cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bacteriophage T4 as a Nanoparticle Platform to Display and Deliver Pathogen Antigens: Construction of an Effective Anthrax Vaccine

Protein-based subunit vaccines represent a safer alternative to the whole pathogen in vaccine development. However, limitations of physiological instability and low immunogenicity of such vaccines demand an efficient delivery system to stimulate robust immune responses. The bacteriophage T4 capsid-based antigen delivery system can robustly elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses without any adjuvant. Therefore, it offers a strong promise as a novel antigen delivery system. Currently Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is a serious biothreat agent and no FDA-approved anthrax vaccine is available for mass vaccination. Here, we describe a potential anthrax vaccine using a T4 capsid platform to display and deliver the 83 kDa protective antigen, PA, a key component of the anthrax toxin. This T4 vaccine platform might serve as a universal antigen delivery system that can be adapted to develop vaccines against any infectious disease.
Abstract P261: Endothelial Differentiation Gene-1 Is Involved in Related Transcriptional Enhancer Factor-1--Induced Endothelial Cell Aggregation

We have previously demonstrated that Related Transcriptional Enhancer Factor-1 (RTEF-1) regulated angiogenesis through induction of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) under hypoxic conditions. Recently, we discovered that RTEF-1 accelerated endothelial cell connections and enhanced endothelial cell aggregation. To investigate the mechanism of RTEF-1 in regulated endothelial aggregation, a DNA array analysis was performed in the endothelial cell (HMEC-1) lacking RTEF-1 by its siRNA and resulted in a significant decrease of endothelial differentiation gene -1 (Edg-1). RTEF-1 significantly increase Edg-1 promoter activity (4.10 Fold) and the expression levels of Edg-1 gene are concordant with the RTEF-1 gene in both mRNA and protein levels in cultured endothelial cells as well as in endothelial specific RTEF-1 transgenic mice (VE-Cad-RTEF-1) and RTEF-1 knock out mice (Tie2 Cre :RTEF-1 floxp ) . In Matrigel tube formation assay, over-expression of Edg-1 gene stimulated endothelial cell aggregation, while siRNA of Edg-1 significantly blocked RTEF-1-driven endothelial cell aggregation. Furthermore, using an Edg-1 receptor agonist Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), the acceleration of the proliferation, migration and tube formation were observed, whereas Edg-1 receptor inhibitor Pertussis Toxin (PTX) could block RTEF-1-induced cell aggregation. Our data demonstrates that Edg-1 is a potential target gene of RTEF-1. It is involved in RTEF-1 regulated endothelial cell angiogenesis, specifically in endothelial cell aggregation.
Talk About Death: End of Life Planning with a Virtual Agent

For those nearing the end of life, “wellness” must encompass reduction in suffering as well as the promotion of behaviors that mitigate stress and help people prepare for death. We discuss the design of a virtual conversational palliative care coach that works with individuals during their last year of life to help them manage symptoms, reduce stress, identify and address unmet spiritual needs, and support advance care planning. We present the results of an experiment that features the reactions of older adults in discussing these topics with a virtual agent, and note the importance of discussing spiritual needs in the context of end-of-life conversations. We find that all participants are comfortable discussing these topics with an agent, and that their discussion leads to reductions in state and death anxiety, as well as significant increase in intent to create a last will and testament.
Wetlands and Coastal Estuaries

Around half of the world's freshwater and estuarine wetlands have disappeared, almost exclusively due to development activities and population growth. Valuing the goods and services provided by wetlands is critical to policy choices concerning the management of remaining wetlands. Although progress has been made through economists and natural scientists collaborating to determine the value of some nonmarket wetland goods and services, many other important benefits are still inadequately assessed. In addition, as wetland degradation and conversion have led to the loss of many important goods and services, in recent decades there have been increasing efforts to restore and create wetlands. Assessing nonmarket value of wetland goods and services is also vital to these efforts. To facilitate the transition to restoring and creating wetland as opposed to destroying them, nonmarket valuation should also focus on assessing alternative wetland landscape use scenarios and their impacts on conservation versus development trade-offs as well as wetland restoration and creation priorities.
Applications of the rancor microworld nuclear power plant simulator

The Rancor Microworld is a recently developed low- fidelity Nuclear Power Plant Simulator. The microworld concept provides a simplified representation of an integrated 30 MW pressurized water reactor that can be taken from a cold-shutdown through turbine startup and load generation. Non-expert operators can be trained to competently operate the Rancor simulator within an hour, and it has already been used to examine attention and situation awareness measures in a series of experiments. Here we discuss the role of simulation in nuclear human factors, examine how a tool like Rancor fills a niche for nuclear human factors process control, and discuss potential avenues for future development and research in computer-based procedures, human reliability analysis, team operations, and cybersecurity.
Cost-Effectiveness of Peer- Versus Venue-Based Approaches for Detecting Undiagnosed HIV Among Heterosexuals in High-Risk New York City Neighborhoods.

INTRODUCTION We used a computer simulation of HIV progression and transmission to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a scale-up of 3 strategies to seek out and test individuals with undiagnosed HIV in New York City (NYC). SETTING Hypothetical NYC population. METHODS We incorporated the observed effects and costs of the 3 "seek and test" strategies in a computer simulation of HIV in NYC, comparing a scenario in which the strategies were scaled up with a 1-year implementation or a long-term implementation with a counterfactual scenario with no scale-up. The simulation combined a deterministic compartmental model of HIV transmission with a stochastic microsimulation of HIV progression, calibrated to NYC epidemiological data from 2003 to 2015. The 3 approaches were respondent-driven sampling (RDS) with anonymous HIV testing ("RDS-A"), RDS with a 2-session confidential HIV testing approach ("RDS-C"), and venue-based sampling ("VBS"). RESULTS RDS-A was the most cost-effective strategy tested. When implemented for only 1 year and then stopped thereafter, using a societal perspective, the cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained versus no intervention was $812/QALY, $18,110/QALY, and $20,362/QALY for RDS-A, RDS-C, and VBS, respectively. When interventions were implemented long term, the cost per QALY gained versus no intervention was cost-saving, $31,773/QALY, and $35,148/QALY for RDS-A, RDS-C, and VBS, respectively. When compared with RDS-A, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for both VBS and RDS-C were dominated. CONCLUSIONS The expansion of the RDS-A strategy would substantially reduce HIV-related deaths and new HIV infections in NYC, and would be either cost-saving or have favorable cost-effectiveness.
Steroid Regulation of Gonadotropin Secretion

Publisher Summary This chapter describes steroid regulation of gonadotropin secretion. Although it has been proposed that there is a single gonadotropin-releasing hormone, and a single decapeptide with both follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and LH-releasing capacity has been isolated and synthesized, there are ample data from physiologic experiments and from several diseases that show that luteinizing hormone (LH) and FSH often vary independently. The chapter also discusses separately the regulation of each gonadotropin although there are undoubtedly overlapping controls. Plasma testosterone concentration determines the rate of LH secretion. Testosterone in plasma is associated with a β-globulin, testosterone-estradiol binding globulin (TeBg), and only 1% of the testosterone is free in plasma. In men, when TeBG is increased, free testosterone falls until increased secretion of testosterone establishes a new equilibrium at a higher total testosterone concentration but with the plasma free testosterone at its original set point. As TeBG is increased, the plasma concentrations of testosterone and LH also increased in parallel. Moreover, it has been found that FSH is regulated independently of LH although the hormonal steroids secreted by the Leydig cell exert effects as well. The chemotherapeutic regimens used for the treatment of Hodgkin's disease deplete the germinal epithelium, leaving only Sertoli cells. This is associated with increased plasma FSH concentrations and normal LH as in the naturally occurring germinal cell aplasia.
Outcomes of low-weight patients with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder and anorexia nervosa at long-term follow-up after treatment in a partial hospitalization program for eating disorders.

Objective To assess long-term outcomes of patients with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) treated in a partial hospitalization program (PHP) for eating disorders (ED). Method A cross-sectional study comparing patients with ARFID to those with anorexia nervosa (AN) who had been discharged from a PHP for at least 12 months was performed. Percent median body mass index (%MBMI), scores on the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT), and treatment utilization were assessed, with intake and discharge data collected via retrospective chart review. Results Of the 137 eligible patients, 62 (45.3%) consented to follow-up data collection. Patients with ARFID and AN exhibited similar increases in %MBMI from intake to discharge and reported low scores on the ChEAT by discharge. Patients with ARFID and AN maintained good weight outcomes and low ChEAT scores at follow-up. Most participants were still receiving outpatient treatment from a variety of providers, although fewer with ARFID than AN continued to receive services from our multidisciplinary ED clinic. Discussion Patients with ARFID and AN exhibit similar improvements in %MBMI when treated in the same PHP and appear to maintain treatment gains at long-term follow-up. Additionally, most patients continue to utilize outpatient services after being discharged from a PHP.
Pathophysiology of IBD associated diarrhea

Inflammatory bowel diseases broadly categorized into Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract with increasing prevalence worldwide. The etiology of the disease is complex and involves a combination of genetic, environmental, immunological and gut microbial factors. Recurring and bloody diarrhea is the most prevalent and debilitating symptom in IBD. The pathogenesis of IBD-associated diarrhea is multifactorial and is essentially an outcome of mucosal damage caused by persistent inflammation resulting in dysregulated intestinal ion transport, impaired epithelial barrier function and increased accessibility of the pathogens to the intestinal mucosa. Altered expression and/or function of epithelial ion transporters and channels is the principle cause of electrolyte retention and water accumulation in the intestinal lumen leading to diarrhea in IBD. Aberrant barrier function further contributes to diarrhea via leak-flux mechanism. Mucosal penetration of enteric pathogens promotes dysbiosis and exacerbates the underlying immune system further perpetuating IBD associated-tissue damage and diarrhea. Here, we review the mechanisms of impaired ion transport and loss of epithelial barrier function contributing to diarrhea associated with IBD.
Pronuclear Microinjection and Oviduct Transfer Procedures for Transgenic Mouse Production

Transgenic mouse technology is a powerful method for studying gene function and creating animal models of human diseases. Currently, the most widely used method for generating transgenic mice is the pronuclear microinjection method. In this method, a transgenic DNA construct is physically microinjected into the pronucleus of a fertilized egg. The injected embryos are subsequently transferred into the oviducts of pseudopregnant surrogate mothers. A portion of the mice born to these surrogate mothers will harbor the injected foreign gene in their genomes. These procedures are technically challenging for most biomedical researchers. Inappropriate experimental procedures or suboptimal equipment setup can substantially reduce the efficiency of transgenic mouse production. In this chapter, we describe in detail our microinjection setup as well as our standard microinjection and oviduct transfer procedures.
ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS OF TRACE QUANTITIES OF RARE GASES

Quantitative determinations of extremely small amounts of rare gas isotopes have many applications in nuclear physics and geology. Measurements on samples in the range 10 −6 −10 −9 cm 3 (s.t.p.) extracted from meteorites permit investigations of the interaction of cosmic rays with meteors and related problems. Two mass spectrometer systems are described: (1) A double focusing high resolution instrument which has been used quasi-statically for quantitative determination of He 3 /He 4 ratios and amounts of helium in meteorites, and (2) an all metal single focusing mass spectrometer especially designed for quantitative measurements of trace amounts of rare gases.
Localized hypoxia links ER stress to lung fibrosis through induction of C/EBP homologous protein

ER stress in type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) is common in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), but the contribution of ER stress to lung fibrosis is poorly understood. We found that mice deficient in C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), an ER stress-regulated transcription factor, were protected from lung fibrosis and AEC apoptosis in 3 separate models where substantial ER stress was identified. In mice treated with repetitive intratracheal bleomycin, we identified localized hypoxia in type II AECs as a potential mechanism explaining ER stress. To test the role of hypoxia in lung fibrosis, we treated mice with bleomycin, followed by exposure to 14% O2, which exacerbated ER stress and lung fibrosis. Under these experimental conditions, CHOP-/- mice, but not mice with epithelial HIF (HIF1/HIF2) deletion, were protected from AEC apoptosis and fibrosis. In vitro studies revealed that CHOP regulates hypoxia-induced apoptosis in AECs via the inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α) and the PKR-like ER kinase (PERK) pathways. In human IPF lungs, CHOP and hypoxia markers were both upregulated in type II AECs, supporting a conclusion that localized hypoxia results in ER stress-induced CHOP expression, thereby augmenting type II AEC apoptosis and potentiating lung fibrosis.
Outpatient Engagement and Predicted Risk of Suicide Attempts in Fibromyalgia

OBJECTIVE Patients with fibromyalgia (FM) are 10 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. The purpose of this study was to externally validate published models predicting suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in patients with FM and to identify interpretable risk and protective factors for suicidality unique to FM. METHODS This was a case-control study of large-scale electronic health record data collected from 1998 to 2017, identifying FM cases with validated Phenotype KnowledgeBase criteria. Model performance was measured through discrimination, including the receiver operating area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity, and through calibration, including calibration plots. Risk factors were selected by L1 penalized regression with bootstrapping for both outcomes. Secondary utilization analyses converted time-based billing codes to equivalent minutes to estimate face-to-face provider contact. RESULTS We identified 8,879 patients with FM, with 34 known suicide attempts and 96 documented cases of suicidal ideation. External validity was good for both suicidal ideation (AUC 0.80) and attempts (AUC 0.82) with excellent calibration. Risk factors specific to suicidal ideation included polysomatic symptoms such as fatigue (odds ratio [OR] 1.29 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.25-1.32]), dizziness (OR 1.25 [95% CI 1.22-1.28]), and weakness (OR 1.17 [95% CI 1.15-1.19]). Risk factors specific to suicide attempt included obesity (OR 1.18 [95% CI 1.10-1.27]) and drug dependence (OR 1.15 [95% CI 1.12-1.18]). Per utilization analyses, those patients with FM and no suicidal ideation spent 3.5 times more time in follow-up annually, and those without documented suicide attempts spent more than 40 times more time face-to-face with providers annually. CONCLUSION This is the first study to successfully apply machine learning to reliably detect suicidality in patients with FM, identifying novel risk factors for suicidality and highlighting outpatient engagement as a protective factor against suicide.
Performance Characterization and Majority Gate Design for MESO-Based Circuits

Magnetoelectric spin-orbit (MESO) logic is a promising spin-based post-CMOS logic computation paradigm. This paper explores the application of the basic MESO device concept to more complex logic structures. A simulation framework is first developed to facilitate the performance evaluation of MESO-based circuits. Based on the analysis, it is seen that inadvertent logic errors may potentially be introduced in cascaded MESO stages due to sneak paths, and solutions for overcoming this problem with a short pulse and two-phase evaluation are discussed. Next, the generalization of the MESO inverter structure to majority logic gates is shown. Two implementations, based on different physical mechanisms, are presented and a relative analysis of their speed and power characteristics is provided.
Smashing the icon of Black Lives Matter: afropessimism & religious iconolatry

This article seeks to intervene in the critical conversations surrounding Black Lives Matter (BLM) to urge scholars to challenge the very political calculus from which we (dis)count lives and ascri...
The role of the internet in the grooming, exploitation, and exit of United States domestic minor sex trafficking victims

The Internet (e.g., social networking, online marketing, and encryption technologies) has been identified as a means to facilitate domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST; a.k.a., commercial sexual ex...
Crisis Governance, Emergency Management, and the Digital Revolution

Digital technologies have fundamentally altered emergency and crisis management work. This essay sketches the macro-environmental transformations wrought by digital technologies in emergency and crisis management and outlines their implications for managerial reasoning and decision-making. It proposes multi-level approaches to improve congruence between crisis managers and their environments to reduce cognitive and organizational barriers and improve decision-making. The future of crisis management lies in reducing the misalignment between personal, proximal, and distal environmental conditions.
Direct to Angiography—An Emerging Paradigm in Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke: Rationale, Feasibility, and Preliminary Results

Large vessel occlusion stroke (LVO) represents a stroke subset associated with the highest morbidity and mortality. Multiple prospective randomized trials have shown that thrombectomy, alone or in conjunction with intravenous thrombolysis, is highly effective in reestablishing cerebral perfusion and improving clinical outcomes. In unselected patients and especially in patients with poor collaterals, the benefit of reperfusion therapy is exquisitely time sensitive; the earlier thrombectomy is started, the lower the likelihood of disability or death. Understanding both the pathophysiological underpinnings and the modifying factors of this strong time-to-treatment effect demonstrated in numerous randomized clinical trials is important for implementation of intrahospital workflow measures aiming to maximize time efficiency of thrombectomy. Reducing delays in reperfusion therapy initiation has become a priority in acute stroke care, and therefore, a thorough understanding of the main systems-based factors responsible for these delays is critical. Because the time spent evaluating the patient in the emergency department which typically includes neuroimaging studies performed in scanners remote from the angiography suite represents the main source of delays in thrombectomy initiation, the “Direct to Angiography (DTA)” model has emerged as a means to substantially reduce treatment times and is being instituted at an increasing number of thrombectomy centers across the world. This concept draws parallels to the cardiology model in which door-to-treatment initiation times are substantially shorter than those observed in thrombectomy for LVO stroke in large part due to the fact that at the vast majority of centers performing percutaneous interventions for STEMI, patients are either transferred directly to the cardiac catheterization lab or pass through the ED for the sole purpose of managing any immediately life-threatening condition that may be associated with the patient’s presentation. The aim of this chapter is to introduce DTA as an emerging stroke care paradigm for patients with suspicion of LVO, review results from studies evaluating its feasibility and impact on outcomes, describe current barriers to its more widespread adoption, and propose potential solutions to overcoming these barriers.
The association between lactate and muscle aerobic substrate oxidation: Is lactate an early marker for metabolic disease in healthy subjects?

Fasting plasma lactate concentrations are elevated in individuals with metabolic disease. The aim of this study was to determine if the variance in fasting lactate concentrations were associated with factors linked with cardiometabolic health even in a young, lean cohort. Young (age 22 ± 0.5; N = 30) lean (BMI (22.4 ± 0.4 kg/m2 ) women were assessed for waist-to-hip ratio, aerobic capacity (VO2 peak), skeletal muscle oxidative capacity (near infrared spectroscopy; fat oxidation from muscle biopsies), and fasting glucose and insulin (HOMA-IR). Subjects had a mean fasting lactate of 0.9 ± 0.1 mmol/L. The rate of deoxygenation of hemoglobin/myoglobin (R2 = .23, p = .03) in resting muscle and skeletal muscle homogenate fatty acid oxidation (R2 = .72, p = .004) were inversely associated with fasting lactate. Likewise, cardiorespiratory fitness (time to exhaustion during the VO2 peak test) was inversely associated with lactate (R2 = .20, p = .05). Lactate concentration was inversely correlated with HDL:LDL (R2 = .57, p = .02) and positively correlated with the waist to hip ratio (R2 = .52, p = .02). Plasma lactate was associated with various indices of cardiometabolic health. Thus, early determination of fasting lactate concentration could become a common biomarker used for identifying individuals at early risk for metabolic diseases.
Effects of engineered lignin-graft-PLGA and zein-based nanoparticles on soybean health

Abstract The majority of published research on the effect of engineered nanoparticles on terrestrial plant species is focused on inorganic nanoparticles, with the effects of organic polymeric nanoparticles (NP) on plants remaining largely unexplored. It is critical to understand the impact of polymeric NPs on plants if these particles are to be used as agrochemical delivery systems. This study investigates the effect of biodegradable polymeric lignin-based nanoparticles (LNPs) and zein nanoparticles (ZNP) on soybean plant health. The LNPs (114 ± 3.4 nm, −53.8 ± 6.9 mV) were synthesized by emulsion evaporation from lignin-graft-poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid, and ZNPs (142 ± 3.9 nm and + 64.5 ± 4.7 mV) were synthesized by nanoprecipitation. Soybeans were grown hydroponically and treated with 0.02, 0.2, and 2 mg/ml of LNPs or ZNPs at 28 days after germination. Plants were harvested after 1, 3, 7 and 14 days of particle exposure and analyzed for root and stem length, chlorophyll concentration, dry biomass of roots and stem, nutrient uptake and plant ROS. Root and stem length, chlorophyll and stem biomass did not differ significantly between treatments and controls for LNPs-treated plants at all concentrations, and at low doses of ZNPs. At 2 mg/ml ZNPs, the highest concentration tested, after 7 days of treatment chlorophyll levels and root biomass increased and stem length was reduced in comparison to the control. Nutrient uptake was largely unaffected at 0.02 and 0.2 mg/ml NPs. A concentration-dependent increase in the oxidative stresss was detected, especially in the ZNP treated plants. Overall, LNPs and ZNPs had a minimum impact on soybean health especially at low and medium doses. To our knowledge this is the first study to show the effect of zein and lignin based polymeric NPs designed for agrochemical delivery on soybean plant health.
In vivo and in vitro models of gastric cancer

Abstract Gastric cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. With over one million diagnosed cases per year, it is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Since the establishment of cell culture in the early 1900s along with the generation of the first cell lines to study gastric cancer and disease, the breadth of knowledge and resources has grown substantially. A key element of the evolution of modeling for gastric carcinogenesis, in particular, has been the advent of genetic engineering and organoid culture. Genetic engineering has allowed the study of specific genes and “humanizing” model systems for preclinical use, while organoid culture provides a physiologically similar in vitro cell culture of patient-derived tissue. This chapter describes the generation and use of commonly used models in vitro and in vivo to study gastric disease and recent developments in methods and technology.
Updates on the Management of Neurologic Complications of Post-Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the United States, and survivors are frequently left with severe disability. Of the 10% successfully resuscitated from SCA, only around 10% of these live with a favorable neurologic outcome. Survivors of SCA commonly develop post-cardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS). PCAS is composed of neurologic, myocardial, and systemic injury related to inadequate perfusion and ischemia-reperfusion injury with free radical formation and an inflammatory cascade. While targeted temperature management is the cornerstone of therapy, other intensive care unit-based management strategies include monitoring and treatment of seizures, cerebral edema, and increased intracranial pressure, as well as prevention of further neurologic injury. In this review, we discuss the scientific evidence, recent updates, future prospects, and knowledge gaps in the treatment of post-cardiac arrest patients.
Allopregnanolone and depression and anxiety symptoms across the peripartum: an exploratory study.

Recent research has implicated allopregnanolone (ALLO), a neuroactive steroid and metabolite of progesterone, in perinatal mood and anxiety symptoms. We sought to add to the limited literature examining ALLO and mood and anxiety at multiple time points across the peripartum. We measured mood and anxiety symptoms and ALLO levels by ELISA at the second and third trimester (T2 and T3) and week 6 postpartum (W6) in N = 73 women with prior histories of mood and/or anxiety disorders and N = 38 healthy controls. Analytic methods included multivariate and logistic regressions with linear mixed effect models. Among all participants (N = 111), higher ALLO levels at W6 were associated with higher depression and anxiety scores: each one unit increase in log ALLO at W6 was associated with a 2.54 point increase on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) (95% CI: 0.73 to 4.33) and an 8.0 point increase on the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS) (95% CI: 3.82 to 12.6). In addition, the nature of the relationship between log ALLO level and psychological measures changed across time; from T2 to W6 for EPDS, β = 3.73 (95% CI:1.16, 6.30), p = 0.0045; for PASS β = 9.78 (95% CI:3.77, 15.79), p = 0.0014); from T3 to W6, for (EPDS, β = 2.52 (95% CI:0.08, 4.96), p = 0.043; for PASS β = 7.33 (95% CI:1.63, 13.02), p = 0.018). The relationship of log ALLO to mood and anxiety symptoms was the same among women with and without psychiatric histories. Our exploratory findings indicate that the relationship between ALLO and mood and anxiety symptoms may change across the peripartum.
Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation: Dosimetric Parameters and Patient-Reported Outcomes of Acute Toxicity.

Purpose/Objective(s) Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) following breast conserving surgery offers a convenient and well-tolerated adjuvant radiotherapy option in comparison to whole breast irradiation. While several APBI regimens exhibit excellent disease control among appropriately selected patients, patient-reported outcomes and toxicity assessments may vary. We sought to describe patient-reported acute toxicity as a function of salient dosimetric parameters, during and after an APBI regimen of 40 Gy in 10 once-daily fractions. Materials/Methods From June 2019 to July 2020 patients undergoing APBI were assigned a weekly, response adapted, PRO-CTCAE-based acute toxicity assessment. Symptoms assessed included pain, fatigue, breast enlargement, skin toxicity, and psychosocial concerns. Patients reported acute toxicity during treatment, and for up to 8-weeks following treatment. Socio-demographic characteristics and dosimetric treatment parameters were collected. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize patient-reported outcomes and corresponding dosimetric measures. Results Overall, 55 patients who received APBI (40 Gy in 10 fractions administered once-daily) completed more than one assessment during or after treatment. A total of 351 assessments were included in this analysis. Median patient age was 59 (range 37-78), and median planning target volume (PTV) was 210cc (range 64-580cc). Median PTV:ipsilateral breast volume ratio was 0.17 (range 0.05-0.44) and median maximum hotspot dose was 112% (range 108-115%). Breast V20 Gy ranged from 16% to 65% with a median of 45%. When queried weekly, 22% of patients reported moderate breast enlargement at least once, occurring at a median of 3 weeks after the initiation of treatment. More commonly, 71% reported maximum skin toxicity of moderate to very severe (42% moderate, 22% severe, 5% very severe) arising at a median of 3 weeks after the initiation of treatment. Furthermore, 70% of patients reported maximum fatigue as moderate to severe (42% moderate, 15% severe), and 44% patients reported maximum pain in the radiated area as moderate to very severe. Median time to first report of any moderate to very severe symptom was 10 days (IQR 6-27 days). By 8 weeks following APBI, 9 patients (16%) reported residual moderate symptoms and none endorsed severe or very severe symptoms. Conclusion Weekly assessments during and after APBI revealed that several patients experienced severe or very severe toxicities by their estimation, but that these universally resolved by 8 weeks following treatment at which point a minority endorsed moderate symptoms. Depending on toxicity type, peak effect could be noted as early as 1 week from the initiation of treatment for fatigue, or as late as 4 weeks for skin toxicity. More comprehensive evaluations among larger cohorts will help to define the precise dosimetric parameters that correspond to each outcome of interest.
Poverty and Algebra Performance: A Comparative Spatial Analysis of a Border South State

This research uses two measures of poverty, as well as mobility and selected education variables to study how their relationships vary across 543 Missouri high school districts. Using Missouri and U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS) data, local R2's from geographically weighted regressions are spatially mapped to demonstrate differences in relationships between poverty, mobility, and educational variables across districts. Results show the importance of allowing relationships to “vary” between districts and that using a global measure fails to capture important local contextual variation. Missouri and ACS poverty measures are related to each other and to selected education variables, but the strength of relationship varies significantly by regions across the state. The implications for future research and policy are discussed.
Changes in visual acuity in a population over a 10-year period : The Beaver Dam Eye Study.

Abstract Purpose To describe the change in visual acuity in a 10-year period. Design Population-based cohort study. Participants Included 3684 persons 43 to 86 years of age at the time of a baseline examination in 1988 to 1990, living in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, at a follow-up examination in 1993 to 1995 and/or 1998 to 2000. Methods Best-corrected visual acuity was measured, after refraction, with logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution charts using a modification of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study protocol. Main outcomes measures Doubling of the visual angle and incidence of visual impairment. Results The change in the mean number of letters read correctly over the 10-year period varied in the right eye from −0.9 (standard deviation [SD] = 5.5) and in the left eye from −1.2 (SD = 6.6) in people between 43 and 54 years of age to −11.0 (SD = 20.0) in the right eye and −12.6 (SD = 20.4) in the left eye in people 75 years of age or older (n = 184) at baseline. Over the 10-year period, 5.9% of the population had impaired vision (20/40 or worse in the better eye) develop, 0.8% had severe visual impairment (20/200 or worse in the better eye) develop, 4.8% had doubling of the visual angle, and 3.9% had improved vision. People who were 75 years of age or older at baseline were 15.0 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.9–20.6; P P P ≤ 0.001) to have severe visual impairment develop than people younger than 75 years of age at baseline. For the 82 persons 75 years of age or older, currently residing in a nursing or group home at follow-up, they were 2.6 times (95% CI, 1.45–4.52) as likely to have impaired vision develop, 1.6 times (95% CI, 0.47–5.62) as likely to have severely impaired vision develop, and 3.6 times (95% CI, 1.96–6.78) as likely to have had a doubling of the visual angle than those not residing in a nursing or group home at follow-up. Conclusions These data provide precise population-based estimates of the 10-year incidence of loss of vision over a wide spectrum of ages and show that decreased visual acuity in people 75 years of age after 10 years is a common finding, especially in those who are admitted to nursing or group homes.
Bacterial spread from cell to cell: beyond actin-based motility

Several intracellular pathogens display the ability to propagate within host tissues by displaying actin-based motility in the cytosol of infected cells. As motile bacteria reach cell–cell contacts they form plasma membrane protrusions that project into adjacent cells and resolve into vacuoles from which the pathogen escapes, thereby achieving spread from cell to cell. Seminal studies have defined the bacterial and cellular factors that support actin-based motility. By contrast, the mechanisms supporting the formation of protrusions and their resolution into vacuoles have remained elusive. Here, we review recent advances in the field showing that Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella flexneri have evolved pathogen-specific mechanisms of bacterial spread from cell to cell.
Calcium Metabolism in Glucocorticoid-Treated Pony Foals

Pony foals were injected intramuscularly with 0, 0.5, or 5.0 mg dexamethasone per 100 kg body weight daily for up to 11 months. True absorption of dietary calcium was inhibited by treatment at 18 days (57% versus 14% of intake; P less than .01) and 10 months (72% versus 55% versus 43%: P less than .01), but not at 2 or 7 months, and was independent of age and treatment related decreases in intestinal calcium binding protein activities. Uninary excretion of calcium was increased by treatment through 7 months but decreased at 10 months. Treatment for 18 days resulted in total calcium excretions equivalent to 127% of dietary intake. All animals were in positive calcium balance thereafter. Endogenous fecal calcium excretion was not affected by treatment, age, or sex, averaging 18.0 mg per kg body weight per day. At 2 months, rates of calcium deposition into bone were 13.02, 7.01 and 6.83 g per 100 kg per day in ponies treated with 0, 0.5 and 5.0 mg per 100 kg, respectively. Corresponding rates of calcium removal from bone were 5.41, 1.88, and 2.69 g per 100 kg per day. These rates remained significantly inhibited in the treated ponies at 7 and 10 months. The net effect of dexamethasone treatment was an inhibition of bone turnover: calcium removal was suppressed more than inhibition of bone turnover: calcium removal was suppressed more than calcium deposition.
Mining Collaborative Patterns in Tutorial Dialogues

We present a method to automatically detect collaborative patterns of student and tutor dialogue moves. The method identifies significant two-step excitatory transitions between dialogue moves, integrates the transitions into a directed graph representation, and generates and tests data-driven hypotheses from the directed graph. The method was applied to a large corpus of student-tutor dialogue moves from expert tutoring sessions. An examination of the subset of the corpus consisting of tutor lectures revealed collaborative patterns consistent with information-transmission, information-elicitation, off topic-conversation, and student initiated questions. Sequences of dialogue moves within each of these patterns were also identified. Comparisons of the method to other approaches and applications towards the computational modeling of expert human tutors are discussed.
A collaborative opioid prescribing (CoOP) model linking opioid treatment programs with office-based buprenorphine providers

Background Despite abundant research demonstrating good efficacy, pharmacotherapies for substance use disorders are underutilized. Buprenorphine holds promise to significantly increase the availability of medication-assisted therapy for opioid use disorder; yet despite dramatic increases in overdose deaths driven largely by prescription opioid use, only about half of DATA-waivered physicians prescribe buprenorphine.
Finding the Shoes that Fit: How Derivative is the Trustee's Power to Avoid Fraudulent Conveyances under Section 544(b) of the Bankruptcy Code

Section 544(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, which enables a bankruptcy trustee to avoid transfers that an actual unsecured creditor could have avoided under state law, is a powerful tool most often used to recover assets that were fraudulently transferred several years before a debtor's bankruptcy case. This power is often described as permitting the trustee, for the benefit of the bankruptcy estate and all of the debtor's unsecured creditors, to "stand in the shoes" and assert the rights of the particular unsecured creditor. In a recent case, In re Allou Distributors, Inc., the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York held that a Chapter 7 trustee, acting under § 544(b), could avoid a transfer of assets, if made by an insolvent debtor for less than fair consideration, by relying on the rights of an actual unsecured creditor that held a claim both on the date of the transfer and on the date of the commencement of the bankruptcy case, even if the claim was not the same on both dates and the earlier claim had been paid in full before bankruptcy. This decision raises important questions regarding the derivative nature of§ 544(b) and could have far-reaching implications with respect to the scope of a bankruptcy trustee's power to recover fraudulently conveyed assets. The court's reasoning has the potential of expanding the trustee's powers beyond the power of any actual creditor at the time of bankruptcy, thus departing from the derivative nature of§ 544(b). At the same time, by not linking the trustee's powers under § 544(b) to the rights offuture creditors under applicable state fraudulent conveyance statutes, the decision has the potential of narrowing the trustee's avoidance powers in certain situations. The Allou Distributors decision and its potential application to other cases highlight the importance of understanding the relationship of federal and state law, the derivative nature of§ 544(b), and the provisions of applicable state fraudulent conveyance statutes.
Expression of M type 12 protein by a group A streptococcus exhibits phaselike variation: evidence for coregulation of colony opacity determinants and M protein.

Abstract Three major categories of colony opacity were observed for natural variants of the M type 12 (M12) group A streptococcus strain CS24. Colony opacity variants that switched between two alternative categories at significantly high frequencies were identified and are referred to as switching between more opaque (Op+) and less opaque (Op-) phenotypes. Twenty lineages of such variants were derived for analysis and were assessed for resistance to phagocytosis, acid-extractable M12 antigen, and M12 mRNA, criteria which define the M protein-positive phenotype (M+). Transition from the M+ to the M protein-negative phenotype (M-) correlated with a change from Op+ to Op-. Reversion to the Op+ phenotype was accompanied by reversion to the M+ state in all variants except one and occurred at a higher frequency than the forward M+ to M- switch. These data demonstrate the existence of M12 protein phaselike switching in the group A streptococcus strain CS24. The discovery of an Op+ M- revertant confirmed that colony opacity and M protein can be expressed independently and are distinct gene products. We suggest that coregulation of colony opacity and M protein expression accounts for their association among descendents of strain CS24. Southern blot hybridization analyses of digested genomic DNA from 27 M- variants and 15 M+ revertants were performed with DNA probes containing M12 protein and adjacent upstream sequences. DNA deletions were identified only in two stable M- variants, approximately 1.3 and 1.4 kilobases upstream from the M12 gene, respectively, whereas all unstable M- variants lacked detectable rearrangements. This suggests that deletions within or adjacent to the structural gene are unlikely to be responsible for the reversible switch in M protein expression. However, the association with the stable M- phenotype and the location of these deletions, as well as two other deletions, approximately 0.5 kilobase upstream from the M12 promoter in two previously described variants of strain CS24 suggests that a second gene product is required for full expression of M12 protein synthesis in this strain.
Stationary energy storage system based on modular high voltage battery modules

This paper focuses on the design and control of a stationary energy storage system based on multiple modular high voltage battery modules. The system achieves bi-directional power flow directly from 400V dc grid to the 12V battery modules via a bi-directional dc-dc converter with high conversion ratio as an interface. One merit of such a system is its extensibility and scalability for higher power rating for future use by dispatching more battery modules together. A 2kWh energy storage system prototype which is made up by one grid-connected solid state transformer (SST) emulator and two bi-directional dc-dc converters are designed, fabricated and tested. Based on the modified droop control, a double-loop digital control system for the SST emulator and a single-loop digital control system for the dc-dc converter are implemented respectively. At last, experimental results are presented to verify the proposed distributed control strategy.
Mass spectrometry for the assessment of the occurrence and biological consequences of DNA adducts

Exogenous and endogenous sources of chemical species can react, directly or after metabolic activation, with DNA to yield DNA adducts. If not repaired, DNA adducts may compromise cellular functions by blocking DNA replication and/or inducing mutations. Unambiguous identification of the structures and accurate measurements of the levels of DNA adducts in cellular and tissue DNA constitute the first and important step towards understanding the biological consequences of these adducts. The advances in mass spectrometry (MS) instrumentation in the past 2-3 decades have rendered MS an important tool for structure elucidation, quantification, and revelation of the biological consequences of DNA adducts. In this review, we summarized the development of MS techniques on these fronts for DNA adduct analysis. We placed our emphasis of discussion on sample preparation, the combination of MS with gas chromatography- or liquid chromatography (LC)-based separation techniques for the quantitative measurement of DNA adducts, and the use of LC-MS along with molecular biology tools for understanding the human health consequences of DNA adducts. The applications of mass spectrometry-based DNA adduct analysis for predicting the therapeutic outcome of anti-cancer agents, for monitoring the human exposure to endogenous and environmental genotoxic agents, and for DNA repair studies were also discussed.
Electronic Cigarettes A Primer for Clinicians

Objective. To introduce the otolaryngology community to the current state of research regarding electronic cigarettes, with special attention paid to mechanism, impact on health and addiction, and use in smoking cessation. Data Sources. Review of Google Scholar and PubMed databases using the keywords electronic cigarettes, e-cigs, e-cigarettes, and vaping. In addition, information f rom media sources as well as news outlets was evaluated to gauge public perception of research findings. Review Methods. Recent research and randomized controlled trials were prioritized. Conclusions. The landscape of electronic cigarette devices is evolving, as is the research regarding their risks and benefits. Utilization is rapidly increasing. It appears that older users employ them as a smoking cessation tool compared to younger users. The data are generally inconclusive regarding the benefits of electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation compared with other methods. Furthermore, the safety profile of electronic cigarettes is dynamic and difficult to fully ascertain. Implications for Practice. Patients with a variety of otolaryngologic conditions, including cancer, may benefit from frank discussion regarding electronic cigarettes. Furthermore, increasing patient inquiries regarding these devices are likely given their increasing popularity.
Macrobenthos-sediment relationships in Ross Barnett Reservoir, Mississippi

A 1979 study of the macrobenthos of Ross Barnett Reservoir, Mississippi, identified 20 genera of invertebrates. Benthic invertebrate productivity ranged from 1.45 g m−2 yr−1 in profundal zones to 5.07 g m−2 yr−1 in littoral zones with major contributors including Hexagenia bilineata, Chaoborus punctipennis, Chironomus attenuatus, Tanypus stellatus and Coelotanypus tricolor. Numerical and species variation were influenced by depth zones, factors associated with reservoir age (17 years), and sediment and vegetative development in the reservoir benthic zones. Littoral productivity, although limited by lack of zone development, was greater than that of flood control reservoirs in the south central United States because of water level stability. Profundal productivity was limited by hypolimnional oxygen stress. Benthos was a major food source of freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) which forms a significant portion of the reservoir fisheries.
Wannier functions with a simple model potential

Abstract Wannier functions for the two lowest bands are calculated for a one-dimensional two Fourier component potential. These functions show the general behavior predicted by Kohn.