cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient-Derived Xenograft Models for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Demonstrate Retention of Tumor Morphology through Incorporation of Murine Stromal Elements

Direct implantation of viable surgical specimens provides a representative preclinical platform in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Patient-derived xenografts consistently demonstrate retained tumor morphology and genetic stability. However, the evolution of the tumor microenvironment over time remains poorly characterized in these models. This work specifically addresses the recruitment and incorporation of murine stromal elements into expanding patient-derived pancreatic adenocarcinoma xenografts, establishing the integration of murine cells into networks of invading cancer cells. In addition, we provide methods and observations in the establishment and maintenance of a patient-derived pancreatic adenocarcinoma xenograft model. A total of 25 histologically confirmed pancreatic adenocarcinoma specimens were implanted subcutaneously into nonobese diabetic severe combined immunodeficiency mice. Patient demographics, staging, pathological analysis, and outcomes were analyzed. After successful engraftment of tumors, histological and immunofluorescence analyses were performed on explanted tumors. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma specimens were successfully engrafted in 15 (60%) of 25 attempts. Successful engraftment does not appear to correlate with clinicopathologic factors or patient survival. Tumor morphology is conserved through multiple passages, and tumors retain metastatic potential. Interestingly, despite morphological similarity between passages, human stromal elements do not appear to expand with invading cancer cells. Rather, desmoplastic murine stroma dominates the xenograft microenvironment after the initial implantation. Recruitment of stromal elements in this manner to support and maintain tumor growth represents a novel avenue for investigation into tumor-stromal interactions.
Abstract B66: Resistance to bortezomib in myeloma cell lines is mediated by increased IGF‐1/Akt signaling to activate Cot kinase and NF‐κB

Background: Targeting the proteasome as an anti‐cancer therapy was first realized with bortezomib, now one of the standards used in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. Despite this advance, response rates have been as low as 23%, indicating the importance of innate or acquired resistance to bortezomib. Methods: To improve our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for bortezomib resistance, we developed cell line models of interleukin (IL)‐6‐dependent (ANBL‐6 and KAS‐6/1) and ‐independent (RPMI 8226 and OPM‐2) bortezomib‐resistant (BR) myeloma by continuously exposing drug‐naive cells to increasing bortezomib concentrations. All of the lines where characterized by gene expression profiling to identify potential mechanisms of resistance. Results: Cell lines resistant to bortezomib retained their viability in the presence of 50 nM or more of bortezomib with degrees of resistance up to 4.3. Gene expression profiling revealed up‐regulation of insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐1 transcripts (5.2‐fold), Akt (3.2‐fold), and cancer Osaka thyroid (Cot) kinase (2.3‐fold). Consistent with our profiling data, BR clones had increased soluble IGF‐1 levels, increased IGF‐1 protein, and phospho‐IGF‐1R activation. Next we examined the effect of overexpression of Cot on BR clones. Cot functions to regulate nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB)‐dependent transcription in response to Akt by promoting post‐translational processing of inactive NF‐κB p105 to active p50. Basel levels of nuclear activated p50 were increased up to 4.7‐fold in BR clones. Activated NF‐κB dimers were also found to be significantly increased in ANBL‐6.BR and 8226.BR cells as evidenced by phosphorylation of p65 (RelB). Our examination into Cot expression in drug‐naive and BR cells showed a large increase of Cot protein and phospho‐Cot (Thr290) activation in 8226.BR cells that was enhanced with 24‐hour bortezomib treatment. A transcriptional target of NF‐κB is Bcl‐2 was also found to be increased in profiling studies (5.5‐fold) and correlates with increased expression in BR cell lines tested. Treatment with 10 nM bortezomib for 6 hours led to a decreased in Bcl‐2 protein both drug‐naive and drug‐resistant cells. A decrease in Bcl‐2 protein was also observed in ANBL‐6.BR, RPMI 8226.BR, and OPM‐2.BR cells in response to 24‐hour treatment with picropodophyllin, a pharmacologic inhibitor of IGF‐1R activation, consistent with the hypothesis that the IGF‐1/Akt signaling axis in important in Bcl‐2 protein expression in bortezomib‐resistant clones. Conclusions: Our data support the hypothesis that increased signaling through the IGF‐1/Akt axis and enhanced expression of Cot kinase is another mechanism that mediates stable bortezomib resistance in vitro through the activation of NF‐κB and its downstream transcriptional targets, including Bcl‐2. Citation Information: Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(12 Suppl):B66.
A Parallel Algorithm for Digital Post Compensation in Optical Fiber Communications

Using the electrical engineering notation, we re-derive a formulation for a recently proposed parallel algorithm for the simulation of pulse propagation through a single mode optical fiber. The meaning of the change of variables in the original derivation has been explained, the performance of the re-derived parallel algorithm is probed when used in digital post compensation of the dispersive and nonlinear fiber channel, for cases with and without DCF respectively. It is found that this computation performance is superior to that of the symmetrized SSF method with adaptive step-size selection rule which leads to consistent local accuracy in terms of shortening the processing delay or saving the required processing memory.
Writing for Scientific Publication: Tips for Getting Started

Pediatricians in training and clinical practice may be eager to submit their first scientific publication by writing a letter to the editor, case report, review article, or short clinical series. Unfortunately, the would-be author encounters a literary developmental delay when facing the blank page or computer screen. This article is dedicated to the novice author and offers practical tips on writing the first manuscript. Authors are encouraged to draw from their extensive experience writing other materials and to approach the task in a systematic way. Computer technology and software developments should facilitate the process.
Performance analysis of a maximum-likelihood speckle motion estimator.

Presented herein is a performance analysis of a maximum likelihood estimator for calculating small speckle motions. Such estimators are important in a variety of speckle techniques used in non-destructive evaluation. The analysis characterizes the performance (bias and RMS deviation) of the estimator as a function of the signal-to-noise ratio. This SNR parameter is a convenient surrogate for decorrelation of sequential speckle patterns such as are seen in biological tissues. Although the particular estimator is predicated on speckle motions that are a small fraction of a pixel, accurate performance is demonstrated for instantaneous motions of up to ±0.8 pixel/record. Beyond this point, more conventional approaches have been shown to perform well.
Modern communication: exploring physiological transmission through tech-savvy analogies

analogies are often helpful for students to grasp key physiological concepts; sometimes the technical jargon makes the concept seem more complex than it actually is. Here, we provide several analogies for information transfer processes that sometimes confuse students. For an analogy to be useful, of
Treatment of major depression in adolescents: weighing the evidence of risk and benefit in light of black box warnings.

TOPIC: This article is a review of the risks and benefits associated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in light of recent advisory guidelines issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency of the United Kingdom. This article also makes recommendations for integrating SSRIs into a treatment plan for adolescents with major depressive disorder. PURPOSE: This study aims to provide an overview of the evidence in the literature to inform clinicians who are concerned by reports linking SSRI use with increased incidence of suicidal ideation in adolescents with major depressive disorder. SOURCES: Salient literature from 2004 to 2006, as well as case study based on the author's clinical experience. CONCLUSIONS: Practitioners need to be aware of cautionary guidelines issued by the U.S. and U.K. authorities; however, this awareness does not preclude continued use of SSRIs. There are risks and benefits associated with SSRIs, but they remain an effective tool for use in the treatment of adolescents with depressive symptomatology. SSRI use should be part of a comprehensive treatment plan, which includes patient and family education regarding side effects of these drugs.
Learning-based control of preception for mobility

To overcome the lack of flexibility and inadequacy in performance speed of perception systems for use in real-time tasks, the authors have applied integrated learning techniques to a perception system that is based on a selective sensing paradigm. The incorporation of multiple learning algorithms at different levels provides a great deal of flexibility and robustness when different perceptual task are performed. Using a selective sensing paradigm allows the system to eliminate a large amount of nonpertinent sensory data so that processing speed is greatly increased. Such a perception system is being implemented on an autonomous mobile agent. The methodology and a preliminary example of learning within the perception system are presented. >
Preparation of supported metallic nanoparticles using supercritical fluids: A review

Abstract Supercritical fluids (SCFs) have been used to deposit thin metal films onto a wide range of surfaces and incorporate metallic particles into different inorganic and organic substrates for microelectronic, optical and catalytic applications. The technique involves the dissolution of a metallic precursor in a SCF and the exposure of a substrate to the solution. After incorporation of the precursor with the substrate, the metallic precursor is reduced to its metal form by a wide variety of methods resulting in films or particles. The reduction methods employed are chemical reduction in the SCF with a reducing agent, such as hydrogen and alcohols, thermal reduction in the SCF and thermal decomposition in an inert atmosphere or chemical conversion with hydrogen or air. Both highly dispersed and uniformly distributed metal crystallites (
Correlation between Radiation Sensitivity and Body Weight

The main aim of the paper is to establish a correlation between body weight of different species and their mean lethal dose (LD50). Analysis of LD50 with body weight of different species following whole body irradiation yields a good correlation. Results indicate that as the body weight increases, LD50 decreases, which follows the relation LD50 = k1 loge(W) + C1, where k1 and C1 are constants, respectively.
Organization of the murine immunoglobulin VH complex in the inbred strains.

Abstract Deletion mapping analyses have been employed to order the heavy chain variable region (VH) gene families in three inbred murine strains. These nine VH gene families have been positioned with respect to the J558 and 3660 VH families in A/J (Ighe) as follows: 3609-J558-(J606,VGAM3-8,S107)-3660-(X24,Q52,7183 )-DH. Maps generated with respect to J558 in the BALB/c (Igha) and C57BL/6 (Ighb) strains are consistent with these results. The organization of the VH complex produced by deletion mapping is quite different from the accepted map generated by other methods, particularly in that J558 is more DH distal and 3660 is more DH proximal than previously thought. The order presented here is compatible with VH rearrangement frequencies suggesting preferential utilization of DH-proximal VH gene segments. Our data also indicate that interspersion of some VH family members may be a common feature of the murine VH complex since the 3609 VH family is interdigitated in the three strains and a Q52 VH gene segment is interspersed in C57BL/6.
Supporting Social and Emotional Skills After a Disaster: Findings from a Mixed Methods Study

Disasters can affect a youth’s physical and emotional well-being. They disrupt everyday life by displacing individuals and families, destroying homes, and splintering communities (Gewirtz et al. in J Marital Fam Ther 34(2):177–192, 2008; La Greca and Silverman in Child Dev Perspect 3(1):4–10, 2009). School-based interventions are one approach to mitigate emotional distress in youth who have experienced a disaster, as schools are one of the most common venues for youth to receive mental health services (Greenberg et al. in Am Psychol 58:466–474, 2003). This paper explores the impact of a school-based psychosocial curriculum entitled Journey of Hope (JoH). This eight-session intervention attempts to reduce the impact of a disaster by enhancing protective factors such as social support, coping, and psycho-education. The evaluation study was conducted in the 2014–2015 school year after an EF5 tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma. As a result of the tornado, 24 people were killed, 377 injured, and two schools were destroyed (National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, 2014). This mixed methods study employed quantitative and qualitative measures to examine the impact of the JoH intervention. Quantitative measures examined coping, general self-efficacy, prosocial behaviors, and overall distress. Qualitative data were obtained through interviews with N = 16 students after participation in the JoH. Semi-structured interview guides were used to determine what children learned, liked, and felt was beneficial from taking part in the JoH. A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to assess the differences between the experimental and control group at baseline and posttest. Results indicated a significant increase in positive coping skills including communication and tension management and prosocial behaviors from baseline to posttest for the Journey of Hope group. No significant differences were found on self-efficacy or overall distress. Content analysis was conducted to determine qualitative results. Themes that emerged from the qualitative interviews suggested participation in the Journey of Hope enhanced peer relationships and helped participants identify how to manage emotions such as anger, anxiety, and grief. Findings from this evaluation study suggest that participation in a broadly accessible psycho-educational program may help children cope with traumatic events such as a natural disaster. Further research should be conducted to assess whether the Journey of Hope is transferrable across disaster contexts.
How Risky Are Sustainable Real Estate Projects? An Evaluation of LEED and ENERGY STAR Development Options

Recent empirical evidence on rent and occupancy premiums associated with sustainable buildings is used to evaluate risks and returns associated with green real estate development projects. Green bu...
Detecting Drivers' Mirror-Checking Actions and Its Application to Maneuver and Secondary Task Recognition

This study explores the feasibility of detecting drivers' mirror-checking actions using noninvasive sensors. Checking the mirrors is an important primary driving action that allows drivers to maintain their situational awareness, particularly when they are planning to turn or change lanes. Recognizing when drivers are checking the mirrors can facilitate the detection of hazard scenarios by considering contextual information (e.g., turning without checking mirrors, lack of mirror-checking actions signaling cognitive distractions, or distinction between gazes due to primary or secondary tasks). This study analyzes drivers' mirror-checking actions under various real driving conditions. We analyze the drivers' mirror-checking actions under normal conditions, as well as when the drivers are engaged in secondary tasks such as tuning the radio or operating a cell phone. We also compare mirror-checking behaviors observed during different maneuver actions: driving straight, turning, and switching lanes. This study reveals statistically significant differences in mirror-checking actions among most of the comparisons. The results suggest that mirror-checking actions can be useful indicators in recognizing drivers engaged in secondary tasks, as well as in detecting driving maneuvers. We propose to detect mirror-checking actions using features extracted from multiple noninvasive sensors (CAN-Bus and cameras facing the driver and the road). We consider three machine learning algorithms for unbalanced data sets, achieving an F-score of 91%. The recognized mirror-checking actions are used as additional features to improve the performance of secondary task detection and maneuver recognition. These promising results suggest that it is possible to detect mirror-checking actions, providing contextual information to improve new driver monitoring systems.
Manipulating energy landscapes to tune ordering in biotemplated nanoparticle arrays.

Two-dimensional non-close-packed crystals of the protein streptavidin, grown on phospholipid membranes, can serve as nanoscale templates capable of directing the formation of ordered nanoparticle arrays through site-specific electrostatic adsorption. Here we examine the effects of both interparticle and nanoparticle/lipid membrane electrostatic interactions on the degree of structural order exhibited by the templated nanoparticle array. Interparticle electrostatic repulsion is shown to have only marginal influence on nanoparticle ordering. In contrast, the degree of order exhibited by the templated array can be tuned by controlling the charge on the lipid membrane. Analysis of the local and global structure of arrays generated with negatively charged gold nanoparticles (∼6 nm) indicate improved long-range order when the lipid membrane supporting the protein crystal is derived from cationic lipid molecules as opposed to zwitterionic phospholipids. Furthermore, as nanoparticle size is reduced (∼3 nm), the p...
Synkinese der augen- und kopfbewegungen bei hirnstammreizungen am wachen macacus-affen

The synkinesis of head and eye movements evoked by electrical stimulation of the tectum and tegmentum in the alert monkey is described. In positions where both head and eye movements can be evoked, the two are almost always parallel in direction and they are superimposed on rather than substituted for each other. The direction of movement depends on the stimulated position: tilt and turn reactions are distributed according to laterality, direction of vertical movements depends more on the stimulus parameter than the electrode position. Head movements release vestibulo-ocular reflexes, which are superimposed on the electrically evoked eye movements.
Retention of College Students and Freshman-Year Music Ensemble Participation.

This study investigates the effects of music ensemble participation during the freshman fall semester on the ongoing retention of college students. Retention of college students is a concern across the nation. The research question for the study was, “Is there a correlation between participation in music ensembles during college students' freshman fall semester and the retention of students for the sophomore, junior, senior, and (where applicable) fifth years?” The study compares the retention of students who enrolled in such ensembles at a midwestern university over a 4-year subsequent period with that of students who did not enroll. Data from Fall 2005 through Fall 2011 were collected and examined. Each freshman in each cohort (class) was assigned to one of two groups: those who enrolled in a music ensemble their first semester and those who did not. Enrollment data for each group for the following 4 years were analyzed to determine the incidence of retention for the sophomore, junior, senior, and fifth...
Unifying a Family of Extrema Problems

(1997). Unifying a Family of Extrema Problems. The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 28, No. 5, pp. 388-391.
The epidemiology of U.S. firearm injuries.

aG X*~'~WO articles in this journal (i-z) analyze grassroots _ efforts to promote policies aimed at reducing firearm violence in the United States. Wallack and collaborators conducted more than forty interviews with key participants in the May i 5, 2000 Million Mom March '9 (MMM), an event they claim attracted more grassroots participation and media attention than any previous gun control event in U.S. history. The core message of the MMM was the need to protect children from harm. As one participant explained: "We had one common goal. It was for the children." The highly publicized cluster of school shootings in the late I990S played an important role in helping garner support. A disappointment of MMM was the low level of participation by people of color. Frattaroli conducted interviews with eighteen gun violence prevention advocates who operate out of six states and the District of Columbia. She concludes that grassroots advocacy in the gun violence prevention movement is a recent development, evolving in five years "from virtually non-existent to commonplace and influential in some states and localities." While much grassroots activity is directed toward the firearm, most grassroots discussions about gun violence focus on urban youth (minority) violence. Frattaroli also notes a problem with the lack of ethnic diversity among the advocates-the gun violence prevention movement is largely a white, middle class movement.
Global LNG Pricing Terms and Revisions: An Empirical Analysis

Asian long-term contracts for liqueed natural gas (LNG) are generally thought to index LNG prices to oil prices. This should mean that LNG and oil prices are cointegrated. However, statistical evidence for cointegration using Japanese data is not strong. To resolve this puzzle, I examine 16 Japanese, South Korean, Taiwanese, and Spanish LNG import price series and allow for multiple, unknown structural breaks in the relationship to oil prices. This resolves the puzzle, and I provide estimates for the timing of breaks and the underlying average pricing terms. I relate these to count, volume, and duration data on long-term contracts and discuss how to interpret econometric estimates in light of contract data. This paper complements existing work on global gas market integration, which largely ignores how discrete changes in oil-indexed long-term contracts will aect empirical relationships.
Changes in Water-Extractable Organic Carbon with Cover Crop Planting under Continuous Corn Silage Production

Long-term row crop agricultural production has dramatically reduced the pool of soil organic carbon. The implementation of cover crops in Midwestern agroecosystems is primarily to reduce losses of nitrogenous fertilizers, but has also been shown to restore soil carbon stocks over time. If labile carbon within agricultural soils could be increased, it could improve soil health, and if mobilized into subsurface drainage, it may positively impact watershed biogeochemistry. We tested for potential differences in water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC) at two different soil profiles (0–5 cm and 5–20 cm) between plots planted with cereal rye/daikon radish (cover crop), corn, and zero control (no vegetation) within the Illinois State University Research and Teaching Farm. We also tested for potential differences in denitrification within the upper soil profile throughout the growing year. We modeled excitation–emission matrices from soil cores through parallel factor analysis. We found no difference in WEOC concentrations between each crop treatment (P = 0.2850), but concentrations of WEOC were significantly lower in the 5–20 cm profile than that in the upper (0–5 cm) profile (P = 0.0033). There was a significant increase in WEOC after each treatment in samples after cover crop termination. The parallel factor analysis model found humic and fulvic acids to be the dominant fractions of WEOC in all soils tested. Humic and fulvic acids accounted for ~70% and 30% of model variation. Denitrification rates did not differ across treatments (P = 0.3520), which is likely attributed to soil WEOC being in limiting quantities and in primarily recalcitrant fractions. After three years, cover crops do not appear to alter soil WEOC quantity and type. Restoring the availability of carbon within agricultural soils will not be a short-term fix, and fields will likely be a net carbon sink, contributing minimal labile carbon to receiving waterways.
Methods of screening for and diagnosing of gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is associated with increased perinatal morbidity and, if the condition goes undetected, possibly perinatal mortality. Current approaches to case findings include screening all pregnant women at 24 to 28 weeks' gestation with a 50-g, 1-hour glucose challenge test. Those with glucose values exceeding 140 mg/dL undergo a 100-g, 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test. Lower thresholds on the challenge test or on the full glucose tolerance test may improve case findings.
The effects of personal and environmental factors on health behavior of older adults

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of personal factors, self-esteem and functional health and environmental factors, social support and resource availability, on health behaviors of older adults. The interaction effects of personal and environmental factors on health behavior were also examined. Self-reported survey data were collected from a sample of 120 subjects. Results of multiple regression analysis indicated that the combination of personal and environmental factors explained 13% of the variance in health behaviors for the older adult sample population. Resource availability and functional health made significant independent contributions to the explanation. Adding variables to represent the interaction of social support and functional health and the interaction of social support and self-esteem significantly increased the explained variance in health behavior (to 24%) for older residents of resource-poor environments.
Complexities of X chromosome inactivation status in female human induced pluripotent stem cells—a brief review and scientific update for autism research

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) allow researchers to make customized patient-derived cell lines by reprogramming noninvasively retrieved somatic cells. These cell lines have the potential to faithfully represent an individual’s genetic background; therefore, in the absence of available human brain tissue from a living patient, these models have a significant advantage relative to other models of neurodevelopmental disease. When using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to model X-linked developmental disorders or inherited conditions that undergo sex-specific modulation of penetrance (e.g., autism spectrum disorders), there are significant complexities in the course and status of X chromosome inactivation (XCI) that are crucial to consider in establishing the validity of cellular models. There are major gaps and inconsistencies in the existing literature regarding XCI status during the derivation and maintenance of hiPSCs and their differentiation into neurons. Here, we briefly describe the importance of the problem, review the findings and inconsistencies of the existing literature, delineate options for specifying XCI status in clonal populations, and develop recommendations for future studies.
Effect of Aureococcus anophagefferens biomass on its inactivation by hydrogen peroxide: culture study and empirical modeling

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been shown effective in selectively removing brown tide algal bloom caused by the pelagophyte Aureococcus anophagefferens. This paper uses culture studies and a modeling approach to examine the inactivation of A. anophagefferens by H2O2. Specifically, the effects of the initial cell density of A. anophagefferens on the decomposition of the externally added H2O2 and the inactivation of the alga were evaluated. In the presence of A. anophagefferens at an initial cell density of 0.04–1.5 × 106 cells mL−1, 70–98 % of the externally added 1.6 mg L−1 H2O2 was decomposed within 24 h, and the rate of H2O2 decomposition increased with increasing cell density. When the initial cell density (B 0) was 0.09–1.5 × 106 cells mL−1, the initial H2O2 addition (C 0) was 0.8–1.6 mg L−1, and the contact time (t) was less than 24 h, the inactivation of A. anophagefferens followed an empirical model: ln(IVF t / IVF0) = −0.014ln(B 0)C 0 0.583 t 1.006, where IVF t / IVF0 is the inactivation efficiency and is the ratio of the alga's in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence at time t and time zero. This model predicts a narrow range of H2O2 dosage of 0.9−2.1 mg L−1, which is capable of effectively inactivating A. anophagefferens of category 3 bloom density (0.2–1.5 × 106 cells mL−1) within 8–24 h. Overall, the empirical model provides an initial description of the inactivation of A. anophagefferens by H2O2 as a function of cell density, dosage, and time.
Rutgers Equine Science Center Industry Needs Assessment Survey 2016

Abstract The Rutgers Equine Science Center is a designated Center of Excellence at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. The center's mission is to promote, “Better horse care through research and education.” As part of the land-grant university system, the center is obligated to provide outreach programs to serve the equine-related community. To do so, it is best to understand the needs of those constituents. The center maintains a database of equine professionals and enthusiasts for distribution of educational and promotional material. In January 2016, a survey was conducted via email to determine the most pressing needs of the equine-related community. The survey revealed a diverse industry with 46% of respondents classifying themselves as recreational riders. Most participants (78%) were interested in horse health and nutrition (57%) information. Owners relied predominantly on veterinarians (89%), printed materials (83%), and horse-related websites (78%) for care and business information. Responders also ranked highly the five programmatic focus areas of the center, including horse health, land use, integrity of equestrian sport, environmental stewardship, and development of future leaders. The center collected comments about how it can be even more useful to the equine-related community, which will help in planning future events, research, and programming.
A Discussion of Some of the Problems Encountered in Communicating Risk Assessments to Decision Makers

Three general areas where problems occur in the attempt to communicate risk assessment information to decisionmakers are examined and discussed. These areas include the language used, the use of uncertainty and probability concepts and the complex nature of risk assessments. Possible resolutions discussed relating to these problems include the use of positive words, more clarity and education.
Step it up! Using the good behavior game to increase physical activity with elementary school students at recess

We evaluated the effects of a modified version of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) on the number of steps taken by students during school recess. We divided a class into two teams, and awarded the team with the highest step counts at the end of each game raffle tickets for a school-wide lottery. The GBG was compared to recess periods without the game using an alternating-treatments design. Students took more steps while playing the GBG than they did during recess periods without the game.
Right ventricular outflow tract reintervention after primary tetralogy of Fallot repair in neonates and young infants

Abstract Objective To assess the outcomes following primary tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair in neonates and young infants with pulmonary stenosis (PS) and pulmonary atresia and compare differences in reintervention on the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) among those undergoing valve sparing repair (VSR), transannular RVOT patch (TAP), and right ventricle–to–pulmonary artery (RV-PA) conduit surgeries. Methods Data were collected retrospectively in 101 patients who underwent TOF repair over a 10-year period between January 2005 and September 2015. The primary endpoint was reintervention on the RVOT, defined as a surgical procedure or cardiac catheterization–based RVOT reintervention. Results Forty-three patients had TOF/PS, of whom 24 (56%) underwent TAP and 19 (44%) underwent VSR. Fifty-eight patients had TOF/PA, 14 (24%) underwent TAP and 44 (76%) underwent RV-PA conduit repair. Overall patient mortality was 2.9% (3 of 101). Thirty-three patients underwent surgical reintervention, and 52 underwent catheterization-based reintervention. Patients with TOF/PA who underwent RV-PA conduit repair had a higher surgical reintervention rate than those who underwent TAP (45% vs 21%). Patients with TOF/PSs undergoing VSR with a lower median birth weight (2.5 kg vs 3.7 kg) required more surgical reintervention. Conclusions Neonatal TOF repair can be performed with low mortality but frequent RVOT reinterventions. Surgical reintervention is earlier and the rate is higher among patients with TOF/PA undergoing RV-PA conduit repair compared with those undergoing TAP. Although there were no overall differences in RVOT reintervention rate between patients with TOF/PS undergoing VSR and those undergoing TAP, a lower birth weight in the patients undergoing VSR is associated with a higher surgical reintervention rate.
American hybrid: Donald Trump and the strange merger of populism and plutocracy

Any effort to situate Trump's ascendance in the broader currents of cross-national developments, or in the longer course of American political development, must begin by recognizing it as a curious hybrid of populism and plutocracy. Although American right-wing populism has real social roots, it has long been nurtured by powerful elites seeking to undercut support for modern structures of economic regulation and the welfare state. American political institutions offered a distinctive opportunity for a populist figure to draw on this fury to first capture the nomination of the GOP, and from that position to ascend to the White House. Yet the administration's substantive agenda constitutes a full-throated endorsement of the GOP economic elite's long-standing demands for cuts in social spending, tax reductions for the wealthy, and the gutting of consumer, worker and environmental protections. The chasm between Trump's rhetoric and his actions justifies a more skeptical assessment of the breadth and depth of American populism, one that acknowledges how its contours are shaped by the nation's unusual political institutions, its intensifying political polarization and the out-sized influence of the wealthy.
Submaximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing for the evaluation of unexplained dyspnea

Objectives Gas exchange measurements obtained during submaximal exercise have been shown to provide prognostic and diagnostic information in patients with heart failure (HF) and to differentiate heart versus lung limitations in patients with unexplained dyspnea. The aim of our study was to assess the clinical utility of submaximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing using the Shape-HF equipment in identifying the cause of unexplained dyspnea. Methods A total of 65 patients underwent Shape-HF tests from September 2010 to June 2011 for unexplained dyspnea at our center. Results Of 65 patients, 39 were men and 26 were women. In this study, 23 patients had preexisting asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); 19 patients had a pacemaker (8), an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (2), or a cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) (9). The study revealed that submaximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing provided supportive clinical data for deconditioning, pulmonary limitations (eg, COPD, interstitial lung disease, sleep apnea), pulmonary hypertension, and chronotropic incompetence in 21.5%, 23.1%, 13.8%, and 6.2% of patients, respectively. Pulmonary hypertension was confirmed in 55% of patients by echocardiography and lung problems were confirmed in 40% of patients by pulmonary function test and sleep study. Of nine patients with an implanted CRT-D, optimization of atrioventricular and interventricular programming was performed in seven (78%) using gas exchange monitoring while performing a steady state, low-level treadmill walk. Conclusions Submaximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing has strongly suggested the diagnosis of COPD, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, and deconditioning and has led to appropriate testing. Based on prior studies, we also used Shape-HF for its approved purpose of optimizing CRT-D programming in patients with HF, leading to clinical improvement.
The META-CASETOX System

The operation and purpose of the META-CASETOX suite of computer programs is presented. CASETOX evaluates the toxic potential of organic molecules while META, outfitted with a biodegradation module evaluates the nature of the biodegradation products of organic molecules subjected to aerobic biodegradation. Together, they offer the ability to assess the toxic hazard posed by the disposal of organic molecules in the environment.
Transport of Trace Elements to Man by Atmospheric Aerosol

Pollutants undergo complicated exchanges between the air, land and water media, following multiple pathways to a receptor (Figure 1). In considering the transport of material through the media, special attention is warranted for those pathways leading to man. One of the pathways which has received insufficient attention is via atmospheric aerosol. Bowen (1979) stated that, “They constitute a neglected, but sometimes important, source of elements for organisms and must be considered in any quantitative studiees of elemental cycling.” Some of the trace elements transported by aerosol are toxic; anthropogenic sources are contributing an important and increasing fraction of these elements (Nriagu and Pacyna, 1988).
On Modeling of Collisions in Direct Numerical Simulation of High-Speed Multiphase Flows

High-speed particle-particle collisions are central to collective behavior, including pattern formation, in particulate clouds under dispersive forces. The new computational framework introduced in this paper allows singular interaction forces be incorporated in the continuum fluid dynamics. We demonstrate that a proper representation of dissipation is of paramount importance to the prediction of cloud global dynamics.
A Multi-Institutional Experience of MR-Guided Liver Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy.

Abstract Purpose Daily magnetic resonance (MR)–guided radiation has the potential to improve stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for tumors of the liver. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) introduces unique variables that are untested clinically: electron return effect, MRI geometric distortion, MRI to radiation therapy isocenter uncertainty, multileaf collimator position error, and uncertainties with voxel size and tracking. All could lead to increased toxicity and/or local recurrences with SBRT. In this multi-institutional study, we hypothesized that direct visualization provided by MR guidance could allow the use of small treatment volumes to spare normal tissues while maintaining clinical outcomes despite the aforementioned uncertainties in MR-guided treatment. Methods and materials Patients with primary liver tumors or metastatic lesions treated with MR-guided liver SBRT were reviewed at 3 institutions. Toxicity was assessed using National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Version 4. Freedom from local progression (FFLP) and overall survival were analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method and χ2 test. Results The study population consisted of 26 patients: 6 hepatocellular carcinomas, 2 cholangiocarcinomas, and 18 metastatic liver lesions (44% colorectal metastasis). The median follow-up was 21.2 months. The median dose delivered was 50 Gy at 10 Gy/fraction. No grade 4 or greater gastrointestinal toxicities were observed after treatment. The 1-year and 2-year overall survival in this cohort is 69% and 60%, respectively. At the median follow-up, FFLP for this cohort was 80.4%. FFLP for patients with hepatocellular carcinomas, colorectal metastasis, and all other lesions were 100%, 75%, and 83%, respectively. Conclusions This study describes the first clinical outcomes of MR-guided liver SBRT. Treatment was well tolerated by patients with excellent local control. This study lays the foundation for future dose escalation and adaptive treatment for liver-based primary malignancies and/or metastatic disease.
Neuromonitoring in Thyroid Surgery

Over the years, the thyroid surgery has evolved into a sophisticated operation with attention to reduce morbidity related to thyroid surgery. Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury is the most feared complication of thyroid surgery and it directly impacts patient’s postoperative voice outcome. We recognize that a structurally intact nerve does not essentially equate a functional nerve. While visualization of the RLN during surgery remains the gold standard and sound anatomical knowledge and experience are important tools, intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) is now emerging as a valuable adjunct in preventing RLN injury during surgery of the thyroid and parathyroid glands. This chapter presents an overview of IONM with the standards of RLN monitoring techniques, and its applications particularly, in surgical decision-making during thyroid surgery as well as recent advances in the technique.
Moore, Brentano, and Scanlon: a defense of indefinability

Mooreans claim that intrinsic goodness is a conceptual primitive. Fitting-attitude theorists object: they say that goodness should be defined in terms of what it is fitting for us to value. The Moorean view is often considered a relic; the fitting-attitude view is increasingly popular. I think this unfortunate. Though the fitting-attitude analysis is powerful, the Moorean view is still attractive. I dedicate myself to the influential arguments marshaled against Moore’s program, including those advanced by Scanlon, Stratton-Lake and Hooker, and Jacobson; I argue that they do not succeed.
Early life maternal sociality predicts juvenile sociality in blue monkeys

Maternal effects are widespread in living organisms though little is known about whether they shape individual affiliative social behavior in primates. Further, it remains a question whether maternal effects on affiliative behavior differ by offspring sex, as they do in other physiological systems, especially in species with high levels of adult sexual dimorphism and divergence in social niches. We explored how direct and indirect experiences of maternal affiliative behavior during infancy predicted affiliative behavior approximately 1-6 years later during the juvenile period, using behavioral data from 41 wild blue monkey juveniles and their 29 mothers, and controlling for individual age, sex, and maternal rank. Female juveniles spent less time grooming with any partner and with peers the more maternal grooming they received during infancy, whereas males groomed more with any partner and with peers. Similarly, the more that mothers groomed with other adult females during subjects' infancy, female subjects played less with peers, and male subjects played more as juveniles. Further, this maternal effect on social behavior appears specific to early life, as the same aspects of mothers' sociality measured throughout subjects' development did not predict juvenile behavior. Overall, our results suggest that both direct and indirect experience of mother's affiliative behavior during infancy influence an individual's affiliation later in life that sexes respond differently to the maternal affiliation, and that the first year of life is a critical window.
The 2016 Unexpected Mid-State Louisiana Flood: With Special Focus on the Different Rescue and Recovery Responses It Engendered

The unexpected flooding that covered southern Louisiana in August 2016 was the worst disaster in the USA since Hurricane Sandy of 2012 and the worst in Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina. The unprecedented amount of rain in just 4 days damaged or destroyed more than 90,000 homes including 28,000 rental units and led to the rescue of more than 28,000 people. This flood was quickly forgotten by national media, but it foreshadowed the flooding from Hurricane Harvey a mere year later. As the climate impacts worsen, a majority of the USA is expected to witness similar large rainfalls that result in “surprising” and extreme flooding. Louisiana’s efforts in rescue and rental housing recovery during 2016 became adaptations that other areas have used or will need to use in the near future. This chapter reviews the 2016 flood event and the growth of two innovations in flood response and recovery: the rise of civilian water rescue organizations and rental housing recovery programs. Both topics have been mostly overlooked by scholars and practitioners. Emergent behavior has a long scholarly history, but few studies address water-based rescue groups. Rental housing, similarly, is often ignored by government and nonprofit recovery programs even as renter populations continue to increase. More flood damage has and will likely occur outside of historic floodplains across the USA given the atmospheric dynamics – thus, we need more analyses of flood and rescue needs along with social vulnerability, especially housing tenure, and hazard mitigation planning in areas that may face these similar impacts.
The impact of wildfires and beneficial electrification on electricity rates in PG&E’s service territory

Abstract Building and transport electrification, an essential strategy to California’s carbon reduction goals, requires affordable electricity for customer adoption. We estimate the costs borne by the electric sector for its involvement in the 2017 and 2018 wildfires in Northern California to be significant and cause residential electric rates in PG&E territory to increase from 23 cents/kWh (2018) to 42 cents/kWh (2030). This rate increase could be limited to 35 cents/kWh through proactive transportation and building electrification.
Effect of Duration and Onset of Clinical Signs on Short-Term Outcome of Dogs with Hansen Type I Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disc Extrusion.

Objective The aim of this study was to determine if either the rate of onset of clinical signs or duration from initial clinical signs to surgical decompression affected the overall quality or duration of recovery in dogs with intervertebral disc extrusion. Study Design This was a retrospective case series of 131 client owned dogs. Medical records of dogs surgically treated with hemilaminectomy for intervertebral disc extrusion between January 2016 and December 2017 were reviewed for signalment, neurological grade at presentation, rate of onset and duration of clinical signs and surgical variables. These variables were analysed to determine their effect on return of pain sensation, urinary continence and ambulation. Results Duration of clinical signs prior to surgery and rate of onset of signs did not correlate with return of pain sensation, urinary continence or ambulation. Preoperative neurological grade was the main variable that was found to be associated with outcome. Conclusions Delay from initial clinical signs of intervertebral disc extrusion to surgery is unlikely to affect the ultimate outcome or the length of time for a dog to regain pain sensation, urinary continence or ambulation. The rate of onset of signs likewise does not influence these outcomes.
Abstract WMP119: Short Term Use of Direct Oral Anticoagulants is Not Associated With Decreased Bleeding in High Risk Patients Following Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure

Introduction: Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure is well established as an alternative to anticoagulation therapy for stroke prophylaxis among patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation...