cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A musculoskeletal model of the knee for evaluating ligament forces during isometric contractions

A model of the knee in the sagittal plane was developed to study the forces in the ligaments induced by isometric contractions of the extensor and flexor muscles. The geometry of the distal femur was obtained from cadaver data. The tibial plateau and patellar facet were modeled as flat surfaces. Eleven elastic elements were used to describe the mechanical behavior of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments (ACL and PCL), the medial and lateral collateral ligaments (MCL and LCL), and the posterior capsule. The model knee was actuated by 11 musculotendinous units, each muscle represented by a Hill-type contractile element, a series-elastic element, and a parallel-elastic element. Tendon was assumed to be elastic. The response of the model to anterior-posterior drawer suggests that the geometrical and mechanical properties of the model ligaments approximate the behavior of real ligaments in the intact knee. Calculations for a simulated quadriceps leg raise indicate further that the two-dimensional model reproduces the response of the three-dimensional knee under similar conditions of loading and constraint. During maximum isometric contractions of the quadriceps, the model ACL is loaded from full extension to 80 degrees C of flexion; the model PCL is loaded at 70 degrees of flexion and greater. For maximum isometric extension, ACL forces in the range 0-20 degrees of flexion depend most heavily upon the force-length properties of the quadriceps. At flexion angles greater than 20 degrees, cruciate ligament forces are determined by the geometry of the articulating surfaces of the bones. During isolated contractions of the hamstrings and gastrocnemius muscles, the model ACL is loaded from full extension to 10 degrees of flexion; the model PCL is loaded at all flexion angles greater than 10 degrees. Isolated contractions of the flexor muscles cannot unload the ACL near full extension, as the behavior of the ACL in this region is governed by the shapes of the bones. At 10 degrees of flexion or greater, the overall pattern of PCL force is explained by the force length properties of the hamstrings and by the geometrical arrangement of the flexor muscles about the knee.
Adverse drug effects, compliance, and initial doses of antihypertensive drugs recommended by the Joint National Committee vs the Physicians' Desk Reference.

Background Compliance problems are common causes of the inadequate treatment of hypertension, with 16% to 50% of patients quitting treatment within 1 year. Dose-related adverse drug events (ADEs) frequently cause compliance problems, and many ADEs occur with the initial doses of antihypertensive drugs. Thus, it is an established tenet to initiate antihypertensive therapy at low doses to avoid ADEs that diminish patients' quality of life and reduce compliance. However, what are the lowest effective doses of antihypertensive drugs? Objective To compare the initial doses recommended in the Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR) with those recommended by the Sixth Report of the Joint National Committee on the Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC VI). Methods Review of the latest JNC VI report (1997) and the 1999 and 2000 editions of the PDR and the medical literature. Results The JNC VI recommends substantially lower initial doses for 23 (58%) of 40 drugs, compared with the PDR . In addition, for 37 (82%) of 45 drugs, PDR guidelines do not suggest lower initial doses for old or frail patients than for younger adults. Conclusions Although the PDR is the drug reference most used by physicians, it does not reflect the lowest initial doses that are recommended by the JNC VI for many of the most prescribed antihypertensive drugs. Because avoidance of ADEs is essential to maintaining compliance with antihypertensive therapy, and because many antihypertensive ADEs are dose related, physicians must know the very lowest, effective, least ADE-prone doses. Patients and physicians would benefit by establishing mechanisms to make this information readily available to all practicing physicians.
Using the morphology of photoplethysmogram peaks to detect changes in posture.

The morphology of the pulsatile component of the photoplethysmogram (PPG) has been shown to vary with physiology, but changes in the morphology caused by the baroreflex response to orthostatic stress have not been investigated. Using two FDA approved Nonin® pulse oximeters placed on the finger and ear, we monitored 11 subjects, for three trials each, as they stood from a supine position. Each cardiac cycle was automatically extracted from the PPG waveform and characterized using statistics corresponding to normalized peak width, instantaneous heart rate, and amplitude of the pulsatile component of the ear PPG. A nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum test was then used to detect in real-time changes in these features with p < 0.01. In all 33 trials, the standing event was detected as an abrupt change in at least two of these features, with only one false alarm. In 26 trials, an abrupt change was detected in all three features, with no false alarms. An increase in the normalize peak width was detected before an increase in heart rate, and in 21 trials a peak in the feature was detected before or as standing commenced. During standing, the pulse rate always increases, and then amplitude of the ear PPG constricts by a factor of two or more. We hypothesis that the baroreflex first reduces the percentage of time blood flow is stagnant during the cardiac cycle, then increases the hear rate, and finally vasoconstricts the peripheral tissue in order to reestablishing a nominal blood pressure. These three features therefore can be used as a detector of the baroreflex response to changes in posture or other forms of blood volume sequestration.
Preparation and characterization of a customized cellulose acetate butyrate dispersion for controlled drug delivery

The purpose of the present experiment was to prepare and characterize the aqueous-based pseudolatex system of cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) for controlled drug delivery. Aqueous pseudolatex systems are advantageous over organic-based coating systems because these systems are devoid of criteria pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, nonmethane volatile organic compounds, and sulfur dioxide. Pseudolatex was prepared with CAB and polyvinyl alcohol (stabilizer) by a polymer emulsification technique. The stability of pseudolatex was evaluated. Particle size was measured and rheological experiments were conducted. The glass transition temperature, microscopic free volume, permeation coefficient, and mechanical properties of plasticized pseudolatex films were estimated. Surface roughness of coating on inert Nu-Pareil beads (Ingredient Technology Corp., Mahwah, NJ) was measured as a function of coating weight gain. The CAB Pseudolatex was found to be stabilized by steric forces. From intrinsic viscosity, the thickness of the stabilization layer was estimated. An increase in polymeric particles proportionately decreased the thickness of the stabilization layer. All the essential properties of a coating membrane such as microscopic free-volume fraction, permeability coefficient, mechanical properties, and glass transition temperature were fairly controllable as a function of plasticizer concentration. The pseudolatex dispersion of CAB was stable with negligible sedimentation volume and a particle size of 300 nm. Because CAB is water insoluble and non-ionizable, this pseudolatex can be used for pH-independent coating. The films obtained were strong and flexible for controlled drug delivery applications. Coating with the CAB dispersion reduced the surface roughness of beads but it remained stable as a function of increase in coating weight gain.
PET Radiochemistry and Radiopharmacy

The vast majority of PET radiopharmaceuticals today are cyclotron produced. Carbon-11 ( 11 C), Nitrogen-13 ( 13 N), Oxygen-15 ( 15 O) products are created for in-house use only due to their short half-lives. The longer half-life of Fluorine-18 means that 18 F-labeled PET radiotracers can be widely distributed. Production of radiopharmaceuticals is computer-controlled and automated. Automation increases both reliability and efficiency of PET operations while decreasing the radiation dose to the staff. For today, FDG remains the workhorse of oncologic PET imaging. Additional 18 F PET radiotracers directed at a range of molecular processes are being studied and should become available in the future.
Nornicotine nitrosation in saliva and its relation to endogenous synthesis of N'-nitrosonornicotine in humans.

INTRODUCTION We recently reported that certain amounts of the carcinogen N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) can be formed endogenously from nicotine and/or nornicotine in some users of oral nicotine replacement therapy products. Although the acidic environment of the stomach creates the most favorable conditions for nitrosation, this reaction could also occur in the oral cavity in the presence of bacteria that catalyze nitrosation at neutral pH. METHODS To test the hypothesis that endogenous formation of NNN could occur in the oral cavity, we investigated nitrosation of nicotine and nornicotine in human saliva. To specifically identify NNN as derived from precursors added to saliva, we incubated saliva samples with [pyridine-D(4)]nicotine and [pyridine-D(4)]nornicotine, with and without the addition of nitrite, and subsequently analyzed [pyridine-D(4)]NNN by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS Consistent with kinetic studies on nicotine and nornicotine nitrosation, incubation of saliva with [pyridine-D(4)]nornicotine alone produced detectable amounts of [pyridine-D(4)]NNN, whereas only traces of [pyridine-D(4)]NNN were found in samples incubated with [pyridine-D(4)]nicotine and sodium nitrite. Incubation of saliva samples from 10 nonsmoking volunteers with [pyridine-D(4)]nornicotine resulted in the formation of [pyridine-D(4)]NNN in 8 samples, with yields ranging from 0.003% to 0.051% of the added alkaloid. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that NNN can be formed from nornicotine in human saliva without deliberate addition of any other substance. Therefore, nornicotine, as present in tobacco or in nicotine replacement products, is a carcinogen precursor.
Training and Simulation in Otolaryngology

This article focuses on key issues surrounding the needs and application of simulation technologies for technical skills training in otolaryngology. The discussion includes an overview of key topics in training and learning, the application of these issues in simulation environments, and the subsequent applications of these simulation environments to otolaryngology. Examples of past applications are presented, with discussion of how the interplay of cultural changes in surgical training in general along with the rapid advancements in technology have shaped and influenced their adoption and adaptation. The authors conclude with emerging trends and potential influences advanced simulation and training will have on technical skills training in otolaryngology.
Diagnosis and management of cystic lesions of the pancreas.

Pancreatic cysts are challenging lesions to diagnose and to treat. Determining which of the five most common diagnoses—pancreatic pseudocyst, serous cystic neoplasm (SCN), solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN), mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN), and intraductal mucinous papillary neoplasm (IPMN)—is likely the correct one requires the careful integration of many historical, radiographic, laboratory, and other factors, and management is markedly different depending on the type of cystic lesion of the pancreas. Pseudocysts are generally distinguishable based on historical, clinical and radiographic characteristics, and among the others, the most important differentiation is between the mucin-producing MCN and IPMN (high risk for cancer) versus the serous SCN and SPN (low risk for cancer). EUS with FNA and cyst-fluid analysis will continue to play an important role in diagnosis. Among mucinous lesions, those that require treatment (resection currently) are any MCN, any MD IPMN, and BD IPMN larger than 3 cm, symptomatic, or with an associated mass, with the understanding that SCN or pseudocysts may be removed inadvertently due to diagnostic inaccuracy, and that a certain proportion of SPN will indeed be malignant at the time of removal. The role of ethanol ablation is under investigation as an alternative to resection in selected patients.
Integrating background knowledge into RBF networks for text classification

Text classification is a problem applied to natural language texts that assigns a document into one or more predefined categories, based on its content. In this paper, we present an automatic text classification model that is based on the Radial Basis Function (RBF) networks. It utilizes valuable discriminative information in training data and incorporates background knowledge in model learning. This approach can be particularly advantageous for applications where labeled training data are in short supply. The proposed model has been applied for classifying spam email, and the experiments on some benchmark spam testing corpus have shown that the model is effective in learning to classify documents based on content and represents a competitive alternative to the well-known text classifiers such as naive Bayes and SVM.
Echelle Spectroscopy of SN 1986G in NGC 5128: Complex NA Absorption and Interstellar Diffuse Bands

Spectroscopy at 0.3 A resolution of the Type Ia supernova 1986G in NGC 5128 has resolved the Na absorption due to NGC 5128 into four components with velocities of 374, 412, 453, and 483 km/s. A fit to the line profiles shows each component to have a column density of about 10 to the 13th/sq cm. The absorption is found to agree well with the velocity structure of the ionized gas in the disk of NGC 5128, and is interpreted to arise from a line of sight that passes through the entire disk of NGC 5128. Interstellar diffuse bands at 5780.4, 5797.0, 6283.9, and 6613.6 A are also positively identified as arising in the dust lane. 17 references.
Induction of human plasmablasts during infection with antibiotic-resistant nosocomial bacteria

Objectives Nosocomial pathogens such as Acinetobacter baumannii are a growing public health threat, due in part to their increasing resistance to antibiotics. Since some strains are resistant to all available antibiotics, novel therapies are urgently needed. Plasmablasts are short-lived B cells found in the blood that can be collected and harnessed to produce therapeutic antibodies. We set out to determine whether plasmablasts are induced during infection with A. baumannii and other nosocomial pathogens. Methods We obtained blood samples from patients infected with antibiotic-resistant nosocomial pathogens, and analysed their plasmablast response by flow cytometry. Results We observed a strong induction of plasmablasts in patients with antibiotic-resistant A. baumannii infection. Furthermore, plasmablasts were also induced in response to other drug-resistant nosocomial pathogens. Conclusions These data suggest that plasmablasts may be broadly harnessed to develop therapeutic antibodies to combat otherwise untreatable antibiotic-resistant infections.
PSIBLAST_PairwiseStatSig : reordering PSI-BLAST hits using pairwise statistical significance

Summary: We present an add-on to BLAST and PSI-BLAST programs to reorder their hits using pairwise statistical significance. Using position-specific substitution matrices to estimate pairwise statistical significance has been recently shown to give promising results in terms of retrieval accuracy, which motivates its use to refine PSI-BLAST results, since PSI-BLAST also constructs a positionspecific substitution matrix for the query sequence during the search. The obvious advantage of the approach is more accurate estimates of statistical significance because of pairwise statistical significance, along with the advantage of BLAST/PSI-BLAST in terms of speed. Availability: The implementation as a C library is freely available at
Anthropogenic habitat alteration induces rapid morphological divergence in a native stream fish

Anthropogenic habitat alteration creates novel environments that can alter selection pressures. Construction of reservoirs worldwide has disturbed riverine ecosystems by altering biotic and abiotic environments of impounded streams. Changes to fish communities in impoundments are well documented, but effects of those changes on native species persisting in reservoirs, which are presumably subjected to novel selective pressures, are largely unexplored. I assessed body shape variation of a native stream fish in reservoir habitats and streams from seven reservoir basins in the Central Plains of the USA. Body shape significantly and consistently diverged in reservoirs compared with stream habitats within reservoir basins; individuals from reservoir populations were deeper-bodied and had smaller heads compared with stream populations. Individuals from reservoir habitats also exhibited lower overall shape variation compared with stream individuals. I assessed the contribution of genotypic divergence and predator-induced phenotypic plasticity on body shape variation by rearing offspring from a reservoir and a stream population with or without a piscivorous fish. Significant population-level differences in body shape persisted in offspring, and both populations demonstrated similar predator-induced phenotypic plasticity. My results suggest that, although components of body shape are plastic, anthropogenic habitat modification may drive trait divergence in native fish populations in reservoir-altered habitats.
Forecasting the reliability and safety of future space transportation systems

Forecasting the future is can never be considered as an exact science. However if the tools of risk assessment are used to develop such forecasts in a systematic and coherent fashion, and if they properly take into account the uncertainty in the achievement of the promised benefits of future designs, then, not only can the decision making process be made more tractable and orderly, but design alternatives, which are not immediately apparent, may also come to light. In this paper, the author forecasts the reliability and safety of future space transportation systems.
Farnesyltransferase inhibitors:a cell signalling approach to the design of efficacious anticancer agents

The emergence of farnesyltransferase (FTase) as an intensely investigated target for anticancer drug development was largely based on the potential of FTase inhibitors to effectively retard the growth of ras transformed tumours. Indeed, it has been well-established that Ras is readily prenylated by FTase and that inhibition of this reaction has functional consequences for the transformed phenotype of cells that express oncogenic Ras. Therefore, it has been envisioned that FTase inhibitors could potentially fulfil the huge therapeutic need existing for drugs that will effectively control the growth of colon and pancreatic tumours. While the prevalence of ras mutations is generally in the range of 30% across tumour types, colon and pancreatic cancers harbour ras mutations at a particularly high rate (50 and 90%, respectively). The medical need has not diminished since farnesyltransferase emerged onto the drug development scene. However, we now know that FTase inhibitors may well have significantly broader t...
The Challenge to Move from "One Size Fits All" to PV Modules the Customer Needs

The submitted manuscript has been offered by an employee of the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (Alliance), a contractor of the US Government under Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308. Accordingly, the US Government and Alliance retain a nonexclusive royalty-free license to publish or reproduce the published form of this contribution, or allow others to do so, for US Government purposes.
Current treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.

Purpose of review The objectives of this review are to discuss standard and investigational nontransplant treatment strategies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), excluding acute promyelocytic leukemia. Recent findings Most adults with AML die from their disease. The standard treatment paradigm for AML is remission induction chemotherapy with an anthracycline/cytarabine combination, followed by either consolidation chemotherapy or allogeneic stem cell transplantation, depending on the patient's ability to tolerate intensive treatment and the likelihood of cure with chemotherapy alone. Although this approach has changed little in the last three decades, increased understanding of the pathogenesis of AML and improvements in molecular genomic technologies are leading to novel drug targets and the development of personalized, risk-adapted treatment strategies. Recent findings related to prognostically relevant and potentially 'druggable' molecular targets are reviewed. Summary At the present time, AML remains a devastating and mostly incurable disease, but the combination of optimized chemotherapeutics and molecularly targeted agents holds significant promise for the future.
The Cult of Beauty: A Study of John Masefield

John Masefield, William Butler Yeats, A.E., and others, continually using the word, have made of ‘beauty’ and ‘Beauty’ a phenomenon at which Thackeray, again alive, would laugh as he once laughed at Beauty-with-a-big-B. Masefield, particularly, trying to create a moral consciousness in the people, takes it for granted that the word ‘beauty’ is at once concrete, specific, and, therefore, self-explaining; and that the things, beauty and Beauty, are to be understood at once as vital, moving forces. He is consequently disconcerting, for he himself has various understandings of the word and the things.
Microstructure, deformation, and fracture characteristics of an Al67Pd8Ti25 intermetallic alloy

Microstructure, indentation, and fracture characteristics of an intermetallic alloy with nominal composition Al67Pd8Ti25 have been investigated. Following a homogenization anneal at 1323 K, the material consists primarily of a phase having the Ll2 crystal structure. This phase is analogous to the π phase previously reported in (Al,X)3Ti alloys, where X represents Ni, Cu, Zn, or Fe substituted for Al in Al3Ti. The deformation and fracture characteristics of Al67Pd8Ti25 are similar to those previously reported for Al67Ni8Ti25: Vickers hardness is moderate, plastic deformation occurs by a0 «110» 111 slip, and fracture in bending occurs by transgranular cleavage with no evidence of associated plasticity.
Impact of perinatal exposure to heavy metal on pregnancy outcome

In recent years,increasingly severe environmental pollution,seriously affecting human health and survival,heavy metal pollution and damage to the environment is particularly serious,especially lead,cadmium,mercury,copper,manganese or their compound pollution.Heavy metal is a class of highly toxic inorganic pollutants.Large amounts of data show that pregnant women exposed to one or a few long-term heavy metals may have serious pregnancy outcome,such as birth defects,low birth weight,growth retardation,stillbirth,mental retardation and so on.
INTEROPERABILITY TEST BASED ON COMMON INFORMATION MODEL

Based on the Common Information Model (CIM) of IEC61970 series of standards, the CIM/XML interoperability tests conducted in our country and abroad are introduced in this paper, including the objectives, the models, and the methods of the tests. The interoperability tests validate the correctness and completeness of the CIM as well as the probabilities of the information exchanges between control center applications and systems external to the control center environment. Additionally, the interoperability between various applications of EMS and applications developed by different suppliers is demonstrated.
Maize (Zea mays) Cob Phytoliths From A Central Kansas Great Bend Aspect Archaeological Site

This study describes diagnostic maize cob phytoliths. The classification was derived from a comparative study of an extensive phytolith reference collection of traditional cultigens and native Kans...
Approximate Joint MAP Detection of Co-Channel Signals in Non-Gaussian Noise

Detection of co-channel signals is important as wireless communication systems become increasingly dense. A particularly challenging case is single antenna reception in both the presence of inter-symbol interference and co-channel interference. Optimal joint maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) detection of the co-channel signals is prohibitively complex. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a factor graph-based iterative receiver which approximates joint MAP detection. In the receiver, noise is modeled with a Gaussian mixture distribution since studies have shown that the noise affecting wireless communication systems is often impulsive. Furthermore, the parameters of the factor graph model (channel and noise parameters) are iteratively estimated within the receiver. The proposed receiver is shown to the outperform state-of-the-art receiver algorithms while having a lower complexity in both Gaussian and impulsive noise. We also show significant gains from iterative parameter estimation, especially in non-Gaussian noise.
Versatile and Resilient Hydrogen-Bonded Host Frameworks

ConspectusLow-density molecular host frameworks, whether equipped with persistent molecular-scale pores or virtual pores that are sustainable only when occupied by guest molecules, have emerged as a promising class of materials owing to the ability to tailor the size, geometry, and chemical character of their free space through the versatility of organic synthesis. As such, molecular frameworks are promising candidates for storage, separations of commodity and fine chemicals, heterogeneous catalysis, and optical and electronic materials. Frameworks assembled through hydrogen bonds, though generally not stable toward collapse in the absence of guests, promise significant chemical and structural diversity, with pores that can be tailored for a wide range of guest molecules. The utility of these frameworks, however, depends on the resilience of n-dimensional hydrogen-bonded motifs that serve as reliable building blocks so that the molecular constituents can be manipulated without disruption of the anticipate...
Associations of Health Club Membership with Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health

Introduction This study evaluates whether a health club membership is associated with meeting the US physical activity (PA) guidelines and/or favorable cardiovascular health. Methods Using cross-sectional data of health club members (n = 204) and non-members (n = 201) from April to August 2013, this is the first study to our knowledge to examine a health club membership in relation to objectively measured cardiovascular health indicators including resting blood pressure, resting heart rate, body mass index, waist circumference, and cardiorespiratory fitness based on a non-exercise test algorithm. To determine the total PA and sedentary time, this study used a comprehensive PA questionnaire about both aerobic and resistance activities at the health club, as well as lifestyle activities in other settings, which was developed based on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Results The odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of meeting either the aerobic, resistance, or both aerobic and resistance PA guidelines for members compared to non-members were 16.5 (9.8–27.6), 10.1 (6.2–16.3), and 13.8 (8.5–22.4), respectively. Significant associations of health club membership with more favorable cardiovascular health outcomes and sedentary behavior were observed for resting heart rate (B: -4.8 b/min, p 1 year had more favorable health outcomes, with a smaller waist circumference (men, B: -4.0 cm, p = 0.04; women, B: -3.4 cm, p = 0.06), compared to non-members. Conclusions Health club membership is associated with significantly increased aerobic and resistance physical activity levels and more favorable cardiovascular health outcomes compared to non-members. However, longitudinal, randomized controlled trials would be clearly warranted as cross-sectional data prohibits causal inferences.
The purposeful graduate: Why colleges must talk to students about vocation

Clydesdale, T. (2015). The purposeful graduate: Why colleges must talk to students about vocation . Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Regions of care: a political ecology of reciprocal materialities

Indigenous "country" or "land" is a region of reciprocities constituted through the relationships and obligations that preserve the continuity of life. It is a "region of care." In picking up and developing this phrase, this article opens a discussion about how regional political ecology can build from the materialist perspectives of contemporary scholarship and Indigenous politics. If, as some materialist scholars have argued, the political field in the Anthropocene is now more than ever an ecology of problems, how might regional political ecology use these perspectives to address the challenges of coexistence among humans, nonhumans, and other things? The article explores how praxis oriented around "regions of care" helps those involved in political-ecological work confront these challenges in an experimental politics that respects and works with nonhuman, material agencies through place-based relationships and networks. In this way, regional political ecology addresses the new environmental politics of the Anthropocene in a way that is attuned to the concerns of the many communities engaged in the challenges of coexistence. Key words: Anthropocene, Indigenous, materiality, political ecology, region
Curriculum Alignment Among the Intended, Enacted, and Assessed Curricula for Grade 9 Mathematics.

This study examined curriculum alignment among the intended, the enacted, and the assessed curricula in Grade 9 mathematics in two domains: content/operations and cognitive processes. The Program of Studies was used to determine the content/ operations and the Delphi method was used to identify the cognitive levels for the intended curriculum. Classroom observations were used to capture the enacted curriculum. End of unit tests were used to determine the assessed curriculum. Results indicated that curriculum alignment among the intended, enacted and assessed curricula for the mathematics content/operations was high (97% alignment). In contrast, curriculum alignment among the intended, enacted, and assessed curricula for the cognitive processes was low (7.3% alignment). This study makes a contribution towards understanding the quality of the relationship among the intended, enacted, and assessed curricula in mathematics education. The methodological framework provides a model for subsequent research on curriculum alignment among the three components of the education system.
Fetal bone marrow homing of donor mesenchymal stem cells after transamniotic stem cell therapy (TRASCET).

Abstract Purpose Donor cell engraftment patterns following transamniotic stem cell therapy (TRASCET) with amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells (afMSCs) are incompatible with solely direct amniotic seeding. We sought to determine whether fetal bone marrow is a component of such engraftment and to examine the chronology of afMSC placental trafficking. Methods Two groups of Sprague–Dawley rat fetuses received volume-matched intraamniotic injections on gestational day 17 (E17; term E22): either afMSCs labeled with a luciferase reporter gene or luciferase protein alone. Placental samples were procured at daily time points thereafter until term. Fetal bone marrow was obtained at term only owing to size constraints. Specimens were screened for luminescence via microplate luminometry. Results Donor afMSCs were identified in the bone marrow and placenta of fetuses receiving labeled afMSCs, but not in those receiving luciferase alone (P Conclusions Donor mesenchymal stem cells home to the fetal bone marrow after intraamniotic injection. The chronology of placental trafficking is suggestive of controlled cell routing rather than plain cell clearance. Fetal bone marrow engraftment of donor cells significantly expands potential applications of transamniotic stem cell therapy.
The Effect of Hydrometeors on MSU/AMSU Temperature Observations over the Tropical Ocean

AbstractThe temperature of Earth’s atmosphere has been monitored continuously since late 1978 by the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) and the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) flown on polar-orb...
Progress, challenges, and the role of public engagement to improve tick-borne disease literacy

Vector-borne diseases have increased worldwide, facilitated by globalization and variations in climate. Tick and tick-borne disease researchers, veterinarians, medical practitioners, and public health specialists are working to share their expertise on tick ecology, disease transmission, diagnostics, and treatment in order to control tick-borne epidemics and potential pandemics. This review will be a brief overview of the current status of tick-borne diseases, challenges on the scientific and public fronts, and the role of public engagement in improving citizen education within the context of ticks and tick-borne disease research.
A Numerical Investigation of a Gravity-Compensated Nonlinear Energy Sink for the Passive Control of Flooring Systems

Flooring systems are subjected to a variety of human-induced and mechanically-induced loads which can vary in amplitude, frequency, and location. Furthermore, the properties of flooring systems and the acceptable levels of vibration can change during the life of a building as it transitions between multiple different uses. Tuned mass dampers (TMDs) can be effective at controlling floor vibration; however, their effectiveness is limited because TMDs must be tuned and can only effectively control vibrations across a narrow band of frequencies. Recently, a passive mass damper, known as a gravity-compensated nonlinear energy sink (GCNES), was proposed to mitigate vertical vibrations. The unique geometric nonlinearity used to produce this device’s stiffness element compensates for the vertical offset resulting from the weight of the device and allows it to dynamically achieve a cubic nonlinearity. This strong nonlinearity allows the GCNES to interact with the flooring system across a broad range of frequencies. In this paper, a numerical model of a flooring system with a GCNES attached is developed. This model is then used to investigate the effectiveness of the GCNES, in comparison to the TMD, at controlling floor vibrations. The results of this study show that, while the TMD is more effective when mitigating excitations at the particular frequency it is tuned to, the GCNES can provide effective vibration control across a wide range of frequencies near the system’s resonance point.
Adsorption Chromatography of Small C-Terminal Peptide Amides on Dihydroxyalkyl Bonded Silica High Performance Liquid Chromatography Columns and Application to Purification of Insect Neuropeptides

The chromatography of small neuropeptides (< 1400 mw) was studied on a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) sized exclusion column designed with an aqueous-compatible dihydroxyalkyl bonded silica support. The major mechanism of retention for small peptide amides on this column was clearly not size exclusion but adsorption. Peptide amides were nearly always retained beyond the calculated salt volume of these columns. This retention was nearly five column volumes for selected peptides like substance P. Under the same conditions, peptide C-terminal acid analogs always eluted much closer to retention times predicted by their molecular weight. Changes in the composition of the mobile phase indicated that the selective retention of the peptide amides was primarily the result of selective yet weak hydrophobic interactions. However, most peptide amides will elute from these supports without the aid of organic solvents, an ideal characteristic for direct coupling of this method to reversed-phase HPLC. A pilot two-dimensional (dihydroxyalkyl HPLC/reversed-phase HPLC) HPLC purification of a diuretic peptide from mosquito head extracts showed that the coupling of these two forms of chromatography could be used to quickly isolate a minor component of a complex mixture.
Toilet Training an Adolescent with Severe Mental Retardation in the Classroom: A Case Study

In the current case report, we implemented a treatment that improved the toileting skills at school for a 19-year-old-female diagnosed with mental retardation. The treatment program was implemented in a self-contained special education classroom. An ABAB single subject replication design was employed to evaluate the effects of the in class toilet training program. The number of occasions that the student was observed wet declined and the number of times she successfully used the bathroom for urination increased. There were significant treatment differences found for both behaviors. The overall outcomes demonstrate that a toilet training treatment program could be successfully instituted in the school setting. The positive and negative aspects of toilet training in the classroom are discussed.
The ipRGC-driven pupil response with light exposure and refractive error in children.

PURPOSE The intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) signal environmental light, control pupil size and entrain circadian rhythm. There is speculation that ipRGCs may be involved in the protective effects of light exposure in myopia. Here, the ipRGC-driven pupil response was evaluated in children and examined with light exposure and refractive error. METHODS Children ages 5-15 years participated. Subjects wore an actigraph device prior to the lab visit for objective measures of light exposure and sleep. For pupillometry, the left eye was dilated and presented with stimuli, and the consensual pupil response was measured in the right eye. Pupil measurements were preceded by 5 min dark adaptation. In Experiment 1 (n = 14), 1 s long wavelength light ('red,' 651 nm, 167 cd m-2 ) and 10 increasing intensities of 1 s short wavelength light ('blue,' 456 nm, 0.167-167 cd m-2 ) were presented with a 60 s interstimulus interval. A piecewise two-segment regression was fit to the stimulus response function to determine the functional melanopsin threshold. Pupil responses were analysed with light exposure over the previous 24 h. For Experiment 2 (n = 42), three 1 s red and three 1 s blue alternating stimuli were presented with a 60 s interstimulus interval. Following an additional 5-min dark adaption, the experiment was repeated. Pupil metrics included peak constriction, the 6 s and 30 s post-illumination response (PIPR), early and late area under the curve (AUC). Following pupil measurements, cycloplegic refractive error and axial length were measured. RESULTS For Experiment 1, PIPR metrics demonstrated a graded response to increasing intensity blue stimuli, with a mean functional melanopsin threshold of 6.2 ± 4.5 cd m-2 (range: 0.84-16.7 cd m-2 ). The 6 s PIPR and early AUC were associated with 24-h light exposure for high intensity stimuli (33.3 and 83.3 cd m-2 , p < 0.005 for both). For Experiment 2, there were no associations between pupil metrics and refractive error. The 6 s PIPR and early AUC to blue stimuli were significantly increased for Trial 2 compared to Trial 1. CONCLUSIONS The ipRGC-driven pupil responses in children were robust and similar to responses previously measured in an adult population. The 6 s PIPR and early AUC to high intensity blue stimuli were associated with previous light exposure. There were no associations between the ipRGC-driven pupil response and refractive status in this cohort.
Best Practices to Increase Racial Diversity in Business Schools: What Actually Works According to a Nationwide Survey of Business Schools.

Many scholarly works have identified potential strategies for hiring underrepresented minority faculty members. However, no known nationwide study of business schools has explored whether these var...
Two-Zone Geological Soil Moisture Migration Model for Cable Thermal Rating

An optimized two-zone model based on the critical degree of saturation is proposed in this paper for ampacity calculations of underground power cables. Moisture migration is fully considered based on geological soil models. Comprehensive finite-element method (FEM) simulations are performed to study the effect of the moisture content and its effects on soil thermal resistivity and critical temperature rise. The critical degree of saturation ( S cr ) is used in the improved two-zone model instead of the critical temperature rise ( Δθx ) used in the IEC Standard 60287. The comparative analysis presented between the new method and the IEC Standard shows that IEC is more susceptible to changes in the ambient conditions. The use of a fixed critical temperature rise may yield significant errors. Shortcomings of numerical solutions are discussed highlighting the advantages of the new (optimized) two-zone model. The optimized method is useful for the design of new installations as it accounts for changes in soil thermal resistivity and critical temperature rise. The new method has been validated with available test results.
False News of a Cannabis Cancer Cure.

Background There is increasing concern among healthcare communities about the misinformation online about using cannabis to cure cancer. We have characterized this online interest in using cannabis as a cancer treatment and the propagation of this information on social media. Materials & methods We compared search activity over time for cannabis and cancer versus standard cancer therapies using Google Trends’ relative search volume (RSV) tool and determined the impact of cannabis legalization. We classified news on social media about cannabis use in cancer as false, accurate, or irrelevant. We evaluated the cannabis-related social media activities of cancer organizations. Results The online search volume for cannabis and cancer increased at 10 times the rate of standard therapies (RSV 0.10/month versus 0.01/month, p<0.001), more so in states where medical or recreational cannabis is legal. The use of cannabis as a cancer cure represented the largest category (23.5%) of social media content on alternative cancer treatments. The top false news story claiming cannabis as a cancer cure generated 4.26 million engagements on social media, while the top accurate news story debunking this false news generated 0.036 million engagements. Cancer organizations infrequently addressed cannabis (average 0.7 Tweets; 0.4 Facebook posts), with low influence compared to false news (average 5.6 versus 527 Twitter retweets; 98 versus 452,050 Facebook engagements, p<0.001). Conclusions These findings reveal a growing interest in cannabis use as a cancer cure, and a crucial opportunity for physicians and medical organizations to communicate accurate information about the role of cannabis in cancer to patients, caregivers, and the general public.
Expanded genetic carrier screening in clinical practice: a current survey of patient impressions and attitudes.

Expanded genetic carrier screening (ECS) is an important part of gynecological practice and preconception planning. We evaluated the awareness and attitudes among women regarding ECS and factors that may influence decision-making in a family planning context. A 32-question survey in an academic university practice was given to 521 women who were either currently pregnant (n = 108), undergoing gynecologic care who were considering future fertility (n = 308), and considering or receiving fertility treatment (n = 105). Data are reported descriptively. Forty-seven percent (n = 246) of patients were aware of ECS. Though most reported feeling positive or neutral towards ECS, 51% (n = 263) reported no desire for testing. Fifty-eight percent (n = 303) felt it beneficial to know their carrier status, and 55% (n = 257) said it was their responsibility to undergo testing. Those considering future fertility were found to have a more positive attitude towards ECS (51.4%) than those considering or receiving fertility treatment (34%). For positive carriers of a genetic disorder, 228 (49%) of patients would proceed with having their partner screened, 58 (13%) would undergo prenatal screening only and 12 (2.6%) would continue with vitro fertilization (IVF). Related to cost for ECS, 53.5% (n = 191) would be willing to pay at least $50–100 for testing, while 29% (n = 146) would not pay anything out of pocket. Despite patients’ beliefs that it would be beneficial and their responsibility to undergo carrier status testing, the majority reported no desire for ECS and many were unwilling to pay out of pocket. Further education is necessary to reconcile the gap between technology and patient decision-making.
Recent advancement in EUS-guided fine needle sampling

EUS-guided tissue acquisition technique plays an essential role for evaluation of gastrointestinal tumors. Several components affect the yield of EUS-guided tissue acquisition outcomes such as sampling techniques, use of ROSE (rapid onsite evaluation), training and experience, and needle designs. In this review we discuss advancement in EUS-guided fine needle sampling.
Supporting Guided Inquiry with Cooperative Learning in Computer Organization

The computer organization course must help students acquire difficult conceptual knowledge and design skills, and improve their teamwork skills for subsequent project courses. Prior research supports that cooperative learning, in which students work together to achieve common goals, may address these challenges. We studied whether increasing the amount of guided inquiry activities and the cooperative support for it (teams and reflection) in an intermediate computer science course would improve achievement and engagement. The intervention group had lower scores on one of two achievement measures, lower engagement, and lower task value of collaborative activities. Qualitative analysis showed that students valued hands-on learning yet resisted guided inquiry, suggesting that sharing the purpose of each type of activity is important. Furthermore, the results showed that students valued learning with peers but were frustrated by group dysfunction, suggesting that instructors must address teamwork comprehensively to realize the benefits of cooperative learning.
The Quansys multiplex immunoassay for serum ferritin, C-reactive protein, and α-1-acid glycoprotein showed good comparability with reference-type assays but not for soluble transferrin receptor and retinol-binding protein.

The Quansys multiplex (Q-Plex) measures ferritin (Fer), soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), C-reactive protein (CRP), α-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), and retinol-binding protein (RBP). We compared Q-Plex results with reference-type assays and evaluated Q-Plex performance. Pearson correlation and Lin's concordance coefficients between the Q-Plex and reference assay were: Fer 0.98 and 0.91, sTfR 0.88 and 0.35, CRP 0.98 and 0.98, AGP 0.82 and 0.81, and RBP 0.68 and 0.31, respectively. The median relative difference between the Q-Plex and reference assay were: Fer -2.4%, sTfR 107%, CRP 0.03%, AGP -1.3%, and RBP 51%. The Q-Plex intra-assay CVs were 85% for Fer and CRP; specificity was >85% for sTfR, AGP, and RBP. Using performance criteria derived from biologic variation, Fer, CRP, and AGP met the minimum allowable imprecision (<10.7%, <31.7%, and <8.5%, respectively) and difference from the reference assay (<±7.7%, <±32.7%, and <±10.3%, respectively), while sTfR and RBP exceeded these thresholds (<8.5% and <7.8% for imprecision and <±7.7% and <±12% for difference, respectively). The Q-Plex measures multiple biomarkers simultaneously, is easy to perform, and uses small sample volumes. With some improvements in accuracy and precision (i.e., sTfR and RBP), this assay could be a useful tool for low-resource laboratories conducting micronutrient surveys for epidemiologic screening applications. These findings need to be verified using other populations, particularly those with inadequate micronutrient status.