cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dividend Yields and Stock Returns: Evidence from a Country without Taxes

The positive relation between dividend yields and stock returns in the US market is well documented in recent research. However, the cause(s) of the dividend yield effect is still unknown. On the one hand, the effect can be attributed to tax as predicted in the Brennan CAPM (Brennan (1970)). On the other hand, dividend yield can proxy for omitted risk factors or variables. We document a robust dividend yield effect in the Hong Kong market where neither dividend income nor capital gains are taxed. The effect is persistent in different sub-samples by time period or by market capitalization. The yield effect is economically significant. A one percent difference in dividend yields is associated with about a two percent difference in risk-adjusted returns. While not ruling out the tax explanation, our results show there are non-tax (unknown) factors that cause the dividend yield effect.
The Kinetics of Urinary Excretion of 51Cr from Labeled Erythrocytes in Hemolytic Anemia and the Anemia of Blood Loss

The urinary excretion of 51Cr was studied in conjunction with studies of erythrocyte survival, fecal blood loss, and erythrocyte volume in 54 patients with various hematologic disorders. It was confirmed that excretion of 51Cr is predominantly urinary, and the rate approximates a simple exponential function. In anemias unaccompanied by hemolysis or blood loss, the halftime for urinary excretion of erythrocyte-bound 51Cr (Tu½) ranged from 43 to 63 days. Tu½ was shortened in patients with hemolytic disease but prolonged in patients with severe blood loss; these deviations were proportional to the severity of hemolysis or blood loss, respectively. Determination of the rate of urinary 51Cr excretion may prove to be useful in differentiating various causes of anemia, especially because (1) it distinguishes severe or chronic blood loss from hemolysis, which is not possible with conventional erythrocyte survival studies; (2) the need for multiple venipunctures may be obviated; (3) fluctuations in blood volume or erythrocyte volume do not appear to affect the rate of urinary 51Cr excretion; (4) only a very small dose of radiochromium is needed.
Reduced behavioral effects of cocaine in heterozygous brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) knockout mice.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) affects the development of brain neurotransmitter systems, including dopamine and serotonin systems that are important for cocaine's rewarding and locomotor stimulatory properties. Human genomic markers within or near the BDNF locus have been linked to or associated with substance abuse. Post-mortem human brain specimens reveal individual differences in the levels of BDNF mRNA and in mRNA splicing patterns. To assess the effects of lifelong alterations in the levels of BDNF expression on a measure of psychostimulant reward, we have compared locomotor stimulant and rewarding effects of cocaine in heterozygous BDNF knockout mice with effects in their wild-type littermates. Heterozygous BDNF knockout mice displayed less locomotion during habituation and less locomotion after cocaine injections. Cocaine-conditioned place preferences were reduced in the BDNF heterozygotes. These mice displayed no significant difference from saline control values at a dose of 10 mg/kg s.c. cocaine, although they exhibited cocaine-induced preference at a 20 mg/kg dose. These data confirm important roles for BDNF in psychostimulant actions, presumably via neurotrophic effects on dopamine and serotonin systems. Furthermore, these data support suggestions that differences in human BDNF expression may underlie associations between markers near the human BDNF gene locus and drug addiction.
Mammary Growth and Milk Yield as Related to Litter Size

SummaryLitters of primiparous lactating rats were adjusted to contain either 6, 9, or 12 young on the day of parturition. On day 13 postpartum, each rat was isolated from her litter for 16 hrs. On day 14 postpartum, each dam was anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital and weighted. The pups were then returned to their mothers, allowed to suckle the abdominal-inguinal glands, and each dam was reweighed. The difference between the prenursing and postnursing weights of the dam was used as an index of milk yield. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the abdominal-inguinal glands was also determined. The DNA content of the glands of rats nursing 9 or 12 young was 22 and 39% greater, respectively, than that of rats nursing 6 offspring. Milk yield by rats nursing the larger litters was also significantly greater. A significant increase in litter weight gain was evident between litters of rats nursing 6 and 12 pups. These data suggested that an increase in the suckling stimulus (larger litters) resulted in an increase i...
Neuropathologic, biochemical, and molecular characterization of the frontotemporal dementias

The frontotemporal dementias (FTDs) are a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders that are characterized clinically by dementia, personality changes, language impairment, and occasionally extrapyramidal movement disorders. Historically, the diagnosis and classification of FTDs has been fraught with difficulties, especially with regard to establishing a consensus on the neuropathologic diagnosis. Recently, an international group of scientists participated in a consensus conference to develop such neuropathologic criteria. They recommended a diagnostic classification scheme that incorporated a biochemical analysis of the insoluble tau isoform composition, as well as ubiquitin immunohistochemistry. The use and reliability of this classification system has yet to be examined. In this study, we evaluated 21 cases of FTD. Using traditional histochemical stains and tau protein and ubiquitin immunohistochemistry, we separated each case into one of the following categories: classic Pick disease (PiD; n = 7), corticobasal degeneration (CBD; n = 5), dementia lacking distinctive histopathologic features (DLDH; n = 4), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP; n = 2), frontotemporal lobar degeneration with motor neuron disease or motor neuron disease-type inclusions (FTLD-MND/MNI; n = 2), and neurofibrillary tangle dementia (NFTD; n = 1). Additionally, we independently categorized each case by the insoluble tau isoform pattern, including 3R (n = 5), 4R (n = 7), 3R/4R (n = 3), and no insoluble tau (n = 6). As suggested by the proposed diagnostic scheme, we found that the insoluble tau isoform patterns correlated strongly with the independently derived histopathologic diagnoses (p < 0.001). The data show that cases containing predominantly 3R tau were classic PiD (100%). Cases with predominantly 4R tau were either CBD (71%) or PSP (29%). Cases with both 3R and 4R tau were either a combination of PiD and Alzheimer disease (67%) or NFTD (33%). Finally, cases with no insoluble tau were either DLDH (67%) or FTLD-MND/MNI (33%). To further characterize these cases, we also performed quantitative Western blots for soluble tau, APOE genotyping, and, in selected cases, tau gene sequencing. We show that soluble tau is reduced in DLDH and FTLD-MND/MNI and that APOE4 is overrepresented in PiD and DLDH. We also identified a new family with the R406W mutation and pathology consistent with NFTD. This study validates the recently proposed diagnostic criteria and forms a framework for further refinement of this classification scheme.
Historical perspective—weaving the lives of Florence Nightingale and Florence Nightingale David into the statistics classroom

Summary This paper describes an activity to celebrate the lives of Florence Nightingale and Florence Nightingale David in statistics classrooms.
Technique for development of domain knowledge base and management

The key point domain knowledge system is a type of knowledge base system with complex structure and functions.The function and performance of knowledge depend on the designing of knowledge base structure and searching technique,which are studied based on the ontology and domain knowledge system structure.The knowledge base structure is designed according to the objective data model theory,and realized the matching of knowledge component with the Elisa Bertino matching algorithm.The technique are used to develop the knowledge base of cigarette industry,and are verified in the knowledge management prototype system.
Information management system based on HACCP

HACCP(Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) system is a defending system of quality control,being adopted widely to assure quality in food industry.In this work,the software based on HACCP was reviewed comprehensively.We developed an Information Management System based on HACCP,including three sub-system: HACCP-planning system,Control Point comparing system,and HACCP recoding system.This IMS was planted into ASP service platform in order to decrease cost and improve efficiency.
The demand for teachers by public school districts under three different market structures

A data set consisting of pooled cross-sectional and time series data is used to examine the demand for teachers by public school districts under three separate treatments of the supply side of the markets. The data describe Maryland public school districts for the 1955-1956 through 1979-1980 school years;School districts are assumed to maximize the average educational services produced per student given their budget for current educational expenditures. An educational production function, one argument of which is the teacher-student ratio, describes the production of these educational services;The demand for teachers is first estimated under the assumption that school districts face a perfectly elastic supply curve of teachers. The demand for teachers is found to be price inelastic using the average of actual teacher salaries to capture the price of teacher services. Alternative measures of the price of teacher services constructed from published salary schedules did not perform as expected in explaining teacher demand. Similar results are obtained when the demand functions for elementary and secondary teachers are estimated separately. Previous studies have found the price of teacher services to have a positive effect on the demand for teacher experience and education levels. Here, the data allow for the construction of price variables and dependent variables which are consistent with the model. The demand for teacher experience and for teachers with bachelor's degrees responds negatively to their prices;Next, a hedonic model is used to describe the determination of the price of teacher services. When the market for teacher services is in equilibrium, teachers are allocated among school districts and prices are determined for both teacher and school district characteristics. Teacher demand and a price-characteristics function are estimated using two-stage least squares. Weak evidence of a trade-off between class sizes and teacher salaries is found among school districts which have collective bargaining agreements with teachers' unions;Finally, school districts are assumed to possess a degree of monopsony power in the market for teacher services due to the occupational and/or geographic immobility of teachers. Estimation of the supply function of teacher services is performed using two-stage least squares yielding evidence of such power among nonunionized school districts but not among unionized school districts. This evidence is not conclusive as the source of teacher immobility could not be positively identified.
Research on the application of intelligent under-frequency/under-voltage load shedding considering demand response

With the installation and application of smart meters, smart appliances, and other smart devices in the user side, the dynamic information measued by these devices can be obtained and used for power system security and stability analysis & control. Based on the summary of intelligent underfrequency/undervoltage load shedding technology, the intelligent appliance load types and the role of smart appliances in the grid control were analyzed firstly. Using the intelligent measurement and control technology, the traditional underfrequency/undervoltage load shedding schemes was improved. And a combined with intelligent demand response technology was proposed with consideration of intelligent home appliances in response to new types of underfrequency/under voltage load shedding schemes, realize rapid response resources and under-frequency/under-load shedding schemes coordinated control. Time-domain simulation results showed that the under frequency load shedding project can adapted grid complex operating environment, quickly and avaliably inhibit falling-down of fault frequency, reducing the loss of load shedding, improves the flexibility and reliability of the system. The poposed intelligent low-frequency voltage load shedding scheme was verified by the simulation of Jiangsu province grid, and the simulation result verified the effectiveness of this novel under frequency and under voltage load shedding algorithm.
Unsuspected Clenbuterol Toxicity in a Patient Using Intramuscular Testosterone.

Clenbuterol is a beta-agonist that has been abused by fitness-oriented individuals for muscle growthand weight loss. We report a case of a 46-year-old man who presented tachycardic, hypokalemic, andhyperglycemic after injecting testosterone obtained from Brazil. He developed refractory hypotensionand was started on an esmolol infusion for suspected beta-agonist toxicity. Laboratory analysisshowed a detectable clenbuterol serum concentration. Analysis of an unopened ampule containedboldenone undecylenate, clenbuterol, and vitamin E. This case illustrates a novel exposure thatcaused beta-agonist toxicity and was treated successfully with rapid-onset beta blocker.
Cardiac headache in acute coronary syndrome

Acute coronary syndrome may present in a wide distribution of symptoms. The classic presentation includes substernal chest pain, neck pain, dyspnea or syncope. In patients with coronary risk factors who present with headaches, acute coronary syndrome is rare, but has been previously reported. We describe a case of 63-year-old female who presented with a severe headache and developed a Non ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction.
Neutron cross sections for carbon and oxygen from new R-matrix analyses of the 13,14C and 17O systems

We report the latest results from R -matrix analyses of reactions in the 13,14 C and 17 O systems that are of interest in reactor applications and nuclear astrophysics. These were done in order to provide separate cross sections for the stable isotopes (12,13 C) of natural carbon, and to contribute improved cross sections for 16 O to the CIELO project. Although particular attention was paid to the data in the standards region ( +16 O, the analyses extend to several MeV neutron energy for all the systems. The fits to the data included are generally quite good, in keeping with the unitary constraints of R -matrix theory. The cross sections for 12,13 C give results for natural carbon that are close to the previous evaluation by Fu et al. at energies below 1 MeV. Above that energy, the deviations become larger, especially near the narrow resonances. The thermal cross section for 16 O is at the upper end of the range of recommended values, in excellent agreement with a high-precision measurement by Schneider. At higher energies, the 17 O analysis follows in great detail high-resolution measurements of the total cross section, and agrees quite well with the 13 C(α,n)16 O cross section measurement of Bair and Haas at roughly their original normalization scale. We will discuss the implications of these new evaluations for critical benchmarks and astrophysical applications.
The More You Teach, the Less They Learn: Effects of Teaching Approaches on Learning Performance

Typically, an introductory programming course is a required course for business college undergraduate students majoring in information systems. Different instructors may have different approaches to teaching this course: Some give lectures and assign programming exercises, while others only assign programming exercises without giving lectures. This research deliberately compared the effects of the two teaching approaches on learning performance. Results indicated that: (1) both approaches are effective, and (2) the programming-exercises-only approach is more effective than the other approach. Further analysis indicated that students’ current programming skills, prior programming experience, and grade expectation, are significant antecedents of students’ performance in terms of their final grades for the course. These results suggested that when teaching introductory programming courses, instructors may consider choosing the student-centered active learning over the traditional lecture format in order to improve students’ learning performance.
The New Nexus and the Emerging Trends in Global Employment and Specialization

This chapter explains how the new-fangled configurations of global production, investment, and trade being orchestrated by the new nexus of multinational enterprises (MNEs), foreign direct investment (FDI), and global value chains (GVCs) have been transforming global patterns of employment and specialization in the twenty-first century. The chapter provides conceptual underpinnings and empirical findings on the linkages between trade, investment, and value chains, and identifies the underlying forces and dynamics that are propelling the new trends and patterns of employment and specialization across the world under the new nexus.
Basilar Artery Occlusion with "Seizures" as a Presenting Symptom: Three Cases Treated Using Mechanical Thrombectomy.

Background Basilar artery occlusion (BAO) is a rare, potentially fatal cause of ischemic stroke. It is often challenging to diagnose, especially when the presenting symptom is “seizures”. We present 3 cases of patients with BAO presenting with seizures. Case Description The first patient was a 53-year-old man with clonic convulsions. On angiography, BAO was detected and mechanical thrombectomy (MT) was performed. The modified Rankin Scale score at 3 months after treatment was 1. The second patient was a 64-year-old man with generalized convulsions. He was diagnosed with BAO and vertebral artery dissection and was treated with MT, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, and stenting. The modified Rankin Scale score at 3 months after treatment was 3. The third patient was a 77-year-old man with tonic convulsions. He was diagnosed with BAO and treated with MT. However, he did not survive. Conclusions BAO is devastating; however, it is a treatable disease. Our report suggests that BAO should be suspected in patients presenting with initial convulsive seizures.
Metallurgy of Permanent Magnet Alloys: Recent Developments

The recent rapid expansion of the array of compounds known to possess excellent intrinsic permanent magnet properties has not been matched by an equivalent growth in the ability to process these compounds into magnets having correspondingly high values of the microstructure-sensitive properties such as coercivity and energy product. Since the 1983 discovery of the ternary intermetallic compound, Nd2Fe14B, several other systems, including Sm(Fe,Ti)12, Nd2Fe14C, and Sm2Fe17N3-δ, have been proposed as hard magnet compounds, but none of these are currently being produced as finished magnets. The techniques for the control of the metallurgical development in these systems are simply not yet available. The principles governing the development of coercivity in permanent magnets are briefly reviewed, then several of these newly-proposed systems are examined with emphasis on their potential for the development of high coercive force microstructures.
The current state of neuro-palliative care.

The July 2018 issue of Annals of Palliative Medicine is a focused issue guest edited by Kwok Ying Chan, FHKCP, of the Palliative Medical Unit at Grantham Hospital in Hong Kong. The issue is dedicated to neuro-palliative care, a relatively new subspeciality of neurology and palliative medicine.
A Wavelet-based Solution to the Inverse Problem for Fractal Interpolation Functions

We consider a special class of self-similar functions, the fractal interpolation functions, and provide a constructive solution to the inverse problem: Given a graph of a fractal interpolation function f which is the attractor of an unknown IFS with affine contraction maps w I ,…, w N , find the maps w i . The solution is based on scaling properties of continuous wavelet transforms. The results of an algorithm are shown in two examples.
Disability Type and Risk of Sexual and Stalking Victimization in a National Sample: A Lifestyle–Routine Activity Approach:

Research findings from national samples indicate that people with disabilities have a higher risk of sexual and stalking victimization than their counterparts without disabilities. While this body ...
Duox1 Regulates Primary B Cell Function under the Influence of IL-4 through BCR-Mediated Generation of Hydrogen Peroxide

Engagement of the BCR with Ags triggers signaling pathways for commitment of B lymphocyte responses that can be regulated, in part, by reactive oxygen species. To investigate the functional relevance of reactive oxygen species produced in primary B cells, we focused on the role of the hydrogen peroxide generator Duox1 in stimulated splenic B cells under the influence of the TH2 cytokine IL-4. We found that H2O2 production in wild type (WT) and Nox2-deficient CD19+ B cells was boosted concomitantly with enhanced expression of Duox1 following costimulation with BCR agonists together with IL-4, whereas stimulated Duox1-/- cells showed attenuated H2O2 release. We examined whether Duox1-derived H2O2 contributes to proliferative activity and Ig isotype production in CD19+ cells upon BCR stimulation. Duox1-/- CD19+ B cells showed normal responses of Ig production but a higher rate of proliferation than WT or Nox2-deficient cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the H2O2 scavenger catalase mimics the effect of Duox1 deficiency by enhancing proliferation of WT CD19+ B cells in vitro. Results from immunized mice reflected the in vitro observations: T cell-independent Ag induced increased B cell expansion in germinal centers from Duox1-/- mice relative to WT and Nox2-/- mice, whereas immunization with T cell-dependent or -independent Ag elicited normal Ig isotype secretion in the Duox1 mutant mice. These observations, obtained both by in vitro and in vivo approaches, strongly suggest that Duox1-derived hydrogen peroxide negatively regulates proliferative activity but not Ig isotype production in primary splenic CD19+ B cells.
Abstract P2-02-01: Inhibition of creatine kinase metabolism represses invasion and sensitizes estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer cells to standard chemotherapies

Dysregulated tumor cell metabolism is a hallmark of cancer progression and therapeutic resistance. In a screen for Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF)-dependent genes regulating metabolism, we identified creatine kinase, brain isoform (CKB) as down-regulated in HIF-1 knockout mammary tumor cells. CKB is a member of a family of cytosolic and mitochondrial creatine kinases (CKs) that reversibly catalyze the transfer of a high-energy phosphoryl group from ATP to creatine, generating local stores of phosphocreatine in the forward reaction, and re-generating ATP in the reverse reaction. Creatine kinases are up-regulated in a variety of solid tumors, including breast cancers. CK activity is inhibited by cyclocreatine (cCr), a creatine kinase substrate that represses the CK-dependent generation of ATP from phosphocreatine >170-fold. Knockdown of CKB in tumor cells derived from the polyoma middle T (PyMT) transgenic model of metastatic breast cancer did not impair cell proliferation or wound healing, but potently suppressed invasion in vitro, suggesting utility for treating stage IV disease. When female FVB/Nj mice were injected with wild type PyMT cells in a tail vein assay and then treated with cCr, lung metastasis was repressed to the same extent as CKB gene knockdown. These data were validated using a variety of human estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer cell lines. CKB loss- and gain-of-function models were created and effects on cell proliferation, survival, wound healing and ATP production were compared to cCr treatment. Overall, whereas deletion of CKB had no effect on cell proliferation or survival in either adherent or suspension conditions, either deletion of CKB or cCr therapy potently reduced intracellular ATP levels, which was associated with reduced invasive potential. In contrast, over-expression of CKB enhanced chemotaxis to EGF and invasion towards serum. Whereas cCr monotherapy is generally cytostatic, combination with either doxorubicin or paclitaxel is synergistic to kill tumor cells. Together, these data suggest that inhibition of CK activity may be effective in treating stage IV breast cancer patients with established metastatic disease. We are currently exploring the cell signaling and cell survival pathways that are altered by CKB gene deletion or cCr treatment to understand how the creatine kinase arm of metabolism promotes tumor progression, metastasis and response to conventional chemotherapies. Citation Format: Barch HP, Krutilina R, Brooks DL, Parke D, Seagroves TN. Inhibition of creatine kinase metabolism represses invasion and sensitizes estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer cells to standard chemotherapies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-02-01.
Defining Craft: Hermeneutics and Economy

This chapter defines the concept of “craft” from both a philosophical and an institutional perspective. It will briefly survey the concept of craft from its early usage to more contemporary meanings, placing in context problems and issues that make craft an economic problem. Specifically, this chapter proposes a non-linear perspective on craft, focusing on the meaning-making relationship within human production, art, and concepts of skill and mastery. It then describes how craft has been defined by institutions, including the World Craft Council. The chapter concludes with a discussion of globalization, proposing why the evolution of global trends imposes a dynamic and ever-changing definition of craft.
Mindfulness and Interoceptive Exposure Therapy for Anxiety Sensitivity in Atrial Fibrillation: A Pilot Study:

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and symptoms overlap with physiological sensations of anxiety. Patients with atrial fibrillation can demonstrate anxiety sensitivity even in the absence of actual atrial fibrillation symptoms. Interoceptive exposure is effective in treating anxiety sensitivity, and recently, mindfulness has been proposed as an enhancement strategy to facilitating inhibitory learning in exposure therapy. This pragmatic study piloted a brief mindfulness and interoceptive exposure treatment for anxiety sensitivity in atrial fibrillation. Eight participants with atrial fibrillation and elevated anxiety sensitivity from a hospital cardiology department participated in the treatment. Anxiety sensitivity significantly decreased during the course of the intervention. These initial findings show proof of concept for this brief intervention in a cardiac-specific behavioral medicine setting.
Electron-Phonon Interaction and Superconductivity in Metallic Hydrogen

The energy bands of face-centered-cubic hydrogen at a rs value of 1.64 a.u. were calculated. This corresponds to a density of 3.65 × 102 3 hydrogen atoms/cm3 and would require pressures of the order of a megabar to achieve. We have calculated the electron-phonon matrix element using the formalism of Gaspari and Gyorffy and parameters derived from our calculations. Using various theoretical estimates of the phonon properties of metallic hydrogen we have calculated the electron-phonon coupling constant or mass enhancement factor, λ, and the superconducting transition temperature. Those calculations indicate that this system would be a superconductor with a transition temperature in excess of 200 K.
Use of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance in Patients With Cirrhosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance is associated with early tumor detection and improved survival; however, it is often underused in clinical practice. We aimed to characterize surveillance use among patients with cirrhosis and the efficacy of interventions to increase surveillance. APPROACH AND RESULTS We performed a systematic literature review using the MEDLINE database from January 2010 through August 2018 to identify cohort studies evaluating HCC surveillance receipt or interventions to increase surveillance in patients with cirrhosis. A pooled estimate for surveillance receipt with 95% confidence intervals was calculated. Correlates of surveillance use were defined from each study and prespecified subgroup analyses. Twenty-nine studies, with a total of 118,799 patients, met inclusion criteria, with a pooled estimate for surveillance use of 24.0% (95% confidence interval, 18.4-30.1). In subgroup analyses, the highest surveillance receipt was reported in studies with patients enrolled from subspecialty gastroenterology/hepatology clinics and lowest in studies characterizing surveillance in population-based cohorts (73.7% versus 8.8%, P < 0.001). Commonly reported correlates of surveillance included higher receipt among patients followed by subspecialists and lower receipt among those with alcohol-associated or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-related cirrhosis. All eight studies (n = 5,229) evaluating interventions including patient/provider education, inreach (e.g., reminder and recall systems), and population health outreach strategies reported significant increases (range 9.4%-63.6%) in surveillance receipt. CONCLUSIONS HCC surveillance remains underused in clinical practice, particularly among patients with alcohol-associated or NASH-related cirrhosis and those not followed in subspecialty gastroenterology clinics. Interventions such as provider education, inreach including reminder systems, and population health outreach efforts can significantly increase HCC surveillance.
Development of human ectocervical tissue models with physiologic endocrine and paracrine signaling

There is a shortage of research models that adequately represent the unique mucosal environment of human ectocervix, limiting development of new therapies for treating infertility, infection, or cancer. We developed three microphysiologic human ectocervix models to study hormone action during homeostasis. First, we reconstructed ectocervix using decellularized extracellular matrix scaffolds, which supported cell integration and could be clinically useful. Secondly, we generated organotypic systems consisting of ectocervical explants co-cultured with murine ovaries or cycling exogenous hormones, which mimicked human menstrual cycles. Finally, we engineered ectocervix tissue consisting of tissue-specific stromal-equivalents and fully-differentiated epithelium that mimicked in vivo physiology, including squamous maturation, hormone response, and mucin production, and remained viable for 28 days in vitro. The localization of differentiation-dependent mucins in native and engineered tissue was identified for the first time, which will allow increased efficiency in mucin targeting for drug delivery. In summary, we developed and characterized three microphysiologic human ectocervical tissue models that will be useful for a variety of research applications, including preventative and therapeutic treatments, drug and toxicology studies, and fundamental research on hormone action in a historically understudied tissue that is critical for women's health.
The Impact of Intraoperative Local Ketorolac on Opioid Use in the Management of Postoperative Pain in Thoracolumbar Spinal Fusions: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

ABSTRACT Background: The United States is facing an opioid addiction epidemic with >63,600 deaths from drug overdoses in 2016 alone. Ketorolac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug that has been shown to decrease postoperative pain in decompressive lumbar laminectomies. We sought to demonstrate that intraoperative intramuscular (IM) ketorolac is associated with decreased opioid use in the management of acute postoperative pain in thoracolumbar spinal fusions. Methods: A retrospective review of consecutive patients undergoing open and minimally invasive (MIS) thoracolumbar fusions between 2017 and 2018. Ketorolac (30 mg) was injected into the paraspinal muscles adjacent to the operative site before closure. Patients were placed on a standard pain control regimen. All demographic and surgical data were assessed with univariate analysis to assess for differences between groups. Univariate analysis was used to identify significant covariates for the linear regressions with postoperative morphine equivalents, length of stay (LOS), and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain as dependent variables. A P Results: Two hundred twenty-five consecutive patients were included with 58 patients receiving intraoperative IM ketorolac. The average age of the ketorolac groups was 63.4 years (23–87 years) with an even distribution between genders. There was no significant difference in demographic or surgical data between the 2 cohorts. Postoperative opioid use, when corrected for LOS, showed no significance between cohorts, ketorolac 16.4 mg (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.3–20.5) and nonketorolac 6.7 mg (95% CI: 14.1–19.4, P = .8729). Other than postoperative day zero VAS (P = .05), ketorolac was not a predictor of opioid use, LOS, or VAS. Conclusion: The use of a single dose of intraoperative IM ketorolac did not decrease the overall opioid requirements or shorten the LOS following open or MIS lumbar fusions. However, we did demonstrate benefit in early pain control, which makes this promising for further investigation. Level of Evidence: 3. Clinical Relevance: This article promotes attention to the opioid crisis and the need for multimodal nonopioid based pain management in spine surgery.
A Personalized Voice-Based Diet Assistant for Caregivers of Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias: System Development and Validation

Background: The world’s aging population is increasing, with an expected increase in the prevalence of Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD). Proper nutrition and good eating behavior show promise for preventing and slowing the progression of ADRD and consequently improving patients with ADRD’s health status and quality of life. Most ADRD care is provided by informal caregivers, so assisting caregivers to manage patients with ADRD’s diet is important. Objective: This study aims to design, develop, and test an artificial intelligence–powered voice assistant to help informal caregivers manage the daily diet of patients with ADRD and learn food and nutrition-related knowledge. Methods: The voice assistant is being implemented in several steps: construction of a comprehensive knowledge base with ontologies that define ADRD diet care and user profiles, and is extended with external knowledge graphs; management of conversation between users and the voice assistant; personalized ADRD diet services provided through a semantics-based knowledge graph search and reasoning engine; and system evaluation in use cases with additional qualitative evaluations. Results: A prototype voice assistant was evaluated in the lab using various use cases. Preliminary qualitative test results demonstrate reasonable rates of dialogue success and recommendation correctness. Conclusions: The voice assistant provides a natural, interactive interface for users, and it does not require the user to have a technical background, which may facilitate senior caregivers’ use in their daily care tasks. This study suggests the feasibility of using the intelligent voice assistant to help caregivers manage patients with ADRD’s diet.
Axillary Downstaging in Occult Primary Breast Cancer After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is increasingly used for clinically node-positive (cN+) tumors with intact primary breast cancer (IPBC) to downstage the axilla, and those who convert to cN0 may be eligible for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Rates of axillary downstaging in occult primary breast cancer (OPBC) are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of nodal pathologic complete response (pCR) following NAC in a cohort of patients with OPBC. Twenty-eight patients with stage II/III OPBC treated between January 2008 and December 2019 were identified. Twenty patients had cN1-3 OPBC, pretreatment lymph node needle biopsy, and received NAC; these constituted the study population. Treatment factors and nodal pCR rates were summarized by tumor subtype. Median age at diagnosis was 54 years. Most patients presented with cN1 disease (75%) and ductal histology (80%). Nodal pCR was seen in 16/20 (80%) patients. Eight (40%) patients were triple negative, 6 (30%) were estrogen receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (ER +/HER2 −), and 6 (30%) were HER2 positive, with pCR rates of 88%, 50%, and 100%, respectively. Among the 15 patients who presented as cN1, 14 (93%) converted to cN0 following NAC. Of these, nine underwent SLNB and all achieved nodal pCR (100%). In this small series, 80% of OPBC patients achieved nodal pCR following NAC. pCR rates varied by receptor profile, being lowest in the ER positive/HER2 negative group and highest in the HER2 positive group (50–100%); however, these rates are excellent and numerically exceed those in the literature for IPBC. Given the pCR rate, SLNB may be an option in select OPBC patients who downstage following NAC.
The Trpv Channel Osm-9 Mediates Olfactory Long-Term Memory Consolidation Independent Of Sleep

Memory is one of the most important abilities of the brain. It is defined as an alteration in behavior from an experience. For example, the C. elegans nematode will downregulate its chemotactic response to an innately attractive odor if it is not paired with food. This process is an example of olfactory classical conditioning. Through spaced training with this odor in the absence of food, C. elegans will maintain this memory of the odor for a prolonged period of time, akin to long-term memory formation. Although TRP channels are classically thought of as primary sensory receptors, intriguingly, it has been reported that the OSM-9/TRPV5/TRPV6 (TRP vanilloid) channel is required for odor short-term memory. We have discovered a new role for osm-9/TRPV in long-term olfactory memory formation (LTM). The osm-9 mutant animals can acquire memory of the conditioned stimulus (odor) just like wild-type, but are unable to consolidate the memory for long-term maintenance. Interestingly, this TRPV-mediated long-term memory does not require sleep to form the long-lasting memory. Additionally, we found that genomic DNA and not cDNA is able to rescue the short-term odor memory defects seen in the null mutants. TRP channels are well studied in their ability to sense noxious stimuli, yet they are also implicated in memory and many diseases and disorders that limit neural plasticity, including Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, stroke, and sense disorders including anosmia. Our studies uncovered a role of TRP channels in neural plasticity, specifically, in olfactory long-term memory formation. These findings will broaden our knowledge of TRP channel function as a mediator of plasticity and memory, which could also potentially aid in understanding and treating the many diseases and disorders caused by TRP channel dysfunction.
Myocardial Histopathology in Patients With Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Abstract Background Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is characterized by multiple pathological features including myocyte hypertrophy, myocyte disarray, and interstitial fibrosis. Objectives This study sought to correlate myocardial histopathology with clinical characteristics of patients with obstructive HCM and post-operative outcomes following septal myectomy. Methods The authors reviewed the pathological findings of the myocardial specimens from 1,836 patients with obstructive HCM who underwent septal myectomy from 2000 to 2016. Myocyte hypertrophy, myocyte disarray, interstitial fibrosis, and endocardial thickening were graded and analyzed. Results The median age at operation was 54.2 years (43.5 to 64.3 years), and 1,067 (58.1%) were men. A weak negative correlation between myocyte disarray and age at surgery was identified (ρ = −0.22; p Conclusions Histopathology was associated with clinical manifestations including the age of disease onset and arrhythmias. Myocyte hypertrophy and endocardial thickening were negatively associated with post-myectomy mortality.
Slowing Down and Digging Deep: Teaching Students to Examine Interview Interaction in Depth

Teaching students to become critical consumers of interviews, which often serve as influential sources for learning and interpreting world events, is important in today’s information-rich world. This paper outlines an approach to teaching in-depth interviewing in which students examine excerpts from interviews (e.g., archival collections, oral histories, or media interviews) using the tools of ethnomethodology and conversation analysis to “slow down” and “dig deep” into the social aspects of interviews. Using two case examples from undergraduate and graduate classrooms, we illustrate how this approach helps students to notice how question-answer sequences unfold and encourages critical consumption and participation in interviews.
Ethnic Identity Measurement and Verification

We show how identity theory can provide a coherent theoretical framework for understanding people’s ethnic identity meanings and behavior across an ethnically diverse sample. Using a mixed-methods approach, we developed measures of respondents’ ethnic identity that reveal two separate though related dimensions of meaning that are relevant for all respondents. One of these is oriented toward ethnic group membership focused on the heritage and traditions of members. The other is oriented toward ethnic role behavior, focused on the role performances that maintain and display one’s ethnic identity meanings. We examine how respondents’ level of knowledge and certainty of their ethnicity, as well as generation in the U.S., influence the difficulty respondents report verifying their ethnic identity. Results show identity theory is well positioned to understand respondents’ ethnic identity and the difficulties they experience. In addition, we provide a theoretical explanation for why respondents feel uneasy when their ethnic identity claims are not accepted by others.
An Overview of Nonlinear Optics of Liquid Crystals

Owing to their complex physical structures, liquid crystals exist in several mesophases and possess large optical nonlinearities. An overview of the theories for the three principle mechanisms for optical nonlinearities in the nematic phase, namely, laser induced director axis reorientation, density and temperature fluctuations, is presented. These nonlinear effects are further discussed in the context of optical wave mixings such as phase conjugation and real time holography, and nonlinear optical switching processses.
Gonadal Steroid Action on Brain Sexual Differentiation and Sexual Behavior

One of the goals of research on the brain is to understand how neurons are organized into systems which control behaviors and how these systems are modified by factors in the external and internal environment. Hormonal influences on the brain represent one of the best paradigms for pursuing this goal. We have been studying steroid hormone effects on the brain and have come to recognize three unique opportunities offered by such studies. First, by localizing putative receptors with radiolabeled hormones, it is possible to localize potential sites of hormone action within the brain. Second, by identifying putative receptors in brain regions, one has access to a likely cellular mechanism by which nerve cell function is modulated, namely, by a modification of genomic activity. Third, steroids and particularly gonadal steroids regulate both developing as well as adult neural targets and thus provide access to two aspects of brain function: “organizational”, dealing with permanent establishment of neural circuits and response capabilities, including sex differences; and “activational”, dealing with the reversible facilitation of neural activity and neuronal properties which underlie reversible changes of neuroendocrine status and behavior. One of the goals of our research on this topic is to identify cellular events triggered by hormones in neurons which are necessary and sufficient for “organizational” and “activational” effects. This article is a progress report of efforts in this direction.
Solubilization and Characterization of Active Opiate Binding Sites

The initial step leading to many of the pharmacological actions of opiates involves their binding to stereospecific membrane-bound receptors. Extraction from brain membranes of opiate receptors that retain their ability to bind opiates in solution has been successfully achieved in our laboratory. Characterization of the soluble receptors demonstrated their close similarity to their membrane-bound counterparts.
Faculty development in geriatrics for clinician educators: A unique model for skills acquisition and academic achievement

As the size of the aged American population increases, so too does the shortage of trained providers in geriatrics. Educational strategies to train physicians at all levels of experience within adult medical and surgical disciplines are needed to complement fellowship training, given the small size of most academic faculties in geriatrics. This article describes a unique faculty development program that creates geriatrically oriented faculty in multiple disciplines. The Boston University Center of Excellence in Geriatrics (COE), funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation, has trained 25 faculty members. Four to six scholars enter the program each year and participate in the COE 1 day per week. Nine months are spent in four content modules-Geriatrics Content, Clinical Teaching, Evidence-based Medicine, and Health Care Systems; 3 months are spent in supervised scholarly activities and clinical settings. A self-report questionnaire and a structured interview were used to evaluate the outcomes of participation in the COE. The results from the first 4 years of the program are reported. The response rate was 83% for the self-report questionnaire and 75% for the structured interview. The results indicate that the COE is effective in improving scholars' assessment and management of older patients. The structured interview revealed that the COE program promotes the integration of geriatrics into clinical teaching at the medical student and resident level. Participants also completed scholarly projects in geriatrics. This program effectively trains faculty scholars to better care for older adults and to teach others to do likewise.
Application of Thin-Layer Chromatographic Zonal 14C-Profile Scans to the Analysis of Urinary Constituents Derived from Lipids

Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) has been a useful tool in the analysis of numerous urinary constituents; as in most applications of adsorption TLC, it is best used in conjunction with other chromatographic processes. The application of TLC to the resolution of polar urinary products derived from lipids is shown for the metabolism of a 14C-labeled fatty acid and a 14C-labeled glyceryl thioether. An automatic system, including fraction collection of adsorbent, pipetting, data transmission, and computer calculations, was used to obtain the TLC zonal 14C profiles.