cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU‐EE‐A3‐04: Comparison of Breath‐Hold and Free Breathing Approaches for 4DCT Data Acquisition

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare two separate respiratory techniques available for four‐dimensional computed tomography (4DCT). Regional lung density and spatial displacement of airway tree bifurcations (BPs) were studied and compared between regulated (breath hold) and free breathing techniques. Method and Materials: Fifteen normal adult participants were subjected to CT scanning triggered by the lung volume controller system using breath hold and free breathing respiratory techniques. Lung volumes were compared using pneumotachometers (PNT) and respiratory inductance plethysmography. A LabVIEW‐based lung volume controller system that allows monitoring/control of lung volumes and provides gating capabilities for CTimage acquisition was built. Each subject's slow vital capacity was measured and lungCTimages were obtained at two volumes: ∼65% vital capacity and the end expiratory phase of tidal breathing (∼20% vital capacity). For the free breathing, these represent end inspiration and end expiration. Results: The mean difference in location of BPs between inspiration and expiration using breath hold technique [15.3 ± 5.0mm] and free breathing techniques [18.5 ± 7.3mm] were large but similar. Regional mean lung density differences between breath hold and free breathing was insignificant using paired t‐test (p > 0.05). The BPs spatial uncertainty between breath hold and free breathing, both at end inspiration and end expiration were small: the mean difference in the distance between the carina and any other branch point pair matched was 2.0 mm (±2.0 mm) at end inspiration and 2.8 mm (±2.0 mm) at end expiration. Conclusion: Both breath hold and free breathing respiratory techniques significantly (∼50%) reduce the uncertainty in branch point localization. In addition, both techniques produce similar regional lung densities. The uncertainty in branch point location with respect to the carina is reduced by 2–3 mm for breath hold compared to free breathing techniques.
Endocrine Responses to Unpredictable Environmental Events: Stress or Anti-Stress Hormones?

SYNOPSIS. In addition to seasonal changes in morphology, physiology and behavior that occur in predictable annual cycles, there are facultative responses to unpredictable events known as labile ( i.e., short-lived) perturbation factors (LPFs). These rapid behavioral and physiological changes have been termed the ‘‘emergency’’ life history stage (ELHS) and serve to enhance life-time fitness. Glucocorticosteroids interacting with other hormones in the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) cascade, initiate and orchestrate the ELHS within minutes to hours. Components of the ELHS include: redirection of behavior from a normal life history stage to increased foraging, irruptive-type migration during the day, enhanced restfulness at night, elevated gluconeogenesis and recovery once the perturbation passes. These physiological and behavioral changes allow an individual to avoid potential deleterious effects of stress that may result from chronically elevated levels of circulating glucocorticosteroids over days and weeks. In other words, acute rises in glucocorticosteroids following perturbations of the environment may actually avoid chronic stress and serve primarily as ‘‘anti-stress’’ hormones. Several field studies in diverse habitats indicate that free-living populations have elevated circulating levels of corticosteroids when in an ELHS. However, expression of an ELHS may not always be advantageous and there is accumulating evidence from birds that the adrenocortical responses to LPFs are modulated both on seasonal and individual levels. These data suggest that glucocorticosteroid secretions in response to LPFs not only trigger physiological and behavioral responses but also allow flexibility so that the response is integrated in relation to time of year (normal LHS) as well as individual differences owing to body condition, disease and social status.
Vascular age: integrating carotid intima-media thickness measurements with global coronary risk assessment.

Summary Background:An imaging test that quantifies atherosclerotic burden and that can be integrated with existing risk stratification paradigms would be a very useful clinical tool. Hypothesis: Measurement of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is feasible in a clinical setting. Such measurements can be integrated into coronary risk assessment models. Methods:Carotid intima-media thickness was measured by B-mode ultrasound in 82 consecutive patients without manifest atherosclerotic vascular disease. The values were used to determine “vascular age” (VA) based on nomograms from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Vascular age was substituted for chronological age and standard and vascular age-adjusted 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk estimates were compared. Results: The mean chronological age was 55.8 ± 9.0 years. The mean VA using CIMT was 65.5 ± 18.9 years (p < 0.001). The Framingham 10-year hard CHD risk estimate was 6.5 ± 4.9%. Substituting CIMT-derived VA for chronological age increased the 10-year CHD risk estimate to 8.0 ± 6.8% (p < 0.001). Of 14 subjects initially at intermediate risk, 5 (35.7%) were reclassified as higher risk and 2 (14.3%) were reclassified as lower risk. Significant predictors of reclassification were tobacco use, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Conclusions: Measurement of CIMT, a noninvasive estimate of current atherosclerotic burden, is feasible in a clinical setting and can be integrated into CHD risk assessment models. Determining VA using CIMT values may help individualize the age component of population-based CHD risk estimates. This strategy should be tested in a large trial with hard clinical endpoints.
Numerical relationship between neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus and primary visual cortex in macaque monkeys.

We examined the numerical correlation between total populations of neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and the primary visual cortex (area 17 of Brodmann) in ten cerebral hemispheres of five normal rhesus monkeys using an unbiased three-dimensional counting method. There were 1.4 ± 0.2 million and 341 ±54 million neurons in the LGN and area 17, respectively. In each animal, a larger LGN on one side was in register with a larger area 17 of the cortex on the same side. Furthermore, asymmetry in the number of neurons in both the LGN and area 17 favored the right side. However, because of small variations across subjects, correlation between the total neuron number in LGN and area 17 was weak (r = 0.29). These results suggest that the final numbers of neurons in these visual centers may be established independently or by multiple factors controlling elimination of initially overproduced neurons.
Beyond Benchmarks and Scores: Reasserting the Role of Motivation and Interest in Children's Academic Achievement an ACEI Position Paper

(2007). Beyond Benchmarks and Scores: Reasserting the Role of Motivation and Interest in Children's Academic Achievement an ACEI Position Paper. Childhood Education: Vol. 83, International Focus Issue 2007, pp. 395-407.
Diffusion of light in tissues

Some of the mathematical techniques used to describe light diffusion in tissues are presented. The transport theory, radiance, radiant energy fluence rate, phase functions, boundary conditions, and measurement techniques are reviewed. The first-order solution, multiple scattering, and diffusion approximation are discussed. Plane, spherical, beam, and pulse waves are considered. >
Safety of abciximab during percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with chronic renal insufficiency

In summary, this study suggests that the use of abciximab in patients with chronic renal dysfunction undergoing PCI is relatively safe and not associated with an increased risk of major bleeding.
Systems and creative thinking and student experience of design

The design process takes an initial idea or problem and converts it to a final product or solution. Some state that creative thinking occurs when the initial idea is novel and becomes a valued product for a specific application. A definition of systems thinking states it as a means for working through the design process. It helps define a phenomenon holistically-by its contents, objectives, interactions, relationships, and environment- and uses analysis and synthesis to form new conclusions. This paper describes the basic theories behind systems thinking and creative thinking and relates them to the design process. The paper emphasizes the application of system and creative thinking in the freshman design course at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). This course emphasizes the use of systems and creative thinking in its instruction and application of the design process.
Rosiglitazone attenuates NF-κB-mediated Nox4 upregulation in hyperglycemia-activated endothelial cells

Vascular complications, a major cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients, are related to hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress. Previously, we reported that rosiglitazone (RSG) attenu...
Association between infertility and spontaneous abortion

Women experiencing recurrent spontaneous abortion have a higher frequency of infertility than that expected in the general population. To further define the relationships between infertility and spontaneous abortion, the obstetrical histories of 43 women with unexplained secondary infertility were evaluated for the frequency of spontaneous abortion. Of the 88 pregnancies studied, 39 (44%) resulted in spontaneous abortion. Women with unexplained secondary infertility experienced a three-fold increase (P less than 0.0001) in the frequency of spontaneous abortions and half the number of live births (P less than 0.0001) compared with the general population. We conclude that the association between infertility and spontaneous abortion includes a higher frequency of spontaneous abortion among infertile couples as well as a higher prevalence of infertility among recurrent spontaneous aborters compared with the general population.
Relationship Between Scholastic and Health Behaviors and Reading Level in Adolescent Females

This was a study of 102 adolescent females, 12-20 years of age, presenting to a central city clinic for medical care. Participants completed an oral questionnaire that included demographics, and questions regarding scholastic history, sexual behavior, and substance use. Each subject completed the Accuracy Level Test (ALT), a reading test. The subject's reading test grade level was subtracted from her appropriate grade in school to give a reading delay level (RDL). The mean reading grade level for all subjects was 6.7 2.6 and the average reading delay was 4.5 2.5 grades. Poor school attenders had greater reading delays (5.8 3.4 grades behind vs. 4.3 .2 for good attenders p<0.04), and those who repeated grades were also significantly delayed (5.5 .4 grades behind vs. 3.7 .3, p<0.0007). Previously pregnant students had a greater delay in reading level than their nonpregnant peers (5.2 .3 vs. 3.9 .5 respectively p<0.01). Delayed reading levels appear to correlate with some risk behaviors. The ALT may serve as...
The Consequences of Paternal Incarceration for Maternal Neglect and Harsh Parenting

The rise in mass incarceration, as well as its unequal distribution across the population, may widen inequalities among individuals and families. In this manuscript, I use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a data source uniquely situated to understand the collateral consequences of incarceration, to consider the consequences of paternal incarceration for an overlooked aspect of family life: maternal parenting (measured by neglect, psychological aggression, and physical aggression). Results show that, among parents living together prior to paternal incarceration, confinement has modest, positive associations with maternal neglect and physical aggression, and that changes in family life (including relationship characteristics, economic insecurity, and mental health) following incarceration explain some of these associations. Additionally, there is some evidence that the consequences of paternal incarceration for neglect are strongest among mothers with a low propensity for sharing a child with a recently incarcerated father. Taken together, these results suggest that incarceration—given its concentration among disadvantaged families and, at least in one domain, its most consequential effects for the most advantaged of these disadvantaged families—has complicated and countervailing implications for inequalities in family life.
Paleomagnetism of impact spherules from Lonar crater, India and a test for impact-generated fields

article Planetary surfaces have been ubiquitously melted by meteoroid impacts throughout solar system history. The resulting impact melts form some of the youngest igneous samples from rocky bodies like the Moon, Mars, and asteroids. Upon cooling, these melts may record any ambient planetary magnetic fields as well as postulated transient fields generated by impact plasmas. Impact-generated fields have been proposed as a key alternative to the core dynamo hypothesis for the paleomagnetism of extraterrestrial bodies. Here we describe a paleomagnetic study of basaltic impact glasses from the Lonar impact crater situated in the Deccan Traps in Maharashtra, India. Previous theoretical work predicts extremely strong magnetic fields (possibly N1,000 times the Earth's surface field) may have been transiently generated during the Lonar impact. We find that the glasses contain a natural remanent magnetization (NRM) whose properties depend strikingly on sample mass. Small (b0.5 g), splash-form samples demagnetize erratically and are inefficiently magnetized, while larger, irregularly shaped samples contain a stable component that is efficiently magnetized similar to Lonar basalts. However, the rock magnetic recording properties of these samples are uncorrelated with mass. Therefore, we conclude that the size dependence of the NRM reflects a difference in how the samples acquired thermoremanence. The splash forms of the smaller samples indicate they cooled during flight and therefore that they were magnetized while in motion, explaining their weak and unstable NRM. This motional NRM is a new manifestation of thermoremanent magnetization not observed before in geologic samples. No glasses contain evidence for any strong (N~100 μT) impact-generated fields.
The Lateral aposentos of the Corral de la Cruz: Thinking outside the Box

In Los aposentos del Corral de la Cruz, 1581–1823, his latest contribution to the monumental Tamesis series ‘Fuentes para la historia del teatro en Espana’,1 Charles Davis has given us one of the l...
Semi-adaptive context-tree based lossless image compression

High order statistical modeling is a promising technique for data compression. Previously we introduced an algorithm for the design of efficient high order statistical models of digital images. The system consisted in mapping the context set to a tree-structured vector quantizer, the context-tree, and using vector quantization techniques to reduce the size of the tree and, thus, simplify the model. While the models obtained through this off-line design procedure are very efficient they can only be used to code images in the same class as those represented in the training set. In this paper, we show that high order models can be obtained adaptively by constructing the context-tree with a wider range of image classes and allowing the coder to adaptively collect the statistics as the input is processed. Since the structure of the model (context-tree) is kept fixed and only the conditional distributions are allowed to vary the overall scheme is semi-adaptive. The compression efficiency is better than the conventional DPCM+entropy scheme by 8% to 36% for the images used for the simulations. >
Compressed sensing for volterra and polynomial regression models

Volterra filtering and polynomial regression are two widely utilized tools for nonlinear system modeling and inference. They are both critically challenged by the curse of dimensionality, which is typically alleviated via kernel regression. However, exciting diverse applications ranging from neuroscience to genome-wide association (GWA) analysis call for parsimonious polynomial expansions of critical interpretative value. Unfortunately, kernel regression cannot yield sparsity in the primal domain, where compressed sampling approaches can offer a viable alternative. Following the compressed sampling principle, a sparse polynomial expansion can be recovered by far fewer measurements compared to the least squares (LS)-based approaches. But how many measurements are sufficient for a given level of sparsity? This paper is the first attempt to answer this question by analyzing the restricted isometry properties for commonly met polynomial regression settings. Additionally, the merits of compressed sampling approaches to polynomial modeling are corroborated on synthetic and real data for quantitative genotype-phenotype analysis.
Studies on the Soluble Proteins of the Silk Gland of the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

The precursors of silk fibroin were extracted in sodium bicarbonate solution from the silk gland of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, and studied by ultracentrifugation. Three components (s ∼ 1.8, 1.5, an...
Thermal Degradation Kinetics of Pyridoxine Hydrochloride in Dehydrated Model Food Systems

The thermal degradation kinetics of pyridoxine hydrochloride were examined using a dehydrated model food system designed to simulate a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal. This study was carried out to provide information useful in estimating the thermal losses of pyridoxine hydrochloride in the processing of breakfast cereals and other low moisture dehydrated food systems. Portions of the model system which were fortified with pyridoxine hydrochloride were toasted in a conduction oven at 155°, 170°, 185°, and 200°C for a minimum of six heating times at each temperature. Pyridoxine (PN) content was determined in the heat treated model systems by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). For each heat treatment, the loss of pyridoxine could be described by a first order kinetics model. The first order rate constants for 155°, 170°, 185°, and 200°C were 1.74 × 10−2 min−1, 5.22 × 10−2 min−1, 16.88 × 10−2 min−1, and 48.95 × 10−2 min−1, respectively. The calculated Arrhenius activation energy was 29.8 Kcal/mol. In comparing the HPLC method to the standard microbiological assay, the HPLC assay gave lower PN values for the toasted model system. To explain this discrepancy, HPLC fractions were collected and analyzed by the microbiological assay. No significant vitamin B6 activity was found in any fraction other than that containing the PN peak. It is possible that the milder extraction procedure used in the HPLC assay is less capable of recovering forms of PN which may become bound during the toasting process. These potentially bound forms may or may not be biologically available.
Sedentary behaviour and life expectancy in the USA: a cause-deleted life table analysis

Objectives: To determine the impact of sitting and television viewing on life expectancy in the USA. Design: Prevalence-based cause-deleted life table analysis. Setting: Summary RRs of all-cause mortality associated with sitting and television viewing were obtained from a meta-analysis of available prospective cohort studies. Prevalences of sitting and television viewing were obtained from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Primary outcome measure: Life expectancy at birth. Results: The estimated gains in life expectancy in the US population were 2.00 years for reducing excessive sitting to <3 h/day and a gain of 1.38 years from reducing excessive television viewing to <2 h/day. The lower and upper limits from a sensitivity analysis that involved simultaneously varying the estimates of RR (using the upper and lower bounds of the 95% CI) and the prevalence of television viewing (620%) were 1.39 and 2.69 years for sitting and 0.48 and 2.51 years for television viewing, respectively. Conclusion: Reducing sedentary behaviours such as sitting and television viewing may have the potential to increase life expectancy in the USA.
Increasing membrane-bound MCSF does not enhance OPGL-driven osteoclastogenesis from marrow cells

Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (MCSF) and osteoprotegerin ligand (OPGL), both produced by osteoblasts/stromal cells, are essential factors for osteoclastogenesis. Whether local MCSF levels re...
Use of a risk quiz to predict infection for sexually transmitted infections: a retrospective analysis of acceptability and positivity

Background Individuals who are sexually active may want to make a decision as to whether they are at risk for having a sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as Chlamydia trachomatis , Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis . Our goal was to develop and evaluate a simple self-taken sexual risk quiz for participants, ordering an online STI self-collection test kit to determine whether the score predicted infection status. Methods As part of the IWantTheKit programme for home sample self-collection for STIs, 2010–2013, the programme asked male and female users to voluntarily take a risk quiz. The six-question quiz was about risk behaviour and included an age question. Data analyses were stratified by gender as determined a priori. Scores 0–10 were stratified into risk groups for each gender based on similar risk score-specific STI prevalence. Retrospective analyses were performed to assess whether risk group predicted aggregate STI positivity. Urogenital/rectal mailed samples were tested by nucleic acid amplification tests. Results More females (N=836) than males (N=558) provided voluntary risk scores. The percentage of eligible participants who submitted scores was 43.9% for both females and males. There was a higher STI infection rate in females (14.0%) than in males (7.0%) for having any STI (p Conclusions Results of a participant9s own sexual risk quiz score independently predicted STI positivity for women, but not for men. Further study of this simple risk quiz is required.
The Early Years of VISTA: The Political Alteration of a Successful Public Policy

It has been said the anti-poverty programs of the 1960's were failed liberal attempts at solving social problems by throwing money at them. This study suggests that at least one of these programs was very successful and, therefore, government officials quickly moved to reduce its effectiveness. In particular, this paper reviews the historical circumstances surrounding Volunteers in Service to America from its inception in 1965 to the early 1970s, by which time the program had been altered so much it was unable to fulfill its original objectives. The concluding section discusses what the VISTA experience says about the possibility of government-sponsored efforts at achieving egalitarianism.
Role of biased gene conversion in one-locus neutral theory and genome evolution

The implications of biased gene conversion acting on selectively neutral alleles are investigated for a single diallelic locus in a finite population. Even a very slight conversion bias can significantly alter fixation probabilities. We argue that most newly arising mutants will be at a conversion disadvantage, resulting in a potentially greatly decreased substitution rate of new alleles compared with predictions from strict neutral theory. Thus, conversion bias potential allows for conservation of particular alleles without having to invoke selection. Conversely, we also show that bias can be important in the maintenance of repeated gene families without altering the substitution rate at other loci that experience the same amount of conversion bias, provided that the number of genes in the family is sufficiently large. Bias can, therefore, be important at the genomic level and yet be unimportant at the populational level. Finally, we discuss the role of biased gene conversion in speciation events, concluding that this type of molecular turnover acting independently at many individual loci is very unlikely to decrease the time required for two allopatric populations to speciate.
Instar Determination for the Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Based on the Frequency Distribution of Head Capsule Widths

Previous studies have investigated the use of head capsule widths from various insect species to describe the distributions of each instar. We present a unique method to classify instars of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), based on head capsule width. Our method uses nonlinear least squares parameter estimation to describe the distributions of each gypsy moth instar. Head capsule measurements from 3,903 field collected larvae were used to derive instar class ranges. Class boundaries were assigned at the point of distribution overlap between adjacent instars. Probabilities of misclassification were determined from probability distributions fitted to each instar. A final classification rule was developed that will provide managers with a tool for determining the phenological distribution of a gypsy moth population from field collected data. The distribution of field collected frass widths was also evaluated as a means for classifying instars and did not result in a useful instar classification method.
A Descriptive Study of Music Teacher Educators’ Beliefs About Policy:

While policies at all levels affect music educators, and music education researchers have called for increased attention to policy issues, few have explored preservice music teacher educators’ beli...
LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH AND LEGISLATIVE REFORM: EVALUATING REGIME POLICY

It is often said that it is in the realm of regime policy that political scientists have most extensively contributed to public policy analysis. The political system's constitutional rules and institutional structures have been major objects of political research, while the substance of public policy, or the consequences of substantive public policy, have been analyzed much less extensively. Promontories of the regimethe party system, the presidential election system, apportionment of legislatures, congressional and state legislative organization-have been traditional targets of inquiry, sometimes diagnosis, and occasionally agenda for institutional change. The general problem is, of course, to juxtapose goals, purposes, or functions on the one side, and capability, effectiveness, or performance on the other, and then to assess political institutions in terms of how well they meet their goals, fulfill their purposes, or perform their functions. In the case of American state legislatures, the professional and quasi-professional literature of political science fairly abounds in various attempts to evaluate legislative capability or effectiveness, and recommend institutional changes. Political scientists can claim only very modest success in connection with their involvement in movements to effect changes in regime policies. Particularly in the case of state legislative reform, the research contribution made by political scientists has been distinctively modest. To the greatest extent, this is probably due to the fact that other, more theoretical concerns have preoccupied political scientists, but to some extent it is the case because of conceptual and methodological difficulties. The implications for political science research relevant to state legislative reorganization which are widely
Power-Law Creep from Discrete Dislocation Dynamics

We report two-dimensional discrete dislocation dynamics simulations of combined dislocation glide and climb leading to "power-law" creep in a model aluminum crystal. The approach fully accounts for matter transport due to vacancy diffusion and its coupling with dislocation motion. The existence of quasiequilibrium or jammed states under the applied creep stresses enables observations of diffusion and climb over time scales relevant to power-law creep. The predictions for the creep rates and stress exponents fall within experimental ranges, indicating that the underlying physics is well captured.
Aiming for Zero: Preventing Invasive Candida Infections in Extremely Preterm Infants

Strong evidence shows that prevention of invasive Candida infections (ICI) can be achieved by every neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Due to the incidence of ICI and high infection-associated mortality and neurodevelopmental impairment, antifungal prophylaxis should be targeted to infants weighing less than 1,000 g or born at or before 27 weeks' gestation. Even in NICUs that have low rates of ICI, antifungal prophylaxis is crucial to improving survival and neurodevelopmental outcomes in this vulnerable population. Strong evidence supports the use of both fluconazole and nystatin for such prophylaxis. Fluconazole is preferred in high-risk preterm infants because intravenous (IV) fluconazole prophylaxis has greater efficacy compared with enteral nystatin prophylaxis, is effective in the most immature patients, is less expensive, requires fewer doses, and can be administered to infants who have gastrointestinal disease or hemodynamic instability. For infants weighing 1,000 to 1,500 g, either drug could be chosen for prophylaxis. Fluconazole prophylaxis administered at 3 mg/kg twice a week, starting after birth and requiring central or peripheral access, appears to be the safest and most effective schedule in preventing ICI while attenuating the emergence of fungal resistance.
Orbital-Free DFT Simulations of Elastic Response and Tensile Yielding of Ultrathin [111] Al Nanowires

Elastic properties and mechanisms for tensile yielding of fcc Al nanowires are explored using orbital-free density functional theory. We quasistatically load ultrathin nanowires that have circular cross sections, diameters 1−8 nm, lengths up to ∼20 nm, and axes along the [111] direction. We find that Young’s modulus is roughly consistent for the nanowires and bulk Al but that the equilibrium interlayer spacing, elastic limit, and yield strength are diameter dependent. Plasticity is nucleated by 3-fold symmetric axial displacements of surface atoms for all nanowires examined. However, the nanowire with 4 nm diameter yields via partial slip before achieving the theoretical strength of bulk Al, while the 1 and 2 nm nanowires yield via amorphous mechanisms, above or near the theoretical strength. These results give new insight into the plastic yielding mechanisms of ultrathin fcc nanowires with edge-free cross sections and [111] orientation.
The hygienic evaluation of the production place for a large concentrated tea beverage project

Objective In order to provide technical evidence for health administrative departments, equipments of the production place of tea beverage project were subject to hygienic evaluation of food safety control Methods According to sanitary regulations, hygienic investigation of the production place was carried on, health engineering analysis for completed data, amount of dust particles and content of microbe in clean room were presented for hygienic evaluation Results The process of production technology, layout of workplaces and equipments and setting of hygiene facilities were in line with hygiene regulations for beverage enterprises Amount of air dust and content of microbe in three clean rooms accorded with sanitary standard However, positional setting of secondary locker room was not feasible Conclusion The equipments of food hygiene safety control of the production place of the project accord with sanitary regulations of beverage enterprises, but the setting of secondary locker room of clean room needs improving
Microorganisms and Earth Systems—Advances in Geomicrobiology

Geomicrobiology is still in its infancy. It comprises a vast field of interconnected scientific subfields ranging from geology, chemistry, and physics to biology, especially microbiology. Traditional microbiology has relied on genetic and metabolic studies of pure cultures; however, only a fraction of the microorganisms from any environment are culturable, making culture-independent approaches necessary. These novel methods have propelled microbial ecology to become one of the most exciting areas of contemporary microbiology research. In parallel, geochemists realized that many important processes such as mineral and soil formation, global and local cycling of many elements, and metal transformations were mainly catalyzed by microorganisms. Many geochemists and soil scientists have relied on bulk measurements; essentially not studying the micro-environments where the reactions take place, but instead looking at the final result and treating these environments as a black box. Geomicrobiology was essentially created in an attempt to put these two developments together.
Isolation and long-term culture of human preantral follicles *

Objective To isolate intact preantral follicles from the human ovary for in vitro studies. Procedure Premenopausal human ovary was digested by a mixture of collagenase and deoxyribonuclease (DNase) for 1 hour at 37°C and for 36 hour at 4°C. Intact preantral follicles at classes 1 and 2 were isolated and cultured for up to 120 hours in a serum-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (GIBCO, Grand Island, NY) with ITS + (insulin, transferrin, selenium, linoleic acid, and bovine serum albumin; Collaborative Research, Bedford, MA) with or without FSH. Follicular DNA synthesis was measured by [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation, whereas steroidogenic capacity was assessed by P, androstenedione (A), and 17 β -E 2 RIA. The morphology of long-term cultured follicles was studied by routine histologic procedure. Results A large number of intact, preantral follicles was efficiently dissociated from a portion of ovary. Morphologically, follicles were healthy and did not have any thecal layer. Follicle-stimulating hormone, in vitro, induced follicular DNA synthesis by 24 hours and antrum formation in class 2 follicles after 120 hours. Both class 1 and 2 follicles were able to produce a small basal amount of P and A, but they did not produce any measurable E 2 . However, both classes synthesized increasing amounts of P, A, and E 2 after FSH exposure. Conclusion This is a first report of a successful enzymatic isolation of human preantral follicles and their long-term culture in vitro. The growth and differentiation of preantral follicles by FSH clearly indicate the importance of FSH in human follicular development. These results provide an opportunity for quantitative studies on factors regulating folliculogenesis in the human and a novel future direction for human IVF.
SU-F-T-122: 4Dand 5D Proton Dose Evaluation with Monte Carlo

Purpose: We evaluated uncertainties in therapeutic proton doses of a lung treatment, taking into account intra-fractional geometry changes, such as breathing, and inter-fractional changes, such as tumor shrinkage and weight loss. Methods: A Monte Carlo study was performed using four dimensional CT image sets (4DCTs) and weekly repeat imaging (5DCTs) to compute fixed RBE (1.1) and variable RBE weighted dose in an actual lung treatment geometry. The MC2 Monte Carlo system was employed to simulate proton energy deposition and LET distributions according to a thoracic cancer treatment plan developed with a 3D-CT in a commercial treatment planning system, as well as in each of the phases of 4DCT sets which were recorded weekly throughout the course of the treatment. A cumulative dose distribution in relevant structures was computed and compared to the predictions of the treatment planning system. Results: Using the Monte Carlo method, dose deposition estimates with the lowest possible uncertainties were produced. Comparison with treatment planning predictions indicates that significant uncertainties may be associated with therapeutic lung dose prediction from treatment planning systems, depending on the magnitude of inter- and intra-fractional geometry changes. Conclusion: As this is just a case study, a more systematic investigation accounting for a cohort of patients is warranted; however, this is less practical because Monte Carlo simulations of such cases require enormous computational resources. Hence our study and any future case studies may serve as validation/benchmarking data for faster dose prediction engines, such as the track repeating algorithm, FDC.
The Implications of NTB Inventory Studies

Although the procedure does not provide basic information for simulating economic effects of nontariff barriers (as do most of the studies surveyed in Chapter 5), the ‘inventory’ approach has been widely used in NTB studies. However, a problem that must be resolved before any ‘inventory’ analysis of trade restraints is undertaken is to determine which nontariff measures will be included in the empirical analysis. One potential approach is to base an empirical study on all entries in the inventory, but there are acknowledged problems with such a line of analysis. The major difficulty is that it would include measures like health and sanitary requirements or automatic import authorisation systems that may often have no, or relatively unimportant, trade effects. As such, NTM frequency or trade coverage indices which included such regulations would likely overstate the importance of nontariff measures.
Toxin Production by Clostridium botulinum in Shelf-Stable Pasteurized Process Cheese Spreads

Five non-refrigerated, pasteurized process cheese spreads, considered shelf-stable, were studied for their ability to support growth and toxin production by spores of Clostridium botulinum types A and B. Based on pH and water activity (aw) Cheese with Bacon, Limburger, Cheese Whiz, Old English, and Roka Blue cheese spreads were selected for the study. The pH ranged from 5.05 to 6.32 and the aw from 0.930 to 0.953. Fifty jars of each cheese spread were inoculated with 24,000 spores each; an additional 50 jars of the Cheese with Bacon spread received 460 spores each. The inoculum consisted of five type A and five type B strains in 0.1 ml of 0.85% NaCl. At 35 C, 46 jars of Limburger and 48 jars of Cheese with Bacon spread, which received the greater inoculum, became toxic starting at 83 and 50 days, respectively. One jar of Cheese with Bacon spread which received 460 spores became toxic. The average toxicity of the Limburger was 3000 MLD/ml of extract as compared with 54 MLD/ml for the Cheese with Bacon spread. Results of this study will be considered in determining whether these cheese spread products should be treated as low-acid canned foods under the Good Manufacturing Practice Regulations of the Food and Drug Administration.
Oral and portal venous tolerance in the IFN-gamma knockout (GKO) mouse

Abstract We investigated the effect of both oral and portal venous administration of alloantigen on the systemic delayed type hyper-sensitivity (DTH) response to alloantigen rechallenge in GKO mice. C57BL/6 (B6) control and GKO mice were given either saline or BALB/c spleen cells (SC) by oral gavage (PO) or by injection into the portal vein (PV) on day 0. Injection of BALB/c SC SQ was performed after 7 days followed by footpad injection of BALB/c SC on day 14. Footpad swelling was measured 24 hours later using a micrometer. While B6 mice given PO or PV saline demonstrated a DTH response of 0.47 ± 0.04 mm and 0.49 ± 0.05 mm, respectively, in GKO mice, a greater DTH response of 0.72 ± 0.08 mm and 0.75 ± 0.05 mm was measured after either PO or PV saline (p TABLE—ABSTRACT P26 . Mouse Antigen (route) SQ antigen Footpad swelling (mm) B6 Saline (PO) BALB/c 0.47 ± 0.04 B6 BALB/c (PO) BALB/c 0.02 ± 0.01 B6 BALB/c (PO) C3H/HeJ 0.52 ± 0.09 B6 Saline (PV) BALB/c 0.49 ± 0.05 B6 BALB/c (PV) BALB/c 0.01 ± 0.01 B6 BALB/c (PV) C3H/HeJ 0.44 ± 0.06 GKO Saline (PO) BALB/c 0.72 ± 0.08 GKO BALB/c (PO) BALB/c 0.02 ± 0.00 GKO BALB/c (PO) C3H/HeJ 0.77 ± 0.11 GKO Saline (PV) BALB/c 0.75 ± 0.05 GKO BALB/c (PV) BALB/c 0.03 ± 0.02 GKO BALB/c (PV) C3H/HeJ 0.70 ± 0.05
Gender Influences on Students’ Study Abroad Participation and Intercultural Competence

The purpose of this study was to better understand the impact of gender in study abroad participation rates and intercultural competence. The researchers aimed to identify the differences in intercultural competence between men and women and those who have and have not studied abroad. A mixed methods survey indicated there are significant differences between men and women’s intercultural competence intersecting with study abroad and important implications for men’s development of intercultural competence.
Beyond monotherapy: a systematic review on creative strategies in topical therapy of psoriasis

The largest proportion of psoriasis patients are candidates for topical treatment rather than treatment paradigms encompassing systemic, biologic and apremilast, and phototherapy, making skillfulness with topical therapy of paramount importance. As such, numerous studies have been conducted to demonstrate the benefits of using topical therapy in combination with other therapies. In addition, innovative uses of otherwise conventional methods, such as proactive use to minimize flare, have been developed. This article reviews five types of strategies for improved efficacy from topical agents beyond monotherapy. These strategies include proactive use, rotational therapy, sequential therapy, using topical agents to shorten the onset of therapeutic action for slower internal agents or phototherapy, and combination use for added efficacy. Each of these is reviewed in detail.
A Hostile Takeover of Nature? Placing Value in Conservation Finance

Conservation finance is a nascent field that claims to “deliver maximum conservation impacts, while, at the same time, generating returns for investors” (Credit Suisse/WWF). While geographers have questioned the ability of conservation finance to play a significant role in international biodiversity conservation, an emerging cohort of boutique private equity firms are actively generating returns on North American conservation projects. This raises the question: how are these firms generating profits, and in turn, returns for their shareholders? Drawing from a Marxian understanding of finance as redistributive, I argue that these firms are generating profits through a process similar to a corporate hostile takeover. Using the examples of ranchland and timberland investment in the United States, I show that (1) the materialities and historical geographies of these landscapes play a crucial role their monetization, and (2) shareholder returns are generated through a combination of traditional real estate sales and revaluations, public monies, and commodity production.
Sensory Cilia: Generating Diverse Shapes One Ig Domain at a Time.

Summary How morphologically complex cilia form is not well understood. A key regulator of ciliary shape has now been identified that links the establishment of neuronal fate with the formation of cell-specific ciliary structures in Caenorhabditis elegans .
Developing an app for patients on ventricular assist devices: The VADKids app

Abstract Although there are numerous smart phone applications available for patients to promote medical adherence, there are none identified in the literature specific to aid patients in advanced heart failure being supported by ventricular assist devices (VADs). By developing a smart phone application called VADKids App, we sought to improve how we communicate, relay information, and share data with our patients and other providers on our VAD team. More research is needed to determine whether the VADKids App is indeed effective in achieving these goals.
Skin and Soft Tissue Surgery in the Office Versus Operating Room Setting: An Analysis Based on Individual-Level Medicare Data.

BACKGROUND The relative volume of skin and soft tissue excision and reconstructive procedures performed in the outpatient office versus facility (ambulatory surgical center or hospital) differs by specialty, and has major implications for quality of care, outcomes, development of guidelines, resident education, health care economics, and patient perception. OBJECTIVE To assess the relative volume of surgical procedures performed in each setting (office vs ambulatory surgery center [ASC]/hospital) by dermatologists and nondermatologists. METHODS A cross-sectional analytical study was performed using the Medicare public use file (PUF) for 2014, which includes every patient seen in an office, ASC, or hospital in the United States billed to Medicare part B. Data were divided by physician specialty and setting. RESULT A total of 9,316,307 individual encounters were included in the Medicare PUF. Dermatologists account for 195,001 (2.1%) of the total. Dermatologists were more likely to perform surgical procedures in an office setting only (odds ratio 5.48 [95% confidence interval 5.05-5.95], p < .0001) than other specialists in aggregate. CONCLUSION More than 90% of surgical procedures are performed in an office setting, and dermatologists are more than 5 times as likely as other specialists to operate in an office setting.
Progress in Arrhythmia and Sudden Cardiac Death Research Support

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was a season of darkness, it was a season of light...”. This schismatic opening of Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities, published the same year Einthoven was born, provides perspective on the sometimes extraordinary consequences of social and political change on a range of activities spanning from law to the pursuit of science in medicine. Although Dickens had in mind contrasts between what was occurring in England and in France in the eighteenth century, his depiction of the ways progress is affected in “times of plenty” versus “times of hardship” is also one that helps in understanding how biomedical research has changed over recent decades. Dickens’s view of events in his time are also instructive in understanding the impact of the various “evolutionary” and “revolutionary” changes that have occurred in how research is financed and managed, and how changes in the public’s perception and willingness to participate in this process have such an enormous impact on its success. In the relatively brief period since Dickens’s Tale was published, we have evolved from a system of relatively modest public funding of individual investigators in local or regional academic and university laboratories, to today’s more richly endowed, broad-based programs that may embrace many different aspects of a problem simultaneously in both academic and large corporate research centers.
Oncotype DX® Recurrence Score as a Predictor of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

The Oncotype DX® assay has been validated in predicting response to adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. Its role in neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) has not been established. The National Cancer Database was used to identify all patients with T1–T3, ER-positive, HER2-negative primary invasive breast cancer diagnosed from 2010 to 2015 who had Oncotype DX recurrence scores (RS) and received NCT. RS were classified as low, intermediate, or high. Unadjusted and adjusted regression analyses were performed to determine the association between pathologic complete response (pCR) and RS. A total of 989 patients (mean age, 54.6 years) with available RS who underwent NCT were identified. RS were low in 227 (23.0%) patients, intermediate in 450 (45.5%) patients, and high in 312 (31.5%) patients. Most patients had a T1 (431 [43.6%]) or T2 tumor (451 [45.6%]). Most had N0 disease (757 [76.5%]). Tumor grades were 1 (123 [12.4%]), 2 (517 [52.3%]), or 3 (349 [35.3%]). pCR was achieved by 42 (4.3%) patients. Adjusted multivariable analysis showed a significant association between pCR and high RS (odds ratio 4.87; 95% confidence interval 2.01–11.82). High Oncotype DX RS was associated with pCR after NCT in this national cohort of ER-positive, HER2-negative patients. Oncotype DX testing could help to identify patients most suited for NCT and should be considered for incorporation into the multidisciplinary decision-making process.
Reproducing the national family: kinship claims, development discourse and migrant caregivers in Palestine/Israel:

This article probes the politics of the migrant caregiver/citizen-employer relationship in Palestine/Israel as it unfolds within the Jewish-Israeli home. Based on interviews with migrants from the ...