cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Origins of spiral wave meander and breakup in a two-dimensional cardiac tissue model.

We studied the stability of spiral waves in homogeneous two-dimensional cardiac tissue using phase I of the Luo–Rudy ventricular action potential model. By changing the conductance and the relaxation time constants of the ion channels, various spiral wave phenotypes, including stable, quasiperiodically meandering, chaotically meandering, and breakup were observed. Stable and quasiperiodically meandering spiral waves occurred when the slope of action potential duration (APD) restitution was <1 over all diastolic intervals visited during reentry; chaotic meander and spiral wave breakup occurred when the slope of APD restitution exceeded 1. Curvature of the wave changes both conduction velocity and APD, and their restitution properties, thereby modulating local stability in a spiral wave, resulting in distinct spiral wave phenotypes. In the LR1 model, quasiperiodic meander is most sensitive to the Na+ current, whereas chaotic meander and breakup are more dependent on the Ca2+ and K+ currents. © 2000 Biomedical Engineering Society.
Anatomical complexities of optical diagnostic targets in vivo: to discover the abnormal, one has to know first the normal

Optical diagnosis of cancers requires detection of differential concentrations of (1) various absorbers and scatterers or (2) native or exogenous fluorophores to distinguish cancers from surrounding tissues. The differential concentrations are due to the biology of the cancer cells and the host responses to the cancer growth. For most patients, the cancer will be intermixed with a complex 3-dimensional array of "normal" tissue and benign lesions. This complexity will challenge the optical biopsy investigator but, with the recent advances in our understanding of light transport, optical diagnostic techniques and devices can be developed to complement and supplement current cancer screening techniques.
An exercise in fault-containment: self-stabilizing leader election

Self-stabilizing algorithms are designed to guarantee convergence to some desired stable state from arbitrary initial states arising out of an arbitrarily large number of faults. However, in a well-designed system, the simultaneous occurrence of a large number of faults is rare. It is therefore desirable to design algorithms that are not only self-stabilizing, but also have the ability to recover very fast from a bounded number of faults. As an illustration, we present a simple self-stabilizing leader election protocol that recovers in O(1) time from a state with a single transient fault on oriented rings. Only the faulty node and its two neighbors change their state during convergence to a stable state. Thus, the effect of a single fault is tightly contained around the fault. The technique for transforming a self-stabilizing algorithm into its fault-contained version is simple and general, and can be applied to other problems as well that satisfy certain properties.
Addition of Ipratropium to Nebulized Albuterol in Children with Acute Asthma Presenting to a Pediatric Office

A prospective, randomized, double-blind study was conducted to determine whether there was any benefit to the addition of ipratropium to a single nebulized albuterol treatment in infants and children with mild to moderate acute asthma presenting to a pediatric office. There were no significant differences between the albuterol group and the combined albuterol-ipratropium group in the relief of the respiratory distress, disposition of the patients from the office, or in the incidence of relapse. The addition of ipratropium to nebulized albuterol is of no added benefit in the treatment of infants and children with mild-to-moderate acute asthma presenting to a pediatric office.
The interaction of liquid droplets with a grain boundary in large accelerational fields

Abstract A buoyant water droplet was migrated through a 15° twist boundary in a crystal of KCl in a large accelerational field. On passing through and away from the twist boundary plane, a columnar 15° tilt boundary linking the droplet and the twist boundary plane was generated. The surface tension of this columnar boundary exerted a force, pulling the droplet back towards the twist boundary plane. The accelerational field was adjusted so as to produce a buoyant force on the droplet which just balanced the backward pull of the columnar tilt boundary. The balancing accelerational field indicated that the surface energy of a 15° tilt boundary in KCl is 75 ± 20 ergs/cm2
Mass transfer limitations in a trickle-bed reactor

The hydrogenation of alpha-methylstyrene to cumene at 20 to 50°C. was studied experimentally with a trickle-bed reactor comprising a single vertical column of spherical porous palladium-on-alumina catalyst pellets. Other studies with powdered catalyst and studies in which catalyst pellets were swirled in a reactor allowed the intrinsic kinetics and effectiveness factor of the catalyst pellets to be determined. At 50°C. the reaction rate in the trickle-bed was about one-half of that in the absence of mass transfer limitations in the outside liquid film. The effectiveness factor of the pellets alone at 50°C. was 0.0057, and the tortuosity factor was 7.5. Experimental results are compared with four theoretical models for tricklebed reactors and criteria are presented for estimating whether mass transfer through the outside film is a significant resistance in an industrial trickle-bed reactor.
Overshoot control for two coupled RLC interconnections

An algorithm is introduced to upgrade package performance for two coupled lines. A compromise between fast response and limited undershoot is based upon a 4% overshoot control condition. It is easy to use this time domain requirement because it can be applied to the transfer function in the frequency domain. In the frequency domain, it is known that a low-frequency approximation to the transfer function provides a simple and accurate trade-off requirement for single-mode overshoot control. For mixed mode, i.e. for the case of one driven line and one quiet line, it is shown here that the same approximation can be used to control the overshoot in the weak coupling case. A closed-form relationship among electrical line and termination parameters results. However, for strong coupling (small line spacing), the time domain transient response with parameters based on the closed-form relationship is inaccurate. For strong coupling it is shown here an average-transfer-function (ATF) method can be used for calculating trade-offs when multiple modes are excited. >
Escherichia coli Isolates’ Serotypes, Genotypes, and Virulence Genes and Clinical Coliform Mastitis Severity

Dairy cattle with clinical mastitis caused by Escherichia coli exhibit a wide range of disease severity, from mild, with only local inflammatory changes of the mammary gland, to severe, with significant systemic derangement. The present study was designed to examine the relationship between serotype and virulence genes of E. coli mastitis isolates, different levels of systemic disease severity, and farm from which the E. coli strain was obtained. One hundred twenty-three E. coli milk isolates were obtained from cows with clinical mastitis of varying systemic disease severity from 6 different farms. No predominant serotype was identified by farm or by systemic disease severity; however, the most frequent serotype, O158:NM (n = 3), was isolated from cows in the moderate severity group. Virulence genes evaluated were identified infrequently and were not associated with systemic disease severity. Evaluation of genetic similarity showed no clustering assigned by farm or mastitis severity based on systemic disease signs. We concluded that a high degree of genotypic variability is characteristic of E. coli strains causing clinical mastitis within and between different farms and systemic severity groups, and that specific cow factors probably play a more important role in determining systemic disease severity.
Viewing the National Family Caregiver Support Program through The Family Impact Lens

Families are the major provider of long-term care and support for the functionally dependent elderly. The provision of this care, however, can exact an emotional, physical, and financial toll. The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), established in amending the Older American Act in 2000, provides grants to states and territories to fund a range of supports that assist families in caring for dependent elderly persons at home for as long as possible. A family impact analysis of NFCSP provides several lessons and implications for those who design, implement, and study family caregiving. An analysis of this legislation using the family impact lens provides evidence, albeit indirect, that support services funded under the NFCSP can reduce caregiver depression, anxiety, and stress and enables them to provide care longer, thereby avoiding or delaying the need for costly institutional care.
Repeal of the Michigan helmet law: the evolving clinical impact

BACKGROUND: Michigan repealed a 35-year mandatory helmet law in April 2012. We examined the impact of this legislation on a level 1 trauma center. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study comparing the 7-month period before and the 3 motorcycle seasons after the helmet law repeal. RESULTS: A total of 345 patients were included in the study. Nonhelmeted riders increased from 7% to 28% after the repeal. Nonhelmeted crash scene fatalities were higher after the repeal (14% vs 68%). The nonhelmeted cohort had significantly higher in-patient mortality (10% vs 3%), injury severity score (19 vs 14.5) and abbreviated injury scale head (2.2 vs 1.3). Non-helmeted riders also had increased alcohol use, intensive care unit length of stay and need for mechanical ventilation. The median hospital cost for the non-helmeted cohort was higher (P CONCLUSIONS: The impact of the Michigan helmet law repeal continues to evolve. Three years after this legislative change, we are now observing increased injury severity score, higher in-patient mortality, and worse neurologic injury. Language: en
Identification and Characterization of FabA from the Type II Fatty Acid Synthase of Streptomyces coelicolor

FabA is proposed to catalyze the dehydration step of chain elongation in fatty acid and undecylprodiginine biosynthesis in Streptomyces coelicolor. Analysis of the S. coelicolor genome has revealed a fabA gene (SCO4636-SCO4637, encoding a heterodimer 3-hydroxyacyl-ACP dehydratase). Herein, we report the identification and characterization of the corresponding gene products. Kinetic analysis has demonstrated that FabA is capable of utilizing various chain lengths of straight- and branched-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-NAC substrates. Additionally, FabA does not discriminate between acyl carrier proteins (ACPs) from primary and secondary metabolism. These data provide the first experimental evidence that FabA has 3-hydroxyacyl-ACP dehydratase activity and processes intermediates for both biosynthetic pathways.
Composition Dependence of the Na(+) Ion Conductivity in 0.5Na2S + 0.5[xGeS2 + (1 - x)PS5/2] Mixed Glass Former Glasses: A Structural Interpretation of a Negative Mixed Glass Former Effect.

A negative mixed glass former effect (MGFE) in the Na+ ion conductivity of glass has been found in 0.5Na2S + 0.5[xGeS2 + (1 – x)PS5/2] glasses where the Na+ ion conductivity is significantly smaller for all of the ternary glasses than either of the binary end-member glasses. The minimum conductivity of ∼0.4 × 10–6 (Ω cm)−1 at 25 °C occurs for the x = 0.7 glass. Prior to this observation, the alkali ion conductivity of sulfide glasses at constant alkali concentration, but variable ratio of one glass former for another (x) ternary mixed glass former (MGF) glasses, has always produced a positive MGFE in the alkali ion conductivity; that is, the ternary glasses have always had higher ion conductivities that either of the end-member binary glasses. While the Na+ ion conductivity exhibits a single global minimum value, the conductivity activation energy exhibits a bimodal double maximum at x ≈ 0.4 and x ≈ 0.7. The modified Christensen–Martin–Anderson–Stuart (CMAS) model of the activation energies reveals the or...
Patterns of care in hilar node-positive (N1) non–small cell lung cancer: A missed treatment opportunity?

Abstract Background For patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) metastatic to hilar lymph nodes (N1), guidelines recommend surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy in operable patients and chemoradiation (CRT) for those deemed inoperable. It is unclear how these recommendations are applied nationally, however. Methods The National Cancer Database was queried to identify patients with a tumor 45 Gy) or surgical resection were considered adequately treated. Remaining patients were classified as receiving inadequate or no treatment. Results Of the 20,366 patients who met the study criteria, 63% underwent adequate treatment (48% surgical resection, 15% CRT). The remainder received inadequate treatment (23%) or no treatment (14%). In univariate analysis, the patients receiving inadequate or no treatment were older, tended to be non-Caucasian, had a lower income, and had a higher comorbidity score. Patients undergoing adequate treatment had improved overall survival (OS) compared with those receiving inadequate or no treatment (median OS, 34.0 months vs 11.7 months; P $35,000. Increasing age and T2 stage were associated with nonoperative management. Following propensity score matching of 2308 patient pairs undergoing surgery or CRT, resection was associated with longer median OS (34.1 months vs 22.0 months; P Conclusions Despite the established guidelines, many patients with T1-2N1 NSCLC do not receive adequate treatment. Surgery is associated with prolonged survival in selected patients. Surgical input in the multidisciplinary evaluation of these patients should be mandatory.
Parents, religion and perceived social coherence : A Durkheimian framework of adolescent anomie : Symposium on religion, health, and well-being

Different aspects of religiosity have been found to be positively related to physical, psychological and social well-being. Several scholars have suggested that religious beliefs, religious communities, and perceived divine support may provide individuals with a sense of coherence, which in turn has positive effects on individual well-being. This coherence hypothesis is in fact the inverse of the Durkheimian concept of anomie. This paper specifies and tests a structural model of social control, social support, religious participation, religious orthodoxy, and perceived divine support, in relation to perceived exteriority and constraint among adolescents. The results indicate that parental support and religious participation increases the perceived exteriority and constraint of the social world, while parental rule setting, religious orthodoxy, and divine support do not have an independent effect.
The Hot-Water Treatment Of Nursery Plants

The hot-water treatment to destroy the immature stages of the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica, was applied to 164,000 nursery plants of 59 species during the dormant season of 1927-1928. Twenty-six species were treated successfully. The treatment retarded slightly the development of 3 species and more or less severely injured 30 species. The cause of the failure of the treatment of many varieties in the nursery is not as yet definitely established.
Poststernotomy mediastinitis treated by omental transfer without postoperative irrigation or drainage.

Mediastinitis is an infrequent but life-threatening complication after cardiac operations. We reviewed our experience in treating eight select patients in whom this complication developed. Diffuse mediastinitis was verified at operation, and all patients were treated with the same surgical procedure by the same surgeon. The technique consisted of sternal bone debridement, mediastinal fat and connective tissue excision, pericardiectomy, and transfer of the greater omentum into the mediastinum on a vascular pedicle for obliteration of dead space. The sternum and sternal fascia were closed completely and the skin was closed loosely in each case. Postoperative drainage was not provided and postoperative irrigation was not performed. The mortality rate was 12.5% and the hospital stay averaged 27 days, comparable to other series in which irrigation has been used. We conclude from this review that the approach of omental transfer provides an alternative to prolonged irrigation and drainage of the mediastinum in the surgical management of these critically ill patients. This is neither a radical nor a disfiguring procedure, but is simple and easily done by the cardiac surgeon. Early ambulation, because of a lack of cumbersome irrigation and drainage apparatus, results in improved pulmonary function. Dead space is obliterated with tissue that has demonstrable ability to resist infection. Also, loose closure of the skin allows for primary healing with a good cosmetic result.
A Community-Engaged Approach to Collecting Rural Health Surveillance Data.

Purpose In order for communities to make health-related, data-driven decisions concerning resource allocation, needed services, and intervention priorities, they need an accurate picture of the health status of residents. While state and national health surveillance systems exist to help local communities make data-driven health decisions, rural communities face unique challenges including: (1) limited county-level data; (2) underrepresented segments of the population; and (3) a lack of survey items to address local health concerns. The purpose of this study was to take a community-engaged approach to collecting population-based health status data in a rural area in an effort to address some of these unique challenges. Methods Using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, over 1,500 residents from 6 rural and frontier counties were randomly selected with a stratified, multistage cluster study design. Surveys were primarily completed over the phone. Findings Response rates by county ranged from 59% to 80% (overall = 66%). Males and younger adults (18-24 year olds) were underrepresented in the sample, but Hispanics, low-income residents, and cell phone-only users were adequately represented. Prevalence rates for chronic disease and health behavior varied by county. Conclusions The implications of this project are that engaging stakeholders in community surveillance efforts increases the quality, relevance and utility of the information collected and can help reach otherwise difficult-to-reach populations. This can result in a more accurate picture of the health status of residents, which can lead to making health-related, data-driven decisions concerning resource allocation, needed services, and intervention priorities.
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and the Religion of Biologic Living, by Brian C. Wilson, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2014, 264 pp., ISBN 978 0 253 01447 4, US$35.00 (cloth), US$34.99 (e-book)

Indiana University Press has published an impressive catalogue of monographs relating to diverse religious currents and movements in North American history. These include studies of Native American...
Mogamulizumab in the treatment of cutaneous T cell lymphoma

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Cutaneous T cell lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of malignancies characterized by the accumulation of malignantly transformed skin homing T cells. Mycosis fungoides, a typically indolent form of cutaneous T cell lymphoma characterized by patches, plaques, and tumors, and Sezary syndrome, a leukemic variant, make up the majority of cutaneous T cell lymphomas, and prognosis in advanced-stage disease remains poor. The defucosylated monoclonal antibody, mogamulizumab, targets the CC chemokine receptor 4 on malignant cells of cutaneous T cell lymphoma and offers a novel approach to treating advanced-stage disease.Areas covered: Mogamulizumab has shown efficacy in phase I/II clinical trials in patients with cutaneous T cell lymphoma, with overall response rates between 35–36.8%. Currently, a phase III trial is underway comparing mogamulizumab to vorinostat in the treatment of cutaneous T cell lymphoma.Expert opinion: Mogamulizumab has already been approved in Japan for the treatment of...
Party, Policy, and the Ambition to Run for Higher Office

This article examines why some state legislators run for Congress and others do not. Our main argument is that there are differences in the expected value of a state legislative seat and the expected benefits of being a member of Congress. One key component of this value is how closely the candidate fits with her party. We find that the probability of seeking congressional office increases among state legislators who are distant from the state party and proximate to the congressional party and decreases among those who are distant from the congressional party and proximate to the state party.
Measurement of rain-induced oceanic surface salinity stratification using L-band satellite radiometers

This paper presents recent results of an investigation into the transient effects of oceanic rainfall on the profile of near-surface salinity. Based upon research conducted with the NASA/CONAE Aquarius/SAC-D mission, it was determined that the primary rain impact was to dilute the sea surface salinity (SSS), which was accurately captured by the Aquarius (AQ) microwave radiometer/scatterometer observations. As a result, CFRSL has developed a rain impact model (RIM) to provide a quality flag for AQ SSS measurements, which alerts the users of the possibility of salinity stratification. RIM uses the ocean community salinity model HYCOM and a NOAA global rainfall product CMORPH to estimate the change in SSS at the time of the satellite observation. While this paper is applicable to all L-band radiometer missions namely, Aquarius, SMOS and SMAP, only results from AQ will be presented herein. An example of near-surface salinity profiles derived from AQ RIM is presented with associated rain events captured by CMORPH.
The ‘Characteristics-Based Matching’ (CBM) Method for Compressible Flow With Moving Boundaries and Interfaces

Recently, Eulerian methods for capturing interfaces in multi-fluid problems become increasingly popular. While these methods can effectively handle significant deformations of interface, they have been known to produce nonphysical oscillations near material interfaces due to the smeared out density profile and radical change in equation of state across a material interface. One promising recent development to overcome these problems is the ‘Ghost Fluid Method’ (GFM). While being able to produce excellent results for simulation of gas-gas flows, the GFM boundary treatment is unsatisfactory for the case of liquid-liquid or liquid-gas compressible flows. The present study devotes to a new methodology for boundary condition capturing in multi-fluid compressible flows. The method, named ‘Characteristics-Based Matching (CBM)’, capitalizes on the recent development of the level set method and related techniques, i.e., PDE-based re-initialization and extrapolation, and the ‘Ghost Fluid Method’ (GFM). Specifically, the CBM utilizes the level set function to ‘capture’ interface position and a GFM-like strategy to tag computational nodes. In difference to the GFM method, which employs a boundary condition capturing in primitive variables, the CBM method implements boundary conditions based on a characteristic decomposition in the direction normal to the boundary. Since the method allows to avoid over-specification of boundary conditions by respecting the information flow, we believe that the CBM is able to ‘cure’ above-mentioned problems of the GFM boundary condition capturing technique. In this paper, the method’s performance is examined on fluid dynamics problems with stationary and moving boundaries. Numerical results agree well with known analytical or computational solutions and experimental data. Robust and accurate solutions were obtained. In particular, spurious over/under-heating errors, typical for moving boundary treatment by other methods, are essentially eliminated in the CBM solutions.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Accounting, IFRS, and Capital Markets in India, Singapore and South Africa

This paper provides a brief overview of three countries, including background information, accounting, and capital markets. The countries represent three major world regions: India in southwest Asia, Singapore in the Pacific Rim, and South Africa in Africa. Each country plays a major economic role in its region of the world. The role of accounting is expected to have a major impact on viability of the country’s capital markets and future economic development. Some knowledge of these countries will be helpful to corporate accountants and internal auditors, who work in companies with multinational operations.
Congenital malformations of the lower extremities

An understanding of the normal and pathologic development of the lower limb allows the physician a fuller appreciation of the clinical and functional disabilities that each congenital malformation may present. Treatment to allow achievement of each child's fullest potential may then be better attained.
Eastern European Studies: History

The archives of Eastern Europe are now available to researchers with few if any restrictions. Formerly taboo topics from the interwar period can be studied fully. The collapse of communism has also cleared the way for new approaches to World War II and its immediate aftermath. Above all, the immediate post-1945 period, when communists seized power throughout Eastern Europe, and the four decades of communist rule itself can now be empirically researched in a manner that is free from ideological distortions. Not surprisingly, these years have attracted the greatest attention from Eastern European historians themselves. The demise of communism has opened the way for nations to define their statehood within the context of an expanding European Union. There is a growing need to formulate and answer questions that can be fitted into a broader European framework. However, the very concept of Eastern European history will, in all likelihood, fall by the wayside completely.
White Matter Tractography and Diffusion-Weighted Imaging

Human cognition requires coordinated communication across macroscopic brain networks. This coordination is fundamentally constrained by how populations of neurons are connected together. Understanding how structural connectivity between brain regions constrains or predicts variability within and between individuals is a pervasive topic of cutting edge research in neuroscience and the focus of multimillion dollar investments in brain research (e.g. Human Connectome Project, the White House's B.R.A.I.N initiative). Currently, diffusion-weighted imaging is the only noninvasive tool for studying the anatomical connectivity of macroscopic networks in the living human brain. Recent innovations in the acquisition and analysis of diffusion-weighted imaging provide an unprecedented opportunity to examine how an individual's unique structural wiring constrains brain function and cognition and how this unique wiring is sculpted by both genetics and experience across the lifespan. Key Concepts The brain consists of 86 billion neurons that have macroscopic gray matter that represents and processes information (brain regions) and white matter that communicates information between disparate brain regions (axonal connections). To study structural connectivity, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) measures water diffusion using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology, relying on the clever insight that the presence of an axon will restrict the movement of water molecules to align with the direction of the axon's trajectory. The most popular DWI sampling schemes (DTI, HARDI, and DSI) differ in parameters that trade off between the total time of the scanning session and the resolution of water diffusion direction, which elucidates the direction and size of structural connections. After diffusion images have been collected using a DWI sequence, reconstruction algorithms convert the raw MR diffusion signal to an estimate of the pattern of directional water movement in each voxel. Once the fibre directions are reconstructed within a voxel, fibre tractography approaches can be applied to map the trajectories of axon bundles and delineate the path of major structural pathways between the brain regions. Structural connectivity estimates from tractography have been productively employed to study macroscopic anatomical connections known as the structural human connectome. To study brain networks, methods from network science represent neuroimaging data as graphs: gray matter brain regions serve as the nodes of the graph, and white matter tractography defines the edges that connect the nodes. DWI provides an informative lens to investigate how genetics and learning interact and influence our unique structural wiring, including research that can identify an individual from their wiring alone at near perfect accuracy yet still capture plasticity at both short-term (6 weeks) and long-term (decades) timescales. Keywords: neuroimaging; brain anatomy; axonal integrity; structural connectivity; neural communication; human connectome; brain structure–function relationships; individual differences
Assessment of Safety and Efficacy of PBSC Mobilization with G-CSF and CD34+ Enrichment and Pbmnc (CD3+) Addback in Familial Haploidentical (FHI) Adult Donors with Sickle Cell Disease Trait (SCDT) Prior to Allogeneic HSCT of High-Risk SCD Patients

Background We and others have previously reported the safety of allogeneic stem cell transplantation in children with SCD without sibling HLA matched bone marrow donors who commonly have SCDT. The majority of the sibling donors donated bone marrow and received G-CSF mobilized PBSCs (Bhatia/Cairo et al, BMT 2014; Gluckman et al, Blood 2017). Furthermore, only 14-18% of siblings can serve as donors based on HLA match and presence of SCD (Mentzer, Am J Ped Hem/Onc 1994; Walters, BBMT 1996). Unrelated cord blood as a donor source for SCD patients was associated with unacceptable primary graft failure rates (Radhakrishnan/Cairo, BBMT 2013). MUD HSCT resulted in unacceptably high rates of CGVHD (Shenoy et al, Blood 2016). Parental FHI SCDT PBSCs represent an alternative donor source. However, little is known about G-CSF PBSC mobilization in older donors with SCDT. GCSF mobilization of PBSC in homozygous SCD patients in the past has been reported to be associated with major toxicity and death (Adler et al, Blood 2001). Objective To determine if FHI PBSC mobilization in older adult donors with SCDT is safe and effective. Methods Eighteen FHI donors with SCDT received 15mg/kg/d GCSF divided BID x4 days. PBSC leukapheresis on day 5, repeating qd until 10 × 106 CD34/kg and 2 × 105 CD3/kg (minimum) were cryopreserved. CD34+ enrichment utilized the CliniMACS® System (generously provided by Miltenyi), with 2 × 105 CD3/kg T-cell add-back before HSCT as we have previously described (Geyer/Cairo, BJH 2011). Donor chimerism assays for whole blood CD3, CD71, and CD56 were performed post-HSCT. Results Fifteen female/3 male FHI donors with SCDT were mobilized: mean age 41 yrs (30-55). The most common donor side effect was grade 1 bone pain (n = 11). Other side effects were grade 1 nausea/vomiting (n = 3), grade 1 headache (n = 2), grade 1 dizziness (n = 1), grade 1 fatigue (n = 2), grade 1 abdominal pain (n = 2), grade 3 bone pain (n = 1), and grade 3 thrombocytopenia (n = 1). The mean ± SEM cryopreserved CD34 count was 12.9 ± 0.8 × 106/kg recipient wt with the mean ± SEM yield 533.69 ± 48.9 × 106. Mean ± SD log T-cell (CD3) depletion was 4.84 ± 0.58 (Fig. 1). 100% of patients achieved neutrophil engraftment at a median of 9 days (range 6-13), and 92.1% of patients achieved platelet engraftment at a median of 19 days (range 8-90) (Fig 2A/2B, respectively). Mean ± SEM Blood and CD71+ (RBC) donor chimerism was 97 · 1 ± 1.4 and 96 · 4 ± 2.0%, respectively. Conclusion These data suggest that adult FHI stem cell donors with SCDT undergoing GCSF mobilization for PBSC collection is safe and well-tolerated with only minor temporary adverse events. PBSC collection and CD34 enrichment was effective and resulted in successful SCD recipient engraftment and long-term donor chimerism. Further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term outcome of high-risk SCD patients undergoing FHI AlloHSCT R01FD004090.
Free Tax Services in Pediatric Clinics.

OBJECTIVES: The earned income tax credit (EITC), refundable monies for America’s working poor, is associated with improved child health. Yet, 20% of eligible families do not receive it. We provided free tax preparation services in clinics serving low-income families and assessed use, financial impact, and accuracy. METHODS: Free tax preparation services (“StreetCred”) were available at 4 clinics in Boston in 2016 and 2017. We surveyed a convenience sample of clients (n = 244) about experiences with StreetCred and previous tax services and of nonparticipants (n = 100; 69% response rate) and clinic staff (n = 41; 48% response rate) about acceptability and feasibility. RESULTS: A total of 753 clients received $1 619 650 in federal tax refunds. StreetCred was associated with significant improvement in tax filing rates. Of surveyed clients, 21% were new filers, 47% were new users of free tax preparation, 14% reported new receipt of the EITC, and 21% reported new knowledge of the EITC. StreetCred had high client acceptability; 96% would use StreetCred again. Families with children were significantly more likely to report StreetCred made them feel more connected to their doctor (P = .02). Clinic staff viewed the program favorably (97% approval). CONCLUSIONS: Free tax services in urban clinics are a promising, feasible financial intervention to increase tax filing and refunds, save fees, and link clients to the EITC. With future studies, we will assess scalability and measure impact on health. StreetCred offers an innovative approach to improving child health in primary care settings through a financial intervention.
Potential Modulation of Vascular Function by Nitric Oxide and Reactive Oxygen Species Released From Erythrocytes.

The primary role for erythrocytes is oxygen transport that requires the reversible binding of oxygen to hemoglobin. There are, however, secondary reactions whereby the erythrocyte can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO). ROS such as superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide are generated by the autoxidation of hemoglobin. NO can be generated when nitrite reacts with hemoglobin forming an HbNO+ intermediate. Both of these reactions are dramatically enhanced under hypoxic conditions. Within the erythrocyte, interactions of NO with hemoglobin and enzymatic reactions that neutralize ROS are expected to prevent the release of any generated NO or ROS. We have, however, demonstrated that partially- oxygenated hemoglobin has a distinct conformation that enhances hemoglobin-membrane interactions involving Band 3 protein. Autoxidation of the membrane bound partially-oxygenated hemoglobin facilitates the release of ROS from the erythrocyte. NO release is made possible when HbNO+, the hemoglobin nitrite-reduced intermediate, which is not neutralized by hemoglobin, is bound to the membrane and releases NO. Some of the released ROS has been shown to be transferred to the vasculature suggesting that some of the released NO may also be transferred to the vasculature. NO is known to have a major effect on the vasculature regulating vascular dilatation. Erythrocyte generated NO may be important when NO production by the vasculature is impaired. Furthermore, the erythrocyte NO released, may play an important role in regulating vascular function under hypoxic conditions when endothelial eNOS is less active. ROS can react with NO and, can thereby modulate the vascular effects of NO. We have also demonstrated an inflammatory response due to erythrocyte ROS. This reflects the ability of ROS to react with various cellular components affecting cellular function.
Principles of Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (DW-MRI) as Applied to Body Imaging

Diffusion of water molecules is the target of diffusion-weighted imaging (DW-MRI), although water mobility in biological systems is a complex process. Diffusion-weighted measurement in the body is frequently performed using Stejskal—Tanner echo-planar imaging experiment. However, in living tissues there are physiologic motions unrelated to diffusion that can mimic diffusion processes and confound in vivo measurements. In particular, the use of low b-values is sensitive to the microcapil-lary perfusion effects within the image voxel. Hence, accurate estimation of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of tissues in the body is dependent on the proper choice of b-values, which, in turn, is influenced by the baseline signal-to-noise and to the target tissue diffusion properties. Body tissues also exhibit true multi-exponential diffusion decay with increasing b-value that is unrelated to false multi-exponential appearance due to perfusion and/or noise. However, very high b-values (e.g. >3,000 s/mm2) are usually required to appreciate this behaviour.
Feasibility of force detection in 3D printed flexible material using embedded sensors

For the past century, developing an understanding of human locomotion has been instrumental in advancing orthopedic medical knowledge and technology. Historically, the field of human gait analysis has relied on force plates to investigate the forces occurring between feet and contacted surfaces. A new thrust in recent years has been to investigate foot contact forces by using specialized force sensing insoles. The medical community has already benefited from initial force sensing insole designs. Despite this technological advancement, the currently existing force sensing insoles are largely “one size fits all.” This presents a challenge for the medical community as an accurate and ergonomic measurement system is not available for patients with special orthopedic needs such as those with flat feet or diabetic ulcers. Introduced here is the potential solution of using soft 3D printed material, called NinjaFlex, to develop custom, ergonomic insoles which possess embedded force sensors for plantar pressure detection. In this paper, groundwork for developing such a custom force sensing insole is laid by investigating the ability to use force sensors embedded into a geometrically simplistic 3D printed structure to detect forces applied to the overall system. Three different force sensors are investigated and their ability to accurately detect force in this configuration is compared. Additionally, a simple model relating sensed force to force applied to the system is developed. The intentions of this work are to verify the feasibility of a custom force sensing insole which further benefits the medical community.
Abstract 3135: ABCD2 Score Can Triage Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) Patients for Hospitalization

Introduction: Following TIA, there is an increased risk for ischemic stroke. Admission to the hospital is advocated for observation, rapid performance of diagnostic tests, and potential acute intervention. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends admission following a TIA for patients with ABCD 2 scores greater than 3. We aimed to determine the relationship between ABCD 2 scores and acute neurologic deterioration (TIA or stroke) during hospitalization. Methods: We reviewed consecutive patients admitted to our institution following a TIA between August 1, 2006 and March 31, 2011. TIA was defined as transient focal neurological symptoms that could be attributed to a specific vascular distribution and lasted Results: Of 251 patients (mean age 64 years; 45% male), the median ABCD 2 score was 4. The majority had motor symptoms (58.6%) and/or speech/language symptoms (51.4%). Diffusion-weighted imaging was abnormal in 25.9%. The median length of stay was 2.0 days. Nine patients (3.6%) had recurrent TIAs or strokes during their stay (6 TIAs and 3 strokes). All 9 had ABCD 2 scores > 3 while no neurologic deterioration occurred in patients with lower scores (5.3% vs. 0%, P = 0.061). Diffusion lesion frequency did not differ between groups. A total of 13 patients (5.2%) required acute revascularization for large vessel stenosis (6 intracranial; 7 extracranial carotid); none were in the group with recurrent events while hospitalized. No patient received intravenous or intra-arterial thrombolysis. ABCD 2 score did not discriminate those requiring acute revascularization from those who did not (P = 0.242) Conclusions: Our findings support the AHA recommendation that TIA patients be considered for hospitalization when ABCD 2 scores > 3 based on a 5% risk of in-hospital deterioration. However, interventions to prevent stroke were equally common in those with low or high ABCD 2 scores. Outpatient evaluation should be considered for those with scores ≤ 3, provided that vascular imaging is performed urgently and treatment can be expedited.
Online density estimation over high-dimensional stationary and non-stationary data streams

Abstract Efficient density estimation over an open-ended stream of high-dimensional data is of primary importance to machine learning. In general, parametric methods for density estimation are not suitable for high dimensions, and the widely used non-parametric methods like kernel density estimation (KDE) method fail for high-dimensional datasets. In this paper we present a framework for density estimation over stationary and non-stationary high-dimensional data streams. It is based on a blockized implementation of the Bayesian sequential partitioning (BSP) algorithm. The proposed framework satisfies the general design criteria for systems with the mission of online machine learning and data mining over data streams.
Walking With Augmented Reality: A Preliminary Assessment of Visual Feedback With a Cable-Driven Active Leg Exoskeleton (C-ALEX)

Visual and force feedback are common elements in rehabilitation robotics, but visual feedback is difficult to provide in over-ground mobile exoskeleton systems. This letter aims to provide a method to integrate visual feedback using an augmented reality HoloLens headset with our mobile C-ALEX system. A preliminary study was carried out to assess the effects of providing force-only (Haptic), force and visual (HoloHapt) or visual (Visual) feedback to three independent groups, each containing eight participants. The groups showed an increase in normalized step height, nSH (HoloHapt: 1.10 $\pm$ 0.13, Haptic: 1.03 $\pm$ 0.23 Visual: 1.61 $\pm$ 0.52) and decreased normalized trajectory tracking error, TE (HoloHapt: 42.8% $\pm$ 23.4%, Haptic: 47.6% $\pm$ 18.4%, Visual: 114 .2 % $\pm$ 60.0 % ). Visual nSH differed significantly from HoloHapt and Haptic nSH ( $p ). Lap-wise normalized tracking error differed significantly ( $p ) within participants. The results show the feasibility of and differences between each form of feedback for overground gait training. This information is useful for future studies targeted at patients with gait impairments.
Anomaly Detection: Under the [data] Hood in Smart Cars

This research focuses on discovering baseline models for driving behavior and vehicle functioning from data in smart cars. This facilitates detection of anomalous behaviors that deviate from such baselines. Human behavioral patterns capture frequent or repeated behaviors of users in the data. Here the data is from smart car sensors which capture driving behaviors as a direct function of how the vehicle responds to the use by drivers. We define models that represent these patterns in vehicle data to associate with the human behaviors for the detection of the anomalous situations in driving. We deal with different scales and resolutions of time where driver behavior is captured. We validate our findings of discovering behavioral baselines with frequent patterns discovered in the data. These computational models for driver behavior can provide baselines as well as help to discern truly adverse incidents. We can also apply these models to identify emerging cyber threats on smart cars.
Thrombosis Risk in Cancer Patients Receiving Red Blood Cell Transfusions.

Patients with cancer have increased risk of thrombosis and often need red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. However, RBC transfusions may also promote thrombosis because of raised hematocrit and viscosity, storage-related RBC damage, and exposure to thrombogenic mediators from obsolescent RBCs. The authors conducted a literature survey for studies examining whether RBC transfusions were associated with increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in cancer patients. In perioperative cancer surgery patients with categorical comparisons of any versus no RBC transfusion, increased risk of VTE with RBC transfusion was found in 11 of 31 studies, 5 by univariate correlation only and 6 in multivariate analysis. All six multivariate-positive studies had intermediate overall rates of thrombosis (1.4–6.0%), and three were in urological surgery series. In the larger studies of > 2,000 patients (range: 2,219–44,656), the maximum odds ratio among the multivariate-positive studies was 1.3. Perioperative RBC transfusion volume was more strongly associated with VTE risk, with a positive association in six of seven studies. One large registry-based study of hospitalized cancer patients, not restricted to the perioperative setting, found an adjusted odds ratio of 1.60 (95% confidence interval: 1.53–1.67) for VTE risk in patients receiving RBCs compared with nontransfused patients.
Doping with multiple cations and failure of charge transfer in large ionized helium droplets.

We report experimental observations of aniline (A) cations and He2+ when aniline is doped into ionized helium droplets. Large droplets containing 108 atoms are bombarded by energetic electrons, resulting in more than one positive charge in one droplet. When aniline encounters the charged droplets, some are ionized via charge transfer, while others can remain neutral in the presence of He2+ when the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) of the droplet is sufficiently large. Upon resonant excitation of the dopant An or An+ (n ≥ 1), He2+ can be ejected. The excitation spectrum of He2+ becomes a juxtaposition of the spectra of An and An+. Moreover, an anticorrelation between the yields of He2+ and A+ is observed with increasing energies of the ionizing electrons. We attribute this result to the combined effect of reduction in m/z of the droplets and the different locations of He2+ and neutral An. Limited by the penetration depths of the ionizing electrons and further assisted by the Coulomb repulsion of coexisting cations, He2+ is located within 20 nm of the surface, while neutral An has an average position inside a large droplet. Upon resonant excitation of the interior An, He2+ is preferentially ejected. With increasing energies of the colliding electrons, the m/z of the droplets are reduced, leading to less effective charge shielding and more effective charge transfer, until ultimately, all He2+ can be neutralized to form A+.
Spintronics (Communication arising): Spin accumulation in mesoscopic systems

In spintronics, in which use is made of the spin degree of freedom of the electron, issues concerning electrical spin injection and detection of electron spin diffusion are fundamentally important. Jedema et al. describe a magneto-resistance study in which they claim to have observed spin accumulation in a mesoscopic copper wire1, but their one-dimensional model ignores two-dimensional spin-diffusion effects, which casts doubt on their analysis. A two-dimensional vector formalism of spin transport2,3 is called for to model spin-injection experiments, and the identification of spurious background resistance effects is crucial.
Versatility, Interdisciplinarity, and Academic Collaboration: Paul Pickowicz’s Insights on Chinese Studies

Paul G. Pickowicz, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History and Chinese Studies and Inaugural Holder of the Endowed Chair in Modern Chinese History from 2007 to 2017 at the University of Califor...