cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mitigation of Fouling on Hollow Fibre Membrane Using Ultrasonic Transducer

Ultrasound based on-line cleaning for hollow fiber (HF) membrane filtration of synthetic wastewater was studied. An ultrasonic transducer was submerged into a filtration system in order to get an efficient cleaning of HF membranes in fouling conditions. An ultrafiltration (UF) HF membrane with the pore size at 10,000 NMWC is employed to purify waste water. The focus of this study is on the effects of temperature, ultrasonic frequency, ultrasonic power intensity and caviation micro-bubbles as well as the transmembrane pressure (TMP) performance. Experimental evidence reveals that the permeate flux increased with the application of ultrasound after fouling by sullage solution for one hour. The micro-bubble size measured by laser PDA system shows a decreased tendency with the increase of ultrasonic frequencies, and larger micro-bubbles have greater contribution to the increase of permeate flux. Results futher shows that the permeate flux measured with lower ultrasonic frequency or higher power intensity maintained higher value in general as feeding sullage water and maintain a higher risk to extend membrane pore size. In addition, the rise of the temperature around filtration system has less impact on permeate flow rate in online ultrasound system when the temperature of feed solution maintained constant.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Perceptions of Aging-Friendly Community Characteristics: Does County Rurality Make a Difference?

“Aging-friendly” communities are environments where people can live their entire lives rather than having to relocate because of age-related changes. The objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which middle-aged, long-term residents in Wisconsin perceived their communities to be aging-friendly, and to determine whether these perceptions varied according to county rurality. Rurality was measured using the Index of Relative Rurality, and is based on four dimensions: population, population density, extent of urban area, and remoteness. The Index of Relative Rurality was combined with the USDA urban influence code to categorize counties into the following spheres: the “Metropolitan Sphere”, the “Rural-Metro Interface”, and the “Rural Sphere”. It was hypothesized that persons residing in metropolitan counties will be more likely to perceive that their communities have aging-friendly characteristics than those residing in rural counties, and this will be particularly true with regard to characteristics related to transportation and health care services. The hypothesis was supported. Respondents residing in metro and rural-metro counties perceived a higher prevalence of aging-friendly community characteristics than those in rural counties, particularly with regard to transportation, health care services, and community connectedness.
Inactivation pathways of reactive species generated by low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma

Summary form only given. Non thermal atmospheric gas plasmas have been exploited in biology, medicine, dentistry, and material science as a novel technology for health care. The unique enhanced helium gas-phase chemistry of the plasma plume is obtained when the electrons undergo collisions with the background gas and facilitate the formation of radical and metastable states. As a result, the plasma does not cause any thermal damage, since the heavy species such as the ions and neutrals remain within the biologically tolerant temperature regime1. The production of different reactive species such as metastable helium atoms help produce short-lived and long-lived reactive species (O, O 2 , O 2 −, O 3 , OH, NO, and NO 2 ) 2 when air molecules mix with the plume.
Cavity decay rate and relaxation oscillation frequency in unconventional laser cavities

Measuring the relaxation oscillation frequency /spl omega//sub r/ versus the normalized pumping rate r can provide a useful technique for determining either cavity or atomic parameters in many different kinds of lasers. Measurements of relaxation frequency versus pumping rate in a Nd:YAG laser using a gain-guided unstable-cavity design were recently found, however, to yield values of cavity decay rate which were unreasonably large compared to other estimates of the cavity losses. This difficulty has been resolved by a closer look at the relaxation oscillation dynamics in this type of laser. We find that in nonorthogonal laser cavities with nonuniform gain distributions the energy decay rate of the cavity oscillation mode usually employed in the relaxation frequency formula must be replaced by a different decay rate relevant to oscillation mode perturbations. A numerical simulation including this more general effect gives values very close to our experimental results, confirming the validity of this modified analysis. >
Electoral Rules and the Democratic Progressive Party’s Performance in the 2004 and 2008 Legislative Elections in Taiwan

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taiwan increased its vote share in each legislative election from 2001 to 2008. Nevertheless, the 2004 and 2008 elections were widely viewed as major defeats for the party. Through an analysis of the DPP’s performance in these elections, this article considers the effects of electoral rules on election outcomes and the perception of those outcomes. In Taiwan, under both the previous single non-transferable vote (SNTV) and the current mixed member majoritarian (MMM) systems, the mechanical effect of how electoral rules translate votes into seats and the psychological impact this has on voter and party behavior have influenced party electoral performance, and the perception of it, by causing vote and seat shares to diverge. In addition, this article analyzes whether recent redistricting in Taiwan structurally disadvantages the DPP.
HETEROLOGOUS CARRIERS IN THE ANAMNESTIC ANTIHAPTEN RESPONSE

Anamnestic antihapten responses were obtained to trinitrophenyl (TNP) when rabbits sensitized to trinitrophenyl-hemocyanin (TNP-KLH) were challenged with TNP-heterologous protein conjugates. Hapten-heterologous carrier conjugates elicited antihapten titers similar in magnitude to those elicited by the homologous carrier conjugate. Hapten-heterologous carrier recall of antihapten was successful as early as 37 days and as late as 11 months after sensitization. There was no correlation between anti-TNP-precipitating antibody titer after sensitization and the ability to respond to challenge by hapten-heterologous carrier. The results are discussed in terms of immunogenicity of sensitization, suppressive effects of persisting postsensitization antibody, and submolecular haptenic environment as factors possibly affecting the heterologous recall process.
The effect of light on tooth whitening: a split-mouth design.

Objectives Conflicting research exists on the effect that various lights have on in-office tooth whitening. The aim of this study was to determine whether a sodium arc bulb lamp used with 25% hydrogen peroxide shows significant differences in shade using a split-mouth design. Methods Forty-nine subjects meeting study criteria had anterior teeth whitened with a 25% hydrogen peroxide in-office whitening system. The light was used on a randomly selected right or left half of the mouth. The opposing side was whitening only with gel. Shades were recorded using a spectrophotometer before, immediately after, 1 and 2 weeks post-whitening. Sensitivity was also recorded using a visual analogue scale. Values were analysed with a Friedman test with a stepdown Bonferroni adjustment for multiple comparisons. Results All teeth increased in lightness after whitening procedures. The only significant differences between use of the light and without use of the light were on the maxillary arch 1 week after whitening (P = 0.010). Sensitivity was greatest immediately after whitening but subsided within 1 week of whitening. Conclusions The use of a sodium arc bulb lamp with 25% hydrogen peroxide in-office whitening produces better results on maxillary teeth up to 1 week after whitening is completed. Subjects could not distinguish differences on each side of the mouth.
Commentary: Forensic Education and the Quest for Truth

Forensic psychiatry is the subspecialty that applies psychiatric knowledge to answering legal questions. There are ethics dilemmas inherent in its practice and in functioning at the interface of psychiatry and the law. The development of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL) Ethics Guidelines was an effort to assist forensic psychiatrists in dealing with these dilemmas and the moral adventure of practicing in their field. The responses to the Guidelines that explored other frameworks for dealing with the ethical practice of forensic psychiatry are acknowledged, with an emphasis on applied clinical ethics. The study of ethics in forensic psychiatry should be added to Dr. Scott's list and should be part of the effort to teach AAPL members and forensic psychiatry fellows about important developments in their discipline.
A High-Efficiency Fieldable Germanium Detector Array

Historically, large germanium arrays for field applications have consisted of multiple detectors each housed in their own cryostat. In order to ruggedize the detectors for field use these cryostats have had additional support material introduced that significantly impacted cryogenic performance. This paper presents the development of a new cryostat design suitable for deployment of ~10 kg of high purity germanium detectors that achieves outstanding cryogenic performance (~5 W at 80 K) while providing the high detection efficiency required for stand-off measurements and the ruggedization required for use in a variety of field applications.
Near-optimum soft decision equalization for frequency selective MIMO channels

In this paper, we develop soft decision equalization (SDE) techniques for frequency selective multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channels in the quest for low-complexity equalizers with error performance competitive to that of maximum likelihood (ML) sequence detection. We demonstrate that decision feedback equalization (DFE) based on soft-decisions, expressed via the posterior probabilities associated with feedback symbols, is able to outperform hard-decision DFE, with a low computational cost that is polynomial in the number of symbols to be recovered and linear in the signal constellation size. Building on the probabilistic data association (PDA) multiuser detector, we present two new MIMO equalization solutions to handle the distinctive channel memory. The first SDE algorithm adopts a zero-padded transmission structure to convert the challenging sequence detection problem into a block-by-block least-square formulation. It introduces key enhancement to the original PDA to enable applications in rank-deficient channels and for higher level modulations. The second SDE algorithm takes advantage of the Toeplitz channel matrix structure embodied in an equalization problem. It processes the data samples through a series of overlapping sliding windows to reduce complexity and, at the same time, performs implicit noise tracking to maintain near-optimum performance. With their low complexity, simple implementations, and impressive near-optimum performance offered by iterative soft-decision processing, the proposed SDE methods are attractive candidates to deliver efficient reception solutions to practical high-capacity MIMO systems. Simulation comparisons of our SDE methods with minimum-mean-square error (MMSE)-based MIMO DFE and sphere decoded quasi-ML detection are presented.
Apparent Feminism as a Methodology for Technical Communication and Rhetoric

This article introduces apparent feminism, which is a new approach urgently required by modern technical rhetorics. Apparent feminism provides a new kind of response that addresses current politica...
JPEG quality transcoding using neural networks trained with a perceptual error measure

A JPEG Quality Transcoder (JQT) converts a JPEG image file that was encoded with low image quality to a larger JPEG image file with reduced visual artifacts, without access to the original uncompressed image. In this article, we describe technology for JQT design that takes a pattern recognition approach to the problem, using a database of images to train statistical models of the artifacts introduced through JPEG compression. In the training procedure for these models, we use a model of human visual perception as an error measure. Our current prototype system removes 32.2% of the artifacts introduced by moderate compression, as measured on an independent test database of linearly coded images using a perceptual error metric. This improvement results in an average PSNR reduction of 0.634 dB.
The HLA System and Dermatological Diseases

The study of the major histocompatibility complex in man, which is called the HLA system, has emerged during the last 15 years as a new biomedical research field. It covers a broad spectrum of topics ranging from basic studies of regulatory mechanisms controlling immune responsiveness to clinical investigations of genetic aspects of a variety of human diseases.
Biogeographic Distributions of Selected North American Grassland Plant Species

It is unclear how the environmental heterogeneity of the prairie biome of North America contributes to the biogeographic ranges of vascular plant species, particularly herbaceous taxa. We examined ...
Some Effects of Alloxan on the Canine Kidney, with Special Reference to the Glomerulus.

SummaryIn 2 dogs which did not become diabetic following repeated doses of alloxan, serial biopsies of the kidney showed the late development of glomerular lesions. These lagged behind the usual tubular degeneration and appeared both in time and in type to be consequent to the latter. Similar studies on dogs receiving a single dose of alloxan and surviving for comparable periods of time showed only minimal glomerular changes.
Liquid Crystal Droplet-Embedded Biopolymer Hydrogel Sheets for Biosensor Applications.

The development of simple, portable, and low-cost biosensing platforms is of great interest in the clinical diagnosis of disease. Here, we report liquid crystal (LC) droplet-embedded chitosan (CHI) hydrogel films formed by the Ag+ ion-triggered fast gelation of the CHI/surfactant complex-stabilized LC emulsion which is cast on substrates. The small sheets cut from the LC droplet-embedded hydrogel films combine the advantages of both hydrogels and LC droplets, offering a portable and label-free sensing platform for the real-time detection of bile acids in a small amount of solution. We find that the response time and detection limit of LC droplet-embedded hydrogel sheets for bile acids depend on their chemical structures.
Improvement of the awareness of occupational risk among rising industry practitioners based on Six Sigma management

[Objective]To use Six Sigma quality management theories in rising industries,due to the existed concealed and diversified occupational hazards,and explore an improved circulation occupational risk education system so as to improve practitioners' knowledge levels of occupational risks.[Methods]According to the Six Sigma quality management theory and the five-step method of definition- measurement- analysis- improvement-control,2 high-tech companies were selected for study.The process of occupational health education using by workers of rising industry was investigated to find out the main reasons influencing their awareness values of occupational risks.The awareness value of occupational risks of this group was determined,developing improvement and carrying out occupational risk health education based on Six Sigma for 1 year.Routine occupational health education was performed in the control group for 1 year.The awareness value of occupational risks was obtained via 30% sample survey,and analysis of covariance was used to compare differences.[Results] The main reason affecting the awareness value of occupational risks was the large gap between employees' basic quality and technical attributes of enterprises.The awareness value of occupational risks of improved enterprise and control enterprise was 29.1 ± 13.6 and 30.9 ± 14.2,without significant difference( P 0.05).After 1-year health education,the value was 76.5 ± 4.3 and 52.7 ± 11.9,respectively,with significant difference after adjustment for age and sex( P 0.01).[Conclusion]Six Sigma quality management theories can improve the awareness of occupational hazards among the workers of rising industries.It is benefit to the development of occupational prevention and control.It can not only protect the health of workers but also contributes to the sustainable and healthy development of rising industries
Equalization experiments for 1 MW LiFePO_4 energy storage Li-ion battery

Discharge and charge equalization were taken to the 1 MW lithium iron phosphate(LiFePO4) energy storage Li-ion battery.After equalization,cell voltage difference reduced,direct current(DC) voltage difference of battery assembly and the state of charge(SOC) difference were reduced.After discharge and charge equalization,cell voltage difference was 0.011 V and 0.013 V,respectively;DC voltage difference of battery assembly was 0.7 V and 1.2 V,respectively;SOC differences were both 8%.
The design of smart garments for motion capture and activity classification

Abstract Electronic textiles provide a means for embedding electronics and conductive wires into fabric to make smart garments that can serve as platforms for a wide variety of applications. This chapter presents prototypes developed by the Virginia Tech E-Textiles Lab over the past few years, with a focus on creating smart garments for motion capture and activity classification.
Robotic-Assisted Gynecologic Surgery and Perioperative Morbidity in Elderly Women

Abstract Study Objective To assess perioperative complications, conversions, and operative times in patients age ≥75 years undergoing robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery. Design Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting High-volume, 2-physician gynecologic oncology practice. Patients A total of 705 women who underwent any robot-assisted gynecologic procedure for benign (n = 380) or malignant (n = 325) conditions between July 2008 and May 2014. Fifty patients age ≥75 years (elderly group) were compared with 655 patients age Interventions Operative data were gathered prospectively for all robotic-assisted procedures. Demographic and perioperative outcomes were analyzed retrospectively for this study. Measurements and Main Results The mean age was 81.3 ± 4.2 years (range, 75.0–90.5 years) in the elderly group and 52.8 ± 11.5 years (range, 22.9–74.6 years) in the younger group. The elderly group had higher rates of surgery for malignancy (90.0% vs 43.2%; p Conclusion The perioperative complication rates of robotic-assisted surgery are comparable in elderly women and younger women, despite a longer hospital length of stay and greater likelihood of postoperative arrhythmia in elderly women.
Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Micro-Uavs, Drones) in Plant Ecology

Premise of the study: Low-elevation surveys with small aerial drones (micro–unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs]) may be used for a wide variety of applications in plant ecology, including mapping vegetation over small- to medium-sized regions. We provide an overview of methods and procedures for conducting surveys and illustrate some of these applications. Methods: Aerial images were obtained by flying a small drone along transects over the area of interest. Images were used to create a composite image (orthomosaic) and a digital surface model (DSM). Vegetation classification was conducted manually and using an automated routine. Coverage of an individual species was estimated from aerial images. Results: We created a vegetation map for the entire region from the orthomosaic and DSM, and mapped the density of one species. Comparison of our manual and automated habitat classification confirmed that our mapping methods were accurate. A species with high contrast to the background matrix allowed adequate estimat...
Solar resource, variability, and weather across the northwestern United States

Solar irradiance measurements from five locations in the northwestern United States were characterized in terms of total resource and its variability on scales from 5 min to 9 days. The results showed location dependent differences that can be attributed to differences in local weather patterns. Overall solar resource was significant and quite seasonal. Short-term variability was found to be greatest in the spring at most locations. Greater differences among the sites were found when a larger range of time scales was considered.
Combustion Performance, Noise, and Vibrations of an IDI Engine Fueled With Carinata Biofuel

The performance of an indirect injection engine fueled with a biodiesel blend was investigated at 2400 rpm and 6 bar IMEP. The single cylinder experimental engine was run using C50 and compared to a ULSD#2 baseline. Brassica carinata oilseed was studied as it can potentially provide improvements for existing fuel infrastructures. Cylinder pressure data for C50 showcased a lower heat release and slightly higher injection pressure due to higher SMD. Brake specific fuel consumption was 6% higher for C50 given the characteristic LHV of biodiesel. Vibrations and sound measurements were analyzed in the frequency and crank angle domain through the Bruel & Kjaer PULSE software platform. Sound pressure correlations were determined according to the piston normal force on the cylinder liner, intake and exhaust valve timing, and operating speed. For both fuels, vibrations parallel to the cylinder axis reached 1.6–2.6 m/s2 in the 40–120 Hz frequency range; noise reached 80–87 dB at frequencies of 1–4 kHz. C50 produced 0.4 g/kWh fewer NOx emissions which correlate to a lower maximum bulk gas temperature and richer air-fuel ratio. The average ringing intensity was 0.05 MW/m2 for both fuels due to a comparable pressure rise rate. When the engine was run with C50, the reference mechanical efficiency of 53% was effectively maintained. This offers validation for further implementation of blended biodiesel fuel in IDI engines.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) in Transgender Communities: The Need for Trans-Competent SUD Counselors and Facilities

Transgender individuals entering treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs) may have unique needs related to their gender identity. This article provides a lens for viewing transgender clients and demonstrates the need for trans-competent SUD counseling through a case illustration.
Gene editing: Breeding or GMO?

Global regulatory frameworks will soon be challenged by recent scientific developments in methods for generating genetically modified animals, particularly gene editing techniques. It is unclear whether animals produced using such technologies will fall under or outside of the regulations developed for genetically engineered (GE) animals produced using recombinant DNA (rDNA) techniques. Many gene editing applications will result in animals that carry induced mutations in target genes or desirable alleles or sequences that originated in other breeds or individuals from within that species. As such, there will be no rDNA or transgenic construct in the animal, and no novel combination of genetic material that has been altered in a way that could not be achieved by natural mating or techniques used in traditional breeding and selection. The current regulatory approach to GE animals has had a stifling effect on the use of this technology in animal breeding programs, and to date no GE animal has yet been sold for food purposes anywhere in the world. Given the importance of improved genetics to the overall environmental footprint of food production, precluding breeder access to safe innovations for use in genetic improvement programs has a large opportunity cost. If genome editing is going to have an opportunity to impact global animal breeding programs its oversight should ideally be proportional to risk based on the novelty of the trait, consider and evaluate both benefits and risks, and fit for purpose, meaning that the reduction in risk obtained by regulatory oversight is greater than the costs of compliance. Regulatory frameworks for genetically modified animals are concurrently being formulated in many countries in concert with rapidly advancing technologies for creating such animals including gene editing and approaches to generate targeted gene knockouts in livestock species. These new animal breeding techniques result in genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that do not fit the classic definition of “transgenic” or genetically engineered (GE), although they are produced through human intervention using recombinant DNA (rDNA) techniques. Some groups have argued that because these genetic modifications are, for at least part of the procedure, produced outside the organism by people using in vitro techniques this alone should be the trigger for regulation (1). However, this seems to disregard the plethora of in vitro techniques that are commonly utilized in conventional animal breeding programs (2). If risk is the main rationale for regulating genetic modification methods, there does not appear to be a clear rationale for regulating only traits and DNA sequences produced using rDNA techniques. If human intervention using in vitro techniques in breeding programs is the trigger for regulation, this would seem to apply equally to many of the breeding methods used in the production of modern broiler chickens and high-producing milk cows which are clearly genetically modified animals relative to their wild ancestors the jungle fowl and auroch, respectively.
The Dark Power of Words: Stratagems of Hate in the 2016 Presidential Campaign

The election of 2016 stands out for its volume of hate-filled messages. The election changed the climate for discourse throughout society. In this chapter, the authors identify the hate stratagems used by both the Trump and Clinton campaigns as well as how they functioned in the course of the election. Kirk and Martin argue that the use of hate stratagems prevented discussion of policy issues during the general election campaign. They conclude by evaluating the impact of hate speech on civil discourse, the media, and self-governance.
Clinical implementation of a novel Double-Balloon single-entry breast brachytherapy applicator.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of the study was to describe the clinical utilization of a novel Double-Balloon applicator for accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI). Methods and Materials The Double-Balloon single-entry breast applicator contains a single central treatment catheter, as well as four peripheral catheters that can be differentially loaded to customize radiation dose coverage. An inner balloon is filled with up to 7–30 cm 3 of saline to increase separation between the peripheral catheters, and an outer balloon is filled with up to 37–115 cm 3 of saline to displace breast tissue from the peripheral catheters. Treatment planning objectives include coverage of the breast planning target volume to a minimum of V 90 > 90%, limiting dose heterogeneity such that V 200 3 and V 150 3 , and limiting maximum dose to skin ( Results High-dose-rate APBI was delivered to 11 women using this device (34 Gy in 10 twice daily fractions). The mean V 90 was 98.2% (range 94.2–99.4%). The mean skin D max with the Double-Balloon applicator was 83.3% (range 75.6–99.5%). The mean breast V 200 was 5.8 cm 3 (range 2.3–10.2 cm 3 ), and the mean breast V 150 was 32.9 cm 3 (range 25.0–41.7 cm 3 ). Pretreatment quality assurance was performed using CT prior to each morning fraction and ultrasound prior to each afternoon fraction. Conclusions The Double-Balloon applicator can be easily introduced into a previously existing brachytherapy program. APBI plans created with this applicator achieve excellent planning target volume coverage, while limiting skin dose and maintaining breast V 200 3 .
Tuning color through sulfur and fluorine substitutions in the defect tin(II, IV) niobate pyrochlores

Abstract Sulfur and fluorine substituted Sn2Nb2O7 pyrochlore compounds were synthesized to produce brilliant orange/red colors as an environmentally friendly alternative to other toxic inorganic pigments. Neutron structure refinements indicate that the studied compositions crystallize in the pyrochlore structure with a large number of cation and/or anion vacancies and significant local structural disorder. The cubic unit cell decreases with increasing sulfur and fluorine content. The Sn2+ cation is off-center by 0.39–0.48 A from the ideal site, and the oxygen O′ is strongly displaced to the 32e position by an extraordinarily large distance that has never been reported for a pyrochlore type phase. The unprecedented displacive disorder and unusual lattice evolution upon sulfur substitution are presumably driven by the strong lone pair stereoactivity associated with Sn2+. Chemical analysis confirmed the existence of sulfur and fluorine, and 119Sn Mossbauer spectroscopy quantified the presence of both Sn2+ and Sn4+ in all compositions. The general formula representative of sulfur-containing pigments is nonstoichiometric Sn 2 − z 2 + (Nb2-y Sn y 4 + )O7-z-y/2-xSx with the color varying according to x. The fluorine compound is refined to be Sn 2 2 + (Nb0·958Ti0.984 Sn 0.058 4 + )O6·376F0.206 with exclusively anion vacancies. Optical characterization was performed through diffuse reflectance and color meter measurements. The band gap is determined to be in the range of 2.35 to 2.05 eV as sample color changes from yellow to orange/red. All powder samples show 60–95% reflectance in the near-infrared (NIR) region, adding new functionality to the application of these compounds as “cool” pigments.
Understanding Cancer Invasion and Metastasis

Cancer is a deadly disease in large part because, if not stopped, will generally evolve to the metastatic stage, i.e., cancer cells spread from the primary site to new locations (generally different organs) through blood circulation or the lymphatic system. For largely unknown reasons, metastatic cancers tend to exhibit distinct growth patterns from its primary cancer counterpart, growing substantially faster and metastasizing more easily. Recent statistics show that metastatic cancer is responsible for approximately 90 % of all cancer-related mortalities. While it is known to be the deadliest stage of a cancer, the current understanding of the biology of metastatic cancer is rather limited. Some of the very basic questions such as: what drives a primary cancer to metastasize; why some cancers tend to metastasize more easily than the other cancers, e.g., melanoma versus basal cell carcinoma; and why metastatic cancers tend to grow much faster than the corresponding primary cancer, still have no clear answers. This may be the result of: (1) the true challenging nature of these questions, and (2) the lack of adequate investment and hence efforts into metastatic cancer research. This unfortunate reality is probably due to the general belief in the field that little can be done once a cancer has metastasized.
Mutagenesis of retroviral vectors transducing human beta-globin gene and beta-globin locus control region derivatives results in stable transmission of an active transcriptional structure

Retrovirus-mediated gene transfer of the human beta-globin gene into hematopoietic stem cells is an attractive approach to the therapy of human beta-globin gene disorders. However, expression of the transduced beta-globin gene linked to its proximal cis-acting sequences (-0.8 to +0.3 kb from the cap site) is considerably below the level required for a significant therapeutic effect. The discovery of the beta-locus control region (beta-LCR), organized in four major DNase I hypersensitive sites far upstream of the human beta-like globin gene cluster, provided a potential means to achieve a high level of expression of a linked human beta-globin gene, but initial attempts to incorporate beta-LCR derivatives in retroviral vectors resulted in the production of low-titer viruses with multiple rearrangements of the transmitted proviral structures. We now describe how extensive mutagenesis of the transduced beta-globin gene, eliminating a 372 bp intronic segment and multiple reverse polyadenylation and splicing signals, increases viral titer significantly and restores stability of proviral transmission upon infection of cell lines and bone marrow-repopulating cells. These optimized vectors have enabled us to analyze the expression properties of various retrovirally transduced beta-LCR derivatives in dimethylsulfoxide-induced murine erythroleukemia cells and to achieve ratios of human beta-globin/murine beta maj-globin mRNA, on a per gene basis, as high as 80%.
Early-onset of symptoms and clinical course of Pompe disease associated with the c.-32–13 T > G variant

Abstract Background Individuals with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) and the common c.-32–13 T > G variant are widely thought to have milder, adult-onset disease. This belief, and the consequent low suspicion of clinical involvement in children, has led to delays in diagnosis and treatment initiation in patients with early onset of symptoms. Previous reports of LOPD in children do not include description of the early-onset phenotype. This description of signs and symptoms, some of which are subtle and less known, is important to facilitate prompt identification and appropriate treatment in symptomatic children. Methods Retrospective chart review of a cohort of 84 LOPD patients with the c.-32–13 T > G variant was conducted to identify patients diagnosed clinically (as opposed to through newborn screening) who had clinically documented symptom-onset within the first two years of life. Results Four patients had early onset of symptoms, with age at onset ranging from 10 days to 20 months. Initial symptoms included delay in achievement of gross motor milestones, signs of proximal muscle weakness, swallow and feeding difficulties, and sleep apnea. Early and characteristic alterations in posture and movement were identified in all patients. Age at diagnosis ranged from 10 months to 26 months. Median age at enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) initiation was 23.5 months. Despite ERT, progression of musculoskeletal involvement and residual muscle weakness was evident in all patients, as evidenced by ptosis, myopathic facies, scoliosis, lumbar lordosis, scapular winging, and trunk and lower extremity weakness. Standardized functional assessments showed gross motor function below age level as measured by the Alberta Infant Motor Scales, the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2, the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition, and the six-minute walk test. Conclusions Onset of symptoms including delay in achievement of gross motor milestones, signs of proximal muscle weakness, swallow and feeding difficulties, and sleep apnea in the first two years of life is not uncommon in individuals with LOPD and the c.-32–13 T > G variant. Patients with early-onset disease appear to have a more, rapid and severe progression of disease with persistent residual muscle deficits which partially improve with higher doses of ERT. Careful evaluation for specific and characteristic patterns of posture and movement in patients with this variant is necessary to identify those who have early onset of disease. Increased awareness of the early-onset signs and symptoms may also enable early identification of disease onset in children who are diagnosed through newborn screening.
Healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs associated with renal impairment (RI) among treated multiple myeloma (MM) patients.

e18922Background: RI is a common complication of MM leading to significant morbidity. Limited real-world data exist on economic burden of RI in MM patients. This study compared HRU and costs betwee...
Choosing an appropriate probiotic product for your patient: An evidence-based practical guide

Introduction Clinicians and patients face a daunting task when choosing the most appropriate probiotic for their specific needs. Available preparations encompass a diverse and continuously expanding product base, with most available products lacking evidence-based trials that support their use. Even when evidence exists, not all probiotic products are equally effective for all disease prevention or treatment indications. At this point in time, drug regulatory agencies offer limited assistance with regard to guidance and oversight in most countries, including the U.S. Methods We reviewed the current medical literature and sources on the internet to survey the types of available probiotic products and to determine which probiotics had evidence-based efficacy data. Standard medical databases from inception to June 2018 were searched and discussions with experts in the field were conducted. We graded the strength of the evidence for probiotics having multiple, randomized controlled trials and developed a guide for the practical selection of current probiotic products for specific uses. Results We found the efficacy of probiotic products is both strain-specific and disease-specific. Important factors involved in choosing the appropriate probiotic include matching the strain(s) with the targeted disease or condition, type of formulation, dose used and the source (manufacturing quality control and shelf-life). While we found many probiotic products lacked confirmatory trials, we found sufficient evidence for 22 different types of probiotics from 249 trials to be included. For example, several types of probiotics had strong evidence for the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea [Saccharomyces boulardii I-745, a three-strain mixture (Lactobacillus acidophilus CL1285, L. casei Lbc80r, L. rhamnosus CLR2) and L. casei DN114001]. Strong evidence was also found for four types of probiotics for the prevention of a variety of other diseases/conditions (enteral-feed associated diarrhea, travellers’ diarrhea, necrotizing enterocolits and side-effects associated with H. pylori treatments. The evidence was most robust for the treatment of pediatric acute diarrhea based on 59 trials (7 types of probiotics have strong efficacy), while an eight-strain multi-strain mixture showed strong efficacy for inflammatory bowel disease and two types of probiotics had strong efficacy for irritable bowel disease. Of the 22 types of probiotics reviewed, 15 (68%) had strong-moderate evidence for efficacy for at least one type of disease. Conclusion The choice of an appropriate probiotic is multi-factored, based on the mode and type of disease indication and the specific efficacy of probiotic strain(s), as well as product quality and formulation. Trial registration This review was registered with PROSPERO: CRD42018103979.
Abstract TP295: Neighborhood Factors are Associated With Strokes but Not EMS Utilization in Chicago

Introduction: Neighborhood factors, such as income level and crime, may be risk factors for stroke and barriers to emergency medical services (EMS) utilization. We sought to identify neighborhoods ...
Humans and climate change in the middle and lower Yellow River of China

Abstract The relationship between climate changes and human responses has been hotly debated. This paper expands this topic by reviewing and presenting case studies in the middle and lower Yellow River, Henan and Shandong provinces. We first review the paleoenvironmental data of both regions and then use the Sanyangzhuang site, Henan, and the Chengziya and Jiaojia sites, Shandong, as examples of human activities and sedimentary histories. Comparisons between the paleoenvironmental and archaeological data reveal that the changes in human occupation at these sites did not occur synchronously with climatic and paleoenvironmental changes. On the one hand, human activities were influenced by extreme climate-related events such as floods. However, humans also show great resilience by returning to the same sites or continuing cultivation at the same sites. Changes in temperature and precipitation did not result in settlement abandonments. On the other hand, human activities ceased to exist in periods of land and climate stabilities. With their increasing capacity to modify landscapes through time, human decisions and activities become equally important as climate change.
Key Fiber Wireless Integrated Radio Access Technologies for 5G and Beyond

Fiber-wireless integrated radio access technologies are the pillars to enable game-changing network architectures to deliver extremely diverse and demanding services required by 5G standards. Key challenges in mobile fronthaul and research breakthroughs will be discussed.
Killing, Stress Responses and Mutagenesis Induced in E. Coli by Hydrogen Peroxide

To study DNA damage by oxyradicals and its repair, we have utilized H2O2 toxicity toward E. coli as a model system—the H2O2 because of the relative simplicity of its chemistry, and E. coli because of the accumulated knowledge of its genetics, molecular biology, and DNA enzymology. This report summarizes our most recent biological and chemical observations with this model system.
Spatio-temporal modeling and live-cell imaging of proteolysis in the 4D microenvironment of breast cancer

Cells grown in three dimensions (3D) within natural extracellular matrices or synthetic scaffolds more closely recapitulate the phenotype of those cells within tissues in regard to normal developmental and pathobiological processes. This includes degradation of the surrounding stroma as the cells migrate and invade through the matrices. As 3D cultures of tumor cells predict efficacy of, and resistance to, a wide variety of cancer therapies, we employed tissue-engineering approaches to establish 3D pathomimetic avatars of human breast cancer cells alone and in the context of both their cellular and pathochemical microenvironments. We have shown that we can localize and quantify key parameters of malignant progression by live-cell imaging of the 3D avatars over time (4D). One surrogate for changes in malignant progression is matrix degradation, which can be localized and quantified by our live-cell proteolysis assay. This assay is predictive of changes in spatio-temporal and dynamic interactions among the co-cultured cells and changes in viability, proliferation, and malignant phenotype. Furthermore, our live-cell proteolysis assay measures the effect of small-molecule inhibitors of proteases and kinases, neutralizing or blocking antibodies to cytokines and photodynamic therapy on malignant progression. We suggest that 3D/4D pathomimetic avatars in combination with our live-cell proteolysis assays will be a useful preclinical screening platform for cancer therapies. Our ultimate goal is to develop 3D/4D avatars from an individual patient's cancer in which we can screen "personalized medicine" therapies using changes in proteolytic activity to quantify therapeutic efficacy.
T-bet+ Memory B Cells Link to Local Cross-Reactive IgG upon Human Rhinovirus Infection.

Summary Human rhinoviruses cause the common cold and exacerbate chronic respiratory diseases. Although infection elicits neutralizing antibodies, these do not persist or cross-protect across multiple rhinovirus strains. To analyze rhinovirus-specific B cell responses in humans, we developed techniques using intact RV-A16 and RV-A39 for high-throughput high-dimensional single-cell analysis, with parallel assessment of antibody isotypes in an experimental infection model. Our approach identified T-bet+ B cells binding both viruses that account for ∼5% of CXCR5− memory B cells. These B cells infiltrate nasal tissue and expand in the blood after infection. Their rapid secretion of heterotypic immunoglobulin G (IgG) in vitro, but not IgA, matches the nasal antibody profile post-infection. By contrast, CXCR5+ memory B cells binding a single virus are clonally distinct, absent in nasal tissue, and secrete homotypic IgG and IgA, mirroring the systemic response. Temporal and spatial functions of dichotomous memory B cells might explain the ability to resolve infection while rendering the host susceptible to re-infection.
Design of a large-scale escape room for first-year pharmacy student orientation.

Abstract Background and purpose In this article, we developed and implemented an escape room activity for first-year pharmacy student orientation. The purpose of the activity was to engage students in socialization with their classmates, to familiarize students with the key personnel of the program, to acquaint students with co-curricular programming in the academic calendar, and to peruse key policies in the student handbook. Educational activity and setting An escape room was developed for first professional year student orientation in a large classroom setting. The escape room featured several gameplay elements, including a personnel bingo game, a computerized student calendar scavenger hunt, and group assessments designed to acquaint students with policies within the student handbook. One hundred nineteen students participated simultaneously in the orientation escape room activity in break-out groups to accomplish the objectives of the escape room as measured by embedded assessments. Findings All students successfully escaped the encounter. Students demonstrated proficiency in orientation learning objectives on group assessments. Students were queried about their attitudes towards the instructional design via a post-survey. The proof-of-concept for this work was evaluated via a log of estimated faculty time and monetary costs for implementation. Summary A student orientation escape room was successfully designed and implemented. Students were assessed to evaluate the retention of knowledge obtained during orientation. Despite not having previously met their classmates, survey responses indicated that students were positively inclined toward the educational activity. This is the first report of a co-curricular escape room developed for pharmacy student orientation.
Photon management strategies in SSM-DSCs: Realization of a >11% PCE device with a 2.3 V output

Abstract A sequential series multijunction dye-sensitized solar cell (SSM-DSC) designed to minimize optical and free energy losses to enable higher device performance is reported. Efficient photon management of solar spectrum irradiation was made possible by: controlling TiO2 film thickness in each subcell leading to balanced photocurrent, careful sensitizer selection based on absorption breadth and intensity for each subcell, and minimizing photon losses by application of an anti-reflective coating with an immersion oil between subcells. By using these strategies with a deep NIR absorbing sensitizer, an SSM-DSC device based on D35/B11/Black Dye demonstrated an overall power conversion efficiency of >11% with a photovoltage of 2.3 V from a single illuminated area device. The PCE of the SSM-DSC is significantly higher than any of the individual subcell in the mechanical stack. This approach has led to a higher performing device than the prior reported high efficiency SSM-DSC devices based on D35/B11/B11 or the all organic dye SSM-DSC based on D35/MK2/AP25 + D35.