cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential of the urinary bladder: clinicopathologic and outcome analysis from a single academic center

Few long-term single-center studies have addressed the outcome of patients with papillary urothelial neoplasms of low malignant potential. Our study evaluates the behavior of these tumors occurring as primary urinary bladder lesions. For this purpose, 34 primary in-house cases diagnosed and treated between 1998 and 2008 were identified from our medical records. Upon review, 3 cases were upgraded to noninvasive low-grade urothelial carcinomas and excluded from further evaluation. During follow-up (range, 3-108 months; mean, 42 months), 13 patients developed recurrences; and 9 patients progressed to a noninvasive higher grade lesion (8 to low-grade and 1 to high-grade urothelial carcinomas). None of our patients developed stage progression (>pTa) or died of bladder cancer. Size of the primary tumor was associated with the risk of recurrence (P = .043), whereas the number of episodes of recurrence was associated with the likelihood of grade progression (P = .034). In conclusion, recurrences were observed in 42% of all our patients, with a grade progression rate of 29%. None of our patients developed invasive carcinoma or died as a consequence of their disease. Considering the low but definitive risk of recurrence and grade progression, appropriate clinical follow-up of patients with primary papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential is warranted.
The effects of immunocontraception on harem fidelity in a feral horse (Equus caballus) population

Feral horses on Shackleford Banks Island, North Carolina, are managed by the National Park Service in order to reduce their impact on the fragile barrier island ecosystem. Management techniques include removal of young horses and immunocontraception of many of the mares using Porcine Zona Pellucida immunocontraceptive. This immunocontraceptive reduces the number of horses that need to be physically removed from the island, but there is concern that the contraception may be influencing the social behavior of the contracepted mares. We investigated the effect of immunocontraception on harem stability by tracking the number of harem changes of each adult mare through the breeding season over two seasons. In both seasons the mares that had been treated with the immunocontraceptive changed harems significantly more than mares never treated (2007 P = 0.037 and 2008 P = 0.016) and visited significantly more harems (2007 P = 0.021 and 2008 P = 0.011). The number of years treated did not have a significant effect on the number of harem changes (2007 P = 0.145 and 2008 P = 0.848), nor did the number of years a mare had been off contraceptive once the contraceptive was discontinued (2007 P = 0.443 and 2008 P = 0.826). Additionally, there was no significant difference in harem changes between mares that were actively contracepted and mares that had been treated in the past but were not currently actively contracepted (2007 P = 0.336 and 2008 P = 0.533). These results indicate that the PZP immunocontraceptive has a significant effect on harem stability and that once a mare has been contracepted the behavioral effect of the contraceptive treatment may not be readily reversed.
Metal chelates of arginine and related ligands

Abstract The interaction of Ca(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Hg(II), Mg(II), Mn(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) with arginine, citrulline, and ornithine has been studied by potentiometric measurement of hydrogen ion concentration at 25° and ionic strengths of 0·10 and 1·0 M. Dissociation constants of the ligands at 25° and 0·10 M ionic strength are reported, and formation constants of the chelates containing 1:1 and 1:2 molar ratios of metal ion to monoprotonated ligand are reported at 25° and ionic strengths of 0·10 and 1·0 for arginine and ornithine. Stabilities under the same conditions are calculated for the chelates of citrulline containing 1:1 and 1:2 molar ratios of the metal ion to ligand. Dissociation constants of the 1:1 Co(II)-ornithine and Cu(II)-arginine chelates are used to calculate the formation constants of the corresponding chelates of the unprotonated ligands. Similar dissociation constants of the 1:1 and 1:2 Cu(II) and Ni(II) ornithine chelates are used to determine the stabilities of the corresponding chelates containing unprotonated ligands. The order of stabilities of the metal chelates was found to be Cu > Hg > Ni > Zn > Co > Mn > Ca > Mg. The greater stability of the chelates containing monoprotonated ornithine over the chelates containing monoprotonated arginine ligands is interpreted on the basis of the electronic interactions of the ligands with the metal ions. The number and arrangement of coordinate bonds in the metal chelates is deduced on the basis of their chemical constitution and relative solution stabilities.
In vivo diffuse damage in human vertebral trabecular bone

Accumulation of microdamage in vivo may lead to loss of bone quality. Until recently, linear microcracks were the only known form of in vivo microdamage, but through the use of confocal microscopy an additional level of damage (diffuse damage) has been identified. In this study, in vivo diffuse damage was characterized and quantified in human vertebral trabecular bone as a function of tissue morphology, age, race, gender, and previously quantified in vivo linear microcracks. Presence of diffuse damage in human vertebral tissue was confirmed and validated by simultaneous use of polarized, ultraviolet, and laser confocal microscopy. Diffuse damage was found to occur preferentially within trabecular packets rather than in interstitial bone (p < 0.05). It was consistently higher in men compared with women (p < 0.05), but was not different by race or age group. Diffuse damage did not correlate with linear microcracks, but both exhibited the same probability distribution in which the percentage of individuals having a particular amount of damage decreased exponentially as damage content increased. These findings suggest that diffuse damage accumulation and repair are governed by the same biological phenomena as microcracks, but diffuse damage contributes independently to the microdamage content of bone.
The use of awareness displays for role clarity in distributed workgroups

During group work, sometimes members' roles are unclear, which leads to confusion about which activities one should do. This may be especially true in distributed groups, where it is harder to see what others are doing, and when roles are not assigned to members. Awareness displays can provide information to group members to help them determine their roles. I will explore this using collaborative groups in multi-player online games. This study will first observe groups to identify factors associated with role ambiguity, develop an awareness display which provides role--related information, and lastly, test the display in an experimental setting.
ESTIMATING SUPERPOPULATION SIZE AND ANNUAL PROBABILITY OF BREEDING FOR POND-BREEDING SALAMANDERS

It has long been accepted that amphibians can skip breeding in any given year, and environmental conditions act as a cue for breeding. In this paper, we quantify temporary emigration or nonbreeding probability for mole and spotted salamanders (Ambystoma talpoideum and A. maculatum). We estimated that 70% of mole salamanders may skip breeding during an average rainfall year and 90% may skip during a drought year. Spotted salamanders may be more likely to breed, with only 17% avoiding the breeding pond during an average rainfall year. We illustrate how superpopulations can be estimated using temporary emigration probability estimates. The superpopulation is the total number of salamanders associated with a given breeding pond. Although most salamanders stay within a certain distance of a breeding pond for the majority of their life spans, it is difficult to determine true overall population sizes for a given site if animals are only captured during a brief time frame each year with some animals unavailable for capture at any time during a given year.
Using Bayesian Networks to Model a Poker Player

Opponents are characterized by a Bayesian network intended to guide Monte-Carlo Tree Search through the game tree of No-Limit Texas Hold'em Poker. By using a probabilistic model of opponents, the network is able to integrate all available sources of information, including the infrequent revelations of hidden beliefs. These revelations are biased, and as such are difficult to incorporate into action prediction. The proposed network mitigates this bias via the expectation maximization algorithm and a probabilistic characterization of the hidden variables that generate observations.
Reactive Responses: The Complementary Role of Federal and State Courts

The recent revival of state constitutional law has contributed significantly to the development of a dynamic judicial federalism. While interaction between federal and state courts is hardly novel, acknowledgments of reciprocity have occurred more frequently than in the past. The Burger Court's receptivity to state judicial activism inaugurated an era marked by creativity as well as cooperation. Thus far, major departures from established practices have been limited to a readily identifiable and recurring number of state courts. All the same, the case studies included in this article range across a variety of factual contexts and explore an impressive array of links, both explicit and implied, between the federal and state courts. A disquieting new requirement, introduced as the result of a 1983 Supreme Court decision, exacts of state judges an unambiguous declaration of reliance on independent state grounds as the price of ensuring federal nonintervention. Whether judicial federalism will continue to flourish within so confining a framework remains problematic.
Dosimetry of N6-formyllysine adducts following [ 13C2H2]-formaldehyde exposures in rats

With formaldehyde as the major source of endogenous N6-formyllysine protein adducts, we quantified endogenous and exogenous N6-formyllysine in the nasal epithelium of rats exposed by inhalation to 0.7, 2, 5.8, and 9.1 ppm [13C2H2]-formaldehyde using liquid chromatography-coupled tandem mass spectrometry. Exogenous N6-formyllysine was detected in the nasal epithelium, with concentration-dependent formation in total as well as fractionated (cytoplasmic, membrane, nuclear) proteins, but was not detected in the lung, liver, or bone marrow. Endogenous adducts dominated at all exposure conditions, with a 6 h 9.1 ppm formaldehyde exposure resulting in one-third of the total load of N6-formyllysine being derived from exogenous sources. The results parallel previous studies of formaldehyde-induced DNA adducts.
Adrenocorticotrophic hormone; stability studies.

Summary1. ACTH activity disappears rapidly from neutral aqueous, 0.9% sodium chloride, or basic extracts of pituitary. Activity is stable in weak hydrochloric acid extracts of the gland. ACTH prepa...
Column Curves of Q460 Equal Angle Steel

The application of Q460 equal angle steel in transmission towers is more and more popular,however in current codes there are not regulaions related to Q460 equal angle steel,so that the paramters of Q460 equal angle steel are not listed in related references and it makes the application of Q460 equal angle steel lacking of basis.In this paper,the inverse calculation segment length method is applied in the programming to calculate column curves of 63 kinds of Q460 equal angle steel,and based on statistic results a coefficient table of stabiltiy of axle loaded member made of Q460 equal angle steel is obtained.Comparison results of the contents in the obtained table with the test results and the calculation results by ANSYS software shows that the obtianed column curves are rational and can be applied in the design in which the Q460 equal angle steel is adopted.
Relativity influence factor of central venous pressure and Its nursing advance

Central venous pressure is a normal quota which reflected the function of right hert and blood capacity,and its monitor skill and number accuracy will more level influenced the medical matters who to observe,diagnose and treat for patients'condition.The article analysed the relativity factor and influence factor,and to present concrete nursing measures,so as to reduce complications and made the operation and monitor of central venous pressure more accurate.
Epidemiological Characteristics of Gonorrhea in Heping District of Shenyang City from 2004 to 2009

[Objective]To master the morbidity level and epidemiological characteristics of gonorrhea,provide accurate evidence for making the plan of gonorrhea control and prevention.[Methods]The epidemic data of gonorrhea in Heping district of Shenyang city were analyzed with descriptive epidemiology method.[Results]From 2004 to 2009,the annual average incidence rate of gonorrhea in Heping district of Shenyang city was 13.09/ lakh,and there was significant difference in annual incidence rate among different years(P0.01).There was no obvious seasonal peak.The ratio of male to female was 5.11∶1,the incidence rate for male and female was 23.24/ lakh and 4.55/ lakh respectively,and the difference was significant(P0.01).83.82% of total cases were unknown vocation,housework or unemployment,and other vocation.Age group of 20～44 years old accounted for 80.88%.[Conclusion]There existed obvious vocational peak in gonorrhea prevalence,which showed a typical increasing trend among young adults.The comprehensive intervention should be implemented to reduce the risk factors of gonorrhea spread,investigation and analysis should be carried out to provide evidence for early warning of gonorrhea.
[Epidemiological characteristics and temporal-spatial clustering analysis on hand-foot-mouth disease in Jiangsu province, 2009 - 2011].

Objective To analyze the epidemic characteristics of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) in Jiangsu province.Methods We downloaded the case-data of HFMD in Jiangsu province during 2009-2011 from the Chinese National Notifiable Infectious Disease Reporting System,and made a comprehensive analysis on the epidemiological features of it with descriptive epidemiological methods and retrospective space-time permutation scan statistics.Results A total of 285 414 cases were reported in Jiangsu,from 2009 to 2011,with an annual incidence of 122.66 per 100 000.There were 3686 severe cases in the 3 years accumulatively,accounting for 1.29％ of the total.Proportion of the cases being 5 years old or even younger was 93.64％.Scatteredly living children accounted for 64.08％ of the total cases and 78.65％ of the severe cases,respectively.The epidemics of HFMD were visible in each city of Jiangsu province,with a lowest annual incidence rate of 44.02 per 100 000 and a highest one up to 202.90 per 100 000.Regions as Suzhou,Nanjing,Wuxi had the highest incidence in the province,with cases in these three areas occupying almost 40％ of all.The numbers of severe cases in Suqian and in Yancheng cities increased by 339.22％ and 328.33％ in 2011 compared to in 2010,respectively,and the rates of increase in these two cities were much higher than those in the other regions.Two peaks of incidence were observed every year,with the highest occurring between April and June and the second occurring in November.The spatial-temporal distribution of HFMD was not random in Jiangsu province,from 2009 to 2011.Clusters for general cases in August and 7 clusters for severe cases were detected,respectively.12 359 cases of HFMD were laboratory confirmed in the said 3 years,including 10 414 common cases and 1945 severe cases.EV71 and CoxA16 accounted for 43.49％ and 37.07％ of common cases,respectively.In terms of the severe cases,the ratios were 80.82％ and 5.96％,respectively.Conclusion HFMD was highly endemic in Jiangsu province,and the situation of prevention and control for it is still grim.Scatteredly living children of 5 years old or younger were the major population at risk,and the epidemic in different regions and seasons was different.EV71 and CoxA16 were the major etiologic agents,but the etiologic constitute showed seasonal changes. Key words: Hand-foot-mouth disease; Epidemiological characteristics; Temporal-spatial clustering analysis
31P NMR Based Method for Determining Enantiopurity of Chiral Phosphoric Acids and Its Application to the BINOL- and H8-BINOL-Based Chiral Phosphoric Acid Thermal Racemization Studies

A simple and reliable protocol for determining the enantiopurity of 3,3′-substituted BINOL- and H8-BINOL-based chiral phosphoric acids (CPA) using 31P NMR spectroscopy in the presence of chiral amines as the discriminating agents is described. The generality of this method is demonstrated using nine common BINOL- and H8-BINOL-based chiral acids. This technique was utilized for monitoring the extent of racemization of 3,5-(F3C)2C6H3-substituted BINOL- and H8-BINOL-based CPA at 200, 220, and 250 °C.
Morphine and Trafficking of a Mu Opioid Receptor Interacting Protein WLS

Abstract Opiate addiction is a significant public health problem afflicting approximately 2 million Americans and 3 million Europeans who are addicted to heroin or using nonmedical prescription analgesics. Opiates belong to opioid alkaloids that are natural derivatives of the opium plant, Papaver somniferum, including morphine. Morphine is one of the major psychoactive opiates. Chronic or prolonged exposure to opioids such as morphine may lead to opiate dependence. The analgesic and addictive properties of opioids are mediated, in part, through binding with the mu opioid receptor (MOR). Novel putative targets for intervention in opioid abuse are MOR interacting proteins, which have been shown to regulate the trafficking of MOR. We have shown that morphine induces subcellular redistribution of an MOR interacting protein, Wntless (WLS). WLS is a transmembrane protein critical for secretion of Wnt signaling protein. This review will summarize the current knowledge regarding adaptations in WLS expression and trafficking that represent a novel pharmacological target in the treatment of opiate dependence and addiction.
Brachial Plexus Injuries During Birth

Neonatal brachial plexus injury is a complication of the delivery process requiring immediate attention from all practitioners involved in the patient’s care. The location and anatomy of the brachial plexus make it vulnerable to injury at birth, and the ensuing deficits can be debilitating. While this injury is uncommon, immediate recognition is important in order to ensure expedient management of the injury and a positive outcome for the child. In the past, research suggested that the vast majority of infant brachial plexus injuries recovered spontaneously. However, in recent years, there has been a shift toward early surgical evaluation as some have noted that more patients than previously thought have persistent and clinically important deficits. The classification of these injuries comprises an important part of the initial evaluation and characterization of the injured infant, and contributes to management decisions alongside radiographic and other clinical testing. Ultimately, a multidisciplinary approach is needed to assure an optimal outcome for injured neonates.
The role of unspecified power in developing locally relevant greenhouse gas emission factors in California’s electric sector

Abstract To create locally relevant emission factors that allocate electric greenhouse gas emissions to a city or individual electric customer in California requires more accurate emission factors for unspecified power. The use of specified and unspecified electrical power as well as the different regulatory regimes governing power disclosures, emission reporting, and emission factors define this problem. Potential solutions include transaction-based emissions tracking, region- or market-specific emissions factors, and standardized emissions factor methods for electricity.
Food for Thought: Assessing Visitor Comfort and Attitudes toward Carcass Feeding at the ABQ BioPark Zoo

ABSTRACTEnrichment is a key to keeping animals in zoos healthy and stimulated. For carnivores, the practice of feeding vertebrate animal carcasses, like those of goats or deer, or whole body prey animals like chickens or rabbits, can be an effective form of enrichment. While it is beneficial for animal care, carcass feeding may also be off-putting to some visitors. This research aimed to address this concern by describing the attitudes and comfort levels of visitors who viewed carcass feeding in three exhibits at the ABQ BioPark Zoo in Albuquerque, New Mexico: spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), and African painted dog (Lycaon pictus). Results showed that visitors stayed at exhibits longer when a carcass was introduced and reported feeling generally comfortable and at ease while viewing carcass feeding. Findings also showed that visitors felt carcass feeding was beneficial to animal care and welfare.
Peers and Co-Occurring Research-Supported Interventions

ABSTRACTObjective: Adults with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders have poor outcomes in important quality of life areas, including hospitalization, incarceration, employment, and community housing. Integrated dual disorder treatment (IDDT) is a research-supported intervention for individuals with co-occurring disorders associated with improvements in outcome measures when implemented with high fidelity. Research-supported intervention IDDT was not designed with peer services, provided by people with lived experience with mental illness, but the practice has been altered to include peers. Methods: IDDT fidelity data were evaluated from 20 teams that also reported on peer services on their team in one state over a 7 year period, and paired with their fidelity data for the most recent review to analyze the relationship between peers and IDDT fidelity. Analysis of variance was utilized to determine a dose effect peers on fidelity. Results: Of these IDDT teams, 85% of teams incorporated a ...
On entrepreneurship

Joi Ito, director of the MIT Media Lab, shares his ideas about entrepreneurship learning, finding the right people, and navigating failure with grace.
RP-HPLC method for simultaneous estimation of vigabatrin, gamma-aminobutyric acid and taurine in biological samples

Abstract Vigabatrin is used as first line drug in treatment of infantile spasms for its potential benefit overweighing risk of causing permanent peripheral visual field defects and retinal damage. Chronic administration of vigabatrin in rats has demonstrated these ocular events are result of GABA accumulation and depletion of taurine levels in retinal tissues. In vigabatrin clinical studies taurine plasma level is considered as biomarker for studying structure and function of retina. The analytical method is essential to monitor taurine levels along with vigabatrin and GABA. A RP-HPLC method has been developed and validated for simultaneous estimation of vigabatrin, GABA and taurine using surrogate matrix. Analytes were extracted from human plasma, rat plasma, retina and brain by simple protein precipitation method and derivatized by naphthalene 2, 3‑dicarboxaldehyde to produce stable fluorescent active isoindole derivatives. The chromatographic analysis was performed on Zorbax Eclipse AAA column using gradient elution profile and eluent was monitored using fluorescence detector. A linear plot of calibration curve was observed in concentration range of 64.6 to 6458, 51.5 to 5150 and 62.5 to 6258 ng/mL for vigabatrin, GABA and taurine, respectively with r2 ≥ 0.997 for all analytes. The method was successfully applied for estimating levels of vigabatrin and its modulator effect on GABA and taurine levels in rat plasma, brain and retinal tissue. This RP-HPLC method can be applied in clinical and preclinical studies to explore the effect of taurine deficiency and to investigate novel approaches for alleviating vigabatrin induced ocular toxicity.
Fertility preservation options in pediatric and adolescent patients with cancer

The incidence of childhood cancer has steadily increased since the 1950s, with approximately 16,000 children diagnosed each year. However, with the advent of more effective multimodal therapies, childhood cancer survival rates have continued to improve over the past 40 years, with >80% of patients now surviving into adulthood. Fertility preservation (FP) has become an important quality-of-life issue for many survivors of childhood cancer. As a result, the therapeutic options have become less gonadotoxic over time and more patients are being offered FP options. This review examines the indications for consultation, male and female FP options both in the prepubertal patient and adolescent patient, and the unique ethical issues surrounding FP in this vulnerable population. Cancer 2018;124:1867-76. © 2018 American Cancer Society.
Circuit Optimization for Enhancing the Output Power of a Piezoelectric Energy Harvester

In this paper, a new method is proposed for improving a piezoelectric energy harvester’s output power. A piezoelectric vibration energy harvester has an inherent internal capacitance. The new approach adopts inductance to reduce the reactance of the internal capacitance and enhance the output power. To show the practicality of this method, four electrical circuits are investigated numerically and experimentally for a piezoelectric beam energy harvester: Simple Resistive Load, Inductive Load, standard AC-DC, and Inductive AC-DC circuits. An Inductive Load circuit is built by adding an inductor to a Simple Resistive Load circuit, while an Inductive AC-DC circuit is built by adding an inductor to a standard AC-DC circuit. Experimental results indicate that the Inductive Load and the Inductive AC-DC circuits avail the Simple Resistive Load and standard AC-DC circuits respectively. The inductive AC-DC circuit shows a 6.7% increase in the output power compared to the standard AC-DC circuit.
113 An interventional study to assess the incidence of vitamin b12/d3 deficiency among corporate employees

Introduction In spite of living in tropical climates, vitamin D3 deficiency is evident in urban. Indian population as a corporate lifestyle disorder; Office executives especially, are not exposed to sunlight due to changing lifestyles and long working hours. Incidence of vitamin B12 deficiency is observed to be high, due to predominantly vegetarian diets and insufficient consumption of dairy products, etc. Methods This study was conducted at Occupational Health Centre, Hazira from September 2016 to January 2017. In the first phase, 300 executives were surveyed and subjected to analysis of blood levels of vitamin D3 and Vitamin B12.History of exposure to sunlight, exercise, dietary habits, medication etc. was obtained through a Screening Questionnaire before blood collection. In second phase, treatment was advised for three months including counselling for dietary modifications, increased sun exposure, etc. At the end of three months, repeat testing of Vitamins was done to assess the effectiveness. Results 17.67% had vitamin B12 deficiency, 17.33% had vitamin D3 deficiency. Deficient vitamin B12 values were found in 53 subjects of which 61.5% were vegetarians, 39.5% nonvegetarians and 30.18% were having alcohol consumption. Deficient vitaminD3 values were found in 52 subjects of which 92% do not spend at least 10 min a day in sun without sunscreen. In second phase 51.62% had normal Vitamin D3 levels as compared to 8.33% in first phase and 92.95% had vitamin B12 levels normal in second phase as compared to 77.1% in first phase. Conclusion Effectiveness of oral supplementation of B12/D3 is demonstrated by the results of the second phase of the survey. Increase in sun exposure, dietary modification and other lifestyle modifications were also effective. Office executives need to exercise outdoors and thus increase their exposure to sunlight to facilitate vitamin D absorption. Vitamin B12/D3 tests to be made a part of annual medical check up.
Primary tumor sidedness is an independent prognostic marker for survival in metastatic colorectal cancer: Results from a large retrospective cohort with mutational analysis.

Recent reports demonstrate inferior outcomes associated with primary right-sided vs left-sided colorectal tumors in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We sought to describe our experience with mCRC patients on whom we have molecular data to determine whether primary tumor sidedness was an independent prognostic marker for overall survival (OS). mCRC patients with documented primary tumor sidedness who received mutational profiling between 2009 and 2014 were identified (n = 367, median follow-up 30.4 months). Mutational profiling for >150 mutations across commonly mutated cancer genes including RAS, PIK3CA, BRAF, and PTEN as well as treatment data, including receipt of a biologic agent, were collected. Univariable/multivariable models were used to analyze relationships between collected data and OS. Among 367 patients, sidedness breakdown was as follows: 234 left (64%), 133 right (36%). 56% were male, with a median age at diagnosis of 57 (range 24-89). A total of 143 patients had RAS mutations. Five-year OS was 41%, median OS was 54 months (range 1-149). Five-year OS for left- vs right-sided tumors was 46% vs 24% (P < .0001). On univariable analysis, among both RAS wildtype and mutant tumors, left-sided tumors continued to have improved OS vs right-sided tumors (HR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.34-0.69 RAS wildtype; HR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.40-0.95 RAS mutant). Left-sidedness was an important prognostic factor for OS among RAS wildtype patients despite treatment with or without a biologic agent (P < .05). Left-sidedness remained significant for improved OS on multivariable analysis (P < .0001). Left-sided primary tumor remained most important prognostic factor for OS, even when adjusting for mutational status and receipt of biologic agent.
Smeared-tip superposition method for cohesive fracture with rate effect and creep

A recent formulation of the smeared-tip superposition method presented by Bažant [1], which itself was a generalization and modification of an integral equation formulation with an asymptotic series solution derived by Planas and Elices [2], is further improved, generalized and adapted to an efficient finite difference solution scheme. A crack with bridging stresses is modeled as a superposition of infinitely many LEFM cracks with continuously distributed (smeared) tips having infinitely small intensity factors. Knowledge of the stress intensity factor as a function of the location of the crack tip along the crack path is all that is needed to obtain the load-displacement relation. The solution is reduced to a singular integral equation for a function describing the components of applied load associated with crack tips at various locations. The integral equation is complemented by an arbitrary relation between the bridging stress and the crack opening displacement, which can be rate-independent or rate-dependent. Furthermore, using the creep operator method, the equation is extended to aging linearly viscoelastic behavior in the bulk of the specimen. The previously presented finite difference solution is improved and generalized in a form that leads to a system of nonlinear algebraic equations, which can be solved by an optimization method. Application of the smeared-tip method to the analysis of recent measurements of the size effect in three-point-bend fracture specimens of different sizes is presented and a crack opening law that yields the main qualitative characteristics of the test results, particularly an increase of brittleness with a decreasing loading rate, is presented.
Douglas and the Fate of Ex Parte Young

In Douglas v. Independent Living Center of Southern California, 132 S. Ct. 1204 (2012), the 5-4 majority ducked the question on which certiorari had ostensibly been granted, i.e., whether the Supremacy Clause provides Medicaid beneficiaries and providers with a cause of action to enjoin California state officials from enforcing a state law allegedly in violation of (and therefore preempted by) the federal Medicaid statute. Instead, Justice Breyer's opinion for the Court held that intervening administrative developments (to wit, HHS's approval of the challenged state reimbursement plan) changed the posture of the case and thereby warranted a remand to the Ninth Circuit, which could consider the effect of such developments -- if any -- as a matter of first impression.This short essay, published as part of the Yale Law Journal's "Summary Judgment" feature, explains the significance of the Court's decision not to decide in Douglas in light of the sweeping (if not alarming) dissent penned by Chief Justice Roberts, which would have held that injunctive relief should seldom be available to private plaintiffs under the Supremacy Clause to enjoin governmental officers from violating federal statutes that do not themselves provide a cause of action. Had the Chief Justice's view prevailed, the Supreme Court would have largely eviscerated Ex parte Young by restricting its availability to only those suits offering a "preemptive assertion in equity of a defense that would otherwise have been available in the State's enforcement proceedings at law."For decades, the Supreme Court has maintained that relief under Ex parte Young "has permitted the Civil War Amendments to the Constitution to serve as a sword, rather than merely as a shield, for those whom they were designed to protect." If the Chief Justice's position ultimately finds a fifth vote (which, as the essay explains, it may already have), it would turn that understanding on its head, and dramatically minimize the ability of the federal courts to enforce federal law prospectively against state officers.
Establishment of a High-Yield Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus/Human Bocavirus Vector Production System Independent of Bocavirus Nonstructural Proteins

The genome of recombinant adeno-associated virus 2 (rAAV2) remains a promising candidate for gene therapy for cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease, but due to limitations in the packaging capacity and...
Beyond Aesthetics, Empathy First

AbstractEmpathy is an important trait for society in general and in the design fields. However, there is a scarce amount of literature on empirical research that examines empathy development in design education. This paper presents a case study of a Service Learning Project (SLP) that exposes students to the development of empathy by proxy in a Research I university in the south-west United States. It describes a teaching exercise that enables students to develop an empathic response through a four-week SLP within a studio course. Thirty-seven sophomore interior design students, two life specialists from the local hospital, one faculty and a liaison between the latter participated in this study over the course of two years. A mixed method strategy was used to collect data from students during two sophomore studios. The study found how faculty promoted student empathy through ‘Design, Make, Gift a Dream’ (DMGD) project.
Low-dose caffeine administration increases fatty acid utilization and mitochondrial turnover in C2C12 skeletal myotubes.

Caffeine has been shown to directly increase fatty acid oxidation, in part, by promoting mitochondrial biogenesis. Mitochondrial biogenesis is often coupled with mitophagy, the autophagy-lysosomal degradation of mitochondria. Increased mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy promote mitochondrial turnover, which can enhance aerobic metabolism. In addition, recent studies have revealed that cellular lipid droplets can be directly utilized in an autophagy-dependent manner, a process known as lipophagy. Although caffeine has been shown to promote autophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscles, it remains unclear whether caffeine can increase lipophagy and mitochondrial turnover in skeletal muscle as well. The purpose of this study was to determine the possible contribution of lipophagy to caffeine-dependent lipid utilization. Furthermore, we sought to determine whether caffeine could increase mitochondrial turnover, which may also contribute to elevated fatty acid oxidation. Treating fully differentiated C2C12 skeletal myotubes with 0.5 mM oleic acid (OA) for 24 hr promoted an approximate 2.5-fold increase in cellular lipid storage. Treating skeletal myotubes with 0.5 mM OA plus 0.5 mM caffeine for an additional 24 hr effectively returned cellular lipid stores to control levels, and this was associated with an increase in markers of autophagosomes and autophagic flux, as well as elevated autophagosome density in TEM images. The addition of autophagy inhibitors 3-methyladenine (10 mM) or bafilomycin A1 (10 μM) reduced caffeine-dependent lipid utilization by approximately 30%. However, fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed no direct evidence of lipophagy in skeletal myotubes, and there was also no lipophagy-dependent increase in fatty acid oxidation. Finally, caffeine treatment promoted an 80% increase in mitochondrial turnover, which coincided with a 35% increase in mitochondrial fragmentation. Our results suggest that caffeine administration causes an autophagy-dependent decrease in lipid content by increasing mitochondrial turnover in mammalian skeletal myotubes.
Biometric Parameters Assessment for Foot Ulcers Prevention Through Wearable Devices

A fast and reliable identification of foot pressure loads and temperature distributions changes on the plantar surface allows to prevent and reduce the consequences of ulceration of the diabetic foot. This work presents a smart insole in which both temperature and pressure data in 8 reading points are monitored in remote way for the assessment of the health foot conditions by a caregiver. Minimally invasive and low power temperature and force sensors have been chosen and integrated into two antibacterial polyurethane-based layers architecture. In this work the attention was focused on the heat transfer between the insole and the foot. Finite element simulations were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the sensor array to detect, from thermal gradients measured on the plantar surface, inflammatory events that can be attributed to early signs of foot ulceration. The results demonstrated that small differences of temperature between the eight sensor nodes of the array can be discriminated and used to prevent the onset of ulcerative lesions, also giving a supplementary information about the position closer to a potential inflamed region of the foot.
Chapter 5 – Electromechanical Devices

Publisher Summary Usually, nanotubes are not perfectly straight in electronic transport experiments or in devices because the strong van der Waals interactions with the substrate and metal contacts often cause the nanotube to bend. Meandering of nanotubes on substrates is readily observed, and it originates from deformations of the nanotube introduced during the processing, and that are frozen-in by the interaction with the surface. In addition to changing bond lengths and bond angles, bending can also cause a deformation of the nanotube cross-section, and even cause buckling. Given these possible effects, it is quite surprising that nanotubes are very resistant to bending, even for large bending angles that significantly distort the nanotube cross-section. The evidence for this robustness comes in part from atomistic modeling on specific nanotubes. It is clear from this picture that buckling of the nanotube occurs for bending angles larger than 45 degrees. What is remarkable is that despite this strong distortion of the nanotube structure, the transmission probability of electrons at the Fermi level is essentially unchanged from that of the straight nanotube.
Five-Year Outcomes of Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty for the Treatment of Obesity.

Background And Aims The growing burden of obesity as a chronic disease necessitates a multifaceted approach to management. There has been an increase in the number of available endoscopic therapies for weight management with endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) proving to be one of the best options. The long-term efficacy of ESG for management of obesity is not known. This study sought to assess the long-term safety and efficacy of ESG for treatment of obesity. Methods This was a prospective cohort study. Participants underwent ESG in a single academic center, and were prospectively enrolled. All procedures were performed by the same therapeutic endoscopist. Patients with a body mass index of >30 kg/m2 (or >27 with comorbidities), who underwent ESG from August 2013 to August 2019 for treatment of obesity were enrolled. Patients were followed for up to 5 years after their procedure. The primary outcome was weight loss at 5 years after the procedure (% total body weight loss, TBWL) Results 216 patients (68% female) with a mean age of 46±13 years, and mean BMI of 39±6 kg/m2 underwent ESG. Out of 216 patients, 203, 96, and 68 patients were eligible for a 1-, 3-, and 5-year follow up, with complete follow-up rates of 70%, 71%, and 82%, respectively. At 5 years, mean TBWL was 15.9% (95% CI, 11.7-20.5, p Conclusions Our results suggest that ESG is safe and effective for treatment of obesity, with durable long-term results for at least up to 5 years after the procedure. This procedure should be considered as a reliable option for treatment of obesity.
Training macrosystems scientists requires both interpersonal and technical skills

US National Science Foundation (NSF)National Science Foundation (NSF) [DEB 1928375]; NSFNational Science Foundation (NSF) [EF-1137327, EF-1241891, EF-1340516, EF-1638406, EF-1638575, EF-1638577, EF-1702506, EF-1702701, EF-1702996, EF-1818519]
Numerical study of the phase behavior of rod-like colloidal particles with attractive tips

Suspensions of anisometric particles are known to self-assemble into various liquid crystal (LC) phases, namely, the nematic, smectic (A or B or both), and in some cases, columnar phases, due to the effects of excluded volume. For some applications, LC phases with higher degrees of order are desired, but due to the fact that these phases generally exist at larger volume fractions, they can be difficult to handle experimentally. Here, we explore the effect of a weak attractive interaction localized at the tips of rod-like particles on the phase behavior of these suspensions. We perform large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of rigid rod-like particles with both monodispersed and polydispersed lengths and a variety of aspect ratios. The rods are composed of rigidly connected beads, and the inter-rod bead interactions are modeled with a combination of Weeks–Chandler–Anderson and Lennard-Jones potentials. By increasing rod-tip attraction, we observe a favoring of the higher order smectic phase over the lower order nematic phase at lower volume fractions. With sufficiently strong rod-tip attraction, the nematic phase is removed from the phase diagram. Furthermore, we show how polydispersity influences this competition between LC phases.
Homodinuclear copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes of a carboxylate-rich ligand as synthetic mimics of phosphoester hydrolase in aqueous solutions.

Abstract The synthesis, characterization and catalytic activities of two homodinuclear Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes of a carboxylate-rich ligand, N,N′-Bis[2-carboxybenzomethyl]-N,N′ -Bis[carboxymethyl]-1,3-diaminopropan-2-ol (H5ccdp) ligand towards the hydrolysis of (p-nitrophenyl phosphate) (PNPP) and bis(p-nitrophenyl) phosphate (BNPP) substrates in aqueous systems are described. Kinetic investigations were carried out using UV–Vis spectrophotometric techniques at 25 °C and 37 °C and different pH (7–10) conditions. The kinetic studies revealed that the turnover rate (kcat) values among the PNPP hydrolysis systems, the highest and the lowest kcat values were displayed by [Cu2(ccdp)(μ-OAc)]2− at 2.34 × 10−6 s−1 (pH 8 and 37 °C) and 2.13 × 10−8 s−1 (pH 8 and 25 °C), respectively. However, similar comparisons among the BNPP hydrolysis revealed that highest and the lowest kcat values were displayed by [Zn2(ccdp)(μ-OAc)]2− at 4.64 × 10−8 s−1 (pH 9 and 37 °C) and 2.38 × 10−9 (pH 9 and 25 °C). Significantly enough, the catalyst−substrate adduct species containing a metal bound PNPP and BNPP have been detected by ESI-MS techniques. Additionally, a PNPP-bound copper complex has been isolated and crystalized using single crystal X-ray diffraction technique. Based on the structural and activity information obtained in this study, reaction mechanisms for the hydrolysis of PNPP have been proposed.
Burst-tolerant datacenter networks with Vertigo

Microsecond-scale congestion events, known as microbursts, are a main cause of packet loss and poor application performance in today's datacenters. Given the low network utilization in datacenters, one would expect packet deflection, in-situ re-routing of packets that arrive at a full buffer to a different port, to effectively prevent packet loss. However, if deployed naively, deflection leads to excessive packet re-ordering, exacerbated congestion, and head-of-the-line blocking in switch buffers. In this study, we resolve the above challenges by selectively deflecting the packets that cause persistent congestion in the network. To enable this, we augment the end-host network stacks with a transport-independent extension that tracks and marks flows with their remaining bytes. Our in-network deflection component uses the flow size information to re-route packets from flows with more data to send. Finally, an extension to the receive-side of end-host stacks retrieves the correct ordering of packets before passing them to transport and higherlevel protocols. We evaluate our design, Vertigo, under diverse datacenter workloads and show that it is effective in managing microbursts under light and heavy loads and when combined with various congestion control algorithms. For example, in a leaf-spine network under 85% load, Vertigo reduces the mean incast query completion times by 3.5x, 3.3x, 5x compared to ECMP, DRILL, and DIBS when using TCP, 3x, 3.5x, 4.5x alongside DCTCP, and 43x, 33x, 16x when using Swift, respectively.
Environmental Noise, Hearing Acuity, and Acceptance Criteria

Information regarding puretone hearing acuity of certain occupational groups is presented using Speech Average Loss and Early Loss Index grading techniques. A biophysical law describing the manner in which hearing loss progresses at 4,000 hertz is reiterated, and determinations of absolute thresholds of human hearing are cited. Using the foregoing advances in knowledge of noise and hearing, discussion is developed relative to audiometer reference levels and classifications of hearing impairment. A rational basis is provided for establishing puretone audiometric-zero reference levels some 35 db below the 1951 American Standards Association, (ASA) or 24 db below the 1964 International Organization for Standardization (ISO) reference levels. Evolutionary changes in hearing impairment classifications are mentioned and a revised scheme is suggested which is based upon audiometric measurements more closely referenced to true zero, but at the same time compatible with existing scales. The possible need for more ...
Obesity, Reproductive Outcomes, and Access to Infertility Treatments: A Clinical and Ethical Debate

Obesity poses significant maternal and fetal risks as well as unique reproductive challenges to both natural and assisted attempts at pregnancy. Given the diminished efficacy of infertility treatments including assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and increased risks of treatments in the obese population, a debate has emerged around the implementation of body mass index (BMI) cutoffs restricting access to infertility treatment. While professional medical societies in the United States do not endorse official guidelines for access to fertility treatment based on BMI cutoffs, support for and implementation of BMI cutoffs is growing. Globally, the uptake of BMI cutoffs for access to fertility treatments are being recommended and more widely enforced in countries such as New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Arguments for and against restricting access to fertility care must also be considered within a framework that considers the core ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice.