cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic Allergic Inflammation Causes Vascular Remodeling and Pulmonary Hypertension in Bmpr2 Hypomorph and Wild-Type Mice

Loss-of-function mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2 (BMPR2) gene have been identified in patients with heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); however, disease penetrance is low, suggesting additional factors play a role. Inflammation is associated with PAH and vascular remodeling, but whether allergic inflammation triggers vascular remodeling in individuals with BMPR2 mutations is unknown. Our goal was to determine if chronic allergic inflammation would induce more severe vascular remodeling and PAH in mice with reduced BMPR-II signaling. Groups of Bmpr2 hypomorph and wild-type (WT) Balb/c/Byj mice were exposed to house dust mite (HDM) allergen, intranasally for 7 or 20 weeks to generate a model of chronic inflammation. HDM exposure induced similar inflammatory cell counts in all groups compared to controls. Muscularization of pulmonary arterioles and arterial wall thickness were increased after 7 weeks HDM, more severe at 20 weeks, but similar in both groups. Right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) was measured by direct cardiac catheterization to assess PAH. RVSP was similarly increased in both HDM exposed groups after 20 weeks compared to controls, but not after 7 weeks. Airway hyperreactivity (AHR) to methacholine was also assessed and interestingly, at 20 weeks, was more severe in HDM exposed Bmpr2 hypomorph mice versus WT. We conclude that chronic allergic inflammation caused PAH and while the severity was mild and similar between WT and Bmpr2 hypomorph mice, AHR was enhanced with reduced BMPR-II signaling. These data suggest that vascular remodeling and PAH resulting from chronic allergic inflammation occurs independently of BMPR-II pathway alterations.
Simplicity and complexity in anthropology

Purpose – This paper aims to o review understandings of complexity in anthropology.Design/methodology/approach – A number of works in the field of anthropology are discussed.Findings – Anthropologists generally agree that human behavior is complex, although they differ about the meaning of complexity. For many in this era of postmodernism, it involves emphasizing cultural differences and social contexts. Earlier interests in underlying cultural meanings and structures, meanwhile, have become somewhat passe. Nonetheless, some social anthropologists, encouraged by chaos science, continue to explore hidden meanings and structures. While there is much to like in their attention to ethnographic detail, one concern is their metaphorical use of the science of chaos. Another is failure to deal with intention and agency.Originality/value – Levi‐Strauss doubts that psychoanalysis has anything substantial to contribute to anthropology. This conclusion helped to set the stage for postmodernist anthropology, and its c...
CARDIOVASCULAR MANIFESTATIONS OF SYSTEMIC AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES

The systemic autoimmune diseases are a diverse group of illnesses that most commonly affect joints, muscles, and connective tissues. Many of these disorders have major involvement in the heart and vascular structures. This article outlines the cardiovascular manifestations of the systemic autoimmune diseases. Cardiac involvement with these syndromes has long been recognized and the underlying pathophysiology is becoming more apparent.
Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients With Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia: When Should It Be Used?

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been a cornerstone of therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) for more than 15 years and is still a standard treatment option for patients with CML. The advent of imatinib mesylate, an inhibitor of the molecular defect driving CML, the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase, has rewritten treatment algorithms for this disease and has shifted focus away from allografting. Despite advances in stem cell transplantation, such as broader availability with the use of modified conditioning regimens, use of allografting has diminished. Also, the nearly universal patient exposure to imatinib or other kinase inhibitors before transplantation may affect the biology of the disease that is currently being treated with an allograft and ultimately may affect outcomes. Exceedingly high rates of meaningful and stable response with longer follow-up continue to drive enthusiasm for imatinib use, and understanding of resistance mechanisms has driven rapid investigation of second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors to address imatinib failure and suboptimal response. In most patients, imatinib reduces CML to a minimal residual disease state in which options to further deepen remission, such as immunotherapy, are sought; monitoring techniques and interpretation of response advance in parallel to meet demands; and uncertainty remains as a new natural history of CML is defined in an era of kinase inhibitor therapy. This review summarizes the state of transplant and nontransplant therapy for CML and discusses the decision making for patients with an aim to optimize the use of our best therapies for CML in an era of uncertainty.
Science Signaling Podcast: 18 August 2009

This is a conversation with David Han about a Research Article published in the 18 August 2009 issue of Science Signaling.
Yet Another Algorithm for Pitch Tracking

In this paper, we present a pitch detection algorithm that is extremely robust for both high quality and telephone speech. The kernel method for this algorithm is the “NCCF or Normalized Cross Correlation” reported by David Talkin [1]. Major innovations include: processing of the original acoustic signal and a nonlinearly processed version of the signal to partially restore very weak F0 components; intelligent peak picking to select multiple F0 candidates and assign merit factors; and, incorporation of highly rohust pitch contours obtained from smoothed versions of low frequency portions of spectrograms. Dynamic programming is used to find the “best” pitch track among all the candidates, using both local and transition costs. We evaluated our algorithm using the Keele pitch extraction reference database as “ground truth” for both “high quality” and “telephone” speech. For both types of speech, the error rates obtained are lower than the lowest reported in the literature.
Giant Magnetoresistance and Oscillation in Epitaxial Fe/Cr(111) Multilayers

We report on the first studies of the giant magnetoresistance and oscillatory coupling in epitaxial Fe/Cr(111) multilayers. A series of samples were grown on hydrogen terminated Si(111) substrates at room temperature by UHV electron beam evaporation; with the thickness of Fe layer fixed at 30 A, and the thickness of Cr layer varied from 10–47 A. Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) is observed at 4.2 A in these samples, with a maximum value of 13% for a Cr layer thickness of 13 A. The associated oscillatory coupling is comparable to that reported in other crystallographic orientations in terms of both its period and phase.
Commentary: Genome-wide significance thresholds via Bayes factors.

Panagiotou and Ioannidis1 (PI) have examined what they term ‘borderline associations’, based on P-value thresholds, and conclude that current genome-wide significance (GWS) guidelines (e.g. 5 × 10−8) are too stringent. To remedy this problem, PI recommend a P-value threshold of 10−7, though the statistical rationale for this particular figure is not clear. I agree with PI that the current criteria for declaring an association as ‘significant’ are often not appropriate and will here lay out the arguments for a Bayesian remedy. In general, a major difficulty with P-values is on deciding on a threshold for significance and this is true even for a single test. The current norm within the genome-wide association study (GWAS) literature is for P-value thresholds to be based upon controlling the family-wise error rate (FWER) (i.e. the probability of a single incorrect null rejection) at a very low level, typically 0.05. For example, with m = 1 000 000 tests the Bonferroni approach to controlling the FWER at 0.05 gives a threshold of 0.05/1 000 000 = 5 × 10−8. This approach, I will argue, is ill-advised since it pays no regard to the power of the tests. In particular, the same threshold is suggested for all sample sizes. A more appealing approach is to have a threshold that changes with power. In this way, a procedure can be formulated that produces both type I and type II errors that decrease to zero as hypothetical studies of increasing sample size are conducted. PI highlight various approaches to the generic problem of determining significance but do not discuss Bayesian approaches. Below, a Bayesian approach for testing many hypotheses is described which clearly illustrates the role of power. Put simply, all P-values are not born equal because knowledge of the associated power is vital for interpretation. PI have carried out a tremendous amount of work in cataloging associations that are borderline significant and in tracking down those associations to see if they are reproducible. Unfortunately, however, the power associated with the analysis of each SNP (which may be calculated from the sample size and minor allele frequency) is not reported. The approach we detail can either be used within a fully Bayesian approach, or for those not willing to fully commit, can be viewed as a mechanism by which a ‘sensible’ threshold for significance can be determined.
Taking Care of Our Elders: An Initial Study of an Assisted-Living Facility for American Indians

The present study is an initial exploration of the psychological well-being of residents of an assisted-living facility (ALF) designed and managed for elders of an American Indian tribe. A total of...
Effects of Alcohol on β‐Endorphin and Reproductive Hormones in the Male Rat

In an attempt to examine the relationship between alcohol-induced alterations in immunoreactive β-endorphin (i-βE) levels in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and the synthesis and release of reproductive hormones, male rats were treated with either an acute intraperitoneal injection of alcohol or were chronically exposed to an alcohol-containing liquid diet. Hypothalamic, pituitary, serum, and testicular levels of immunoreactive β-endorphin (i-βE) and serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone were measured at various times after initiation of these treatments. Testicular interstitial fluid (TIF) volumes and levels of TIF i-βE and testosterone were also measured 4 hr after acute treatment as an index of testicular release of these substances. Acute alcohol decreased pituitary levels of i-βE and increased serum levels of the peptide for up to 1 hr after its injection, but did not alter hypothalamic or testicular levels. Acute alcohol markedly increased TIF i-βE and decreased TIF testosterone and TIF volume. Sharp decreases in serum LH and testosterone were observed in association with these acute changes in i-βE levels in the pituitary, blood, and testes. During chronic alcohol exposure serum testosterone levels were substantially depressed, but tolerance appeared to develop quickly to the chronic effects of alcohol on serum LH. Similarly, tolerance to alcohol's effects on i-BE levels in the pituitary and serum also appeared to develop during chronic alcohol administration. However, hypothalamic and testicular i-BE levels were markedly suppressed by chronic alcohol administration in contrast to the lack of effect observed after acute alcohol administration. Our data demonstrate that both acute and chronic alcohol administration alter the functional activity of i-βE systems in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and suggest that these changes may be involved in alcohol's effects on reproductive endocrinology. Whether the effects we have observed are simply correlational in nature or demonstrate cause/effect relationships remains to be determined.
Verbal working memory load affects regional brain activation as measured by pet

We report an experiment that assesses the effect of variations in memory load on brain activations that mediate verbal working memory. The paradigm that forms the basis of this experiment is the “n-back” task in which subjects must decide for each letter in a series whether it matches the one presented n items back in the series. This task is of interest because it recruits processes involved in both the storage and manipulation of information in working memory. Variations in task difficulty were accomplished by varying the value of n. As n increased, subjects showed poorer behavioral performance as well as monotonically increasing magnitudes of brain activation in a large number of sites that together have been identified with verbal working-memory processes. By contrast, there was no reliable increase in activation in sites that are unrelated to working memory. These results validate the use of parametric manipulation of task variables in neuroimaging research, and they converge with the subtraction paradigm used most often in neuroimaging. In addition, the data support a model of working memory that includes both storage and executive processes that recruit a network of brain areas, all of which are involved in task performance.
Training history, deliberate practice and elite sports performance: an analysis in response to Tucker and Collins review—what makes champions?

With the recent advances in genome-wide mapping studies and the emerging findings on the relation between athletes’ training histories and their performance, this should be a time for integrating these two bodies of knowledge for a more complete understanding of the complex development of elite performance.1 In their recent article, Tucker and Collins2 criticised a popularised but simplistic view of our work circulated on the internet, which suggests that anyone who has accumulated sufficient number of hours of practice in a given domain will automatically become an expert and a champion. Unfortunately they incorrectly attributed this view to me and my colleagues and criticised our research on deliberate practice. I agree with Tucker's and Collins’ claim about the current failure ‘to discover a candidate gene that can be conclusively linked to performance’.2 However, they incorrectly state that I described this failure ‘as evidence that genetics play only a minimal, or even no role, in the attainment of elite performance’.2 There is a fundamental difference between claiming that there is evidence for the complete absence of genetic influences on elite performance in sport and claiming that no current evidence exists for such genetic influences. From the beginning of my research on expert performance I have made a point of distinguishing between empirical evidence collected on expert performers from beliefs or inferences from research on the general population. In one of my first publications3 on expert performance I reviewed the compelling evidence for the absence of training effects on height and body size. I concluded that in many sports elite athletes are either systematically taller or shorter than the general population and these differences in height were virtually completely determined by genetic factors. In most of my subsequent publications I have simply referred to this review, and …
Utilizing Data to Combat Absenteeism and Decrease Dropout Rates.

Students across the nation are encountering more and more difficulties in their transition to high school. Not only are a significant number of students dropping out, but those who stay are also leaving high school without the skills they need to become productive citizens. Several intervention strategies are recommended to help students make a successful transition. From better academic preparation to structural reforms, probably all of them are needed and have an important place. In 2008, central office administrators and principals of a New Jersey school district, gathered to brainstorm about methods of early intervention strategies. The middle and secondary school principals recognized and agreed on the urgency to address these strategies by collecting data and searching for possible solutions. This article discusses the use of student data to develop a warning system, an “at risk” indicator for the 2008-2009 freshman class in one of New Jersey’s school districts.
Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of MODIS satellite sensor data for regional and urban scale air quality

Advances in satellite sensors have provided new datasets for monitoring air quality at urban and regional scales. Qualitative true color images and quantitative aerosol optical depth data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on the Terra satellite were compared with ground-based particulate matter data from US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitoring networks covering the period from 1 April to 30 September, 2002. Using both imagery and statistical analysis, satellite data enabled the determination of the regional sources of air pollution events, the general type of pollutant (smoke, haze, dust), the intensity of the events, and their motion. Very high and very low aerosol optical depths were found to be eliminated by the algorithm used to calculate the MODIS aerosol optical depth data. Correlations of MODIS aerosol optical depth with ground-based particulate matter were better in the eastern and Midwest portion of the United States (east of 100 � W). Data were patchy and had poorer correlations in the western US, although the correlation was dependent on location. This variability is likely due to a combination of the differences between ground-based and column average datasets, regression artifacts, variability of terrain, and MODIS cloud mask and aerosol optical depth algorithms. Preliminary analysis of the algorithms indicated that aerosol optical depth measurements calculated from the sulfate-rich aerosol model may be more useful in predicting ground-based particulate matter levels, but further analysis would be required to verify the effect of the model on correlations. Overall, the use of satellite sensor data such as from MODIS has significant potential to enhance air quality monitoring over synoptic and regional scales. r 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
IκBα Functions through Direct Contacts with the Nuclear Localization Signals and the DNA Binding Sequences of NF-κB

We have determined the binding energies of complexes formed between IκBα and the wild type and mutational variants of three different Rel/NF-κB dimers, namely, the p50/p65 heterodimer and homodimers of p50 and p65. We show that although a common mode of interaction exists between the Rel/NF-κB dimers and IκBα, IκBα binds the NF-κB p50/p65 heterodimer with 60- and 27-fold higher affinity than the p50 and p65 homodimers, respectively. Each of the three flexibly linked segments of the rel homology region of Rel/NF-κB proteins (the nuclear localization sequence, the dimerization domain, and the amino-terminal DNA binding domain) is directly engaged in forming the protein/protein interface with the ankyrin repeats and the carboxyl-terminal acidic tail/PEST sequence of IκBα. In the cell, IκBα functions to retain NF-κB in the cytoplasm and inhibit its DNA binding activity. These properties are a result of the direct involvement of the nuclear localization sequences and of the DNA binding region of NF-κB in complex with IκBα. A model of the interactions in the complex is proposed based on our observations and the crystal structures of Rel/NF-κB dimers and the ankyrin domains of related proteins.
SPIN-ZERO POLE DOMINANCE IN THE WEAK AND ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERACTIONS OF THE K-MESON.

The assumption of π, η and σ dominance of the weak and electromagnetic decays of the K-meson is examined using the hard-meson current algebra amplitudes for the strong-interaction factors. The K → 3π decay spectrum, the KL0 → 2γ decay and the KL0-KS0 mass difference are calculated and compared with experiment.
The Economic Consequences of Borrower Information Sharing: Relationship Dynamics and Investment

I use the introduction of a US commercial credit bureau to examine the effects of lenders sharing borrower payment history and contract term information. My within firm- and lender-time tests exploit the fact that firms have distinct ongoing relationships with multiple lenders that join the bureau in a staggered pattern. I find information sharing reduces relationship-switching costs, particularly for firms that are young, small, or have a default-free record. After joining the bureau, lenders reduce relationship-specific investments: new contract maturities are shorter, and fewer renewals occur following delinquencies. My results highlight the mixed effects of transparency-improving financial technologies on credit access.
Managing Enterprise Risks of Technological Systems: An Exploratory Empirical Analysis of Vulnerability Characteristics as Drivers of Exploit Publication†

Enterprises experience opportunistic exploits targeted at vulnerable technology. Vulnerabilities in software-based applications, service systems, enterprise platforms, and supply chains are discovered and disclosed on an alarmingly regular basis. A necessary enterprise risk management task concerns identifying and patching vulnerabilities. Yet it is a costly affair to develop and deploy patches to alleviate risk and prevent damage from exploit attacks. Given the limited resources available, technology producers and users must identify priorities for such tasks. When not overlooked, vulnerability-patching tasks often are prioritized based on vulnerability disclosure dates, thus vulnerabilities disclosed earlier usually have patches developed and deployed earlier. We suggest priorities also should focus on time-dependent likelihoods of exploits getting published. We analyze data on software exploits to identify factors associated with the duration between a vulnerability discovery date and the date when an exploit is publicly available, a time window for patching before exploit attack levels may escalate. Actively prioritizing vulnerability patching based on likelihoods of exploit publication may help lessen losses due to exploit attacks. Technology managers might apply the insights to better estimate relative risk levels, and better prioritize protection efforts toward vulnerabilities having higher risk of earlier exploitation.
Optimal stopping of switching diffusions with state dependent switching rates

This paper is concerned with a continuous-time and infinite-horizon optimal stopping problem in switching diffusion models. In contrast to the assumption commonly made in the literature that the regime-switching is modeled by an independent Markov chain, we consider in this paper the case of state-dependent regime-switching. The Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation associated with the optimal stopping problem is given by a system of coupled variational inequalities. By means of the dynamic programming (DP) principle, we prove that the value function is the unique viscosity solution of the HJB system. As an interesting application in mathematical finance, we examine the problem of pricing perpetual American put options with state-dependent regime-switching. A numerical procedure is developed based on the DP approach and an efficient discrete tree approximation of the continuous asset price process. Numerical results are reported.
Promoting Medication Adherence and Regimen Responsibility in Two Adolescents on Hemodialysis for End-Stage Renal Disease A Case Study

Medication adherence and regimen responsibility (RR) have important implications for adolescents with hemodialysis-dependent end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This case study assesses the preliminary efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral intervention to promote medication adherence and RR in two African American adolescents. Two patients and their mothers participated. Intervention modules addressed adherence barriers. Using a case-series design, weekly parent– adolescent reports of medication adherence and RR were collected. The female participant’s selective nonadherence improved during treatment. Mother and daughter were high in RR throughout the study. The male participant’s adherence initially decreased following his mother’s reduced involvement in treatment. His adherence improved by the end of treatment, and coincided with his mother’s reassumption of RR. Improvements were maintained through follow-up for both patients. This case study provides preliminary support for using a cognitive-behavioral protocol to improve medication adherence in adolescents with hemodialysis-dependent ESRD.
H2 Storage in Li3N. Temperature-Programmed Hydrogenation and Dehydrogenation

Hydrogen storage in Li3N was investigated via temperature-programmed hydrogenation (TPH) and temperature-programmed dehydrogenation (TPD). TPH spectra indicated an initial hydrogenation temperature of Li3N of ∼150 °C, independent of the H2 partial pressure even below 0.5 atm. However, the increase in H2 partial pressure accelerated the hydrogenation rate. The TPD curves exhibited three H2 peaks located at 240, 270, and above 380 °C. The maximum amount of low-temperature released H2 corresponding to the two peaks at 240 and 270 °C was 6.0 wt %. XRD indicated that most of the low-temperature released hydrogen can be attributed to the transformation of LiNH2 to Li2NH. The amount and properties of the releasable hydrogen are also dependent on the duration and temperature of the Li3N hydrogenation.
Photon subtraction and addition by a three-level atom in an optical cavity

Rosenblum et al. showed recently that a three-level atom in a cavity can function as a perfect ``photon turnstile.'' Here we explore how this device reshapes the incident pulses, generalize it to the case of an input coherent state, and consider its use in reverse as a ``photon adder.'' We find that for initially unentangled pulses, adding one photon to an $|n\ensuremath{\rangle}$ number state is possible with a success probability equal to $1/(n+1)$.
Influence of beam trypsin inhibitors on thromboplastic properties of trypsin and hypochlorite-treated trypsin.

SummarySoy and navy bean trypsin inhibitors considerably reduce the incidence of fatal trypsin embolism in rabbits with the retention of marked thromboplastic activity by the inhibitor-enzyme complex. The thromboplastic effect is observed with little or no proteolytic activity and the relative protection against embolism is apparent even with extensive proteolytic activity. Similar observations were made with the bean trypsin inhibitors and hypochlorite-treated trypsin, the latter having been shown earlier to have considerably less hypotensive effect than untreated trypsin. The differentiation of the soy and navy bean trypsin inhibitors is briefly considered and an improved method of preparing the navy bean inhibitor is given.
Abstract 5409: Cetuximab downregulates lactate dehydrogenase-A, leading to inhibition of glycolysis and reversal of the Warburg effect in HNSCC cells.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Cetuximab is an anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody currently approved for treatment of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in combination with conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Previous studies showed that cetuximab downregulates the alpha subunit of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1α) through inhibition of EGFR-mediated downstream cell signaling and that downregulation of HIF-1α is required for cetuximab-induced antiproliferative effects; however, the underlying mechanism has not been established. In this study, we explored the mechanism from the perspective of cancer metabolism. HIF-1 plays a critical role in reprogramming cancer metabolism towards aerobic glycolysis (i.e., the Warburg effect), which is critically important for supplying cancer cells with the biomass needed for cell proliferation. We found that cetuximab downregulated lactate dehydrogenase A (LDH-A) and inhibited glycolysis in cetuximab-sensitive cells in a HIF-1α downregulation-dependent manner. HNSCC cells with acquired resistance to cetuximab expressed a high level of HIF-1α and were highly glycolytic. Overexpression of a HIF-1α mutant conferred resistance to cetuximab-induced G1-phase cell cycle arrest, which could be overcome by knockdown of LDH-A expression. Addition of a small molecule LDH-A inhibitor markedly enhanced the response of cetuximab-resistant cells to cetuximab. Cetuximab had no noticeable inhibitory effect on glycolysis in nontransformed cells, in which glycolysis is followed by oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria. These findings provide novel mechanistic insights into cetuximab-induced antitumor effects from the perspective of cancer metabolism and suggest novel strategies for enhancing the response of cancer patients to cetuximab therapy. Citation Format: Haiquan Lu, Xinqun Li, Zhen Fan. Cetuximab downregulates lactate dehydrogenase-A, leading to inhibition of glycolysis and reversal of the Warburg effect in HNSCC cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5409. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5409
Prolonged Breastfeeding as an Infant Reduces Future Risk of Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis: A Case-Control Study (P1.377)

Objective:The primary aim was to analyze the association of breastfeeding history in infancy upon the future risk of developing pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS). Background: MS is an inflammatory, autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that can manifest in childhood. Risk of pediatric-onset MS (POMS) is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. History of infant breastfeeding appears protective in some childhood autoimmune disorders, but its impact on risk of MS in childhood is unknown. Methods: The biological mothers of 26 POMS patients, seen at the University of Virginia’s Pediatric Demyelinating Disease Clinic, were asked to complete a questionnaire on the subject9s history and duration of breastfeeding in addition to various demographic factors. The control group, consisting of 39 otherwise healthy patients from the University’s pediatric headache clinic with a diagnosis of migraine (and normal brain MRI obtained <1 year prior to enrollment), were asked to complete the same survey. Results:Demographics of age and gender were not significantly different between groups. Factors related to birth history (delivery method, gestational age, birth weight), childhood factors (number of siblings, history of daycare and homeschooling), and social factors (insurance type, geographic location in the first 15 years of life) were not significantly different between groups. History of breastfeeding (34.6[percnt] cases; 71.8[percnt] controls) was significantly different between groups (p=0.003). In breastfed subjects, the duration of breastfeeding was also significantly different (cases: mean of 3.4 weeks; controls: mean of 28.8 weeks; p<0.0001). Multivariable logistic analysis demonstrated a significant positive association between lack of prolonged (< 4 months) breastfeeding and the development of POMS (OR 2.2; 95[percnt] CI 1.23-3.93). Conclusions:Preliminary analysis of our data demonstrates that infant breastfeeding for less than 4 months’ duration is associated with a two-fold increase in odds of future POMS diagnosis. Disclosure: Dr. Brenton has nothing to disclose. Dr. Goldman has received personal compensation for activities with Evidera, Genyzme, Novartis, Biogen, and Acorda. Dr. Goldman has received research support from Biogen Idec and Novartis.
Dust Monitoring Results of Occupational Disease Sentinel Surveillance Project in Yun County

[Objective]To understand the basic information and distribution of the enterprise with dust exposure in Yun County,to provide scientific basis for the government to formulate strategies and plans of the occupational disease control and prevention,and further help and guide enterprises to do health protection well in workplaces. [Methods]The determination was based on GBZ/T 192.1-2007 " Determination of Dust in The Air of Workplace Part l: Total Dust concentration Determination";GBZ/T 192.1-2007" Determination of Dust in The Air of Workplace Part 4: Determination of Free Silica Content" [Results]The dust concentration was qualified at 254 monitoring sites,and unqualified at 150 monitoring sites,with total qualified rate of 62.87%.The silicious dust contained highest concentration of free SiO2(93.42%),and the limestone contained lowest concentration of free SiO2(1.65%). [Conclusion]The productive dust concentration is over standard in some enterprises which existed dust hazards.Comprehensive measures for dust control should be developed in the future work.It is necessary to implement planned and targeted control of the productive dust hazards,to improve the operation conditions,and to effectively protect the health benefits of workers.
The Treatment of Bilateral Synchronous Renal Pelvic Tumors with Bench Surgery

Bilateral nephrectomy, renal perfusion and bench surgery have been used in the management of synchronous bilateral renal pelvic tumors in a 35-year-old man. The possibility of bilateral nephrectomy followed by hemodialysis and eventual transplantation was considered but was not done because we believe for the present time that the nature of the immune response and its importance in the pathogenesis of cancer are complicated and poorly defined. It is likely that immunosuppression may tip the balance toward the tumor. Bench surgery allowed us to perform radical resection of these urothelial tumors yet preserve enough renal tissue to sustain life. This patient is now enjoying an active life and has a blood urea nitrogen of 30 mg. per cent and a serum creatinine of 1.2 mg. per cent from the functioning third of the former right kidney.
Quantitative Proteomics for Two-Dimensional Gels Using Difference Gel Electrophoresis

Difference gel electrophoresis (DIGE) technology provides a powerful quantitative component to proteomics experiments involving two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis. DIGE allows for the detection of subtle changes in protein abundance with statistical confidence while controlling for gel-to-gel variation, as well as additional variation that is non-biological in origin (e.g., sample preparation error, normal variation in a system). Samples are differentially labeled with spectrally resolvable fluorescent dyes (Cy2, Cy3, and Cy5) and co-resolved for direct quantification within the same 2D gel. Increased statistical confidence is obtained when combining experimental repetition with internal standards such that independent replicate measurements from single- and multivariable analyses can be intercompared with a relatively small number of coordinated DIGE gels.
Stress, Mood, and Pathways to Depression

Abstract Mood disorders are very common. More than 10–20% of the population suffers from mood disorders at one time or another. These disorders are heterogeneous and multifactorial. The most common form of mood dysregulation is depression. At least four intersecting vulnerability factors contribute to the development of depression. One is through the vulnerability characteristics of the individual that include neuroticism, low self-esteem, and early-onset anxiety symptoms. The second path is through the events that happen to the individual beginning with stress of the mother during pregnancy trailed by childhood events including troubled family environment, childhood abuse, and death or divorce of parents. As individuals mature, this could be exacerbated by other life events such as job loss, divorce, trauma, and low social support. The third factor is through drug and alcohol abuse. The fourth path is through vascular disease. These trails lead to a state characterized by features that make the individual vulnerable to the development of depression. The features that constitute this state include negative bias in information processing (affecting perception and decision making) and the liability to experience negative affect in response to stress. The factors are not specific to the vulnerability to depression and can lead to other expressions such as anxiety disorders. In this chapter, we outline the neurobiological underpinnings of these factors that lead to risk for depression and the neurobiology underlying the expression of depression.
Zika virus and HIV/AIDS

The first documented cases of HIV/AIDS in the United States bewildered physicians as they presented an unusual disease spectrum. Two young men were diagnosed with Kaposi sarcoma and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, which was inexplicable at that time, as these health outcomes were rare among their age, race/ethnicity, and individuals not living in nursing homes. Subsequently, it was found that after infection with HIV, individuals were asymptomatic up to 4 weeks and if symptoms developed, they appeared as a simple type of flu. The progression and global proliferation of the HIV pandemic is mirrored by the spread of Zika virus (ZikaV). Humans were probably first infected with HIV in the Kinshasa region in the 1940s and ZikaV was first detected in humans in the Zika forest in the 1950s. Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes transmit ZikaV, an arbovirus, as well as other related arboviruses. In addition to mosquito transmission, ZikaV transmission occurs through sexual risk and blood transfusions. The latter two risk factors were prominent modes of transmission during the early stages of HIV/AIDS epidemic and sexual transmission risk remains prominent. In addition, injection drug use is a risk factor to become HIV infected. For HIV, blood transfusion risk was reduced after appropriate testing of blood supplies. Unlike HIV, ZikaV does not produce significant symptoms that require medical attention among four-fifths of infected individuals. Indeed, initially considered a relatively benign virus, the unexpected emergence of ZikaV in the Americas since 2015, and continuing as a virulent and pathological virus for children and adults, created a sense of fear and distress. These emotional responses parallel the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Clinicians, epidemiologists, and other scientists are currently increasingly laboring to discern the full spectrum of risk, relative to vector and population behaviors, and as with HIV, to develop vaccines and chemotherapy against ZikaV. NIH and Walter Reed ZikaV vaccines are on the way.
Abstract 11411: Parental Age of Hypertension Onset and Risk of Hypertension in the Offspring: The Framingham Heart Study

Introduction: Parental hypertension (HTN) is known to predict HTN in offspring. However, the relative impact of objectively diagnosed early- vs. late-onset parental HTN on risk of HTN in the community is unknown. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that parental early- vs. late-onset HTN is associated with a substantially greater risk of HTN in offspring. Methods: We analyzed serially collected blood pressure data in the Original cohort (since 1948) and in the Offspring cohort (since 1971) of Framingham Heart Study participants. We identified 1635 non-hypertensive Offspring (32±9 years, 54% women) with longitudinal blood pressure data available for both parents. We defined HTN onset as blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg or taking antihypertensive medication at ≥2 consecutive exams, and early-onset HTN as onset age Results: Incident HTN was most common in Offspring whose both parents had early-onset HTN (Figure, log-rank p Conclusions: Early-onset and not late-onset HTN in parents is a strong risk factor for HTN in offspring. It may be important to differentiate between early- and late-onset parental HTN when estimating an individual’s HTN risk.
The use of IRE in multi-modality treatment for oligometastatic pancreatic cancer

Abstract Introduction Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) often presents late with only 20% of patients being candidates for resection while majority already have advanced metastases with median overall survival of 3–6 months. Currently, the role of oligometastasectomy and local therapy options in PDAC is unknown in patients who have favorable response to systemic chemotherapy. The aim of this study is to analyze the survival outcome of oligometastasectomy and local IRE therapy in select patients who are treated with systemic chemotherapy for PDAC metastases. Methods We utilized a prospective database from 2010 to 2016 to identify patients with local surgical therapy after induction systemic chemotherapy for oligometastatic PDAC (Stage 4). The initial local therapy treatment of distant metastatic lesions was followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Subsequently, resection of the primary PDAC in conjunction with irreversible electroporation (IRE) was performed after favorable response by RECIST criteria. Results Seven patients were identified with metastatic PDAC treated with oligometastasectomy and/or local therapy. There was single metastatic lesion in 43% (3/7) of which 57% (4/7) were localized in the liver. The treatment of the primary pancreatic cancer was performed utilizing IRE in situ in 6/7 (86%) of patients in our study with resection or radiation of oligometastasis. The median survival in our study group was 16 months with 28% (2/7) patients who remain NED (range 16–41 months). Conclusion Combination of systemic chemotherapy and oligometastasectomy with adjunctive local IRE therapy is a feasible treatment strategy in highly select patients with oligometastatic PDAC that demonstrate favorable tumor biology with objective response to systemic therapy.
Peripheral nerve injury with Nexplanon removal: case report and review of the literature

Implantable devices offer convenient, long-acting, and reversible contraception. Injury to the peripheral nerves and blood vessels have been reported as rare complications of implantation and extraction. We present a case of ulnar nerve injury in a 21-year-old woman from attempted in-office removal of a deeply implanted Nexplanon® device. The injury resulted in an ulnar nerve palsy requiring surgical exploration, neuroma excision, and sural nerve cable grafting. In-office attempts to remove contraceptive implants that are deep or have migrated can cause iatrogenic nerve injury. Devices that are non-palpable, deep, or migrated should be imaged before formal surgical exploration and removal. Any patient with neurologic symptoms after placement or after attempted removal requires prompt diagnosis and referral to a peripheral nerve surgeon.
Universal, Normative, and Indispensable: Exploring the Emphasis on Eurocentric Literary-Critical Perspectives in the Criticism of the Black Zimbabwean Novel:

Literary-critical discourse on the Black Zimbabwean novel constitutes one of several platforms on which the self-other dialectic in Zimbabwe finds expression. This is especially the case at the lev...
Does the Use of Psychotropic Medication Adversely Affect the Outcomes of Hip Arthroscopy

Background:Over the past decade, the use of psychotropic medications (PTMs) in the United States has doubled, and currently 20% of adults are taking 1 or more of these antidepressant, antianxiety, ...
Emerging Robotic Technologies and Innovations for Hospital Process Improvement

The field of robotics is revolutionizing a myriad of industries, by augmenting or supporting workers in manufacturing, assembly, transportation, warehousing, logistical support, and surgery. Despite the pervasive concern that robots may cost jobs, the experience with collaborative robots suggests that these emerging technologies improve efficiencies, productivity, and workplace satisfaction while at the same time having the potential to create new jobs. Surgical robots have made striking inroads in healthcare; on the other hand, the development and incorporation of robots programmed for autonomous logistical support or for collaborating in physical therapy, nursing, perioperative support, and pharmacy have lagged far behind. This chapter reviews emerging robotic innovations which may increasingly play a role in various hospital operational processes.
Second Language Learners' Theories on the Use of English Articles: An Analysis of the Metalinguistic Knowledge Used by Japanese Students in Acquiring the English Article System.

Although it is well known that many second language (L2) learners have trouble using articles “properly,” the primary causes of their difficulties remain unclear. This study addresses this problem by examining the metalinguistic knowledge of the English article system that learners employ when selecting articles in a given situation. By doing this, the present study attempts to better understand the process of “making sense” of the English article system by learners who are at different stages in their interlanguage development. Eighty Japanese college students with varying levels of English proficiency participated in this study. Immediately after completing a fill-in-the-article test, a structured interview was conducted to investigate the reasons for their article choices. The quantitative and qualitative analyses reveal a number of conceptual differences with regard to their considerations of the hearer's knowledge, specific reference, and countability, which may account for learners' errors in article use across different proficiency groups.
Visualizing percolation and ion transport in hybrid solid electrolytes for Li–metal batteries

Hybrid solid electrolytes are composed of organic (polymer) and inorganic (ceramic) ion conducting materials, and are promising options for large-scale production of solid state lithium–metal batteries. Hybrid solid electrolytes containing 15 vol% Al-LLZO demonstrate optimal ionic conductivity properties. Ionic conductivity is shown to decrease at high inorganic loadings. This optimum is most obvious above the melting temperature of polyethylene oxide where the polymer is amorphous. Structural analysis using synchrotron nanotomography reveals that the inorganic particles are highly aggregated. The aggregation size grows with inorganic content and the largest percolating clusters measured for 5 vol%, 15 vol% and 50 vol% were ∼12 μm3, 206 μm3, and 324 μm3, respectively. Enhanced transport in hybrid electrolytes is shown to be due to polymer|particle (Al-LLZO) interactions and ionic conductivity is directly related to the accessible surface area of the inorganic particles within the electrolyte. Ordered and well-dispersed structures are ideal for next generation hybrid solid electrolytes.
Decontamination protocols for watercraft and wildland firefighting equipment in preventing the spread of invasive quagga (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) and zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) mussels

iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS v LIST OF TABLES x LIST OF FIGURES xii LIST OF ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS xiv CHAPTER
Guideline of guidelines: social media in urology

The use of social media is rapidly expanding. This technology revolution is changing the way healthcare providers share information with colleagues, patients, and other stakeholders. As social media use increases in urology, maintaining a professional online identity and interacting appropriately with one's network are vital to engaging positively and protecting patient health information. There are many opportunities for collaboration and exchange of ideas, but pitfalls exist without adherence to proper online etiquette. The purpose of this article is to review professional guidelines on the use of social media in urology, and outline best practice principles that urologists and other healthcare providers can reference when engaging in online networks.