cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Socioeconomic Disparities in Health Among Older Adults and the Implications for the Retirement Age Debate: A Brief Report

Objective Policy debates about raising the full retirement age often neglect socioeconomic health disparities among U.S. workers. In response to this gap, we analyzed educational differentials in health among middle-age and older adults and translated the findings into age equivalents. Method We used the nationally representative 1997-2010 National Health Interview Surveys data on white and black adults aged 40-74 (N = 341,060). Using nonparametric regression (locally weighted scatterplot smoother) stratified by sex, race, and three educational levels, we determined age-specific prevalence of fair or poor self-rated health and any activity limitation, and compared the ages at which different demographic groups experienced a specific level of these two outcomes. Results Results varied slightly across health outcomes and demographic groups but generally showed that college-educated white men reported a level of limitations at age 70 that is equivalent to the levels reported by high school graduates at age 40-55. High school dropouts reported worse health at age 40 than the college educated at age 70, a gap of more than 30 years. Conclusions Our findings revealed enormous health inequalities in self-reported health, using a powerful and intuitive age-equivalence formulation. They highlighted the importance of considering health disparities in discussions about raising the retirement age, both in terms of fairness and feasibility.
Effect of Side Feed Pressurization on the Dynamic Performance of Gas Foil Bearings: A Model Anchored to Test Data

Comprehensive modeling of gas foil bearings (GFBs) anchored to reliable test data will enable the widespread usage of these bearings into novel high speed turbomachinery applications. GFBs often need a forced cooling gas flow, axially fed through one end of the bearing, for adequate thermal management. This paper presents rotordynamic response measurements on a rigid rotor supported on GFBs during rotor speed run-up and coastdown tests with the GFBs supplied with increasing feed gas pressures to 2.8 bars. Rotor speed run-up tests to 35 krpm show that the bearing end side feed gas pressurization delays the onset speed of rotor sub synchronous whirl motions. The test data validate closely the predictions of the threshold speed of instability and the whirl frequency ratio derived from a GFB model that implements the axial evolution of gas circumferential flow velocity as a function of the imposed side feed pressure. Rotor speed coastdown tests from 25 krpm with a low feed pressure of 0.35 bar evidence a nearly linear synchronous rotor response for small and moderately large imbalance mass distributions. A structural finite element rotordynamics model integrates linearized synchronous speed GFB force coefficients and predicts synchronous responses, amplitude, and phase angles, agreeing with the test data. The analysis and measurements demonstrate the profound effect of the end side feed gas pressurization on the rotordynamic performance of GFBs.
Current Concepts in Radiation Therapy for Early-Stage Endometrial Cancer

The present article aims to review current management for early-stage endometrioid carcinomas with a specific focus on adjuvant radiotherapy. A comprehensive literature review was conducted regarding management of early-stage endometrioid-type endometrial cancers. Abstracted information included risk of relapse, treatment approach, and morbidity from treatment. A majority of low-risk patients are safely managed with observation, with vaginal cuff brachytherapy (VCBT) reserved for those with multiple other risk factors. Intermediate-risk patients are a heterogeneous group with a variable definition; previous trials have established that VCBT alone is suitable for most patients to avoid morbidity of pelvic external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). High- and high-intermediate risk patients warrant pelvic EBRT ± VCBT with or without sequential chemotherapy. Continued controversy exists regarding the optimal VCBT fractionation regimen, with suggestion that higher dose/fraction regimens may lead to increased vaginal toxicity. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy is being investigated in an effort to reduce late toxicities. Advanced brachytherapy techniques such as image-guided brachytherapy have improved treatment of salvage and medically inoperable patients. Identification of risk groups and toxicity reduction through either appropriate radiotherapy techniques or advanced techniques has enabled optimization of adjuvant management for early-stage endometrial cancer.
Platinum nanoparticle encapsulation during hydrothermal growth of mesoporous oxides: Synthesis, characterization and catalytic properties

A synthetic method for the design of heterogeneous catalysts incorporating monodisperse platinum nanoparticles into ordered mesoporous oxide frameworks has been developed. Nanoparticles were synthesized in solution in the presence of surface templating polymer and encapsulated into mesoporous oxide matrices. After polymer removal by calcination, ethylene hydrogenation rates were consistent with previously reported results, while superior activity of low coordination atoms in small crystallites during ethane hydrogenolysis was demonstrated. Changes in reaction selectivity with particle size during the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation of cyclohexene were attributed to a hydrogen coverage effect influencing the hydrogenation pathway and the apparent structure sensitivity of the dehydrogenation pathway.
PHOTODETACHMENT OF THE 2P2(3PE) STATE OF H

Results of semiempirical, adiabatic hyperspherical calculations are presented for the photodetachment cross section of the process H[sup [minus]] 2[ital p][sup 2]([sup 3][ital P][sup [ital e]])+[gamma][r arrow]H([ital n]=2)+[ital e][sup [minus]] at photon energies in the range from threshold to 0.125 a.u. above. We find the detachment cross section to have a maximum value of 482 Mb at 25.7 meV above threshold, in good agreement with results of close-coupling calculations by Jacobs, Bhatia, and Temkin [Astrophys. J. 242, 1278 (1980)]. In contrast to the close-coupling results, however, we find that the detachment cross section rises by a factor of more than 400 from its threshold value to its maximum.
First-Principles-Based Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulation of the Structure Sensitivity of the Water–Gas Shift Reaction on Platinum Surfaces

Precious metals, such as platinum, have recently been explored as catalysts for the water–gas shift (WGS) reaction. Previous studies have elucidated the underlying reaction mechanism using mean-field models; however, the contribution of different site types, namely, steps and terraces, on the overall reaction rate is an open question, and it remains unclear how structure sensitive the WGS reaction is. The present work addresses these questions using a multiscale modeling approach that integrates density functional theory (DFT) calculations and kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulation. We calculate the reaction barriers and pre-exponential factors of the elementary steps of the WGS mechanism at steps and terraces using DFT. These elementary steps include adsorption and desorption, water and hydroxyl decomposition, and the formation of carboxyl and formate intermediates followed by the formation of CO2. We subsequently incorporate the calculated values into a KMC framework and calculate the turnover frequency f...
Wealth for and from Rural Industries of India for Sustainable Development

About 68% of the rural market of India still remains untapped, primarily due to inaccessibility for want of motorable roads, non-availability of electricity and dependable communication. Over 60% of India's rural population lives in darkness. They cook their food on primitive chulha which create tremendous air pollution and have no clean drinking water. This paper throws light on various methods and models that have been successfully developed by some established companies for rural markets' distribution network. This is a monumental task and an untiring effort done by the business community to reach rural people of India to meet their daily needs and uplifting their living standards. This paper highlights Gandhiji's thought about sustainable development focused on rural development. The paper describes, with the help of some examples, possible ways and means to generate wealth for and from rural industries in India by effectively utilizing rural agricultural wastes to generate electricity/ power and employment for the young rural people of India.
Function Analyses of Sequence Controlling at Furnace Area on Hot Strip Milling

Focuses on the furnace on hot strip milling,basic in the special status on furnace controlling,this paper shows the automatic control functions on charger,extractor and walking beam,analyses tracking and sequence controlling of slab on furnace area.
A Subset of Protective γ9δ2 T Cells Is Activated by Novel Mycobacterial Glycolipid Components

γ9δ2 T cells provide a natural bridge between innate and adaptive immunity, rapidly and potently respond to pathogen infection in mucosal tissues, and are prominently induced by both tuberculosis (TB) infection and bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccination. Mycobacterium-expanded γ9δ2 T cells represent only a subset of the phosphoantigen {isopentenyl pyrophosphate [IPP] and (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enylpyrophosphate [HMBPP]}-responsive γ9δ2 T cells, expressing an oligoclonal set of T cell receptor (TCR) sequences which more efficiently recognize and inhibit intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Based on this premise, we have been searching for M. tuberculosis antigens specifically capable of inducing a unique subset of mycobacterium-protective γ9δ2 T cells. Our screening strategy includes the identification of M. tuberculosis fractions that expand γ9δ2 T cells with biological functions capable of inhibiting intracellular mycobacterial replication. Chemical treatments of M. tuberculosis whole-cell lysates (MtbWL) ruled out protein, nucleic acid, and nonpolar lipids as the M. tuberculosis antigens inducing protective γ9δ2 T cells. Mild acid hydrolysis, which transforms complex carbohydrate to monomeric residues, abrogated the specific activity of M. tuberculosis whole-cell lysates, suggesting that a polysaccharide was required for biological activity. Extraction of MtbWL with chloroform-methanol-water (10:10:3) resulted in a polar lipid fraction with highly enriched specific activity; this activity was further enriched by silica gel chromatography. A combination of mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of bioactive fractions indicated that 6-O-methylglucose-containing lipopolysaccharides (mGLP) are predominant components present in this active fraction. These results have important implications for the development of new immunotherapeutic approaches for prevention and treatment of TB.
“SQUEEZING” OF CLASSICAL AMPLITUDE AND PHASE FLUCTUATIONS BY NON-DEGENERATE FOUR WAVE MIXING IN AN OPTICAL FIBER

Parametric interactions such as four wave mixing have been predicted to produce states of the radiation field where the quantum fluctuations in one phase quadrature are less than those of a coherent state.1 These “squeezed states” have proved remarkably difficult to generate and detect, not least because of the presence of additional classical noise in many laser sources and parametric devices. We have now demonstrated the reduction of classical fluctuations by means of four wave mixing in an optical fiber under conditions very similar to those needed to demonstrate squeezed state generation. This success reinforces the plausibility of related quantum noise experiments, and has implications for fiber optic communications.
Treatment of Variable Topography With the Seismoacoustic Parabolic Equation

The seismoacoustic parabolic equation is extended to handle variable topography, and a related approach is used to improve stability for problems involving sloping fluid–solid interfaces. A range-dependent medium is approximated in terms of a series of range-independent regions, and single-scattering operators are used to obtain transmitted fields across the vertical interfaces between regions. Sloping boundaries are handled using a single-scattering operator involving the normal displacement and the tangential stress. Sloping interfaces are handled using an improved single-scattering operator that provides greater stability for the fluid-solid case than the original single-scattering operator [M. D. Collins, J. Acoust. Soc. Amer. , vol. 131, pp. 2638–2642, 2012]. The approach is applicable to problems in seismology involving variable topography and problems in seismoacoustics involving propagation across a coastline and ice cover with variable topography.
Fast Error-Bounded Lossy HPC Data Compression with SZ

Today's HPC applications are producing extremely large amounts of data, thus it is necessary to use an efficient compression before storing them to parallel file systems. In this paper, we optimize the error-bounded HPC data compression, by proposing a novel HPC data compression method that works very effectively on compressing large-scale HPC data sets. The compression method starts by linearizing multi-dimensional snapshot data. The key idea is to fit/predict the successive data points with the bestfit selection of curve fitting models. The data that can be predicted precisely will be replaced by the code of the corresponding curve-fitting model. As for the unpredictable data that cannot be approximated by curve-fitting models, we perform an optimized lossy compression via a binary representation analysis. We evaluate our proposed solution using 13 real-world HPC applications across different scientific domains, and compare it to many other state-of-the-art compression methods (including Gzip, FPC, ISABELA, NUMARCK, ZFP, FPZIP, etc.). Experiments show that the compression ratio of our compressor ranges in 3.3/1 - 436/1, which is higher than the second-best solution ZFP by as little as 2x and as much as an order of magnitude for most cases. The compression time of SZ is comparable to other solutions', while its decompression time is less than the second best one by 50%-90%. On an extreme-scale use case, experiments show that the compression ratio of SZ exceeds that of ZFP by 80%.
Abstract 5109: MDM2 regulates intracellular pathways in TNBC and osteosarcoma that affect osteoclastogenesis

Advanced cancer cells infiltrate and colonize new organ microenvironments through transformation of the dynamic metastatic niche. In bone, tumor cells secrete soluble factors that distort and manipulate normal bone remodeling leading to osteolytic lesions and inflammation. Clinically, primary high-grade bone sarcomas and secondary metastatic cancers exhibit elevated levels of murine double minute 2 (Mdm2), the principal cellular antagonist and E3 ubiquitin ligase of tumor suppressor p53. We demonstrate a novel function of mdm2, independent of p53, to drive osteolytic disease influenced by the signaling cascade of RANKL, ICAM1, and RANTES. To elucidate the direct influence of Mdm2 in cancer cells on osteoclast differentiation, several cell lines were created to overexpress or silence Mdm2. We found that osteoblast-like osteosarcoma (MG63, Saos2) and metastatic breast cancer cell lines (MDA468, MDA231, TMD-231, T47D, and BT474) lead to significant increased osteoclast differentiation, proliferation, and bone resorption. Co-cultures of Mdm2 over-expressing cancers and normal monocytes resulted in increased numbers of osteoclasts. In cancer cell lines where Mdm2 is silenced, we observed lower number of osteoclasts. The presence of Mdm2 in cancer cells also increased osteoclast resorption in an in vitro organ model. To determine the effects of ICAM1, we used an ICAM antibody to block ICAM1 in the media and showed a decrease in osteoclastogenesis. Understanding the role of Mdm2 in osteoclastogenesis may be amendable to translational benefit in disease models of advanced bone resorption and bone metastases. Citation Format: David J. Olivos, Lindsey D. Mayo. MDM2 regulates intracellular pathways in TNBC and osteosarcoma that affect osteoclastogenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 5109.
Measuring handoffs: Can we improve the transition of hospitalized children?

* Abbreviations: CHIPRA — : Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act PQMP — : Pediatric Quality Measures Program In early 2009, the passage in Congress of the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) called for the establishment of Pediatric Quality Measures Program (PQMP). CHIPRA-PQMP funded 7 Centers of Excellence tasked with finding “solutions to some of the most pressing issues in child health quality measurement.”1 Patient handoffs, or transitions of care, was 1 of the areas identified by CHIPRA-PQMP as a “pressing issue” for measure development and validation. Care transitions have been previously defined as “a set of actions designed to ensure the coordination and continuity of health care as patients transfer between different locations or different levels of care within the same location.”2 Although it has not been exhaustively studied and thus far mostly examined in adults, the most explored transition event is the inpatient to outpatient transition, where data suggest as many as 1 in 5 patients can suffer adverse events related to poor communication and ineffective handoffs.3 Seven years after the establishment of the CHIPRA-PQMP Centers of Excellence, we get a glimpse at some of the fruits of this effort. … Address correspondence to Ricardo A. Quinonez, MD, 6621 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail: quinonez{at}bcm.edu
Electron density and gas density measurements in a millimeter-wave discharge

Electron density and neutral gas density have been measured in a non-equilibrium air breakdown plasma using optical emission spectroscopy and two-dimensional laser interferometry, respectively. A plasma was created with a focused high frequency microwave beam in air. Experiments were run with 110 GHz and 124.5 GHz microwaves at powers up to 1.2 MW. Microwave pulses were 3 μs long at 110 GHz and 2.2 μs long at 124.5 GHz. Electron density was measured over a pressure range of 25 to 700 Torr as the input microwave power was varied. Electron density was found to be close to the critical density, where the collisional plasma frequency is equal to the microwave frequency, over the pressure range studied and to vary weakly with input power. Neutral gas density was measured over a pressure range from 150 to 750 Torr at power levels high above the threshold for initiating breakdown. The two-dimensional structure of the neutral gas density was resolved. Intense, localized heating was found to occur hundreds of nano...
Assimilation and Health: Evidence From Linked Birth Records of Second- and Third-Generation Hispanics

This study explores the effects of assimilation on the health of Hispanics in the United States, using ethnic intermarriage as a metric of acculturation. I exploit a unique data set of linked confidential use birth records in California and Florida from 1970–2009. The confidential data allow me to link mothers giving birth in 1989–2009 to their own birth certificate records in 1970–1985 and to identify second-generation siblings. Thus, I can analyze the relationship between the parental exogamy of second-generation Hispanic women and the birth outcomes of their offspring controlling for grandmother fixed effects as well as indicators for second generation’s birth weight. Despite their higher socioeconomic status, third-generation children of second-generation intermarried Hispanic women are more likely to have poor health at birth, even after I account for second-generation health at birth and employ only within-family variations in the extent of assimilation. I find that a second-generation Hispanic woman married to a non-Hispanic man is 9 % more likely to have a child with low birth weight relative to a second-generation woman married to another Hispanic. These results largely reflect the higher incidence of risky behaviors (e.g., smoking during pregnancy) among intermarried Hispanic women.
The Sonic Realm in The Quatermass Experiment : Medium and Genre and Sound

The 1953 BBC ‘thriller’ The Quatermass Experiment was remade as a film by Hammer Films (1955), and remounted as a live television production by Channel 4 (2005). The versions vary sonically in relationship with sound effect, music, and voice. These sonic configurations are significant in tilting the production from science fiction towards horror in the Hammer film, and the 2005 version represents both technological advances in sound design and attention to its two precedents. All versions are shaped by their medium’s historical context: the original TV production draws heavily on radio models; the film recalls both contemporary science fiction and James Whale’s 1931 Frankenstein; and the 2005 version is in part meta-discourse on television as a medium and as text.
Mechanical Failure Processes in Nanomaterials

The definition of the failure of a material is of course determined by the intended application. For example, in the majority of traditional mechanical design problems, the material is intended to operate in the elastic range. Therefore, in that application, the material may be said to fail when it begins to deform plastically (that is, when the yield strength is reached).We have discussed the onset of plasticity (yield, or the elastic limit) in the previous chapter. Beyond yield, the material continues to carry load in a nonlinear manner, corresponding to the plastic deformation; the nonlinear response is something that designers often avoid because of the complexity associated with the constitutive behavior in that domain. In this chapter, our interest is primarily in the applications of nanomaterials beyond the elastic limit, assuming a modicum of plastic deformations. Situations where there is no nonlinear deformation after the elastic limit is reached, as in ceramics, will be discussed as well.
Relationship between level of lymph node metastasis (LNM) and survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

6087 Background: Evidence from small cohorts suggests that level of LNM predicts survival in patients with HNSCC. This study sought to investigate the prognostic value of level of LNM in a large po...
Is best supportive care really best supportive care

9639 Background: With the growth of palliative medicine over the past decade, the paradigm of supportive care has evolved to create new standards for cancer patients. The aim of this study was to define “best supportive care” (BSC) during clinical trials of advanced solid tumors. Methods: Systematic review of the literature using Medline and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. These were searched for randomized controlled trials in which anticancer therapy was compared with a BSC only arm. Results: A total of 43 studies met our inclusion criteria (publication dates, 1980–2008) with the following cancer types: 22 lung cancer, 6 colorectal, 6 pancreas, 2 gastric, and 7 other cancer types. Thirty-eight studies (88%) provided some definition of supportive care and sixteen studies (37%) used the term BSC. The average survival across treatment arms was 27.5 weeks. All but one study described the use of palliative therapies at the discretion of the treating physician without standardiza...
A Monte Carlo Simulation of the Robust Rank-Order Test Under Various Population Symmetry Conditions

Introduction Statistical significance tests are widely used in empirically based quantitative research and have been applied in virtually every field of study to test research hypotheses. Although many applied researchers use statistical methods, the pitfalls and limitations of statistical hypothesis tests due to violations of underlying assumptions are often overlooked (Kesselman, et al., 1998, Snyder & Thompson, 1998). It is known that the most commonly used statistical tests, the ANOVA F and Student’s T-test, have underlying assumptions of independence of observations – that data are obtained from normally distributed populations having equal variances. Furthermore, these commonly used tests suffer potentially severe performance degradation when underlying assumptions of normality and equality of variance are not met (Glass, Peckham & Sanders, 1972). The violation of normality and equality of variance assumptions are often referred to as the generalized BehrensFisher problem.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Fibrotic Kidney.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used for many years for anatomic evaluation of the kidney. Recently developed methods attempt to go beyond anatomy to give information about the health and function of the kidneys. Several methods, including diffusion-weighted MRI, renal blood oxygen level–dependent MRI, renal MR elastography, and renal susceptibility imaging, show promise for providing unique insight into kidney function and severity of fibrosis. However, substantial limitations in accuracy and practicality limit the immediate clinical application of each method. Further development and improvement are necessary to achieve the ideal of a noninvasive image-based measure of renal fibrosis. Our brief review provides a short explanation of these emerging MRI methods and outlines the promising initial results obtained with each as well as current limitations and barriers to clinical implementation.
Low-voltage ride-through performance of sensorless vector controlled doubly-fed induction generators

This paper investigates the low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) performance of a proposed sensorless vector control method for the doubly-fed induction generators (DFIGs) under power grid voltage sags. The sliding-mode observer (SMO) is used to estimate the rotor position and speed information for the vector control of the DFIG. The performance of the SMO is compared with the model reference adaptive system (MRAS)-based sensorless method over a wide operating speed range. The effectiveness of the proposed sensorless vector control scheme under power grid voltage sags is demonstrated by simulation results for a 2-MW DFIG-based wind energy conversion system (WECS) in MATLAB/Simulink and experimental results for a 200-W DFIG-based WECS simulator.
A tri-level optimization model for inventory control with uncertain demand and lead time

Abstract We propose an inventory control model for an uncapacitated warehouse in a manufacturing facility under demand and lead time uncertainty. The objective is to make ordering decisions to minimize the total system cost. We introduce a two-stage tri-level optimization model with a rolling horizon to address the uncertain demand and lead time regardless of their underlying distributions. In addition, an exact algorithm is designed to solve the model. We compare this model in a case study with three decision-making strategies: optimistic, moderate, and pessimistic. Our computational results suggest that the performances of these models are either consistently inferior or highly sensitive to cost parameters (such as holding cost and shortage cost), whereas the new tri-level optimization model almost always results in the lowest total cost in all parameter settings.
Evaluating PEV's impact on long-term cost of grid assets

With increasing penetration and improving fast charging technologies, Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEV) exert a disruptive influence on power delivery systems. The impulsive and high-power-density characteristics of PEV make conventional assessment methods of load impact unsuitable. This paper proposes an integrated method to investigate the long-term impact of PEV charging on temporal response and depreciation of grid assets in sub-transmission and distribution grid levels (below 69kV). Compared to conventional methods, the proposed method embeds dynamical system models of grid assets in Time-Series (TS) analysis and captures stochastic charging behavior through Monte-Carlo simulation, promising more robust and accurate assessment. Under the proposed method, the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of grid assets formulation is re-established. The results of this paper will enable utilities to quantify the capital and operation cost of grid assets induced under various PEV's penetration level and during any time span of interest.
Between Bishops and Barbarians: The Rulers of the Later Roman Empire

The Christian emperors of the later Roman Empire, heirs to a political tradition shaped by great and powerful men, tried to perpetuate the absoluteness of imperial rule into the fourth, fifth and sixth centuries ce. Most were stymied in their efforts, especially by two rival forces. On the one hand were bishops, who claimed the supremacy of the spiritual over the secular, and advertised their manliness as soldiers of Christ battling evil, including the opposition of the emperors, even while they decried the feminizing influence of imperial women and eunuchs. On the other were barbarians, whose military prowess and rough manliness did not need the luxurious trappings that emperors favored. In these ways, notions of masculinity shaped the exercise of imperial power in late antiquity.
Theoretical and Operational Definitions of Strategy

This chapter is organized: first, to define strategy as a theory, then categorize the elements of strategy including; the state, rationality, power, and the pseudo-environment. Next, the chapter investigates how the elements of strategy work by explaining John Boyd’s Observe, Orient, Decision, and Action (OODA) Loop. Finally, this chapter discusses the role of intelligence inside strategy as both a theoretical and practical concept.
Jumpstarting STEM Careers

Abstract Achieving a successful career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) requires not only a great education, but also extensive training and preparation with dedicated and enthusiastic mentors and role models. Unfortunately, women in these fields continue to have a low rate of career advancement, even though a similar number will obtain high-level degrees compared to their male peers. It is well known that few women occupy the higher-ranked, tenured, and tenure-track positions within academia. Research continues to search for the “answer” to why women fall out of the pipeline, but there are still no clear solutions, and most consider it a complex problem. In all job markets, career development programs have historically helped people navigate and succeed in their occupation, so it has been proposed that this might also reduce the “leaky pipeline” phenomenon in academia. In an effort to address these concerns, the Central Arizona chapter of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS), based at Arizona State University (ASU), and in collaboration with colleagues from George Washington, Gallaudet, and Ottawa Universities, have developed a program to help prepare graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and early faculty prepare for a career in STEM. The Jumpstarting STEM Careers (JSC) program tackles the problem of low career advancement by hosting a series of career development seminars and workshops which provide training, mentoring and networking opportunities. Now entering their fifth year, the Arizona team has witnessed an increased number of women advancing into higher-ranked positions within ASU, as well as the successful placement of past participants into career track positions as reported through follow-up surveys. This chapter outlines the development of the JSC program and how it has evolved into a sustainable and continuing resource that is restoring the pipeline of women into the STEM academic workforce.
Paediatric parapharyngeal ganglioneuroma.

A 17-year-old man initially presented to his primary care physician with throat pain for 1 week and was started on amoxicillin. After four additional days of ongoing pain and difficulty swallowing with decreased oral intake, he presented to the emergency department. Exam showed fullness to the right posterior oropharynx and palpable mass in the right neck without stridor. Initial imaging was soft tissue neck CT with contrast, which showed cystic 8 cm mass in the parapharyngeal space. Patient additionally underwent MRI, which showed an 8.6 cm mass in the right posterior oropharynx with obliteration of the vallecula. Differential diagnosis included abscess; therefore, ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist was consulted for possible drainage. Intraoperatively, there was no abscess; alternatively a biopsy was obtained, which was identified by pathology as a ganglioneuroma. Patient was referred to paediatric ENT specialist, underwent extensive resection confirming diagnosis of ganglioneuroma and did well postoperatively.
Psychological and Psychosocial Aspects of Uterine and Penile Transplantation

Uterine and penile transplantation are emerging as the latest forms of vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) and may help meet the needs of individuals struggling with devastating infertility and genitourinary deficits. The conditions leading to absolute uterine infertility and penile amputation have profound implications for the patient’s sense of identity, body image, quality of life, and capacity for intimacy. Although the worldwide experience with these forms of VCA is limited, encouraging outcomes in several cases have been noted. The optimal psychosocial assessment of these patients is likely to contain elements similar to solid organ and other VCA patient evaluations with modifications relevant to fertility, donor, and partner factors involved. Ethical considerations related to exposing a fetus to immunosuppressive medications, risk of graft loss, and the plan to remove the graft after child birth for uterine transplantation are all areas of active discussion in VCA and transplant ethics communities. This chapter will review the reproductive VCA experience and discuss the psychosocial assessment for these patients.
Comparative morphology of cheliceral muscles using high‐resolution X‐ray microcomputed‐tomography in palpimanoid spiders (Araneae, Palpimanoidea)

Spiders are important predators in terrestrial ecosystems, yet we know very little about the principal feeding structures of spiders, the chelicerae, which are functionally equivalent to "jaws" or "mandibles" and are an extremely important aspect of spider biology. In particular, members of Palpimanoidea have evolved highly unusual cheliceral morphologies and functions, including high-speed, ballistic movements in mecysmaucheniid spiders, the fastest arachnid movements known thus far, and the elongated, highly maneuverable chelicerae of archaeids that use an attack-at-a-distance strategy. Here, using micro-Computed-Tomography scanning techniques, we perform a comparative study to examine cheliceral muscle morphology in six different spider specimens representing five palpimanoid families. We provide a hypothesis for homology in palpimanoid cheliceral muscles and then compare and contrast these findings with previous studies on other non-palpimanoid spiders. We document and discuss two sets of cheliceral muscles in palpimanoids that have not been previously observed in other spiders or which may represent a position shift compared to other spiders. In the palpimanoids, Palpimanus sp., Huttonia sp., and Colopea sp. showed similar cheliceral muscle anatomy. In Eriauchenius ranavalona, which has highly maneuverable chelicerae, some of the muscles have a more horizontal orientation, and there is a greater degree of cheliceral muscle divergence. In Zearchaea sp. and Aotearoa magna, some muscles have also shifted to a more horizontal orientation, and in Zearchaea sp., a species with a ballistic, high-speed predatory strike, there is a loss of cheliceral muscles. This research is a first step toward understanding cheliceral form and function across spiders.
Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences in School-Aged Youth: A Systematic Review (1990-2015).

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature on the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in school-aged youth (i.e., ≤ 18 years). Inclusion and exclusion sear...
Cross-plane thermal conduction in superlattices: Impact of multiple length scales on phonon transport

We report a phonon transport study to elucidate nanoscale thermal conduction in silicon-germanium superlattices considering interactions of phonons with multiple structural length scales. Our results clearly demonstrate the need for quantifying the impact of all relevant length variables in superlattices, i.e., the mean free path and wavelength of phonons, the periodicity of the structure, total size of the superlattice, and the length scale of interfacial disorder, to fully understand the heat conduction in superlattices. Our predictions show that thermal conduction can be ballistic travelling across multiple low roughness interfaces of the superlattice even at room temperatures. In contrast to in-plane transport, we find that the strong surface scattering encountered in the cross-plane direction limits the phonon transport to mean-free-paths of less than 1 μm and wavelengths less than 10 nm even in alloyed superlattices of periods up to 50 nm. This strong role of boundaries also manifests itself in the form of thermal conductivity anisotropy in superlattices. We also investigate the impact of the number of periods and total structural size on the thermal conductivity which is critical for accurate experimental reporting of thermal conductivities.
Early postoperative death in extreme-risk patients: A perspective on surgical futility

Abstract Background Surgical futility is poorly defined. However, there are patients with extremely high preoperative risk who still undergo surgery and ultimately die, suggesting futile care. To further explore surgical futility, we examined the incidence and factors associated with extreme-risk patients undergoing major emergency general surgery with early death. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was reviewed for all adults undergoing colectomy, small bowel resection, control of bleeding ulcer, lysis of adhesion, and exploratory laparotomy between 2007 and 2015. Extreme-risk was defined as having an estimated mortality risk ≥75% using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program mortality-risk calculator. Futile care was defined as extreme-risk patients who died within 48 hours of an operation. The incidence of, and clinical factors associated with, futile surgery were identified. Results Of 94,350 emergency general surgery patients, 1.9% were extreme-risk. Among extreme-risk patients, 30-day mortality was 71.2%; 31.6% of extreme-risk patients died within 48 hours, representing futile care. Only 5.5% of extreme-risk patients were discharged home. Patients who were >80 years (odds ratio [OR] 6.25 vs 40–64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.51–8.66), septic (OR 4.63; 95% CI, 3.38–6.34), or had a dependent functional status (OR 2.50 vs independent; 95% CI, 1.83–3.43]) had higher odds of having a futile operation. Conclusion A significant number of emergency general surgery operations were on extreme-risk patients who suffered early death, which may indicate futile care. Surgeons face numerous conflicting pressures when asked to perform potentially futile surgery. Additional research in the decision-making process in these cases is needed to understand why surgeons operate in such dire circumstances and whether they should.
Sampling Conformational Changes of Bound Ligands Using Nonequilibrium Candidate Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics

Flexible ligands often have multiple binding modes or bound conformations that differ by rotation of a portion of the molecule around internal rotatable bonds. Knowledge of these binding modes is important for understanding the interactions stabilizing the ligand in the binding pocket, and other studies indicate it is important for calculating accurate binding affinities. In this work, we use a hybrid molecular dynamics (MD)/nonequilibrium candidate Monte Carlo (NCMC) method to sample the different binding modes of several flexible ligands and also to estimate the population distribution of the modes. The NCMC move proposal is divided into three parts. The flexible part of the ligand is alchemically turned off by decreasing the electrostatics and steric interactions gradually, followed by rotating the rotatable bond by a random angle and then slowly turning the ligand back on to its fully interacting state. The alchemical steps prior to and after the move proposal help the surrounding protein and water atoms in the binding pocket relax around the proposed ligand conformation and increase move acceptance rates. The protein-ligand system is propagated using classical MD in between the NCMC proposals. Using this MD/NCMC method, we were able to correctly reproduce the different binding modes of inhibitors binding to two kinase targets-c-Jun N-terminal kinase-1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 2-at a much lower computational cost compared to conventional MD and umbrella sampling. This method is available as a part of the BLUES software package.
Uncovering A Shared Epitope-Activated Protein Citrullination Pathway

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is closely associated with shared epitope (SE)-coding HLA-DRB1 alleles and circulating anticitrullinated protein Abs (ACPA), but neither the respective pathogenic roles of SE and ACPA in RA nor the mechanisms underlying their coassociation are known. It was recently shown that the SE functions as a signal transduction ligand that activates a cell surface calreticulin-mediated, proarthritogenic, bone erosive pathway in an experimental model of RA. In this study, we demonstrate that stimulation of murine macrophages with LPS or DTT facilitated cell surface translocation of calreticulin, which in turn enabled increased SE-activated calcium signaling and activation of peptidylarginine deiminase with the resultant increased cellular abundance of citrullinated proteins. The i.p. administration of LPS to transgenic mice carrying a human SE-coding HLA-DRB1 allele lead to increased serum levels of TNF-α and anticitrullinated cyclic peptide Abs, along with terminal phalanx bone destruction. These data uncover a previously unknown signal transduction pathway by which the SE facilitates protein citrullination, ACPA production, and bone destruction.
Design and Baseline Characteristics of the Chlorthalidone in Chronic Kidney Disease (CLICK) Trial.

Background Hypertension often accompanies chronic kidney disease (CKD), and diuretics are widely prescribed to reduce blood pressure (BP). Chlorthalidone (CTD) is a thiazide-like diuretic and an effective antihypertensive drug, yet little data exist to support its use in treating hypertension in individuals with advanced CKD. Methods Chlorthalidone in Chronic Kidney Disease (CLICK) is a phase II, single-institution, multicenter, double-blind randomized control trial to test the hypothesis that CTD improves BP, through reduction of extracellular fluid volume, and results in target organ protection in patients with stage 4 CKD and poorly controlled hypertension. After a single-blind placebo run-in for 2 weeks and confirmation of hypertension by 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP), patients are randomized to either placebo or CTD 12.5 mg once daily (QD) followed by dose escalation. Randomization is stratified by prior loop diuretic use, and the double-blind phase lasts 12 weeks. With a total of 160 patients, the study will have ≥80% power to detect a 6 mm Hg difference in systolic 24-h ABP between the 2 treatment groups. Results Between June 2016 and October 2019, 131 patients have been randomized. The baseline characteristics are as follows: average age 65.8 years, 79% men, 36% Black, 79% with diabetes, mean eGFR 23.2 mL/min/1.73 m2, median urine albumin/creatinine ratio 923 mg/g, average number of BP medications 3.4, 60% on loop diuretics, and 24-h ABP averaged 141.7/73.8 mm Hg. Conclusion Among patients with stage 4 CKD and uncontrolled hypertension, CLICK should answer the question whether CTD is safe and effective.
Who’s Afraid of Little Green Men? Genetic Enhancement for Off-World Settlements

There are many threats facing the Earth that could put humanity (and indeed the entire terrestrial ecosystem) at existential risk. This is a brute fact we must face head on. And we should also be clear that this risk imposes a clear prima facie moral duty to establish successful settlements on other worlds sooner rather than later in order to ensure our survival. That will be no easy task, but one promising approach that could make it considerably easier is the use of genetic enhancement to give off-world settlers some of the biological adaptations they need to thrive in the harsh conditions they will encounter. Of course, there are many ethical concerns here that also should not be taken lightly, though it’s our view that, in general, they can be handled if we approach them with care. We thus begin this chapter by responding to several of the more common objections to genetic enhancement. Some of these are well taken in a general sense but don’t pose an insurmountable obstacle to using this technology for settlements, while others are based on unexamined terrestrial assumptions that do not apply in off-world contexts. Next, we discuss how this debate, as with so many debates about the future, tracks an unacknowledged fault line between idealists and pragmatists. Idealists tend to see an off-world settlement as an opportunity to start afresh and create a better world than we have ever experienced on Earth, while pragmatists tend to argue that tough choices will inevitably have to be made and, in the final analysis, it’s better to have an acceptable settlement now than hope for a perfect one in the distant future. To illustrate our approach, we critique Schwartz’s (The accessible universe. Present volume, 2020) recent argument for the creation of an off-world settlement accessible to all who wish to go. While this is certainly a laudable vision, for practical reasons it is simply not a feasible demand, at least initially. Finally, we offer a vision of a realistic use of genetic enhancement that might make settlements easier to establish and then discuss what sorts of unique problems these could create. In the final analysis, we believe it’s possible to create a morally acceptable off-world settlement in the near future, though doing so may well involve controversial technologies like genetic enhancement. Given the stakes we face, we have a moral duty to forge ahead, though this does not absolve us of the responsibility to listen carefully to critics who seek to restrain some of our less thoughtful impulses. We will have to strike a complex balance, but it is ultimately not morally defensible to substitute our dreams of an ideal settlement for the possibility of a real one.
Comparison of Surgical and Cadaveric Intestine as a Source of Crypt Culture in Humans.

Human small intestinal crypts are the source of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) that are capable of undergoing self-renewal and differentiation to an epithelial layer. The development of methods to ex...