cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The influence of hydrocarbon composition and exposure conditions on jet fuel-induced immunotoxicity

Chronic jet fuel exposure could be detrimental to the health and well-being of exposed personnel, adversely affect their work performance and predispose these individuals to increased incidences of infectious disease, cancer and autoimmune disorders. Short-term (7 day) JP-8 jet fuel exposure has been shown to cause lung injury and immune dysfunction. Physiological alterations can be influenced not only by jet fuel exposure concentration (absolute amount), but also are dependent on the type of exposure (aerosol versus vapor) and the composition of the jet fuel (hydrocarbon composition). In the current study, these variables were examined with relation to effects of jet fuel exposure on immune function. It was discovered that real-time, in-line monitoring of jet fuel exposure resulted in aerosol exposure concentrations that were approximately one-eighth the concentration of previously reported exposure systems. Further, the effects of a synthetic jet fuel designed to eliminate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were also examined. Both of these changes in exposure reduced but did not eliminate the deleterious effects on the immune system of exposed mice.
Sensitivity Analysis of a Tightly-Coupled GPS/INS System for Autonomous Navigation

The work presented here empirically analyzes the design of the tightly-coupled position, velocity, and attitude estimator used as a feedback signal for autonomous navigation in a large scale robot driving in urban settings. The estimator fuses GNSS/INS signals in an extended square root information filter (ESRIF), a numerically-robust implementation of an extended Kalman filter (EKF), and was used as the basis for Cornell University's 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge robot, "Skynet." A statistical sensitivity analysis is conducted on Skynet's estimator by examining the changes in its behavior as critical design elements are removed. The effects of five design elements are considered: map aiding via computer vision algorithms, inclusion of differential corrections, filter integrity monitoring, Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) augmentation, and inclusion of carrier phases; the effects of extensive signal blackouts are also considered. Metrics of comparison include the statistical differences between the full solution and variant; the Kullback-Leibler divergence; and the average and standard deviation of the position errors, attitude errors, and filter update discontinuities.
Assessing Sleep Disorders in the Hispanic Patient

Evaluating sleep disorders in Hispanics is complicated by the scarcity of culture-specific sleep research, the diversity among Hispanics, and the effect of acculturation. Abnormal sleep is emerging as an important risk factor for cardiovascular, metabolic, and mental disease. Hispanics may be at greater risk for sleep disorders due to their high prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, all of which may be worsened by acculturation. The history and physical remains the cornerstone for the evaluation of sleep disorders. Several validated sleep questionnaires can be used as adjuncts to assess sleep health. Physiologic measurements of sleep are available to diagnose sleep disorders in those presenting with sleep complaints and for research in normal populations. It is recommended that culturally competent practitioners perform the initial clinical assessment and sleep recording, since these studies are often viewed as invasive. More research is needed to better understand the sleep health of US Hispanics.
Nitric Oxide Regulates Mitochondrial Fatty Acid Metabolism Through Reversible Protein S-Nitrosylation

Cysteine S-nitrosylation is a posttranslational modification by which nitric oxide regulates protein function and signaling. Studies of individual proteins have elucidated specific functional roles for S-nitrosylation, but knowledge of the extent of endogenous S-nitrosylation, the sites that are nitrosylated, and the regulatory consequences of S-nitrosylation remains limited. We used mass spectrometry-based methodologies to identify 1011 S-nitrosocysteine residues in 647 proteins in various mouse tissues. We uncovered selective S-nitrosylation of enzymes participating in glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation, indicating that this posttranslational modification may regulate metabolism and mitochondrial bioenergetics. S-nitrosylation of the liver enzyme VLCAD [very long chain acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) dehydrogenase] at Cys(238), which was absent in mice lacking endothelial nitric oxide synthase, improved its catalytic efficiency. These data implicate protein S-nitrosylation in the regulation of β-oxidation of fatty acids in mitochondria.
Location Cloaking for Safety Protection of Ad Hoc Networks

Location information is crucial to design efficient and scalable ad hoc networks, yet the exposure of such information presents them significant safety threats. This paper investigates the problem of preventing an adversary from locating (and thus destroying) nodes based on their location information revealed explicitly in communications. Our idea is to reduce location resolution to achieve a desired level of safety protection. We define the safety level of a geographic region to be the ratio of its area and the number of nodes inside it. The higher safety level a region has, the less attractive for an adversary to search over it for the nodes. Thus, when a node has to disclose its location, it can compute a cloaking box that meets a desired level of safety requirement and report that as its current location information. Although the basic idea is simple, there are several challenges to implement it. First, each cloaking box must be as small as possible in order to minimize the impact of reduced location resolution on the efficiency of network operating and applications. Second, nodes must be able to compute their cloaking boxes without having to reveal their accurate position. Finally, given a sequence of cloaking boxes, they must not be correlated to refine an area whose safety level is less than the required. This paper addresses these challenges with cost-effective solutions in the context of both stationary and mobile ad hoc networks. Our extensive performance evaluation indicates that our proposed technique is efficient in node safety protection, and does not have a significant impact on the performance of networks and applications. Index Terms-Location safety, Location cloaking, ad hoc networks.
A doubly deprotonated diimine dioximate metalloligand as a synthon for multimetallic complex assembly

An electrocatalytically active cobalt diimine monoxime monoximate complex was deprotonated by 1-methylimidazole affording a doubly deprotonated complex that serves as a versatile precursor for synthesis of a variety of multimetallic complexes with Co–Zn, –Cd, –Mn and –Ru coordination. These complexes were studied using a combination of spectroscopic, analytical and electrochemical techniques, revealing the electronic and structural parameters unique to this new class of compounds. The ability of these complexes to catalyze proton reduction was also investigated. These complexes are homogeneous electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction through reduction of [NEt3H][BPh4] in CH3CN, however decompose under extended electrolysis conditions.
VOC enhancement in polymer solar cells with isobenzofulvene–C60 adducts

Abstract We report the use of isobenzofulvene–C60 adducts in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells, synthesized via the [4 + 2] cycloaddition of C60 with an in situ generated isobenzofulvene intermediate. The LUMO energy levels of these adducts are 20–180 meV higher than that of PCBM ([6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester). This large increase of the LUMO level is attributed to cofacial π-orbital interactions between the fullerene surface and the isobenzofulvene π–system (aromatic ring and double bond). Raised LUMO levels of fullerenes, together with their desirably slow recombination dynamics, led to higher open-circuit voltages (VOC) in bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells (up to 0.75 V for bisadducts) relative to cells tested in parallel using the well-known PCBM as the fullerene acceptor. In addition to enhanced VOC, the short-circuit current densities (JSC) were improved in the devices containing the epoxide analogs of the isobenzofulvene–C60. Notably the epoxide derivative of the monoadduct (IBF–Ep) exhibited ∼20% enhancement of power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to reference P3HT:PCBM solar cells. A combination of optical and electronic methods was used to investigate the origin of the PCE enhancement observed with these new fullerene acceptors with particular attention to the increased VOCs.
O05.5 A Longitudinal Study of the Vaginal Microbiota and HPV Detection

Background The vaginal microbiota can be clustered into six community state types (CSTs): 4 are dominated by Lactobacillus iners, L. crispatus, L. gasseri, L. jensenni , and 2 lack significant numbers of Lactobacillus spp. (termed CST IV-A and IV-B). CST IV-A is characterised by a diverse assemblage of strict anaerobes, while CST IV-B has higher proportions of the genera Atopobium, Gardnerella, among others. We sought to describe the relationship between vaginal microbiota and human papillomavirus (HPV) detection. Methods Thirty-two reproductive-age women self-collected mid-vaginal swabs twice-weekly for 16 weeks (n = 937 samples). Participants reported behaviours on daily diaries. Vaginal bacterial communities were characterised by pyrosequencing of barcoded 16S rRNA genes (V1-V2 region). Each swab was tested for 37 types of HPV DNA using the Roche HPV Linear Array genotyping test. The effects of CSTs on the rate of transition between HPV-negative and HPV-positive states were assessed using continuous-time Markov models. Additive mixed effects logistic regression and additive mixed effects Poisson models were used to model high risk HPV (hrHPV) and count of HPV types, respectively, with normalised menstrual cycle time. Results Participants had an average of 29 (range 25–33) samples tested for HPV, with point prevalence ranging from 58 to 77% and 16-week period prevalence of 84%. CST was significantly associated with changes in HPV status (p L. gasseri -dominated CSTs had the fastest HPV remission rate (HPV-positive to no detection) and CST IV-B had the slowest rate compared to L. crispatus -dominated CSTs (adjusted transition rate ratio (aTRR):7.58, 95% CI: 1.77–32.42 and aTRR:0.31, 95% CI: 0.09–1.05, respectively). Detection of hrHPV and count of different HPV types were highest in the middle of the menstrual cycle. Conclusion Vaginal microbiota dominated by L. gasseri were associated with increased clearance of detectable HPV. A mid-cycle increase in HPV detection suggests a role for sex hormones in modulating latent infection.
Mourning the Loss of a Pet

In this paper the author explores the process of mourning as experienced by bereaved pet owners. Losing a pet is an agonizing experience. It was expected that the process of mourning for a pet loss...
Cooperative heteroassembly of the adenoviral L4-22K and IVa2 proteins onto the viral packaging sequence DNA.

Human adenovirus (Ad) is an icosahedral, double-stranded DNA virus. Viral DNA packaging refers to the process whereby the viral genome becomes encapsulated by the viral particle. In Ad, activation of the DNA packaging reaction requires at least three viral components: the IVa2 and L4-22K proteins and a section of DNA within the viral genome, called the packaging sequence. Previous studies have shown that the IVa2 and L4-22K proteins specifically bind to conserved elements within the packaging sequence and that these interactions are absolutely required for the observation of DNA packaging. However, the equilibrium mechanism for assembly of IVa2 and L4-22K onto the packaging sequence has not been determined. Here we characterize the assembly of the IVa2 and L4-22K proteins onto truncated packaging sequence DNA by analytical sedimentation velocity and equilibrium methods. At limiting concentrations of L4-22K, we observe a species with two IVa2 monomers and one L4-22K monomer bound to the DNA. In this specie...
Plerixafor is safe and efficacious for mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells in pediatric patients.

Background Chemotherapy followed by filgrastim is the most common strategy used to mobilize autologous peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) for high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. Unfortunately, this method does not always lead to adequate PBSC collection in heavily treated patients with relapsed malignancies or if multiple transplants are required. Plerixafor, a hematopoietic stem cell mobilizer that inhibits the CXCR4 chemokine receptor and blocks binding of its cognate ligand, stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α), has been shown to be safe and efficacious in the mobilization of autologous PBSC in adults. Despite its use in adults, little evidence exists to support its use in children. Study design and methods We report a retrospective review of 16 consecutive pediatric patients receiving plerixafor as part of their mobilization regimen at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. All patients but one were given 0.24 mg/kg dose of plerixafor and the median number of plerixafor doses received was two (range, one to four doses). One patient received higher doses of plerixafor. Results An adequate number of CD34+ cells were obtained in 14 of 16 patients (87.5%). The median number of CD34+ cells collected for patients who reached collection goal was 6 × 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg (range, 1.6 × 10(6) -12.4 × 10(6) /kg). No acute adverse events were noted to be attributable to plerixafor administration. Conclusion Our findings suggest that plerixafor use in children is safe and efficacious for the mobilization of autologous PBSCs in subjects with relapsed malignancies or requiring stem cells for multiple transplants.
Serum antioxidant activity as a determinant of pulmonary dysfunction in cigarette smokers.

Cigarette smoking is a significant risk factor for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and the primary etiology of COPD in smokers is presumably a pulmonary protease-antiprotease imbalance.1 Oxidants in cigarette smoke2,3 and those generated by activated phagocytes4 have both been shown to inactivate the pulmonary antiproteases. This cross-sectional study examined the effects of smoking on total serum antioxidant activity (AOA), the components of peripheral blood which contributed to this AOA, and the relationships between AOA and smoking history or pulmonary dysfunction.
MULTIMEDIAL UNITS AND LANGUAGES: VERBAL AND NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the way by which a formal description of simultaneous communication events and actions occurring in everyday life can be incorporated into one system. The analysis presented in the chapter concerns the communication carried out simultaneously on several media such as verbal medium, accompanied by gestures or other body movements, facial expressions, and so on. The analysis concerns languages regarded as classes of admissible strings of multimedial units and syntactic aspects of such multidimensional languages are also discussed. Such a language also determines languages on each medium separately, and the actions on various media are interrelated. The chapter discusses the global properties of semantics of multimedial languages, particularly to problems of expressibility of certain meanings in situations where some of the media are excluded from use. It also presents a possible approach to defining weights of actions for a given meaning and their possible empirical determinations.
Abstract P633: Low Serum Vitamin D is Associated with Greater Impairment in Autonomic Function upon Head Up Tilt in Children with Orthostatic Intolerance

In previous work we identified a group of children (n = 48) between the ages of 10-18 years whose diagnostic workup for chronic nausea unexplained by conventional diagnostic tests revealed that 60% had underlying cardiovascular instability (n = 30) presenting as orthostatic intolerance (OI). The OI could be sub-classified based on head up tilt (HUT) testing into three groups: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), orthostatic hypotension (OH) and syncope. Children with OI in all three groups had a greater reduction in autonomic control upon HUT manifested as greater loss of baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and heart rate variability (HRV) and higher norepinephrine levels compared to those in the non OI group. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with impaired vascular responses to vasoconstrictors and alterations in autonomic control mechanisms in adults. In this study we sought to determine if vitamin D level is lower in these pediatric OI subjects and if it correlates with the hemodynamic responses to tilt. Serum 25(OH)D tended to be lower in OI vs non OI (18.6 ± 0.7 ng/ml, n = 25, vs 22.2 ± 2.4 ng/ml, n = 15; p = 0.16). Most importantly 25(OH)D showed a high positive correlation with supine measures of BRS (seq ALL, R = 0.51, p = 0.05), HRV (rMSSD, R = 0.44, p = 0.02) only in the OI group and there was a trend for a negative correlation with sympathovagal balance ( LF/HF ratio: R =-0.35, p = 0.08). Low 25(OH)D correlated with greater loss of both BRS (R = 0.51, p = 0.01) and HRV (R = 0.44, p = 0.05) upon HUT. These findings support the concept that low vitamin D may contribute to impaired responses to tilt in OI subjects. Further work is needed to evaluate if vitamin D supplementation will improve the vascular and hemodynamic responses to tilt and help improve the OI symptoms. Our goal is to provide a safer therapeutic alternative for the treatment of OI in children.
Meaningful Effect Sizes, Intraclass Correlations, and Proportions of Variance Explained by Covariates for Planning Two- and Three-Level Cluster Randomized Trials of Social and Behavioral Outcomes

Background:There is a need for greater guidance regarding design parameters and empirical benchmarks for social and behavioral outcomes to inform assumptions in the design and interpretation of cluster randomized trials (CRTs).Objectives:We calculated the empirical reference values on critical research design parameters associated with statistical power for children’s social and behavioral outcomes, including effect sizes, intraclass correlations (ICCs), and proportions of variance explained by a covariate at different levels (R2).Subjects:Children from kindergarten to Grade 5 in the samples from four large CRTs evaluating the effectiveness of two classroom- and two school-level preventive interventions.Measures:Teacher ratings of students’ social and behavioral outcomes using the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation–Checklist and the Social Competence Scale–Teacher.Research design:Two types of effect size benchmarks were calculated: (1) normative expectations for change and (2) policy-relevant dem...
Sensor Data Distribution With Robustness and Reliability: Toward Distributed Components Model

In planetary surface exploration mission, sensor data distribution is required in many aspects, for example, in navigation, scheduling, planning, monitoring, diagnostics, and automation of the field tasks. The challenge is to distribute such data in the robust and reliable way so that we can minimize the errors caused by miscalculations, and misjudgments that based on the error data input in the mission. The ad-hoc wireless network on planetary surface is not constantly connected because of the nature of the rough terrain and lack of permanent establishments on the surface. There are some disconnected moments that the computation nodes will re-associate with different repeaters or access points until connections are reestablished. Such a nature requires our sensor data distribution software robust and reliable with ability to tolerant disconnected moments. This paper presents a distributed components model as a framework to accomplish such tasks. The software is written in Java and utilized the available Java Message Services schema and the Boss implementation. The results of field experimentations show that the model is very effective in completing the tasks.
Exposures to arsenite and methylarsonite produce insulin resistance and impair insulin-dependent glycogen metabolism in hepatocytes.

Environmental exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) has been shown to disturb glucose homeostasis, leading to diabetes. Previous laboratory studies have suggested several mechanisms that may underlie the diabetogenic effects of iAs exposure, including (i) inhibition of insulin signaling (leading to insulin resistance) in glucose metabolizing peripheral tissues, (ii) inhibition of insulin secretion by pancreatic β cells, and (iii) dysregulation of the methylation or expression of genes involved in maintenance of glucose or insulin metabolism and function. Published studies have also shown that acute or chronic iAs exposures may result in depletion of hepatic glycogen stores. However, effects of iAs on pathways and mechanisms that regulate glycogen metabolism in the liver have never been studied. The present study examined glycogen metabolism in primary murine hepatocytes exposed in vitro to arsenite (iAs3+) or its methylated metabolite, methylarsonite (MAs3+). The results show that 4-h exposures to iAs3+ and MAs3+ at concentrations as low as 0.5 and 0.2 µM, respectively, decreased glycogen content in insulin-stimulated hepatocytes by inhibiting insulin-dependent activation of glycogen synthase (GS) and by inducing activity of glycogen phosphorylase (GP). Further investigation revealed that both iAs3+ and MAs3+ inhibit insulin-dependent phosphorylation of protein kinase B/Akt, one of the mechanisms involved in the regulation of GS and GP by insulin. Thus, inhibition of insulin signaling (i.e., insulin resistance) is likely responsible for the dysregulation of glycogen metabolism in hepatocytes exposed to iAs3+ and MAs3+. This study provides novel information about the mechanisms by which iAs exposure impairs glucose homeostasis, pointing to hepatic metabolism of glycogen as one of the targets.
The Role of Technology on Preparing Students with Language-Based Learning Differences for Transition to Public High Schools

Though the post-secondary transition process for Students with Disabilities is a major concern in the United States, preparation for this transition from K-12 schooling to college and career starts takes place during the transition from K-8 to 9-12 grades (Balfanz, 2009; Akos & Galassi, 2004; Phelan, Yu, & Davidson, 1994). In this tone, one of the main concerns for students with language-based learning differences who attend specialized private K-8 schools is the ability to transition to general education public high schools.
Memory For Experience

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses two types of retrieval strategies: instantiation strategies, which construct and elaborate contexts for search, and executive strategies, which guide the search for and within alternate contexts. Strategy application depends on three types of knowledge being present in memory: (1) context-to-context relationships, (2) component-to-component relationships, and (3) relationships between the types of components and the contexts for search. The retrieval process presented in the chapter depends on memory's organization providing discriminability among items. There are a number of important differences between the programs EPAM and CYRUS in their organization, encoding, and retrieval processes. EPAM functions primarily as a model of perception rather than a general long-term memory. CYRUS has more contextual information available to use both in storing items in memory and in retrieving them. Schemata are the knowledge structures used to represent the generic concepts stored in memory; they summarize the components, relationships, and attributes of the specific exemplars they are abstracted from.
INITIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF AN AMPLIATIVE NUCLEOSIDE ISOLATED FROM HUMAN DIALYZABLE LEUKOCYTE LYSATE

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the ampliative effect, on mouse spleen cells, of isolated components of human dialyzable leukocyte lysate (DLL) 24 h after injection into KLH-sensitive mice. In a study described in the chapter, sequential Sephadex G-25 and Bio-Gel P-4 chromatography of DLL separated three distinct ampliative and two suppressive fractions. Further purification of one of the ampliative fractions by high-pressure, reverse phase, liquid chromatography (HPLC) resulted in the isolation of a molecule capable of augmenting the proliferative response to KLH by spleen cells of recipient mice. Partial elucidation of the chemical structure of this amplifier by proton-nuclear magnetic resonancespectroscopy and low-resolution mass spectrometry indicated a nucleoside structure similar to—but possibly distinct— thymidine. As the results indicate that a nucleoside structure is capable of amplifying the proliferative response to antigen, it would be interesting to study the immunomodulatory effects of other nucleosides. The demonstration of a comparable ampliative effect with either native thymidine or a known derivative of thymidine, however, would not establish the structural identity of δ component.
On the significance of contract-based typestate specification

The programmers utilize APIs provided by frameworks and libraries to avoid reinventing the wheel and API specifications aid them to fully understand and adequately use these APIs. This paper introduces "contract-based typestate specifications", a new kind ofspecification for documenting programs. Prior work has focused on two kinds of specifications, namely behavioral and temporal specifications. These specifications either target the constraints of API method invocations or, the usage order of API methods to ensure normal behavior. Consequentially, these two types of specifications are treated independently. Another challenge for these state-of-art specifications lies in the form of limited expressiveness to the designers’ intention, as these are unable to demonstrate all the valid choices under same or different constraints. Contract-based typestate specifications capture the essence of behavioral and temporal specifications, yet provide better understanding and ensure valid API usage as required by context, thus providing flexibility of usage.
Facilitating Student Success: The Role of Open Educational Resources in Introductory Psychology Courses:

Open Educational Resources (OER) remove barriers to access instructional material. In light of their increased availability and use, a body of research has emerged to examine the impact of OER on c...
Three-Axis Tilt for Articulated Profiler

Profiles of water density, current, temperature and other properties are valuable for understanding coastal processes and deep-sea mixing. The energy needed for a profiler obtaining such observations is a significant limit on the duration of a deployment. If the profiler itself is made nearly neutrally buoyant it can rise and sink with less expenditure of energy. The shape of the body can be made streamlined and when rising, the body can be tipped to point upward. Likewise, when descending, the body can point downward. While this saves energy, proper current profiles require that the tilt be measured with great precision. A low-power solution to this need uses a second two-axis linear accelerometer mounted 90° to the standard tilt sensor and permits a third linear acceleration measurement to augment the standard two-axis measurement when the range of the standard tilt exceeds 70°. Correction and adjustments to this simple solution are addressed in this paper.
Electrical impedance-based characterization of electrostatic suppression of the Leidenfrost state

A drop of liquid will levitate on its own vapor on a sufficiently hot surface (the Leidenfrost effect). Application of an electric field across the vapor gap suppresses the Leidenfrost state by electrostatically attracting liquid towards the surface. This study highlights and quantifies the statistical nature of wetting during electrostatic suppression via electrical impedance characterization of Leidenfrost pools under electrostatic suppression. The influence of the electric field, surface superheat, and size of the Leidenfrost pool on the wetted area is studied. High-speed measurements (0.01 s resolution) indicate that the wetted area is not constant during electrostatic suppression, but instead fluctuates. This technique can also be used to study the onset of suppression. Interestingly, we identify two distinct threshold voltages required to initiate periodic and continuous electrostatic suppression, respectively. The dependence of these voltages on surface superheat and the frequency of the applied AC waveform is studied. Together, these results enable an in-depth understanding of electrostatic suppression and highlight the benefits of impedance-based characterization towards understanding the Leidenfrost effect.
Adequacy of negative binomial models for managing safety on rural local roads.

Abstract Count models, such as negative binomial regression, are well-established statistical methods for analyzing road safety. Although count models are widely used for arterial roads, their application to rural local roads is sparse, partly due to the concern of possible estimation bias caused by low crash counts. This paper revisits the matter to further evaluate the suitability of negative binomial models for rural local roads with low crash frequencies, comparing the performance of the model to probabilistic regression (ordered probit) proposed in the past. The negative binomial model was estimated to predict crashes for rural local intersections and compared to predictions obtained from the ordered probit model. Bivariate versions of both models were applied to improve model efficiency by incorporating correlation between two severity outcomes, fatal/injury (FI) and property damage only (PDO) crashes. The estimated models included several significant variables with intuitive signs. These results are discussed in the paper to support the claim that both models are adequate. Furthermore, the cumulative sums of the model-predicted and observed crashes conditioned on the estimated effects were compared to detect any systematic bias in the results. Although both models showed similar performance and no obvious biases could be detected, the negative binomial model seemed to behave slightly better than the ordered probit model, demonstrating the model’s suitability in the analyzed case. The results point to the possibility of applying the Highway Safety Manual methodology to lower-volume county roads with focus shifted from individual high-crash locations to safety-deficient road features present at multiple locations.
Neural networks as a critical level of description for cognitive neuroscience

With the success of artificial neural network models in machine learning has come a renewed interest in the possibility that neural networks can be used as scientific models for understanding the function of real neural systems. When similar questions initially arose in the 1980’s and ‘90’s, the many discrepancies between artificial and natural neural systems contributed to the widespread view that neural network models were not biologically plausible, and hence of limited utility for understanding real neural systems. The current paper suggests, to the contrary, that such models capture a level of description isomorphic to that adopted by two essential tools in cognitive neuroscience: functional brain imaging and connectivity analysis. Recognizing this concordance allows neural network models to serve as conceptual bridges between hypotheses about neuro-cognitive mechanisms and the structural and neurophysiological measurements that are the raw stuff of cognitive neuroscience. To illustrate these points, the paper reviews four different ways in which neural network models are reshaping our understanding of the neural systems that support human semantic memory.
Use of modified Brisson's operation(V-shaped incision) in treating buried penis

Objective To determine the effectiveness of modified Brisson method (V-shaped incision) as a new surgical treatment method for the buried penis.Methods From February 2009 to December 2010,34 patients with buried penis underwent the modified Brissors operation.At first,the penis was stretched by incising the stricture ring and degloved.And then,the frenulum was trimmed and sutured.Lastly,a V-shape incision was made at ventral side of penis,the dysplastic fibrotic tissue was excised and the fascia at the ventaral side of penis fixed.Results The operative time ranged from 40 min to 60 min.The follow-up period was for between 6～9 months.The appearance of penis was satisfactory in 30 patients.1 patient had sub-optimal result because of underlying obesity.Conclusions Modified Brisson's operation(V-shaped icision) has the advantages of less trauma and satisfactory appearance.It should be recommended as an ideal operation to treat buried penis in children. Key words: Buried penis; Urologic surgical procedures; Brisson method
Continence outcomes following a modification of the Mitchell bladder neck reconstruction in myelomeningocele: A single institution experience.

Summary Background Many surgical procedures have been developed to improve continence in myelomeningocele patients. Our modification of the Mitchell bladder neck reconstruction involves removal of a diamond-shaped wedge of the anterior bladder neck, tubularization of the bladder neck and urethra to increase outlet resistance, and addition of a bladder neck autologous fascial sling. Objective We aimed to evaluate rates of continence and re-operation in children with myelomeningocele undergoing this Modified Mitchell bladder neck reconstruction. Study design We retrospectively identified children with myelomeningocele having undergone bladder neck reconstruction at our tertiary care referral center from 2012 to 2016. Results We identified twelve patients with myelomeningocele undergoing this modified bladder neck reconstruction with sling, four female and eight male, median age at the time of surgery was 7 years old. After initial bladder neck reconstruction with sling only 33% were dry. All patients with bothersome leakage after reconstruction underwent bladder neck bulking. Two patients of twelve (17%) ultimately underwent bladder neck closure and achieved dryness. 58% of patients ultimately achieved continence (Summary Figure). Discussion Our modification of the bladder neck reconstruction with autologous fascial sling showed midterm rates of incontinence near 60%, with initial post-operative continence at 33%. Our patients, however, required higher rates of reoperation (43%) than previous results would suggest (27%). The first line of re-treatment was bladder neck bulking, but this showed low success. While this procedure is minimally invasive and safe, reasonable expectations of efficacy should be established with families when offering this option. Two patients (17%) required bladder neck closure to achieve dryness. While bladder neck closure is often considered a procedure of last resort, both of these patients were immediately dry. Perhaps bladder neck closure should be considered earlier in our algorithm of surgical continence. Conclusion Our rates of continence with the Modified Mitchell bladder neck reconstruction with a fascial sling were similar to prior bladder neck reconstructions. We did find higher rates of reoperation, and further modifications are warranted to continue to improve continence after surgical procedures in the myelomeningocele population. Select cases may warrant early consideration of bladder neck closure. Download : Download high-res image (139KB) Download : Download full-size image Summary Figure . The fate of the Modified Mitchell bladder neck reconstruction with sling.
In adults with hypertension, more- vs. less-intensive BP-lowering treatment reduces orthostatic hypotension.

SOURCE CITATION Juraschek SP, Hu JR, Cluett JL, et al. Effects of intensive blood pressure treatment on orthostatic hypotension: a systematic review and individual participant-based meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2020. [Epub ahead of print.] 32909814.
Phage Therapy for Mycobacterium Abscessus and Strategies to Improve Outcomes

Members of Mycobacterium abscessus complex are known for causing severe, chronic infections. Members of M. abscessus are a new "antibiotic nightmare" as one of the most resistant organisms to chemotherapeutic agents. Treatment of these infections is challenging due to the either intrinsic or acquired resistance of the M. abscessus complex to the available antibiotics. Recently, successful phage therapy with a cocktail of three phages (one natural lytic phage and two engineered phages) every 12 h for at least 32 weeks has been reported against a severe case of the disseminated M. abscessus subsp. massiliense infection, which underlines the high value of phages against drug-resistant superbugs. This report also highlighted the limitations of phage therapy, such as the absence of lytic phages with a broad host-range against all strains and subspecies of the M. abscessus complex and also the risk of phage resistant bacteria over treatment. Cutting-edge genomic technologies have facilitated the development of engineered phages for therapeutic purposes by introducing new desirable properties, changing host-range and arming the phages with additional killing genes. Here, we review the available literature and suggest new potential solutions based on the progress in phage engineering that can help to overcome the present limitations of M. abscessus treatment.
Truth, Generalizations, and Stigmas: An Analysis of the Media's Coverage of Morris Brown College and Black Colleges Overall:

A content analysis of the media’s coverage of Morris Brown College’s situation suggests that the media have made and continues to make generalizations about Black colleges based on the faults of a few. These generalizations call into question the very existence of Black colleges. Although news reports began with appropriate questions about the leadership, financial stability, fundraising ability, and quality of the board of trustees at Morris Brown, they quite frequently attributed the institution’s problems to Black colleges as a whole. Comments Truth, Generalizations, and Stigmas: An Analysis of the Media's Coverage of Morris Brown College and Black Colleges Overall by Gasman, Marybeth The Review of Black Political Economy, vol. 34, no. 1-2, pp. 111-147, June 2007 The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com, DOI: 10.1007/s12114-007-9001-z This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/gse_pubs/196 TRUTH, GENERALIZATIONS, AND STIGMAS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE MEDIA’S COVERAGE OF MORRIS BROWN COLLEGE AND BLACK COLLEGES OVERALL
Patient-specific high tibial osteotomy for varus malalignment: 3D-printed plating technique and review of the literature

We report our experience with a 3D patient-specific instrument (PSI) in an opening-wedge tibial osteotomy for the correction of varus malalignment in a patient with prior anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Previous studies have not reported the use of 3D PSI in patients with prior knee surgeries. A pre-operative CT was used to create a 3D model of the lower extremity using Bodycad Imager. The pre-operative medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), lateral distal femoral ankle, hip-knee-ankle (HKA), and tibial slope were calculated. The Bodycad Osteotomy software package was used to create a simulated osteotomy and correction. The resulting 3D patient-specific surgical guide and plate were used to conduct the high tibial osteotomy. Radiographic measurements and range of motion were evaluated at 6-week follow-up. The arthroscopy and open portions of the procedure were performed in 65 min, with only three fluoroscopy shots taken intraoperatively. At 6-week follow-up, the patient had 125° of flexion and minimal pain. The angular correction of the bone was achieved within 1.9° (planned MPTA 91.9° vs. actual 90°); the HKA angle was achieved with an error of 0.7° (planned 2.4° vs. actual 1.7°); and there was no change in the posterior tibial slope (planned 13.5° vs 13.8° actual). Three-dimensional PSI can be successfully used for the accurate and efficient correction of varus malalignment while accommodating pre-existing hardware, with good short-term clinical outcomes.
Guideline adherence for risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy among diverse women with BRCA mutations at an urban public hospital

Objectives: Rates of referral to genetic counseling are low for women of color and lower socioeconomic status, and these women are underrepresented in studies examining decisional factors related to uptake of risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (rrBSO) in patients with pathogenic BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. To address this gap in the literature, our objective is to report adherence to evidence-based guidelines for rrBSO recommendation and uptake among BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers at an urban, public academic center whose population is racially and socioeconomically diverse, and to identify any association of sociodemographic variables with rrBSO uptake. Methods: This is an IRB-approved retrospective cohort study of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers eligible for rrBSO by NCCN guidelines presenting from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2019. Demographic and clinical data were collected from electronic medical records. Zip codes and census data were used as surrogate determinants for neighborhood exposure to poverty, unemployment, food security and violent crime. Differences between groups were determined by Chi-square analyses and associations determined by logistic regression modeling. Results: The study population was made up of 167 eligible patients, 39% of whom were Black (n=65), 35% Caucasian (n=59), 19% Hispanic (n=32), and 7% self-identified as ‘other’ race. Less than 5% of patients reported known Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. Approximately half carried either BRCA1 (51%, n=86) or BRCA2 (46%, n=77) mutations (unspecified BRCA mutation, n=4). Over 95% (n=159) received the recommendation for age-appropriate rrBSO, and 52% (n=87) underwent the surgery. Women who had rrBSO were older, with 56% being 50 years or older at the time of the study (n=49), compared to 35% in the group who had not undergone the surgery (n=28, p=0.0058). There were no other differences between groups (Table 1). Black race (OR 3.70, 95% CI 1.02 - 13.46) was associated with uptake of rrBSO, as were lower rates of unemployment (continuous OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.03 - 1.35), and documented recommendation for rrBSO (OR 56.01, 95% CI 3.42 - 917.43). There was no significant association between rrBSO uptake and mutation type, age, parity, insurance type, level of education, neighborhood poverty, food security or violent crime, personal history of breast cancer, or family history of ovarian or other BRCA-related cancers. Download : Download high-res image (348KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the majority of BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers at an urban, public hospital received the recommendation for age-appropriate rrBSO. Black race and lower unemployment were associated rrBSO uptake. Genetic counseling was associated with adherence to evidence-based guidelines for the recommendation, as well as patients’ odds of having the surgery. Future qualitative studies will report decisional factors in this diverse population.
Design and Construction of a Pulse Line Ion Accelerator for Biomedical Applications

A pulse line ion accelerator (PLIA) has been developed at the Anschutz Medical Campus for biomedical science applications. Time domain electromagnetic field and particle-in -cell simulations were used to optimize the accelerator structure. Simulation results indicate PLIA is capable of supporting a travelling electric field wave with speeds up to 107 m/s and gradients in excess of 2 MV/m when driven by a 400 MW, 50 ns (half-period) pulse generator. Based on these simulations, a 1.6 m prototype accelerator structure has been built. Testing of the structure using a 33 MW pulse generator (25 kV, 100 ns) has commenced and capacitive measurement of the travelling electric field wave indicates good agreement with simulation results. Trade-offs in the PLIA and pulser design as well as the feasibility of using a fast PLIA structure for N -13 production will be discussed.
Continual cerebrospinal fluid sampling in the neonatal domestic piglet for biomarker and discovery studies

Background Longitudinal access to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is useful for biomarker discovery in neurological disorders or diseases affecting CSF composition. Here, we aim to test a new method for insertion of a permanent intrathecal catheter, facilitating longitudinal collection of CSF. New method We surgically placed a permanent intrathecal catheter into the cisterna magna of anesthetized neonatal piglets. The thecal sac was accessed at the L5-S1 spinal level and a radiopaque catheter was inserted under fluoroscopic x-ray guidance to position the tip at the cisterna magna. A titanium access port was connected to the catheter and anchored subcutaneously. Immediately after surgery, we confirmed CSF flow through the catheter and port via needle aspiration. Catheter patency over a two-month study period was determined through periodic CSF collection from the port. Results Frequent (up to 3 times weekly), longitudinal sampling of CSF was achievable in neonatal piglets up to 60 days after implantation. CSF was readily accessible through the port without major adverse events. Catheterized piglets demonstrated slower, but normal, weight gain compared to control piglets. Post-operative complications were managed with standard access precautions and medications. There were no complications involving the implanted hardware. Comparison with existing method(s) This method fills a critical gap in the existing methods for longitudinal CSF sampling through an implanted intrathecal catheter system in neonatal piglets. Conclusions This novel method is both safe and effective for longitudinal CSF access in the domestic piglet. Catheter patency and access to CSF is maintained over multiple months without major adverse events.
Patient-reported benefit from proposed interventions to reduce financial toxicity during cancer treatment.

Financial toxicity is common and pervasive among cancer patients. Research suggests that gynecologic cancer patients experiencing financial toxicity are at increased risk for engaging in harmful cost-coping strategies, including delaying/skipping treatment because of costs, or forsaking basic needs to pay medical bills. However, little is known about patients’ preferences for interventions to address financial toxicity. Cross-sectional surveys to assess financial toxicity [Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST)], cost-coping strategies, and preferences for intervention were conducted in a gynecologic cancer clinic waiting room. Associations with cost-coping were determined using multivariate modeling. Unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) explored associations between financial toxicity and intervention preferences. Among 89 respondents, median COST score was 31.9 (IQR: 21–38); 35% (N = 30) scored < 26, indicating they were experiencing financial toxicity. Financial toxicity was significantly associated with cost-coping (adjusted OR = 3.32 95% CI: 1.08, 14.34). Intervention preferences included access to transportation vouchers (38%), understanding treatment costs up-front (35%), minimizing wait times (33%), access to free food at appointments (25%), and assistance with minimizing/eliminating insurance deductibles (23%). In unadjusted analyses, respondents experiencing financial toxicity were more likely to select transportation assistance (OR = 2.67, 95% CI: 1.04, 6.90), assistance with co-pays (OR = 9.17, 95% CI: 2.60, 32.26), and assistance with deductibles (OR = 12.20, 95% CI: 3.47, 43.48), than respondents not experiencing financial toxicity. Our findings confirm the presence of financial toxicity in gynecologic cancer patients, describe how patients attempt to cope with financial hardship, and provide insight into patients’ needs for targeted interventions to mitigate the harm of financial toxicity.