cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Massive hemoperitoneum secondary to spontaneous rupture of hepatic metastases: report of two cases and review of the literature

Two cases of massive hemoperitoneum secondary to spontaneous rupture of hepatic metastases are presented. This devastating complication of hepatic malignant disease is difficult to diagnose preoperatively. However, the diagnosis should be considered in patients with known malignant disease who present with unexplained blood loss, shock, or signs consistent with an acute surgical abdomen. The presence of fever and leukocy-tosis with these signs and symptoms may also be part of the clinical picture. Treatment by hepatic resection is never curative. Review of the literature indicates that local control of the bleeding site by suture ligature, packing with topical hemostatic agents, or hepatic artery ligation offers the best chances of obtaining hemorrhage control and some degree of palliation in these desperately ill patients.
Surgical management of hypertensive lower esophageal sphincter with dysphagia or chest pain

Hypertensive lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is an uncommon manometric abnormality found in patients with dysphagia and chest pain, and is sometimes associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Preventing reflux by performing a fundoplication raises concerns about inducing or increasing dysphagia. The role of myotomy in isolated hypertensive LES is also unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the outcome of surgical therapy for isolated hypertensive LES and for hypertensive LES associated with GERD. Sixteen patients (5 males and 11 females), ranging in age from 39 to 89 years, with hypertensive LES (>26 mm Hg; i.e., >95th percentile of our control population) who had surgical therapy between 1996 and 1999 were reviewed. Patients with a diagnosis of achalasia and diffuse esophageal spasm were excluded. All patients had dysphagia or chest pain. Eight of 16 patients had symptoms of GERD, four had a type III hiatal hernia, and four had isolated hypertensive LES pain. Patients with hypertensive LES and GERD or type III hiatal hernia had a Nissen fundoplication, and those with isolated hypertensive LES had a myotomy of the LES with partial fundoplication. Outcome was assessed as follows: excellent if the patient was asymptomatic; good if symptoms were present but no treatment was required; fair if symptoms were present and required treatment; and poor if symptoms were unimproved or worsened. All patients were contacted by telephone for symptom assessment at a median of 3.6 years (range 3 to 6.1 years) after surgery. Patients with hypertensive LES and GERD or type III hiatal hernia had significantly lower LES pressure than those with isolated hypertensive LES (29.9 vs. 47.4 mm Hg; P = 0.013). Dysphagia and chest pain were relieved in all patients at long-term follow up. Outcome was excellent in 10 of 16, good in 3 of 16, and fair in 3 of 16. All patients but one were satisfied with their outcome. Patients with hypertensive LES are a heterogeneous group in regard to symptoms and etiology. Treatment of patients with hypertensive LES should be individualized. A Nissen fundoplication for hypertensive LES with GERD or type III hiatal hernia relieves dysphagia and chest pain suggesting reflux as an etiology. A myotomy with partial fundoplication for isolated hypertensive LES relieves dysphagia and chest pain suggesting a primary sphincter dysfunction.
Neuromodulator-evoked synaptic metaplasticity within a central pattern generator network.

Synapses show short-term activity-dependent dynamics that alter the strength of neuronal interactions. This synaptic plasticity can be tuned by neuromodulation as a form of metaplasticity. We exami...
Pitfalls of Diagnosis Based on Abnormal Flow Cytometry and [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography

A 30-year-old, HIV-positive man with a previous history of an atypical nasopharyngeal Burkitt lymphoma developed fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) avidity on a routine FDG-positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography scan performed 10 months after the completion of all treatment. This new FDG-avid disease was in the area of his initial disease. Flow cytometric assessment of a fine needle aspiration showed a CD10-expressing B-cell population with kappa predominance. The corresponding cytology smears had large atypical lymphoid cells along with smaller lymphocytes and macrophages. Because of the patient's previous history of a CD10(+), high-grade B-cell lymphoma, the cytologic and flow cytometric findings were considered highly suspicious for a B-cell lymphoma. Because the differential diagnosis included a relapsed Burkitt lymphoma versus a second, unrelated lymphoma (the former with a dismal prognosis) it was deemed prudent to obtain more tissue via an open biopsy for confirmation of diagnosis and exact subclassification. An open biopsy, however, revealed a reactive lymph node with enlarged geographic follicles; no lymphoma was demonstrable and c-Myc studies were negative. The patient remains without evidence of disease. Retrospectively, the original flow cytometric assessment was believed to likely represent sampling of hyperplastic germinal centers with significantly expanded CD10(+) B cells. The FDG uptake and the kappa predominance further confounded the interpretation. This case illustrates the pitfalls of standard diagnostic techniques, including PET scanning, cytology, and flow cytometry, particularly in the setting of HIV. It further underscores the importance of adequate clinical correlation and a low threshold for performing open biopsies in such patients.
The theory of maximally flat loudspeaker systems

A convenient mathematical formulation is given for the absolute low-frequency response of an electrodynamic direct radiator loudspeaker mounted in a vented or unvented enclosure. The combined effects of speaker Q (ratio of reactance to resistance), enclosure size, and enclosure tuning are shown to control the convergence of the response curve towards its asymptotic value. Mathematical criteria are presented graphically, which enable the designer to find enclosure characteristics that give a frequency response curve flat through fourth order in reciprocal frequency, for a given loudspeaker Q . In addition, it is shown that for Q = 0.383 the system can be made flat through sixth order by choosing the correct enclosure size and vent tuning. This "triple point" design represents the flattest possible response for direct radiator systems.
Quadratic incentive coordination for non-convex optimal control problems: Part 2. Parallel algorithms

Abstract Quadratic incentive coordination is used to decompose optimal control problems into subproblems. A high-level problem is created to coordinate the subproblems. In the companion paper, it is shown that the high-level problem is equivalent to the original problem in the sense that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the local minima of the two problems, provided certain technical conditions are satisfied. This paper presents a gradient algorithm and Newton's algorithm for solving the high-level problem. The solution of the high-level problem then provides us with a solution for the original problem as well. It is shown that the gradient algorithm can be decoupled for use in parallel computation and that the algorithm converges. A numerical example is provided to demonstrate feasibility.
Particle swarm optimization (PSO) for reflector antenna shaping

It has been shown that reflector antenna systems can benefit substantially from careful shaping of the main or sub-reflectors, or both, in order to maximize the antenna's performance (Duan, D.-W. and Rahmat-Samii, Y., 1995). Shaped reflectors can be used to achieve high efficiencies and gains, low side-lobe levels, and arbitrarily contoured beams. As the demands placed on satellite broadcasting and communications channels and the use of space-borne radar applications increase, so too do the requirements for the antennas on which these systems rely. The paper establishes particle swarm optimization as a candidate for solving difficult reflector synthesis problems. This is done by developing the tools required to perform the reflector synthesis and solving an example to serve as proof-of-concept. The example is to shape the main reflector of a reflector antenna with F/D=1.0, such that the scanning performance of the antenna. is improved.
On the resonant singularities associated with the green’s functions of metallic rectangular cavities in the context of the method of moments

In this paper, a technique is proposed to numerically remove the singularities through re-arrangement of discrete unknowns, so that MOM yields correct results for all frequencies. This technique is presented using rectangular cavity backed slot (CBS) antennas as examples, and validated by experimental data.
Dynamic modeling of multibody robotic mechanisms: incorporating closed-chains, friction, higher-pair joints, and unactuated and unsensed joints

A formulation is introduced for the dynamic modeling of multibody robotic mechanisms to incorporate closed chains, higher pair joints, friction (including stiction, Coulomb, rolling and viscous friction), and unactuated and unsensed joints. Although this formulation was developed for the dynamic modeling of Uranus, and omnidirectional wheeled mobile robot, the methodology is directly applicable to a spectrum of multibody robotic mechanisms. The methodology is based on Newtonian dynamics, kinematics, and the concepts of force/torque propagation and frictional coupling at a joint introduced in this work. The extensible matrix-vector dynamics formulation allows the application of classical methodologies for the solution of systems of linear algebraic equations. To illustrate the procedure, the dynamics formulation is applied to a planar double pendulum and a biped in the frontal plane. >
The endeavor of total synthesis and its impact on chemistry, biology and medicine

The synthesis of urea in 1828 set in motion the discipline of organic synthesis in general and of total synthesis in particular, the art and science of synthesizing natural products, the molecules of living nature. Early endeavors in total synthesis had as their main objective the proof of structure of the target molecule. Later on, the primary goal became the demonstration of the power of synthesis to construct complex molecules through appropriately devised strategies, making the endeavor an achievement whose value was measured by its elegance and efficiency. While these objectives continue to be important, contemporary endeavors in total synthesis are increasingly focused on practical aspects, including method development, efficiency, and biological and medical relevance. In this article, the emergence and evolution of total synthesis to its present state is traced, selected total syntheses from the author’s laboratories are highlighted, and projections for the future of the field are discussed.
Weal and flare responses to intradermal rocuronium and cisatracurium in humans

Thirty volunteers underwent intradermal skin testing with increasing concentrations of rocuronium and cisatracurium to evaluate weal and flare responses, and whether either agent would cause mast cell degranulation and sensitization upon re-exposure. We found that intradermal injection of rocuronium and cisatracurium at concentrations > 10(-4) M resulted in positive weal (>8 mm) responses, and positive flare responses at > 10(-4) and > 10(-5) M respectively. Only cisatracurium caused mild to moderate mast cell degranulation, and neither drug caused significant in vitro histamine release from whole blood collected from study subjects 4 weeks after skin testing. Skin testing with rocuronium and cisatracurium should be performed at concentrations < 10(-4) and < 10(-5) M respectively to avoid false-positive responses. The ability of these agents to produce positive weal and flare responses at relatively low concentrations may explain the high incidence of potential reactions reported.
Neutralizing and non-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against dengue virus E protein derived from a naturally infected patient

Background Antibodies produced in response to infection with any of the four serotypes of dengue virus generally provide homotypic immunity. However, prior infection or circulating maternal antibodies can also mediate a non-protective antibody response that can enhance the course of disease in a subsequent heterotypic infection. Naturally occurring human monoclonal antibodies can help us understand the protective and pathogenic roles of the humoral immune system in dengue virus infection.
Of the People Who Love the Land: Vernacular History in the Poetry of Modern Hawaiian Hula

"Standard" histories of Hawai'i record the demise and disenfranchisement of the native Hawaiian population. These histories draw upon publicly available data such as population statistics and government documents, the majority of which are in the English language. Historians and sociologists have commented on trajectories of assimilation in the decades following the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and annexation to the U.S. at the end of the nineteenth century, touting the rise of English standard education as a cornerstone in social transformation.
A CORRELATIONAL STUDY ON KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES OF DIETARY REGULATIONS AMONG PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE AT AIMS, KOCHI

A correlational study to assess knowledge and practices of dietary regulations among patients with chronic kidney disease at AIMS, Kochi.
Patterns of reassault in batterer programs.

A comparative multisite evaluation was conducted of four "well-established" batterer programs in geographically distributed cities to assess the pattern of reassault. Eight hundred and forty batterers were recruited and tested at program intake from each site (210 per site). The batterers and their partners were interviewed by phone every 3 months for 15 months after intake with a response rate for the female partners of nearly 70% for the full follow-up. According to initial victims, 31% of the men reassaulted during the follow-up. The reassault rate varies only slightly when adjusting for new partners (32%) or no partner contact (32%), but substantially more when adjusting for reports from the batterers (36%) and batterers plus arrest record (39%). Rates of verbal abuse (70%) and threats (43%) are much higher, but 73% of the women report feeling "very safe." Nearly half of the men who reassaulted did so within 3 months after program intake. "Voluntary" participants were significantly more likely to reassault (44% vs. 29%), as were program dropouts (40% vs. 28%). The "well-established" batterer programs appear to contribute to a short-term cessation of assault in the majority of batterers. However, a small portion of the men are unaffected by or unresponsive to the intervention. Language: en
MORTALITIES OF TOBACCO BUDWORM, BEET ARMYWORM AND CABBAGE LOOPER LARVAE FEEDING ON TRANSGENIC AND NON-TRANSGENIC COTTON POLLENS, 2004

We evaluated pollens from cotton flowers of ‘DP 5415’ (non-Bt), ‘DP 5415 RR’ (non-Bt), ‘NuCOTN33B’ (Bt), and ‘DP 449 BG/RR’ (Bt) for effects on TBW, BAW and CL larval mortalities. Larvae for all species were obtained from Western Cotton Research Laboratory colonies reared on appropriate artificial diets for more than 15 yr. Pollen was obtained from ‘NuCOTN33’ and ‘DP5415’, ‘DP 5415 RR’, and ‘DP 449 BG/RR’ cotton flowers grown in the greenhouse. Non-Bt cottons served as checks. Flowers were shaken vigorously over sheets of white paper and the dislodged pollen poured into 6.0-ml vials and frozen in the refrigerator. Small amounts (about 1.0 g) of each pollen were placed on moist, 90-mm diameter filter papers in the bottoms of 100-mm diameter plastic petri dishes with lids. First instar larvae (10 of each species) were introduced into each of five containers for each cotton type. Larvae in the dishes were examined daily for seven days and living and dead larvae recorded. Cry1Ac toxic protein in cotton pollen was determined using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits (ELISA). Materials, sample preparations, solutions, extractions, dilutions, and assays were as described in the Envirologix, Inc., Cry1Ab/Cry1Ac plate kit. Experiments were conducted in RCB designs with five replications on laboratory benches. Temperatures ranged from 24.0 to 26.7°C during the studies. For all experiments, data were analyzed using ANOVA and means separated using the method of LSDs if a significant F test occurred. Percentages were transformed using an arcsine transformation before analyses. Significant differences were accepted at P ≤ 0.05.
Importance of Interprofessional Healthcare for Vulnerable Refugee Populations

The refugee population in the United States is steadily increasing. These populations face a plethora of diseases and chronic health problems (i.e. obesity, hypertension and depression) as they resettle into their new environment. Due to the lack of understanding, minority population refugee health is scarce and minimal at best. Refugees and healthcare professionals face similar barriers when it comes to seeking treatment and treatment itself. For example, refugees might not be able to communicate efficiently and understand the referral process while healthcare professionals do not understand the culture and language of their patients. However, more data is needed to determine if interprofessional teams consisting of differing healthcare professionals such as nurses, pharmacists, and dieticians that conduct home visits might be able to bridge the health care gap between individualized treatment and refugee needs.
Review of Infant Feeding: Key Features of Breast Milk and Infant Formula

Mothers' own milk is the best source of nutrition for nearly all infants. Beyond somatic growth, breast milk as a biologic fluid has a variety of other benefits, including modulation of postnatal intestinal function, immune ontogeny, and brain development. Although breastfeeding is highly recommended, breastfeeding may not always be possible, suitable or solely adequate. Infant formula is an industrially produced substitute for infant consumption. Infant formula attempts to mimic the nutritional composition of breast milk as closely as possible, and is based on cow's milk or soymilk. A number of alternatives to cow's milk-based formula also exist. In this article, we review the nutritional information of breast milk and infant formulas for better understanding of the importance of breastfeeding and the uses of infant formula from birth to 12 months of age when a substitute form of nutrition is required.
Spontaneous and stimulation-induced synchronized burst afterdischarges in the isolated CA1 of kainate-treated rats.

1. Kainate treatment preferentially kills dentate hilar neurons and CA3 pyramidal cells and ultimately leads to a chronic epileptic state. Bicuculline-induced epileptiform bursts were studied to test the hypothesis that multiple kainate injections and consequent status epilepticus would lead-after weeks to months of recovery-to prolonged synchronous afterdischarges in the isolated CA1 area of rat hippocampal slices, as would be expected if new recurrent excitatory circuits had formed. 2. Synaptic responses evoked in CA1 pyramidal cells of rats injected subcutaneously with kainate (10 hourly injections, 5 mg/kg each) 24-316 days before the slice experiment were compared with responses in slices from untreated and saline-injected controls. The maximal response to stratum radiatum stimulation in normal solution consisted of two to eight population spikes. 3. When gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptor-mediated inhibition was reduced with bicuculline, synchronized burst afterdischarges after the initial stimulati...
Functional enrichment by direct plasmid recovery after fluorescence activated cell sorting

Iterative screening of expressed protein libraries using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) typically involves culturing the pooled clones after each sort. In these experiments, if cell viability is compromised by the sort conditions and/or expression of the target protein(s), rescue PCR provides an alternative to culturing but requires re-cloning and can introduce amplification bias. We have optimized a simple protocol using commercially available reagents to directly recover plasmid DNA from sorted cells for subsequent transformation. We tested our protocol with 2 different screening systems in which 60% of the sorted cell population was recovered.
Aesthetic Procedures for Increased Lip Volume: Hyaluronic Acid Fillers in Nonsurgical Lip and Eye Rejuvenation Techniques

Patients often present for lip augmentation to correct the loss of volume and signs of aging commonly perceived with perioral aging, including but not limited to decreased vermillion showing, blunting of the Cupid’s bow, less visible white roll, vertical rhytids, marionette lines, formation of a mentalis crease, and deep nasolabial folds. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is popular filler for temporary lip augmentation (effects last 3–6 months) due to its hygroscopic properties and resulting natural appearance. Additionally, they have desirable safety profiles due to the reversibility by enzymatic degradation using hyalurodinase. Keeping in mind the important anatomy of the perioral region and its vascular supply and nerve innervation is essential to a successful procedure with good cosmetic results. This chapter includes detailed guidelines and a technique for injecting. Physicians should consult with patients as to their preferences for a desired look, but carefully manage expectations to avoid disappointments. HA fillers are well tolerated and rarely result in adverse reactions for patients. Commonly experienced reactions can include local inflammation, tenderness, and bruising. HA fillers are an effective first-line treatment option for patients who want to augment and revitalize their lips.
Southwestward weakening of Wyoming lithosphere during the Laramide orogeny

The mechanism of Laramide deformation in the central Rocky Mountains remains enigmatic. It is generally agreed that the deformation resulted from low-angle subduction of the Farallon plate beneath the North American plate during the latest Cretaceous-early Eocene; however, recent studies have suggested the importance of slab removal or slab rollback in causing this deformation. Here we infer Wyoming lithosphere structure and surface deformation pattern by conducting 2-D flexural subsidence modeling in order to provide constraints on the mechanism of Laramide deformation. We assume that Wyoming lithosphere behaved as an infinite elastic plate subject to tectonic loading of mountain ranges and conduct 2-D flexural subsidence modeling to major Laramide basins to document lithospheric stiffness and mountain load height. Our results show that the stiffness of Wyoming lithosphere varied slightly in each basin during the ~30 Myr duration of the Laramide deformation and decreased from northeastern Wyoming (Te = 32–46 km) to southwestern Wyoming (Te = 6–9 km). Our results also imply that the increase of equivalent load height of major Laramide ranges accelerated during the early Eocene. We propose that the bending stresses induced by the topographic load of the Sevier fold-and-thrust belt combined with crust-mantle decoupling initiated by the overthickened Sevier hinterland and the end loads due to the low-angle subduction at the western edge of the thick Wyoming craton have caused the southwestward decrease of lithospheric stiffness in Wyoming. Moreover, we attribute the accelerated load height gain during the early Eocene to both dynamic and isostatic effects associated with slab rollback.
Aedes aegypti D7 Saliva Protein Inhibits Dengue Virus Infection

Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of several medically relevant arboviruses including dengue virus (DENV) types 1-4. Ae. aegypti transmits DENV by inoculating virus-infected saliva into host skin during probing and feeding. Ae. aegypti saliva contains over one hundred unique proteins and these proteins have diverse functions, including facilitating blood feeding. Previously, we showed that Ae. aegypti salivary gland extracts (SGEs) enhanced dissemination of DENV to draining lymph nodes. In contrast, HPLC-fractionation revealed that some SGE components inhibited infection. Here, we show that D7 proteins are enriched in HPLC fractions that are inhibitory to DENV infection, and that recombinant D7 protein can inhibit DENV infection in vitro and in vivo. Further, binding assays indicate that D7 protein can directly interact with DENV virions and recombinant DENV envelope protein. These data reveal a novel role for D7 proteins, which inhibits arbovirus transmission to vertebrates through a direct interaction with virions.
An Ethnology Museum as Pedagogical Space

This chapter offers a reading of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City as a pedagogical space.* This reading and related pedagogy are considered at two levels. First, the chapter describes how groups of prospective teachers in a world history course in a teacher education program engaged a reading of the museum about its pedagogical stance in conjunction with various postcolonial texts (e.g., Said, 1979; Willinsky, 1998).
Spying on the neighbors' pool.

The structure and properties of the proton in water are of fundamental importance in many areas of chemistry and biology. The high mobility of the proton in an aqueous solution is understood in terms of its “hopping” between neighboring water molecules, as suggested by the two-century-old Grotthuss mechanism. The barrier for this process intimately depends on the proton's surrounding environment, which is manifested by the connectivity of the immediate hydrogen-bonding network as well as its dynamics caused by thermal fluctuations. On page 1131 of this issue, Wolke et al. ( 1 ) shed new light on the role that the proton's water neighbors play toward facilitating positive charge translocation within a hydrogen-bonded network in a cold water cluster.
The War to End All Wars: Wilsonian Democracy and Resourcing World War One

After a long period of peace following the Napoleonic Wars, Europe again engaged in a series of limited wars that helped define new political entities such as Germany. The advent of World War One completely changed this dynamic—war was no longer limited but total in nature. In this chapter, Meagher relates how political and economic considerations regarding war now became as important as military decisions; the banker, the farmer, and the factory worker were now as important as the soldier and sailor (and eventually the airman). While the United States did not become militarily involved in conflict until 1917, America was immediately impacted politically, economically, and financially upon the outbreak of hostilities in 1914. By the close of the war in 1918, the United States ranked as the dominant political, economic, and financial power in the world.
KLF4 as a Mediator of Quiescence in Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells.

Abstract At any given time, only a very small fraction of the hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in an organism are actively dividing; the vast majority of these cells remain in a quiescent state. HSCs can escape this quiescent state to self-renew and give rise to progenitor cells (HPCs), which expand rapidly to form all of the mature progeny cells of the lympho-hematopoietic system. Despite the centrality of quiescence in hematopoiesis, the mechanisms by which quiescence is regulated are largely unknown. Several studies have shown that p21CIP/WAF1 is required for cell cycle arrest of HSCs, and deletion of p21 results in an increase in HSC pool size. However, little is known about the pathways upstream of p21. Recently, we identified 81 genes that were highly over-expressed by normal HSC-enriched CD34+/CD38− cells compared to HPC-enriched CD34+/CD38+ cells. One of the HSC-over-expressed genes was Krupple-Like Factor 4 (KLF4), a member of the Kruppel-like transcription factor family. KLF4 has been associated with a quiescent phenotype in T and B lymphocytes, and exogenous expression of KLF4 induces growth arrest in a colon cancer cell line. It has been shown that KLF4 is an important mediator of p21 in the G1/S cell cycle arrest following DNA damage. Thus, we hypothesized that KLF4 is an important upstream regulator of HSPC quiescence via p21. To begin to test this, we designed a dual promoter self-inactivating (SIN) lentiviral vector that expressed KLF4 under the control of the EF1α promoter and GFP under the CMV promoter. We transduced primary mouse bone marrow (BM) Lin− or human cord blood (CB) CD34+ HSPCs, and purified the resulting successfully transduced GFP+ cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. KLF4-transduced human or mouse HPCs displayed a major reduction in colony forming capacity, as compared to either GFP− HPCs transduced with the vector containing KLF4 and GFP or HPCs transduced with the parental control vector expressing only GFP (Fig 1 shows representative experiments). In suspension cultures, KLF4-transduced cell populations generated fewer total cells, accompanied by an increase in apoptic/necrotic cells. In the KLF4-transduced cells, a higher percent were CD34+. These results are consistent with KLF4 inhibiting HPC differentiation and inducing a p21-like pathway with cell cycle arrest and increased apoptosis. Further investigation of KLF4 cellular and molecular actions may not only lead to enhanced understanding of the molecular basis of HSPC quiescence, but also to novel methods for expansion of normal HSPCs. Download : Download high-res image (107KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure
“Don’t bring me down”: Effects of priming secure and anxious attachment on body image

Ample evidence has shown that secure attachment is related to more positive body-related attitudes in women. However, existing studies are primarily correlational, leaving questions about causal di...
WRAP: Wearable, restricted-aperture pneumatics for haptic guidance

Wearable haptic feedback devices for virtual reality, human-robot interaction, and motion guidance require lightweight actuators that display clearly discernible cues to the user. These goals motivate the design of WRAP, a wearable, pneumatically actuated haptic feedback device. WRAP displays a variety of tactile sensations to the user by inflating a thermoplastic pneumatic actuator in direct contact with the skin. This paper describes the design and construction of WRAP, shows its effectiveness in indicating direction cues to users, and demonstrates two other appUcations for WRAP in image-guided medical interventions and human-computer interaction. Users were able to identify translation and rotation cues from WRAP with 99.4% accuracy. Our results suggest that WRAP is suitable for a variety of wearable and portable applications in which direction cues are beneficial.
Burden of cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2005-2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study

OBJECTIVES: To estimate incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) caused by cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) between 2005 and 2015.METHODS: Vital registration system and cancer registry data from the EMR region were analyzed for 29 cancer groups in 22 EMR countries using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 methodology.RESULTS: In 2015, cancer was responsible for 9.4% of all deaths and 5.1% of all DALYs. It accounted for 722,646 new cases, 379,093 deaths, and 11.7 million DALYs. Between 2005 and 2015, incident cases increased by 46%, deaths by 33%, and DALYs by 31%. The increase in cancer incidence was largely driven by population growth and population aging. Breast cancer, lung cancer, and leukemia were the most common cancers, while lung, breast, and stomach cancers caused most cancer deaths.CONCLUSIONS: Cancer is responsible for a substantial disease burden in the EMR, which is increasing. There is an urgent need to expand cancer prevention, screening, and awareness programs in EMR countries as well as to improve diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care services.
The original batman

Lazzaro Spallanzani was the first to unravel the mystery of how bats could “see” and hunt in total darkness, with some ingenious, if gruesome, experiments
Achieving pervasive fracture and fragmentation in three-dimensions: an unstructuring-based approach

There are few methods capable of capturing the full spectrum of pervasive fracture behavior in three-dimensions. Throughout pervasive fracture simulations, many cracks initiate, propagate, branch and coalesce simultaneously. Because of the cohesive element method framework, this behavior can be captured in a regularized manner. However, since the cohesive element method is only able to propagate cracks along element facets, a poorly designed discretization of the problem domain may introduce artifacts into the simulated results. To reduce the influence of the discretization, geometrically and constitutively unstructured means can be used. In this paper, we present and investigate the use of three-dimensional nodal perturbation to introduce geometric randomness into a finite element mesh. We also discuss the use of statistical methods for introducing randomness in heterogeneous constitutive relations. The geometrically unstructured method of nodal perturbation is then combined with a random heterogeneous constitutive relation in three numerical examples. The examples are chosen in order to represent some of the significant influencing factors on pervasive fracture and fragmentation; including surface features, loading conditions, and material gradation. Finally, some concluding remarks and potential extensions are discussed.
A12 Session 3: Computerized tools for cryosurgery training

The objective of this study is to develop a proof-of-concept for a cryosurgery Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS), aimed at shortening the clinician’s learning curve by integrating previously developed computerized cryosurgery planning tools and established criteria for clinical success. The ITS proposed in the current study focuses on determining cryoprobe layout, given a number of cryoprobes and their operational parameters. Optimal (expert) planning is determined by planning algorithms, with the trainee attempting to generate a layout that (1) matches the expert layout with a predefined tolerance, or (2) generates a higher quality layout. The quality of the layout is defined as the weighted difference between a specific isotherm for planning and the 3D contour of the target region. This study demonstrates an early prototype for a fully-functioning cryosurgery ITS, using previously developed building blocks: a cryosurgery simulator, planning algorithms, and visualization tools. Source of funding: This study was supported by Award Number R01CA134261 from the National Cancer Institute.
INTRODUCTION TO MODERN TECHNIQUES IN MASS SPECTROMETRY

Mass spectrometry has emerged as an invaluable technique with a wide array of applications ranging from clinical to biodefense. With the development of different ionization techniques and mass analyzers, even challenging samples can be analyzed, thereby making mass spectrometry an important analytical tool in the field of biophysics. Mass spectrometry is the only technique that offers the combination of high sensitivity (attomole) with structural information. While other analytical techniques may provide higher sensitivity, these techniques do not provide structural information. Conversely, other techniques may provide more complete structures but have significantly less sensitivity. The different ionization techniques allow for the examination of analytes ranging from small metabolites to large macromolecular assemblies. In this chapter the major components are described rather than the possible applications, which would require volumes. With the major concepts in hand, the student is encouraged to read specific reviews regarding the kinds of applications of interest to the researcher.
Children's Initial Responses and Beyond: Effects of Niceness and Similarity on Preference, Giving, and Memory

This study assessed children's preference, giving, and memory to investigate the impact of social information over time. We compared 5- and 6-year-olds' (N = 144) immediate or delayed responses to an individual who does or does not share their toy preference (similar vs. dissimilar) or an individual who treats others kindly or poorly (nice vs. mean). Immediately, children all preferred the similar or nice characters but gave more stickers to the similar character. This strong initial effect of similarity was not evident after 1 week; children's preference, giving, and memory reflected a greater long-term impact of niceness than similarity. These findings highlight the importance of using multiple features and measures to elucidate children's evolving views about others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
In situ observations of reacting Al/Fe2O3 thermite: Relating dynamic particle size to macroscopic burn time

Abstract Time-resolved x-ray imaging is used to capture high-resolution images of the Al/Fe2O3 thermite reaction as it proceeds in an extended burn tube. The observed thermite reaction products are generally large, multi-phase composite particles. Image processing algorithms are developed to extract a continuous record of composite particle size as a function of time and distance from the ignition point. Small particles are observed immediately after ignition, followed by a rapid increase in particle size and a gradual decline toward late times. Correlating the dynamic particle size with visible light emission from the reaction, we propose a two-stage mechanism where the combination of early ignition and delayed expansion causes the material closest to the ignition point to undergo substantial coalescence before it begins moving down the tube. We also identify two mechanisms that may contribute to particle size refinement at late times, both based on the collapse of large gas bubbles that are observed preferentially in particles at earlier times. A new approach to extracting burn times from luminous intensity data is explored, and we find that a more nuanced analysis of burn time and luminous intensity may help to improve reactivity assessments when data from in situ studies is unavailable.
Using a Dedicated Interventional Pulmonology Practice Decreases Wait Time Before Treatment Initiation for New Lung Cancer Diagnoses.

While there is significant mortality and morbidity with lung cancer, early stage diagnoses carry a better prognosis. As lung cancer screening programs increase with more pulmonary nodules detected, expediting definitive treatment initiation for newly diagnosed patients is imperative. The objective of our analysis was to determine if the use of a dedicated interventional pulmonology practice decreases time delay from new diagnosis of lung cancer or metastatic disease to the chest to treatment initiation. Retrospective chart analysis was done of 87 consecutive patients with a new diagnosis of primary lung cancer or metastatic cancer to the chest from our interventional pulmonology procedures. Demographic information and time intervals from abnormal imaging to procedure and to treatment initiation were recorded. Patients were older (mean age 69) and former or current smokers (72%). A median of 27 days (1–127 days) passed from our diagnostic biopsy to treatment initiation. A median of 53 total days (2–449 days) passed from abnormal imaging to definitive treatment. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration was the most commonly used diagnostic procedure (59%), with non-small cell lung cancer the majority diagnosis (64%). For surgical patients, all biopsy-negative lymph nodes from our procedures were cancer-free at surgical excision. Compared to prior reports from international and United States cohorts, obtaining a tissue biopsy diagnosis through a gatekeeper interventional pulmonology practice decreases median delay from abnormal imaging to treatment initiation. This finding has the potential to positively impact patient outcomes and requires further evaluation.
Optimal backhauling for dense small-cell deployments using mmWave links

Abstract Dense small-cell deployments of 5G networks require a wireless backhaul to efficiently connect the small cells to the macro base station (BS). We envision a wireless backhaul architecture where cells are grouped into clusters. One small cell per cluster plays the role of “cluster head” connecting to the BS via a millimeter wave (mmWave) multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) link; the rest of the small cells in the cluster will then connect to the “cluster head” to reach the BS. We formulate the problem of jointly selecting the cluster heads and the number of BS antennas dedicated to each mmWave MIMO link between the BS and each cluster head to maximize system throughput as an integer linear program (ILP) and prove its NP-hardness. We then propose an O ( l n | S | ) approximation algorithm, where S is the number of small cells. We show via extensive simulations that the algorithm performs very close to the optimal in practice. Last, we show that the algorithm has, on average, more than 40% performance gain compared to previous work.
Meeting the Demand: Building a Cybersecurity Degree Program With Limited Resources

This innovative practice paper considers the heightening awareness of the need for cybersecurity programs in light of several well publicized cyber-attacks in recent years. An examination of the academic job market reveals that a significant number of institutions are looking to hire new faculty in the area of cybersecurity. Additionally, a growing number of universities are starting to offer courses, certifications and degrees in cybersecurity. Other recent activity includes the development of a model cybersecurity curriculum and the creation of a program accreditation criteria for cybersecurity through ABET.
Perioperative management of pyoderma gangrenosum.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) classically presents with an acute inflammatory stage, characterized by rapid evolution of painful ulcerations. The pathergy associated with PG lesions complicates disease management. Although PG is commonly treated with immunosuppression, some patients have refractory noninflammatory ulcers. In this subpopulation, there are case reports of successful surgical treatment. However, there is no consensus on optimal perioperative treatment for patients with PG undergoing surgery of any kind, PG related or otherwise. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive literature review describing perioperative management practices and risk factors that may predict response to surgical intervention. We identified 126 cases of surgical intervention in patients with active PG; among these, only 16.7% experienced postoperative disease progression. No perioperative treatments or clinical risk factors were identified as statistically significant predictors of disease recurrence. Although limited by case series design and publication bias, this study is a valuable means of hypothesis generation for this rare condition.
A Redesigned Order Entry System for Reducing Low-Value Preprocedural Cardiology Consultations: Quality-Improvement Cohort Study.

Background: Preprocedural cardiac evaluation is a common reason for outpatient cardiology visits. Many patients who are referred to cardiology clinics for preprocedural evaluation are at low risk of perioperative events and do not require any further management. Our facility treats patients over a large geographic area; avoiding low-value consultations reduces time and travel burdens for patients. Objective: Our study objective was to assess the impact of a novel algorithm in the electronic order entry system aimed to guide clinicians toward patients who may benefit from cardiovascular referral. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed in-person consultations and electronic consultations (e-consults) to our cardiology service before and after implementation of the novel algorithm to assess changes in patterns of care. Data were stored in a custom electronic database on internal servers. Results: We reviewed 603 consultations to our cardiology clinic and found that 89 (14.7%) were sent for preprocedural evaluation. Of these, 39 (43.8% of preprocedural consultations) were e-consults. After implementation, we reviewed 360 consultations. The proportion of consultations for preprocedural evaluation did not decrease (n=47, 13.0%; P=.39). We observed an absolute increase of 13.6% in the proportion of consultations ordered as e-consults (27/47, 57.4%). During the postintervention period, we received no remarks, concerns, or criticisms from ordering clinicians about the process change and no reports of adverse events. Conclusions: Implementation of an ordering algorithm to reduce low-value preprocedural cardiology evaluations did not lead to a reduction in the number of overall preprocedural cardiology consultations. The number of patients seen electronically increased, potentially improving clinic access and reducing travel burden for patients.
Resting state heart rate variability in clinical and subthreshold disordered eating: A meta‐analysis

OBJECTIVE Research has demonstrated mixed results regarding the direction of the association between vagal activation and disordered eating. The current meta-analysis examined studies testing the link between resting-state heart rate variability indices of vagal activation (vmHRV), and both clinical and subthreshold disordered eating. METHOD A systematic search of the literature resulted in the inclusion of studies that were correlational (associations between HRV and disordered eating symptoms) and that examined group differences (e.g., control group vs. disordered eating group), for a total of 36 samples. RESULTS Findings indicated a small but reliable association of vmHRV with disordered eating, r = 0.12, indicating greater vagal activation in individuals with disordered eating compared to those with little or no disordered eating behavior. Moderation analyses identified predictors of the vmHRV/disordered eating association. Bulimia nervosa was found to have a large, positive effect size with vmHRV, r = 0.60, which was significantly greater than all other types of disordered eating, Q T = 10.74, p = .047. Compared to subthreshold disordered eating, clinical eating disorders demonstrated significant, persistent increased vagal activation with a medium, reliable effect size, r = 25, QT = 3.94, p = .045. CONCLUSION These insights contribute to an improved understanding of the pathophysiology in disordered eating.
Caring for the self and others: a reflection on everyday commoning amid the COVID-19 pandemic

In this essay, I share my experiences and reflection on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of a Chinese student residing in Pittsburgh, USA. Three examples of “commoning”—acts of managing shared resources by a group of people—reveal the importance of care and collaboration in the time of uncertainty. First, when COVID-19 posed a threat to the food supply chain, community gardens and home gardening ensured food security and enhanced mutual support. Second, the emergence of online activities of teaching, learning, and collaborating presented an opportunity of having more collective, equitable, and diverse formats of virtual communities. Lastly, volunteering in the distribution of “Healthy Packs,” I witnessed the nurture of a sense of belonging and a connection with home in the student community. These examples suggest that facing the crisis, care-driven commoning activities at the individual, everyday level lay the foundation for large-scale collaborative systems.
Methods Based on Semiparametric Theory for Analysis in the Presence of Missing Data

A statistical model is a class of probability distributions assumed to contain the true distribution generating the data. In parametric models, the distributions are indexed by a finite-dimensional...