cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of Cold Air Intrusions on the Wet Season Onset over Amazonia

Using 15-yr data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Re-Analysis (ERA15), the authors found that rapid southeastward expansion of the rainy area from the western Amazon to southeastern Brazil is a result of midlatitude cold air intrusions. During austral spring, as the large-scale thermodynamic structure over Amazonia becomes destabilized, the incursions of extratropical cold air can trigger intense rainfall along the leading edge of northwest–southeast-oriented cold fronts east of the Andes. As these fronts penetrate into Amazonia, the northerly or northwesterly wind transports warm, moist air from the western Amazon to southeast Brazil. Moisture convergence consequently intensifies, resulting in northwest–southeast-elongated rainy areas. The latter contribute to the observed rapid, southeastward expansion of rainy areas shown in rainfall climatology during austral spring. The authors’ analysis suggests that cold air intrusions during austral spring collectively assist the transformation of large-scale thermodynamic and dynamic environments to those favorable for the wet season onsets. Each time the cold fronts pass by, they tend to increase the atmospheric humidity and the buoyancy of the lower troposphere, which destabilizes the atmosphere. In the upper troposphere, the cold air intrusions supply kinetic energy for the development of anticyclonic flow. Cold air intrusions in the transitional season are not different from those occurring immediately before the wet season onsets except that the latter occurs under a more humid and unstable atmospheric condition. Thus, cold air intrusions can trigger the wet season onsets only when atmospheric and land surface conditions are “ready” for the onset. Comparisons among early, normal, and late onsets on an interannual scale further suggest that more frequent and stronger cold air intrusions trigger the early onsets of wet seasons given suitable large-scale thermodynamic conditions. Likewise, less frequent and weaker cold air intrusions could delay the wet season onset even though the large-scale thermodynamic conditions appear to be favorable. Occasionally, strong unstable atmospheric thermodynamic conditions and northerly reversal of cross-equatorial flow can lead to wet season onsets without cold air intrusions. In such cases, enhanced precipitation is centered over central and eastern Amazon, and rainfall increases more gradually compared to the onset with cold air intrusions.
Jean-Pierre Bekolo's African Cyborgian Thought

This article elucidates how Jean-Pierre Bekolo's 2006 film Les saignantes rearticulates cyborgian thought in an effort to remap dominant modes of social consciousness among African youth. Bekolo uproots hegemonic tropes of African pathology; recasts narratives of African tradition in a way that forecloses singular, fixed interpretations; and depicts two young women who illustrate the potential for body and machine to merge in opposition to masculinist state power. Bekolo combines the oppositional postmodern thought of the cyborg with critical issues of gender, corruption, and tradition pertinent to the current African moment. He breaks down dualisms such as "traditional/ modern" and "developed/underdeveloped" and calls into question the grand narratives and myths that purportedly structure African societies as well as the continent's global image.
Standard of Living as a Factor of Countries’ Competitiveness

Abstract This study examines the relations between competitiveness of selected countries and the standard of living of their populations. The focus of this study was determined by literature review, which showed that the mentioned relation has been usually identified only implicitly, showing less emphasis on empirical study. Our research is based on international statistical reports focused on factors of competitiveness of national economies and the metrics used in evaluating the standard of living. Secondary data from several reputable sources - such as the World Bank, the Gallup Institute, and OECD - are systematized and analyzed using several statistical procedures, so as to identify structural links between the various indicators. Based on the identified relations, we discuss areas suitable for increasing the competitiveness of the countries, and we also compare them with current macroeconomic trends.
Working with organic peroxides in the academic lab

The following is a brief introduction to peroxide safety from the viewpoint of a synthetic chemist. Topics include classes of peroxides and hydroperoxides, reactivity of organic peroxides, hazard identification, hazard minimization, reaction monitoring, and hazards of peroxidizable solvents.
Use of the sago palm Metroxylon warburgii in the Polynesian Island, Rotuma

The manufacture of edible starch products from sago palms of the genus Metroxylon is common to indigenous people throughout Melanesia but is unknown in Polynesia, even in areas where Metroxylon species occur. We here report the use of Metroxylon as a starch source in the isolated Polynesian island of Rotuma. In Rotuma, Metroxylon warburgii (Heim) Beccari grows wild, but is likely the result of an aboriginal introduction from Melanesia. Samoan ethnohistorical accounts indicate that Metroxylon warburgii was introduced to Samoa from Rotuma. Rotuman manufacture of starch from M. warburgii appears to date from pre-European times as indicated by written accounts of early visitors to Rotuma and Rotuman oral histories. We provide details of the process of starch manufacture in Rotuma and speculate on possible means by which this technology was transferred from Melanesia to Rotuma.
Optimal Card-Collecting Strategies for Magic: The Gathering

Robert A. Bosch (bobb@cs.oberlin.edu) received a B.A. in mathematics from Oberlin College, an M.S. in operations research and statistics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a Ph.D. in operations research from Yale University. Since 1991 he has been a member of the mathematics department at Oberlin College. He has written papers on using linear programming to compare fast food restaurants and to settle disputed authorship problems, and using mathematical programming to solve various problems in the field of recreational mathematics. He is a recovering card collector.
The Potential Role of Insulin on the Shank-Postsynaptic Platform in Neurodegenerative Diseases Involving Cognition:

Loss of synaptic function is critical in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other central nervous system (CNS) degenerations. A promising candidate in the regulation of synaptic funct...
Artificial Oviposition Substrate for Infesting Sunflower with Eggs of the Sunflower Moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

A technique for collecting eggs of the sunflower moth, Homoeosoma electellum (Hulst), for artificially infesting sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., is described. Eggs laid on blue-green velour pads (0.95 by 0.95 cm) and stored in the refrigerator (4.4°C) for up to 7 days are used to infest plants with the desired number of larvae.
Adsorption Effects of Magnetic Chitosan Microsphere on Protein in Soy Whey Wastewater

Adsorption effects of magnetic chitosan microsphere on protein of soy whey waste water were studied in this paper. The results showed that the maximum removing rate of protein reaches 95.6%. The effective treatment conditions are: addition amount of magnetic chitosan microsphere 25 g/L, contacting time 10 min, temperature 30 ℃, and pH5.0.
A Study on Turbine Rubbing Signal De-noising Technique Based on EMD

Based on Empirical Mode Decomposition(EMD)theory,the steam turbine vibration signal adaptive de-noising method is introduced.The EMD de-noising and wavelet soft thresholding results for the local measured rubbing vibration signals of turbine,showed that the based EMD de-noising method can effectively eliminate the vibration signal of rotating machinery noise.
Interleukin-6 promotes multiple myeloma cell growth via phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) mediates autocrine and paracrine growth of multiple myeloma (MM) cells and inhibits tumor cell apoptosis. Abnormalities of retinoblastoma protein (pRB) and mutations of RB gene have been reported in up to 70% of MM patients and 80% of MM-derived cell lines. Because dephosphorylated (activated) pRB blocks transition from G1 to S phase of the cell cycle whereas phosphorylated (inactivated) pRB releases this growth arrest, we characterized the role of pRB in IL-6-mediated MM cell growth. Both phosphorylated and dephosphorylated pRB were expressed in all serum-starved MM patient cells and MM-derived cell lines, but pRB was predominantly in its phosphorylated form. In MM cells that proliferated in response to IL-6, exogenous IL-6 downregulated dephosphorylated pRB and decreased dephosphorylated pRB-E2F complexes. Importantly, culture of MM cells with RB antisense, but not RB sense, oligonucleotide (ODN) triggered IL-6 secretion and proliferation in MM cells; however, proliferation was only partially inhibited by neutralizing anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody (MoAb). In contrast to MM cells, normal splenic B cells express dephosphorylated pRB. Although CD40 ligand (CD40L) triggers a shift from dephosphorylated to phosphorylated pRB and proliferation of B cells, the addition of exogenous IL-6 to CD40L-treated B cells does not alter either pRB or proliferation, as observed in MM cells. These results suggest that phosphorylated pRB is constitutively expressed in MM cells and that IL-6 further shifts pRB from its dephosphorylated to its phosphorylated form, thereby promoting MM cell growth via two mechanisms; by decreasing the amount of E2F bound by dephosphorylated pRB due to reduced dephosphorylated pRB, thereby releasing growth arrest; and by upregulating IL-6 secretion by MM cells and related IL-6-mediated autocrine tumor cell growth.
NMR measurement of intracellular potassium in the perfused normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rat aorta by a multinuclear subtraction procedure.

Intracellular free potassium ion concentrations have been measured in the isolated perfused aortae from Wistar-Kyoto and spontaneously hypertensive rats by a novel multinuclear NMR procedure, which allows the estimation and subtraction of the extracellular potassium signal from the total 39K+ resonance. When tested on a sample of erythrocytes, the method yielded an intracellular potassium concentration of 149 mmol/L cell water, which is similar to the previously reported average of 140 mmol/L cell water, indicating full (100%) NMR "visibility" of red cell 39K+. In contrast, the 39K+ resonance of the perfused rat aorta preparation indicated very low (approximately 15%) NMR visibility of intracellular potassium in the aortic tissue, similar to that previously reported for perfused hearts. More importantly, aortae from spontaneously hypertensive rats yielded a corrected (for low NMR visibility) intracellular potassium concentration of only 90 +/- 10 (mean +/- SE; n = 6) mmol/L cell water, which was significantly lower (40%; P = .02) than that in aortae from normotensive rats. The NMR data thus reveal a significant depletion of intracellular potassium in hypertensive arterial smooth muscle cells.
How Is Formative Assessment Related to Students' Reading Achievement? Findings from PISA 2009.

AbstractDrawing on the programme for international student assessment 2009 US data-set, this study examines the relationship between formative assessment and students’ reading achievement using a structural equation modelling approach. We find that formative assessment is positively related to students’ reading achievement directly and indirectly (through teacher–student relationship and attitude towards reading) for all students. The direct relationship between formative assessment and reading achievement is significantly stronger for Black students than for White students, whether or not student socio-economic status (SES), gender and school mean SES are controlled for. The total relationship (the direct plus the indirect relationship) between formative assessment and reading achievement also appears to be stronger for Black students than for White students; however, the difference is not statistically significant whether or not we control for covariates. No significant difference is found between White...
Some Likely Alternative Explanations for Improvements during Drug Abuse Treatment: Maturation, Statistical Regression, History, Criterion Contamination

The intensive funding of drug abuse treatment programs is predicated on the assumption that treatment processes are effective in reducing criminal behavior, drug use and other asocial behaviors of drug abusers. Evaluations of the extent to which these goals are accomplished usually proceed by way of comparing well measured indices of pretreatment to post-treatment changes in levels of drug usage, criminal activities, and employment. Somewhat less frequently changes in other variables such as psychosocial adjustment, personality characteristics, and utilization of institutions of social support also are investigated. These data are then analyzed by a variety of methods ranging from straightforward univariate comparisons of pretreatment and posttreatment levels to technologically more advanced multivariate techniques such as analysis of covariance and stagewise multiple regression and correlation, which are used primarily for comparing effectiveness of different modalities of treatment. These latter multivariate techniques statistically equate members of diverse groups for significant preexisting differences in treatment modalities as rival explanations for the observed changes in the outcome measures. One undesirable consequence of the ease with which such multivariate analyses can be performed is that investigators of treatment outcomes have eschewed the use of untreated control groups in favor of statistical procedures for assessing improvements that use intact treatment groups as their own controls. The resulting absence of untreated comparison groups in the evaluation designs severely limits the basis for crediting treatment with a causal influence on these improvements.
Randomized algorithms for scheduling VMs in the cloud

We consider the problem of scheduling VMs (Virtual Machines) in a multi-server system motivated by cloud computing applications. VMs arrive dynamically over time and require various amounts of resources (e.g., CPU, Memory, Storage, etc.) for the duration of their service. When a VM arrives, it is queued and later served by one of the servers that has sufficient remaining capacity to serve it. The scheduling of VMs is subject to: (i) packing constraints, i.e., multiple VMs can be be served simultaneously by a single server if their cumulative resource requirement does not violate the capacity of the server, and (ii) non-preemption, i.e., once a VM is scheduled in a server, it cannot be interrupted or migrated to another server. To achieve maximum throughput, prior results hinge on solving a hard combinatorial problem (Knapsack) at the instances that all the servers become empty (the so-called global refresh times which require synchronization among the servers). The main contribution of this paper is that it resolves these issues. Specifically, we present a class of randomized algorithms for placing VMs in the servers that can achieve maximum throughput without preemptions. The algorithms are naturally distributed, have low complexity, and each queue needs to perform limited operations. Further, our algorithms display good delay performance in simulations, comparable to delay of heuristics that may not be throughput-optimal, and much better than the delay of the prior known throughput-optimal algorithms.
Speech—Language Pathology: Treatment

This chapter discusses the basic treatment of communication disorders in speech–language pathology. One of the primary considerations in choosing a treatment plan should be whether it has been shown to be effective, that is, achieved the desired results. The primary reason that treatment paradigms are not thoroughly tested in controlled studies is that clinical research is difficult to control. The effectiveness of treatment methods are often judged on the basis of how long they have been around and how widespread they are. A treatment method probably has some validity if many people have used it in many places over many years. However, judging the effectiveness of a new treatment method cannot be made on that basis. If a new treatment program is to be accepted, there must be some tangible evidence that it will do what it says it claims to do. The chapter also presents a sampling of the types and varieties of treatment applications of computers. It also describes individual programs in some detail. The application of the computer to clinical activities will have sufficient impact on the profession for many years to come.
Direct Time-Domain Observation of Attosecond Photoelectron Lifetimes and Attosecond Electron Dynamics in Occupied Bands in Solids

We use attosecond pulse trains to directly measure photoelectron lifetimes in Ni(111) and Cu(111). We observe a strong influence of material band structure on the measured lifetimes, which reveal attosecond timescale electron screening and scattering.
Android User Privacy Preserving Through Crowdsourcing

In current Android architecture, users have to decide whether an app is safe to use or not. Expert users can make savvy decisions to avoid unnecessary privacy breach. However, the majority of normal users are not technically capable or do not care to consider privacy implications to make safe decisions. To assist the technically incapable crowd, we propose DroidNet, an Android permission control framework based on crowdsourcing. At its core, DroidNet runs new apps under probation mode without granting their permission requests up-front. It provides recommendations on whether to accept or reject the permission requests based on decisions from peer expert users. To seek expert users, we propose an expertise ranking algorithm using a transitional Bayesian inference model. The recommendation is based on the aggregated expert responses and its confidence level. Our simulation and real user experimental results demonstrate that DroidNet provides accurate recommendations and cover the majority of app requests given a small coverage from a small set of initial experts.
Laser ultrasonic assessment of the effects of oxidation and microcracking on the elastic moduli of nuclear graphites

Structure-property relationships in bulk materials can be important in establishing sensing methods to assess the state of material microstructure. This is particularly true for nuclear graphites since these materials can display anisotropy and can become oxidized under service conditions. Both anisotropy and oxidation-induced porosity can influence structural integrity and this must be confirmed during the lifetime of the material. In this work, laser ultrasonic methods were used to measure the elastic response of various graphite grades with a focus on NBG-18, NBG-25 and IG-110. Results of laser ultrasonic measurements in oxidized graphites show that the moduli decrease with increasing porosity. This variation can be interpreted successfully using effective medium models if the characteristics of graphite porosity are taken into account. Results of laser ultrasonic shear wave birefringence measurements can be used to assess elastic anisotropy. This anisotropy can be expressed in terms of the orientation distribution coefficients W 400 and W 200 . Interpretation of results requires the use of appropriate property-averaging schemes.
Monte Carlo simulation of electron thermalization in scintillator materials: Implications for scintillator nonproportionality

The lack of reliable quantitative estimates of the length and time scales associated with hot electron thermalization after a gamma-ray induced energy cascade obscures the interplay of various microscopic processes controlling scintillator performance and hampers the search for improved detector materials. We apply a detailed microscopic kinetic Monte Carlo model of the creation and subsequent thermalization of hot electrons produced by gamma irradiation of six important scintillating crystals to determine the spatial extent of the cloud of excitations produced by gamma rays and the time required for the cloud to thermalize with the host lattice. The main ingredients of the model are ensembles of microscopic track structures produced upon gamma excitation (including the energy distribution of the excited carriers), numerical estimates of electron-phonon scattering rates, and a calculated particle dispersion to relate the speed and energy of excited carriers. All these ingredients are based on first-princi...
Extracellular matrix regulation of fibroblast function: redefining our perspective on skin aging

The dermal extracellular matrix (ECM) comprises the bulk of skin and confers strength and resiliency. In young skin, fibroblasts produce and adhere to the dermal ECM, which is composed primarily of type I collagen fibrils. Adherence allows fibroblasts to spread and exert mechanical force on the surrounding ECM. In this state, fibroblasts display a "youthful" phenotype characterized by maintenance of the composition and structural organization of the dermal ECM. During aging, fibroblast-ECM interactions become disrupted due to fragmentation of collagen fibrils. This disruption causes loss of fibroblast spreading and mechanical force, which inextricably lead to an "aged" phenotype; fibroblasts synthesize less ECM proteins and more matrix-degrading metalloproteinases. This imbalance of ECM homeostasis further drives collagen fibril fragmentation in a self-perpetuating cycle. This article summarizes age-related changes in the dermal ECM and the mechanisms by which these changes alter the interplay between fibroblasts and their extracellular matrix microenvironment that drive the aging process in human skin.
The Experience of Confident Music Improvising

Improvisation plays a substantial role within the world’s musical cultures. The purpose of this research was to explore the essence of the experience of confident music improvising. In this phenome...
Is Moral Philosophy Possible

As we have seen, Anscombe’s recommendation to moral philosophers is that they put aside moral philosophy, at least for the time being. She does not, though, suggest that ethics in itself is either an impossible practice or an incoherent notion. In this chapter I want to look at some approaches to moral philosophy that she suggests, from those she considers possible but undesirable, to her primary recommendation and then to some secondary remarks sprinkled through “Modern Moral Philosophy” about how, and how not, to do moral philosophy if one were to do so, against her explicit but temporary advice. This will be the concern of the last part of the chapter. The following two chapters will look in more detail at particular ways of doing moral philosophy, specifically those suggested by Sabina Lovibond, Renford Bambrough, Cora Diamond, Iris Murdoch, and Charles Taylor.
Diversity and Regulation of Cytochromes P450 in Aquatic Species

Knowledge of the multiplicity, function and regulation of cytochrome P450 forms in non-mammalian and non-traditional species continues to grow in importance. Microsomal cytochromes P450 that are involved in xenobiotic metabolism can play critical roles in determining the susceptibility or resistance of organisms to the toxic action of numerous anthropogenic chemicals and natural products. Currently, these processes are understood far better in rodent models than in wild or cultivated species that provide food and material resources, or in species that are important to the functioning of ecosystems that sustain those resource populations. Knowledge of P450 systems in these various groups is important for chemical therapeutics of species in culture, and to management decisions related to the assessment of chemical effects, and the protection of wild species. Non-traditional species are also important as potential models for novel features of P450 systems, and to discerning the molecular basis underlying species differences and similarities in responses to xenobiotics. In this paper we summarize aspects of P450 systems in selected groups of aquatic species, focusing first on recent findings regarding the diversity of P450 forms. Secondly, we summarize aspects of the use of induction of cytochrome P4501A forms as a biomarker of exposure to Ah-receptor agonists.
The Ecosystem Concept

Ecosystem ecology studies the links between organisms and their physical environment within an Earth-System context. This chapter provides background on the conceptual framework and history of ecosystem ecology.
Elimination of ovulation and menstrual cyclicity (with danazol) improves dysphoric premenstrual syndromes

Objective To assess whether the therapeutic effect of danazol on premenstrual syndromes (PMS) is associated with suppression of ovulation. Design After 1 month on placebo, we administered 200mg/d of danazol for 90 days to 24 women with dysphoric PMS. Symptoms during ovulatory cycles were compared with anovulatory periods. Setting Outpatient PMS program in a general hospital. Patients Twenty-four women who had dysphoric PMS and otherwise were physically and mentally healthy. Interventions None (except the oral medication). Main Outcome Measure Prospective daily monitoring of symptoms with the Daily Rating Form, before, during, and after treatment. Results Twenty of 23 anovulatory periods were symptom-free versus 6 of 32 ovulatory periods (χ 2 =15.63, P =0.0002). Conclusion The beneficial effect of danazol as treatment depends mostly on achieving an anovulatory state and elimination of hormonal cyclicity and not on the drug per se.
Creation of Saturation Maps from Two-Phase Flow Experiments in Microfluidic Devices

Microfluidic devices provide an experimental platform for direct observations of flow in complex channel networks. In this work, two-phase displacement experiments are conducted using a microfluidic device, featuring a complex network that is representative of a sample of Berea sandstone. The porous medium is placed in the field of view of a high-resolution camera with a monochromatic sensor—data captured in the form of images cover the entire medium while maintaining the resolution needed to discern features as small as 10 μm. This paper presents the series of steps required to convert these images into saturation maps that may be used for comparisons with predictions of numerical simulation models. The main steps include: exclusion of the grains; perspective transformation to correct minor misalignments of the device in each experiment; calculation of the Representative Elementary Volume; local thresholding strategy to account for non-uniform illumination across the medium; and finally, calculation of saturation maps.
Inference in adaptive regression via the Kac–Rice formula

We derive an exact $p$-value for testing a global null hypothesis in a general adaptive regression setting. Our approach uses the Kac–Rice formula [as described in Random Fields and Geometry (2007) Springer, New York] applied to the problem of maximizing a Gaussian process. The resulting test statistic has a known distribution in finite samples, assuming Gaussian errors. We examine this test statistic in the case of the lasso, group lasso, principal components and matrix completion problems. For the lasso problem, our test relates closely to the recently proposed covariance test of Lockhart et al. [Ann. Statist. (2004) 42 413–468]. In a few specific settings, our proposed tests will be less powerful than other previously known (and well-established) tests. However, it should be noted that the real strength of our proposal here is its generality. We provide a framework for constructing valid tests across a wide class of regularized regression problems, and as far as we can tell, such a unified view was not possible before this work.
Abstract 376: Therapeutic role of ESR1-CCDC170 gene fusion in breast cancer endocrine resistance

Background: Gene fusions resulting from genomic rearrangements are important drivers for cancer initiation and progression. Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer is the most common type of breast cancer, and luminal B confers a more aggressive phenotype and higher risk of early relapse and prone to resistance to endocrine therapy. Identify new druggable genetic driver will be critical to improve clinical outcome of aggressive luminal B tumors. Our lab has identified a recurrent rearrangement between the estrogen receptor gene ESR1 and its neighbor gene CCDC170, in 6-8% of luminal B tumors. The exon 2 of ESR1 fused with the exon 6, 7, 8 or 10 of CCDC170, which enables the expression of different-sized N-terminally truncated CCDC170 (ΔCCDC170) under ESR1 promoter. Ectopic expression of ΔCCDC170 led to malignant transformation phenotypes in ER+ breast cancer cells, such as increase the cell migration, invasion and anchor-independent cell growth, as well as enhance xenograft tumor growth in mice. Methods: The effect of ESR1-CCDC170 on endocrine resistance was examined by cologenic assay in vitro, and by xenograft mouse model in vivo. Bioinformatics approaches, Reverse Phase Protein Array (RPPA) analysis and Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation assay were used to elucidate the potential molecular mechanism. Results: This study aimed to determine the role of ESR1-CCDC170 in breast cancer endocrine resistance and elucidate the potential mechanisms as well as the therapeutic effect thereof. Our results show that ectopic expression of fusion variants in ER+ T47D cell line sustains the cell proliferation ability under estrogen deprivation (ED), and decreases the sensitivity to 4-OH Tamoxifen treatment. While silencing of ESR1-CCDC170 in fusion positive HCC1428 cell line increases the sensitivity to 4-OHTamoxifen and Fulvestrant treatment. Results from T47D xenograft tumor models show that ESR1-CCDC170 fusion induces endocrine resistance in vivo. Further mechanism studies show that ESR1-CCDC170 possesses a potential ATP binding pocket, has the ability to form homodimers. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the important role of ESR1-CCDC170 fusions in breast cancer endocrine resistance, and suggest that ESR1-CCDC170 fusion could be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of breast cancer. Citation Format: Li Li, Jamunarani Veeraraghavan, Yiheng Hu, Xian Wang, Ying Tan, Rachel Schiff, Xiaosong Wang. Therapeutic role of ESR1-CCDC170 gene fusion in breast cancer endocrine resistance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 376.
Treatment and survival of primary intracranial germ cell tumors: a population-based study using SEER database

Primary intracranial germ cell tumors are rare neoplasms derived from gonadal cells. They are categorized as germinoma, non-germinomatous germ cell tumor (NGCCT), or teratoma, with the latter two sparking controversy regarding the role of different treatment strategies. We provide the largest multicenter analysis of treatment outcomes for iGCTs to date. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result (SEER) database were used to record patient demographics, tumor, and treatment characteristics. Cox proportional hazards model and multiple comparisons for the Logrank test with Sidak correction was applied to compare the different treatment regimens and survival. 1043 iGCT cases were divided into three cohorts of Germinoma, Malignant Teratoma (MT), and NGGCT. The mean age was 17.7 years for germinoma, 9.5 years for MT, and 14.4 years for NGGCT groups. Males comprised 77% of overall patient population. For Germinomas, both biopsy (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.6) and resection (HR = 14.1) had significantly worse survival outcomes compared to solo radiation therapy, with no difference between radiation and chemotherapy. For MT, no treatment combination had significantly different survival outcomes compared to resection alone. For NGGCTs, resection + chemotherapy + radiotherapy (HR = 0.012) and resection + chemotherapy (HR = 0.0049) had significantly better survival compared to resection alone. In germinomas, radiotherapy alone had superior survival outcomes compared to biopsy and resection, but no change in survival when compared to chemotherapy alone. Addition of radiotherapy or chemotherapy did not improve survival in MTs when compared to resection alone. Adding chemotherapy in NGGCT patients undergoing resection improved survival compared to resection alone.
Sudden cardiac death risk prediction in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Background Sudden cardiac death (SCD) comprises 25% of deaths in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Objective We sought to validate a SCD risk prediction model in patients who participated in the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with an Aldosterone Antagonist Trial. Methods Of the 3445 Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with an Aldosterone Antagonist Trial participants, 615 (18%) had data on all 6 variables—age, sex, history of myocardial infarction, history of diabetes mellitus, presence of bundle branch block on the electrocardiogram, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide level—of the SCD risk prediction model. Those with a 5-year predicted risk of SCD ≥10% were categorized as high risk patients. Results Over a mean follow-up of 2.9 ± 1.3 years, there were 23 SCDs (3.7%) and 63 deaths from other causes (10.2%). The rate of mortality from SCD and other causes were 13 (95% confidence interval [CI] 9–19) and 35 (95% CI 28–45) per 1000 person-years of follow-up, respectively. A total of 216 participants (35.1%) were categorized as high risk by the SCD risk model. The estimated 5-year cumulative incidence of SCD was 15.2% (95% CI 6.6%–27.2%) in those classified as high risk vs 2.8% (95% CI 1.2%–5.5%) in those classified as low risk. In competing risk analysis, patients predicted to have high SCD risk had a 3.7-fold higher risk of SCD (hazard ratio 3.7; 95% CI 1.6–8.7; P = .003) than did those predicted to have low risk. The SCD risk model yielded a Harrell's C index of 0.74. Conclusion A SCD risk prediction model including 6 widely available variables can identify patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction who had a high risk of SCD.
cis‐(2,2′‐Bipyridyl‐κ2N,N′)­carbonyl(η3‐1‐methyl­ene‐2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridyl‐κ3C1,N,N′)ruthenium(II) bis­(hexa­fluoro­phosphate) acetone disolvate

The title compound, [Ru(C10H8N2)(C16H13N3)(CO)](PF6)2·2C3H6O, shows highly distorted octahedral geometry about the Ru atom because of the restrictions of the terdentate ligand, which includes a metallacyclic ring, and the chelating 2,2′-bi­pyridine ligand. The terdentate ligand is bound facially to the Ru atom.
TuNR: Orthogonal Control of Mean and Variability of Endogenous Genes in a Human Cell Line

Stochastic fluctuations at the transcriptional level contribute to isogenic cell-to-cell heterogeneity in mammalian cell populations. However, we still have no clear understanding of the repercussions of this heterogeneity, given the lack of tools to independently control mean expression and variability of a gene. Here, we engineered a synthetic circuit to independently modulate mean expression and heterogeneity of transgenes and endogenous human genes. The circuit, a Tunable Noise Rheostat (TuNR), consists of a transcriptional cascade of two inducible transcriptional activators, where the output mean and variance can be modulated by two orthogonal small molecule inputs. In this fashion, different combinations of the inputs can achieve the same mean but with different population variability. With TuNR, we achieve low basal expression, over 1000-fold expression of a transgene product, and up to 7-fold induction of the endogenous gene NGFR. Importantly, for the same mean expression level, we are able to establish varying degrees of heterogeneity in expression within an isogenic population, thereby decoupling gene expression noise from its mean. TuNR is therefore a modular tool that can be used in mammalian cells to enable direct interrogation of the implications of cell-to-cell variability.
Toxicology and the clinical laboratory

Abstract Toxicology is an extensive, multidisciplinary science with an overarching goal to determine the effects of chemicals on living systems. Numerous potential toxins can cause harm, including over-the-counter or prescription drugs, herbal medications, common household products, environmental agents, occupational substances, drugs of abuse, and chemical terrorism threats. In this chapter, the different toxidromes along with the key signs and symptoms and agents that cause each one will be described. In addition, the toxic effects, treatment, and methods of analysis for numerous toxic agents, including alcohols, analgesics, drugs of abuse, metals, and cellular hypoxia agents, will be discussed.
Synaptic and complement markers in extracellular vesicles in multiple sclerosis.

Background:Synaptic loss is a feature of multiple sclerosis pathology that can be seen even in normal-appearing gray matter. Opsonization of synapses with complement components may underlie patholo...
Views of Normal Bladder Function among Women Experiencing Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

Objective To explore the perspectives of normal bladder function among women with lower urinary tract symptoms. Methods This was a secondary analysis of qualitative data from structured interviews with 50 adult women with lower urinary tract symptoms. A directed content analysis of the transcripts explored women's perspectives on normal bladder function. Results Participants’ descriptions of “normal” took many forms and were based on several aspects of bladder function. A prominent feature of normal was that voiding occurred as a seamless process, beginning with an urge sensation, followed by voiding with ease and to completion, and then “being done.” Descriptions of normal were based largely on concepts of voiding regularity, including voiding frequency, intervals, and patterns during the day and night. Another aspect of normal bladder function was the notion of having control in terms of not leaking urine, as well as the ability to hold urine and defer urination. Views of normal bladder function extended to the absence of symptoms and the impact of being symptom-free on day-to-day life, including not having to think about or worry about the bladder or limit daily activities. Conclusion Women's perspectives on normal bladder function are multifaceted, reflecting attributes most salient to each individual and likely informed by their personal experience with symptoms and their influence on daily life. This work has implications for how clinicians might engage women in discussing bladder symptoms and can inform future research and public health messaging about normal bladder function.
Augustine and Gallicanism

Two Augustinian arguments loom large in the Gallican tradition: (1) the obligation of obeying the civil power (Romans 13:1, “Let every soul be subject to higher powers”), and (2) the corporate character of Christ’s grant in Matthew 16:19 (“Whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in the heavens”). Relying on the seventeenth-century Gallican Edmond Richer, I argue that Augustinian theses regarding civil and ecclesiastical power go hand in hand (even in the context of different ecclesiastical theories, like Gallicanism and papalism). Second, I show that an early application of Augustinian political theory in the context of modern sovereignty goes along not with a secular “liberalism” but rather with a heightening of the effects of civil sovereignty, including in the ecclesiastical sphere.
Effects of Patient Distance from LVAD Implant Center on Outcomes and Quality of Life

Purpose Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) are a leading treatment for advanced heart failure. However, it is primarily major medical centers that have the resources to support an LVAD program. Many patients live far from an implant center, which makes it imperative that LVAD programs can provide quality care and support patients at a distance. The purpose of this project is to assess if distance to an implant center has an effect on patient outcomes and quality of life. We hypothesized that due to decreased accessibility to the hospital, increased distance to LVAD center would have an adverse effect on outcome and quality of life. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of LVAD patients implanted at our institution from January 2012 to September 2020. Patients’ residential distance to LVAD center, outcome (transplant, explant, or death) and quality of life data (from EuroQol EQ-5D and KCCQ questionnaires) were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression modeling were performed using STATA/ SE 15.1. Results 228 patients were included in the study (82% male, mean age of 57). The median distance from the hospital was 44.2 miles, with a range of 0.7 - 2458.0 miles. Distance was not associated with INTERMACS score, age at implant, race, gender, discharge destination, number of rehospitalizations within the first-year post-implant, or outcome. Distance was not associated with confidence in heart failure management, stress from health issues, or enjoyment of life (measured by EuroQol EQ-5D and KCCQ). Additionally, change in QOL scores from pre-implant to 6 months post-implant were analyzed and no significant associations were found based on distance to LVAD center. The mean distance to implant center was much higher in patients who had a stroke, however this difference was not statistically significant (94.8 mi vs 211.6 mi, p = 0.082). Conclusion Patient distance from LVAD center was not associated with outcomes including stroke and readmission or quality of life in this study. This indicates that patients do not need to reside near their LVAD center to feel supported and confident in their ability to manage their LVAD and that regional programs can provide quality care at a distance. There is a signal that of an increased risk of stroke in patients who are farther away which needs further investigation.
“Nothing should jiggle while you’re moving”: Preparing the fat body for an American “plus-size” pageant

There is limited scholarly information about beauty pageants for fat women. Based on a larger study about how pageant participants define beauty and health, this paper examines the presentation of ...
Slow Cortical Waves via Cyclicity

Fine-grained information about dynamic structure of cortical networks is crucial in unpacking brain function. Here,we introduced a novel analytical method to characterize the dynamic interaction between distant brain regions,based on cyclicity analysis, and applied it to data from the Human Connectome Project. Resting-state fMRI time series are aperiodic and, hence, lack a base frequency. Cyclicity analysis, which is time-reparametrization invariant, is effective in recovering dynamic temporal ordering of such time series along a circular trajectory without assuming any time scale. Our analysis detected the propagation of slow cortical waves across thebrain with consistent shifts in lead-lag relationships between specific brain regions. We also observed short bursts of strong temporal ordering that dominated overall lead-lag relationships between pairs of regions in the brain, which were modulated by tasks. Our results suggest the possible role played by slow waves of ordered information between brain regions that underlie emergent cognitive function.
A comprehensive Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center real-world data model: Core clinical data elements.

e18755Background: The 2016 21st Century Cures Act supports the use of Real-World Data (RWD) for regulatory decision/approval. Due to technological advances, a vast amount of health-related data are...
Quantifying the Impact of Infusion Alerts and Alarms on Nursing Workflows: A Retrospective Analysis.

Background Smart infusion pumps affect workflows as they add alerts and alarms in an information-rich clinical environment where alarm fatigue is already a major concern. An analytic approach is needed to quantify the impact of these alerts and alarms on nursing workflows and patient safety. Objectives To analyze a detailed infusion dataset from a smart infusion pump system and identify contributing factors for infusion programming alerts, operational alarms, and alarm resolution times. Methods We analyzed detailed infusion pump data across four hospitals in a health system for up to 1 year. The prevalence of alerts and alarms was grouped by infusion type and a selected list of 32 high-alert medications (HAMs). Logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between a set of risk factors and the occurrence of alerts and alarms. We used nonparametric tests to explore the relationship between alarm resolution times and a subset of predictor variables. Results The study dataset included 745,641 unique infusions with a total of 3,231,300 infusion events. Overall, 28.7% of all unique infusions had at least one operational alarm, and 2.1% of all unique infusions had at least one programming alert. Alarms averaged two per infusion, whereas at least one alert happened in every 48 unique infusions. Eight percent of alarms took over 4 minutes to resolve. Intravenous fluid infusions had the highest rate of error-state occurrence. HAMs had 1.64 more odds for alerts than the rest of the infusions. On average, HAMs had a higher alert rate than maintenance fluids. Conclusion Infusion pump alerts and alarms impact clinical care, as alerts and alarms by design interrupt clinical workflow. Our study showcases how hospital system leadership teams can leverage infusion pump informatics to prioritize quality improvement and patient safety initiatives pertaining to infusion practices.
Conclusion: Systemic Struggles

The authors who contributed to Part III were never able to completely resolve the systemic struggles they experienced as teachers within the social institution of education. Fricker, Gray, and Crowhurst continue to be marginalized by Australian teaching standards that deny the significance of queer, Indigenous, and feminist perspectives, while Smith left the U.S. institution of K-12 education altogether.
Control of Drug Release from Microparticles by Tuning Their Crystalline Textures: A Structure–Activity Study

Predicting drug release profiles from polymer microparticles has proven challenging due to the numerous environmental and chemical factors that affect the device and influence the rate of drug rele...