patients, particularly with MELD under 11, with recurrent or persistent HE. Further investigation into improved risk stratification in order to determine effective treatments is necessary as well as heightened detection of the portosystemic shunt syndrome in its earlier and possibly reversible stages.
Percutaneous Continuous Irrigation and Drainage for Infected Obturator Bypass Graft

The treatment for obturator bypass graft infection has been rarely reported and is a surgical challenge because it is difficult to debride infected tissue around the graft located in the deep route and to ensure an alternative revascularization route in patients with a history of inguinal infection. Percutaneous continuous irrigation and drainage is an effective and less invasive definitive therapy for obturator bypass graft infection.
Different Trade Models, Different Trade Elasticities?

This paper shows that new trade models with different micro-level margins—estimated to fit the same moments in the data—imply lower trade elasticities and, hence, larger welfare gains from trade relative to older models without these margins. The key feature of our approach is to focus on common moments where new micro-level margins, e.g., an extensive margin or variable markups, alter the mapping from the data to the estimate of the trade elasticity. We find that the introduction of an extensive margin as in Eaton and Kortum (2002) or Melitz (2003) increases the welfare cost of autarky by up to 50 percent relative Armington or Krugman (1980) which feature no extensive margin. Variable markups in Bernard, Eaton, Jensen, and Kortum (2003) further increase the welfare cost of autarky by 50 percent relative to Eaton and Kortum (2002) which features perfect competition.
13 Reasons Why as a vehicle for public understandings of suicide

The release of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why (13RW) was met with vehement backlash from individual viewers, medical institutions, and scholars around the globe. Many claimed that the show’s gru...
Propagation of time-resolved fluorescence in a diffuse medium: complex analytical derivation.

The spatiotemporal evolution of fluorescence in an optically diffusive medium following ultrashort laser pulse excitation is evaluated using complex analytical methods. When expressed as a Fourier integral, the integrand of the time-resolved diffuse fluorescence with embedded fluorophores is shown to exhibit branch points and simple pole singularities in the lower-half complex-frequency plane. Applying Cauchy’s integral theorem to solve the Fourier integral, we calculate the time-resolved signal for fluorescence lifetimes that are both shorter and longer compared to the intrinsic absorption timescale of the medium. These expressions are derived for sources and detectors that are in the form of localized points and wide-field harmonic spatial patterns. The accuracy of the expressions derived from complex analysis is validated against the numerically computed, full time-resolved fluorescence signal. The complex analysis shows that the branch points and simple poles contribute to two physically distinct terms in the net fluorescence signal. While the branch points result in a diffusive term that exhibits spatial broadening (corresponding to a narrowing with time in the spatial Fourier domain), the simple poles lead to fluorescence decay terms with spatial/spatial-frequency distributions that are independent of time. This distinct spatiotemporal behavior between the diffuse and fluorescence signals forms the basis for direct measurement of lifetimes shorter than the intrinsic optical diffusion timescales in a turbid medium.
Retropharyngeal internal carotid artery: a review of three cases

The internal carotid artery (ICA) can take multiple pathways as it extends from the carotid bifurcation to the skull base. An aberration of its normal pathway may place the ICA in a retropharyngeal position in close proximity to the posterior pharyngeal wall. Radiographic classification is based on its proximity to the pharynx and/or pathway. We present a series of three cases of retropharyngeal ICAs, our goal is to report and classify these variations. Retropharyngeal right ICA. Minimum distance to the pharyngeal wall was ~ 4.9 mm (high risk of vascular injury) with a tortuous pathway. Bilateral retropharyngeal ICA. ICAs were in contact with the posterior pharyngeal wall (very high risk of vascular injury). The left has a kinking pathway, the right tortuous. Bilateral retropharyngeal ICA. Minimum distances of the right and left ICAs to the posterior pharyngeal wall were ~ 3.5 mm and ~ 3.3 mm, respectively (high risk of vascular injury). The right has a kinking pathway, the left tortuous. Closeness of the vessel to the retropharyngeal wall increases the risk of surgical and non-surgical complications. Noteworthy is that the position of the artery is not constant and can change in position over periods of time. Knowledge of the anatomy and variations of the ICA is important for oral and maxillofacial radiologists and surgeons to enable clinicians to take necessary precautions to decrease complications if performing any procedure in the region.
What Is Public History Globally?: Working with the Past in the Present: London: Bloomsbury Academic 365 pp., $237.95, ISBN 978-1-3500-3328-3 Publication Date: January 2019

What Is Public History Globally?: Working with the Past in the Present demonstrates that collecting, preserving, and interpreting history with and for public audiences is pervasive throughout the w...
Trapping and control of bubbles in various microfluidic applications

As a simple, clean and effective tool, micro bubbles have enabled advances in various lab on a chip (LOC) applications recently. In bubble-based microfluidic applications, techniques for capturing and controlling the bubbles play an important role. Here we review active and passive techniques for bubble trapping and control in microfluidic applications. The active techniques are categorized based on various types of external forces from optical, electric, acoustic, mechanical and thermal fields. The passive approaches depend on surface tension, focusing on optimization of microgeometry and modification of surface properties. We discuss control techniques of size, location and stability of microbubbles and show how these bubbles are employed in various applications. To finalize, by highlighting the advantages of these approaches along with the current challenges, we discuss the future prospects of bubble trapping and control in microfluidic applications.
On Improved Bounds for Bounded Degree Spanning Trees for Points in Arbitrary Dimension

Given points in Euclidean space of arbitrary dimension, we prove that there exists a spanning tree having no vertices of degree greater than 3 with weight at most 1.559 times the weight of the minimum spanning tree. We also prove that there is a set of points such that no spanning tree of maximal degree 3 exists that has this ratio be less than 1.447. Our central result is based on the proof of the following claim: Given n points in Euclidean space with one special point v, there exists a Hamiltonian path with an endpoint at v that is at most 1.559 times longer than the sum of the distances of the points to v. These proofs also lead to a way to find the tree in linear time given the minimal spanning tree.
Association between paediatric intraoperative anaesthesia handover and adverse postoperative outcomes.

Objective To determine whether intraoperative handover of patient care from one anaesthesia clinician to another was associated with an increased risk of adverse postoperative outcomes during paediatric surgeries. Design, setting and participants A retrospective, population-based cohort study (1 April 2013–1 June 2018) at an academic medical centre. Exposure Intraoperative handover of care between pairs of anaesthesia clinicians from one care provider to another compared with no handover of anaesthesia care. Main outcomes and measures The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality and major postoperative morbidity within 30 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes included individual components of the primary outcome and 30-day hospital readmission. Inverse probability of exposure weighting using propensity scores for intraoperative handovers was calculated. Weighted logistic regression was used to determine the association between intraoperative anaesthesia handovers and outcomes. Results 78 321 paediatric surgical cases (n=5411 with handovers) were included for analysis. Patients were predominantly male (56.5%) with a median age of 6.56 (IQR: 2.65–12.53) years and a median anaesthesia duration of 76 (IQR: 55–126) min. In the weighted sample, the odds of the primary outcome (OR: 0.92; 95% CI 0.75 to 1.13; p=0.43), any morbidity (OR: 0.93; 95% CI 0.75 to 1.16; p=0.515), all-cause mortality (OR: 0.8; 95% CI 0.37 to 1.73; p=0.565) or 30-day readmission following surgery (OR: 0.99; 95% CI 0.84 to 1.18; p=0.95) did not significantly differ among surgeries with and without handovers. Conclusions Among paediatric patients undergoing surgery, intraoperative anaesthesia handovers were not associated with adverse postoperative outcomes, after accounting for relevant covariates. These findings provide a preliminary perspective on the role of intraoperative handovers as a care-neutral event, with implications for improving safety.
An early Spanish vocabulary for children who use AAC: developmental and linguistic considerations

For children with complex communication needs in the early stages of language development, access to appropriate vocabulary provides a means for social interaction and participation, and the foundation for the acquisition of grammar and other language related skills. While numerous resources are available to support decision making for speakers of English, there is a pressing need to rapidly expand such resources for other languages. Spanish is the official language in 20 countries, and in other countries (e.g., United States) Spanish-speaking communities represent a substantial proportion of the population. The aim of this study was to produce a developmentally-relevant word list for use by Spanish-speaking children in the early stages of language development. The list was developed from an analysis of overlap between published and validated lists of words produced by young Spanish speaking children with typical development. The list includes a wide range of word classes and semantic categories and is proposed as a tool to assist professionals, families and software developers in the process of selecting an initial lexicon for children who require AAC and are learning Spanish. Implications of our findings for vocabulary selection and future research directions are discussed.
Principles and practice of designing microbial biocatalysts for fuel and chemical production.

The finite nature of fossil fuels and the environmental impact of its use have raised interest in alternate renewable energy sources. Specifically, non-food carbohydrates, such as lignocellulosic biomass, can be used to produce next generation biofuels, including cellulosic ethanol and other non-ethanol fuels like butanol. However, currently there is no native microorganism that can ferment all lignocellulosic sugars to fuel molecules. Thus, research is focused on engineering improved microbial biocatalysts for production of liquid fuels at high productivity, titer and yield. A clear understanding and application of the basic principles of microbial physiology and biochemistry are crucial to achieve this goal. In this review, we present and discuss the construction of microbial biocatalysts that integrate these principles with ethanol-producing Escherichia coli as an example of metabolic engineering. These principles also apply to fermentation of lignocellulosic sugars to other chemicals that are currently produced from petroleum.
Microbial inhibitory properties of maltodextrin fatty acid esters against food-related microorganisms

Abstract Carbohydrate fatty acid esters (CFAs) are increasingly used to improve food quality and safety but may have limited applications due to their low aqueous solubility. The use of hydrophilic maltodextrin for the synthesis of CFAs results in compounds with high aqueous solubility, but knowledge of their microbial inhibitory properties is lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial inhibitory properties of maltodextrin fatty acid esters (MFAs) compared to commercial sucrose laurate (SL). Six different MFAs were synthesized from 2 different maltodextrins and 3 different vinyl fatty acids. Maltodextrin with a lower dextrose equivalent esterified with laurate had the highest inhibitory activity and a broader microbial inhibitory spectrum than SL, indicating a potential application in foods. Microbes susceptible to SL and MFAs showed morphological deformations observed by scanning electron microscopy and extracellular proteins released from cells, indicating compromised cell membranes.
Implementation of point of care ultrasound to assess umbilical venous catheter position in the neonatal intensive care unit

Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) is an emerging method for assessing umbilical venous catheter (UVC) position. We implemented a training module for neonatal providers geared toward POCUS proficienc...
Operationalizing and analyzing 2-step gender identity questions: Methodological and ethical considerations.

OBJECTIVE Two-step questions to assess gender identity are recommended for optimizing care delivery for gender-diverse individuals. As gender identity fields are increasingly integrated into electronic health records, guidance is needed on how to analyze these data. The goal of this study was to assess potential approaches for analyzing 2-step gender identity questions and the impact of each on suicidal ideation. MATERIALS AND METHODS A regional Youth Risk Behavior Survey in one Northeastern school district used a 2-step question to assess gender identity. Three gender measurement strategies (GMSs) were used to operationalize gender identity, (1) combining all gender-diverse youth (GDY) into one category, (2) grouping GDY based on sex assigned at birth, and (3) categorizing GDY based on binary and nonbinary identities. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to compare odds of suicidal ideation between gender identity categories for each GMS. RESULTS Of the 3010 participants, 8.3% were GDY. Subcategories of GDY had significantly higher odds (odds ratio range, 1.6-2.9) of suicidal ideation than cisgender girls regardless of GMS, while every category of GDY had significantly higher odds (odds ratio range, 2.1-5.0) of suicidal ideation than cisgender boys. CONCLUSIONS The field of clinical informatics has an opportunity to incorporate inclusive items like the 2-step gender identity question into electronic health records to optimize care and strengthen clinical research. Analysis of the 2-step gender identity question impacts study results and interpretation. Attention to how data about GDY are captured will support for more nuanced, tailored analyses that better reflect unique experiences within this population.
Doubly Robust Stein-Kernelized Monte Carlo Estimator: Simultaneous Bias-Variance Reduction and Supercanonical Convergence

Standard Monte Carlo computation is widely known to exhibit a canonical square-root convergence speed in terms of sample size. Two recent techniques, one based on control variate and one on importance sampling, both derived from an integration of reproducing kernels and Stein's identity, have been proposed to reduce the error in Monte Carlo computation to supercanonical convergence. This paper presents a more general framework to encompass both techniques that is especially beneficial when the sample generator is biased and noise-corrupted. We show our general estimator, which we call the doubly robust Stein-kernelized estimator, outperforms both existing methods in terms of convergence rates across different scenarios. We also demonstrate the superior performance of our method via numerical examples.
Race and the End of Life in the United States

“Race” is a concept rooted in racism, and so to understand “race at the end of life” one must understand the devastating power of racism to produce differences between racial groups in life expectancy and infant mortality. In the United States, racial differences in life expectancy and infant mortality reflect the ways that racism has operated and still operates in health care, exposure to environmental pollution, assignment to dangerous jobs, and many other areas of life. There are also historical traumas that play out intergenerationally, particularly among Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, and perhaps Mexican Americans in ways that affect mortality. In the end-of-life care people receive, there are to some extent racial differences, and these reflect partly cultural differences and partly past and present realities associated with racism in end-of-life care. The story about race and end of life is very much the story of racism in end-of-life care. Keywords: African American; death; health care; race; racism
Chapter 3.2 Microdialysis coupled with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

Abstract This chapter describes basic principles and protocols in the field of microdialysis combined with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). We describe currently used separation methods coupled with MS and its application to in vivo microdialysis in the central nervous system. Newly developed strategies and analytical methods are discussed for the study of drug pharmacokinetics, neuropeptide metabolism, and treatment-induced or disease-specific effects on the “neuropeptidome”.
The Song Does Not Remain the Same

How do young birds learn to sing so eloquently? Two models--selectional and instructional--have emerged to explain vocal learning in song birds. In his Perspective, Margoliash describes an elegant series of experiments that have allowed the early stages of vocal learning in juvenile male zebra finches to be dissected ( Tchernichovski et al.). As he explains, the trajectory of vocal development in songbirds contains several surprising twists including the fact that it may depend on both selectional and instructional processes.
Picturing Particle Processes

Drawing Theories Apart . The Dispersion of Feynman Diagrams in Postwar Physics. By David Kaiser . University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2005. 489 pp. $80, £56. ISBN 0-226-42266-6. Paper, $30, £21. ISBN 0-226-42267-4. Writing for historians of science and physicists, the author explores how physicists used and adapted Feynman diagrams as well as how the diagrams influenced their research.
Cytologic findings of a clear cell parathyroid lesion

On fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy, clear cell parathyroid lesions can be misdiagnosed as thyroid neoplasms, salivary gland neoplasms, paraganglioma, or even metastatic renal cell carcinoma. We report the clinicopathological, cytologic, and histologic findings of a clear cell parathyroid tumor in a 64-year-old HIV-positive patient. A computed tomography (CT) scan with contrast showed a heterogeneous and enhancing mass at the inferolateral aspect of the left thyroid lobe. FNA showed a cellular smear with many single and loosely clustered tumor cells with finely granular and vacuolated light-purple cytoplasm and central nuclei. Occasional microfollicular structures were noted. No colloid was seen. This FNA was misdiagnosed as a follicular neoplasm of the thyroid. Sections of the excised mass showed large polyhedral cells with well-defined cell membranes and clear cytoplasm with a small amount of eosinophilic granular material. These clear cells were positive for pancytokeratin and PTH immunohistochemical stains. These results favored a diagnosis of parathyroid Water Clear Cell Adenoma. This brief report highlights the cytologic findings of clear cell parathyroid lesions and their potential diagnostic pitfalls.
Adrenal incidentalomas. Diagnostic workup of the incidentally discovered adrenal mass.

The incidentally discovered adrenal mass is a diagnostic dilemma veterinarians are likely to face with increasing frequency in the coming years. Dogs and cats may be more prone to functional adrenal lesions than are humans. Most adrenal tumors are benign, but a significant number of adrenocortical carcinomas (approximately 12%) and metastatic lesions within the adrenal glands (3% to 34%) do occur. Evaluation for hypertension, hypokalemia, and loss of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal responsiveness to a low dose of dexamethasone is appropriate for all patients with adrenal incidentalomas. The value of clinical and historical signs of hormonal overexpression should not be underestimated.
Cultural Relativity of Toilet Training Readiness: A Perspective From East Africa

Ideas about infant capabilities and toilet training practice have changed in the United States following cultural trends and the advice of child care experts. Anthropologists have shown that a society's specific infant training practices are adaptive to survival and cultural values. The different expectations of infant behavior of the East African Digo produces a markedly different toilet training approach than the current maturational readiness method recommended in America. The Digo believe that infants can learn soon after birth and begin motor and toilet training in the first weeks of life. With a nurturant conditioning approach, night and day dryness is accomplished by 5 or 6 months. The success of early Digo training suggests that sociocultural factors are more important determinants of toilet training readiness than is currently thought.
Oscillating gradient diffusion MRI reveals unique microstructural information in normal and hypoxia-ischemia injured mouse brains

Purpose We investigated whether oscillating gradient diffusion MRI (dMRI) can provide information on brain microstructural changes after formaldehyde fixation and after hypoxic-ischemic (HI) injury beyond that provided by conventional dMRI. Methods Pulsed gradient spin echo (PGSE) and oscillating gradient spin echo (OGSE) dMRI of the adult mouse brain was performed in vivo (50–200 Hz, b = 600 mm2/s), and a similar protocol was applied to neonatal mouse brains at 24 h after unilateral hypoxia-ischemia. Animals were perfusion fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde for ex vivo dMRI and histology. Results Apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) measured in the live adult mouse brain presented tissue-dependent frequency-dependence. In vivo OGSE-ADC maps at high oscillating frequencies (>100 Hz) showed clear contrast between the molecular layer and granule cell layer in the adult mouse cerebellum. Formaldehyde fixation significantly altered the temporal diffusion spectra in several brain regions. In neonatal mouse brains with HI injury, in vivo ADC measurements from edema regions showed diminished edema contrasts at 200 Hz compared with the PGSE results. Histology showed severe tissue swelling and necrosis in the edema regions. Conclusion The results demonstrate the unique ability of OGSE-dMRI in delineating tissue microstructures at different spatial scales. Magn Reson Med 72:1366–1374, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.