cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of Vitronectin in the blood serum of prostate cancer and its role in prostate cancer with metastasis

OBJECTIVE:To detect the expression of Vitronectin(VTN)in the tissues and blood serum of prostate cancer,and evaluate its clinical significances and role in prostate cancer with metastasis.METHODS:Immunohistochemistry and Western blot method were used to detect VTN expression in 34prostate cancer patients with metastasis(PCaM), 32prostate cancer patients without metastasis(PCa)and 29benign prostatic hyperplasia patients(BPH)from Department of Urology,Tumor Hospital Affiliated Xinjiang Medical University from 2010-01-01to 2012-12-31.VTN experssion in different groups and the relation between the expression of VTN protein and clinicopathologic parameters in prostate cancer were analyzed.RESULTS:The positive expression rate of VTN in BPH,PCa and PcaM was 82.76%(24/29), 59.38%(19/32)and 32.35%(11/34),there was a significant difference in each group(χ 2=16.34,P0.001).VTN protein expression was significantly associated with serum PSA(P=0.004),tumor stage(P=0.025)and Gleason score(P=0.004)in prostate cancer.VTN was highly expressed in the blood serum of BPH patients(0.83±0.07)than that of PCa patients(0.65±0.06).VTN was also highly expressed in the blood serum of PCa patients than that of PCaM patients(0.35±0.08,P0.001).CONCLUSIONS:VTN may be related to the malignant transformation and metastatis of prostate cancer.Detecting the expression of VTN may be helpful in evaluating the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer.
Nonspecific magnetic resonance appearance of renal oncocytomas: report of 3 cases and review of the literature.

AbstractWe report the magnetic resonance appearance of 3 cases of solitary renal oncocytomas. All lesions were of low to moderate signal intensity on T1-weighted images and became considerably brighter on the more heavily T2-weighted images. One lesion contained a large central area of cystic degeneration, while the other 2 were solid. A central stellate scar was present in the smaller of the 2 solid lesions. Our observations lend further support to earlier reports on the nonspecific magnetic resonance features of oncocytomas.
LGBT: The Reality, the Fiction, and the Faction

Through the study of films such as Los dos lados de la cama (2005) by Martinez Lazaro, Historias del Kronen (1995) by Montxo Armendariz, Chuecatown (2007) by Juan Flahn, Tacones lejanos (1991) by Almodovar, Boca a boca (1997) by Gomez Pereira, and other films, the author examines how attitudes toward LBGT correspond to the current reality regarding lesbianism, homosexuality, bisexuality, and transgender issues in Spain today. In the case of lesbianism, there are certainly still homophobic attitudes in Spain. However, most of these attitudes are ridiculed by most Spaniards today. In the case of homosexuality, after Almodovar’s films of the 1980s, the theme of homosexuality appeared in a less flamboyant way that instead focused on the everyday concerns that homosexuals have in real society today.
Vigorous physical activity and risk of breast cancer in the African American breast cancer epidemiology and risk consortium.

The relationship between physical activity and breast cancer risk has been extensively studied among women of European descent, with most studies reporting inverse associations. However, data on American women of African ancestry (AA) and by tumor subtypes are sparse. Thus, we examined associations of vigorous exercise and breast cancer risk overall, and by estrogen receptor (ER) status, in the African American Breast Cancer Epidemiology and Risk Consortium. We pooled data from four large studies on 2482 ER+ cases, 1374 ER− cases, and 16,959 controls. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compute odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for the risk of breast cancer overall, and polytomous logistic regression was used to model the risk of ER+ and ER− cancer. Recent vigorous exercise was associated with a statistically significant, modestly decreased risk for breast cancer overall (OR 0.88, 95 % CI 0.81–0.96) and for ER+ cancer (OR 0.88, 95 % CI 0.80–0.98), but not for ER− cancer (OR 0.93, 95 % CI 0.82–1.06). Overall, there was no strong evidence of effect modification by age, menopausal status, body mass index, and parity. However, our data were suggestive of modification by family history, such that an inverse association was present among women without a family history but not among those with a relative affected by breast cancer. Results from this large pooled analysis provide evidence that vigorous physical activity is associated with a modestly reduced risk of breast cancer in AA women, specifically ER+ cancer.
Systemic Allergic Reaction to Red Tattoo Ink Requiring Excision.

Sir:We present a case of a systemic allergic red tattoo reaction that required excision and skin grafting after failure of other therapies.Tattoos are associated with an increased risk of infection, eczema, psoriasis, hyperplasia, granulomatous reactions, and neoplasm, with red ink as the most commo
Participatory Modeling and Structured Decision Making

Structured decision making (SDM) provides a framework for making sound decisions even when faced with uncertainty, and is a transparent, defensible, and replicable method used to understand complex problems. A hallmark of SDM is the explicit incorporation of values and science, which often includes participation from multiple stakeholders, helping to garner trust and ultimately result in a decision that is more likely to be implemented. The core steps in the SDM process are used to structure thinking about natural resources management choices, and include: (1) properly defining the problem and the decision context, (2) determining the objectives that help describe the aspirations of the decision maker, (3) devising management actions or alternatives that can achieve those objectives, (4) evaluating the outcomes or consequences of each alternative on each of the objectives, (5) evaluating trade-offs, and (6) implementing the decision. Participatory modeling for SDM includes engaging stakeholders in some or all of the steps of the SDM process listed above. In addition, participatory modeling often is crucial for creating qualitative and quantitative models of how the system works, providing data for these models, and eliciting expert opinion when data are unavailable. In these ways, SDM provides a framework for decision making in natural resources management that includes participation from stakeholder groups throughout the process, including the modeling phase.
Glucose Self-monitoring in Non–Insulin-Treated Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care Settings: A Randomized Trial

Importance The value of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) levels in patients with non–insulin-treated type 2 diabetes has been debated. Objective To compare 3 approaches of SMBG for effects on hemoglobin A 1c levels and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among people with non–insulin-treated type 2 diabetes in primary care practice. Design, Setting, and Participants The Monitor Trial study was a pragmatic, open-label randomized trial conducted in 15 primary care practices in central North Carolina. Participants were randomized between January 2014 and July 2015. Eligible patients with type 2 non–insulin-treated diabetes were: older than 30 years, established with a primary care physician at a participating practice, had glycemic control (hemoglobin A 1c ) levels higher than 6.5% but lower than 9.5% within the 6 months preceding screening, as obtained from the electronic medical record, and willing to comply with the results of random assignment into a study group. Of the 1032 assessed for eligibility, 450 were randomized. Interventions No SMBG, once-daily SMBG, and once-daily SMBG with enhanced patient feedback including automatic tailored messages delivered via the meter. Main Outcomes and Measures Coprimary outcomes included hemoglobin A 1c levels and HRQOL at 52 weeks. Results A total of 450 patients were randomized and 418 (92.9%) completed the final visit. There were no significant differences in hemoglobin A 1c levels across all 3 groups ( P = .74; estimated adjusted mean hemoglobin A 1c difference, SMBG with messaging vs no SMBG, −0.09%; 95% CI, −0.31% to 0.14%; SMBG vs no SMBG, −0.05%; 95% CI, −0.27% to 0.17%). There were also no significant differences found in HRQOL. There were no notable differences in key adverse events including hypoglycemia frequency, health care utilization, or insulin initiation. Conclusions and Relevance In patients with non–insulin-treated type 2 diabetes, we observed no clinically or statistically significant differences at 1 year in glycemic control or HRQOL between patients who performed SMBG compared with those who did not perform SMBG. The addition of this type of tailored feedback provided through messaging via a meter did not provide any advantage in glycemic control. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT02033499
Optimal zero-queue congestion control using ADMM

We propose an alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) based solution to a network utility maximization (NUM) problem, and show that it leads to a protocol for congestion control that converges rapidly to utility maximizing transmission rates while guaranteeing zero congestion throughout the network. Our approach hinges on a novel decomposition of the NUM problem that leads to easily solvable iterate update subproblems - we provide closed form solutions for these subproblems for proportional fairness and minimum delay fairness utility functions. We further show that this decomposition lends itself to a distributed implementation that naturally allows for the generation of a set of feasible transmission rates at each iteration of the algorithm, thus ensuring that queues remain empty throughout the network. We formalize these notions in the form of a congestion control protocol, and comment on their usefulness and implementation in the context of recent developments in software defined networking. Finally we compare the performance of our approach to state-of-the-art algorithms from the networking and optimization communities via a datacenter network simulation.
Latina young adults' use of health care during initial months in the United States.

ABSTRACTWe examined social ecological predictors of health care utilization among Latina young adults during their initial year after immigration to the United States. Participants were 530 Latinas (ages 18–23) who immigrated to Miami-Dade County, Florida, 11.5 months before assessment. We used multiple logistic regression to test predictors of health care usage. Approximately 36% utilized care. Dimensions of marianismo differentially associated with usage. Usage also was more likely for participants who reported more social network attachment, better health, greater neighborhood cohesion, and possessed a job and health insurance. Findings inform interventions to increase health care usage globally among women after immigration.
Respiratory Rate Threshold Accurately Estimates the Second Lactate Threshold.

Purpose The modified Dmax method can accurately determine the second lactate threshold (LT2), which is valuable for predicting aerobic performance and prescribing exercise. The purpose of this study is to determine if the modified Dmax method can accurately find thresholds in VE (VT2), VCO2 (VCO2T), RER (RERT), and RR (RRT) to estimate LT2. Methods Forty-one participants (females n=23, males n=18) completed an incremental exercise test to determine LT2, VT2, VCO2T, RERT, RRT, and blood lactate=4 mmol/L (La4). Results VT2 and RRT were strongly correlated with VO2 and HR at LT2, with very small bias and limits of agreement, indicating that VT2 and RRT provide accurate estimates of LT2 (VO2 at VT2-LT2 mean difference=0.37±1.91 ml/kg/min, p=0.95; HR at VT2-LT2 mean difference=0.25±2.58 bpm, p=0.99; VO2 at RRT-LT2 mean difference 0.26±2.11 ml/kg/min, p=0.99; HR at RRT-LT mean difference 0.44±3.31 bpm, p=0.99). VCO2T, RERT, and La4 were either accurate for VO2 or HR estimates of LT2, but not both. Conclusions VT2 and RRT provide accurate estimates of LT2 using the modified Dmax method. There is the potential to use RRT in developing field tests to estimate LT2 in practical settings.
The Government Relinquishes Control

In many Western countries from the 1980s onwards, government-owned enterprises were corporatised in preparation for sale into private hands, sold directly or otherwise off-loaded as governments distanced themselves from direct involvement in industry. In Australia, the debate centred on the future of the Australian Government Clothing Factory and, indeed, the future of other government defence industries. Several committees reviewed the role of the Clothing Factory and the Department of Defence was heard to express the fear that the production of military clothing could end up outside Australia. The Utz Committee was split on the issue, with Senators Button and Siddons opposing the sale of the Clothing Factory. By the end of the 1980s, the government had slipped the Factory quietly into the corporate arsenal of Australian Defence Industries, which had been set up to prepare several defence industries for sale. This act sealed the financial fate and public ownership of the Clothing Factory and its operations were moved from Coburg to Bendigo in country Victoria. In 1995 the Factory was sold and became known as Australian Defence Apparel (ADA). It was the end of an era.
A Survey on Smart Wearables in the Application of Fitness

Fitness is a measure of human being's healthy status. With more and more come out of poverty today, people pursue fit lives through various ways such as reasonable nutrition, regular exercise and sufficient sleep. Fitness is improving through smart wearables more and more popularly with the prevalence of Internet of Things and smart phones. There are various smart wearables such smart glasses, smart wristbands, smart watches, smart gloves, smart clothes, smart hats and smart shoes, etc. Typically, these smart wearables form a personal area network (PAN) based on Bluetooth around a smart phone. In this survey, we studied the underlying technologies for smart wearables from hardware such as sensors, actuators and microcontrollers to software such as operating systems, apps and cloud, etc. that are available in the consumer market. At the end, we look into the future directions such as implantable biosensors and challenges such as privacy and security of smart wearables for fitness.
Mortality from influenza among the Ukrainian population in 2015–2016 epidemic season

Грипп и острые респираторные вирусные инфекции (ОРВИ) являются одной из наиболее актуальных медицинских и социально-экономических проблем страны. Это обусловлено значительной распространенностью заболеваний, высоким риском смертности и возникновением тяжелых осложнений. Авторами проведен статистический анализ заболеваемости и смертности от гриппа и ОРВИ в эпидемическом сезоне 2015–2016 гг., предоставлена этиологическая расшифровка летальных случаев, определены уязвимые группы населения (по возрасту, полу или наличию факторов риска), оценен вакцинальный статус умерших. Обоснованы вопросы вакцинопрофилактики как наиболее эффективного средства предотвращения тяжелого течения болезни, осложнений и смерти от гриппа.
Fluorescence Imaging of Cell–Biomaterial Interactions

Biomaterials are widely used as cell-interactive substrates in both diagnostic and therapeutic areas of regenerative medicine. Advances in cell biology, materials science, microscopy, and biomedical modeling have converged to spawn new methods for characterizing cell–biomaterial interactions. This chapter focuses on the biorelevant characterization of cell–biomaterial behaviors using fluorescent imaging-based approaches. Traditional and modern fluorescent imaging methods used to characterize cell–biomaterial interactions are introduced in the first part of the chapter. In the second part, case studies demonstrate how distinct aspects of cellular responses to biomaterials can be discerned at various temporal and spatial scales via fluorescent imaging approaches. Of particular interest are cell imaging modalities that extract or predict functional information from cells or organisms, which cannot be readily obtained in real time using traditional biochemical, molecular, or genetic methodologies.
The Relation Between the Ophthalmic Arterial Pressure and the Intraocular Pressure/Pulse Amplitude Relation

major proportion of the blood flow to the brain. The circle of Willis connects to the carotid arterial vessels on each side of the body and includes connections of the internal carotid arteries to the anterior cerebral arteries and to the basilar artery, and is a pathway for maintaining flow to both eyes and to both hemispheres and thereby minimizes asymmetry of flow and pressure. The vascular network supplying blood flow to the brain is without doubt the most important of the body. The adult human brain weighs about 1,400 g and receives approximately 750 ml min −1 of arterial blood, compared with the approximately 2 ml min −1 that flows to the two eyes. The oxygen uptake of the brain is approximately 42 ml min −1 , i.e., approximately 20% of that available for the whole body at rest. The internal carotid and vertebral arteries forming the basilar artery unite in the circle of Willis at the base of the brain and supply the entire blood supply to the brain in man. The circle of Willis gives rise to six cerebral arteries for distribution to the cortex, subcortex, and upper stem, while the basilar artery directly supplies the occipital lobes, the cerebellum, pons, and the medulla. The limitation of the cervical arteries in supplying the needs of the brain is underlined by the fact that total occlusion of one internal carotid artery may reduce the blood supply to the corresponding hemisphere so severely that it causes the neurological deficit of stroke. The ability of the brain to compensate for relative ischemia brought about by changes in composition of the blood or from decreased blood flow is due to a very efficient autoregulation involving both chemical and localized perfusion parameters. The chemical factors include the carbon dioxide and oxygen tensions in the blood and the interstitial fluids. The cerebral precapillary smooth muscles are highly sensitive to stretch and to local shifts in their immediate 28
Giant basal cell carcinoma: Report of two cases and review of the literature

Only 10% of all basal cell carcinomas are located on the trunk. Giant basal cell carcinomas are rare and are preferentially located on the trunk. We report two giant basal cell carcinomas of the trunk, one of which was fatal. Our review also includes a summary of previously reported cases of giant basal cell carcinoma. An analysis of these cases discloses an interesting feature of large basal cell carcinoma: Once giant basal cell carcinomas reach a critical mass, they demonstrate extremely aggressive behavior.
Optic nerve as a source of activated retinal microglia post-injury

Using mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) from a transgenic CD11c promoter we found that a controlled optic nerve crush (ONC) injury attracted GFPhi retinal myeloid cells to the dying retinal ganglion cells and their axons. However, the origin of these retinal myeloid cells was uncertain. In this study we use transgenic mice in conjunction with ONC, partial and full optic nerve transection (ONT), and parabiosis to determine the origin of injury induced retinal myeloid cells. Analysis of parabiotic mice and fate mapping showed that responding retinal myeloid cells were not derived from circulating macrophages and that GFPhi myeloid cells could be derived from GFPlo microglia. Comparison of optic nerve to retina following an ONC showed a much greater concentration of GFPhi cells and GFPlo microglia in the optic nerve. Optic nerve injury also induced Ki67+ cells in the optic nerve but not in the retina. Comparison of the retinal myeloid cell response after full versus partial ONT revealed fewer GFPhi cells and GFPlo microglia in the retina following a full ONT despite it being a more severe injury, suggesting that full transection of the optic nerve can block the migration of responding myeloid cells to the retina. Our results suggest that the optic nerve can be a reservoir for activated microglia and other retinal myeloid cells in the retina following optic nerve injury.
Indoor Soil Deposition Chamber: Evaluating Effectiveness of Antisoiling Coatings

An indoor soil deposition method has been developed to simulate natural soil deposition on glass coupons or one-cell and multicell photovoltaic (PV) modules. This method uses variable ambient humidity, coupon/module temperature, and dust composition within a single custom-made chamber to create a natural and uniform soil deposition layer. Antisoiling (AS) coatings from two different manufacturers were applied on two one-cell monocrystalline silicon modules. Three layers of Arizona road dust have been deposited on the one-cell modules with AS coatings and an uncoated one-cell reference module at varied humidity levels. The soiled modules were exposed to an open-circuit subsonic wind tunnel at varying speeds and the effectiveness of AS coatings have been quantified using the transmittance gain. Transmittance loss resulting from the AS coating has been measured and compared with the transmittance of the uncoated reference module using a reflectance spectrophotometer. Reflectance measurements have also been taken to compare the transmittance loss of Arizona road dust and soil collected from PV modules’ superstrates. The soiled one-cell modules were then exposed to rain from a rain simulator. The transmittance gain due to rain exposure is quantified using a rain gain and rain coefficient. These tests cumulatively may be used to help develop a test standard for evaluating the effectiveness of AS coatings.
Practical limits of power transmission through single-mode chalcogenide fibers

Beam confinement or “no free-space optics” via fiber transmission can achieve improved reliability, lower cost, and reduced component count for active sensing systems. For midinfrared delivery, mechanically robust chalcogenide (arsenic sulfide) single-mode fibers are of interest. A 12-μm core diameter fiber is shown to transport >10 W at 2053 nm, and a 25-μm core diameter fiber enables single-mode beam transport from a 4550-nm quantum cascade laser. As midinfrared sources continue to increase their output power capabilities, chalcogenide fibers will eventually be limited in their power-handling capacity due to optical nonlinearities or thermal failure. These limitations are discussed and analyzed in the context of single-mode chalcogenide fibers in order to provide a framework for power transmission limitations in various operating regimes.
Protection Design Considerations of a 10 kV SiC MOSFET Enabled Mobile Utilities Support Equipment Based Solid State Transformer (MUSE-SST)

Solid state transformers (SSTs) are evolved as an emerging technology which offer several key features in integrating different grids, storage devices, and renewable energy sources, etc. In this paper, a 10 kV SiC MOSFET enabled Mobile Utility Support Equipment based SST (MUSE-SST) is presented for integrating a medium voltage (MV) AC grid (4.16 kV L-L, 60 Hz) and a low voltage (LV) AC grid (480 V L-L, 60 Hz). The MUSE-SST consist of three power conversion stages: MV side active front end converter (AFEC: MV), dual active bridge (DAB), and LV side active front end converter (AFEC: LV). In order to protect MUSE-SST from various abnormal operating conditions, different protection schemes are discussed. Dedicated gate drivers incorporating device short-circuit protection are implemented for both the MV and the LV SiC MOSFETs. It is observed that the MV short circuit faults are found to be severe and resulting in very high inrush currents from the MV grid which can lead to the impairment of entire SST system. A bi-directional switch in parallel with a high impedance resistor (BSPHR) circuit based protection scheme is presented to limit the grid currents during MV dc-link short circuit conditions. The BSPHR scheme and efficacy of gate drivers are validated through simulations and experimental results, respectively. The avalanche ruggedness of 10kV, SiC MOSFETs is established experimentally using a single shot unclamped inductive switching (UIS) test and the critical avalanche energy for the MOSFET failure is obtained.
Ten-year retrospective analysis of Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates reveals a proportionately large, non-nosocomial, multidrug-resistant endemic reservoir

Abstract Background Acinetobacter baumannii (Ab) is a global health threat notorious for causing hospital-acquired (HA) infections, though many Ab infections are community-acquired (CA). Investigations describing contemporaneous, clinically-relevant CA and HA Ab populations, are lacking. Methods We conducted a retrospective ecological analysis of 2042 Ab clinical isolates identified from 2007 to 2017 in the BJC HealthCare System (BJC), a multi-hospital system located in and around the greater metropolitan area in St. Louis, Missouri. We described basic clinical characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility rates of CA and HA Ab isolates in comparative and longitudinal analyses. Results 62.1% of all Ab isolates were CA, i.e., isolated in ambulatory settings or Conclusions MDR Ab reservoirs associated with SST/MSK and urinary niches persist outside of hospital environments in a large U.S. healthcare system, even after the implementation of effective hospital infection control measures. Summary We compared hospital-acquired and community-acquired Acinetobacter baumannii in a large U.S. healthcare system through a ten-year retrospective ecological analysis. Community-acquired isolates composed over 60% of total A. baumannii isolates, were primarily from non-respiratory sources and exhibited carbapenem resistance rates of 35-40%.
Three‐factor prothrombin complex concentrates for refractory bleeding after cardiovascular surgery within an algorithmic approach to haemostasis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Prothrombin complex concentrates (PCC) are increasingly administered off-label in the United States to treat bleeding in cardiovascular surgical patients and carry the potential risk for acquired thromboembolic side-effects after surgery. Therefore, we hypothesized that the use of low-dose 3-factor (3F) PCC (20-30 IU/kg), as part of a transfusion algorithm, reduces bleeding without increasing postoperative thrombotic/thromboembolic complications. MATERIALS/METHODS After IRB approval, we retrospectively analysed 114 consecutive, complex cardiovascular surgical patients (age > 18 years), between February 2014 and June 2015, that received low-dose 3F-PCC (Profilnine® ), of which seven patients met established exclusion criteria. PCC was dosed according to an institutional perioperative algorithm. Allogeneic transfusions were recorded before and after PCC administration (n = 107). The incidence of postoperative thromboembolic events was determined within 30 days of surgery, and Factor II levels were measured in a subset of patients (n = 20) as a quality control measure to avoid excessive PCC dosing. RESULTS Total allogeneic blood product transfusion reached a mean of 12·4 ± 9·9 units before PCC and 5·0 ± 6·3 units after PCC administration (P < 0·001). The mean PCC dose was 15·8 ± 7·1 IU/kg. Four patients (3·8%) each experienced an ischaemic stroke on postoperative day 1, 2, 4 and 27. Seven patients (6·5%) had acquired venous thromboembolic disease within 10 days of surgery. Median factor II level after transfusion algorithm adherence and PCC administration was 87%. CONCLUSIONS 3F-PCC use for refractory bleeding after cardiovascular surgery resulted in reduced transfusion of allogeneic blood and blood products. Adherence to this algorithmic approach was associated with an acceptable incidence of postoperative thrombotic/thromboembolic complications.
NDE Based Cost-Effective Detection of Obtrusive and Coincident Defects in Pipelines Under Uncertainties

Pipeline infrastructure systems in service are aging and continue to deteriorate with the passage of time. For public safety, it is extremely important to accurately detect harmful defects in these pipelines and replace the corresponding pipe sectors before they lead to leakages. However, due to regular usages, the inner pipe surfaces can be rather non-smooth and inundated with several scratches and tiny cavities. Their minor defects within the pipeline do-not need immediate repair. As such, it will be very expensive if pipe sections just containing minor defects are replaced. In this paper, we have developed a novel method for accurate identification of large cavities and potentially harmful obtrusive defects using magnetic flux leakage (MFL) based nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technique. A substantial challenge in our set-up is the detection of possible harmful defects in the presence of several minor and tiny cavities. This translates into defect recognition under extremely noisy conditions as the MFL's intensity-based signals is heavily influenced by the presence of multiple minor defects and cavities. Based on MFL data from a wide range of feasible scenarios, we develop a robust detection algorithm that is sensitive in the detection of harmful large defects and is simultaneously also cost effective by not classifying most of the harmless cavities as harmful defects. Our detection analysis is based on nearest neighbor-based divergence measure in Wavelet transformed domain of the flux signals. We study the performance of our procedure across different regimes and obtain encouraging results.
Do plant secondary compounds induce epigenetic changes that confer resistance or susceptibility to toxicosis in animals

Epigenetics is the study of inherited changes in phenotype, or gene expression, caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence. While cellular alterations such as DNA methylation may remain for multiple generations, the underlying DNA sequence of the organism does not change. Rather, non-genetic factors cause the organism’s genes to be expressed differently. In essence, the epigenome is a layer of biological reactions that controls whether or not genes will be expressed. For example, rodents given dietary supplements show epigenetic changes that affect expression of genes which alter their fur colour, weight, and propensity to develop cancer. In human medicine, epigenetic alterations are clearly implicated in the development of cancer, cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. In this paper we will review possible epigenetic changes, and their interactions with in utero and early life experiences. We also discuss how epigenetic alterations may interact with animals’ consumption of plant secondary compounds by altering critical physiological defense mechanisms in the liver and other tissues.
The Pedestrian Patterns Dataset.

We present the pedestrian patterns dataset for autonomous driving. The dataset was collected by repeatedly traversing the same three routes for one week starting at different specific timeslots. The purpose of the dataset is to capture the patterns of social and pedestrian behavior along the traversed routes at different times and to eventually use this information to make predictions about the risk associated with autonomously traveling along different routes. This dataset contains the Full HD videos and GPS data for each traversal. Fast R-CNN pedestrian detection method is applied to the captured videos to count the number of pedestrians at each video frame in order to assess the density of pedestrians along a route. By providing this large-scale dataset to researchers, we hope to accelerate autonomous driving research not only to estimate the risk, both to the public and to the autonomous vehicle but also accelerate research on long-term vision-based localization of mobile robots and autonomous vehicles of the future.
Interplay of electrostatic repulsion and surface grafting density on surface-mediated DNA hybridization

Abstract Single-molecule Forster Resonance Energy Transfer was used to observe the adsorption of fluorescently-labeled “target” DNA oligonucleotides and their association and hybridization with complementary DNA “probes” tethered to the surface as a function of surface grafting density. Ionic strength was varied systematically to disentangle the potentially competing effects of probe accessibility and electrostatic repulsion. At high ionic strength, when the Debye length was ~1 nm, the adsorption of target DNA was not significantly inhibited by the presence of tethered probe DNA, even at high grafting density, and the fraction of adsorbed target strands undergoing hybridization increased systematically with grafting density, leading to a dramatic increase in the net hybridization rate at high grafting density. However, at lower ionic strength, when the Debye length was ≥3 nm, the adsorption rate of target DNA decreased and the fraction of adsorbed target strands undergoing hybridization saturated at high probe grafting density (≥7,000 strands/µm2), presumably due to electrostatic repulsion. As a result, the net rate of hybridization exhibited a maximum as a function of grafting density. This has important consequences for the design of systems that optimize surface-mediated DNA hybridization under low-salt high-stringency conditions.
Tau Reduction Prevents Key Features of Autism in Mouse Models

Autism is characterized by repetitive behaviors, impaired social interactions, and communication deficits. It is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder, and available treatments offer little benefit. Here, we show that genetically reducing the protein tau prevents behavioral signs of autism in two mouse models simulating distinct causes of this condition. Similar to a proportion of people with autism, both models have epilepsy, abnormally enlarged brains, and overactivation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt (protein kinase B)/ mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. All of these abnormalities were prevented or markedly diminished by partial or complete genetic removal of tau. We identify disinhibition of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), a negative PI3K regulator that tau controls, as a plausible mechanism and demonstrate that tau interacts with PTEN via tau's proline-rich domain. Our findings suggest an enabling role of tau in the pathogenesis of autism and identify tau reduction as a potential therapeutic strategy for some of the disorders that cause this condition.
Uncertainty-Aware Three-Phase Optimal Power Flow Based on Data-Driven Convexification

This letter presents a novel optimization framework of formulating the three-phase optimal power flow that involves uncertainty. The proposed uncertainty-aware optimization (UaO) framework is: 1) a deterministic framework that is less complex than the existing optimization frameworks involving uncertainty, and 2) convex such that it admits polynomial-time algorithms and mature distributed optimization methods. To construct this UaO framework, a methodology of learning-aided uncertainty-aware modeling, with prediction errors of stochastic variables as the measurement of uncertainty, and a theory of data-driven convexification are proposed. Theoretically, the UaO framework is applicable for modeling general optimization problems under uncertainty.
Screening of yeast display libraries of enzymatically-cyclized peptides to discover macrocyclic peptide ligands

We present the construction and screening of yeast display libraries of cyclic peptides wherein site-selective enzymatic cyclization of linear peptides is achieved using bacterial transglu-taminase. To this end, we developed two alternative routes, namely (i) yeast display of linear peptides followed by treatment with recombinant transglutaminase in solution; or (ii) intracellular co-expression of linear peptides and transglutaminase to achieve cyclization in the endoplasmic reticulum prior to yeast surface display. The cyclization yield was evaluated via orthogonal detection of epitope tags integrated in the yeast-displayed peptides by flow cytometry, and via comparative cleavage of cyclic vs. linear peptides by tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease. Subsequently, yeast display libraries of transglutaminase-cyclized peptides were screened to isolate binders to the N-terminal region of the Yes-Associated Protein (YAP) and its WW domains using magnetic selection and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS). The identified cyclic peptide cyclo[E-LYLAYPAH-K] featured a KD of 1.67 {micro}M for YAP and 0.84 {micro}M for WW as well as high binding selectivity against albumin and lysozyme. These results demonstrate the usefulness of yeast surface display for screening transglutaminase-cyclized peptide libraries, and efficient identification of cyclic peptide ligands.
Walking Under the Influence : Association of Time of the Day With the Incidence and Outcomes of Intoxicated Pedestrians Struck by Vehicles.

AimPedestrian fatalities commonly involve alcohol. We sought to characterize alcohol intoxication among pedestrians struck by vehicles and examine correlations between admission time and injury sev...
Disparities in Access to Opioid Treatment Programs and Office-Based Buprenorphine Treatment Across the Rural-Urban and Area Deprivation Continua: A US Nationwide Small Area Analysis.

Abstract Objectives To measure access to opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and office-based buprenorphine treatment (OBBTs) at the smallest geographic unit for which the Census Bureau publishes demographic and socioeconomic data (ie, block group) and to explore disparities in access to treatment across the rural-urban and area deprivation continua across the United States. Methods Access to OTPs and OBBTs at the block group in 2019 was quantified using an innovative 2-step floating catchment area technique that accounts for the supply of treatment facilities relative to the population size, proximity of facilities relative to the location of population in block groups, and time as a barrier within catchments. Block groups were stratified into tertiles based on the rural-urban continuum codes (metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, or rural) and area deprivation index (least-deprived, middle-deprived, most-deprived). The Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation approach was used for statistical analysis. Results Across the United States, 3329 block groups corresponding to 2 915 949 adults lacked access to OTPs within a 2-hour drive of their community and 130 block groups corresponding to 86 605 adults did not have access to OBBTs. Disparities in access to treatment were observed across the urban-rural and area deprivation continua including (1) lowest mean access score to OBBTs were found among most-deprived small towns, and (2) lower mean access score to OTPs were found among micropolitan and small towns. Conclusions The results of this study revealed disparities in access to medication-assisted treatment. The findings call for creative initiatives and local and regional policies to develop to mitigate access problems.
Profiling the initial burst of beneficial genetic diversity in clonal cell populations to anticipate evolution

Clonal populations of cells continuously evolve new genetic diversity, but it takes a significant amount of time for the progeny of a single cell with a new beneficial mutation to outstrip both its ancestor and competitors to fully dominate a population. If these driver mutations can be discovered earlier - while they are still extremely rare - and profiled in large numbers, it may be possible to anticipate the future evolution of similar cell populations. For example, one could diagnose the likely course of incipient diseases, such as cancer and bacterial infections, and better judge which treatments will be effective, by tracking rare drug-resistant variants. To test this approach, we replayed the first 500 generations of a >70,000-generation Escherichia coli experiment and examined the trajectories of new mutations in eight genes known to be under positive selection in this environment in six populations. By employing a deep sequencing procedure using unique molecular identifiers and target enrichment we were able to track 301 beneficial mutations at frequencies as low as 0.01% and infer the fitness effects of 240 of these. Distinct molecular signatures of selection on protein structure and function were evident for the three genes in which beneficial mutations were most common (nadR, pykF, and topA). We detected mutations hundreds of generations before they became dominant and tracked beneficial alleles in genes that were not mutated in the long-term experiment until thousands of generations had passed. This type of targeted adaptome sequencing approach could function as an early warning system to inform interventions that aim to prevent undesirable evolution.
Tranexamic Acid in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background:Hemarthrosis after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction procedures can delay rehabilitation and have toxic effects on the cartilage and synovium. Tranexamic acid is widely use...
Application of Flow and Biocatalytic Transaminase Technology for the Synthesis of a 1-Oxa-8-azaspiro[4.5]decan-3-amine

Spirocyclic ring systems are useful intermediates in the design and synthesis of medicinally active agents and commonly found as cores in natural products. Recently, syntheses of a key intermediate...
Combater as alterações climáticas na medicina geral e familiar em Portugal

O impacto das alteracoes climaticas ja se faz sentir na saude dos nossos doentes e esta emergencia de saude publica pode vir a por em causa a estabilidade do nosso sistema de saude. As mudancas no clima afetam praticamente todos os orgaos e sistemas, contribuindo para o aumento da incidencia e prevalencia de diversas patologias. Como medicos de familia podemos assumir um papel ativo na mitigacao e adaptacao as consequencias das alteracoes climaticas na saude dos nossos doentes, no nosso sistema de saude e na saude do nosso planeta atraves da alteracao dos nossos habitos nas unidades de saude, da promocao de mudancas de comportamentos e da consciencializacao da comunidade em geral para este problema. Somos provavelmente a ultima geracao a poder travar as alteracoes climaticas e, por isso, temos o dever de agir.
Mixed messages: The relationship between sexual and religious imagery in rock, country, and Christian videos

Music videos from three types of music networks—rock (MTV), country (TNN), and contemporary Christian (Z music)—were content analyzed to determine patterns of occurrence and co‐occurrence of sexual and religious imagery. In general, results indicate that sexual imagery was more common than religious imagery for the total sample of 207 videos, although religious imagery was present in approximately 30% of the videos. In addition, the presence of sexual and religious images in combination occurred more often than would be expected by chance and in relatively equal proportions across the three network formats. Finally, comparisons of proportions across genre indicate that country music videos are relatively more likely to have sexual imagery than rock or contemporary Christian videos.
Rule Out (R/O) Vasculitis

When imaging patients for vasculitis, the goals are: (1) to determine if there is evidence of acute or subacute cerebral injury and (2) to assess the contour of the major intracranial arteries. An additional but still experimental goal is (3) to determine if there are areas of altered perfusion that suggest active small vessel disease. Standard MR images and diffusion-weighted imaging are used to detect and determine the age of parenchymal lesions. The 3-D TOF MRA helps evaluate the large and medium vessels. Perfusion-weighted imaging may detect regions of altered relative blood flow and blood volume. This unit contains a basic protocol for the evaluation of stable patients as well as an alternative protocol for unstable patients.
Exafs studies of mixed salt CoBr2LiBr—PEO complexes

Abstract X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Co K edge was used to study the Co coordination in CoBr2 (PEO)16) and [0.45 CoBr2 + 0.55 LiBr](PEO)16 at 25 °C. In CoBr2 (PEO)16 the salt consists of mostly undissociated CoBr2 coordinated with six oxygens from the PEO. The respective CoBr and CoO bond lengths are 2.36 A and 2.49 A. In [0.45 CoBr2 + 0.55 LiBr](PEO)16 the Co is coordinated with three Br atoms with a bond distance of 2.40 A and between two and three O atoms with a bond distance of 2.27 A. On the addition of LiBr the Co coordination changes from a mixture of octahedral and tetrahedral species to exclusively tetrahedral coordination. The anomalous conductivity behaviour of the mixed salt CoBr 2 LiBr —(PEO) complex is related to the formation of CoBr−3 complexes and a reduction in crosslinking of the PEO by the CoBr2.
Eosinophil-Derived Neurotoxin (EDN/RNase 2) and the Mouse Eosinophil-Associated RNases (mEars): Expanding Roles in Promoting Host Defense

The eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN/RNase2) and its divergent orthologs, the mouse eosinophil-associated RNases (mEars), are prominent secretory proteins of eosinophilic leukocytes and are all members of the larger family of RNase A-type ribonucleases. While EDN has broad antiviral activity, targeting RNA viruses via mechanisms that may require enzymatic activity, more recent studies have elucidated how these RNases may generate host defense via roles in promoting leukocyte activation, maturation, and chemotaxis. This review provides an update on recent discoveries, and highlights the versatility of this family in promoting innate immunity.
Predictors of castration‐resistant prostate cancer after dose‐escalated external beam radiotherapy

BACKGROUND Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a near uniformly fatal form of prostate cancer; however, information on time to development and predictors for progression to CRPC is limited. We report a detailed longitudinal study for development of CRPC in men initially treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). METHODS During 1991–2008, 2,478 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer were treated with dose-escalated EBRT at a single institution. The primary objective was to determine predictors of CRPC among men who failed definitive EBRT and progressed to salvage androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT). CRPC was defined as castrate levels of testosterone (<50 ng/dl) with progressive biochemical or radiographic disease. RESULTS For the entire cohort (n = 2,478), the 10-year cumulative incidence rate for developing CRPC was 9.9%. For those that progressed to salvage ADT (n = 362), the 7-year cumulative incidence rates for developing CRPC from time of salvage ADT was 33.7%. Amongst this cohort, multivariable analysis demonstrated that PSA doubling-time (continuous; hazard ratio [HR], 0.98 [0.97–0.99], P < 0.001), higher Gleason score (HR, 1.96 [1.12–3.43]; P = 0.034), and duration of ADT at time of EBRT (continuous; HR, 1.02 [1.01–1.03]; P = 0.007) were associated with development of CRPC. CONCLUSIONS This represents the first report of predictors of CRPC for patients treated with modern dose-escalated EBRT. We demonstrate that among the minority of patients not initially cured after EBRT, those treated with longer-course ADT have higher rates of resistance to the re-introduction of ADT. Future trials will need to test this subgroup with more aggressive or alternative forms of salvage therapies. Prostate 75:175–182, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.