cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Long-Term Object Familiarity on Event-Related Potentials in the Monkey

Although some change in the neural representation of an object must occur as it becomes familiar, the nature of this change is not fully understood. In humans, it has been shown that the N170—an evoked visual potential—is enhanced for classes of objects for which people have visual expertise. In this study, we explored whether monkeys show a similar modulation in event-related potential (ERP) amplitude as a result of long-term familiarity by recording ERPs with chronically implanted electrodes over extended training periods spanning many sessions. In each of 3 experiments, we found larger amplitude visual evoked responses to highly familiar images for the time period of 120--250 ms after stimulus onset. This difference was found when the monkeys were trained in an individual-level discrimination task, in a task that required only color discrimination, and even following a viewingonly task. We thus observed this familiarity effect across several tasks and different object categories and further found that the difference between ‘‘familiar’’ and ‘‘novel’’ became smaller as the animals gained experience with the previously unfamiliar objects across multiple test sessions. These data suggest that changes in visual responses associated with familiarity are evident early in the evoked visual response, are robust, and may be automatic, driven at least in part by repeated object exposure.
Evaluation of a point-of-care direct spectrophotometric method for measurement of total serum bilirubin in term and near-term neonates

Evaluation of a point-of-care direct spectrophotometric method for measurement of total serum bilirubin in term and near-term neonates
Creolizing Freedom: French–Creole Translations of Liberty and Equality in the Haitian Revolution

During the Haitian Revolution, members of the French government produced official proclamations containing laws that sought to regulate liberty and define citizenship for the ex-slaves. The proclamations were in turn translated from French into Creole to be read aloud. The signatures of Sonthonax and Bonaparte on these Creole documents bear witness to the role of translation as a vehicle for the movement of revolutionary ideals between France and Saint-Domingue. Through rhetorical strategies like omissions, repetition, and call-and-response, the anonymous translators often subverted French power and authority, producing Creole versions of these official proclamations that were often more inclusive and created space for the audience of ex-slaves to participate in debating and defining their liberty, equality and citizenship.
The Niemann-Pick type C2 protein loads isoglobotrihexosylceramide onto CD1d molecules and contributes to the thymic selection of NKT cells

The Niemann-Pick type C2 (NPC2) protein is a small, soluble, lysosomal protein important for cholesterol and sphingolipid transport in the lysosome. The immunological phenotype of NPC2-deficient mice was limited to an impaired thymic selection of Vα14 natural killer T cells (NKT cells) and a subsequent reduction of NKT cells in the periphery. The remaining NKT cells failed to produce measurable quantities of interferon-γ in vivo and in vitro after activation with α-galactosylceramide. In addition, thymocytes and splenocytes from NPC2-deficient mice were poor presenters of endogenous and exogenous lipids to CD1d-restricted Vα14 hybridoma cells. Importantly, we determined that similar to saposins, recombinant NPC2 was able to unload lipids from and load lipids into CD1d. This transfer activity was associated with a dimeric form of NPC2, suggesting a unique mechanism of glycosphingolipid transfer by NPC2. Similar to saposin B, NPC2 dimers were able to load isoglobotrihexosylceramide (iGb3), the natural selecting ligand of NKT cells in the thymus, into CD1d. These observations strongly suggested that the phenotype observed in NPC2-deficient animals was directly linked to the efficiency of the loading of iGb3 into CD1d molecules expressed by thymocytes. This conclusion was supported by the rescue of endogenous and exogenous iGb3 presentation by recombinant NPC2. Thus, the loading of endogenous and exogenous lipids and glycolipids onto CD1d is dependent on various small, soluble lipid transfer proteins present in the lysosome.
Atomic Force Microscopy Study of the Effect of Lipopolysaccharides and Extracellular Polymers on Adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The roles of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and extracellular polymers (ECP) on the adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 (expresses the A-band and B-band of O antigen) and AK1401 (expresses the A-band but not the B-band) to silicon were investigated with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and related to biopolymer physical properties. Measurement of macroscopic properties showed that strain AK1401 is more negatively charged and slightly more hydrophobic than strain PAO1 is. Microscopic AFM investigations of individual bacteria showed differences in how the biopolymers interacted with silicon. PAO1 showed larger decay lengths in AFM approach cycles, suggesting that the longer polymers on PAO1 caused greater steric repulsion with the AFM tip. For both bacterial strains, the long-range interactions we observed (hundreds of nanometers) were inconsistent with the small sizes of LPS, suggesting that they were also influenced by ECP, especially polysaccharides. The AFM retraction profiles provide information on the adhesion strength of the biopolymers to silicon (F(adh)). For AK1401, the adhesion forces were only slightly lower (F(adh) = 0.51 nN compared to 0.56 nN for PAO1), but the adhesion events were concentrated over shorter distances. More than 90% of adhesion events for AK1401 were at distances of 50% of adhesion events for PAO1 were at distances of >600 nm. The sizes of the observed molecules suggest that the adhesion of P. aeruginosa to silicon was controlled by ECP, in addition to LPS. Steric and electrostatic forces each contributed to the interfacial interactions between P. aeruginosa and the silicon surface.
A pharmacological study of a series of diethylaminoethyl esters of disubstituted malonates

Abstract Certain basic esters of substituted malonic acid have been studied for spasmolytic activity against ileal spasms produced by Mecholyl and barium. The results of the screening investigation indicate that all the compounds are to some degree s as‐ molytic and that the 2‐diethylaminoethyl ethyl ester hydrochloride of isoamyletiyl‐ malonic acid is one of the more active members of the series. Further studies show that this compound possesses local anesthetic properties. There was no evidence of antihistaminic or prolonged depressor activities.
Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: potential utility of Strain imaging

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a frequently recognized condition on echocardiography. The apical variant, also known as ‘Japanese variant’, is rare and often poses a diagnostic challenge. There has been a resurgence of interest in the diagnosis of HCM especially with the advent of novel imaging modalities such as strain imaging. Two-dimensional (2D) strain echocardiography calculates tissue velocities via frame-to-frame tracking of acoustic markers within the image and provides strain parameters comparable with tissue-Doppler-derived strain. We describe paradoxical apical strain (systolic lengthening) without overt apical dyskinesis (conventional imaging) in two patients with apical HCM, using 2D strain imaging. Our report highlights a novel application of 2D strain imaging that could facilitate the diagnosis of apical HCM.
Selling a New Vision of America to the World: Changing Messages in Early U.S. Cold War Print Propaganda

This article examines how U.S. Cold War print propaganda shifted from an emphasis in the late 1940s on America's liberal democratic idealism to an emphasis by the mid-1950s on the country's high and rising living standards and shiny new system of “people's capitalism.” The United States could claim to have beaten the Soviet Union at its own game, providing “classless abundance for all.” These messages echoed those disseminated domestically, in which political leaders, business executives, journalists, and educators increasingly defined America's greatest virtues and identity in economic terms, emphasizing growth and prosperity. This article assesses how the United States—via the U.S. Information Agency and its precursors from the late 1940s to 1960—presented itself to those in the Soviet bloc and globally. The article relies on content analysis of three magazines—Amerika, a Russian-language monthly published for Soviet audiences from 1945 to 1952; Free World, a magazine sent to East Asia that began publis...
Modeling terrestrial gamma ray flashes produced by relativistic feedback discharges

[1] This paper reports a modeling study of terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) produced by relativistic feedback discharges. Terrestrial gamma ray flashes are intense energetic radiation originating from the Earth’s atmosphere that has been observed by spacecraft. They are produced by bremsstrahlung interactions of energetic electrons, known as runaway electrons, with air atoms. An efficient physical mechanism for producing large fluxes of the runaway electrons to make the TGFs is the relativistic feedback discharge, where seed runaway electrons are generated by positrons and X-rays, products of the discharge itself. Once the relativistic feedback discharge becomes self-sustaining, an exponentially increasing number of relativistic electron avalanches propagate through the same high-field region inside the thundercloud until the electric field is partially discharged by the ionization created by the discharge. The modeling results indicate that the durations of the TGF pulses produced by the relativistic feedback discharge vary from tens of microseconds to several milliseconds, encompassing all durations of the TGFs observed so far. In addition, when a sufficiently large potential difference is available in thunderclouds, a self-propagating discharge known as the relativistic feedback streamer can be formed, which propagates like a conventional positive streamer. For the relativistic feedback streamer, the positive feedback mechanism of runaway electron production by the positrons and X-rays plays a similar role as the photoionization for the conventional positive streamer. The simulation results of the relativistic feedback streamer show that a sequence of TGF pulses with varying durations can be produced by the streamer. The relativistic streamer may initially propagate with a pulsed manner and turn into a continuous propagation mode at a later stage. Milliseconds long TGF pulses can be produced by the feedback streamer during its continuous propagation. However, the continuous propagation of the streamer tends to be unstable, because it does not expand like the conventional positive streamer. Its head electric field continues to increase and can reach half of the conventional breakdown threshold field, which results in an ion density of 3–10 � 10 14 m –3 in the channel immediately following the head. The spatial width of the high field region in the streamer head is about 100 m and the streamer speed is about 5 � 10 5 m/s. As a result, conventional positive streamers can be initiated from thundercloud hydrometeors or inhomogeneities of enhanced conductivities of millimeter sizes in the relativistic feedback streamer head and the positive streamers may further result in the formation of leaders. In addition, a relativistic feedback streamer can result in a charge moment change of several tens of coulomb-kilometers in a few tens of milliseconds, indicating that the relativistic feedback discharge process could be an important component for thundercloud charge dynamics.
Pellet Dropper Device for ELM Control on DIII-D

On several experimental tokamaks, pellet injection has been found to trigger edge localized modes (ELMs) in H-mode plasmas. This can provide a technique for ELM amelioration by reducing the ELM size with small high-frequency pellets. The key for success appears to be small pellets that penetrate just beyond the separatix, enough to trigger an ELM, but not enough to strongly fuel the plasma. To provide a source of small pellets, a pellet dropper device has been developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and installed on the DIII-D tokamak. The pellet dropper consists of a batch extruder with an exit nozzle to provide a filament of solid deuterium (nominal 1-mm diameter), from which pellets are punched/dropped at rates of up to ap50 Hz and at speeds of <10 m/s. The pellets are propelled directly downward and through a vertical injection port on DIII-D. In this paper, the design and the initial test results are presented, and the installation on DIII-D is described.
Equation of State from Lattice QCD Calculations

Abstract We provide a status report on the calculation of the Equation of State (EoS) of QCD at finite temperature using lattice QCD. Most of the discussion will focus on comparison of recent results obtained by the HotQCD and Wuppertal-Budapest (W-B) collaborations. We will show that very significant progress has been made towards obtaining high precision results over the temperature range of T = 150 − 700 MeV . The various sources of systematic uncertainties will be discussed and the differences between the two calculations highlighted. Our final conclusion is that the lattice results of EoS are getting precise enough to justify being used in the phenomenological analysis of heavy ion experiments at RHIC and LHC.
The Softer Side of Learning: Measuring Students' Non-Cognitive Skills.

With an abundance of datasets of standardized test score data, researchers and education policymakers run the risk of focusing exclusively on the measurement of cognitive outcomes in key academic s...
Benchmark Memories in Adulthood: Central Domains and Predictors of Their Frequency

This study extended earlier research on the reminiscence bump phenomenon in autobiographical memory by examining the central domains and predictors of benchmark memories from a life history timeline and from three selected significant events. Memories elicited by these methods demonstrated the reminiscence bump as occurring in early adulthood. The central domains representing this era involved events with family and relationships followed by those related to education and work. Individual differences in socio-emotional variables associated with self and identity formations (i.e., family climate, defensive style, self-complexity, and adult attachment) were associated with the reminiscence bump. These findings support the self-narrative hypothesis that the reminiscence phenomenon is related to the process of identity formation in late adolescence and early adulthood.
Mixed-initiative control of a roadable air vehicle for non-pilots

This work developed and evaluated a human-machine interface for the control of a roadable air vehicle (RAV), capable of surface driving, vertical takeoff, sustained flight, and landing. Military applications seek to combine the benefits of ground and air vehicles to maximize flexibility of movement but require that the operator have minimal pilot training. This makes the operator vulnerable to automation complexity issues; however, the operator will expect to be able to interact extensively and control the vehicle during flight. A mixed-initiative control approach mitigates these vulnerabilities by integrating the operator into many complex control domains in the way that they often expect---flexibly in charge, aware, but not required to issue every command. Intrinsic safety aspects were evaluated by comparing performance, decision making, precision, and workload for three RAV control paradigms: human-only, fully automated, and mixed-initiative control. The results suggest that the mixed-initiative paradigm leverages the benefits of human and automated control while also avoiding the drawbacks associated with each.
The Introductory Architecture Studio Revisited: Exploring the Educational Potential of Design-Build within a Liberal Arts Context

While much has been written about the role and methods of design-build exercises within the curriculum of architecture schools, less has been ventured about the potential role of such activities at...
Viewpoints from a Social Work Information Specialist in Context: Thoughts for Consumer Health Librarians

ABSTRACT The Healthy People 2010 report definition of health literacy provides a recognized framework for the work of consumer health librarians. The implications of this definition, though, could be staggering. Goals derived from this definition could include helping a patient obtain health information and information about health services while also facilitating the understanding of the information obtained. At issue is the role that consumer health librarians are to play in improving health literacy. This paper explores the underlying assumptions of the term health literacy and the many challenges facing consumer health librarians in providing the services implied from the perspective of a social work information specialist in context.
Mo1537 Endoscopic Suturing System for Fully Covered Metal Stent Fixation: Initial Experience in a Safety Net Population

CRD at 2.3 years after the initial banding procedure. None of the 8 esophageal varices banding patients experienced a bleeding complication compared to 7 of the 52 EMR-RFA patients (13.5%), however this difference did not approach statistical significance (PZ0.58). Limitations: Retrospective analysis; small number of patients; limited follow up. Conclusions: HGD-BE can be safely managed with EBL, with diligent monitoring for post-procedure hemostasis however resolution of dysplasia and Barrett’s epithelium is rarely achieved with banding alone. Further study is needed to assess safety of multiband mucosectomy and RFA after completion of EVL eradication.
Propionate modulation of ruminal ketogenesis.

The ruminal epithelium is the primary source, through the metabolism of butyrate, of circulating ketone bodies in fed ruminants. Volatile fatty acid metabolism was investigated in short-term (2-h) incubations of isolated sheep ruminal epithelial cells. Ruminal epithelial cells were isolated from ruminal papillae via serial tryptic digestion. Cells were incubated in the presence of various combinations of butyrate (0, .5, 1, 5, 10, or 25 mM), propionate (0, .1, .5, 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, or 100 mM), acetate (0, .5, 1, 5, 25, 50, or 100 mM), and succinate (0, 5, 15, 50 mM) to evaluate the effects of these substrates on butyrate metabolism. Variables measured included beta-hydroxybutyrate (beta-HBA) and acetoacetate (AcAc) production from butyrate, [14C]butyrate oxidation to 14CO2, and lactate and pyruvate formation from propionate and succinate. Butyrate oxidation to CO2, beta-HBA and total ketones produced (nanomoles of butyrate metabolized per 10(6) cells per minute) were linear over the 2-h incubation period (y = .805X + 2.24, r2 = .78; y = 1.02X - 9.1, r2 = .72; and y = 2.238X - 11.76, r2 = .65, respectively). Acetate inhibited beta-HBA formation from butyrate (P .05). A concomitant increase in lactate and pyruvate production was noted with increasing concentrations of propionate. Succinate addition also increased lactate production by the ruminal epithelial cells. In contrast to propionate, succinate addition resulted in a decrease in beta-HBA formation from butyrate (P < .05). Butyrate metabolism by isolated ruminal epithelial cells is influenced by other VFA produced in the rumen, and propionate-induced stimulation of beta-HBA from butyrate does not seem to be mediated via succinate but rather is a result of a shift in the mitochondrial NADH/NAD status.
Learned risks and experienced rewards: Exploring the potential sources of students' attitudes toward social media and face-to-face communication

Abstract The main purpose of this study was to examine various potential influences (including mass media reporting, instructors/teachers, and personal experience) of students' attitudes toward both social media and face-to-face (FtF) communication. Such questions emerged from recent debates over the role of technology in the college classroom that commonly center on the comparison of FtF and computer-mediated communication (CMC). Of the 545 college students surveyed online, mass media and instructors/teachers emerge as primary sources of information about negative elements of social media, while friends and personal experience are primary sources about the benefits of CMC. Most all sources examined provide positive information about FtF benefits, and none were sources of negative elements of FtF interaction. These findings are discussed in terms of how educators and others might recognize the impact of how they frame and discuss social media in and out of their classrooms.
Investigation of the Physiochemical Properties of the Phospholipid Cardiolipin: Implications for Oxphos Regulation and Barth Syndrome

Cardiolipin (CL) is the signature phospholipid of the mitochondrial inner membrane, which houses respiratory complexes that generate electrochemical ion gradients to drive processes such as ATP synthesis by oxidative phosphorylation. Nascent CL, which is enriched in saturated acyl chains of variable lengths, is subject to a two-stage remodeling process: a deacylase first removes an acyl chain to generate the monolysocardiolpin (MLCL) intermediate, and the transacylase tafazzin regenerates the four-chain lipid with highly unsaturated acyl chains with a high degree of symmetry. Mutations in the TAZ gene that encodes tafazzin underpin Barth syndrome, a multi-system mitochondrial disorder characterized by gross abnormalities in lipid profiles, cardiac and skeletal myopathy, neutropenia, growth retardation and mortality in early childhood. First, we analyze the role of CL in activating OXPHOS complexes using nanoscale lipid bilayers containing headgroup and acyl chain variants of CL. To this end, purified cytochrome c oxidase was reconstituted into nanodiscs of defined lipid composition and assayed for CL-dependent redox activity. Second, we have analyzed the binding characteristics of cytochrome c to bilayers containing CL variants. This work revealed that MLCL, which lacks a lipid tail, does not allow for the hydrophobic interactions and unfolding of cytochrome c, a requisite step in promoting peroxidase activity and of the apoptotic program. Finally, we use a combination of electrokinetic measurements and fluorescence-based approaches to address the ionization properties of the phosphate esters among CL variants. In contrast to the dominant paradigm in which a resonance-stabilized bicyclic headgroup structure promotes two disparate pKa values, we find the CL head group behaves as a strong dibasic acid, and exists as a dianion at physiological pH. Moreover, the ionization properties of the CL head group are similar for all variants examined.
Stereocontrolled Synthesis of (+)-Plagiogyrin A

Plagiogyrin A (1) was first isolated from the fronds of Plagiogyria matsumureana. Structurally, it features an α-ketoaldehyde functional group in its hemiacetal form, fused in a cis-substituted lactone ring. We have successfully synthesized the skeleton of this natural product by employing a stereocontrolled aldol reaction followed by the installation of the α-ketoaldehyde moiety derived from the mild oxidation of an α-diazoketone. Finally, anhydrous acidic conditions released the protected diol and provided the required cyclized hemiacetal.
Karl Pearson’s Great Idea

Almost immediately after he began, Karl gave up the practice of law. Yet, the pressures for him to succeed were almost unrelenting. To free him from the forces of familial conformation, he joined the intellectual circles of London. He lectured locally at the intellectual clubs in Soho, including the Men and Women’s Club. While he considered himself a man of numbers, others increasingly viewed him as a man of words.
Primary productivity of snow algae communities on stratovolcanoes of the Pacific Northwest

The majority of geomicrobiological research conducted on glacial systems to date has focused on glaciers that override primarily carbonate or granitic bedrock types, with little known of the processes that support microbial life in glacial systems overriding volcanic terrains (e.g., basalt or andesite). To better constrain the role of the supraglacial ecosystems in the carbon and nitrogen cycles, to gain insight into microbiome composition and function in alpine glacial systems overriding volcanic terrains, and to constrain potential elemental sequestration or release through weathering processes associated with snow algae communities, we examined the microbial community structure and primary productivity of snow algae communities on stratovolcanoes in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest. Here, we present the first published values for carbon fixation rates of snow algae communities on glaciers in the Pacific Northwest. We observed varying levels of light-dependent carbon fixation on supraglacial and periglacial snowfields at Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, and North Sister. Recovery of abundant 18S rRNA transcripts affiliated with photoautotrophs and 16S rRNA transcripts affiliated with heterotrophic bacteria is consistent with previous studies indicating the majority of primary productivity on snow and ice can be attributed to photoautotrophs. In contrast to previous observations of glacial ecosystems, our geochemical, isotopic, and microcosm data suggest these assemblages are not limited by phosphorus or fixed nitrogen availability. Furthermore, our data indicate these snow algae communities actively sequester Fe, Mn, and P leached from minerals sourced from the local rocks. Our observations of light-dependent primary productivity on snow are consistent with similar studies in polar ecosystems; however, our data may suggest that DIC may be a limiting nutrient in contrast to phosphorus or fixed nitrogen as has been observed in other glacial ecosystems. Our data underscore the need for similar studies on glacier surfaces and seasonal snowfields to better constrain the role of local bedrock and nutrient delivery on carbon fixation and biogeochemical cycling in these ecosystems.
Abstract IA11: Cancer patterns among US Latino subpopulations defined by country of origin

Latinos are the fastest growing minority ethnic group in the US and are predicted to account for ~25% of the US population by the year 2050. In spite of this, knowledge about cancer determinants and predictors of cancer outcomes in this population are lagging behind other racial/ethnic groups in the US. Importantly, most existing studies consider US Latinos as one group; however, in spite of the shared language and history, there is significant variability within this group in terms of cultural factors, genetic ancestry, and degree of assimilation to the US lifestyle. Lack of consideration of this heterogeneity may mask important cancer patterns within this population. Consideration of country of origin, using cancer registry data, might partially capture some of these indicators of heterogeneity, and may serve as a starting point to identify important differences among US Latinos. For example, there is emerging evidence that cancer incidence for some of the main cancer types differ across Latino subpopulations defined by country of origin. For several cancers, U.S.-born Latinos have higher cancer incidence than foreign-born Latinos, and Puerto Rican and Cuban Latinos seem to have higher incidence rates than Mexican Latinos. Similarly, differences can be observed across Latino subpopulations defined by country of origin in the distribution of age at diagnosis, sex, socioeconomic status, stage, tumor localization, and overall survival. These findings might be explained by the complex relationship between differences in the prevalence of cancer risk factors, both in the US and in the country of origin of foreign-born Latinos, genetic susceptibility, and access and attitudes towards health care. Elucidating these complex interactions will be critical to identify the most relevant cancer determinants and treatment strategies for US Latinos. Citation Format: Mariana C. Stern. Cancer patterns among US Latino subpopulations defined by country of origin. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr IA11.
A Computationally Efficient Approach for Modeling Complex and Big Survival Data

Modern data collection techniques have resulted in an increasing number of big clustered time-to-event data sets, wherein patients are often observed from a large number of healthcare providers. Semiparametric frailty models are a flexible and powerful tool for modeling clustered time-to-event data. In this manuscript, we first provide a computationally efficient approach based on a minimization–maximization algorithm to fit semiparametric frailty models in large-scale settings. We then extend the proposed method to incorporate complex data structures such as time-varying effects, for which many existing methods fail because of lack of computational power. The finite-sample properties and the utility of the proposed method are examined through an extensive simulation study and an analysis of the national kidney transplant data.
MR Imaging of Müllerian Fusion Anomalies

Mullerian duct anomalies, also called congenital uterine anomalies, are developmental structural disorders of the female genital tract. These anomalies are clinically relevant in patients with a history of infertility and pregnancy-related complications. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine classification system is the most well known, although newer systems, such as from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology/European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy, are becoming more widely accepted. MR imaging remains the optimal imaging modality due to its superior multiplanar capability and spatial resolution. This review article describes the typical MR appearance of congenital uterine anomalies.
Abstract 4255: Associations of coffee consumption and caffeine intake with mammographic breast density

Purpose: Previous studies suggest that coffee consumption and caffeine intake may be associated with reduced breast cancer risk which may result from stimulating effect of coffee on estrogen metabolism enzymes and subsequent changes in bioavailable estrogen. We investigated the association of coffee consumption and caffeine intake with mammographic density by woman’s menopausal status and, in postmenopausal women, by hormone therapy (HT). Methods: This study included 4,130 cancer-free women within the Nurses’ Health Study and Nurses’ Health Study II cohorts. Percent breast density (PD), absolute dense and non-dense areas were measured from digitized film mammograms using a computer-assisted thresholding technique; all measures were square-root transformed for the analysis to improve normality. Diet was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire; average cumulative coffee/caffeine consumption was calculated using data available from all the questionnaires preceding the mammogram date. Information regarding breast cancer risk factors was obtained from baseline or biennial questionnaires closest to the mammogram date. We used generalized linear regression to quantify associations between exposures and breast density measures, adjusted for potential confounders. Associations were examined separately for regular coffee, decaffeinated coffee, total coffee, and energy-adjusted caffeine intake. Results: In multivariable analyses, decaffeinated coffee was positively associated with PD in premenopausal women (2+ cups/day: β=0.23, p-trend=0.03). In postmenopausal women, decaffeinated and total coffee were inversely associated with PD (decaffeinated coffee 2+ cups/day: β=-0.24, p-trend=0.04; total coffee 4+ cups/day: β=-0.17). These associations appeared to be driven by the inverse associations of these exposures with absolute dense area. Among current HT users (n=980), regular coffee and caffeine intake were inversely associated with PD (regular coffee 4+ cups/day: β=-0.29, p-trend Conclusions: Our findings suggest that among current HT users, regular coffee and caffeine are inversely associated with mammographic percent breast density. Citation Format: Lusine Yaghjyan, Graham Colditz, Bernard Rosner, Aleksandra Gasparova, Rulla Tamimi. Associations of coffee consumption and caffeine intake with mammographic breast density [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4255. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4255
The experimental physics of Jacques Rohault

Jacques Rohault (1618–72) is often considered to be one of the most meticulous followers of Descartes. Despite this, Rohault’s natural philosophy lacks much of the metaphysical bulwark that typifie...
Making evolution stick: using sticky notes to teach the mechanisms of evolutionary change

Evolution and its mechanisms of action are concepts that unite all aspects of biology, but remain some of the most difficult for students to understand. To address this challenge, we designed a hands-on activity that introduces fundamental mechanisms of evolutionary change: natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow. In small groups, students use a population of sticky notes to reveal the consequences of each mechanism on phenotype frequency. In a follow-up homework assignment, students then explore how changes in phenotype frequency reflect changes in allele frequency in the population. This activity is suitable for anyone learning the basics of evolution, from high-school through the undergraduate level. We have provided detailed instructions, in-class worksheets, follow-up homework, and extensions that allow the activity to be simplified or made more complex as needed. In our own classrooms, we have observed that the concrete and collaborative nature of this activity enables students to deepen their understanding of the mechanisms through which evolution occurs. We have designed this study such that, in completing this activity, we hope to offer students the opportunity to confront potential misconceptions about evolution and gain a solid foundation for future explorations in the discipline.
Comparative immunological study of the snail Physella acuta (Hygrophila, Pulmonata) reveals shared and unique aspects of gastropod immunobiology.

The freshwater snail Physella acuta was selected to expand the perspective of comparative snail immunology. Analysis of Physella acuta, belonging to the Physidae, taxonomic sister family to Planorbidae, affords family-level comparison of immune features characterized from Biomphalaria glabrata, the model snail often used to interpret general gastropod immunity. To capture constitutive and induced immune sequences, transcriptomes of an individual Physella acuta snail, 12 h post injection with bacteria (Gram -/+) and one sham-exposed snail were recorded with 454 pyrosequencing. Assembly yielded a combined reference transcriptome containing 24,288 transcripts. Additionally, genomic Illumina reads were obtained (∼15-fold coverage). Recovery of transcripts for two macin-like antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), 12 aplysianins, four LBP/BPIs and three physalysins indicated that Physella acuta shares a similar organization of antimicrobial defenses with Biomphalaria glabrata, contrasting a modest AMP arsenal with a diverse set of antimicrobial proteins. The lack of predicted transmembrane domains in all seven Physella acuta PGRP transcripts supports the notion that gastropods do not employ cell-bound PGRP receptors, different from ecdysozoan invertebrates yet similar to mammals (vertebrate deuterostomes). The well-documented sequence diversification by Biomphalaria glabrata FREPs (immune lectins comprising immunoglobulin superfamily domains and fibrinogen domains), resulting from somatic mutations of a large FREP gene family is hypothesized to be unique to Planorbidae; Physella acuta revealed just two bonafide FREP genes and these were not diversified. Furthermore, the flatworm parasite Echinostoma paraensei, confirmed here to infect both snail species, did not evoke from Physella acuta the abundant expression of FREP proteins at 2, 4 and 8 days post exposure that was previously observed from Biomphalaria glabrata. The Physella acuta reference transcriptome also revealed 24 unique transcripts encoding proteins consisting of a single fibrinogen-related domain (FReDs), with a short N-terminal sequence encoding either a signal peptide, transmembrane domain or no predicted features. The Physella acuta FReDs are candidate immune genes based on implication of similar sequences in immunity of bivalve molluscs. Overall, comparative analysis of snails of sister families elucidated the potential for taxon-specific immune features and investigation of strategically selected species will provide a more comprehensive view of gastropod immunity.
Postoperative revisits and readmissions after facelift surgery.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS To determine 30-day rates and reasons for revisit and readmission after rhytidectomy surgery. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional analysis. METHODS Cross-sectional analysis was performed of multistate ambulatory surgery and hospital databases. Ambulatory rhytidectomy cases were extracted from State Ambulatory Surgery Databases for New York, Florida, Iowa, and California for 2010 and 2011. Cases were linked to State Emergency Department and Inpatient Databases for visits occurring 1 to 30 days postoperatively. RESULTS A total of 6,089 rhytidectomy cases were extracted (87.9% female). The mean age was 61.1 years, and the most common age group was 61 to 70 years (40.2%), followed by 51 to 60 years (33.2%), and 71 to 80 years (12.0%). Overall, 3.6% of patients had a revisit after surgery (42.7% to an ambulatory surgery center, 42.2% to an emergency department, and 15.1% to inpatient admission). The most common primary diagnoses at the time of the revisit were hematoma (17.0%), fever/nausea/diarrhea (4.1%), and urinary tract infection (4.1%). CONCLUSIONS Rhytidectomy is performed to treat facial aging, and can provide surgical outcomes which may not be achievable with nonsurgical alternatives. The 30-day revisit and readmission rate for this procedure in a large multistate cohort has not previously been reported. The revisit rate is low after rhytidectomy, and the most common reason for revisit is hematoma. These data provide important insight to optimize perioperative management and decrease postoperative revisits. This study does not capture return visits to the physician's office; however, postoperative issues that require presentation to outside facilities are important to distinguish from those managed in the practitioner's office, because they may incur additional, unplanned cost to both the patient and the healthcare system. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA Laryngoscope, 128:2714-2717, 2018.
Moiré quantum chemistry: Charge transfer in transition metal dichalcogenide superlattices

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) bilayers have recently emerged as a robust and tunable moir\'e system for studying and designing correlated electron physics. In this Rapid Communication, by combining a large-scale first-principles calculation and continuum model approach, we provide an electronic structure theory that maps long-period TMD heterobilayer superlattices onto diatomic crystals with cations and anions. We find that the interplay between the moir\'e potential and Coulomb interaction leads to filling-dependent charge transfer between different moir\'e superlattice regions. We show that the insulating state at half filling found in recent experiments on $\mathrm{W}{\mathrm{Se}}_{2}/\mathrm{W}{\mathrm{S}}_{2}$ is a charge-transfer insulator rather than a Mott-Hubbard insulator. Our work reveals the richness of simplicity in moir\'e quantum chemistry.
Development and pilot evaluation of a personalized decision support intervention for low risk prostate cancer patients.

Author(s): Belkora, Jeffrey; Chan, June M; Cooperberg, Matthew R; Neuhaus, John; Stupar, Lauren; Weinberg, Tia; Broering, Jeanette M; Tenggara, Imelda; Cowan, Janet E; Rosenfeld, Stan; Kenfield, Stacey A; Van Blarigan, Erin L; Simko, Jeffry P; Witte, John; Carroll, Peter R | Abstract: ObjectivesDevelopment and pilot evaluation of a personalized decision support intervention to help men with early-stage prostate cancer choose among active surveillance, surgery, and radiation.MethodsWe developed a decision aid featuring long-term survival and side effects data, based on focus group input and stakeholder endorsement. We trained premedical students to administer the intervention to newly diagnosed men with low-risk prostate cancer seen at the University of California, San Francisco. Before the intervention, and after the consultation with a urologist, we administered the Decision Quality Instrument for Prostate Cancer (DQI-PC). We hypothesized increases in two knowledge items from the DQI-PC: How many men diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer will eventually die of prostate cancer? How much would waiting 3nmonths to make a treatment decision affect chances of survival? Correct answers were: "Most will die of something else" and "A little or not at all."ResultsThe development phase involved 6 patients, 1 family member, 2 physicians, and 5 other health care providers. In our pilot test, 57 men consented, and 44 received the decision support intervention and completed knowledge surveys at both timepoints. Regarding the two knowledge items of interest, before the intervention, 35/56 (63%) answered both correctly, compared to 36/44 (82%) after the medical consultation (Pn=n.04 by chi-square test).ConclusionsThe intervention was associated with increased patient knowledge. Data from this pilot have guided the development of a larger scale randomized clinical trial to improve decision quality in men with prostate cancer being treated in community settings.
Clinical course following tracheostomy in infancy

Background: Tracheostomy in infants is primarily required for long-term ventilatory support due to lung disease or neuromuscular weakness, and/or to bypass severe upper airway obstruction. Objective: To determine whether the course of respiratory disease changes after tracheostomy, depending on the primary indication for the procedure. Methods: Retrospective review of electronic medical records of infants who underwent tracheostomy. Clinical variables included among others demographics, perinatal history, age at tracheostomy and length of hospital stay. Results: Forty-six infants (29 male) underwent tracheostomy; 30 for ventilatory support (group A) and 16 due to upper airway obstruction (group B). Mean gestational age and birth weight were significantly lower in group A (29±6 vs. 35±6 weeks, p Conclusions: Infants who undergo tracheostomy represent two distinct populations. The clinical course after tracheostomy appears to be determined primarily by the underlying condition, especially prematurity and severe BPD. However, tracheostomy appears to facilitate patients’ rehabilitation.
Larsen, Marianne. (2016). Internationalization of higher education: An analysis through spatial, network, and mobilities theories. New York: Palgrave MacMillan US. 196 pp. 978-1-137-53345-6.

Book review of: Larsen, Marianne. (2016). Internationalization of higher education: An analysis through spatial, network, and mobilities theories. New York: Palgrave MacMillan US. 196 pp. 978-1-137-53345-6.
Predictors and reproducibility of urinary organophosphate ester metabolite concentrations during pregnancy and associations with birth outcomes in an urban population

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are synthetic chemicals used as flame retardants and plasticizers in a variety of goods. Despite ubiquitous human exposures and laboratory evidence that prenatal OPE exposures may disrupt offspring metabolism, perinatal studies of OPE health effects are limited. The objectives of this study were to: 1) Determine predictors and reproducibility of urinary OPE biomarker concentrations during pregnancy, and 2) Estimate the relation of prenatal OPE exposures with birth outcomes and cord blood adipokine and insulin concentrations. We analyzed five OPE metabolites in urine samples collected at up to three visits during pregnancy from 90 women enrolled in the ORigins of Child Health And Resilience in Development (ORCHARD) pregnancy cohort in Baltimore, MD from 2017 to 2019. To quantify the variability of metabolite concentrations during pregnancy, we calculated intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for each metabolite using mixed effects regression models. Using self-reported questionnaire data collected during gestation, we assessed possible sociodemographic and environmental/behavioral predictors of each OPE metabolite using generalized estimating equations to account for repeated exposure measures. We ascertained birth outcomes of 76 offspring from medical records, including weight-for-gestational age, length, ponderal index, and gestational age. In a subset of 37 infants, we measured cord blood concentrations of leptin, adiponectin, and insulin. To account for repeated exposure measures, we used linear structural equation models to assess the relations of standard deviation (SD) increases in prenatal OPE metabolite factor scores with continuous birth outcomes and cord blood biomarker concentrations. ICCs ranged from 0.09 for isopropylphenyl-phenyl phosphate (ip-PPP) to 0.59 for bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP). We observed little consistency in environmental or behavioral predictors of OPE exposures, although concentrations were generally lower for samples collected in the afternoon compared to morning and winter compared to other seasons. In adjusted analyses, a SD increase in BDCIPP concentration was associated with a 0.06 g/cm3 (95% CI: 0.00, 0.12) greater ponderal index. A SD increase in BDCIPP was associated with a 0.37 (95% CI: − 0.62, − 0.13) SD lower insulin concentration and 0.24 (95% CI: − 0.39, − 0.08) SD lower leptin concentration. Other OPEs were not associated with infant outcomes. These findings suggest some OPEs may be metabolic disruptors warranting investigation in larger studies.
Patient Reported Advance Care Planning Conversations among a Diverse Population of Older Adults with Chronic, Serious Illness: Gaps and Opportunities (GP734)

Author(s): Gelfman, Laura; Volow, Aiesha; Shi, Ying; Goldstein, Nathan; Barnes, Deborah; Sudore, Rebecca