cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cyclic AMP modulates TGF-beta 1-induced fibrillar collagen synthesis in cultured human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells.

Cyclic AMP modulates TGF-β 1 -induced fibrillar collagen synthesis in cultured human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells
Utility of impedance cardiography for the detection of hemodynamic changes in stable patients with sickle cell disease

OBJECTIVES The study sought to assess the potential utility of impedance cardiography (ICG) to detect hemodynamic changes after erythrocytapheresis in stable children with sickle cell disease (SCD). METHODS We prospectively monitored cardiac index, systemic vascular resistance index, heart rate, and blood pressure using ICG before and after erythrocytapheresis in 26 stable children with SCD. Echocardiography was carried out in all patients to evaluate left ventricular systolic function. Hemoglobin (Hb), sickle cell hemoglobin (HbS), and ferritin levels were also measured. RESULTS Of a total of 78 erythrocytapheresis procedures in 26 children with SCD, 22 (28.2%) had hypotensive episodes defined as a decrease in systolic, diastolic, or mean blood pressure by 10 mmHg. Risk factors for developing hypotension during erythrocytapheresis were identified with logistic regression analysis: lower-body surface area and decrease in cardiac index. In contrast, age, prepheresis Hb and HbS, serum ferritin levels, and left ventricular function at baseline were not associated with hypotension. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the feasibility of the ICG technique to detect the hemodynamic changes in children with SCD after an erythrocytapheresis procedure.
Covalent small molecule inhibitors of Ca(2+)-bound S100B.

Elevated levels of the tumor marker S100B are observed in malignant melanoma, and this EF-hand-containing protein was shown to directly bind wild-type (wt) p53 in a Ca2+-dependent manner, dissociate the p53 tetramer, and inhibit its tumor suppression functions. Likewise, inhibiting S100B with small interfering RNA (siRNAS100B) is sufficient to restore wild-type p53 levels and its downstream gene products and induce the arrest of cell growth and UV-dependent apoptosis in malignant melanoma. Therefore, it is a goal to develop S100B inhibitors (SBiXs) that inhibit the S100B–p53 complex and restore active p53 in this deadly cancer. Using a structure–activity relationship by nuclear magnetic resonance approach (SAR by NMR), three persistent binding pockets are found on S100B, termed sites 1–3. While inhibitors that simultaneously bind sites 2 and 3 are in place, no molecules that simultaneously bind all three persistent sites are available. For this purpose, Cys84 was used in this study as a potential means to...
Fit Families Program Improves Self-Perception in Children

Abstract Objective To determine the impact of the Fit Families youth weight management program on self-perception of participants. Methods Fit Families was delivered through Cooperative Extension and provided education to overweight and obese children and their families on healthful eating and physical activity along with building self-esteem and social competence. At the beginning and end of the 7-week program, a convenience sample of 46 youth completed the Self-Perception Profile for Children questionnaire to evaluate changes in self-perception. Results Youth had improved self-perception in the areas of athletic competence ( P = .04) and physical appearance ( P = .007) after participating in Fit Families . Conclusions and Implications Fit Families provides a holistic approach to weight management that promotes positive self-perception, which may decrease the burden of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem obese youth face.
Endovascular Management of Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas

Spinal vascular malformations, although rare, cause devastating disease. These malformations are commonly categorized as follows: spinal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs), spinal hemangiomas, cavernous angiomas, and aneurysms. Spinal DAVFs (SDAVFs), or type 1 spinal AVMs, occur most frequently, representing ∼ 60 to 80% of vascular malformations of the spinal cord. While previously microsurgical treatment was considered the gold standard in the treatment of SDAVFs, recent advancements in technology—advancements of magnetic resonance imaging as a screening examination, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography, multidetector computed tomography as preangiographic evaluations, digital subtraction angiography, diagnostic catheters, and embolization materials—have made endovascular treatment a possible option. We review the treatment of SDAVFs, primarily discussing the endovascular management of these lesions.
Semi-Autonomous Telerobotic Assembly over High-Latency Networks

We report the development and a preliminary multi-user evaluation of an assisted teleoperation architecture for assembly tasks over high-latency networks. While such tasks still require human insight, there are often elements of these tasks which can be executed autonomously. Our architecture contextualizes a user's intended actions in a remote scene. It assists the user by performing the intended action more precisely based on the latest local scene model. We report the results of a multi-user study of nine participants to evaluate performance of this approach using a full-3D dynamic robotic simulation in a laboratory environment. The study required users to assemble part of a structure with 200 or 4000 milliseconds of time delay, with or without assistance from the reported system. For each condition, we evaluated performance based both on partial and final task completion times, and we estimated each user's workload with the NASA Task Load Index. The study showed that our architecture has the potential to increase feasibility of the task both with and without large telemetry delay and to enable users to complete elements of the task more rapidly. We also found that the assistance dramatically reduced the users' workload. We provide open-source implementations for all components of our system, which can be adapted to other robotic platforms.
Effects of high dosage delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on sleep patterns in man

Electroencephalographic readings and eye movement were recorded in experienced marijuana users under placebo and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Four subjects were studied for 3 baseline nights, 3 nights under initial dosage of 70 mg/day, the last 3 nights of a 2-wk period of 210 mg/day, and the first 3 nights of withdrawal. Three other subjects were studied only during the latter 2 conditions. Administration of THC significantly reduced eye movement activity during sleep with rapid eye movements (REM) and, to a lesser extent, the duration of REM itself. Withdrawal led to increases above baseline in both measures but the "rebound" effect was greater for eye movement. Stage 4 sleep tended to increase on drug, but this effect was not statistically significant. On withdrawal, stage 4 sleep decreased significantly; this change was marked only on the first withdrawal night. The functional or biological significance of these changes is unclear. Nevertheless, these are the most marked effects of THC on brain electrical activity demonstrated thus far. Since its pattern of effects on sleep appears unique to THC, this drug may prove to be a valuable tool in the elucidation of the pharmacology of sleep. Possible relations between effects on sleep pattern and on behavior are discussed.
Determination of Renal Function Following Urinary Diversion Through Intestinal Segments

Serum concentrations of urea and creatinine, urinary clearances of urea and creatinine, and urine concentrating ability have been proposed as measures for determining renal function in patients with urinary diversion through intestinal segments. Intestinal segments reabsorb urinary solutes, including urea and creatinine, complicating these methods of assessing renal function. This study employs a canine model in which urinary clearances of urea, creatinine and inulin are determined through a normal renal unit and ureter and compared with the contralateral renal unit which has had its ureter replaced by a segment of ileum. Urea, creatinine and inulin are reabsorbed by the ileal segment. Reabsorption of each of these solutes is dependent on urinary flow. The clearance of these solutes through the renal unit with the interposed ileal ureter approaches that of the contralateral renal unit under maximal degrees of diuresis. Creatinine and inulin clearances obtained during diuretic states give the most accurate indication of true renal function. These solutes are reabsorbed to a lesser extent than urea. Diuresis minimizes reabsorption of all these solutes by the ileal segment. Urine concentration does not reflect distal tubule function since the ileal segment reabsorbs urinary solutes and is freely permeable to water.
Condemned but not Forgotten: The Fate of Pro-British Activists in Romania, 1945–1964

With the imposition of Communist rule in 1945, Romania was forced to turn its back on the West and face eastwards. This meant that anyone with a link to the West, especially those Romanians who had assisted SOE, became suspect in the eyes of the new regime. Such figures, having played their part in the defeat of Nazi Germany, now found themselves to be the targets of the Western Allies’ erstwhile partner, the Soviet Union, and its surrogate Romanian Communist Party. Those deemed to be opponents of the new Communist order attracted particular attention. Contact with the West became a cardinal sin with which the leaders of the established democratic parties could be charged, tried and removed from the political scene. Such was the fate of Iuliu Maniu, the head of the National Peasant Party, of Constantin (Dinu) Br˘atianu,1 the head of the National Liberal Party, and of Titel Petrescu, the secretary-general of the Social Democratic Party.2
2016 Liquid Surface X-ray Scattering School: Data Analysis

X-ray surface scattering is the most powerful probe of near-atomic-level structure at liquid-vapor and liquid-liquid interfaces. Synchrotron X-ray sources throughout the world have specialized instruments available for the study of these interfaces. Since 2002, the ChemMatCARS facility at Sector 15 of the Advanced Photon Source near Chicago, IL, USA, has assisted general users in the study of liquid surfaces and interfaces to model processes of interest to physical, chemical, and biological scientists. ChemMatCARS recently sponsored its third School for Liquid Surface X-ray Scattering (LSXS 2016), held at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory on May 12–13, 2016. Methods of data analysis were featured, providing students with the opportunity to fit data, analyze errors, and participate in virtual experiments. Techniques covered this year included X-ray reflectivity (XR), grazing incidence diffraction (GID), X-ray fluorescence near total reflection (XFNTR), and X-ray photon correla...
Factors associated with vitamin D status of low-income, hospitalized psychiatric patients: results of a retrospective study.

Background Recent evidence has indicated a potential role of vitamin D3 in a range of neuropsychiatric outcomes, as well as on cognitive function, but conflicting data have left that role uncertain. Understanding potential associations of vitamin D status with psychiatric illness will allow clinicians to better assess therapeutic options. Few studies have examined vitamin D status among a racially diverse group of psychiatric patients who have been hospitalized, and none has done so in the southern US where socioeconomic inequality is high. Methods In this retrospective study, medical records from 113 patients hospitalized for psychiatric illness were retrieved and analyzed. Vitamin D status in this population was estimated, along with any patterns of association between deficiency and risk factors. Results The vast majority of patients hospitalized for psychiatric illness in this biracial, low-income sample had either insufficient or deficient vitamin D levels. African-American patients had lower levels of vitamin D than Caucasian patients. Discussion Our findings demonstrate that hospitalized psychiatric patients are at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency and in particular low-income, African-American populations. These results suggest that vitamin D should be assessed and therapy considered at the initiation of psychiatric hospitalizations.
High-Average-Power Diffraction Pulse-Compression Gratings Enabling Next-Generation Ultrafast Laser Systems

Pulse compressors for ultrafast lasers have been identified as a technology gap in the push towards high peak power systems with high average powers for industrial and scientific applications. Gratings for ultrashort (sub-150fs) pulse compressors are metallic and can absorb a significant percentage of laser energy resulting in up to 40% loss as well as thermal issues which degrade on-target performance. We have developed a next generation gold grating technology which we have scaled to the petawatt-size. This resulted in improvements in efficiency, uniformity and processing as compared to previous substrate etched gratings for high average power. This new design has a deposited dielectric material for the grating ridge rather than etching directly into the glass substrate. It has been observed that average powers as low as 1W in a compressor can cause distortions in the on-target beam. We have developed and tested a method of actively cooling diffraction gratings which, in the case of gold gratings, can support a petawatt peak power laser with up to 600W average power. We demonstrated thermo-mechanical modeling of a grating in its use environment and benchmarked with experimental measurement. Multilayer dielectric (MLD) gratings are not yet used for these high peak power, ultrashortmore » pulse durations due to their design challenges. We have designed and fabricated broad bandwidth, low dispersion MLD gratings suitable for delivering 30 fs pulses at high average power. This new grating design requires the use of a novel Out Of Plane (OOP) compressor, which we have modeled, designed, built and tested. This prototype compressor yielded a transmission of 90% for a pulse with 45 nm bandwidth, and free of spatial and angular chirp. In order to evaluate gratings and compressors built in this project we have commissioned a joule-class ultrafast Ti:Sapphire laser system. Combining the grating cooling and MLD technologies developed here could enable petawatt laser systems to operate at 50kW average power.« less
The Fight Against Poverty and the Gendered Remaking of Community in Mexico: New Patriarchal Collusions and Gender Solidarities

Mexico's antipoverty program Oportunidades (previously Progresa, and now Prospera) was designed to reduce poverty rates by augmenting the “human capital” of poor children. The program targets women in an effort to achieve this end, and employs a conditional cash transfer (CCT) mechanism to incentivize new kinds of care work. The program's creators intended for this maternalist approach to supplant community-based initiatives, thereby shifting the locus of poverty alleviation from communities to mothers. Nonetheless, this article shows how Oportunidades’ maternalist approach intersected with a community-based public health initiative to position recipients as new kinds of communitarian citizens in a Nuu Savi (Mixtec) village. Other villagers and officials colluded in using the CCT mechanism to transfer previously communal responsibilities to the “poor women” designated as program beneficiaries. Without concomitant access to decision-making processes, the women came to occupy a truncated form of communitarian citizenship. Program recipients took advantage of the contradictions that this created to form new solidarities with municipal officials and to stake out a new voice in the process.
Is Usutu virus ready for prime time

Although considered a neglected tropical disease, the mosquito-borne Usutu virus has demonstrated signs of emergence from Africa to Europe. While human cases are infrequent, the potential for neuroinvasive infection, even in immunocompetent individuals, suggests a need for increased research into virus biology and pathogenesis, as well as rapid measures for diagnosis and environmental surveillance.
Erratum to: Quasilinear Riccati type equations with super-critical exponents

ABSTRACTThis is an erratum to the paper: N. C. Phuc, Quasilinear Riccati type equations with super-critical exponents, Comm. Partial Differential Equations 35 (2010), 1958–1981.
Technological priorities in rice production among smallholder farmers in Ghana

Technological innovations in agriculture have transformed the farming systems of smallholder farmers, leading to the realization of economic incentives of higher outputs, profits, and sustainability. However, attempts to model their adoption behaviors have failed to consider the possible interdependencies and simultaneities in the adoption decision process. This may cause invalid inferences and incorrect conclusions to be made regarding smallholder farmers’ adoption decisions. This study, therefore, models smallholder farmers’ adoption decisions while taking into account the possibility of interdependencies and simultaneities of adopting rice productivity-enhancing agricultural technologies in Ghana. Cross-sectional survey data on 1016 smallholder rice farmers sampled using a three-stage sampling method from four municipalities in two regions in Ghana were used for the study. We fit a multinomial probit model to analyze the decisions to adopt or not to adopt varied combinations of improved rice variety, fertilizer, and herbicide. Our study finds that when faced with improved rice variety-fertilizer-herbicide technological options, smallholder rice farmers’ adoption decisions fell into any one of four possibilities: (a) reject all technological options, (b) adopt a particular technology only, (c) adopt two of the technologies, and (d) adopt all technological choices. We show that such adoption decisions were consistently and most significantly predicted by farm size, extension contacts, education, participation in field demonstrations, complementary input availability, and extent of commercialization. Modeling smallholder farmers’ adoption decisions to capture interdependencies and simultaneities provides useful information for integrating diverse perspectives into the design and promotion of technological innovations based on their nature of adoption, the specific technological innovations, and influencing factors. We recommend that to achieve the maximum benefits, future technology promotion activities should concurrently reduce farmers’ subjective uncertainties and risks, promote credit access and subsidies, as well as ensure effective input delivery systems while targeting specific technological innovations.
Technoscience and Environmental Justice: Expert Cultures in a Grassroots Movement, Gwen Ottinger, Benjamin R. Cohen (Eds.). The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA (2011), 306 pp

This edited volume is extremely well-written and presents information in a straight forward manner that is easy to read and easy to understand. It is well-referenced and provides an excellent histo...
Current controversies and future directions in the diagnosis and management of differentiated thyroid cancers

Despite the development of novel diagnostic, surgical, and chemotherapeutic approaches to differentiated thyroid cancers (DTCs), the diagnosis and management of these tumors remains controversial. The most recent American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines, released in 2015, reflect a recent shift towards less aggressive management for patients with DTCs. However, many clinicians have expressed concern that more conservative management will put patients at risk for disease recurrence and metastasis. In particular, the management of indeterminate nodules on fine needle aspiration (with special attention to genetic and epigenetic markers of malignancy), the extent of surgery for known differentiated cancers, the role of adjuvant radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy, and novel targeted treatments with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) represent current areas of uncertainty and opportunities for future research. In this review, we examine the current state of the art in these areas, and address some of the questions that remain.
Biomechanical properties of the thoracic aorta in Marfan patients

Background: Marfan syndrome (MFS), a genetic disorder of the connective tissue, has been strongly linked to dilation of the thoracic aorta, among other cardiovascular complications. As a result, MFS patients frequently suffer from aortic dissection and rupture, contributing to the high rate of mortality and morbidity among MFS patients. Despite the significant effort devoted to the investigation of mechanical and structural properties of aneurysmal tissue, studies on Marfan aneurysmal biomechanics are scarce. Ex vivo mechanical characterization of MFS aneurysmal tissue can provide a better insight into tissue strength outside the physiologic loading range and serve as a basis for improved risk assessment and failure prediction. Methods: The mechanical and microstructural properties of MFS aneurysmal thoracic aorta (MFS, n=15, 39.5±3.91 years), non-MFS aneurysmal thoracic aorta (TAA, n=8, 52.8±4.9 years), healthy human thoracic aorta (HH, n=8, 75.4±6.1 years), and porcine thoracic aorta (n=10) are investigated. Planar biaxial tensile testing and uniaxial failure testing were utilized to characterize the mechanical and failure properties of the tissue, respectively. Verhoeff-Van Gieson (VVG) and PicroSirius Red stains were utilized to visualize the elastin and collagen fiber architecture, respectively. Results: MFS tissue was found to have age-dependent but diameter-independent mechanical, structural, and morphological properties, also showing extensive elastin fiber degradation. Non-MFS thoracic aneurysmal aorta was thicker and stiffer than age-matched MFS tissue. Moreover, non-MFS thoracic aneurysmal mechanics resembled closely the mechanics of older healthy human tissue. Younger MFS tissue (<40 years) exhibited similar mechanical and structural properties to aged porcine tissue. Conclusions: Both age and aneurysmal presence were found to be factors associated with increased stiffness in aortic tissue, and aortic diameter was not a significant determinant of mechanical property deterioration. Additionally, the presence of MFS was found to induce stiffening of the thoracic aorta, although not to the extent of the non-MFS aneurysm.
Robustness: Material, and Inferential, in the Natural and Human Sciences

I review the scientific situation with the emergence of population biology that led Richard Levins to introduce the idea of looking for robust theorems, and the influences that lead Donald Campbell to introduce “triangulation”. My review tied these two notions together, and looked for other convergent methodologies that showed some of the same characteristics I baptized as “robustness analysis”. I review the main types, and then turn to a further characterization of material robustness, which has become the primary focus of studies in biology and elsewhere in the last decade. I discuss one key source of this robustness—sexual recombination—and then close with some remarks on robustness, complexity, fragility, and generative entrenchment.
Life cycle environmental and economic implications of small drinking water system upgrades to reduce disinfection byproducts.

Abstract Many of the small drinking water systems in the US that utilize simple filtration and chlorine disinfection or chlorine disinfection alone are facing disinfection byproduct (DBP) noncompliance issues, which need immediate upgrades. In this study, four potential upgrade scenarios, namely the GAC, ozone, UV30, and UV186 scenarios, were designed for a typical small drinking water systems and compared in terms of embodied energy, carbon footprint, and life cycle cost. These scenarios are designed to either reduce the amount of DBP precursors using granular activated carbon filtration (the GAC scenario) or ozonation (the ozone scenario), or replace the chlorine disinfection with the UV disinfection at different intensities followed by chloramination (the UV30 and UV186 scenarios). The UV30 scenario was found to have the lowest embodied energy (417 GJ/year) and life cycle cost ($0.25 million US dollars), while the GAC scenario has the lowest carbon footprint (21 Mg CO 2 e/year). The UV186 scenario consistently presents the highest environmental and economic impacts. The major contributors of the economic and environmental impacts of individual scenarios also differ. Energy and/or material consumptions during the operation phase dominate the environmental impacts of the four scenarios, while the infrastructure investments have a noticeable contribution to the economic costs. The results are sensitive to changes in water quality. An increase of raw water quality, i.e., an increase in organic precursor content, could potentially result in the ozone scenario being the least energy intensive scenario, while a decrease of water quality could greatly reduce the overall competitiveness of the GAC scenario.
Immune mediated neuropathies--an update on therapeutic strategies.

This paper reviews recent treatment strategies of immune mediated neuropathies, in particular it includes data regarding Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN), neuropathy with IgM monoclonal gammopathy and other dysglobulinemic neuropathies. In the treatment of Guillain- Barre syndrome, there is no significant difference between IVIg, plasma exchange or plasma exchange followed by IVIg. However, for reasons of convenience and safety, IVIg is used as standard treatment in most centers. There is so far insufficient evidence for the use of corticosteroids in the therapy of GBS. In treating CIDP corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange seem to be equally effective. However, the high costs and relative lack of availability of IVIg, the only short-term benefit and the invasive nature of the plasma exchange procedure, and on the other hand serious long-term side effects of corticosteroids are the most important disadvantages of these treatments and have to be taken into consideration before a decision about therapy can be made. In multifocal motor neuropathy the intravenous immunoglobulin therapy is the only treatment that has been shown to be effective in controlled trials. However, inadequate response in a proportion of patients, high cost and variable availability of IVIg show the need for the search of adjunctive immunosuppressive therapies. Neuropathies with IgM monoclonal gammopathy may improve after treatment with chemotherapeutic agents, though the long-term effects are not known. In addition, such treatment modalities may be associated with serious side effect and even severe toxicity. Recent data support the use of a new promising drug: Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody directed against the B cell surface membrane marker CD 20.
Impact of New Regulatory Standards on Advanced Practice Registered Nursing: The APRN Consensus Model and LACE

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) represent a crucial resource to meeting growing health care needs. Such resources must be used to the full extent and in the most effective way possible. Through the development of the Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification and Education (LACE), nursing is assuming a leadership role within the health care system and participating as an equal partner in redesigning health care. When fully implemented, the Consensus Model will allow APRNs to practice to the full scope of their education and more easily move from one state to another, increasing access to quality health care for all populations.
Investigation of Outbreaks of Disease

Any formal procedures for the international investigation of certain disease outbreaks will have certain elements, such as forensic standards for evidence handling, that are generally not familiar to field epidemiologists. However, formal procedures will help insulate scientists from the political dimensions of such investigations. Nevertheless, several aspects to the ongoing negotiations deserve the careful consideration of public health organizations and practitioners, for example ways in which epidemiologic information gathered during a public health investigation can be used to justify a weapons-control investigation, or to support or rebut the conclusions of such an investigation. Additionally, further consideration is needed about the implications of public health investigations’ sharing personnel with highly politicized arms control investigations, a consequence of the small numbers of professionals with expertise in relevant disciplines.
Defuzzification with Constraints

We look at the problem of defuzzification in situations where in addition to the usual fuzzy output of the controller there exists some ancillary restriction on the allowable defuzzified values. We provide two basic approaches to address this problem. In the first approach we enforce the restriction by selecting the defuzzified value through a random experiment in which the only values which have nonzero probabilities are in the allowable region, this method makes use of a nonmonotonic conjunction operator. In the second approach we convert the problem to one of constraint optimization.
Influenza Vaccine Intention After a Medically Attended Acute Respiratory Infection

Background. Little is known about vaccine intention behavior among patients recovering from a medically attended acute respiratory infection. Methods. Adults ≥ 18 years old with an acute respiratory infection in the 2014-2015, 2015-2016, and 2016-2017 influenza seasons were tested for influenza and completed surveys. Across seasons, unvaccinated participants were grouped into those who intended to receive the influenza vaccine in the following season (vaccine intention) and those who did not (no vaccine intention). In 2016-2017, participants were asked the reasons for their vaccination behavior. Results. Of the 837 unvaccinated participants, 308 (37%) intended to be vaccinated the next season. The groups did not differ in demographic or overall health factors. In logistic regression, non-Whites, those reporting wheezing or nasal congestion, and those receiving an antiviral prescription were more likely to be in the vaccine intention group. That group was significantly more likely to cite perceived behavioral control reasons for not being vaccinated (forgot), while the no vaccine intention group was significantly (p < .001) more likely to report knowledge/attitudinal reasons (side effects). Conclusion. Because influenza vaccine is given annually, adults must make a conscious decision to receive the vaccine each year. Understanding the factors related to vaccination behavior and intent can help shape interventions to improve influenza vaccination rates. A medical visit at the time of an acute respiratory illness, especially one in which the provider suspects influenza, as evidenced by an antiviral prescription, is an ideal opportunity to recommend influenza vaccine in the next season, to prevent a similar experience.
Bootstrap likelihood ratio test for Weibull mixture models fitted to grouped data

Weibull mixture models are widely used in a variety of fields for modeling phenomena caused by heterogeneous sources. We focus on circumstances in which original observations are not available, and...
The Cardiac Pacemaker: A Crossroads of Engineering and Medicine

Abstract The past, present, and future development of cardiac pacing results from an intricate symbiosis between engineering and medicine. To gain an in-depth understanding of the field and perhaps where future innovation may lead, it is important to learn valuable lessons from past innovators. This chapter dives into the rich history surrounding the field of cardiac pacing. In addition, it describes the current technology standards, discusses different pacing paradigms, and offers a glimpse into the bright future of cardiac pacemaker therapy.
Attosecond streaking phase retrieval with neural network

A new method for retrieving the spectral phase of isolated attosecond X-ray pulses from streaking traces is explored. The neural network method shows the potential for nearly instantaneous attosecond streaking phase retrieval, without use of the central momentum approximation. A neural network is trained with computer generated data that contain statistical noise and shown to correctly retrieve the phase of both computer generated and experimental attosecond streaking traces.
Cas9 slide-and-seek for phage defense and genome engineering.

How does the Cas9 nuclease locate a specific 20‐nucleotide target sequence in a crowded intracellular environment packed with mega bases of distracting non‐target DNA? Previously, it was shown that Cas9 finds DNA targets via three‐dimensional diffusion. In this issue of The EMBO Journal , Globyte et al (2019) reveal another dimension of the search process, which involves short‐range one‐dimensional sliding. These results have implications for understanding the natural function of Cas9 and its applications in genome engineering experiments.
MRI Monitoring and Quantification of Ultrasound-Mediated Delivery of Liposomes Dually Labeled with Gadolinium and Fluorophore through the Blood-Brain Barrier.

Abstract Magnetic resonance image-guided focused ultrasound has emerged as a viable non-invasive technique for the treatment of central nervous system-related diseases/disorders. Application of mechanical and thermal effects associated with focused transcranial ultrasound has been studied extensively in pre-clinical models, which has paved the way for clinical trials. However, in vivo treatment evaluation techniques on drug delivery application via blood–brain barrier opening has not been fully explored. Current treatment evaluation techniques via magnetic resonance imaging are hindered by systemic toxicity resulting from free gadolinium delivery. Here we propose a novel treatment evaluation strategy to overcome limitations by (i) synthesizing liposomes that are dually labeled with gadolinium, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, and rhodamine, a fluorophore; (ii) applying a focused ultrasound (FUS)-mediated BBB opening technique to deliver the liposomes across vascular barriers, achieving local gadolinium enhancement while reducing systemic and unwanted regional toxic effects associated with free gadolinium; and (iii) utilizing the MRI modality to confirm the delivery as it is already included in the FUS treatment in clinic. Liposomes were secondarily labeled with a fluorescent marker to confirm results obtained by MRI quantification postmortem. Two different sizes, 77.5 nm (group A) and 140 nm (group B), of gadolinium- and fluorescence-labeled liposomes were fabricated using thin-film hydration followed by extrusion methods and determined their stability up to 6 h under physiologic conditions. Gadolinium signal was detected on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MRI 5 h after the delivery of liposomes via the BBB opening approach with an ultrasound pulse of 0.42 MPa (estimate in water) combined with microbubbles. MRI contrast was enhanced significantly in sonicated regions compared with non-sonicated regions of the brain. This was due to the accumulation of labeled liposomes, which was confirmed by detection of rhodamine fluorescence in histologic sections. The relative increase in MRI signal intensity was greater for smaller liposomes (mean diameter = 77.5 nm) than larger liposomes (mean diameter = 140 nm), which suggested a greater accumulation of the smaller liposomes in the brain after ultrasound-mediated opening of the BBB. Our findings suggest that the dual-labeled nanocarrier platform can be established, the FUS-mediated BBB opening approach can be used to deliver it through vascular barriers and MRI can be used to evaluate the extent of nanocarrier delivery.
Real estate diagrams: A tool to quickly assess the utility of a new predictive technology.

Abstract Introduction Scientists are increasingly in a position to ask whether or not to adopt new technologies. We present a visualization tool to help scientists swiftly evaluate the worth of new assays. Methods The parameters (prevalence, sensitivity and, specificity) relevant to use of a toxicity test have values between 0 and 1. The proper arrangement of the parameters can be used to define areas in a [0,1] × [0, 1] cross-space. Our analogy is a square plot of land subdivided into smaller lots. We call the resultant graphic a real estate diagram. Results We use the well studied example of predicting prolongation of the QT interval of the electrocardiogram to illustrate the diagrams. The experience in human clinical Thorough QT (TQT) studies has been described (Park et al., 2013). Within the data we chose two chronological sets: 2 blocks of two years (2005–2006 and 2011–2012). In the first block 13 of 29 (45%) submitted compounds had positive TQT studies; in the second block the prevalence was 4 of 42 (10%). In other studies, the hERG channel patch-clamp assay used in predicting TQT outcome had an expected sensitivity of 0.70 and expected specificity of 0.72. Real estate diagrams were constructed to yield insight into the positive and negative predictive value (PPV and NPV, respectively) of the TQT prediction. The structure of the real estate diagrams revealed that increasing assay sensitivity in the face of declining prevalence would have a trivial effect on PPV and NPV. Discussion Nonclinical safety scientists will be called upon to question whether a new technology has the potential to meaningfully increase the predictive value of testing regimens. The real-estate diagram is a useful tool in making that assessment.
Measles transmission at an international airport — Taiwan, March–April 2018

Abstract During March–April 2018, an infectious measles index case traveling from Thailand led to two successive generations of measles transmission in Taiwan, with 21 cases confirmed. The median patient age was 30.5 years (range 22–47 years); six (27%) had documented receipt of one (n = 3) or more (n = 3) previous measles-containing vaccine doses at age ≥12 months. Epidemiological investigation and sequence analysis found that most (n = 16, 76%) measles transmissions had occurred in airport and flight settings; secondary and tertiary cases included cabin crew (n = 7), airport staff (n = 2), and passengers who had been at the same airport or on the same flight (n = 7). This investigation serves as a reminder that an international airport can be a hotspot for measles transmission. International travelers, airline cabin crew, and airport employees are recommended to check their vaccination status and ensure that they are fully vaccinated against measles. Furthermore, it is recommended that airline and airport employers have an occupational health vaccination program in place to ensure appropriate pre-employment assessment of measles immunity and vaccination.
Online monitoring of metal fatigue life

A novel nondestructive testing methodology is proposed for online monitoring health and for in situ determination of the fatigue life of a component. This method only requires the determination of ...
Slo2 potassium channel function depends on a SCYL1 protein

Abstract Slo2 potassium channels play important roles in neuronal function, and their mutations in humans cause epilepsies and cognitive defects. However, little is known how Slo2 function is regulated by other proteins. Here we found that the function of C. elegans Slo2 (SLO-2) depends on adr-1, a gene important to RNA editing. However, slo-2 transcripts have no detectable RNA editing events and exhibit similar expression levels in wild type and adr-1 mutants. In contrast, mRNA level of scyl-1, which encodes an orthologue of mammalian SCYL1, is greatly reduced in adr-1 mutants due to deficient RNA editing at a single adenosine in its 3’-UTR. SCYL-1 physically interacts with SLO-2 in neurons. Single-channel open probability of SLO-2 in neurons is reduced by ∼50% in scyl-1 knockout whereas that of human Slo2.2/Slack is doubled by SCYL1 in a heterologous expression system. These results suggest that SCYL-1/SCYL1 is an evolutionarily conserved regulator of Slo2 channels.
System Level Assessment of the Impact of High Penetration of PV Inverters with Grid Support Capability on Distribution Networks

Power systems simulations using PSCAD have been performed to evaluate the impact to the distribution grid of high photovoltaic (PV) penetration. Voltage regulation at load nodes, feeder short-circuit currents and power losses have been analyzed for penetration level up to 60% and compared with a baseline case referring to as no PV. Results show that high PV penetration impacts residential area and non-residential area networks differently. Also, depending on the grid strength, the performance of the network is different. PV micro-inverters, in some cases, can prevent voltage excursion beyond tolerance limits however, they are more effective for power losses reduction. Overall, up to 15% in energy losses can be saved at very high penetration levels. Regarding the short-circuit levels no adjustment in the network infrastructures is required as the PV systems will have inconsequential contribution in feeder short-circuit currents.
Evaluation of spatiotemporal heterogeneity of PDL1 expression in gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEA) at baseline diagnosis and after chemotherapy.

4528Background: PDL1 expression is a predictive marker for response to anti-PD1/PDL1 agents (IO) for GEA. As a prognostic biomarker, data are conflicting. Molecular heterogeneity of various biomark...
Incidencia de las neurofunciones en el desarrollo integral de los niños

El presente trabajo investigativo, permite entender la importancia de las neurofunciones en intervencion temprana y su incidencia en el desarrollo integral de los ninos y ninas en edad preescolar. El desconocimiento de los padres sobre la intervencion en neurofunciones y la falta de capacitacion que impide colaborar en el proceso formativo de sus hijos desde el hogar, son los aspectos mas relevantes que exigen implementar el proceso de capacitacion tanto en los padres como en los ninos y ninas en la presente investigacion. El presente proyecto titulado “Incidencia de las neurofunciones en el desarrollo integral de los ninos”, evalua el nivel de conocimiento de los padres sobre las neurofunciones, y a la vez los capacita en la utilizacion y aplicacion de actividades de una guia didactica que seria implementada desde el hogar, durante la etapa de ejecucion de actividades de intervencion en neurofunciones en sus hijos. La intervencion en neurofunciones en los ninos se realizo utilizando herramientas de evaluacion tanto inicial como final, que permitieron la recoleccion de datos para desarrollar el informe de investigacion en base a los resultados obtenidos. Los objetivos del presente proyecto fueron: Determinar el nivel de conocimiento, en estimulacion temprana de neurofunciones, de los padres familia de los ninos y ninas de la ciudad de Riobamba; Establecer la correlacion existente entre la implementacion de una guia didactica de intervencion en neurofunciones y su desarrollo en los ninos y ninas; Promover el desarrollo de habilidades y destrezas mediante un optimo aprendizaje a traves de la estimulacion temprana con actividades ludicas, potencializando las diferentes funciones basicas.
Treatment trajectories and barriers in opioid agonist therapy for people who inject drugs in rural Puerto Rico

Abstract Background Research has shown medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to have positive effects, including reducing HIV and HCV transmission, but important barriers to access remain among people who inject drugs (PWID). Barriers include lack of social and familial support, bureaucracy, distance to treatment, poverty, and homelessness. However, we know little about how these barriers interact with each other to shape PWID's drug treatment access and retention. Methods We used qualitative methods with a dataset from a study conducted during 2019 with 31 active PWID residing in rural Puerto Rico. The study gathered ethnographic data and narratives about treatment trajectories to document the lived experiences of PWID as they moved in and out of treatment. Results Participants were at least 18 years old; 87.7% were male, the mean age was 44.1 years, and the mean age at first injection was 22 years. Participants identified homelessness, lack of proper ID or other identifying documents, and previous negative experiences with MOUD as the main barriers to treatment entry and retention. In addition, PWID's belief that MOUD simply substitutes an illegal drug for a legal one, while furthering drug dependence by chronically subjecting patients to treatment, constitutes an additional barrier to entry. Findings from this study demonstrate that MOUD barriers to access and retention compound and are severely affected by poverty and other forms of vulnerability among PWID in rural Puerto Rico. Conclusion Policies to increase access and retention should consider barriers not in isolation but as an assemblage of many factors.
Pathology Clinic: Nodular Fasciitis Involving the External Ear.

Nodular fasciitis is a rare, benign lesion characterized by the pseudosarcomatous proliferation of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. Accurate diagnosis presents a unique challenge for otolaryngologis...
Changes in Stress and Workplace Shortages Reported by U.S. Critical Care Physicians Treating Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients.

OBJECTIVES: Eleven months into the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the country faces accelerating rates of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. Little is known about the experiences of critical care physicians caring for the sickest coronavirus disease 2019 patients. Our goal is to understand how high stress levels and shortages faced by these physicians during Spring 2020 have evolved. DESIGN: We surveyed (October 23, 2020 to November 16, 2020) U.S. critical care physicians treating coronavirus disease 2019 patients who participated in a National survey earlier in the pandemic (April 23, 2020 to May 3, 2020) regarding their stress and shortages they faced. SETTING: ICU. PATIENTS: Coronavirus disease 2019 patients. INTERVENTION: Irrelevant. MEASUREMENT: Physician emotional distress/physical exhaustion: low (not at all/not much), moderate, or high (a lot/extreme). Shortage indicators: insufficient ICU-trained staff and shortages in medication, equipment, or personal protective equipment requiring protocol changes. MAIN RESULTS: Of 2,375 U.S. critical care attending physicians who responded to the initial survey, we received responses from 1,356 (57.1% response rate), 97% of whom (1,278) recently treated coronavirus disease 2019 patients. Two thirds of physicians (67.6% [864]) reported moderate or high levels of emotional distress in the Spring versus 50.7% (763) in the Fall. Reports of staffing shortages persisted with 46.5% of Fall respondents (594) reporting a staff shortage versus 48.3% (617) in the Spring. Meaningful shortages of medication and equipment reported in the Spring were largely alleviated. Although personal protective equipment shortages declined by half, they remained substantial. CONCLUSIONS: Stress, staffing, and, to a lesser degree, personal protective equipment shortages faced by U.S. critical care physicians remain high. Stress levels were higher among women. Considering the persistence of these findings, rising levels of infection nationally raise concerns about the capacity of the U.S. critical care system to meet ongoing and future demands.