cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Big data analytics in hyperspectral imaging for detection of microbial colonies on agar plates (Conference Presentation)

Various types of optical imaging techniques measuring light reflectivity and scattering can detect microbial colonies of foodborne pathogens on agar plates. Until recently, these techniques were developed to provide solutions for hypothesis-driven studies, which focused on developing tools and batch/offline machine learning methods with well defined sets of data. These have relatively high accuracy and rapid response time because the tools and methods are often optimized for the collected data. However, they often need to be retrained or recalibrated when new untrained data and/or features are added. A big-data driven technique is more suitable for online learning of new/ambiguous samples and for mining unknown or hidden features. Although big data research in hyperspectral imaging is emerging in remote sensing and many tools and methods have been developed so far in many other applications such as bioinformatics, the tools and methods still need to be evaluated and adjusted in applications where the conventional batch machine learning algorithms were dominant. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate appropriate big data analytic tools and methods for online learning and mining of foodborne pathogens on agar plates. After the tools and methods are successfully identified, they will be applied to rapidly search big color and hyperspectral image data of microbial colonies collected over the past 5 years in house and find the most probable colony or a group of colonies in the collected big data. The meta-data, such as collection time and any unstructured data (e.g. comments), will also be analyzed and presented with output results. The expected results will be novel, big data-driven technology to correctly detect and recognize microbial colonies of various foodborne pathogens on agar plates.
Using Excel to Develop Random Number Sense

People have difficulty creating and recognizing random sequences, but can become better at these tasks through practice and feedback. This paper describes how simulations produced with Excel can be used to visually display a sequence of random events, allowing users to develop their randomness cognition. Instructions are provided for simulating simple binary events, dice rolls, and events generated by a Poisson process. The results are then visualized using Excel’s conditional formatting option or by displaying a bar graph. A survey of students learning the concept of recurrence interval showed that most enjoyed interacting with the Excel simulations and gained insights not apparent from reading about the concept or viewing static diagrams.
Ruling the Ruling Coalition: Information Control and Authoritarian Power-Sharing

It is widely agreed that durable authoritarian rule requires power-sharing institutions. But how do autocrats rule once such institution are established? We analyze formally how an autocrat distributes access to information inside his coalition to preserve and consolidate his power. We identify a fundamental trade-off between the durability and the extent of power. Collective governing bodies like the parliament or the cabinet of ministers create a common information environment in which the risk of an internal coup or an external uprising is small, but there are no opportunities to consolidate power. A ruler who faces a low risk of external uprising will forge informational asymmetries in order to divide his coalition and consolidate power, at the risk of losing it all. The model illuminates the varia- tion in the authoritarian styles-of-rule and explains why rulers try to subdue power-sharing institutions despite their commonly purported value.
National nursing science priorities: Creating a shared vision.

Abstract Background Nursing science is essential to advance population health through contributions at all phases of scientific inquiry. Multiple scientific initiatives important to nursing science overlap in aims and population focus. Purpose This article focused on providing the American Academy of Nursing and nurse scientists in the Unites States with a blueprint of nursing science priorities to inform a shared vision for future collaborations, areas of scientific inquiry, and resource allocation. Methods The Science Committee convened four times and using Delphi methods identified priorities with empirical evidence and expert opinion for prioritization, state of the science, expert interest, and potential target stakeholders. Discussion Nursing science priorities for 2017 were categorized into four themes including: (a) precision science, (b) big data and data analytics, (c) determinants of health, and (d) global health. Conclusion Nurse scientists can generate new knowledge in priority areas that advances the health of the world's populations.
Successful collection of stool samples for microbiome analyses from a large community-based population of elderly men

The relationship of the gastrointestinal microbiome to health and disease is of major research interest, including the effects of the gut microbiota on age related conditions. Here we report on the outcome of a project to collect stool samples on a large number of community dwelling elderly men using the OMNIgene-GUT stool/feces collection kit (OMR-200, DNA Genotek, Ottawa, Canada). Among 1,328 men who were eligible for stool collection, 982 (74%) agreed to participate and 951 submitted samples. The collection process was reported to be acceptable, almost all samples obtained were adequate, the process of sample handling by mail was uniformly successful. The DNA obtained provided excellent results in microbiome analyses, yielding an abundance of species and a diversity of taxa as would be predicted. Our results suggest that population studies of older participants involving remote stool sample collection are feasible. These approaches would allow large scale research projects of the association of the gut microbiota with important clinical outcomes.
Remembering Emmett Till: Reflections on Geography, Race, and Memory

ABSTRACTThis essay uses the commemoration of Emmett Till in the Mississippi Delta to explore the connections among race, geography, and memory. I provide four examples of how race and memory have conspired to fundamentally alter the geography of the Delta. I suggest that these four examples challenge the historic articulation of memory and site. While site is traditionally figured as a stable ground for commemorative work, I suggest that practices of commemoration can transform sites of memory. I conclude by previewing a collaborative, digital, public humanities initiative called the Emmett Till Memory Project. The project seeks to commemorate Till’s murder even as it alters the meaning and practice of commemoration.
The Arctic Council: Governance within the Far North (by Douglas C. Nord)

The Arctic Council: Governance within the Far North. By Douglas C. Nord. Routledge, 2016. 110 pages. Index.
The grand challenges of social work: Deaf children in the child welfare system

Abstract Deaf children involved with child welfare systems are often overlooked both in terms of tracking and service delivery. These systems frequently do not offer accessible and equitable services to deaf children. The current paper explores this in terms of the Social Work Grand Challenge: Healthy growth and development of all youth. Literature regarding child welfare services for deaf children is discussed. Recommendations are proposed for prevention and intervention efforts which will promote the healthy development of deaf children involved with child welfare systems.
The Role of Free-Living Amoebae Occurring in Heated Effluents as Causative Agents of Human Disease

It has been shown that several pathogenic organisms may be frequently found in thermal effluents and cooling systems of coal fired power plants. One of them is pathogenic Naegleria fowleri, the causative agent of an acute fatal human disease - primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). In our study two out of eight power plants investigated, harbored pathogenic N. fowleri in heated water or cooling towers. The occurrence of this organism was related to elevated temperatures. No significant correlation was found for other biological and chemical parameters. In addition, pathogenic Acanthamoeba which causes granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) was found in the tested heated effluents from coal fired power plants. Non-pathogenic strains of N. fowleri as well as other free-living and “harmless” amoebae were also very abundant in effluents from all investigated coal fired power plants and cooling towers. It has been reported that several species of nonpathogenic amoebae were isolated from humidifiers and air conditioning systems. Serological testing of symptomatic human subjects has indicated that these organisms may be one of the causative agents of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. An experimental study performed in our laboratory involved testing of guinea pigs sensitized by injection of axenic, non-pathogenic N. gruberi. Delayed onset skin reactivity was apparent in all animals injected with the antigen. Antibodies were detected in all sensitized animals. Bronchial provocation challenge employed to investigate pulmonary hypersensitivity was also used, and yielded positive results. All the sensitized animals displayed delayed onset respiratory responses. The results of this study indicate that not only pathogenic but also non-pathogenic free-living amoebae may be important causative agents of human disease. The occurrence of these organisms in cooling systems from coal fired power plants indicates that these facilities may be an important source of infection.
Knowledge Sharing Proficiencies: The Key to Knowledge Management

A key element of knowledge management is building and nurturing a knowledge sharing culture. A number of organizations are developing knowledge sharing proficiencies as part of their recognition and reward systems. Knowledge sharing effectiveness is a critical aspect of knowledge management, and this chapter takes a look at this area in terms of developing and applying a knowledge sharing effectiveness inventory in order to rate how well an organization is performing knowledge sharing activities.
Neuronal and glial perikarya preparations: an appraisal of present methods.

Publisher Summary The preparation of neuronal and glial fractions from mammalian nervous systems can be divided into three stages: (1) preparation of a suspension in which cells are floating free; (2) isolation of a single cell type free of extraneous debris; and (3) assessment of the morphological purity of the fractions and of the integrity of the cells obtained. Passing the tissue through a series of monofilament nylon cloths with apertures of decreasing size is a successful approach for the preparation of cell suspensions. The aperture size of the finest cloth is chosen such that the average cell in the population passes through. Thus, large capillary fragments, connective tissue, and myelin fragments are retained on the sieves, and a suspension containing neurons, glia, erythrocytes, and small debris is obtained. As in the isolation of subcellular particles, the manipulation of tissues in artificial media is unavoidable when preparation of cell fractions is attempted. As a general rule, when dealing with cells an isotonic environment is maintained. As soon as isolation by centrifugation on gradients is contemplated, this criterion must be abandoned. Initial assessment of the relative purity of a cell fraction with respect to cell type and freedom from extraneous material is most easily obtained by examination of the fractions by light microscopy.
On the Problem of Construction and Uniqueness of Saturated Designs

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the problem of construction and uniqueness of saturated designs. In other terminology, these designs are known as orthogonal arrays of strength t = R − 1, in two symbols 2K-p columns, and K rows. The value p corresponds to the number of generators used for the construction. In the usual terminology of orthogonal arrays, p denotes the number of points beyond the points belonging to the identity matrix that are no-t-dependent in the projective space under consideration. The uniqueness and optimal size properties of orthogonal arrays refer only to arrays constructible by geometrical methods. There is no assurance that they hold in general.
Economic impact of malaria-related hospitalizations in the United States, 2000-2014.

Abstract Background Despite its elimination in the early 1950s, about 1700 cases of malaria are reported in the US every year. Few studies have quantified the direct and indirect costs of imported malaria in the US. Methods Disparities in the mean and total hospital days, hospital charges, and hospital costs for malaria-related hospitalizations in the US by demographic, clinical, species, financial, geographic, and institutional characteristics were examined using the 2000–2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). Trends and potential predictors for length of stay and hospital charges and costs were identified using negative binomial regression and linear regression, respectively. Results From 2000 to 2014, 22,029 malaria cases resulted in 95,948 hospital days for malaria-related hospitalizations, $176,391,466 in total hospital costs, and $555,435,849 in total charges. Mean charges increased significantly over the study period. Males, Blacks, and patients aged 25–44 years accounted for the highest direct and indirect costs. Older age and having severe malaria was associated with a longer length of stay. Older age, severe malaria, HIV infection, and longer lengths of stay were associated with higher charges and costs. Conclusions Malaria resulted in substantial direct and indirect costs in the US. Primary and secondary prevention measures should be prioritized among high-risk groups to reduce the economic burden.
Disease modifying therapies continue to drive up health care cost among individuals with multiple sclerosis

Abstract Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a leading cause of disability in adults and requires lifelong treatment. Specialty drugs referred to as disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) have become the standard for multiple sclerosis treatment since the 1990s as they have been shown to reduce the risk of relapses and to delay disease progression. While more DMTs became available, prices of DMTs including existing drugs continue to rise and remain very expensive. This study is to estimate recent drug costs for DMTs and examine its impact on overall health care costs among individuals with MS enrolled in commercial insurance. Methods This study is a population-based, retrospective study using 2011–2015 IBM MarketScan® Commercial Database. Individuals aged Results The annual health care cost per MS patient increased from $45,471 in 2011 to $62,500 in 2015, an 8.3% average annual growth rate. The annual DMT cost per MS patient increased from $26,772 to $43,606, a 13.0% average annual growth rate. During this period, inpatient and other outpatient costs remained steady or decreased. When comparing DMT users to non-DMT users, the annual health care cost per DMT user was 74% higher in 2011 ($50,352 vs $28,881), increasing to more than twice higher in 2015 ($70,683 vs $29,821). Conclusions Annual health care costs for MS patients increased rapidly between 2011 and 2015, almost entirely due to the cost of DMTs. Older drugs as well as newly approved DMTs both drove this trend.
Risk Factors for Early Relapse after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Background Relapse is a challenge after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) in MDS. MHC class I chain-related gene A (MICA) is a ligand of the natural killer (NKG2D) receptor on immune effector cells. There have been conflicting reports in regards to MICA mismatch and relapse after alloHCT in hematologic malignancies (Carapito Blood 2016, Askar BBMT 2017). However, these studies did not assess somatic mutations, which have shown to impact relapse (Coleman NEJM 2017). We first assessed risk factors for relapse within 6 and 12 months after alloHCT. We then assessed for an effect of somatic mutations and MICA dimorphisms on relapse. Methods We conducted a single center, retrospective analysis of adults with MDS who underwent 1st alloHCT with T-cell replete HLA-8/8 matched related (MRD) or unrelated donor (MUD). In addition to cytogenetic risk stratification, a subset of patients had a 36-gene somatic mutation panel assessed prior to alloHCT by next-generation sequencing. Dimorphisms of MICA-129 were categorized as weak (valine/valine; V/V), intermediate (methionine/valine; M/V), or strong (methionine/methionine; M/M) receptor affinity. Results From 2000 - 2017, 128 adult MDS patients met inclusion criteria. Median age at alloHCT was 56 years (range, 20-76). IPSS-R scores at diagnosis included 2% very good, 42% good, 23% intermediate, 19% poor, and 14% very poor risk. 62% had MUDs and 87% had a myeloablative regimen. Among 78 patients with data, donor/recipient MICA mismatch was present in 8% while donor MICA-129 dimorphisms were 49% V/V, 42% M/V, and 9% M/M In multivariable analysis, the presence of at least 1 of these less favorable mutations (ASXL1, DNMT3A, FLT3, KRAS, NRAS, and TP53) was a risk factor for relapse within 6 mos (HR 4.30, CI 1.40-13.3, P=0.011; Figure 1); 6-mo relapse incidence (CI) was 45% (22-65) for those with at least 1 of the above mutations vs. 15% (9-22) for all others. A MRD graft was a risk factor for relapse within 12 mos (HR 2.27, CI 1.12-4.59, P=0.023); 12-mo relapse incidence was 36% (23-50) for those with a MRD vs. 19% (11-28) for MUDs. In a 41-patient subset with both MICA and mutation data, although not significant, patients with both donor V/V dimorphism and at least 1 of these less favorable somatic mutations had higher relapse incidence (40% at 12 mos) than those with only 1 of these adverse factors (28%) or neither factor (9%) (P=0.12; Figure 2). Conclusion The presence of at least 1 of the 6 less favorable somatic mutations in our cohort was associated with a risk of relapse within 6 mos after alloHCT for MDS. Our data suggest an additive effect of both weak NK cell activation and less favorable somatic mutations in increasing the risk of relapse, but was not statistically significant. Future investigation of larger cohorts and mechanistic studies are needed to better assess potential interactions between these two elements and the risk of relapse.
BRIDGING OVER PERFUSION

A myocardial bridge (MB) is a phenomenon in which a segment of coronary artery that is usually overlying the myocardium dives under and into the myocardial wall. A 67-year-old woman presented with atypical chest pain. Her past medical history included breast cancer for which she had a left breast
Visualizing the Interiority of Mary Lou Williams

Why now? What does Carol Bash’s documentary of Mary Lou Williams (1910–1981) add that we don’t already know about the incomparable composer, arranger and pianist? These were the first questions tha...
Density functional methods for the magnetism of transition metals: SCAN in relation to other functionals

We report tests of various density functionals for ferromagnetic Fe, Co, and Ni with a focus on characterizing the behavior of the so-called strongly constrained and appropriately normed (SCAN) functional. It is found that SCAN is closer in behavior to functionals that yield localized behavior, such as hybrid functionals, than other semilocal functionals that are tested. The results are understood in terms of a tendency to differentiate orbitals, favoring integer occupation, which is necessary for a correct description of atomic systems, but inappropriate for the open shell metallic ferromagnetic metals studied here. Not only is the exchange splitting for open shells enhanced with SCAN, but also as seen in Ni, there is much more band dependence with significantly more overestimation for bands corresponding to the partially filled orbitals.
Literature, Print Culture, and Media Technologies, 1880–1900: Many Inventions

From telephones and transoceanic telegraphy to typewriters and phonographs, the era of Bell and Edison brought an array of wondrous new technologies for recording and communication. At the same time, print was becoming a mass medium, as works from newspapers to novels exploited new markets and innovations in publishing to address expanded readerships. Amid the accelerated movements of inventions and language, questions about media change became a transatlantic topic, connecting writers from Whitman to Kipling, Mark Twain to Bram Stoker and Marie Corelli. Media multiplicity seemed either to unite societies or bring division and conflict, to emphasize the material nature of communication or its transcendent side, to highlight distinctions between media or to let them be ignored. Literature, Print Culture, and Media Technologies, 1880–1900 analyzes this ferment as an urgent subject as authors sought to understand the places of printed writing in the late nineteenth century's emerging media cultures.
Crime and Punishment in the Jim Crow South

In this new work, editors Amy Louise Wood and Natalie J. Ring have assembled a strong collection of essays touching on several important aspects of the criminal justice system in the Jim Crow South...
Microsurgical Resection of an Intramedullary Ependymoma at the Cervicomedullary Junction: A Two-Dimensional Operative Video

Ependymomas are the most common adult intramedullary spinal tumors. 1 Although uncommon in the brainstem, ependymomas make up a large proportion of tumors of this location. 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 We present an operative video case report of an intrinsic ependymoma at the cervicomedullary junction. The purpose of this report is to present the clinical picture, operative setup, and surgical technique involved in resection of an intramedullary tumor of this region. For best outcome for intramedullary ependymomas, the goal should be gross total resection. 1 , 9 , 10 These tumors have a relatively distinct plane between tumor and normal parenchyma, making a gross total resection more probable than cases of infiltrative intramedullary astrocytomas. 11 Despite this, significant morbidity can be associated with treatment. 1 Proper microsurgical technique with use of operative adjuncts can maximize resection while minimizing neurologic injury to optimize outcomes in patients. We present the case of a 42-year-old man presenting with neck and shoulder pain, upper extremity paresthesias, and gait instability. Magnetic resonance imaging of the neuroaxis revealed a heterogeneously enhancing expansile lesion in the lower medulla and multiple lesions in the thecal sac, representing drop metastases. Due to symptoms and mass effect from the lesion, the patient underwent a suboccipital craniotomy for tumor resection. We highlight operative techniques in our case, including use of neurophysiologic monitoring, intraoperative ultrasound, ultrasonic aspirator, and dissection with microcottonoid pledgets and bimanual technique. Pathology revealed a World Health Organization grade II ependymoma. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging revealed a small amount of residual. He underwent full craniospinal proton beam therapy with boost to the residual and metastases with good outcome. Patient provided consent for this report.
Complementarity in spatial subsidies of carbon associated with resource partitioning along multiple niche axes.

The co-occurrence of several species, all of which share similar resource requirements, remains a paradox in ecology. Here, I evaluated resource use along multiple environmental axes to understand the potential for niche partitioning and complementarity in a guild of suspension-feeding rocky shore invertebrates. I focused on the mussels Perna canaliculus, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Aulacomya maoriana, and Xenostrobus pulex, all of which coexist along the coastline of the South Island of New Zealand. I quantified the mussels’ distributions, both vertically on the shore and within the three-dimensional mussel bed matrix, and used carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope ratios to compare species’ diets. Mussels exhibited niche partitioning along all resource axes. Given the mussels’ use of different spatial and food resources, I evaluated the potential for complementarity with respect to mussels’ roles as mediators of an important spatial subsidy, carbon inputs from the nearshore ocean into rocky-shore ecosystems. In these systems, mussels are basal species, capturing and consuming particulate organic matter in the ocean and making it available for local consumption within the benthic community. I found that mussel diversity matters; even the most productive species—Perna canaliculus—only contributed about half of the mussel-mediated carbon that accumulated over a year. Multiple co-occurring species are, therefore, likely to provide more carbon at the base of the intertidal food web than any one species living independently, and complementarity in resource use along multiple environmental axes is likely an important mechanism underlying this relationship.
Infectious Diseases of the Pleura

Pleural infection is a common condition and one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Infection of the pleura and pleural space is most often the result of an infectious process in the ipsilateral lung but can also be seen secondary to trauma or intraabdominal infection (Hughes and Van Scoy, Semin Respir Infect 6:94–102, 1991; Magovern and Rusch, Chest Surg Clin N Am 4:561–82, 1994). Many of the pleural infections discussed in this chapter have similar clinical and radiological presentations and thoracentesis with Gram, acid-fast, and fungal stains on the pleural fluid should be performed during the initial workup (George et al., Clin Chest Med 6:63–75, 1985). Pleural biopsy for histology and culture is only indicated if the results of the initial investigation are non-diagnostic or malignancy is suspected. The range of causative organisms is wide and includes bacterial, mycobacterial, fungal, and parasitic agents.
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in the Emergency Department: Is There a Role?

Abstract Ultrasound (US) is gaining wider acceptance for the diagnosis of musculoskeletal pathology by both radiologist and non-radiologist clinicians in urgent or emergent settings. Part of the growth of US can be attributed to its portability, relative low cost compared to other imaging modalities, lack of radiation, and the capacity to make a rapid diagnosis in experienced hands. Bedside US enables faster decision making and expedited patient care. As training programs further integrate musculoskeletal US into their diagnostic imaging education, US utilization and breadth of application will only increase. This paper highlights some of the benefits, applications, and potential pitfalls of the sonographic diagnosis of common urgent musculoskeletal conditions that present to the emergency department.
Cancer lethality: an important burden metric to consider for the allocation of clinical trial research funding from all sources

Objectives: To identify trends and discrepancies between the number of clinical trials funded by public, industry, and other (individuals, universities, and community-based) organizations and measures of individual- and population-level cancer burden. Methods: Clinicaltrials.gov was queried for US trials initiated from 2007-2017 in 18 cancer types. For each cancer, incidence and mortality rates were obtained from the CDC, and person years of life lost (YLL) was obtained from the SEER database. Trials were categorized by funding sources and analyzed by measures of cancer burden: incidence (I), mortality (M), YLL, and lethality (L, years of life lost per new diagnosis). Standardized ratios of the number of new studies each year to cancer burden metrics were generated. These ratios were labeled as studies funded by public sources (#P/I, #P/M, #P/YLL, #P/L), industry sources (#I/I, #I/M, #I/YLL, #I/L), and other sources (#O/I, #O/M, #O/YLL, #O/L). Mean annual ratios for GYN cancers were compared to other cancers using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Rates of change (ROC) for these ratios over the 11-year period for each funding source were analyzed by linear regression. Results: Breast cancer was the most studied cancer among public, industry, and other funded sources, averaging 71.3, 101.6, and 101.0 new studies per year. For new studies in GYN cancers, ovary ranks 7th, 7th, and 10th; cervix 13th, 16th, and 13th; uterus 12th, 14th, and 12th. While breast and prostate cancers rank 11th and 17th in Lethality, the mean ratios for breast (#P/L 22.12, #I/L 31.84, #O/L 31.68, Figure 1) and prostate (#P/L 22.61, #I/L 33.37, #O/L 27.21) are the two highest across all 3 funding sources. Ovarian cancer ranks 4th in Lethality with 11.14 years of life lost per new diagnosis, yet it ranks 12th in mean #P/L (2.086 - lower than 10 others at p Conclusions: GYN cancers have significantly fewer initiated studies when compared by Lethality across funding categories. Lethality incorporates incidence, mortality, and YLL. It is an important measure of individual cancer burden and should be considered for funding allocation. Within all cancer sites, there is a significant trend towards rising industry and other funded trials and a trend towards decreasing or stagnating number of public funded studies. This data can be used to investigate reasons for the differential allocation of resources regarding clinical trial initiation. Download : Download high-res image (355KB) Download : Download full-size image
Quaternary and beyond cytoreduction: An updated and expanded analysis.

Abstract Objective We sought to describe the clinicopathologic features and outcomes of patients undergoing quaternary, quinary, or senary cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer. Methods We retrospectively identified patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who underwent quaternary or beyond cytoreduction at our institution between 1/1/1989 and 12/31/2020. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate survival and compared using the log-rank test. Cox-proportional hazards regression was used to detect variables associated with survival. Results Twenty patients underwent 24 quaternary (n = 20), quinary (n = 3), or senary (n = 1) cytoreductive surgeries. Most patients had high-grade (89.5%) and serous (75.0%) tumors. At the time of quaternary cytoreduction, 44.7% of patients had single-site disease and 85.0% achieved a complete gross resection. After quaternary cytoreduction, 34.8% of patients developed a surgical complication, most of which were grade 1 or 2. Postoperatively, 80.0% of patients received additional medical treatment and 20.0% underwent observation alone. On univariate analysis, factors associated with progression-free survival included prolonged treatment-free interval (TFI), platinum sensitivity, and complete gross resection. Factors associated with disease-specific survival included platinum sensitivity and complete gross resection. Quinary and senary surgeries were associated with similar safety profiles, with no surgical complications reported. After quinary surgery, progression-free survival ranged from 5.0 to 216.0 months. Conclusions In carefully selected patients, quaternary cytoreduction may be associated with acceptable morbidity and a relatively robust disease-specific survival. Patients who present to surgery with a prolonged TFI and achieve a complete gross resection likely derive the greatest benefit from quaternary surgery.
Representation of Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations in Dementia Prevention Trials: A Systematic Review

Despite older racial and ethnic minorities (REMs) being more likely to develop dementia they are underrepresented in clinical trials focused on neurological disorders. Inclusion of REMs in dementia prevention studies is vital to reducing the impact of disparities in dementia risk. We conducted a systematic review to characterize the number of REM enrolled in brain health and prevention randomized controlled trials (RCTs). RTCs published from January 1, 2004 to April 21, 2020 were included. Participants were normal cognitive adults aged 45 years and older who participated in a Phase II or Phase III U.S. based preventative trial. Analyses were performed to examine differences in trial characteristics between RCTs that did and those that did not report race/ethnicity and to calculate the pooled proportion of each racial/ethnic group in randomized brain healthy prevention trials. A total of 42 studies consisting of 100,748 participants were included in the final analyses. A total of 26 (62%) reported some racial/ethnic identity data. The pooled proportion of REM participants was 0.256 (95% CI, 0.191, 0.326). There is a lack of racial/ethnic reporting of participants and REMs remain underrepresented in brain health prevention RCTs.
Gains from trade in a deficit-ridden economy further analysis

Most economists consider the debate on free trade closed for all practical purposes. DLUHOSCH, FREYTAG and KRUEGER [1998] criticize an earlier paper by BATRA and BELADI [1996] and argue that freer trade has contributed to a rise in US growth of investment and social welfare. Using raw figures, unsullied by any theory, we demonstrate that the US rate of investment and real wages have sharply declined, while trade has grown in leaps and bounds.
Statgraphics: Neil W. Polhemus and the Statistical Graphics Corporation. Rockville, MD: STSC. Release No. 2.0, $795.00

Abstract Several statistical software packages are now commercially available for microcomputers. The quality and usability of these software packages vary dramatically. The purpose of this paper is to review the package STATGRAPHICS utilizing the statistical software model developed by Ansorge, Wise, and Plake (1985). The paper will address quality and usability dimensions of STATGRAPHICS from the vantage point and needs of an educational researcher.
Identification and replacement of proton‐contaminated real‐time ACE solar wind measurements

[1] Real-time solar wind speed measurements derived from measurements by the Solar Wind Electron, Proton, and Alpha Monitor (SWEPAM) aboard the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) satellite are critical to specifying and forecasting current space weather and its impacts. When solar energetic protons produce high background levels in SWEPAM, the real-time solar wind speed measurements can be corrupted due to errors in the onboard algorithm. We analyzed 14 years of ACE real-time solar wind data for the years 1998 through 2011 to determine how to identify the contaminated measurements and what proxy might be substituted for these corrupt data. We find that good criteria for flagging contaminated data are that (1) the measured solar wind speeds are below 305 km s–1, and (2) the >10 MeV ion fluxes measured by the ACE Solar Isotope Spectrometer (SIS) are above 180 pfu. We also compare several potential proxies for the contaminated solar wind and determine that the best proxy depends on the last valid measured wind speed, vinitial, and the duration of the contamination period. For the first 25 h, the best proxy is simply vinitial. At later times, if vinitial 400 km s–1, the best proxy is a linear function of the Kp geomagnetic index.
Measurement of absolute oxygen levels in cells and tissues using oxygen sensors and 2-nitroimidazole EF5.

We have established basic methods, using quantitative measures of EF5 binding, to estimate the actual pO2 of cells and tissues. In situations where the tissue can be dissociated into single cells, or for cell cultures, we can measure the distribution of cellular binding rates using flow cytometry and these can be compared with cells treated under pO2S controlled by the spinner vial or thin-film methods in vitro. The flow cytometer is calibrated by staining V79 cells treated with EF5 under "standard" conditions. For intact tissues treated with EF5 in vivo, we need to correct for possible variations in drug exposure (AUC). Frozen sections are stained for EF5 binding and are analyzed by a sensitive (cooled) CCD camera with linear output vs fluorescence [figure: see text] input. The camera has very consistent sensitivity, but the entire optical system, including the camera, can be calibrated by an absolute fluorescence standard (dye in hemocytometer). This system can also be used to measure the fluorescence of the flow cytometer standards, providing a direct link between the two assays. We can measure the maximum binding rate using the tissue cube method, but need to assume an "average" oxygen dependence of binding for intact tissues. The best-fit approximation for existing data is an inverse relationship between binding and pO2, with binding decreasing 50-fold between 0.1 and 10% oxygen. Using these methods, we routinely estimate the minimum pO2 (maximum binding) in experimental rodent and human tumors. In normal tissue models, an excellent correlation is found between near-maximal binding (severe hypoxia) and apoptosis (heart infarct and ductus arteriosus). Some normal tissues (e.g., skeletal muscle) are refractory to both cellular disaggregation and cube calibration methods. To extend the tissue imaging measurements to a complete two- or three-dimensional analysis of the distribution of tissue pO2s requires a substantial additional investment of imaging methods, which are currently being implemented.
The Primary Structure of Epidermal Growth Factor

The complete amino acid sequence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) has been established through the use of automated Edman degradation and standard enzymatic and chemical techniques. The location of the half-cystinyl residues was facilitated by the use of the S-[14C]aminoethyl derivative of EGF. The sequence is: [see PDF for sequence]. The calculated molecular weight of the 53-residue polypeptide is 6045, a value that is in agreement with the molecular weight of 6400 established by physical measurements. The peptide is acidic and the 6 half-cystines exist in disulfide linkage. Four arginine residues are located in the COOH-terminal portion of the molecule. The six COOH-terminal amino acids are not necessary for biological activity and EGF1–47 has activity identical with that of the 53-residue native molecule.
Fibrinogen metabolism in patients with spinal cord injury.

Background/objective Deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism are common within weeks of spinal cord injury (SCI) but clinically uncommon in the chronically paralyzed. Fibrinogen half-life (FHL) and fibrin uptake of the legs (FUT), as indicators of an active thrombotic process, have been used to test this clinical impression. Methods Data from the use of autologous preparations of radioiodinated fibrinogen to determine FHL and FUT in 17 men paralyzed at cervical (6), thoracic (10), and lumbar levels (1), at ASIA grades A (15) and C (2) in 1974 to 1976 were reviewed. Group A consisted of 12 subjects 29 +/- 8 years of age and paralyzed 1 week to 5 months (median, 1 month). Group B consisted of 5 subjects 46 +/- 17 years of age and paralyzed 24 to 96 months (median, 36 months). Group B subjects were older and paralyzed longer than Group A. Group C consisted of 4 able-bodied control subjects enrolled at the same time for FHL studies, and these subjects were 34 to 38 years of age. Results FHL was 61 +/- 14 hours for all SCI subjects and 95 +/- 23 hours for Group C (P = 0.001). Group A FHL was 59 +/- 16 hours, and FUT was positive in 8 of 12 subjects. Group B FHL was 66 +/- 7 hours, and FUT was positive in 3 of 4 subjects (1 FUT not done; P = 0.30 and 1.0, respectively). Conclusions Fibrinogen metabolism was abnormal in patients with acute SCI at high risk for pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) but continued to be abnormal beyond the high risk period for PE, possibly because of the greater age of the patients in the long-term paralysis group.
‘All skillful praises sing’: how congregations sang the psalms in early modern England

The tunes of The Whole Book of Psalms would become the foundation of congregational singing in England. But when Thomas Sternhold published his first collection of paraphrases (circa 1548) he expected them to be sung in a private domestic context, and the few extant Edwardian settings do not differ in character from secular songs and dances of the time. There is no record of congregational singing until it was adopted by the Marian exiles under the direct influence of Calvin. The first tunes were printed as part of the 1556 Anglo-Genevan service book. They were clearly modelled on the grandly solemn tunes of the French Psalter, but the fundamental differences between French and English prosody created a conflict that was too much for anyone in the small English colonies to resolve satisfactorily. Nevertheless, congregational singing of ‘Geneva psalms’ was rapidly adopted in English churches from 1559 onwards. The tune selection was revised and enlarged, and had settled into a permanent ‘canon’ by the time the 1565 edition of The Whole Book of Psalms appeared. Metrical psalm-singing soon became popular well beyond the Puritan faction, both in church and in private settings. The tunes, like the psalms, were reprinted with only minor changes for the rest of Elizabeth's reign. There is evidence, however, that by the 1590s many of them had been abandoned in practice as too difficult, or perhaps too tedious, as they slowed down year after year. They were largely replaced by a handful of short, simple tunes of unknown authorship, which became known as the ‘common tunes’ because they were not tied to specific texts. In some respects the common tunes were a return to the more popular idiom of Edwardian times. Many of them outlived the psalm paraphrases themselves and are still in widespread use as hymn tunes today.
Modeling the Present and Future Geographic Distribution of the Lone Star Tick, Amblyomma americanum (Ixodida: Ixodidae), in the Continental United States

The Lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum L.) is the primary vector for pathogens of significant public health importance in North America, yet relatively little is known about its current and potential future distribution. Building on a published summary of tick collection records, we used an ensemble modeling approach to predict the present-day and future distribution of climatically suitable habitat for establishment of the Lone star tick within the continental United States. Of the nine climatic predictor variables included in our five present-day models, average vapor pressure in July was by far the most important determinant of suitable habitat. The present-day ensemble model predicted an essentially contiguous distribution of suitable habitat extending to the Atlantic coast east of the 100th western meridian and south of the 40th northern parallel, but excluding a high elevation region associated with the Appalachian Mountains. Future ensemble predictions for 2061-2080 forecasted a stable western range limit, northward expansion of suitable habitat into the Upper Midwest and western Pennsylvania, and range contraction along portions of the Gulf coast and the lower Mississippi river valley. These findings are informative for raising awareness of A. americanum-transmitted pathogens in areas where the Lone Star tick has recently or may become established.
Evolutionary models for insertions and deletions in a probabilistic modeling framework

Probabilistic models for sequence comparison (such as hidden Markov models and pair hidden Markov models for proteins and mRNAs, or their context-free grammar counterparts for structural RNAs) often assume a fixed degree of divergence. Ideally we would like these models to be conditional on evolutionary divergence time. Probabilistic models of substitution events are well established, but there has not been a completely satisfactory theoretical framework for modeling insertion and deletion events. I have developed a method for extending standard Markov substitution models to include gap characters, and another method for the evolution of state transition probabilities in a probabilistic model. These methods use instantaneous rate matrices in a way that is more general than those used for substitution processes, and are sufficient to provide time-dependent models for standard linear and affine gap penalties, respectively. Given a probabilistic model, we can make all of its emission probabilities (including gap characters) and all its transition probabilities conditional on a chosen divergence time. To do this, we only need to know the parameters of the model at one particular divergence time instance, as well as the parameters of the model at the two extremes of zero and infinite divergence. I have implemented these methods in a new generation of the RNA genefinder QRNA (eQRNA). These methods can be applied to incorporate evolutionary models of insertions and deletions into any hidden Markov model or stochastic context-free grammar, in a pair or profile form, for sequence modeling.
A Ten-Year Assessment of Methicillin-Associated Side Effects

The exact incidence and importance of side effects associated with methicillin therapy in children is unknown. During the ten-year period from 1964 to 1974 approximately 3,000 Houston children who received methicillin were observed for side effects. The great majority of these patients received the drug for less than ten days; however, side effects were more common in patients receiving long-term therapy. In order to assess these side effects, experiences with 124 children who received methicillin for ten days or longer were reviewed in depth. The average dose of methicillin was 200 mg/kg/day and the average duration was 22 days. In this highly selected group there were no adverse side effects in 54.8% and only eosinophilia in an additional 13%. Leukopenia occurred in 16%, microscopic hematuria in 8%, gross hematuria in 4%, skin rash in 6%, and "drug fever" in 6%. In many instances several of these side effects occurred within a single patient so that the total number of patients with definite side effects was 39 of 124 (31.5%). The true incidence figure of overall side effects is much lower than 31.5%. Corrected incidence rates based on a conservative figure of 3,000 methicillin-treated children are less than 1.5% for all side effects. In some patients the mechanism producing the adverse reactions seemed to be chemical irritation or toxicity and in others hypersensitivity. In nine of the 39 patients follow-up studies were not optimal. In the other 30 patients all side effects were reversible.