cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Third-party Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improved Human Islet Transplantation in a Humanized Diabetic Mouse Model

Human islet transplantation can be a permanent treatment of type 1 diabetes if the immune rejection and primary nonfunction (PNF) of transplanted islet grafts were properly addressed. In this study, we determined whether cotransplantation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) could prevent immune rejection and improve human islet transplantation in a humanized NOD scid gamma (NSG) mouse model. Human immunity was rebuilt and maintained in NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) mice up to 13 weeks after intraperitoneal injection of mature human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The blood glucose control and the levels of serum insulin and c-peptide clearly indicated a better outcome of islet transplantation when islets were cotransplanted with hBMSCs. hBMSCs actively interacted with interleukin-10 (IL-10)-producing CD14+ monocytes to suppress the proliferation and activation of T cells in the PBMC/hBMSC coculture and prevent the T cell recruitment into the transplantation site. hBMSCs also increased the percentage of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) and prevented the cytokine-induced loss-of-function of human islets. Taken together, our studies demonstrated that transplantation of islets with hBMSCs is a promising strategy to improve the outcome of human islet transplantation.
Climatic and economic drivers of the Bering Sea walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) fishery: implications for the future

This paper illustrates how climate, management, and economic drivers of a fishery interact to affect fishing. Retrospective data from the Bering Sea walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) catcher–...
Preconditioned Second-Order Multi-Point Passive Model Reduction for Electromagnetic Simulations

A second-order multi-point Krylov subspace projection based model order reduction process for electromagnetic simulations is presented. The electromagnetic setup is converted to a second-order model-susceptance element based equivalent circuit. The state-space representation of this equivalent circuit is suitably reduced through a model order reduction process, where the recursive calculation of the projection matrix is done through a preconditioned iterative method. Issues concerning the passivity of the reduced system are discussed. The single-point and multi-point schemes are validated through numerical examples. The second-order multi-point algorithm for the reduction process is shown to be advantageous in matching response curves exhibiting complex behavior.
Hidden in plain sight: bias towards sick patients when sampling patients with sufficient electronic health record data for research

To demonstrate that subject selection based on sufficient laboratory results and medication orders in electronic health records can be biased towards sick patients. Using electronic health record data from 10,000 patients who received anesthetic services at a major metropolitan tertiary care academic medical center, an affiliated hospital for women and children, and an affiliated urban primary care hospital, the correlation between patient health status and counts of days with laboratory results or medication orders, as indicated by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification (ASA Class), was assessed with a Negative Binomial Regression model. Higher ASA Class was associated with more points of data: compared to ASA Class 1 patients, ASA Class 4 patients had 5.05 times the number of days with laboratory results and 6.85 times the number of days with medication orders, controlling for age, sex, emergency status, admission type, primary diagnosis, and procedure. Imposing data sufficiency requirements for subject selection allows researchers to minimize missing data when reusing electronic health records for research, but introduces a bias towards the selection of sicker patients. We demonstrated the relationship between patient health and quantity of data, which may result in a systematic bias towards the selection of sicker patients for research studies and limit the external validity of research conducted using electronic health record data. Additionally, we discovered other variables (i.e., admission status, age, emergency classification, procedure, and diagnosis) that independently affect data sufficiency.
Frequency of eNOS polymorphisms in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease

Background Sickle cell disease has variable expression which is not fully explained by the single somatic mutation or different variants of hemoglobin S. Polymorphisms in the eNOS gene may modify disease severity and help to explain both the vascular complications and variable responses to hydroxyurea that occur in patients with sickle cell disease. Methods 41 pediatric patients with sickle cell disease were genotyped for eNOS polymorphisms as part of a larger protocol in which they are enrolled. Genotypes for the Glu298Asp variants in exon 7, variants in the 5'-flanking region (5'FR), and VNTRs in intron 4 were determined by PCR using minor modification of the method reported by Tanus-Santos et al. (Pharmacogenetics 2001; 11:719–725). Results The frequency distributions of the data are in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (see Table). For exon 7, 56% of subjects were wild-type, 39% were heterozygous, and 5% were variant genotype. For the 5' flanking region, 70% of subjects were wild-type, 27.5% were heterozygous, and 2.5% were variant genotype. Finally, for intron 4, 44% of subjects were wild-type, 37% were heterozygous, and 19% were variant genotype. Conclusions We report for the first time the frequencies of eNOS polymorphisms in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease and present results for the 5'FR which are significantly different from dbSNP (p=0.011) as performed by the Z-test (assumes normal distribution). Associations between eNOS polymorphisms and disease severity are currently being explored. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P16–P16; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.11.065 Table 1. SNP Summary Comparison of our results with reported data from NCBI's db SNP database and the Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base (PharmGKB) SNP Summary a Source= dbSNP (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/SNP) b Source= Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base (PharmGKB) (http://www.pharmgkb.org) SNP region 5′FR Intron 4 Exon 7 db SNP rs# cluster id rs1549758 n/a rs1799983 Base pair change T/C VNTR G/T Functional change Synonymous Unknown Glu Asp db SNP Reported Allele Frequency (%)A 70.2/29.8 n/a 76.3/23.7 dbSNP sample size 117 n/a 218 Pharm GKB Reported Allele Frequency (%)B 64.9/35.1 77.5/22.5 77.1/22.9 PharmGKB sample size 94 516 516 Allele Frequency (%) this study 84.2/14.6 62.2/37.8 75.6/24.2 Sample size this study 41 41 41
Advances in imaging fission neutrons with a neutron scatter camera

Special nuclear material (SNM) emits high energy radiation during active and passive interrogation. This radiation can be imaged thus allowing visualization of shielded and/or smuggled SNM. Lower backgrounds and higher penetration through hi-Z materials make neutrons the preferred detectable in many scenarios. We have developed a neutron scatter camera that directly images fast fission neutrons from SNM sources while simultaneously measuring energy spectra. We have made many significant advances in the design and implementation of such instruments leading to an over 30 fold improvement in sensitivity. We will present results from our detector including analysis techniques that we have developed for neutron imaging and particle discrimination techniques. We will discuss camera calibration and performance under realistic threat detection scenarios, and future prospects in this field.
New methods for inferring population dynamics from microbial sequences

The reduced cost of high throughput sequencing, increasing automation, and the amenability of sequence data for evolutionary analysis are making DNA data (or the corresponding amino acid sequences) the molecular marker of choice for studying microbial population genetics and phylogenetics. Concomitantly, due to the ever-increasing computational power, new, more accurate (and sometimes faster), sequence-based analytical approaches are being developed and applied to these new data. Here we review some commonly used, recently improved, and newly developed methodologies for inferring population dynamics and evolutionary relationships using nucleotide and amino acid sequence data, including: alignment, model selection, bifurcating and network phylogenetic approaches, and methods for estimating demographic history, population structure, and population parameters (recombination, genetic diversity, growth, and natural selection). Because of the extensive literature published on these topics this review cannot be comprehensive in its scope. Instead, for all the methods discussed we introduce the approaches we think are particularly useful for analyses of microbial sequences and where possible, include references to recent and more inclusive reviews.
Right ventricular infarction with electrocardiographic anterior left ventricular infarction and thrombosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery

Abstract At necropsy, right ventricular (RV) myocardial infarction secondary to coronary artery disease is observed only in patients with left ventricular (LV) infarction involving the LV posterior (inferior) wall. 1,2 The implication of this observation, of course, is that patients with electrocardiographic evidence of anterior wall LV infarction are spared from RV infarction. Although few reports describing patients with anatomically confirmed RV infarction have illustrated an electrocardiogram, 1–4 it is likely that more than 95% of patients with RV infarction have electrocardiographic evidence of posterior (inferior) LV infarction only. An occasional patient with electrocardiographic evidence of anterior wall myocardial infarction, however, has RV infarction. How can this be? The answer, demonstrated in the patient described herein, is: If the electrocardiogram indicates anterior wall LV infarction, but necropsy also shows RV infarction, the LV infarction in the basal third or so of the LV free wall is limited to the anterior LV free wall with or without involvement of the anterior portion of ventricular septum or lateral LV free wall or both; in the mid or apical third, or both, of the LV wall, however, the LV infarct is circumferential, or nearly so, such that the posterior (inferior) LV wall and posterior portion of ventricular septum indeed is infarcted. The RV infarct then represents an extension from the posterior portion of the ventricular septum.
Progress in time-domain calculations of ducted fan noise - Multigrid acceleration of a high-resolution CAA scheme

The numerical simulation of an aeroacoustics problem using the full, time-dependent Euler or Navier-Stokes equations requires both the mean and unsteady flow fields. Sometimes the mean flow is equivalent to the steady state flow and used to start the unsteady solution process. In this case, both the steady and unsteady flow fields have to be obtained through the same numerical method, so that the restart process is smooth and no spurious waves are generated. However, due to its low dissipation and consequently slow convergence, a high-resolution computational aeroacoustics scheme is not suitable for computing the steady flow field. In this paper, such a scheme is accelerated to convergence, without altering its residual, by using a full approximation storage multigrid method for the prediction of ducted fan noise. It is demonstrated that significant convergence improvements axe obtained using the multigrid method, making it possible to attain steady state solutions on extremely fine meshes designed for highfrequency radiation problems. Far-field noise results for a JT15D inlet are presented and compared with data at realistic flight configurations.
2-Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin Raises Hearing Threshold in Normal Cats and in Cats With Niemann-Pick Type C Disease

2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPbetaCD) is a promising experimental therapy for Niemann-Pick type C disease that improved intracellular cholesterol transport, substantially reduced neurodegeneration and hepatic disease, and increased lifespan in npc1 mice. On the basis of favorable treatment outcome in mice, HPbetaCD is being evaluated as a therapy in children with Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease. We evaluated the efficacy of HPbetaCD in the feline model of NPC disease and recognized a dose-dependent increase in hearing threshold associated with therapy as determined by brain stem auditory evoked response (BAER) testing. To further assess the effect of HPbetaCD on hearing threshold, normal cats were administered the drug s.c. at either 4000 mg/kg or 8000 mg/kg body weight, or intrathecally at a dose of 4000 mg/kg brain weight. HPbetaCD caused a significant increase in hearing threshold following one dose of 8000 mg/kg s.c. or 120 mg intrathecally, and the effect was maintained for at least 12 weeks. Repeated weekly s.c. administration of 4000 mg/kg HPbetaCD resulted in a similar increase in hearing threshold. These studies are the first to describe a specific negative effect of HPbetaCD on the auditory system and suggest the need for auditory testing in patients receiving similar doses of HPbetaCD.
Advances in manganese-oxide ‘composite’ electrodes for lithium-ion batteries

Recent advances to develop manganese-rich electrodes derived from ‘composite’ structures in which a Li2MnO3 (layered) component is structurally integrated with either a layered LiMO2 component or a spinel LiM2O4 component, in which M is predominantly Mn and Ni, are reviewed. The electrodes, which can be represented in two-component notation as xLi2MnO3·(1 − x)LiMO2 and xLi2MnO3·(1 − x)LiM2O4, are activated by lithia (Li2O) and/or lithium removal from the Li2MnO3, LiMO2 and LiM2O4 components. The electrodes provide an initial capacity >250 mAh g−1 when discharged between 5 and 2.0 V vs. Li0 and a rechargeable capacity up to 250 mAh g−1 over the same potential window. Electrochemical charge and discharge reactions are followed on compositional phase diagrams. The data bode well for the development and exploitation of high capacity electrodes for the next generation of lithium-ion batteries.
Computation of Induced Drag for 3D Wing with Volume Integral (Trefftz Plane) Technique

distribution over a finite wing throughout a typical aircraft mission for minimizing lift – induced drag. Our ultimate goal requires extracting accurate and robust calculations of induced drag from the numerical solutio ns. We compare computational fluid dynamics numerical results for an untwisted, finite rectangular wing (NACA 00 12 , AR = 6.7 ) using no flap deflections against theoretical lifting line results. A comparison of the numerical and lifting -line lift distributi ons, under flow conditions representing Mach 0.3 – 0.7 subsonic and transonic flows at small angle s of attack, shows good agreement with a maximum deviation of only 2.4% over the wing span. The i naccuracies associated with the common surface integral meth od of calculating drag and the inability to isolate induced drag from other drag components prompted our approach of us ing a wake integral method. The numerical solution of the Euler equations demonstrate s successful implementation of the wake integral met hod via a Trefftz Plane analysis of the induced drag. We also present an initial effort to identify and to quantify the numerical uncertainties associated with the simulation .
Theoretical status of {epsilon}{prime}/{epsilon}

The author gives a detailed introduction into the theoretical formalism for {epsilon}{prime}/{epsilon}, which measures direct CP-violation in K {yields} {pi}{pi} decays. The current status of hadronic matrix elements and the strange quark mass is discussed. Several possible explanations of the unexpectedly high experimental results for {epsilon}{prime}/{epsilon} are pointed out: A small strange quark mass, an enhancement of the hadronic parameter B{sub 6}{sup (1/2)} from the {sigma} resonance, an underestimate of isospin breaking and possible new physics contributions in the {bar s}dZ-vertex and the {bar s}d-gluon-vertex.
First trimester cystic hygroma: does early detection matter?

Objective To describe the association of abnormal outcomes with fetal cystic hygroma detected when crown-rump length measures less than 45 mm, and to compare them to outcomes among fetuses with cystic hygroma detected when crown-rump length measures 45-84 mm. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of fetuses with first trimester nuchal cystic hygroma from 2005 to 2015. Results A total of 212 fetuses were included. Abnormal karyotype was found in 20 of 46 (43.4%) fetuses with cystic hygroma detected when crown-rump length measured below 45 mm, compared to 108 of 148 (73%) fetuses with cystic hygroma detected at crown-rump lengths of 45-84 mm (p = 0.001). There were no differences in rates of major structural anomaly (27% vs 36%; p = 0.53) or pregnancy loss (23% vs 7%; p = 0.22) among fetuses with normal karyotype. Those with cystic hygroma diagnosed at crown-rump lengths below 45 mm were more likely to have a normal neonatal outcome compared to cases diagnosed with crown-rump lengths of 45-84 mm (25% vs 11%; p = 0.02). Conclusion Cystic hygroma detected when crown-rump length measures below 45 mm have lower rates of chromosomal abnormalities and a higher proportion of normal birth outcomes when compared to those detected later in the first trimester. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A comparison of cell-wall-yielding properties for two developmental stages of Phycomyces sporangiophores : Determination by in-vivo creep experiments.

The yielding properties of the cell wall, irreversible wall extensibility (m) and yield threshold (Y), are determined for stage I sporangiophores of Phycomyces blakesleeanus from in-vivo creep experiments, and compared to the values of m and Y previously determined for stage IVb sporangiophores using the same pressureprobe method (Ortega et al., 1989, Biophys. J. 56, 465). In either stage the sporangiophore enlarges (grows) predominately in length, in a specific region termed the “growing zone”, but the growth rates of stage I (5–20 urn · min−1) are smaller than those of stage IVb (30–70 μm · min−1). The results demonstrate that this difference in growth rate is the consequence of a smaller magnitude of m for stage I sporangiophores; the obtained values of P (turgor pressure), Y, and P-Y (effective turgor for irreversible wall extension) for stage I sporangiophores are slightly larger than those of stage IVb sporangiophores. Also, it is shown that the magnitude of m for the stage I sporangiophore is regulated by altering the length of the growing zone, Lg. A relationship between m and Lg is obtained which can account for the difference between values of m determined for stage I and stage IVb sporangiophores. Finally, it is shown that similar changes in the magnitude of m and ϕ (which have been used interchangeably in the literature as a measure of irreversible wall extensibility) may not always represent the same changes in the cell-wall properties.
The Influence of Carbohydrate-Feeding and Insemination on Oviposition of an Indiana Strain of Aedes Vexans (Diptera: Culicidae)

The oviposition behavior of an Indiana strain of Aedes vexans (Meigen) was studied in relation to the effects rarbohydrate-feeding and insemination. Oviposition of inseminated and virgin Ae. vexans was compared at 2 levels of availability of a 10% sucrose solution. Both insemination and frequency of carbohydrate-feeding markedly influenced oviposition, as measured by several parameters. Inseminated females oviposited on 4 or 5 different days during the first 17 after a single human blood meal, whereas virgins averaged only 3 ovipositions. Virgins commenced oviposition 1–2 days later than inseminated females. Carbohydrate-starved females deposited about 49 eggs per oviposition. Females allowed to ingest sucrose during the gonotrophic cycle deposited approximately 22 eggs per oviposition. When sucrose was continuously available, virgins and inseminated females deposited 35% and 61%, respectively, of the eggs developed. Carbohydrate-starved mosquitoes laid 87–90% of their eggs regardless of mating condition. The effects of sucrose ingestion and insemination were also reflected in the proportion of females failing to oviposit. Ingestion of a honey solution inhibited oviposition in a manner similar to that of sucrose. Virginity and ingestion of carbohydrate enhanced survival of Ae. vexans , but carbohydrate diet and insemination had no influence on the number of eggs developed by the females.
Silicon-29 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Silicon Ethoxide and Titanium Ethoxide Sols: Resonance Assignments and Solution Stability

Silicon-29 NMR spectroscopy has been widely applied to characterize the development of molecular complexity of silicon alkoxide sols. In the present study, the progression of molecular complexity of partially hydro-lyzed/condensed tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) sols with increasing H2O/TEOS ratio is demonstrated by the study of a carefully prepared set of solutions. Intriguing trends in the 29si NMR spectra of increasingly hydro-lyzed sols are discussed. In an set of samples, TEOS is replaced in part by tetraethoxytitane, Ti(OEt)4 (TEOT). The effects on the 29Si NMR spectrum due to the presence of TEOT are presented and interpreted in terms of changes in the distribution of siloxane monomers and oligomers in solution. Preliminary data on the stability of these solutions with time are reported.
Ann Diamond on an Unlimited Constitutional Convention

Ann Diamond has argued that, unless it is called by all the states, a convention held under Article V of the Constitution of the United States would be limited to proposing piecemeal changes. Diamond's arguments are flawed. The power of the states to call a convention to propose amendments is coequal with the power of Congress to propose amendments and is subject to only one explicit limitation. The Convention of 1787 was not attended by all the states, and it did not delimit two types offuture conventions. Diamond's analysis reflects extreme notions of individual state sovereignty that lack historical support and would, in any event, unduly hobble the states as a whole.
Ureaplasma Urealyticum and Infertility: The Effect of Different Antibiotic Regimens on the Semen Quality

AbstractObjective criteria of semen quality were evaluated in 243 men treated for Ureaplasma urealyticum genital tract infection with 1 of 4 different antibiotic regimens. Significant improvement was observed in motility, quantity, quality, and percentages of oval and small forms. Doxycycline, whether used for 2 or 4 weeks, at a dosage of 100mg. twice daily resulted in the same cure rate (79 and 81 per cent, respectively). Tetracycline regimens of 500mg. 3 times daily for 2 or 4 weeks had significantly inferior cure rates (17 and 55 per cent, respectively). These findings suggest that antibiotic therapy could be valuable in improving semen quality when Ureaplasma is isolated, and that followup culture for the organism should decide the endpoint in therapy, since resistant strains for doxycycline and tetracycline are emerging.
Multiple Personality in Childhood

Case vignettes illustrate examples of childhood multiple personality disorder, and treatment modalities are described. Guidelines for possible prevention through early diagnosis are offered, as well as two predictor lists for diagnosis--one written by the author and one developed by Dr. Putnam.
Teaching about sexual minorities: an Iowa experience

Despite greater social acceptance of sexual minorities and growing national support for equal medical care, disparities in healthcare access persist. Medical school curricula allot limited time to sexuality education and students’ perceptions. Combining the topics of sexual response and sexual minority healthcare may perpetuate the misconception that lesbianism and transgender identity are deviations from normal sexual functioning. We comment on teaching about sexual minority healthcare at our medical school and argue for a review of medical educator preparation and existing curricula.
FLASH protects ZEB1 from degradation and supports cancer cells' epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

Cancer metastasis remains a significant challenge and the leading cause of cancer-associated deaths. It is postulated that during metastasis cells undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process characterized by loss of cell–cell contacts and increased migratory and invasive potential. ZEB1 is one the most prominent transcriptional repressors of genes associated with EMT. We identified caspase-8-associated protein 2 (CASP8AP2 or FLASH) as a novel posttranscriptional regulator of ZEB1. Here we demonstrate that FLASH protects ZEB1 from proteasomal degradation brought by the action of the ubiquitin ligases SIAH1 and F-box protein FBXO45. As a result, loss of FLASH rapidly destabilized ZEB1 and reversed EMT cellular characteristics. Importantly, loss of FLASH blocked transforming growth factor-β-induced EMT and enhanced sensitivity to chemotherapy. Thus, we propose that FLASH–ZEB1 interplay may be a protective mechanism against ZEB1 degradation in cells undergoing EMT and may be an efficacious target for therapies aimed to block EMT progression.
Acute Exacerbations and Lung Function Loss in Smokers with and without Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Rationale: Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) increase the risk of death and drive healthcare costs, but whether they accelerate loss of lung function remains controversial. Whether exacerbations in subjects with mild COPD or similar acute respiratory events in smokers without airflow obstruction affect lung function decline is unknown.Objectives: To determine the association between acute exacerbations of COPD (and acute respiratory events in smokers without COPD) and the change in lung function over 5 years of follow-up.Methods: We examined data on the first 2,000 subjects who returned for a second COPDGene visit 5 years after enrollment. Baseline data included demographics, smoking history, and computed tomography emphysema. We defined exacerbations (and acute respiratory events in those without established COPD) as acute respiratory symptoms requiring either antibiotics or systemic steroids, and severe events by the need for hospitalization. Throughout the 5-year follo...
Reconsidering the Word Memory Test as a Memory Measure in Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined relationships among traumatic brain injury (TBI) severity, the Word Memory Test (WMT), and California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT-II). METHOD: Participants (N = 104) passed WMT validity indices and were categorized by TBI severity on the basis of medical records. Outcome measures included norm-referenced scores on the CVLT-II and WMT. RESULTS: Participants grouped by TBI severity significantly differed on the CVLT-II but not WMT. Post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) significantly correlated with the CVLT-II but not WMT. In a non-medicolegal sample subset (N = 61), TBI severity groups significantly differed on CVLT-II and WMT FR; PTA significantly correlated with the CVLT-II and WMT FR. CVLT-II impairment groups differed on all WMT variables. Participants grouped by neuroimaging findings differed on CVLT-II but not WMT. WMT FR predicted two-level TBI severity using logistic regression but did not contribute in a model including the CVLT-II. CONCLUSION: Overall, WMT memory subtests appeared less sensitive to TBI severity than the CVLT-II.© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected]/* */ Language: en
Sponsorship of National Health Organizations by Two Major Soda Companies.

Introduction Obesity is a pervasive public health problem in the U.S. Reducing soda consumption is important for stemming the obesity epidemic. However, several articles and one book suggest that soda companies are using their resources to impede public health interventions that might reduce soda consumption. Although corporate sponsorship by tobacco and alcohol companies has been studied extensively, there has been no systematic attempt to catalog sponsorship activities of soda companies. This study investigates the nature, extent, and implications of soda company sponsorship of U.S. health and medical organizations, as well as corporate lobbying expenditures on soda- or nutrition-related public health legislation from 2011 to 2015. Methods Records of corporate philanthropy and lobbying expenditures on public health legislation by soda companies in the U.S. during 2011–2015 were found through Internet and database searches. Results From 2011 to 2015, the Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo were found to sponsor a total of 95 national health organizations, including many medical and public health institutions whose specific missions include fighting the obesity epidemic. During the study period, these two soda companies lobbied against 29 public health bills intended to reduce soda consumption or improve nutrition. Conclusions There is surprisingly pervasive sponsorship of national health and medical organizations by the nation’s two largest soda companies. These companies lobbied against public health intervention in 97% of cases, calling into question a sincere commitment to improving the public’s health. By accepting funding from these companies, health organizations are inadvertently participating in their marketing plans.
Dawn's Mission at Ceres

Dawn is NASA's ninth Discovery class mission. The Dawn spacecraft was designed to orbit both the giant asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres in succession, a mission only made possible by the high efficiency of ion propulsion. While the same spacecraft visited both bodies, the mission planning and maneuver execution at the two bodies were necessarily very different. The mission at Vesta benefited from at least three functioningreaction control wheels. At Ceres, all maneuvering and coasting during transfers was done without reaction wheel control due to the loss of the second of four wheels while departing Vesta. Loss of the second wheel made conserving attitude control propellant (hydrazine) critical to achieving mission success at Ceres. To save hydrazine, avoiding unnecessary coasting and attitude turns became essential during the interplanetary cruise to Ceres and for all transfers once at Ceres. In contrast, operations at Vesta did not need to avoid coasting. Operating at Ceres requires being farther from the Sun. Greaterheliocentric distances (approaching 3 AU (Astronomical Units) make Dawn's attitude control constraints while maneuvering more restrictive as a result of reduced control authority.
OP179: Outcomes of immunocompromised patients with SCC of the oral cavity – A case controlled study at the University of Minnesota

Introduction Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common cancer of the head and neck with an overall high morbidity, high mortality and relative few therapeutic options. Immunosupression has generally been thought to lead to a poorer outcome however to date no study has validated this hypothesis. This study is a single institution case controlled retrospective study examining the influence of immunosuppression on the development of oral cavity SCC with treatment and prognostic influence. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of the tumor registry within the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from 2008 to present. Inclusion criteria were any patients with a history of autoimmune disease, lymphatic malignancies, history of requirement for BMT and other systemic comorbities that lead to immunosuppression like uncontrolled diabetes. Exclusion parameters were patients below the age of 18 years of age. Results Chart from the head and neck cancer clinic from 2008 to 2012 were reviewed and 19 patients out of 156 patients met the inclusion criteria. Only patients with SCC of the oral cavity were included. There was no difference in the differentiation level or perineural/angiolymphatic involvement between the two groups. The recurrence rate of patients with immunosuppression was higher when compared to controls (35% for immunosuppression compared to 9% for controls). The depth of the tumors at initial staging was greater than 3 mm for 79% of patients who were immunocompromised compared to only 48% for controls. Conclusions Immunocompromised patients do seem to have a more aggressive tumor compared to controls. Despite no difference in the histological grade of the tumor, patients who are immunocompromised do have a higher recurrence rate and therefore a poorer overall survival compared to control patients. The depths of these tumors are greater in the immunocompromised group and possibly lead to distant disease, which compromises their overall survival. Further studies in the molecular immunobiology of the disease are needed to better understand this disease process.
Speech and language interventions for infants aged 0 to 2 years at high risk for cerebral palsy: a systematic review.

Aim We evaluated the level of evidence of speech, language, and communication interventions for infants at high-risk for, or with a diagnosis of, cerebral palsy (CP) from 0 to 2 years old. Method We performed a systematic review of relevant terms. Articles were evaluated based on the level of methodological quality and evidence according to A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines. Results The search terms provided 17 publications consisting of speech or language interventions. There were no interventions in the high level of evidence category. The overall level of evidence was very low. Promising interventions included Responsivity and Prelinguistic Milieu Teaching and other parent–infant transaction frameworks. Interpretation There are few evidence-based interventions addressing speech, language, and communication needs of infants and toddlers at high risk for CP, and none for infants diagnosed with CP. Recommendation guidelines include parent–infant transaction programs.
D-band Dicke-radiometer in 90 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology

This paper presents the design and characterization results of a calibrated passive radiometer (Dicke-radiometer) operating in the D-band frequency range and realized in an advanced 90 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology. A single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch is presented, utilizing PIN diodes, with a measured insertion loss of 2 dB and an isolation of 20 dB at 140 GHz. The LNA provides a gain of 30 dB with 3 dB bandwidth of 28 GHz and minimum noise figure of 6.2 dB. The square-law power detector achieves responsivity of 14.5 kV/W and noise equivalent power (NEP) <1.5 pW/VHz. The complete receiver attain peak responsivity of 8.6 MV/W and temperature resolution of 0.22 K (30 mS integration time) with 40 mW power consumption.
HPC I/O in the Data Center Workshop (HPC-IODC)

Many public and privately funded data centers host supercomputers for running large scale simulations and analyzing experimental and observational data.
The Triumph of BEPS: US Tax Reform and the Single Tax Principle

The Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TRA17) as passed by the House on November 16 and by the Senate on December 2, 2017, contains multiple provisions that incorporate the principles of the OECD/G20 Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) into domestic US tax law. Together with the changes in the 2016 model US tax treaty, these provisions mean that the US is following the EU and China in implementing BEPS and in particular its underlying principle, the single tax principle (i.e., all income should be subject to tax once: passive income at the residence state rate and active income at a minimum source tax rate). This represents a triumph for the G20/OECD and is incongruent with the generally held view that the US will never adopt BEPS.
Charge Exchange X-Ray Emission due to Highly Charged Ion Collisions with H, He, and H2: Line Ratios for Heliospheric and Interstellar Applications

The fundamental collisional process of charge exchange (CX) has been established as a primary source of X-ray emission from the heliosphere, planetary exospheres, and supernova remnants. In this process, X-ray emission results from the capture of an electron by a highly charged ion from a neutral atom or molecule, to form a highly excited, high-charge state ion. As the captured electron cascades down to the lowest energy level, photons are emitted, including X-rays. To provide reliable CX-induced X-ray spectral models to realistically simulate these environments, line ratios and spectra are computed using theoretical CX cross sections obtained with the multi-channel Landau-Zener, atomic-orbital close-coupling, molecular-orbital close-coupling, and classical trajectory Monte Carlo methods for various collisional velocities relevant to astrophysics. X-ray spectra were computed for collisions of bare and H-like C to Al ions with H, He, and H2 with results compared to available experimental data. Using these line ratios, XSPEC models of CX emission in the northeast rim of the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant and the heliosphere are shown as examples with ion velocity dependence.
Theory of marketplace morality and impoverished consumers

Morality related to the marketplace has been studied in interdisciplinary contexts as well as the marketing and consumer behavior domains. This research has resulted in prescriptions and proscripti...
PD-L1 expression in inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is a rare mesenchymal tumor occurring at many anatomic sites, with a predilection for children and young adults. Often indolent, they can be locally aggressive and can metastasize, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic options are often limited. The identification of underlying kinase mutations has allowed the use of targeted therapy in a subset of patients. Unfortunately, not all tumors harbor mutations and resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy is a potential problem. We hypothesized that these tumors may be amenable to PD-L1 therapy given the immune nature of the tumor. PD-L1 expression in inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors has not yet been defined. The purpose of this study was to explore PD-L1 expression in inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors, as adaptive PD-L1 expression is known to enrich for response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies. Expression of PD-L1 (clone SP142) was assessed in 35 specimens from 28 patients. Positivity was defined as membranous expression in ≥5% of cells and evaluated separately in tumor and immune cells. Adaptive vs. constitutive patterns of tumor cell PD-L1 expression were assessed. PD-L1 status was correlated with clinicopathologic features. CD8+ T cell infiltrates were quantified by digital image analysis. ALK status was assessed by immunohistochemistry and/or FISH. Twenty-four (69%) tumors had PD-L1(+) tumor cells and 28 (80%) showed PD-L1(+) immune cells. Most recurrent and metastatic tumors (80%) and ALK(−) tumors (88%) were PD-L1(+). Adaptive PD-L1 expression was present in 23 (96%) of PD-L1(+) tumors, which also showed a three–four fold increase in CD8+ T cell infiltration relative to PD-L1(−) tumors. Constitutive PD-L1 expression was associated with larger tumor size (p = 0.002). Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors show frequent constitutive and adaptive PD-L1 expression, the latter of which is thought to be predictive of response to anti-PD-1. These data support further investigation into PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in this tumor type.
Performance of Skew Reinforcing in Inverted-T Bridge Caps:

Inverted-T bridge caps (ITBCs) have been widely used in most bridges in Texas in recent years. In some typical cases, the bridge caps are skew when two roads are not aligned in a perpendicular mann...
An online framework for diagnosis of multiple defects in scan chains

We propose a novel and effective online method for performing diagnosis of scan chains with the physical defective circuits in the loop. We first apply flush tests to determine the faulty chains and their corresponding fault types. Then, we generate new patterns using an evolutionary algorithm and quickly analyze the responses to perform diagnosis. We are able to achieve an average of 70% and 37% improvement in the diagnosis quality for the segmented and non-segmented scan chains respectively, as compared to a state-of-the-art offline industry tool, when 0 to 7 faults were randomly inserted in each scan chain. Our method does require additional tester time, which may be preferred to the computational, setup and overhead costs of the offline diagnosis, especially during the yield learning process.
Causal inference with rare events in large-scale time-series data

Large-scale observational datasets are prevalent in many areas of research, including biomedical informatics, computational social science, and finance. However, our ability to use these data for decision-making lags behind our ability to collect and mine them. One reason for this is the lack of methods for inferring the causal impact of rare events. In cases such as the monitoring of continuous data streams from intensive care patients, social media, or finance, though, rare events may in fact be the most important ones-signaling critical changes in a patient's status or trading volume. While prior data mining approaches can identify or predict rare events, they cannot determine their impact, and probabilistic causal inference methods fail to handle inference with infrequent events. Instead, we develop a new approach to finding the causal impact of rare events that leverages the large amount of data available to infer a model of a system's functioning and evaluates how rare events explain deviations from usual behavior. Using simulated data, we evaluate the approach and compare it against others, demonstrating that it can accurately infer the effects of rare events.
Proceedings of the ACM SIGCOMM workshop on Practice and theory of incentives in networked systems

It is a great pleasure to welcome you all to the ACM SIGCOMM 2004 Workshops!We are pleased to present an outstanding program consisting of four workshops: (1) Future Directions in Network Architecture (FDNA); (2) Network and System Support for Games (NetGames); (3) Practice and Theory of Incentives in Networked Systems (PINS); and (4) Network Troubleshooting: Research, Theory, and Operations Practice Meet Malfunctioning Reality (NetTs).Workshops were first introduced as a part of the ACM SIGCOMM week-long Data Communications Festival in 2003 to enhance the ACM SIGCOMM conference technical program; this is the second year for this effort. In response to the call for proposals, we received 6 workshop proposals, 4 of which were accepted. FDNA, the highly successful workshop from 2003, is repeated for the second year. This is the first year for NetGames, PINS, and NetTs; a key feature of all of these workshops is their outreach to other communities. NetGames -- organized for the first time in conjunction with the ACM SIGCOMM conference -- brings together multimedia and gaming community with networking; PINS (organized in collaboration with ACM SIGecom) crosses the boundaries between economics, game theory, and networking; and NetTs exposes challenges in network operations to networking researchers.Organizing such a diverse set of workshops requires a great deal of effort and organization and I want to thank all the members of the SIGCOMM 2004 organizing committee and several volunteers who made it possible. I would like to thank Craig Partridge, Jennifer Rexford, John Wroclawski, and Jim Kurose for their suggestions and help in soliciting exciting workshop proposals. I also thank the SIGCOMM 2004 organizing committee, and in particular, Raj Yavatkar, Jennifer Rexford, Chris Edmondson-Yurkanan and Joe Touch for all the support and guidance they provided throughout the workshop organization process. The local arrangements for the workshops are a result of efforts of Wu-chang Feng. Prashant Chandra, Andreas Terzis, Marcel Waldvogel, and Allyn Romanow handled the web pages, registration, and publicity for the workshops.
Validity of the screener and opioid assessment for patients with pain-revised (SOAPP-R) in patients with cancer.

Objective: To determine the utility of the screener and opioid assessment for patients with pain-revised (SOAPP-R) for patients with cancer-related pain. Design: The authors performed a retrospective analysis of cancer patients screened with the SOAPP-R. Opiate abuse was determined using a combination of urine drug screens and analysis of patients’ electronic medical records. Setting/Patients: Patients who were seen at a palliative care clinic presenting with pain or needing an opioid prescription at an academic medical center with any type of cancer were screened using the SOAPP-R (N = 69). Outcome measures: Aberrant opioid-related behavior was determined using a combination of provider notes and urine drug screens. Results: A positive SOAPP-R score ( ≥ 18) was observed in 27 participants (39.1 percent). The sensitivity and specificity of the SOAPP-R in the study population was 0.75 and 0.80, respectively. Conclusions: The SOAPP-R, in its current form, may have value in screening patients with cancer for substance abuse. Incorporation of the screening tool in palliative and oncology settings may help reduce opioid abuse in cancer patients.
Real or surreal: A pilot study on creative idea generation in MR vs. VR : Anonymous*

The present pilot study examined collaborative creativity in virtual and mixed reality. Comparing equivalent mixed and virtual reality environments, we explored whether different environments can potentially influence users’ creative production when asked to generate new ideas on water and energy sparing. We adopted the Linkography approach to evaluate participants creative performance by assessing not only the final brainstorming output but also the step-by-step processes of forming ideas [2]. We looked at both participants’ individual ideas (i.e., node) and their relationships with former ideas (i.e., link). Our results demonstrated participants generated more ideas, and more unique ideas, when they were in the VR condition. Implication and avenues for future work are discussed accordingly.
Sorption of Benzene, 2-Butanone, and Chloroform by Polybutadiene and its Copolymers with Polystyrene at 298.15 K Using a Quartz-Crystal Microbalance

Solubilities of benzene, 2-butanone, and chloroform in polybutadiene (PBD) and three PBD and polystyrene (PS) copolymers at 298.15 K are reported in this paper. Mass fraction data are collected usi...
Controlled detonation initiation in hypersonic flow

Abstract Experimental evidence of controlled detonation initiation and propagation in a hypersonic flow of premixed hydrogen-air is presented. This controlled detonation initiation is created in a hypersonic facility capable of producing a Mach 5 flow of hydrogen-air. Flow diagnostics such as high-speed schlieren and OH* chemiluminescence results show that a flame deflagration-to-detonation transition occurs as a combined result of turbulent flame acceleration and shock-focusing. The experimental results define three new distinct regimes in a Mach 5 premixed flow: deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT), unsteady compressible turbulent flames, and shock-induced combustion. A two-dimensional implicit-LES (ILES) simulation, which solves the compressible, reactive Navier-Stokes equations on an adapting grid is conducted to provide additional insight into the local physical mechanism of detonation transition and propagation.
The United Nations and higher education: peacebuilding, social justice, and global cooperation for the 21st century: by Kevin Kester, Charlotte, IAP-Information Age Publishing, 2020, 227 pp., US$ 45.99 (paperback), US$ 85.99 (hardback), ISBN 978-1-64802-054-4

The United Nations and higher education: peacebuilding, social justice, and global cooperation for the 21st century is a collection of previously published articles from the author’s PhD dissertati...