cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Production of reactive oxygen intermediates following CD40 ligation correlates with c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation and IL-6 secretion in murine B lymphocytes

Recent studies indicate that reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) serve as second messengers in cell signaling. ROI have been implicated in the activation of NF-kappaB as well as c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in response to IL-1 and TNF-alpha stimulation. In this report we examine whether intracellular ROI are involved in CD40 receptor signaling. We show that CD40 engagement on resting splenic B lymphocytes and murine B lymphoma WEHI 231 cells generates ROI. Blocking ROI production by preincubation with the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine inhibits JNK activation, NF-kappaB-driven luciferase activity, and IL-6 secretion following CD40 ligation, suggesting a role for ROI in CD40-mediated signaling events. Furthermore, transfection of WEHI 231 cells with a plasmid encoding Mn-superoxide dismutase interferes with CD40-induced NF-kappaB activation, providing further support for ROI involvement in this pathway. Collectively, these data demonstrate that ROI may serve as second messengers linking CD40 engagement on B cells to important downstream activation events.
Gossip and consensus in mobile networks

We analyze the effect of node mobility on the convergence time of pairwise gossip algorithms. We use a simple mobility model and illustrate how to transform a gossip with mobile agents into gossip in a static network with a nonuniform distribution on selecting neighbors. We describe two methods for analyzing Markov chain convergence that can be used to derive upper and lower bounds on the convergence time of the network. Several examples are given to show the usefulness of these methods.
Accumulation of fossil fuels and metallic minerals in active and ancient rift lakes

A study of active and ancient rift systems around the world suggests that accumulations of fossil fuels and metallic minerals are related to the interactions of processes that form rift valleys with those that take place in and around rift lakes. The deposition of the precursors of petroleum, gas, oil shale, coal, phosphate, barite, Cu-Pb-Zn sulfides, and uranium begins with erosion of uplifted areas, and the consequent input of abundant nutrients and solute loads into swamps and tectonic lakes. Hot springs and volcanism add other nutrients and solutes. The resulting high biological productivity creates oxidized/reduced interfaces, and anoxic and H2S-rich bottom waters which preserves metal-bearing organic tissues and horizons. In the depositional phases, the fine-grained lake deposits are in contact with coarse-grained beach, delta, river, talus, and alluvial fan deposits. Earthquake-induced turbidites also are common coarse-grained deposits of rift lakes. Postdepositional processes in rifts include high heat flow and a resulting concentration of the organic and metallic components that were dispersed throughout the lakebeds. Postdepositional faulting brings organic- and metal-rich sourcebeds in contact with coarse-grained host and reservoir rocks. A suite of potentially economic deposits is therefore a characteristic of rift valleys.
MicroRNAs in diagnosis and prognosis in cancer: what does the future hold?

Studies have demonstrated that miRNAs may be specific to or enriched for tissue and disease types. For example, miR-122 is liver specific while miR-126 in enriched in the vasculature [5,6]. There are several high-throughput approaches to quantifying miRNAs in tissue samples, but the gold standard is still unclear. Northern blotting was initially one of the primary methods used to detect individual small RNAs. cDNA oligonucleotide arrays have become a standard global-scale technique for miRNA profiling [7]. Real-time PCR has been successfully used for detecting low copy number precursor and mature miRNA with high sensitivity and specificity [8]. Deep sequencing is also being used to identify both miRNAs and other noncoding RNAs [9].
Resolution of Allergic Airway Inflammation and Airway Hyperreactivity Is Mediated by IL-17–producing γδT Cells

Rationale: γδT lymphocytes are enriched within the epithelial microenvironment, where they are thought to maintain homeostasis and limit immunopathology. γδT cells are postulated to exert a regulatory influence during acute allergic airway disease, but the mechanism is unknown. Although regulation of allergic airway disease has been attributed to IL-17–producing T helper (Th) 17 cells, we have found that γδT cells represent the major source of IL-17 in the allergic lung. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of these IL-17–producing γδT cells to regulation of allergic airway inflammation. Methods: Flow cytometry revealed that IL-17–producing γδT cells are more prevalent than IL-17+αβT cells (Th17) in a murine model of ovalbumin-induced allergic inflammation. Measurements and Main Results: Transfer of γδT cells at the peak of acute allergic responses ameliorated airway hyperresponsiveness with a corresponding acceleration in the resolution of eosinophilic and Th2-driven inflammation. Conversely, functional blockade of γδT cells led to exacerbation of injury. Neither treatment changed pulmonary Th17 cell numbers. Moreover, transfer of Th17 cells had no effect on disease outcome. Importantly, IL-17–deficient γδT cells were unable to promote resolution of injury. These data identify IL-17–producing γδT cells as key regulators of the allergic response in vivo. Conclusions: This unfolds a new perspective for the understanding of γδT cell function with regard to innate regulation of the adaptive immune responses, emphasizing that resolution of responses are important in determining the outcome of acute inflammatory episodes as well as for maintenance of tissue integrity and homeostasis.
The Sonzogno digital library project

This poster reports on a work-in progress project of building a digital library for metadata records of books published by Sonzogno between 1800 and 1943. Metadata records from seven major libraries that have Sonzogno collections were harvested and used for building a unified collection for this project. Omeka, open-source software for building digital libraries, was used to host, manage, and provide the public with access to the collection. Currently, a sample set of the metadata of books published in 1885 is available from the digital library (http://sonzogno.cci.fsu.edu/). This poster reports on the current status of the project, explaining the process and challenges associated with building a digital library of the metadata collection (metadata harvesting and crosswalk) using Omeka.
ANALYZING EXTREME DISTURBANCE EVENTS: FIRE IN LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST

Extreme disturbance events may strongly influence the structure and functioning of many ecosystems, particularly those in which large, infrequent events are the defining forces within the region. This paper introduces the extremal fire regime (i.e., the time series of the largest fire per year) and the assumptions implicit in its analysis. I describe the statistics of extremes and demonstrate their application to the fire regime of Los Padres National Forest, California, to compare two regions (i.e., Main and Monterey divisions), to test for a shift in fire regime due to fire suppression, and to examine climatic events as a forcing mechanism for large fires. Despite their similarity and proximity, the Main Division exhibited a much higher frequency of large fires (and shorter return time) compared to the Monterey Division. Comparison of time periods 1911–1950 and 1951–1991 indicated that fire suppression had no effect on the distribution of very large fires in the Main Division, although the frequency of ...
Introduction: hyperuricemia and gout.

The pathophysiology of gout is well understood, and effective treatments for acute gout and hyperuricemia leading to gout are widely available. Nonetheless, many patients suffer from severe tophaceous gouty arthritis, adverse effects of medications for gout, and inadequate treatment of hyperuricemia. The incidence of gout is rising in both men and women. The diagnosis and treatment of gout are challenging in patients with arthritis, renal and hepatic diseases. Acute gout is usually not difficult to treat, but evidence to guide therapeutic decisions for gout patients with complex medical problems is woefully lacking. Fortunately, new medications for treatment of gout and hyperuricemia are becoming available, and exciting new research is increasing our understanding of the role of hyperuricemia in the pathogenesis of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. In this issue of Medicine and Health/ Rhode Island we discuss the epidemiology of gout in women, and review new data regarding the importance of hyperuricemia as a marker and perhaps a causative agent involved in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome. We review the risks and benefits of various treatment options for acute gout and discuss the potential utility of febuxostat, the first new drug approved for treatment of hyperuricemia in 40 years. In addition, we describe ongoing studies of rasburicase and pegloticase which may offer dramatic improvement for patients with severe tophaceous gout. We hope to share the excitement in the rheumatology community that has been generated by the potential of new therapies and advances in our understanding of gout and hyperuricemia, and to improve the care of all patients with gout. Bernard Zimmermann, MD, is Director of the Division of Rheumatology at Roger Williams Medical Center, and Associate Professor of Medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine.
Effects of perfusion pressure on intracellular calcium, energetics, and function in perfused rat hearts

Effects of perfusion pressure in a range from 50 to 140 cmH2O on intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were evaluated along with cardiac function, energy metabolism, and left ventricular geometry in a concentration of 2 or 4 mM of extracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]o) in isovolumic perfused rat hearts. [Ca2+]i was evaluated with a surface fluorometry technique in hearts loaded with indo-1/AM. The systolic and diastolic values and the amplitude (difference between systolic and diastolic values) of indo-1 fluorescence ratio (an index of [Ca2+]i) were linearly related to perfusion pressure. Changes in the fluorescence ratio were harmonious with rapid changes in left ventricular pressure and stabilized within 30-40 s after changes in perfusion pressure. Developed pressure and O2 consumption were closely, linearly correlated with the fluorescence ratio irrespective of [Ca2+]o. Left ventricular end-diastolic wall thickness, measured by 2-dimensional echocardiography, paralleled perfusion pressure and showed a good correlation with the fluorescence ratio. Diastolic myocardial adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate significantly decreased only at the lowest perfusion pressure. The ln[phosphocreatine]/[Pi] also changed with altered perfusion pressure. In conclusion, perfusion pressure modulates [Ca2+]i, which in turn regulates myocardial contraction and associated O2 utilization.
Oxidation of olefins using atmospheric oxygen atoms initiated by tert-butylhydroperoxide or hydrogen peroxide with silver nanoparticles deposited on MCM-41 as catalysts

Silver nanosized particles were grown on the surface and in the channels of mesoporous silica (MCM-41) by stirring a mixture of AgNO3 and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in ethylene glycol in a 1 : 20 weight ratio with MCM-41 for 1 h. The heterogeneous product was analysed by BET surface area and X-ray powder diffraction measurements, as well as TEM images which indicated that 5 to 20 nm sized Ag particles were on the surface of MCM-41. The dried material, suspended in a mixture of 1,2-dichloroethane and acetonitrile and in the presence of tBuOOH held at 80 °C for 24 h, was capable of the oxidation of the olefins (Z)-cyclooctene, cyclohexene, styrene and indene resulting in a variety of oxidized products. Comparable oxidation was also accomplished in a green solvent mixture consisting of 3% NaCl dissolved in H2O and tBuOH (1 : 1 by volume). The catalyst was active for five sequential cycles. After the first cycle, H2O2 instead of tBuOOH could be used as the radical initiator as the Ag nanoparticles were passivated by the formation of AgCl on the surface. This research illustrates a method of oxygen activation allowing for the transfer of an oxygen atom from the atmosphere onto an olefin, presumably via the formation of a peroxide radical.
Second-Harmonic Generation from Sub-Wavelength Apertures: Effects of Lattice Arrangement

We measure second-harmonic generation from arrays of sub-wavelength metallic apertures in transmission using square, triangular, Penrose, and disordered lattice arrangements.
Sub-Micron Selective Photoluminescence in Porous Si by Focused Ion Beam Implantation

The effect of Si doping on the formation of stain-etched porous Si and its photoluminescent properties was studied. Porous Si is obtained by purely chemical etching of crystalline Si in a solution of HF:HNO 3 :H 2 O in the ratio of 1:3:5. We have observed that an incubation time (t i ) exists between the insertion of Si into the solution and the onset of porous Si production. This incubation time was found to be a strong function of hole concentration in both n- and p-Si. In p-Si, the t i decreased rapidly with increasing conductivity, whereas for n-Si the opposite (but not as pronounced) trend was found to be the case. For example in (B-doped) p-Si, t i , is only ∼0.5 min for 250 (Ω-cm) −1 but increases to ∼ 5 min for 0.2 (Ω-cm) −1 . In (P-doped) n-Si substrates t i was ∼ 8 min for 0.2 (Ω-cm) −1 increasing to ∼ 10 min for 7 (Ω-cm) −1 . Photoluminescence (PL) measurements of the porous Si obtained on substrates of various conductivity (p and n) show similar spectra, namely a peak at around 1.94 eV with a full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of about 0.5 eV. Based on the t i difference, we have fabricated localized photoemitting porous Si patterns by Ga + focused ion beam (FIB) implantation doping and B + broad beam (BB) implantation doping of n-type Si. Using 30 kV FIB Ga + implantation, sub-micron photoemitting patterns have been obtained for the first time.
A Quantitative Study of the Electroencephalographic Response to Levodopa Treatment in Parkinsonian Patients

A quantitative EEG study was done in order to confirm previous impressions that there is a significant EEG response to levodopa in parkinsonian patients, and in order to trace the existence of dopaminergic mechanisms in the generation of the human EEG. EEGs of twenty-five parkinsonian patients were recorded both before and during levodopa treatment, two to four weeks apart, when levodopa doses reached maintenance levels of 3-5g/d. Derivations from F7-T3, F8-T4, T5-O1, and T6-O2 were recorded and digitally processed into power density spectra. These spectra were analyzed for levodopa effects in a full factorial repeated measures multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA). A significant effect of levodopa treatment on the EEG was found, and localized to the left occipital lobe. This effect manifested as an increase in power in all the EEG frequency bands. These findings are compatible with multiband synchronization of the EEG generating processes, attributable to dopaminergic mechanisms.
Sexual behavior of Korean young women: preliminary study for the introducing of HPV prophylactic vaccine

Objective : The decision of optimal age for administration of recently approved prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in the world depend on the basis of the sexual behavior of each countries. The aim of the study was to survey the age-specific sexual behavior including the sexual debut time and sexual experience in the Korean young women to design the tailored HPV vaccination. Methods : This study was conducted by the Synovate Healthcare in the 6 city of Korea e.g. Seoul, Pusan, Daegu, Incheon, Kwangju and Daejon. By a stratified sampling methods 2,400 women aged 12-29 years old were included. The measures of sexual behavior presented in this report were collected by a Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing (ACASI), in which the respondent enters her own answers into a computer without telling them to an interviewer. Results : Among women 12-29 years of age, 39 percent of women (934 persons in 2,400 women) and 33 percent of single women (724 persons in 2,190 women) have had vaginal intercourse; 8 percent of women under 19 years old single women (79 persons in 1,045) and 56 percent of single women with 20-29 years old (645 persons in 1,145). Number of sexual partner was 2.8 person and 54 percent of women had more than 2 partners. Age of the first sexual activity (sexual debut) was 21 years old. The age of partner at the sexual debut was 23.2 years old. Sexual experience before 15 years old was only 2%. About the condom, 41% did not use or rarely use. Conclusion : Our data demonstrate that the sexual debut time of young Korean women differ from other countries in which the prophylactic HPV vaccine had already used. We conclude that the optimal age for HPV vaccination in Korea would be determined at 15-17 years old by this situation.
An Evaluation of Four Types of Commercial Immunoassays for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin

Eleven commercially available kits for detecting human chorionic gonadotropin (hCC) in urine or serum were tested for analytic sensitivity and for susceptibility to interference by albumin and luteinizing hormone. The assays included several slide tests and tube tests that utilize agglutination or agglutination inhibition techniques, one radioreceptor assay and three radioimmunoassays. The analytic sensitivity for hCG varied from approximately 3 lU/ml for some slide tests to less than 0.005 lU/ml for one radioimmunoassay. Interference by albumin was observed with only one slide test; luteinizing hormone at premenopausal physiologic concentrations did not interfere with any of the assays. In our opinion, rapid slide and tube tests for hCG are adequate for routine pregnancy testing; however, the greater analytic sensitivity of radioreceptor assays or radioimmunoassays is a significant advantage in excluding the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy or in establishing the diagnosis of early intrauterine pregnancy.
Noninvasive Follicular Variant of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma and the Afirma Gene-Expression Classifier.

Background: It is now recognized that noninvasive follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (NFVPTC) is a distinct subset of FVPTC with an exceedingly indolent clinical course. The Afirma gene-expression classifier (GEC) helps guide clinicians in the management of thyroid nodules with indeterminate fine-needle aspiration (FNA) results. Thyroid surgery is recommended for nodules with a suspicious Afirma result, whereas observation is deemed reasonable for most nodules with a benign result. The aim of this study was to confirm that the Afirma test detects NFVPTCs and to determine how many carcinomas detected by the Afirma GEC represent NFVPTCs. Methods: From a database of 249 FNAs sent for Afirma testing between January 2012 and October 2014, a search was conducted for cases with a preceding FNA diagnosis of atypia/follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS) or suspicious for a follicular neoplasm (SFN), a suspicious Afirma result, and a corresponding resection specimen reviewed at Bri...
Randomized Algorithms for Dynamic Storage Load-Balancing

In this work, we study a challenging research problem that arises in minimizing the cost of storing customer data online for reliable access in a cloud. It is how to near-perfectly balance the remaining capacities of all disks across the cloud system while adding new file blocks so that the inevitable event of capacity expansion can be postponed as much as possible. The challenges of solving this problem are twofold. First, new file blocks are added to the cloud concurrently by many dispatchers (computing servers) that have no communication or coordination among themselves. Though each dispatcher is updated with information on disk occupancies, the update is infrequent and not synchronized. Second, for fault-tolerance purposes, a combinatorial constraint has to be satisfied in distributing the blocks of each new file across the cloud system. We propose a randomized algorithm, in which each dispatcher independently samples a blocks-to-disks assignment according to a probability distribution on a set of assignments conforming to the aforementioned combinatorial requirement. We show that this algorithm allows a cloud system to near-perfectly balance the remaining disk capacities as rapidly as theoretically possible, when starting from any unbalanced state that is correctable mathematically.
Design of antennas for 3D wireless Network-on-Chip with micro-fluidic cooling layers

Recent trend in 3-D Network on a Chip (NoC) utilizing wireless interconnects to improve communication speeds have been successful. Liquid cooling channels introduced on top and bottom still leave the interior of the chip as a hot spot. In the present work, novel architecture of 3-D NoC is modeled in different configurations of embedded micro fluidic layers to address the interior heating. Wired interconnects through the fluidic layers is not possible, zig-zag antennas are implemented and placed in different configurations, to serve as wireless interconnects. The thermo-fluidic layers are modeled as channels of dielectric constant 1.75. Each antenna has been individually designed and successfully tuned to resonate at 60 GHz with a return loss (RL) less than −10dB, using ANSYS High Frequency System Simulator (HFSS). The paper also discusses the transmission coefficients and shows low noise up to 10 GHz.
Interoperability test for IEEE C37.118 standard-based phasor measurement units (PMUs)

Phasor measurement units (PMUs) provide real-time synchrophasor data and good situational awareness of power grid, and could be used to take corrective actions to maintain grid reliability. Thousands of PMUs deployed in the North American power grid are supplied by a number of different PMU vendors. Synchrophasor data exchange, sharing and interoperability are major challenges for the power industry. Interoperability testing is one of solutions to assure PMU data interoperability. This paper proposes an interoperability test method for IEEE C37.118 standard-based PMUs. An interoperability test system provided in this paper consists of five parts: a PMU tester, device under test (DUT) (PMU), a network switch, a network sniffer and a PMU interoperability analyzer. IEEE C37.118-2005 provides five test cases. Five test cases of eight commercial PMUs from different vendors have been tested with the PMU Tester over Ethernet. One interoperability test case is described in detail. The interoperability test results of five test cases for each PMU have been provided.
Blind, Deaf and Confused: An Unusual Case of Wernicke’s Encephalopathy in a Young Adult (P2.012)

KL is a 17 year old female with a history of Crohn’s disease who presented with altered mental status. For approximately 2 months, KL exhibited nausea and vomiting that was found to be secondary to pancreatitis. Through that time her diet became severely restricted and she experienced a significant weight loss. Following a cholecystectomy, KL had progressive falls but was discharged home from the hospital. Over the course of 3 weeks, she complained of ear pain and decreased hearing as well as advancing blurry vision to the point that she could no longer see items placed inches away from her eyes. On the day of admission, KL exhibited acute confusion that progressed to a comatose state. On exam, she was not responsive to sternal rub. She exhibited bilateral papilledema and peripapillary hemorrhage in the right eye, reduced hearing, diffuse weakness and areflexia. Laboratory investigations including lumbar puncture were unremarkable. An EEG was consistent with encephalopathy. An MRI showed T2/FLAIR hyperintensities in the bilateral thalami, periaqueductal grey matter and frontal cortex. The patient was administered thiamine and improved markedly. Several days later a thiamine level returned as undetectable. This case cites the importance of identifying less common etiologies of nonalcoholic Wernicke’s encephalopathy, as this potentially fatal disease is a treatable one. Beyond the well-known clinical triad of encephalopathy, ataxia and ocular abnormalities, atypical findings such as blurred vision due to optic disc swelling, decreased muscle strength and decreased deep tendon reflexes due to axonal polyneuropathy, and hearing loss due to involvement of the inferior colliculi can be seen in this condition. Disclosure: Dr. Miller has nothing to disclose.
China, Germany, and the Viet Nam Restoration Association

On December 14, 1914, a British detective with the Hong Kong police arrested a Vietnamese man who was staying at a local boarding house. Initially the man pretended to be Chinese, but once detained he confessed his real identity to be none other than Luong Lap Nam – a well-known protege of the Vietnamese revolutionary Phan Bội Châu and an integral member of Phan's Quang Phuc Hoi , or Viet Nam Restoration Association. The detective took a statement from Luong, in which the latter admitted “I am a revolutionary Annamite: all true Annamites are anxious to liberate their country from French domination.” He justified his revolutionary orientation with a long list of grievances, including French restrictions on indigenous education and travel, French policies requiring the consumption of opium and alcohol, and the inability of indigenous soldiers to rise to high rank. Luong insisted that each country should be governed by its own subjects and compared his revolutionary struggle with the successful Chinese struggle against the Manchu and the ongoing South African and Indian struggles against the British. He ended by insisting that he had broken no laws in Hong Kong and asked that he be set free so that he could proceed to his intended destination in Kwangtung (Guangdong). But British authorities did not release Luong. Instead, on January 14 they secretly transferred him to Gaston Liebert, the French consul in Hong Kong, who had him whisked away on a ship under heavy guard. Two secret agents accompanied Luong from Hong Kong to the French enclave of Kuongtcheouwan (Guongzhouwan), where French authorities formally arrested him. From there, he was taken to Hanoi in French Indochina, where he was tried for his role in a 1913 bombing in the northern province of Phu Tho. Luong was convicted and sentenced to life with hard labor, and was finally transferred to the notorious Thai Nguyen prison in July 1916. At the prison, he was considered so dangerous that he was kept shackled in solitary confinement. Anxieties about the threat he posed proved accurate, because a little more than a year later Luong played a critical role in the Thai Nguyen rebellion centered on the prison – the most significant rebellion in Indochina between 1880 and 1930 – and was killed by French forces on September 4, 1917.
Trajectories of Mental Health-Related Service Use Among Adolescents With Histories of Early Externalizing Problems.

Abstract Purpose To inform efforts to reduce costly service utilization, the present study examined longitudinal trajectories of mental health–related outpatient and residential service use among at-risk youth with a history of early externalizing problems. Methods A cohort of 809 children in the Fast Track Project, a multisite longitudinal study of children at risk for conduct disorder, were followed prospectively from kindergarten through 12th grade. They resided in high-risk areas with high rates of poverty, crime, and violence. Their outpatient and residential service use was assessed annually between sixth and 12th grades through parent report. Growth mixture modeling was applied to model individual differences in trajectories of service use during this period. Teacher, parent, and observer-reported childhood predictors of those trajectories were also examined. Results Most youths had minimal service use during preadolescence into adolescence. However, approximately 31% had moderate probability of using outpatient counseling services, and approximately 8% had elevated probability of seeing a family doctor for mental health needs. For residential services, approximately 6% had moderate to high probability of service use that peaked during transition to high school, whereas close to 5% had service use that dramatically increased during high school. Childhood predictors of these trajectories included earlier externalizing, internalizing, and emotion regulation problems. Conclusions This study is the first to use person-centered analytic methods to examine longitudinal trajectories in mental health–related service use among at-risk adolescents. Timely treatment for severe externalizing problems, comorbid internalizing problems, and emotion dysregulation during childhood may be crucial for preventing chronic service use.
Adult Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation Using Myeloablative Thiotepa, Total Body Irradiation, and Fludarabine Conditioning

Abstract Treatment-related mortality (TRM) remains elevated in adult patients undergoing umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT), including an early rise in TRM suggestive of excessive toxicity associated with the standard myeloablative total body irradiation (TBI), fludarabine, and cyclophosphamide regimen. In an attempt to reduce regimen-related toxicity, we previously studied a modified myeloablative regimen with TBI (1350 cGy) and fludarabine (160 mg/m2); TRM was decreased, but neutrophil engraftment was suboptimal. Therefore, to improve engraftment while still minimizing regimen-related toxicity, we piloted a myeloablative regimen with the addition of thiotepa (10 mg/kg) to TBI and fludarabine conditioning. Thirty-one adult patients (median age, 46 years; range, 19 to 65) with hematologic malignancies (acute leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome, 77%; lymphoid malignancy, 23%) underwent single (n = 1) or double (n = 30) UCBT from 2010 to 2015 at our institution. The cumulative incidence of neutrophil engraftment was 90% (95% confidence interval [CI], 70% to 97%) by 60 days, with a median time to engraftment of 21 days (95% CI, 19 to 26). The cumulative incidence of platelet engraftment was 77% (95% CI, 57% to 89%) by 100 days, with a median time to engraftment of 47 days (95% CI, 37 to 73). Cumulative incidences of grades II to IV and grades III to IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) at day 100 were 45% (95% CI, 27% to 62%) and 10% (95% CI, 2% to 23%), respectively. The overall incidence of chronic GVHD at 2 years was 40% (95% CI, 22% to 57%), with 17% of patients (95% CI, 6% to 33%) experiencing moderate to severe chronic GVHD by 2 years. TRM at 180 days was 13% (95% CI, 4% to 27%), at 1 year 24% (95% CI, 10% to 41%), and at 3 years 30% (95% CI, 13% to 49%). Relapse at 1 year was 13% (95% CI, 4% to 27%) and at 3 years 19% (95% CI, 6% to 38%). With a median follow-up of 35.5 months (95% CI, 12.7 to 52.2), disease-free and overall survival at 3 years were 51% (95% CI, 29% to 69%) and 57% (95% CI, 36% to 73%), respectively. This regimen represents a reasonable alternative to myeloablative conditioning with TBI, fludarabine, and cyclophosphamide and warrants further study.
Hardware-in-the-loop simulation of a distribution system with air conditioners under model predictive control

Many have proposed that responsive load provided by distributed energy resources (DERs) and demand response (DR) are an option to provide flexibility to the grid and especially to distribution feeders. However, because responsive load involves a complex interplay between tariffs and DER and DR technologies, it is challenging to test and evaluate options without negatively impacting customers. This paper describes a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation system that has been developed to reduce the cost and impacts of evaluating the effect of advanced controllers (e.g., model predictive controllers) and technologies (e.g., responsive appliances). The HIL simulation system combines large-scale software simulation with a small set of representative building equipment hardware. It is used to perform HIL simulation of a distribution feeder and the loads on it under various tariff structures. In the reported HIL simulation, loads include many simulated houses and air conditioners and one physical air conditioner. Independent model predictive controllers manage operations of all air conditioners under a time-of-use tariff. Results from this HIL simulation and a discussion of future development work of the system are presented.
Sustainability of Blood Pressure Reduction in Black Barbershops

Background: We developed a new model of hypertension care for non-Hispanic black men that links health promotion by barbers to medication management by American Society of Hypertension–certified pharmacists and demonstrated efficacy in a 6-month cluster-randomized trial. The marked reduction in systolic blood pressure (BP) seen at 6 months warranted continuing the trial through 12 months to test sustainability, a necessary precondition for implementation research. Methods: We enrolled a cohort of 319 black male patrons with systolic BP ≥140 mm Hg at baseline. Fifty-two Los Angeles County barbershops were assigned to either a pharmacist-led intervention or an active control group. In the intervention group, barbers promoted follow-up with pharmacists who prescribed BP medication under a collaborative practice agreement with patrons’ primary care providers. In the control group, barbers promoted follow-up with primary care providers and lifestyle modification. After BP assessment at 6 months, the interventi...
The Effects of Feeding a Soybean-Based or a Soy-Free Diet on the Gut Microbiome of Pasture-Raised Chickens Throughout Their Lifecycle

Soybean is one of the primary ingredients in poultry diets, but it causes problems in some consumers with allergies. Thus, production of poultry without soybean in their diets has increased in recent years. In addition, consumers are increasingly supporting alternative (e.g. organic, pasture-raised) chicken production systems for ethical reasons, yet the impacts of a variety of diets on these birds remain unclear. The present study was designed to examine the impact of feeding two different diets – a soybean-based and a soy-free diet – on the intestinal microbiome of pasture-raised chickens. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on the feces, cecal contents, and whole carcass rinses from 5 pasture-raised flocks (3 soybean-based, 2 soy-free) grown over 2 years on the same farm, and their microbiomes were compared. Regardless of diet, the phylum Firmicutes corresponded to 63% or more of the total bacterial abundance in the fecal and cecal samples; however, in the whole carcass rinses, the relative abundance of Firmicutes dropped to approximately 30%. Alpha diversity metrics revealed significant differences without any clear patterns when comparing the 2 diets, but principal coordinate analysis of -diversity showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.04) between them. Notably, broilers receiving the soy-free diet had lower abundance of Campylobacter during their entire lifecycle. This effect was particularly important in the fecal material collected when birds were 12-weeks-old (i.e. day of processing; P = 0.003) and in the whole carcass rinses obtained from the final product (P = 0.04). Abundance of Acinetobacter was also lower (P = 0.05) in the whole carcass rinses from birds consuming the soy-free diet. These data suggest that the presence of soybeans in chicken diets can be an important factor shaping overall microbiomes throughout the farm-to-fork continuum, specifically resulting in a greater presence of the foodborne pathogens Campylobacter and Acinetobacter. Therefore, the use of a soy-free diet can potentially represent a viable strategy to reduce contamination of carcasses in pasture-raised chicken production systems.
54 The views of a district general hospital community on talking about end of life wishes

Dying matters is a coalition which aims to help people talk more openly about death and dying. This includes raising awareness with the hope that more people will make plans for the end of life (EoL). As part of awareness week 2018 there was an online poll asking the question ‘How you would feel talking to someone close to you about their EoL wishes?’ Ashford and St Peter’s NHS Foundation Trust (ASPH) is a District General Hospital in Surrey, England. This year as part of Dying Matters week we sort to explore what the ASPH community felt about talking about their EoL wishes. Aim To explore how comfortable the ASPH community is talking about EoL, and to encourage people to express their wishes on a ‘Before I die’ board Method The Specialist Palliative Care Team held a ‘Dying Matters’ stand at the front entrance of the hospital and encouraged the ASPH community to complete a questionnaire regarding how they would feel talking about their EoL wishes and add a ‘think bubble’ to the ASPH ‘Before I die’ board. Results There were 146 responses to the questionnaire and 90 think bubbles added to the board. Responses came from 125 HCPs (86%), 8 patients (5%), 7 carers (5%) and 6 visitors (4%). 108 (74%) felt it was very important to talk about EoL wishes, 130 (89%) felt happy to talk to someone close, 125 (86%) to a HCP and 97 (66%) to a faith or religious leader. The think bubbles centred around 3 main themes; comfort, family wellbeing and achieving life goals. Conclusion Most people say they would feel happy to discuss EoL wishes with someone close or a HCP more so than a faith or religious leader. It is important to note that the number of responses from patients/carers was low.
Is cytoreductive nephrectomy relevant in the immunotherapy era

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The recent approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) revolutionized the treatment paradigm for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). However, the role of cytoreductive nephrectomy is not well defined in this setting. Here, we review the contemporary role and timing of cytoreductive nephrectomy for advanced RCC in the era of immunotherapy. RECENT FINDINGS Evidence concerning combination systemic therapy and cytoreductive nephrectomy in the multimodal management of mRCC is primarily limited to studies conducted in the targeted therapy era. The oncologic role of cytoreductive nephrectomy in the setting of ICI remains largely undefined and is supported primarily by case reports. Nonetheless, patient selection for cytoreductive nephrectomy is paramount, and appropriate candidacy in the ICI era will likely be refined as increasing evidence emerges. Until then, a cautious balance between perceived oncologic benefit and risks of intervention must be exercised. Several trials are ongoing to help shed light on patient selection, technical feasibility, and optimal timing of cytoreductive nephrectomy in the immunotherapy era. SUMMARY Although the role and timing for cytoreductive nephrectomy remain to be further elucidated in the immunotherapy era, patient selection remains critical for treatment planning. Further studies are urgently needed to better define the role of cytoreductive nephrectomy in this setting.
Fluid-Particle Flow and Heat Transfer

This chapter starts with a discussion about size dristributions of particles and interaction of dry particles, followed by a discussion of fluid-particle interactions. This chapter also covers the fundamentals and applications of various liquid-particle and gas-particle systems.
A 28GHz Sliding-IF Receiver in 22nm FDSOI

A fully-integrated 28GHz sliding-IF receiver for 5G applications is presented. Implemented in 22nm FDSOI, the receiver utilizes the back-gate voltage control that is available in FDSOI to improve circuit performances by adjusting the centering of the LNA resonance load, the RON of mixer switches, and the duty-cycle of the quadrature 2nd LO. The design consists of LNA, RF mixer, inter-stage gm-cell, IF quadrature mixer, TIAs, and LO chain. This receiver achieves a low noise figure of 3.5dB while consuming 19.5mW of power. The measured gain and input P1dB are 37.5dB and -31dBm, respectively. The receiver occupies an active area of 0.09mm2.
Internal Fixation Versus Arthroplasty for the Treatment of Nondisplaced Femoral Neck Fractures in the Elderly: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective:To compare the outcomes of elderly patients with nondisplaced and minimally displaced femoral neck fractures treated with internal fixation versus arthroplasty.Data Sources:A comprehensive search of the MEDLINE, Embase, and central databases was conducted through June 25, 2019.Study Select
Evidence for phosphorus limitation in high-elevation unvegetated soils, Niwot Ridge, Colorado

A key challenge to understanding the effects of climate change and nutrient deposition on ecosystem functioning is our lack of knowledge about nutrient limitations of heterotrophic and phototrophic microbial communities. This is especially true in high elevation ecosystems where it has been shown that earlier melt-out of snow beds and glacial retreat is allowing photosynthetic microbes and plants to move into previously unvegetated areas. We used landscape-level analyses of microbial enzyme stoichiometries combined with soil microcosm fertilization studies to determine which nutrients are limiting to microbes in plant-free or sparsely vegetated, snow bed areas of the Colorado Front Range. Both of these independent approaches indicated that the ultimate limiting nutrient in unvegetated and sparsely vegetated soils is phosphorus (P) for phototrophic microbes, with co-limitation by carbon (C) for the entire microbial community. In contrast, vegetated soils in the same watersheds showed more balanced nitrogen (N), P and C co-limitation similar to patterns seen in other plant-dominated ecosystems. In microcosm experiments, P additions resulted in increased growth rates and percent cover by phototrophs, whereas N additions decreased the relative abundances of phototrophs. Taken together, our findings indicate that the colonization of high elevation ecosystems being impacted by N deposition and climate warming will likely be constrained by P limitation of both heterotrophic and phototrophic microbes and by negative impacts of N on microbial phototrophs. These effects may in turn limit the ability of these fragile ecosystems to immobilize inputs of atmospheric N causing increased runoff of excess N to downstream ecosystems.
Sex differences in emoji use, familiarity, and valence

Abstract Emojis (particularly smiley emojis, ☺) are increasingly used in computer-mediated communication as well as in applied domains within marketing, healthcare, and psychology. The emotional negativity bias in the facial emotion processing literature posits that women are more sensitive to negative facial emotion than are men. Given the similarity in neural processing between human faces and smiley emojis, women may likewise view negative smiley emojis as more negative than do men. Moreover, the familiarity of the emoji and the participants' overall emoji use may increase the positivity of the emoji. To investigate these potential influences of sex, familiarity, and emoji use on the valence of smiley emojis, we assessed the familiarity and the perceived valence for 70 iOS facial emojis in a large sample (N = 299; 163 women) of United States college students (Mage = 19.66, SDage = 2.72). Results indicated higher emoji usage and familiarity ratings for women than for men. In assessing valence we found higher overall positive ratings for men than for women. Consistent with the emotional negativity bias, this sex difference was limited to the negative smiley emojis with no sex difference in valence for the positive emojis. The obtained sex differences in smiley emojis’ use, familiarity, and valence are an important consideration in the selection of such stimuli in future studies.
Idiographic Traits: A Return to Allportian Approaches to Personality:

Since its beginnings, personality psychology has focused on both nomothetic and idiographic questions, but nomothetic approaches have captured the majority of attention in the past century. In this...
Histologic diagnosis of a case of anal duct carcinoma with cytological correlation and differential diagnoses.

Abstract Anal duct carcinoma is an uncommon malignancy of the glands of the anal duct. This entity poses a diagnostic challenge, both clinically and histologically. This article describes histopathologic findings in a case of anal duct carcinoma, including the initial diagnosis on biopsy and subsequent cytology specimens. Additionally, differential diagnoses of this neoplasm are discussed. With a high index of suspicion, and attention to histological and immunohistochemical features, anal duct carcinoma can be accurately diagnosed both on biopsy and on cytology.
Persistent homology on LiDAR data to detect landslides

Abstract Landslides can result in loss of lives, cause damage to property, infrastructure, utilities, and residential structures and can block transportation routes. Landslide inventory maps can provide spatial-temporal information about past and recent landslides and are used for analysis to create models that can characterize susceptibility. As such, these maps are considered an essential source for risk management tasks. In this paper, we propose a persistent homology method applied on LiDAR-derived digital terrain model data to detect landslides for landslide inventory maps. In testing the hypothesis that persistent homology, a method for computing topological features of a space at different resolutions, can be used to accurately detect landslides, we applied the method on LiDAR-derived digital terrain models to detect shapes and patterns that are indicative of landslide surface expressions. We validated our test results by comparing them to currently available landslide inventory maps for selected locations in Pennsylvania, Oregon, Colorado and Washington. The results show a different performance for each state; the accuraces were 0.79, 0.71, 0.53, 0.69, and 0.77 for five study areas. Variations in performance are linked to varying surface roughness between different types of landslides, their size, shape, ages, composition, and a possible history of reactivations of landslides that would further pronounce surface expressions. To overcome some of these challenges that may hinder performance of our method, we recommend that other datasets, containing landslides, be considered as additional nth-order dimensions beyond the spatial and elevation dimensions inherent in topographic datasets.