cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent postglacial range expansion drives the rapid diversification of a songbird lineage in the genus Junco

Pleistocene glacial cycles are thought to have played a major role in the diversification of temperate and boreal species of North American birds. Given that coalescence times between sister taxa typically range from 0.1 to 2.0 Myr, it has been assumed that diversification occurred as populations were isolated in refugia over long periods of time, probably spanning one to several full glacial cycles. In contrast, the rapid postglacial range expansions and recolonization of northern latitudes following glacial maxima have received less attention as potential promoters of speciation. Here we report a case of extremely rapid diversification in the songbird genus Junco as a result of a single continent-wide range expansion within the last 10 000 years. Molecular data from 264 juncos sampled throughout their range reveal that as the yellow-eyed junco ( Junco phaeonotus ) of Mesoamerica expanded northward following the last glacial maximum, it speciated into the dark-eyed junco ( Junco hyemalis ), which subsequently diversified itself into at least five markedly distinct and geographically structured morphotypes in the USA and Canada. Patterns of low genetic structure and diversity in mitochondrial DNA and amplified fragment length polymorphism loci found in dark-eyed juncos relative to Mesoamerican yellow-eyed juncos provide support for the hypothesis of an expansion from the south, followed by rapid diversification in the north. These results underscore the role of postglacial expansions in promoting diversification and speciation through a mechanism that represents an alternative to traditional modes of Pleistocene speciation.
Tracks to innovation — interplay between science and technology

Abstract The use of particle tracks—the main themes and many of the specific examples—were initiated in an industrial environment at the General Electric Research Laboratory. Science in industrial environments in neglected in the United States today, yet the area of nuclear tracks gives a good many examples of practical applications of science—applications that would have been unlikely to have emerged promptly from science done outside of industry (where the obligation to seek practical outcomes in absent). This paper will briefly review how track uses developed. The discussion will cover discrete fields of use, both scientific and applied, with emphasis on the interplay of science and technology. Three of the subjects are hole engineering—from filters to counters, radon—a hazard and a help, and tracks of time—oil and geochronology.
Continuous 13C and 15N Labeling of Tree Litter using a Climate-Controlled Chamber

Substrates with a unique stable isotope signature provide researchers with the ability to trace nutrients through food webs. Plant material labeled with carbon (13C) can be produced by exposure to carbon dioxide (CO2) with an isotopic composition that differs from ambient conditions during photosynthesis. Labeling can occur continuously or be repeated over several “pulses.” Each method has a high cost either in the form of expensive control systems or significant time investments. In 2012, we built a large growth chamber and used an inexpensive, open-source ArduinoTM microcontroller to monitor and control interior conditions so that we could produce leaf litter dually enriched in 13C and nitrogen (15N) for future incubation experiments. We performed a labeling experiment on 73 saplings representing seven species in 2012 and repeated the labeling on 30 saplings of one species in 2013. We successfully produced over 1 kg of litter enriched in both isotopes; 15N-enrichment (δ15N: 759.2 ± 133.7‰) was much grea...
Using Recognition & Response (R & R) to improve children's language and literacy skills: Findings from two studies

Abstract Two studies evaluated Recognition & Response (R&R)—an instructional system consisting of formative assessment, foundational instruction, and targeted small-group lessons designed for use with pre-kindergarteners. Study 1 involved 174 four-year-old children (83 target and 91 comparison) from 24 classrooms in community-based programs, and Study 2 involved 213 four-year-old children (106 target and 107 comparison) from 24 classrooms in one large school district. In both studies, teachers administered a brief, standardized language and literacy assessment to select the four lowest-scoring children within each classroom (Recognition), and then provided small-group lessons to these target children using a curriculum focused on language and literacy skills (Response). Across both studies, the results indicated that target children who received the small-group lessons showed larger gains on some language and literacy skills than a comparison group consisting of classmates who had lower than average scores at baseline and did not receive the small-group lessons. Target children made greater gains than the comparison group in print knowledge in Study 1 and in vocabulary and phonological awareness in Study 2. Both studies found high levels of implementation fidelity and treatment acceptability among the teachers who implemented the intervention.
Challenges of diagnosing long QT syndrome in patients with nondiagnostic resting QTc.

Diagnosing long QT syndrome (LQTS) in patients with clearly prolonged QTc (>500 ms) on a resting electrocardiogram (ECG) is usually straightforward ([1–3][1]). Challenges arise when patients present with QTc in the normal or borderline zone ([4][2]). In 1992, at the beginning of the genetic era of
Akt protects mouse hepatocytes from TNF-α- and Fas-mediated apoptosis through NK-κB activation

To determine the role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in protecting hepatocytes from tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)- and Fas-mediated apoptosis, we pretre...
Framing Service, Benefit, and Credibility Through Images and Texts: A Content Analysis of Online Promotional Messages of Korean Medical Tourism Industry

This study examines how the Korean medical tourism industry frames its service, benefit, and credibility issues through texts and images of online brochures. The results of content analysis suggest that the Korean medical tourism industry attempts to frame their medical/health services as "excellence in surgeries and cancer care" and "advanced health technology and facilities." However, the use of cost-saving appeals was limited, which can be seen as a strategy to avoid consumers' association of lower cost with lower quality services, and to stress safety and credibility.
More than interpreters needed: the specialized care of the immigrant pregnant patient.

The immigrant pregnant woman faces unique challenges. This article provides an overview of these challenges and interventions to maximize health outcomes for the immigrant pregnant woman. A patient’s immigrant status may impact her social stability and access to health care. Lack of familiarity with western health care, health financing, and the English language can create significant barriers. In addition, providers must remember to evaluate the immigrant pregnant woman for underlying health conditions that may be present including infectious diseases endemic to their country of origin and chronic diseases or cervical center as yet unidentified because of lack of previous health care screening. Female genital modification found in some immigrant populations can be associated with poorer obstetric outcomes and should be documented and addressed. Finally, some immigrant populations have a high incidence of past severe trauma and need additional psychiatric evaluation and support. Obstetricians and gynecologists, family physicians After completing this CME activity, physicians should be better able to compare different immigrant legal statuses and determine how they affect health vulnerability; examine the challenges of access to health care and health literacy for some immigrant populations; evaluate immigrant pregnant women for other unique health issues including infectious diseases; examine the patient with female genital modification for psychological and physical consequences of female genital modification and anticipate the potential impact on obstetric outcomes; as well as analyze the impact of trauma on the lives and health of the immigrant patient.
The Treating Cyanide in the Abandoned Gold Ore with Heap Leaching Technique

The method of spray solution of chloride-lime, treating cyanide in the abandoned gold ore by heaping leaching technique was investigated, the result indicated that treated abandoned gold ore can heap permanently.
Exploring aggressive driving behavior in Pennsylvania's Delaware Valley region

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation defines aggressive driving as "the operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property." Though aggressive driving is not classified as a road rage (i.e., a criminal offense, nor a traffic violation), crash statistics shows that during 2014, approximately 52% of fatal crashes in the Pennsylvania Delaware Valley region were due to aggressive driving. Therefore, it is necessary to explore and investigate patterns of aggressive driving behavior as a way of helping to identify potential problem drivers and create a sustainable driving behavior. Five year crash dataset is analyzed to find common factors associated with the aggressive driving. The study also includes statistical analysis among aggressive crash features (e.g., type, severity level), roadway features (operation and geometric), and driver's behavior. The analysis results will help develop countermeasures to address aggressive driving. Language: en
Tool to detect multipath routing when tracking path of packets

Traceroute is widely used, from the diagnosis of network problems to the assemblage of internet maps. However, there are a few serious problems with this tool, in particular due to the presence of load balancing routers in the network[1]. We provide a new publicly-available traceroute, called Paris traceroute, which controls packet header contents to obtain a more precise picture of the actual routes that packets follow. This new tool allows us to find conclusive explanations for some of the anomalies, and to suggest possible causes for others.
Associations between cancer and Alzheimer's disease in a U.S. Medicare population.

Several studies have reported bidirectional inverse associations between cancer and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study evaluates these relationships in a Medicare population. Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) linked to Medicare data, 1992–2005, we evaluated cancer risks following AD in a case–control study of 836,947 cancer cases and 142,869 controls as well as AD risk after cancer in 742,809 cancer patients and a non-cancer group of 420,518. We applied unconditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazards ratios (HRs). We also evaluated cancer in relation to automobile injuries as a negative control to explore potential study biases. In the case–control analysis, cancer cases were less likely to have a prior diagnosis of AD than controls (OR = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.81–0.92). Cancer cases were also less likely than controls to have prior injuries from automobile accidents to the same degree (OR = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.78–0.88). In the prospective cohort, there was a lower risk observed in cancer survivors, HR = 0.87 (95% CI = 0.84–0.90). In contrast, there was no association between cancer diagnosis and subsequent automobile accident injuries (HR = 1.03; 95% CI = 0.98–1.07). That cancer risks were similarly reduced after both AD and automobile injuries suggest biases against detecting cancer in persons with unrelated medical conditions. The modestly lower AD risk in cancer survivors may reflect underdiagnosis of AD in those with a serious illness. This study does not support a relationship between cancer and AD.
NEEDS AND PROSPECTS FOR IMPROVED DRAINAGE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

This paper presents a review of the drainage development needs and prospects in developing countries and of the problems which need to be overcome. A distinction is made between the developments in the temperate, the (semi) arid zone and the (semi) humid zone. It is argued that the low level of attention given to drainage in the past may well have been justified in view of the low level of agricultural development, but, that in some of the more advanced developing countries, further agricultural development may stagnate if no timely investments in improved drainage are made. Improved drainage is also urgently required to arrest the land degradation and production loss caused by waterlogging and salinity in arid zone irrigated lands. Countries for which investment in drainage may not yet be opportune, would seem to be well advised to start building up some core institutional and professional capacity. The roles of government and of international development cooperation are also discussed. Finally, lessons learned and actions needed are identified.
Testing the BCL-2 Family to Direct Therapy and Predict Response.

Abstract SCI-14 Many, if not most, chemotherapeutic agents kill cancer cells via the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. A simple model of this pathway breaks the killing into three steps. In Step 1, drug contacts target. In Step 2, prodeath signaling is generated. In Step 3, this pro-death signaling is interpreted by the BCL-2 family proteins at the mitochondrion, and when sufficient, the cancer cell is committed to the fate of death. Despite prominent exceptions, it is generally poorly understood why some cells are killed by chemotherapy and others are not. This is particularly perplexing in the case of most conventional chemotherapeutics which target ubiquitous elements such as DNA or microtubules. Most studies of determinants of chemotherapy induced cell death are focused on Steps 1 and 2. Relatively little is known about how mitochondrial preconditions affect chemosensitivity in cancer cells. We have developed a tool called BH3 profiling which exposes mitochondria to measured doses of BH3 domains, pro-death molecules of the BCL-2 family that ultimately carry pro-death signaling from Step 2 to the mitochondrion. By comparing mitochondrial dysfunction between different cells exposed to identical doses of BH3 domains, we can compare readiness of different cell types to undergo apoptosis. We have shown that this mitochondrial preset predicts response to conventional therapies of disparate mechanism, including etoposide, vincristine, and doxorubicin. Furthermore, BH3 profiling can predict response to agents such as ABT-737 which selectively kill cells dependent on anti-apoptotic proteins BCL-2, BCL-XL, and BCL-w. We have found BH3 profiling to be useful in many hematologic malignancies, including CLL, AML, ALL, lymphoma and myeloma. We have recently improved the BH3 profiling tool so that now it can be performed in a fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) format. The FACS format allows us to deconvolute complex, heterogeneous samples such are typically provided by clinical material. Our results suggest that heterogeneity of response to therapies, either within heterogeneous samples or between different tumors, relies to a very great extent on the mitochondrial preset measured by BH3 profiling. Disclosures Letai: Abbott Laboratories: Served as advisor for clinical development meeting.; Eutropics Pharmaceuticals: Equity Ownership.
Rapid Access to Derivatized, Dimeric, Ring-Substituted Dichloro(cyclopentadienyl)rhodium(III) and Iridium(III) Complexes

The present work describes the design and synthesis of a series of rhodium and iridium dimers [(η5-ring)MCl]2(μ2-Cl)2 (where (η5-ring)MCl = (η5-Me4C5R)Rh(III)Cl or (η5-Me4C5R)Ir(III)Cl) using a new and efficient 1 h procedure. Rhodium and iridium dimeric complexes were synthesized via a microwave reaction. The modified HMe4C5R (R = isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl, n-heptyl, n-octyl, phenyl, benzyl, phenethyl, cyclohexyl, and cyclopentyl) type ligands were synthesized by reaction of 2,3,4,5-tetramethylcyclopent-2-en-1-one with the respective Grignard reagent (RMgX), followed by elimination of water under acidic conditions to produce the tetramethyl(alkyl or aryl)cyclopentadienes in moderate to excellent yields (40–98%). Reaction of the HMe4C5R ligands with [M(COD)](μ2-Cl)2 (M = Rh, Ir; COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) gave the dimeric complexes [(η5-Me4C5R)MCl]2(μ2-Cl)2 in yields ranging from 47% to 96%. The derivatized dimers were tested for antimicrobial activity, showing activity aga...
Abstract 288: Vitamin C Decreases Atrial Fibrillation In Cardiac Surgery Patients But Vitamin E May Decrease Response: A Randomized-controlled Trial Meta-analysis

Background: Due to the population aging, atrial fibrillation (AF) is becoming a more prevalent disease, it also commonly presents as a cardiac surgery complication. Randomized controlled trials (RC...
Pelvic Hardware Eroding Into the Bladder: A Rare Case Presentation of Gross Hematuria, Bladder Pain, and Refractory Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

We present a 60-year-old man who presented with gross hematuria, refractory lower urinary tract symptoms, and increasing bladder pain for a duration of 3 months. The patient had a history of a motorcycle accident and pelvic fracture requiring an extensive pelvic open reduction and internal fixation. During evaluation, the patient was found to have an orthopedic screw from his hardware eroding through the left lateral wall of his bladder and irritating his trigone. The patient underwent pelvic exploration with open cystotomy and hardware removal with the orthopedic service. His postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient's symptoms completely resolved.
From the Bedroom to the Office: Workplace Spillover Effects of Marital Sexual Activity

We examine employee evening marital sexual behavior as an antecedent to next-day job satisfaction and job engagement. Drawing from theory on affective spillover and work to family conflict (WFC), o...
Selective increase of potassium permeability in red blood cells exposed to acetylphenylhydrazine

Normal human red blood cells, when exposed briefly to acetylphenylhydrazine (APH), acquire Heinz bodies and a propensity for net ion and water loss upon subsequent incubation in an APH-free medium of physiologic sodium and potassium (K) content. The cells can be protected from APH damage by previous deoxygenation. The ion and water loss depend on the presence of a K gradient from cell to medium. In contradistinction to some other types of membrane perturbation in which K permeability is increased, the APH effect is not dependent on calcium. The meaning of these observations is discussed in relation to the vulnerability of the K permeability barrier.
Abstract C23: The quest for biomarkers of progressive DCIS using archived tissue

Background: Presently, an indolent ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) cannot be distinguished from a progressive tumor, making the appropriate treatment of DCIS patients a major clinical dilemma. Here, we tested if measuring protein levels in archived tissue could facilitate the development of biomarkers (BMs) accurately discriminating progressive from non-invasive DCIS. We theorized that BMs of progressive lesion are measurable parameters that distinguish pure DCIS from DCIS with concurrent invasive breast cancer (IBC). To test the hypothesis, we studied the expression of the insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR), Ras oncogene –like protein 1 (Rap1), and oncoprotein Vav2 implicated in the progression of IBC. Methods: We developed and applied a new quantitative imaging-based uniplex (IBU) method to measure in-tissue protein expression. The quantification was performed on a continuous scale, and multiple repeated measurements of relative (rather than absolute) intensity of immunohistochemical staining took into account fluctuations of background. Protein profiling was completed in 211 breast samples: 42 histologically normal, 71 cancer in situ (with/without associated invasion), and 98 IBC. Groups were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by pair-wise t-tests with Tukey9s correction for multiple testing. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to evaluate how well each BM can predict tumor type. Results: A pair-wise comparison among tissue groups revealed statistically significantly higher levels of IGF-IR and Rap1 in the in situ and IBC groups than in the normal group (P Conclusions: The application of our IBU method identified previously undetected changes in IGF-IR, Rap1, and Vav2 that co-evolve with IBC progression. Vav2 may be a valuable BM for the diagnosis of progressive DCIS. Improvement in earlier detection of DCIS with aggressive phenotype would go a long way in advancing efforts towards prevention of IBC. Citation Format: Marina A. Guvakova, YunQing Jiang, Indira Prabakaran, Fei Wan, Nandita Mitra, Douglas L. Fraker, Paul J. Zhang. The quest for biomarkers of progressive DCIS using archived tissue. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr C23.
6MWT can identify type 3 SMA patients with neuromuscular junction dysfunction

Abstract The aim of the study was to establish if the decrease in gait velocity on the 6 minute walk test relates to signs of neuromuscular junction dysfunction in spinal muscular atrophy type 3 patients. 6 minute walk test and low-rate repetitive nerve stimulation test were performed in fifteen ambulant patients with spinal muscular atrophy type 3 of age between 9 and 66 years. The 6 minute walk distance ranged between 66 and 575 m. The difference between the first and the 6th minute ranged between 0 and −69%. The low-rate repetitive nerve stimulation test measured in % of loss ranged between −31.7% to +4.2% to the axillary nerve. The correlation between 6 minute walk test changes and low-rate repetitive nerve stimulation test changes was 0.86. Our data suggest that the 6 minute walk test can identify fatigue in the ambulant type 3 patients who have a concurrent neuromuscular junction dysfunction. The identification of fatigue with a simple clinical test may help to target patients who may benefit from drugs that facilitate neuromuscular transmission.
Everyday Arts for Special Education: Impact on Student Learning and Teacher Development

Everyday Arts for Special Education was a five-year program providing professional development and instruction in the arts in ten, New York City, special education elementary schools, funded through a US Department of Education i3 grant. The program served 300 teachers and 5334 special education students. The impact of the program on reading achievement and social-emotional learning was investigated through a quasi-experimental design, using the New York State Alternative Assessment and the Student Annual Needs Determination Inventory. A mixed-method study included weekly student assessment by participating teachers, structured observations, surveys, and interviews. The program was determined to have an effect on reading scores, social-emotional learning, communication and socialization skills, and teachers’ ability to implement arts-based teaching methods for students with varied disabilities.
Hardware implementation of a microgrid controller for enhancing dynamic voltage stability

This paper presents the dynamic voltage stability analysis of a 4-bus micro grid set-up with the implementation of the MicroGrid Voltage Stabilizer (MGVS). Dynamic voltage stability analysis of microgrid systems using MGVS was introduced in the literature on simulation level. However, implementation of the controller at hardware level have not been accomplished. This paper provides detailed information on implementing the MGVS to a 4-bus microgrid set-up and improvements on overall dynamic voltage stability. The implementation is performed in a lab environment using LabVolt and Texas Instruments equipment, along with MATLAB/Simulink interface. Several case studies are performed and relevant graphs showing the dynamic voltage stability analysis of the system data are presented in this paper. The 4-bus micro grid system is also simulated using the MATLAB based Power System Analysis Toolbox (PSAT). Furthermore, comparison between hardware and software results are presented and it validates the successful implementation of the MGVS.
Review of FTIR microspectroscopy applications to investigate biochemical changes in C. elegans

Abstract Caenorhabditis elegans nematode has emerged as a model organism paving the ways for multidisciplinary research in biomedical, environmental toxicology, aging, metabolism, obesity, and drug discovery. The wide range of applications of this model organism are attributed to C. elegans’ unique features: C. elegans are inexpensive, easy to grow and maintain in a laboratory, has a short lifespan, and has a small body size. With this increased interest, the need for analytical techniques to assess the biochemical information on intact worms continues to grow. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy is considered as a powerful technique that can be used to determine the chemical structure and composition of various materials, including biological samples. Furthermore, the development of focal plane array detectors has made this technique attractive to study complex biological systems such as whole nematodes. This review focuses on the use of FTIR microspectroscopy to study C. elegans. The first published work on the use of FTIR microspectroscopy to study a complex whole animal was reported in 2004. Since then, very few other studies were carried out. The objective of this review is to summarize work conducted to date using FTIR microspectroscopy to study nematodes and to discuss the information that can be gained by using this technique. This could allow scientists to add this technique to the arsenal of techniques already in use for C. elegans studies.
Developing a test of L2 Chinese pragmatic comprehension ability

This study aims to develop a test for assessing pragmatic comprehension ability in Chinese as a second language (L2). Following the framework of an argument-based approach to test validation, this study attempts to obtain backing for the Evaluation and Explanation inferences. Test items were developed based on two sources of authentic language use (i.e., field notes and a corpus of natural language use). Following a series of piloting, 107 examinees of L2 Chinese completed the test (k = 39) in the main study. Among them, nine examinees had retrospective interviews that probed the knowledge, strategies and processes involved in completing the test. The assumption underlying the Evaluation inference was supported by satisfactory statistical characteristics of the test (e.g., item/test difficulty, item discrimination, distractor functioning, and item/person fit); moreover, the two assumptions associated with the Explanation inference were backed by quantitative and qualitative evidence demonstrating that variations in test performance were attributable to the targeted construct of pragmatic comprehension ability. The test appears to be a reliable instrument for assessing pragmatic comprehension ability in L2 Chinese. The test results can be used to inform decision-making on curriculum development for interested Chinese programs.
Prenatal exposure to tobacco and cannabis: Effects on autonomic and emotion regulation.

Abstract Tobacco and cannabis are often used together in pregnancy and both have effects on children's regulatory system. Yet, little is known about the impact of co-use on the development of emotion regulation at the developmentally salient age of 2 years. One pathway linking co-exposure to tobacco and cannabis to toddler regulation may be via poor autonomic regulation in infancy. In addition, substance using mothers may be more dysregulated themselves, which may have direct effects on toddler regulation, but may also affect parenting, particularly maternal sensitivity during mother-child interactions. Thus, a second pathway linking exposure to toddler regulation may be via maternal dysregulation and low maternal sensitivity. We examined a conceptual model linking prenatal exposure to toddler regulation via these two pathways in a prospective sample (N = 247) of mother-child dyads recruited in the first trimester of pregnancy. Results indicated significant effects of co-exposure on poor autonomic regulation in infancy, which in turn predicted poor toddler emotion regulation. Mothers who used both tobacco and cannabis displayed lower sensitivity during play interactions with their infants. Maternal sensitivity was modestly stable from infant to toddler period and was predictive of higher toddler emotion regulation. Continued postnatal exposure to tobacco was also a significant, unique predictor of lower toddler emotion regulation. Results highlight the importance of examining co-exposure effects and suggest that this common pattern of use may be associated with higher infant/toddler risks.
Correlation of Electromyography Findings to Muscle Biopsy Findings in Patients with Suspected Myopathy (P3.445)

Objective: Assess correlation of EMG findings to pathologies identified on histologic analysis in patients referred for muscle biopsy. Background: Electromyography (EMG) is important in evaluation of myopathy, identifying electrophysiologic patterns associated with muscle disease and appropriate sites for biopsy. Histological evaluation of biopsy samples help diagnose the underlying pathology. Design/Methods: In this interim retrospective chart review analysis, patients referred for muscle biopsy at Mayo Clinic from 10/2004 to 10/2016 were reviewed. EMG findings including presence of fibrillations and short duration motor unit potentials (MUP) as well as biopsy findings including presence of fiber necrosis/splitting and inflammation were extracted. Results: 224 EMGs reviewed, 182 suggesting myopathy, 25 normal, 17 suggesting other diagnoses 147 suspected myopathies diagnosed with muscle pathology: 60 inflammatory, 36 unknown subtype, 30 congenital, 6 other 36 suspected myopathies given alternative diagnosis 25 normal EMGs, 6 with muscle pathology on biopsy 17 suspected other diagnoses on EMG, 2 with myopathy on biopsy Fibrillations identified on 103/224 biopsied muscle EMGs, 88/103 had myopathy Myotonic discharges identified on 12/224 EMGs, 10/12 had myopathy Short MUPs identified on 157/224 EMGs, 133/157 had myopathy Type of myopathy was not predicted by severity of fibrillations, presence of myotonic discharges, or severity of short MUPs Conclusions: While EMG can identify myopathy in most cases, normal EMG or electrophysiology studies suggesting alternative diagnoses should be interpreted with caution. Muscle pathology can be identified even when electrophysiologic findings do not support the diagnosis. Similarly, alternative diagnoses may be established even in the presence of electrophysiologic data suggesting myopathy. Presence of fibrillations, myotonic discharges, and short motor unit potentials in the muscle of interest make diagnosis of myopathy more likely, but do not predict the type of myopathy ultimately diagnosed. As with all diagnostic studies, interpretation of EMG results requires careful clinical correlation. Disclosure: Dr. Sener has nothing to disclose. Dr. Martinez-Thompson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dimberg has nothing to disclose. Dr Laughlin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rubin has received royalty, license fees, or contractual rights payments from AAN, AANEM.
Assessing pharmacy student experience with, knowledge of and attitudes towards harm reduction: illuminating barriers to pharmacist-led harm reduction

As the burden from the opioid epidemic continues to increase in the state of Minnesota and across the nation, the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy seeks to design an innovative, comprehensive harm reduction curriculum in order to better train student pharmacists to serve the varied needs of the greater community. This study examines incoming individuals’ baseline knowledge of and attitudes toward harm reduction in order to better inform curriculum planning and to ultimately produce pharmacists capable of impacting the devastating effects of the opioid crisis. Incoming first-year pharmacy students took a survey focused on their knowledge of opioid overdose and the drug naloxone and also provided written reflections on their perceptions of harm reduction. Data was coded using consensual qualitative research (CQR) into appropriate domains. Pharmacy students beginning their professional education revealed a lack of knowledge of proper response to an overdose situation, with 18.56% unfamiliar with the opioid antagonist drug naloxone. Close to 10% (9.58%) of students expressed unwillingness to do anything other than call an ambulance during an overdose event, while 8.98% were either unsure or felt that they would not feel compelled to do something to help. Qualitative coding revealed many barriers to students’ becoming capable harm reductionists, including lack of knowledge of substance use, addiction, and harm reduction, in addition to the presence of bias and stigma. In order to interrupt the cycle of misinformation and stigma within the larger community and the subgroup of medical providers, gaps in student knowledge must be addressed in meaningful, specific ways over the course of their pharmacy education. Evaluating baseline knowledge and beliefs informs the design of a flexible, action-oriented curriculum to produce well-trained pharmacists ready to engage in finding solutions to the opioid crisis.
A Sustainable, Portable, and Efficient Electricity Delivery (SPEED) System

In this paper, a sustainable, portable, and efficient electricity delivery (SPEED) system is designed and built for community emergency/disaster relief with sustainable power solutions. The system consists of a 180W PV array with six serial-connected solar panels, a 1.8kWh battery system, a SYNDEM power converter, and a human-machine interface. Advanced power electronics control technologies are designed and implemented to guarantee the autonomous operation of the SPEED system at either islanded mode or grid-tied mode to cope with emergency/disaster relief scenarios. Field testing is conducted to validate the effectiveness and efficiency of the SPEED system.
Biodegradable Piezoelectric Sensor

Measuring vital physiological pressures is important for monitoring health status, preventing the buildup of dangerous internal forces in impaired organs, and enabling novel approaches of using mechanical stimulation for tissue regeneration. Pressure sensors are often required to be implanted and directly integrated with native soft biological systems. Therefore, the devices should be flexible and at the same time, biodegradable, to avoid invasive removal surgery that can damage directly-interfaced tissues. Despite recent achievements in degradable electronic devices, there is still a tremendous need to develop a force sensor which only relies on safe medical materials and requires no complex fabrication process to provide accurate information on important bio-physiological forces. Here, we present a new strategy for material processing, electromechanical analysis, device fabrication, and assessment of a new piezoelectric Poly-L-lactide (PLLA) polymer to create a biodegradable, biocompatible piezoelectric force-sensor which only employs medical materials used commonly in FDA-approved implants, for the monitoring of biological forces.
Revisiting plausible deniability

Despite its prominence as a tool of statecraft, covert action’s defining characteristic – plausible deniability – remains a slippery concept. This article investigates the logics underlying the two...
Perspectives of pregnant and postpartum women and obstetric providers to promote healthy lifestyle in pregnancy and after delivery: a qualitative in-depth interview study.

Pregnancy provides an opportunity to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors. This study’s aim was to explore the perspectives of pregnant and postpartum women and obstetric providers around behavioral lifestyle changes in pregnancy and postpartum. We conducted a qualitative study with pregnant and postpartum patients recruited from 2 prenatal care clinics at an urban, academic hospital in the United States. In-depth interviews with 23 pregnant or postpartum women and 11 obstetric providers were completed between October 2015–April 2016. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We coded transcripts for thematic content and applied the PRECEDE-PROCEED framework for results to directly inform program development. Six themes highlighted the predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors that enable and sustain health behavior changes in pregnancy and postpartum: 1) “Motivation to have a healthy baby” during pregnancy and to “have my body back” after delivery, 2) Pre-pregnancy knowledge and experiences about pregnancy and the postpartum period, 3) Prioritizing wellness during pregnancy and postpartum, 4) The power of social support, 5) Accountability, 6) Integration with technology to reinforce behavior change. In this qualitative study, pregnant and postpartum women and obstetric providers described themes that are aimed at encouraging lifestyle changes to promote healthy weight gain in pregnancy and can directly inform the development of a behavioral weight management intervention for pregnant and postpartum women that is patient-centered and tailored to their needs.
Optimization of photoluminescence from W centers in a silicon-on-insulator

W centers are trigonal defects generated by self-ion implantation in silicon that exhibit photoluminescence at 1.218 µm. We have shown previously that they can be used in waveguide-integrated all-silicon light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Here we optimize the implant energy, fluence and anneal conditions to maximize the photoluminescence intensity for W centers implanted in silicon-on-insulator, a substrate suitable for waveguide-integrated devices. After optimization, we observe near two orders of magnitude improvement in photoluminescence intensity relative to the conditions with the stopping range of the implanted ions at the center of the silicon device layer. The previously demonstrated waveguide-integrated LED used implant conditions with the stopping range at the center of this layer. We further show that such light sources can be manufactured at the 300-mm scale by demonstrating photoluminescence of similar intensity from 300 mm silicon-on-insulator wafers. The luminescence uniformity across the entire wafer is within the measurement error.
Photonic crystal-assisted light extraction from a colloidal quantum dot/GaN hybrid structure.

We present a study of the light extraction from CdSe/ZnS core/shell colloidal quantum dot thin films deposited on quantum well InGaN/GaN photonic crystal structures. The two-dimensional photonic crystal defined by nanoimprint lithography is used to efficiently extract the guided light modes originating from both the quantum dot thin films and the InGaN quantum wells. Far-field photoluminescence spectra are used to measure the extraction enhancement factor of the quantum dot emission (×1.4). Microphotoluminescence measurements show that the guided mode effective extraction lengths range between 70 and 180 μm, depending on the wavelength of light.
Deubiquitinase USP13 promotes extracellular matrix expression by stabilizing Smad4 in lung fibroblast cells

Smad4 plays a central role in the regulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) protein expression and cell differentiation; however, the molecular regulation of Smad4 protein stability by a deubiquitinase has not been reported. In the current study, we reveal that a deubiquitinase USP13 stabilizes Smad4, ultimately modulating ECM protein expression in lung fibroblast cells. USP13 was increased in primary adult lung fibroblasts isolated from bleomycin-challenged mice and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-treated primary mouse lung fibroblasts. In a bleomycin-induced murine model of lung fibrosis, USP13-deficient mice showed reduced ECM levels such as fibronectin (FN) and collagen compared with wild-type mice. The reductions in both protein levels and mRNA expression of ECM were observed in the isolated lung fibroblasts from USP13-deficient mice, suggesting that downregulation of USP13 reduces ECM levels through inhibiting its transcription. To investigate the molecular mechanisms by which USP13 modulates ECM expression, we focused on the role of USP13 on Smad4 expression. Overexpression of USP13 increased FN and Smad4 protein levels in lung fibroblasts, while downregulation of USP13 reduced Smad4 protein levels, without altering Smad4 mRNA expression, suggesting that USP13 regulates Smad4 protein stability. Knockdown of USP13 decreased Smad4 half-life and promoted Smad4 ubiquitination. Both Smad4 and USP13 were co-localized in the cytoplasm in treated cell, and co-translocated into the nucleus in response to TGF-β1. The results indicate that USP13 promotes ECM expression by stabilizing Smad4 in lung fibroblasts and plays a role in the maintenance of the extracellular matrix in lungs.
Ion Formation from Rapidly Heated Aqueous Droplets by Droplet-Assisted Ionization

When aqueous droplets travel through a temperature-controlled capillary from atmospheric pressure into a vacuum, they undergo aerodynamic and/or thermal breakup to give charged progeny droplets tha...
Informal landscapes and the performative placing of insurgent planning

Non-representational theory illuminates the role of mundane, performative presentations in the production of emotional geographies, while drawing attention to the unexpected (the event, the encount...
Language, gender and sexuality in 2019: interrogating normativities in the field

In recent years, the study of language, gender and sexuality has become increasingly global, multiracial, intersectional, crosslinguistic and queer- and trans-inclusive. The year 2019 continued this trajectory with a wave of research interrogating normativities, both among the speakers under analysis and among the researchers doing the analysing. While the analysis of linguistic practice has allowed language and gender scholars to probe the ways speakers normatively construct and ideologise the prototypical man, woman, gay person and transgender individual, theoretical and methodological advances in 2019 have also invited scholars to interrogate what is considered the prototypical study of language and gender. Interrogating normativities among both speakers and researchers has allowed for theoretical and methodological advances that paint a fuller picture of the multifaceted and context-specific relationship between language, identity and speaker agency.
Harnessing Extracellular Matrix Biology for Tumor Drug Delivery

The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an active role in cell life through a tightly controlled reciprocal relationship maintained by several fibrous proteins, enzymes, receptors, and other components. It is also highly involved in cancer progression. Because of its role in cancer etiology, the ECM holds opportunities for cancer therapy on several fronts. There are targets in the tumor-associated ECM at the level of signaling molecules, enzyme expression, protein structure, receptor interactions, and others. In particular, the ECM is implicated in invasiveness of tumors through its signaling interactions with cells. By capitalizing on the biology of the tumor microenvironment and the opportunities it presents for intervention, the ECM has been investigated as a therapeutic target, to facilitate drug delivery, and as a prognostic or diagnostic marker for tumor progression and therapeutic intervention. This review summarizes the tumor ECM biology as it relates to drug delivery with emphasis on design parameters targeting the ECM.
Hydration-induced reversible deformation of the pine cone

Abstract The scales of pine cones undergo reversible deformation due to hydration changes in order to optimize seed dispersal. This improves the survivability of the pine. The reversible flexing of the scales is caused by two tissue layers arranged in a sandwich configuration: a layer composed of sclereid cells and a sclerenchyma layer. They expand differentially upon hydration (and contract upon dehydration) due to differences in the structure that are analyzed here for Torrey pine (Pinustorreyana) cones. In addition to this well-known mechanism by which the cellulose microfibrils in the scales vary their angle with the wood cell axis, we confirm the presence of a porosity gradient in the sclereid cells and calculate, using a model consisting of three layers, the stresses generated upon dehydration taking into account the effect of hydration on the elastic modulus. Our quantitative analysis reveals that this gradient structure can significantly decrease the stress concentrations due to the mismatch between the two layers, and show that this is an ingenious design to increase the interfacial toughness to improve the robustness of pine cone scales. We also show that each individual layer of sclereid cells and sclerenchyma fibers undergoes bending when hydrated separately, and suggest that the two layers operate synergistically to effect the required deformation for seed release. A synthetic bioinspired analog consisting of hydrogels with different porosities is used to confirm this principal actuation mechanism. These findings may inspire the materials science and mechanical engineering communities to develop more robust, biocompatible and energy-efficient actuation systems. Statement of significance Some biological structures can exhibit reversible deformation enabled by water inflow and outflow of their structure. We analyse the reversible motion of pine cone scales. The dehydration produces their flexure and opening, resulting in the release of seeds and their dispersal, when conditions are right. This process is reversible, and rehydration of the pine cone recloses the scales. The processes of flexing and straightening are governed by shrinking and swelling which are directed by differences in the arrangement of cellulose microfibrils in a bilayer construct. We demonstrate that the scales are more complex than a simple bilayer structure and that they actually have gradients, which significantly reduce the internal stresses and ensure their integrity. We analyse the process of opening and closing of the scales for a gradient structure in the Torrey pine cone using a simple idealized trilayer model. The results demonstrate a significant decrease in internal stresses produced by the gradient structure. Using the lessons learned from the pine cone, we produce a bilayer junction using hydrogels with different porosities which exhibit the same reversible bending response.