cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vivo evidence that truncated trkB.T1 participates in nociception

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a central nervous system modulator of nociception. In animal models of chronic pain, BDNF exerts its effects on nociceptive processing by binding to the full-length receptor tropomyosin-related kinase B (trkB.FL) and transducing intracellular signaling to produce nocifensive behaviors. In addition to trkB.FL, the trkB locus also produces a widely-expressed alternatively-spliced truncated isoform, trkB.T1. TrkB.T1 binds BDNF with high affinity; however the unique 11 amino acid intracellular cytoplasmic tail lacks the kinase domain of trkB.FL. Recently, trkB.T1 was shown to be specifically up-regulated in a model of HIV-associated neuropathic pain, potentially implicating trkB.T1 as a modulator of nociception. Here, we report that trkB.T1 mRNA and protein is up-regulated in the spinal dorsal horn at times following antiretroviral drug treatment and hind paw inflammation in which nocifensive behaviors develop. While genetic depletion of trkB.T1 did not affect baseline mechanical and thermal thresholds, the absence of trkB.T1 resulted in significant attenuation of inflammation- and antiretroviral-induced nocifensive behaviors. Our results suggest that trkB.T1 up-regulation following antiretroviral treatment and tissue inflammation participates in the development and maintenance of nocifensive behavior and may represent a novel therapeutic target for pain treatment.
Can heritage resources highlight changes to the natural environment caused by climate change? Evidence from the Antarctic tourism experience

Tourists are motivated to travel to Antarctica for not only the natural beauty of the continent and its wildlife but also because of the cultural and historical resources associated with the great explorers, such as Shackleton. This article examines the interplay and interrelationships between natural and cultural heritage resources and how this may shape the Antarctic experience and the benefits and outcomes associated with tourism participation. In particular we examined how tourist's perspectives on climate change are influenced through this interplay between natural and cultural heritage resources. Data were drawn from participant observation, field notes, and open-ended questionnaires that were distributed to tourists that participated in four different Antarctic voyages in 2014. The study finds that cultural heritage resources, such as historic sites and locations, could be used as a narrative vehicle for discussing broader enivronmental issues such as climate change, as tourists appear willing to c...
INCH: an intelligent wheelchair prototype

A prototype of an intelligent wheelchair (INCH) has been equipped with ultrasound range sensors and a Motorola 68HC11, an inexpensive microcontroller. INCH is designed to detect fall-offs and objects in its path, thereby addressing the needs of visually impaired persons who have been confined to wheelchairs. Range information is derived from a set of six Polaroid ultrasound transducers controlled by custom electronics. Two Airpax stepper motors are used to drive the wheels. Input provided by a standard analog joystick indicates the desired speed and direction of motion. The limitations of INCH are discussed, and a multisensor approach to improve the performance is suggested. >
A 2-MHz bandwidth Δ-Σ fractional-N synthesizer based on a fractional frequency divider with digital spur suppression

A 2-MHz delta-sigma fractional-N frequency synthesizer based on a staggered switching fractional frequency divider is presented in this paper. The phase generator based fractional frequency divider provides lower instantaneous phase error and hence lowers the delta-sigma quantization noise, so that the synthesizer loop bandwidth can be increased. To suppress fractional spurs due to phase generator phase errors, a digital spurious tone suppression technique is adopted. The frequency synthesizer is implemented in 0.18-µm CMOS process, and it operates at 2.1-GHz carrier frequency with 2-MHz bandwidth. Excluding the output buffer, the synthesizer consumes 33.9-mA and is capable of transmitting 4-Mb/s GFSK signal.
Managing biological sequence and protein structure data.

We need a unified data model for biological sequences and their annotations. So far, every sequence analysis algorithms take its favorite format. Even though FASTA seems to be a widely accepted format, it is very limited when it comes to annotations. XML helps with data structure, but the community needs to agree upon a set of most commonly used tags. Substantial effort is spent on improving annotation, but there is no simple way to compare the output of an analysis algorithm with the curated annotations of the same sequence (such as in GenBank RefSeq). How to represent a multiple sequence alignment is far from trivial. BLAST provides seven options for viewing an alignment, all of which become hard on the eyes when there are many sequences and the alignment is gappy. It is unclear how to best store alignments in a database. We also need a unified data model for protein 3D structures. Presently, each structure is represented as a downloadable file in PDB. The user can search for structures by overall annotations (e.g., author, resolution, structural determination method), but cannot search by sub-structure features; for example, one cannot obtain all structures containing a sub-structure with the secondary structure ordering of a-b-a-b. Or, if one is interested in obtaining 10 residues before and after a motif, which has the sequence of ATTC and occurs roughly at position 50, there is no way to do so except for writing a script to parse all PDB files. There are many data types that are associated with 3D structures, such as the electrostatic potential of a protein structure and surface patches of binding sites. There is no easy way of representing them in a database. Uncertain, incomplete and inconsistent data are always a problem with biology. Examples include missing coordinates of a PDB file (because these atoms were disordered or too flexible in the crystal structure or in solution). Dealing with alternative conformations of a side chain in crystal-structures is a tough test for PDB parsers. Annotations are typically of varying degrees of certainty, and some may contradict with one another. How to deal with these problems so that an analysis algorithm can spend minimal amount of effort on parsing deserves attention.
The accuracy of models derived by WKBJ waveform inversion

Summary. In this paper the accuracy of velocity-depth profiles derived by matching WKBJ seismograms to observations is quantitatively evaluated. Seismograms computed with the WKBJ method are generally quite reliable but possess predictable, systematic inaccuracies in the presence of strong velocity gradients. The effects of these inaccuracies on models derived through WKBJ waveform inversion are studied, using reflectivity seismograms as ‘data'. The velocity structure used is an oceanic lithosphere model that contains several transition regions separated by relatively homogeneous layers, producing partially-reflected reverberations in the reflectivity synthetics that are absent from the WKBJ seismograms. The inversion incorporates the ‘jumping’ strategy to solve for the smoothest models consistent with the data. We find these solutions to be independent of the starting model and to have a stable basic structure that agrees well with the correct model. The differences, everywhere less than a seismic wavelength, depend on the frequency content of the seismograms. Reverberations in the reflectivity seismograms that are well separated from WKBJ arrivals are treated as ‘noise’ in the inversion.
Comb Injection and Sidebands Suppression

We report analytical and numerical calculations for the problem of optical injection composed of an optical comb of several lines into a semiconductor laser. We analyze the conditions and the regions over which the approximations in the perturbations calculations are valid. We compare the results of the analytic computations with the recent experiments carried out to show the amplification of the comb frequency components for various injection ratios and detunings. We find that the locked region depends on the value of the frequency comb separation relative to the value of injection and detuning and identify three regions over which the behavior of the amplification is unique.
Definitions of Autobiographical Memory

This chapter addresses a major concern voiced formally and informally at the conference, that of definition. It is argued that there is no problem with the definition of autobiographical memory that is not inherited from the definition of memory itself. Moreover, a common concept of autobiographical memory would be a mistake for a group of scientists who vary so in their beliefs of what constitutes evidence, methods, and theory. All that is needed is a language that is usually mutually intelligible. By adapting studies from different approaches, researchers can make greater progress than they could by forcing their work into a more uniform shared set of principles. The study of autobiographical memory allows and demands interaction across disciplines in a way that is difficult to find elsewhere. This interaction has already yielded insights that would be difficult to obtain in other ways and holds promise for the advancement of individual programs of research.
Congressional Term Limits and the Impact on the Power of Black Congressional Members

The issue of term limits for members of the U.S. House of Representatives affects all members of the House of Representatives regardless of their race; however, the issue is extremely important within the black community due to the relatively smaller number of black Americans currently serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the 114th Congress, out of 435 congressional members, Forty-eight members identified as black Americans. Forty-eight members represent the highest number of black members of Congress in any congress. With the limited number of black Americans currently serving in the U.S. House of Representatives how would term limits affect the power the black community has in the U.S. House of Representatives? For the subsequent analysis of term limits and their effect on the black community, the writer will use Mack H. Jones’ “Frame of Reference for Black Politics” to understand the effect term limits would have on the power of black members of congress. To answer the aforementioned question, the writer will examine the constitutionality of term limits within the U.S. governmental systems, the time it takes to become a committee or subcommittee chair in the House of Representatives, and the legislative process within the U.S. governmental system to see if term limits could be in the best interests of the black community.
Under-diagnosing and under-treating iron deficiency in hospitalized patients with gastrointestinal bleeding.

Under-diagnosing and under-treating iron deficiency in hospitalized patients with gastrointestinal bleeding
Gender Differences in Environmental Concern: Reevaluating Gender Socialization

ABSTRACTWe examine the direct effects of social roles and value orientations believed to be derived from gender socialization on environmental concern. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) and Wave 2 of the Baylor Religion Survey (BRS), we find that among U.S. adults, value orientations about social roles, but not social roles themselves, influence environmental concern. Gender traditionalism is found to have a significant negative relationship with environmental concern for women, and no effect for men. Conversely, an ethic of care is found positively related to environmental concern for both men and women. The results suggest that observed differences between genders in environmental concern are related to gender socialization; however (1) different forms of socialized value orientations influence environmentalism in opposing ways, and (2) the effects of an ethic of care may be gender neutral. We conclude with a discussion of potential directions for future research on gender differences in environm...
Associations Between Perceived Weight Status, Body Dissatisfaction, and Self-Objectification on Sexual Sensation Seeking and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex with Men Using Grindr

ABSTRACTTo date, various dimensions of body image and their associations with condom use have not been studied among men who have sex with men (MSM) who use geosocial-networking smartphone applications (“apps”) to meet new sexual partners. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate associations between weight perception, body dissatisfaction, and self-objectification with sexual behaviors among a sample of MSM (N = 92) recruited from Grindr, an app popular among MSM, to complete an online survey. Obese participants scored significantly higher on measures of body dissatisfaction and lower on measures of sexual sensation seeking. Decreased propensities to seek sexual sensations were associated with fewer sexual partners. By assessing associations between dimensions of body dissatisfaction and sexual risk behaviors, this study adds support to a theory of syndemics among MSM, which suggests that synergistically related biological, psychological, social, and behavioral factors disproportionately affect h...
Understanding the Pathophysiology and Challenges of Development of Medical Countermeasures for Radiation-Induced Vascular/Endothelial Cell Injuries: Report of a NIAID Workshop, August 20, 2015

After the events of September 11, 2001, a decade of research on the development of medical countermeasures (MCMs) to treat victims of a radiological incident has yielded two FDA-approved agents to mitigate acute radiation syndrome. These licensed agents specifically target the mitigation of radiation-induced neutropenia and infection potential, while the ramifications of the exposure event in a public health emergency incident could include the entire body, causing additional acute and/or delayed organ/tissue injuries. Anecdotal data as well as recent findings from both radiation accident survivors and animal experiments implicate radiation-induced injury or dysfunction of the vascular endothelium leading to tissue and organ injuries. There are significant gaps in our understanding of the disease processes and progression, as well as the optimum approaches to develop medical countermeasures to mitigate radiation vascular injury. To address this issue, the Radiation and Nuclear Countermeasures Program of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) organized a one-day workshop to examine the current state of the science in radiation-induced vascular injuries and organ dysfunction, the natural history of the pathophysiology and the product development maturity of potential medical countermeasures to treat these injuries. Meeting presentations were followed by a NIAID-led open discussion among academic investigators, industry researchers and government agency representatives. This article provides a summary of these presentations and subsequent discussion from the workshop.
Exploring the evolutionary origins of overimitation: a comparison across domesticated and non-domesticated canids.

When learning from others, human children tend to faithfully copy – or ‘overimitate’ – the actions of a demonstrator, even when these actions are irrelevant for solving the task at hand. We investigate whether domesticated dogs (Canis familiaris) and dingoes (Canis dingo) share this tendency to overimitate in three experiments. In Experiment 1, dogs and dingoes had the opportunity to solve a puzzle after watching an ostensive demonstrator who used both a relevant action and an irrelevant action. We find clear evidence against overimitation in both species. In contrast to human children (Horner & Whiten, 2005), dogs and dingoes used the irrelevant action less often across trials, suggesting that both species were filtering out the irrelevant action as they gained experience with the puzzle (like chimpanzees; Horner & Whiten, 2005). Experiments 2 and 3 provide further evidence against overimitation, demonstrating that both species’ behavior is better characterized by individual exploration than overimitation. Given that both species, particularly dogs, show human-like social learning in other contexts, these findings provide additional evidence that overimitation may be a unique aspect of human social learning. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/g2mRniJZ7aU.
Attempted preparation of Ti-6-4 alloy powders from TiCl4, Al, VCl4, and Na

The preparation of prealloyed titanium-6 pct aluminum-4 pct vanadium (Ti-6Al-4V) powder was attempted using TiCl4, VCl4, powdered Al, and sodium in a Hurd Shaker apparatus. The reduction reactions was monitored by following the light flash, pressure, and temperature increase. The data from each of these variables were collected with a PDP-11 computer as a function of time. These data show the reaction to be explosive and extremely discontinuous. Powder morphology and chemical composition were studied as a function of reaction conditions. Powder size, shape, and yield were highly dependent on the quantity of reactants and reactant distribution. The chemical composition of the powder was variable with particles having a range of Al and V compositions depending on the reactant conditions.
A Fault-Tolerant Best-Effort Multicast Algorithm

The paper [1] presented an adaptive best-effort tree construction algorithm. This paper integrates into this base algorithm the fault tolerance capability. We present a protection-based and a restoration-based reroute algorithm which is executed by every node in the network, and an algorithm to compute the degree of tolerance. The algorithms do not use any unicast routing protocol. We demonstrate and verify the operations of the algorithms using computer simulations.
How Sexual Identities Change: Pragmatism, Habit, and Creativity in the ‘Situation’ of the Lascivious Costume Ball

How do individuals’ sexual identities, in the sense of who they are as sexual beings, change? Research addressing this question in the modern U.S. setting points to several factors, including macrolevel societal transformations, vernacular culture, interpersonal interactions, psychodynamics, and life course transitions. Yet it is less clear how these diverse factors are configured in broader social processes. This article draws on and extends the pragmatist mechanism-based approach to social theory to illuminate a key causal pathway whereby individuals’ sexual identities may change. I argue that habits, specifically taken-for-granted ways of doing and thinking about sexuality, are a crucial constituent of sexual identities. But when individuals encounter problem situations to which existing habits are inadequate responses, they are more likely to do and think about sexuality creatively. Incorporation of these creative responses into stocks of habits can readily encompass shifts in sexual identities. The argument is illustrated using people’s dramatic reflections on the first three iterations of the Lascivious Costume Ball, a sexuality-themed party that occurred at the University of Chicago. The Ball dramatized the radical historical moment of the Sixties and functioned as an exceptional problem situation for all but three of my respondents. The utility of the theory centers on its capacity to (1) generate more precise explanations of how individuals’ sexual identities change; (2) integrate distinct literatures on sexual identity into a carefully generalizable theory of individual change; and (3) highlight a crucial relational dimension of certain problem situations.
Arthroscopic Iliopsoas Release at the Level of the Lesser Trochanter Following Total Hip Arthroplasty

Iliopsoas impingement is an uncommon cause of pain after total hip arthroplasty. If pain persists after a trial of conservative treatment, surgical intervention can alleviate the patient's symptoms. Multiple advantages exist to release the iliopsoas tendon at the level of the lesser trochanter. The purpose of this Technical Note is to demonstrate a technique for arthroscopic release of the iliopsoas tendon at the lesser trochanter after total hip arthroplasty.
Thermophysical Properties of Parahydrogen From the Freezing Liquid Line to 5000 R for Pressures to 10, 000 Psia

The tables include entropy, enthalpy, internal energy, density, volume, speed of sound, specific heat, thermal conductivity, viscosity, thermal diffusivity, Prandtl number, and the dielectric constant for 65 isobars. Quantities of special utility in heat transfer and thermodynamic calculations are also included in the isobaric tables. In addition to the isobaric tables, tables for the saturated vapor and liquid are given, which include all of the above properties, plus the surface tension. Tables for the P-T of the freezing liquid, index of refraction, and the derived Joule-Thomson inversion curve are also presented.
Discovery and characterization of novel trans-spliced products of human polyoma JC virus late transcripts from PML patients.

Although the human neurotropic polyomavirus, JC virus (JCV), was isolated almost a half century ago, understanding the molecular mechanisms governing its biology remains highly elusive. JCV infects oligodendrocytes and astrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS) and causes a rare fatal brain disease known as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in immunocompromised individuals including AIDS. It has a small circular DNA genome (∼5 kb) and generates two primary transcripts from its early and late coding regions, producing several predicted alternatively spliced products mainly by cis-splicing. Here, we report the discovery and characterization of two novel open reading frames (ORF1 and ORF2) associated with JCV late transcripts, generated by an unusual splicing process called trans-splicing. These ORFs result from (i) the trans-splicing of two different lengths of the 5'-short coding region of VP1 between the coding regions of agnoprotein and VP2 after replacing the intron located between these two coding regions and (ii) frame-shifts occurring within the VP2 coding sequences terminated by a stop codon. ORF1 and ORF2 are capable of encoding 58 and 72 aa long proteins respectively and are expressed in infected cells and PML patients. Each ORF protein shares a common coding region with VP1 and has a unique coding sequence of their own. When the expression of the unique coding regions of ORFs is blocked by a stop codon insertion in the viral background, the mutant virus replicates less efficiently when compared to wild-type, suggesting that the newly discovered ORFs play critical roles in the JCV life cycle.
Prevalence of mental disorders and related functioning and treatment engagement among people with diabetes.

Abstract Aims To examine prevalence, functioning and treatment associated with all DSM-5 12-month mood, anxiety, eating and substance use disorders among people with diabetes in data obtained from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. Methods Through multistage stratified randomized sampling a sample representative of the United States civilian population was obtained. Prevalence of diabetes (Type 1 and 2), DSM-5 disorders, physical and mental functioning, and treatment utilization were assessed via telephone interview. Analyses of weighted data (N = 36,138) included calculation of descriptive statistics, and chi-square, logistic and linear regression analyses. Results Participants with (vs. without) diabetes (9.3% of weighted sample) had a significantly: (a) higher prevalence of any anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (with and without adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics), and any mood disorder, major depressive disorder and specific phobia (with adjustment), (b) lower prevalence of any substance use disorder and alcohol and tobacco use disorders (with and without adjustment), and cannabis use disorder (without adjustment). Among participants with diabetes, mental disorder prevalence was consistently associated with sex and age, and to a lesser frequency, race/ethnicity. Lower levels of physical and mental functioning were found among participants with diabetes and a comorbid mental disorder. A minority of participants with diabetes and a comorbid mental disorder received treatment for mood and anxiety disorders, and few received treatment for eating and substance use disorders. Conclusions Multiple types of mood, anxiety, eating and substance use disorders are prevalent, problematic, and often untreated among people with diabetes.
Online mining for association rules and collective anomalies in data streams

When analyzing streaming data, the results can depreciate in value faster than the analysis can be completed and results deployed. This is certainly the case in the area of anomaly detection, where detecting a potential problem as it is occurring (or in the early stages) can permit corrective behavior. However, most anomaly detection methods focus on point anomalies, whilst many fraudulent behaviors could be detected only through collective analysis of sequences of data in practice. Moreover, anomaly detection systems often stop at detecting anomalies; they typically do not provide information about how the features (attributes) of anomalies relate to each other or to those in normal states. The goal of this research is to create a distributed system that allows for the detection of collective anomalies from streaming data, and to provide a richer context of information about the anomalies besides their presence. To accomplish this, we (a) re-engineered an online sequence anomaly detection algorithm and (b) designed new algorithms for targeted association mining to run on a streaming, distributed environment. Our experiments, conducted on both synthetic and real-world data sets, demonstrated that the proposed framework is able to achieve near real-time response in detecting anomalies and extracting information pertaining to the anomalies.
Bacillus spp. as Pathogens in the Dairy Industry

Abstract The bacterial species Bacillus cereus accounts for 1.4%–12% of foodborne illness outbreaks worldwide, a statistic that is certainly an underestimate. This bacterial genus is capable of contaminating a wide range of food products, including rice, chicken, vegetables, spices, and dairy products. B. cereus endospores are partially resistant to pasteurization, dehydration, gamma radiation, and other physical stresses used in food processing, and their adhesive characteristics promote biofilm-forming capability on a variety of substrates in dairy operations. B. cereus and other closely related species produce several types of exotoxins, including at least four hemolysins, three phospholipases, a heat/acid-stable emetic toxin called cereulide, and three well-studied heat-labile enterotoxins that all cause gastroenteritis following ingestion. While a great deal of information on virulence gene presence and expression is known in B. cereus, very little has been done to explore the virulence potential of thermoduric spore formers that may be found in ultrahigh temperature pasteurized milk, and their ability to produce biofilms. Biofilm production is understood to be under similar regulation as toxins and other extracellular virulence determinants. This chapter describes the current status of knowledge with Bacillus spp. relevant to the dairy industry, virulence potential, and biofilm production from the perspective of food safety.
BRCA1 and BRCA2 in Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer

Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are known to confer an increased risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. These gene mutations are inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion and are highly penetrant in causing cancer. The lifetime risk of breast cancer is 57–65 % in carriers of BRCA1 mutations and 45–49 % in those with BRCA2 mutations. Ovarian cancer risk is 40 % and 18 %, respectively. Features in the personal and family history that suggest a genetic predisposition syndrome include history of breast or ovarian cancer at a young age, multiple breast cancers in the same person, multiple family members with breast or ovarian cancers, men with breast cancer, and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. Genetic testing and genetic counseling are available to patients considered to be at high risk for these mutations. Management recommendations unique to this clinical scenario include specific screening guidelines for breast and ovarian cancers, chemoprophylaxis, and prophylactic operations. Prophylactic surgery is associated with dramatically reduced risk of developing cancer, with maximum benefit when performed at a young age; however, there are psychosocial and familial implications of these operations. Patients suspected of or confirmed to have a mutation of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene require multidisciplinary coordinated surveillance and cancer care.
High Frequency Laser-Ultrasonics

The usual frequency bandwidth of laser-ultrasonics is in most cases of order 1 to 30 MHz. Although this is sufficient for most applications, applications involving attenuation measurements in weakly attenuating materials, or velocity measurement in thin samples or coatings may require a much higher detection bandwidth. By shortening the generation light pulse and improving the interferometer electronics, laser-ultrasonic bandwidths of 500 MHz were achieved. Much higher bandwidths (up to 100 GHz) have been achieved by others using delayed femtosecond laser pulses, but what distinguishes our technique is the capability to acquire a full A-scan with a single generation pulse. The capabilities of high frequency laser-ultrasonics will be illustrated with measurements in aluminum foil and sheet, fused quartz, and galvanized steel.
Cell Fate Determination in Caenorhabditis elegans Ray Development

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the cytological and molecular genetics investigations that have laid a foundation for what it is hoped might one day be a complete description of ray development. In Caenorhabditis elegans, there are nine pairs of rays projecting from the posterior body inside an acellular cuticular webbing known as the fan. The rays function during copulation to allow the male to establish and maintain contact with the hermaphrodite. Because in C. elegans the hermaphroditic sex can self-fertilize internally, copulation is not necessary for strain propagation. This property has facilitated the isolation of large numbers of mutations affecting many aspects of the male genitalia and the specialized male nervous system. Mutations affecting the rays have been easy to isolate and have formed the basis for a study of cell fate determination in the postembryonic cell lineages leading to the rays. The C. elegans rays offer an exceptional opportunity to define the components of these universal patterning systems and to study how they interact in a regulatory hierarchy to assign cells their individual and specific fates.
Changes in biomarkers of nutrient metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress in dairy cows during the transition into the early dry period.

ABSTRACT Metabolic stress occurs in dairy cows when physiologic homeostasis is disrupted as a consequence of aberrant nutrient metabolism, chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress. Early-lactation cows that suffer from metabolic stress are susceptible to health disorders that cause significant production losses. However, there is little information regarding the occurrence and effect of metabolic stress during involution. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate well-known biomarkers associated with metabolic stress in early-lactation cows at various time points during the early dry period when dairy cows also are subjected to dramatic changes in physiologic homeostasis. Our group conducted a descriptive study by collecting serum and whole-blood samples from the coccygeal vein of 29 healthy dairy cows at a commercial dairy herd. Sampling points included d −6, 0, +1, +2, +6, and +12 relative to dry-off date. Samples were used to quantify biomarkers related to nutrient metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation that included calcium, nonesterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, albumin, haptoglobin, cortisol, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, antioxidant potential, oxidant status index, and isoprostanes. Additionally, whole-blood leukocyte differentials for total leukocyte, neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, and monocytes were analyzed. Within altered nutrient metabolism biomarkers, calcium and nonesterified fatty acid concentrations changed most from d 0 to d +2 during the sampling period. Indicators of oxidant status, such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, antioxidant potential, and oxidant status index, generally increased throughout the sampling period except at d +2, suggesting altered redox status throughout early involution. In contrast, isoprostane concentrations fluctuated throughout the study, demonstrating that indicators of oxidative damage occurred more sporadically during the sampling period. Therefore, many of the biomarkers associated with early-lactation metabolic stress also changed during the transition from late lactation to the early dry period, but not to the same magnitude and duration previously reported in periparturient cows. Future studies should be directed toward assessing whether the magnitude and duration of biomarker expression can affect the health and well-being of cows during the early dry period.
CyFi: A phase I study exploring the role of cMET pathway inhibition with ficlatuzumab (Fi) combined with high-dose cytarabine (Cy) in patients with high risk relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

7040Background: Pts with AML who are refractory to induction therapy or relapse within 1 year have poor outcomes. Elevated serum HGF level is an adverse prognostic factor in AML (Verstovsek, et al....
Hard and superhard materials: A computational perspective

Abstract Hard and superhard materials are essential for a myriad of scientific, biomedical, and industrial applications. Their ability to resist indentation stems from the relationship between the crystal structure, chemical composition, and microstructure. The complexity of this interdependence has limited researchers to often conduct comprehensive experimental investigations, with occasional support by computation. One of the main difficulties is that hardness is influenced by many factors, which requires many comprehensive calculations to account for multiple length scales ranging from atomic interactions (intrinsic hardness) to long length scales encompassing microstructure (extrinsic hardness). Nevertheless, improvements in computational methodologies and access to high-performance computing clusters have provided essential insight on the mechanisms of deformation, as well as pinpointed some crystal chemical traits that generate high hardness. This contribution discusses notable computational developments in the field spanning multiple length scales, including modeling the process of indentation through molecular dynamics, identifying computational theories of hardness through density functional theory, and screening for optimal materials through machine learning. Reviewing these research accomplishments not only highlights some important projects, but it also provides indications of potential research directions and opportunities to advance the development of hard and superhard materials through computation.
Surgical outcomes of phacoemulsification/goniosynechialysis with and without endocyclophotocoagulation in patients with chronic angle closure glaucoma.

Purpose: To compare surgical outcomes of patients after phacoemulsification with goniosynechialysis (phaco/GSL) versus phaco with GSL and endocyclophotocoagulation (phaco/GSL/ECP) in patients with chronic angle closure glaucoma (CACG) through 12-month follow-up. Methods: A retrospective, nonrandomized, comparative case series was performed. Patients with CACG who underwent phaco in combination with either GSL alone (group 1) or GSL with ECP with intracameral injection of kenalog (group 2) from 2011 to 2018 were included. Group 1 included 6 eyes of 6 patients and group 2 included 11 eyes of 10 patients. All surgeries were performed by a single surgeon (RSA). Primary outcome measures included changes in intraocular pressure (IOP), visual acuity (VA), failure based on IOP (>18 or
“I made myself small like a cat and ran away”: workplace sexual harassment, precarious immigration status and legal violence

This article examines the intersection between workplace sexual harassment, immigration status, and insecure employment status (‘precarious work’). Although a rich body of literature explores how g...
Chronic Prescription Opioid Use Before and After Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in Patients Younger Than 65 Years.

BACKGROUND Opioids are commonly prescribed to patients with painful and symptomatic degenerative joint disease preoperatively as a nonoperative intervention to reduce patients' symptoms and pain. The goal of total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is to reduce or eliminate the painful symptoms of degenerative joint disease. Due to the addictive property of opioid medications, some patients may develop a pattern of chronic opioid use after TJA. METHODS We used MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters database to identify 125,019 patients (age <65 years) who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) between 2009 and 2012. During the study period, opioid use was analyzed 3 months before surgery and at 12 months after surgery. We defined chronic opioid use as having 2 or more opioid prescriptions filled within any 6-week period. Multivariate logistic regression was used. RESULTS Of the 24,127 patients who were chronic prescription opioid users before surgery, 72% were no longer chronic users 1 year after surgery. Of the 100,892 patients who were nonusers before surgery, 4% became chronic users within 1 year after surgery. TKA and hospital stay longer than 3 days were significant risk factors of persisting chronic opioid use after surgery, while age played a mixed role in predicting change of opioid use. CONCLUSION Using our definition of chronic use, overall chronic opioid use decreased from 19% to 9% after TJA. Patients were more likely to cease chronic opioid use after TJA (72%) than to become chronic users (4%).
Surveillance in Barrett's Esophagus: Utility and Current Recommendations.

Surveillance of Barrett’s esophagus for preventing death from esophageal adenocarcinoma is attractive and widely practiced. However, empirical evidence supporting its effectiveness is weak. Longer intervals between surveillance examinations are being recommended, supported by computer simulation analyses. If surveillance is performed, an adequate number of biopsies should be performed or the effect of surveillance would be squandered.
Company Type 3: Face Seekers

Face seekers attempt to gain social status and reputation by building and running successful companies. The success of the companies is not important per se; it is how society views the entrepreneurs once they succeed.
Statistical methods for testing X chromosome variant associations: Application to sex-specific characteristics of bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder (BD) affects both sexes, but important sex differences exist with respect to its symptoms and comorbidities. For example, rapid cycling (RC) is more prevalent in females, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) is more prevalent in males. We hypothesize that X chromosome variants may be associated with sex-specific characteristics of BD. Few studies have explored the role of the X chromosome in BD, which is complicated by X chromosome inactivation (XCI). This process achieves “dosage compensation” for many X chromosome genes by silencing one of the two copies in females, and most statistical methods either ignore that XCI occurs or falsely assume that one copy is inactivated at all loci. We introduce new statistical methods that do not make these assumptions. We investigated this hypothesis in 1001 BD patients from the Genetic Association Information Network (GAIN) and 957 BD patients from the Mayo Clinic Bipolar Disorder Biobank. We examined the association of over 14,000 X chromosome single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with sex-associated BD traits using two statistical approaches that account for whether a SNP may be undergoing or escaping XCI. In the “XCI-informed approach,” we fit a sex-adjusted logistic regression model assuming additive genetic effects where we coded the SNP either assuming one copy is expressed or two copies are expressed based on prior knowledge about which regions are inactivated. In the “XCI-robust approach,” we fit a logistic regression model with sex, SNP, and SNP-sex interaction effects that is flexible to whether the region is inactivated or escaping XCI. Using the “XCI-informed approach,” which considers only the main effect of SNP and does not allow the SNP effect to differ by sex, no significant associations were identified for any of the phenotypes. Using the “XCI-robust approach,” intergenic SNP rs5932307 was associated with BD (P = 8.3 × 10−8), with a stronger effect in females (odds ratio in males (ORM) = 1.13, odds ratio in females for a change of two allele copies (ORW2) = 3.86). X chromosome association studies should employ methods which account for its unique biology. Future work is needed to validate the identified associations with BD, to formally assess the performance of both approaches under different true genetic architectures, and to apply these approaches to study sex differences in other conditions.
Past Psychiatric Conditions as Risk Factors for Postpartum Depression: A Nationwide Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE To compare risk for postpartum depression across prior psychiatric diagnoses. METHODS The deidentified Optum© Clinformatics Data Mart of national commercial insurance claims was used to identify 1,166,577 women of reproductive age with first-observed incidence of pregnancy across all 50 United States from 2003 to 2016. Women with insurance coverage for at least 6 months prior to conception and following delivery were eligible (n = 336,522). Psychiatric diagnoses prior to pregnancy were identified by ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes, including depression, anxiety and panic disorders, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and eating disorders. Primary outcomes included postpartum depression diagnosis at 2 months and 1 year after delivery. Multiple variable logistic regression analysis assessed for independent associations between predictors and outcomes. RESULTS Among 336,522 pregnancies, 9.4% of women were diagnosed with postpartum depression (n = 31,610). Five percent of women with no depression history developed postpartum depression, compared to 65% of women with depression prior to and during pregnancy. Among women with history of depression who were euthymic during pregnancy, 20% were diagnosed with postpartum depression. A major risk factor was a history of depression (OR = 2.7; 95% CI, 2.6-2.8; P < .001), and depression in pregnancy was a risk factor for continued depression in the postpartum period (OR = 13.1; 95% CI, 12.6-13.6; P < .001). All other psychiatric conditions, including anxiety and panic disorders, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and eating disorders, conferred risk for postpartum depression, independent of a comorbid depression history. CONCLUSIONS We report that all psychiatric diagnoses investigated independently increase risk for postpartum depression and suggest that care providers inquire about psychiatric history to identify and closely monitor women at increased risk for postpartum depression.
Evaluation and management of measurable residual disease in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

With standard chemotherapy regimens for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, approximately 90% of patients achieve complete remission. However, up to half of patients have persistent minimal/measurable residual disease (MRD) not recognized by routine microscopy, which constitutes the leading determinant of relapse. Many studies in pediatric and adult populations have demonstrated that achievement of MRD negativity after induction chemotherapy or during consolidation is associated with significantly better long-term outcomes, and MRD status constitutes an independently prognostic marker, often superseding other conventional risk factors. Persistence of MRD after intensive chemotherapy is indicative of treatment refractoriness and warrants alternative therapeutic approaches including allogeneic stem cell transplantation, blinatumomab, or investigational therapies such as inotuzumab ozogamicin or chimeric antigen receptor T cells. Furthermore, the incorporation of novel monoclonal antibodies or potent BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as ponatinib into frontline treatment may have the advantage of achieving higher rates of MRD negativity while minimizing chemotherapy-related toxicities. Many studies are therefore ongoing to determine whether this strategy can improve cure rates without the need for allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
Infected Nonunion of the Tibia

Open tibia fractures have high complication rates. Progression to an infected nonunion is a dreaded complication, as these often require lengthy treatment with antibiotics and multiple surgical procedures and cause diminished patient quality of life. Accurate diagnosis and proper management of an infected nonunion is critical. When indicated, limb salvage should be attempted with careful, multistage surgical planning involving debridement and resection of infected soft tissue and bone, adequate soft tissue coverage, filling of osseous defects, and, finally, definitive bony fixation. Concurrent utilization of local and systemic antibiotics is also a crucial part of care. To illustrate these points, we present a case of an open tibia fracture complicated by an infected nonunion that required over 20 surgical procedures before aseptic bony union and recovery of a functional limb was achieved.
Fundamentals of Computer Technologies

More and more hospitals are transitioning from paper to electronic records, radiation oncology is no different. As a dosimetrist, you will be spending most of your time working on a computer doing treatment planning. Treatment planning is performed on digital images. The treatment plans are sent digitally to the linacs. Most medical records are stored digitally in the record and verify system. With this digital world in mind, it is important to have an understanding of computers and computer networking. This chapter addresses basic computer terminology, medical images and their connection to radiation oncology.
Novel Ballistic Processing of Thick Films: Structural Evolution and Mechanical Behavior

Ballistic processing (BP) is a new process that promises almost instantaneous processing of thick and thin films, through the acceleration of a carrier through a molten metal stream. The mechanisms by which such films are produced are difficult to study due to the ultrarapid processing speeds involved. In this article, we use the thermal properties of the carrier to reveal the mechanisms of formation of these films. High-speed imaging and extensive postprocessing characterization were used to arrive at a fundamental understanding of the microstructural evolution of thick films in BP. Results show that the thermal characteristics of the carrier material play a role in the morphology, topography, structure, and mechanical behavior of the processed films. An increase in carrier thermal conductivity generally resulted in an increase in film thickness and apparent elastic modulus. Increasing the carrier speed beyond the current limit is forecasted to decrease the thickness and improve the properties.