cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hyperthermia in combination with radiotherapy: a review of five years experience in the treatment of superficial tumors

Abstract Facilities for regional tumor hyperthermia has been in use at RPMI since 1976, and have been routinely used to treat patients according to protocol since 1977. Hyperthermia delivery has been exclusively by microwave using 434 MHz, 915 MHz and 2450 MHz. Greatest success at reaching tumor temperatures of 43–44°C with minimal skin heating was obtained using 915 HMz. The majority of the patients were treated with this frequency. Approximately 125 patients have been treated and 70 have achieved completion of therapy and follow-up. Follow-up has been at least one month and several patients have been followed for one to two years. Initially, for entry into the hyperthermia protocol, patients were required to have three or more lesions. One lesion on each patient was treated with 800 rad fractions repeated three times on a 72 hour schedule. The second lesion was treated with 700 rad fractions and the third with 500 rad plus hyperthermia on the same schedule. Twelve patients with multiple melanoma lesions completed this study. One of 12 patients showed no response to the combination of hyperthermia plus radiotherapy, while four showed no response to radiotherapy alone. Of eight patients who survived three months, all lesions treated by hyperthermia plus radiotherapy responded completely, while only five lesions treated by radiotherapy alone so responded. In a second study, 58 patients with superficial tumors were treated by a protocol where hyperthermia was added to optimal conventional radiotherapy. Of the total, 43 patients had complete tumor response at follow-up varying from one month to 18 months. A subgroup of 24 of these patients had two lesions, one of which was treated with hyperthermia in addition to radiotherapy while the other served as control, receiving radiotherapy only. Nineteen lesions demonstrated complete response to hyperthermia plus radiotherapy, while only 14 of the controls had complete response. None of the lesions treated with hyperthermia responded less well than those treated by radiotherapy alone. Morbidity, as measured by skin reaction, was rarely increased in the heated field.
Protease inhibitors and their peptidomimetic derivatives as potential drugs

Precise spatial and temporal regulation of proteolytic activity is essential to human physiology. Modulation of protease activity with synthetic peptidomimetic inhibitors has proven to be clinically useful for treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hypertension and shows potential for medicinal application in cancer, obesity, cardiovascular, inflammatory, neurodegenerative diseases, and various infectious and parasitic diseases. Exploration of natural inhibitors and synthesis of peptidomimetic molecules has provided many promising compounds performing successfully in animal studies. Several protease inhibitors are undergoing further evaluation in human clinical trials. New research strategies are now focusing on the need for improved comprehension of protease-regulated cascades, along with precise selection of targets and improved inhibitor specificity. It remains to be seen which second generation agents will evolve into approved drugs or complementary therapies.
Food Mycotoxins: An Update

The Institute of Food Technologists has issued this Scientific Status Summary to update readers on the science of fungal toxins.
Fuzzy-neuro system for bridge health monitoring

Many civil and mechanical systems are in continuous use despite aging and associated potential risk for damage accumulation. Hence, the ability to monitor the structural health of these systems on a real-time basis is becoming very important. This paper describes a practical real-time structural health monitoring system using soft computing tools and its application to the structural health monitoring of a steel bridge located in Missouri. Vibration data collected from this bridge was processed and fed to the fuzzy logic decision system. The fuzzy logic decision system makes use of fuzzy clustering to determine the possible presence of damage in the bridge. A neural network prediction system which makes use of backpropagation algorithm predicts the amount of actual damage in the members which were predicted damaged by the fuzzy logic.
Quantitative cytochemistry of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in avian granulosa cells during follicular maturation.

Previous studies have shown that biosynthesis of progesterone, the major steroid product of hen granulosa cells, increases during follicular maturation. However, the contribution of individual granulosa cells to the total progesterone production of each follicle is not known. The objective of the present study was to determine the presence and relative activity of 3f3-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3�-HSD) in individual granulosa cells isolated from each of the five largest yolk-filled preovulatory follicles of laying hens. 3�-HSD cytochemistry in the presence or absence of pregnenolone substrate was performed on digitonin-permeabilized granulosa cells in suspension. The stained cells were fixed in a 70% ethanol solution until 1) the percentage of cells from each follicle that stained dark blue-indicating the presence of 3�3-HSD activity-was determined by counting under light microscopy, and 2) the intensity of staining-indicating the relative amount of enzyme activity-was quantified using video image analysis. There were three findings. First, 100% of granulosa cells from each of the five largest preovulatory follicles stained positively for the presence of 3�HSD activity. Second, the amount of 3�-HSD activity was normally distributed among granulosa cells in the population from each follicle. Third, as follicles matured from the fifth largest to the largest follicle, 3f�-HSD activity increased steadily in individual cells, as indicated by increased staining intensities. The results indicate uniformity in the steroidogenic capacity of cells in the granulosa layer of hen preovulatory follicles. Moreover, the results suggest the possibility that the overall increase in progesterone production by the granulosa layer during follicular maturation is due to enhanced steroidogenic activity within each granulosa cell.
Validation and utilization of a TFE3 break-apart FISH assay for Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma and alveolar soft part sarcoma

Background Xp11.2 or TFE3 translocation renal cell carcinomas (RCC) and alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) are characterized by chromosome translocations involving the Xp11.2 breakpoint resulting in transcription factor TFE3 gene fusions. The most common translocations documented in TFE3 RCCs are t(X;1) (p11.2;q21) and t(X;17) (p11.2;q25) which leads to fusion of TFE3 gene on Xp11.2 with PRCC or ASPL respectively. TFE3 immunohistochemistry (IHC) has been inconsistent over time due to background staining problems in part related to fixation issues. Karyotyping to detect TFE3 gene rearrangement requires typically unavailable fresh tissue. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is generally very challenging due to degradation of RNA in archival material. The study objective was to develop and validate a TFE3 break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay to confirm Xp11 translocation RCCs and ASPS.
A Bourdieusian Analysis of U.S. Military Culture Ground in the Mental Help-Seeking Literature

This theoretical treatise uses the scientific literature concerning help seeking for mental illness among those with a background in the U.S. military to posit a more complex definition of military culture. The help-seeking literature is used to illustrate how hegemonic masculinity, when situated in the military field, informs the decision to seek formal treatment for mental illness among those men with a background in the U.S. military. These analyses advocate for a nuanced, multidimensional, and situated definition of U.S. military culture that emphasizes the way in which institutional structures and social relations of power intersect with individual values, beliefs, and motivations to inform and structure health-related practices.
Genetic inviability is a major driver of type III survivorship in experimental families of a highly fecund marine bivalve

The offspring of most highly fecund marine fish and shellfish suffer substantial mortality early in the life cycle, complicating prediction of recruitment and fisheries management. Early mortality has long been attributed to environmental factors and almost never to genetic sources. Previous work on a variety of marine bivalve species uncovered substantial genetic inviability among the offspring of inbred crosses, suggesting a large load of early-acting deleterious recessive mutations. However, genetic inviability of randomly bred offspring has not been addressed. Here, genome-wide surveys reveal widespread, genotype-dependent mortality in randomly bred, full-sib progenies of wild-caught Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas). Using gene-mapping methods, we infer that 11-19 detrimental alleles per family render 97.9-99.8% of progeny inviable. The variable genomic positions of viability loci among families imply a surprisingly large load of partially dominant or additive detrimental mutations in wild adult oysters. Although caution is required in interpreting the relevance of experimental results for natural field environments, we argue that the observed genetic inviability corresponds with type III survivorship, which is characteristic of both hatchery and field environments and that our results, therefore, suggest the need for additional experiments under the near-natural conditions of mesocosms. We explore the population genetic implications of our results, calculating a detrimental mutation rate that is comparable to that estimated for conifers and other highly fecund perennial plants. Genetic inviability ought to be considered as a potential major source of low and variable recruitment in highly fecund marine animals.
Selective Abortion as Moral Failure? Revaluation of the Feminist Case for Reproductive Rights in a Disability Context

Of feminism and disability theory's many overlapping concerns, few have received as much attention as prenatal genetic diagnosis and selective abortion. While the attention to how genetic selection reinforces disability stigma is important, much of this writing has failed to present the feminist case for the right to unrestricted abortion. This oversight has led to an articulation of the disability critique of selective abortion that threatens the very claims to reproductive freedom and bodily self-determination that undergird disability politics as well. This article rearticulates the feminist case for unrestricted reproductive rights in order to challenge the current framing of prenatal genetic diagnosis as an ethical failure and to present the opportunity to refigure reproductive rights as disability rights.
In Stlo High Resolution Electron Microscopy for Interface Studies

In situ kinetic measurements on the rate of solid—phase epitaxial regrowth of silicon in a conventional transmission electron microscope are described. The data compare well with those established for the sane material by high voltage electron microscopy and by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. High—resolution imaging at the same time provides direct information on atomic mechanisms. It is anticipated that this will beccme a more highly developed procedure in due course, especially for studies of interface reactions.
Re-conceptualizing community in risk research

Community is an important concept for determining the factors that influence peoples’ perceptions of and actions surrounding risk. However, there are multiple and conflicting definitions for the concept of community and scholars operationalize it in various ways. In this paper, we argue for a renewed focus on community as a guiding consideration in discussions of risk management and the related concepts of resilience, vulnerability, and adaptive capacity. We outline classic and current conceptions of community to articulate how its conceptualization in ongoing risk research might lead to different outcomes, foci, or recommendations about collective adaptation. This includes a discussion of how historic and emerging methodological approaches for studying risk make implicit choices about what community is or how it influences collective response. We close by providing a set of potential axioms that can help researchers better integrate the complexity of community into studies of risk and understand how popu...
Skin testing in atopic allergy.

In spite of drawbacks, skin tests are invaluablediagnostic tools. Scratch testing done as a preliminary to intradermal tests greatly reduces the number of troublesome reactions. Any reaction that begins within seconds and becomes 3+ or 4+ within two to four minutes is potentially dangerous.
Pharmacoeconomics of antimicrobial therapy.

Switch therapy, sequential therapy, and step-down therapy are discussed in terms of their contribution to reducing antimicrobial expenditures. Pharmacoeconomics is the science used to identify and compare the costs and consequences of drug therapy in terms of efficacy, safety, and overall health care. Pharmacoeconomic studies of antimicrobials for respiratory-tract infections have identified significant cost savings associated with regimens that are optimized for a particular patient on the basis of a drug's pharmacokinetic profile. For fluoroquinolones, optimal therapy has been associated with targeting the specific pharmacodynamic variable known as the ratio of the area under the serum concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 hours (AUC) to the minimum inhibitory concentration, also referred to as the area under the inhibitory curve (AUIC). Several studies have shown that regimens that achieve targeted AUIC values of 125 to 250 against gram-negative aerobic bacteria are cost-effective; cost savings are linked to decreased time to bacterial eradication and higher AUICs. Additional cost-effective measures for hospitals and health care institutions include the implementation of formalized i.v.-to-oral conversions and streamlining programs. Pharmacoeconomic analysis of therapies for respiratory-tract and other infections demonstrates that reducing health care costs may best be achieved by curing the infection in the shortest possible time through dosage optimization individualized to the patient.
Using Ultrasound in Ophthalmologic Diagnosis

Ultrasonography has become an essential tool in ophthalmology. B-scans give cross-sectional display of tissues, while quantitative A-scans demonstrate internal tissue texture. The technique can confirm a diagnosis, distinguish between alternative diagnoses, or detect disease not otherwise demonstrable by noninvasive means.
Demographic Transition and Intergenerational Transfers in Peru

This chapter explores intergenerational transfers in the context of rapid demographic change in Peru. The case study was chosen to illustrate how transfer payments from remittances, public payments, and pensions are presently not enough to support the growing income needs of the people, and particularly of older persons. Peruvian society possesses a strong tradition of solidarity within the extended family, and this basic social unit is resilient to sharp economic and sociopolitical shocks. For that reason, small children and older persons who need special care and income support are often assisted by family members. This chapter shows that international out-migration is accelerating the aging of the population because younger people are leaving the country in large numbers. Aging is also a natural outcome of the drastic decline in fertility rates, particularly in urban areas, and increased longevity. One would hope that remittances from abroad would help support relatives back at home. Evidence, however, seems to indicate that the percent of the population that accesses international transfer payments is still small. Another option for income security in old age would be access to pensions. However, as will be seen, neither public nor private pensions are paid to a majority of persons over 65, who represent more than six percent of the population.
Neuropeptide Y mobilizes Ca2+ and inhibits adenylate cyclase in human erythroleukemia cells

Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a peptide often coreleased with catecholamines, appears to be an important component of the sympathetic nervous system, but little is known about the molecular basis of its action. We introduce here human erythroleukemia (HEL) cells as a new model system for studies of NPY action. NPY inhibited adenosine 3,5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation in HEL cells with a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 3 nM. Additionally NPY increased intracellular Ca2+, as assessed by fura-2 fluorescence, with a similar EC50. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin blocked both responses, suggesting the involvement of one or more G proteins. Chelating extracellular Ca2+ with EGTA did not reduce the Ca2+ signal, demonstrating mobilization from intracellular stores rather than influx. Experiments with various agents demonstrated that the Ca2+ mobilization was not secondary to lowering of cAMP levels, formation of arachidonic acid products, or Na+-H+ exchange. Ca2+ mobilization also did not appear to be associated with inositol phosphate generation. In conclusion, we demonstrate for the first time that NPY, in addition to inhibiting adenylate cyclase, also can elevate intracellular Ca2+. HEL cells should prove useful in further studies of the molecular basis of NPY action.
The ultimate guest speaker: a model for educator/practitioner collaboration

This paper describes a unique model for bringing professional practice into the computer science classroom. It does so by pairing a practicing professional with a practicing educator to plan and teach a course, thereby exploiting what each does best. This model was instantiated in 2009 between the author and an interaction designer from Google.
Bit-additive superposition coding for the bandwidth limited broadcast channel

For the Gaussian broadcast channel, transmission at or near the capacity subject to a specific modulation constraint, has been an essentially open problem. The capacity of the AWGN broadcast is achieved by superposition coding, but superposition of individual coded modulations does not in general obey a predefined constellation. We approach this coded modulation problem with multilevel coding (MLC) which is known to achieve the constellation constrained capacity in the point-to-point channel. In channels involving multiple transmitters or receivers, the application of multilevel coding has received little attention. In this paper, a method is proposed that decomposes superposition coding into binary multilevel superposition coding. The problem of rate allocation through every level for each user is studied and a pragmatic rate allocation procedure is presented. The problem of rate allocation to levels is studied and a pragmatic method for its solution is proposed. The coded modulation with proposed rate allocation achieves rates that are very close to the constellation constrained capacity.
Combining data from bottom-trawl and acoustic-trawl surveys to estimate an index of abundance for semipelagic species

Fishery-independent surveys are useful for estimating abundance of fish populations and their spatial distribution. It is necessary in the case of semipelagic species to perform acoustic-trawl (AT)...
Counseling Practices for Fetal Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

While counseling parents of a fetus diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), pediatric cardiologists play a critical role in shaping a family's expectations for the months and years to come. However, techniques for the most effective counseling practices have not been studied, and significant variation among physicians is likely present. Web-based survey of pediatric cardiologists that perform fetal echocardiography using snowball sampling. 201 physicians responded (61% male, 81% from academic centers, and 95% from the U.S.), with an average experience of 12 years. The majority of respondents (73%) typically received initial referrals for HLHS between 20 and 24 weeks of gestation. Most physicians counsel families alone (54%), while others counsel with a nurse (35%), social worker (12%), and/or maternal-fetal medicine colleague (15%). Termination of pregnancy was discussed by 79% of respondents, although 15% did not know their state's legal limit for termination. While initial counseling sessions routinely described the typical earlier ramifications of HLHS, many long-term sequelae of the disease were not commonly discussed. Content of counseling was affected by region of the country, but not by practice setting, experience, or fetal volume. Respondents identified multiple barriers that limited their counseling practices. Our data suggest that current counseling practices often fail to cover important information. Perceived barriers to a full discourse on long-term sequelae of HLHS are common and may lead to a disconnect between reality and a family's understanding of the natural history of palliated HLHS. Opportunities to improve counseling practices exist, and there may be benefits to gain from more formal training.
SODIUM REDUCTION IN TURKEY BREAST MEAT BY USING SODIUM ANION SPECIES

Abstract Diets high in sodium increases blood pressure linked to the risk of heart disease and stroke. While there are many reduced sodium products in the marketplace, consumer acceptability of reduced and/or low sodium foods remains a challenge. This study aims at reducing the overall sodium content in turkey meat application by using alternative sodium species. Initial experiments studied the sodium absorption across the temperature range of 4 to 90 °C which showed higher sodium content for thermally processed samples over a longer cooking time. Overall, the adsorption rate was found to be slower and was not affected by protein denaturation. Additional experiments studied the sodium diffusion by replacing sodium chloride with alternative sodium salts with comparatively larger anions, which resulted in, 20–46% reduction in overall sodium content of thermally processed turkey cubes. A sensory test conducted amongst 46 untrained panelists evaluated consumer “liking” of the turkey meat cooked in 20 g/L of sodium chloride, disodium phosphate and 50:50 g:g blend solution of both sodium salts. The acceptability test resulted in higher overall liking of the partially reduced salt sample compared to the control.
Survival of Mycobacteria on Hepa Filter Material

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is transmitted through the air, and can be captured on ventilation air filters. People handling these filters may be exposed to infectious material. We studied the ...
Expression of CD44 in prostate cancer cells: Association with cell proliferation and invasive potential

High level expression of the cell surface adhesion molecule CD44 standard form and its splice variants, have been causally linked to tumor metastasis. In this study, we investigated the significance of CD44 expression in human prostatic carcinoma cells. Immunocytochemistry showed high level expression of CD44 in cells from a high grade prostate tumor, and two androgen-independent, invasive prostatic carcinoma lines, PC-3 and TSU-Pr1. Normal prostatic epithelial cells and LNCaP, a low metastatic, androgen sensitive cell line, expressed none to a very low level of CD44, although mRNA transcripts were detected in all cell lines. Immunoprecipitation detected two proteins of M(r) approximately 140 kDa and 210 kDa in PC-3, and predominantly the M(r) approximately 95 kDa protein in TSU Pr1, but none in LNCaP. Most importantly, a neutralizing antibody to CD44 inhibited cell proliferation and basement membrane invasive activity, suggesting a definitive role of CD44 in prostate tumor growth and metastasis.
The Changing Higher Education Research Environment: New Opportunities for Architectural Research

Higher education faces many challenges that are profoundly changing its funding, governance, values, and faculty roles. As universities seek to subsidize the loss of income from state and federal sources, their reliance on sponsored research and private funding is significantly intensifying. To access private sources of revenues, universities are rethinking their research practices, resource allocation, and their approach to hiring and supporting faculty. The following paper examines these challenges and how they may present new opportunities for a broader engagement of architecture faculty in academic research.
Chromosomal inversion differences correlate with range overlap in passerine birds

Chromosomal inversions evolve frequently but the reasons for this remain unclear. We used cytological descriptions of 411 species of passerine birds to identify large pericentric inversion differences between species, based on the position of the centromere. Within 81 small clades comprising 284 of the species, we found 319 differences on the 9 largest autosomes combined, 56 on the Z chromosome, and 55 on the W chromosome. We also identified inversions present within 32 species. Using a new fossil-calibrated phylogeny, we examined the phylogenetic, demographic and genomic context in which these inversions have evolved. The number of inversion differences between closely related species is consistently predicted by whether the ranges of species overlap, even when time is controlled for as far as is possible. Fixation rates vary across the autosomes, but inversions are more likely to be fixed on the Z chromosome than the average autosome. Variable mutagenic input alone (estimated by chromosome size, map length, GC content or repeat density) cannot explain the differences between chromosomes in the number of inversions fixed. Together, these results support a model in which inversions increase because of their effects on recombination suppression in the face of hybridization. Other factors associated with hybridization may also contribute, including the possibility that inversions contain incompatibility alleles, making taxa less likely to collapse following secondary contact. Ranges of species overlap predict chromosome inversion differences between closely related passerine birds, suggesting that inversions have the selective advantage of suppressing recombination when hybridization occurs.
The Ups and Downs of Repeated Cleavage and Internal Fragment Production in Top-Down Proteomics.

Analysis of whole proteins by mass spectrometry, or top-down proteomics, has several advantages over methods relying on proteolysis. For example, proteoforms can be unambiguously identified and examined. However, from a gas-phase ion-chemistry perspective, proteins are enormous molecules that present novel challenges relative to peptide analysis. Herein, the statistics of cleaving the peptide backbone multiple times are examined to evaluate the inherent propensity for generating internal versus terminal ions. The raw statistics reveal an inherent bias favoring production of terminal ions, which holds true regardless of protein size. Importantly, even if the full suite of internal ions is generated by statistical dissociation, terminal ions are predicted to account for at least 50% of the total ion current, regardless of protein size, if there are three backbone dissociations or fewer. Top-down analysis should therefore be a viable approach for examining proteins of significant size. Comparison of the purely statistical analysis with actual top-down data derived from ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) and higher-energy collisional dissociation (HCD) reveals that terminal ions account for much of the total ion current in both experiments. Terminal ion production is more favored in UVPD relative to HCD, which is likely due to differences in the mechanisms controlling fragmentation. Importantly, internal ions are not found to dominate from either the theoretical or experimental point of view.
Electrochemical Selectivity Achieved Using a Double Voltammetric Waveform and Partial Least Squares Regression: Differentiating Endogenous Hydrogen Peroxide Fluctuations from Shifts in pH

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a reactive oxygen species that serves as an important signaling molecule in normal brain function. At the same time, excessive H2O2 concentrations contribute to myriad pathological consequences resulting from oxidative stress. Studies to elucidate the diverse roles that H2O2 plays in complex biological environments have been hindered by the lack of robust methods for probing dynamic H2O2 fluctuations in living systems with molecular specificity. Background-subtracted fast-scan cyclic voltammetry at carbon-fiber microelectrodes provides a method of detecting rapid H2O2 fluctuations with high temporal and spatial resolution in brain tissue. However, H2O2 fluctuations can be masked by local changes in pH (ΔpH), because the voltammograms for these species can have significant peak overlap, hindering quantification. We present a method for removing ΔpH-related contributions from complex voltammetric data. By employing two distinct potential waveforms per scan, one in which H2O2 is e...
Effect of electroacupuncture on porcine cardiac excitability induced by left stellate ganglion stimulation.

Abstract Augmentation of cardiac sympathetic tone has been shown to induce ventricular arrhythmias. Acupuncture has been clinically used to treat hypertension, angina pectoris, and atrial arrhythmias. However, the effects of acupuncture on ventricular electrophysiology and autonomic tone remain unknown. We hypothesized that acupuncture attenuates cardiac excitability and corrects the imbalance of autonomic tone during sympathetic hyperactivity. Fourteen Yorkshire pigs were randomized to electroacupuncture (EA, 2 Hz, 0.3–0.5 mA, 0.5 ms duration) or control (without EA) groups. Animals were sedated with terazol. General anesthesia consisted of isoflurane and fentanyl during surgical preparation and was transitioned to α-chloralose during experimental protocols. Through a median sternotomy, the heart was exposed and fitted with an elastic epicardial 56-electrode sock. Cardiac excitability was measured via activation recovery interval (ARI) and dispersion of repolarization (DOR) while autonomic balance was evaluated by heart rate variability (HRV) power spectrum analysis at baseline and during left stellate ganglion stimulation (LSS) with and without EA delivered at P 5–6 acupoints. 30-min of EA did not alter the baseline ARI and DOR, but significantly suppressed cardiac excitability during LSS through attenuation of ARI shortening (EA 2.1 ± 0.3% vs. control 5.2 ± 0.7%, P
Color-Critical Graphs and Hypergraphs with Few Edges: A Survey

The current situation with bounds on the smallest number of edges in color-critical graphs and hypergraphs is discussed.
Chapter 1 – Historical introduction

Publisher Summary The International Magnetospheric Study (IMS) in 1976–79 had a decisive influence on the launch of the spacecraft pair International Sun-Earth Explorer (ISEE) 1 and 2 in 1977. The IMS was an international program under the auspices of SCOSTEP in which a coordinated effort was made to understand magnetospheric processes. The active phase of the IMS, during which data were gathered, ran from 1976 to 1979 with the different data-gathering efforts coming on line at various times during this period. When the IMF has a southward component, the high-latitude ionospheric convection pattern shows familiar two-cell geometry: antisunward flow at highest latitudes, sunward flow at lower latitudes, both on the dawn and dusk sides. This situation is associated with a dawn-dusk electric field within the plasma sheet, the earthward convection of PS plasma, and the energization of plasma sheet particles. The magnetosphere has been the target of direct in-situ measurements since the beginning of the space age. Gone are the days of single-spacecraft measurements plagued by the inability of a single observer to distinguish spatial from temporal changes. The actual history of space research began from the ground upwards, from the neutral upper atmosphere, to the auroras, to the ionosphere, to the radiation belts, and beyond.
Tibial Nerve and Sacral Neuromodulation in the Elderly Patient

This article aims to review sacral and tibial neuromodulation outcomes in elderly patients. Safety and efficacy of these two neuromodulatory treatments for both urinary and fecal indications are addressed. Recent data assessing sacral neuromodulation (SNM) for refractory overactive bladder and urge urinary incontinence (UUI) demonstrates that older patients have similar outcomes and complication rates when compared to the general population. For both urinary and fecal indications, SNM has been shown to significantly increase quality of life in older patients. Age has additionally not been a factor affecting tibial nerve stimulation outcomes. Limited data specifically addresses use of tibial and sacral neuromodulation in elderly patients. Available studies suggest that both treatment options are safe and effective in the older population for urinary and fecal indications, although further study is necessary.
Hypomanic Tendencies and Lifetime Aggression

Abstract Background Irritability has been identified a mood-related symptom of the bipolar spectrum disorders, but associations have not been firmly established between (hypo)manic attributes and physical aggression. The Hypomanic Personality Scale (HPS; Eckblad & Chapman, 1986 ) is a dimensional measure which has been shown in longitudinal studies to predict future bipolar spectrum diagnoses or symptomatology. This study examined relationships between HPS and selected lifetime aggression indicators. HPS factor scores were derived from three different analytic models ( Rawlings, Barrantes-Vidal, Claridge, McCreery, & Galanos, 2000 ; Schalet, Durbin, & Revelle, 2011 ; & Stanton, McArtor, & Watson, 2017 ). Methods College (N = 408) and MTurk (N = 324) samples were examined. The criterion measures provided estimates of the frequency, consequences, and precipitating events of past aggression. Results HPS associations with the aggression indicators were pervasive and strong (medium to large) in their effect sizes in the MTurk sample. These associations tended to be stronger for the men. The odds of prior lethal threats and/or injuries to other(s) were three to five times higher for respondents in this MTurk sample with an HPS score above 25 as compared to the remaining sample. Factor scores measuring emotional volatility, inflated social confidence, and activation levels were most closely associated with aggressive tendencies. The HPS-20 ( Meads & Bentall, 2008 ) was found to approximate the HPS outcomes. Limitations This cross-sectional methodology precluded inferences regarding the directionality of the associations. The accuracy of these retrospective self-reports could not be verified. Conclusions Hypomania appears to be associated with both irritability and self-reported acts of lifetime physical aggression.
Self-related processing in mindfulness-based interventions.

Self-related processing pertains to the complex construct of ‘self’, as studied across varied disciplines such as cognitive science, neuroscience, modern psychology (including clinical and behavioral psychology), and Western and Eastern philosophy. On a theoretical level, most contemporary models propose that mindfulness training impacts self-related processes. In this review, the empirical evidence for this hypothesis is examined and discussed. Overall, very few self-related processes have been measured in randomized controlled trials of mindfulness-based interventions to date, and, of those processes that have been measured, only negative self-rumination improved significantly. The data so far remain inconclusive as to whether mindfulness-based interventions have an impact on other self-related processes. Studies are especially needed on more basic levels of self such as embodiment and sense of agency.
Wobble-Board Balance Intervention to Decrease Symptoms and Prevent Reinjury in Athletes With Chronic Ankle Instability: An Exploration Case Series.

Controlled research has shown that a single-exercise wobble-board intervention is effective at reducing symptoms and increasing function in patients with chronic ankle instability. However, the eff...
Translating concepts of neural repair after stroke: Structural and functional targets for recovery

Stroke is among the most common causes of adult disability worldwide, and its disease burden is shifting towards that of a long-term condition. Therefore, the development of approaches to enhance recovery and augment neural repair after stroke will be critical. Recovery after stroke involves complex interrelated systems of neural repair. There are changes in both structure (at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels) and function (in terms of excitability, cortical maps, and networks) that occur spontaneously within the brain. Several approaches to augment neural repair through enhancing these changes are under study. These include identifying novel drug targets, implementing rehabilitation strategies, and developing new neurotechnologies. Each of these approaches has its own array of different proposed mechanisms. Current investigation has emphasized both cellular and circuit-based targets in both gray and white matter, including axon sprouting, dendritic branching, neurogenesis, axon preservation, remyelination, blood brain barrier integrity, blockade of extracellular inhibitory signals, alteration of excitability, and promotion of new brain cortical maps and networks. Herein, we review for clinicians recovery after stroke, basic elements of spontaneous neural repair, and ongoing work to augment neural repair. Future study requires alignment of basic, translational, and clinical research. The field continues to grow while becoming more clearly defined. As thrombolysis changed stroke care in the 1990 s and thrombectomy in the 2010 s, the augmentation of neural repair and recovery after stroke may revolutionize care for these patients in the coming decade.
Bullous pemphigoid associated with cemiplimab therapy in a patient with locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Cemiplimab (Libtayo, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY) is a monoclonal antibody that targets the programmed cell death receptor 1. In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration approved cemiplimab for the treatment of patients with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or locally advanced cutaneous SCC that is not a candidate for surgery or radiation.1 Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been implicated in the development of bullous disorders.2,3 We report the first case, to our knowledge, of a patient who developed severe steroid-resistant bullous pemphigoid shortly after initiating therapy with cemiplimab, requiring discontinuation of the programmed cell death receptor 1 inhibitor and treatment with rituximab.
Abstract P2-10-03: Decision-making surrounding adjuvant chemotherapy in young women with early stage breast cancer

Background: There is an increasing recognition that many young women with breast cancer will have favorable outcomes without chemotherapy. We sought to characterize decision-making surrounding adjuvant chemotherapy treatment (CT) in this population for whom chemotherapy has historically been a standard of care. Methods: As part of an ongoing, multi-center, prospective cohort of young women diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 and younger, we identified 657 women with Stage I-III breast cancer. Participants were asked to complete surveys by mail that included questions about socio-demographics, decision-making, and treatment history within the first year following diagnosis. Tumor characteristics were ascertained via pathology and medical record review. We used Chi-square tests to compare: decisional involvement (patient-driven vs. shared vs. physician-driven), degree of confidence, and feeling informed about the CT decision (the latter two measured on a 0-10 scale, categorized as follows: 0-5=low; moderate=6-8; 9-10=high) between women who did and did not receive CT. To explore clinical appropriateness of the CT decision, we used logistic regression to assess the relationship between tumor characteristics and non-receipt of CT among women with Stage I/II disease. Results: Among women with Stage I (n=250), II (n=312), and III (n=95), disease, 66%, 95%, and 100%, received CT, respectively. A greater proportion of women who had CT were highly confident with their decision compared with women who did not have CT (80% vs. 60%, p Conclusion: Although non-receipt of CT would be expected to be viewed favorably by patients and doctors, we found that women who received CT felt more confident and better informed than those who received no CT. Given that women who did not have CT were also less likely to perceive the CT decision as shared, improved communication together with better decisional support may be beneficial, especially for women who do not receive adjuvant chemotherapy. Citation Format: Shoshana M Rosenberg, Karen Sepucha, Kathryn J Ruddy, Lidia Schapira, Steven Come, Virginia Borges, Evan Morgan, Nancy U Lin, Shari Gelber, Rulla M Tamimi, Ann H Partridge. Decision-making surrounding adjuvant chemotherapy in young women with early stage breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-10-03.
The Performance Classification of Exporting Service Firms Using Managerial Determinants

This study examines the export performance of 120 randomly selected U.S. engineering exporters. A mail survey is used inquiring about managerial aspirations and expectations, commitment, and barrier perceptions to exporting. These managerial determinants are derived from a review of previous literature regarding operational variables of exporting firms.
Chapter I – MATRICES

Publisher Summary This chapter describes matrices. A matrix is a rectangular array of elements arranged in horizontal rows and vertical columns. If the matrix has as many rows (p) as columns (n), p = n, then it is called a square matrix. The elements of a matrix need not be numbers; they can be, and quite often arise physically as, functions, operators, or matrices themselves. A matrix is an entity unto itself; it is not a number. The simplest relationship between two matrices is equality. Intuitively one feels that two matrices should be equal if their corresponding elements are equal. This is the case providing the matrices are of the same order. Two matrices are not multiplied together element-wise. It is not always possible to multiply the matrices of the same order, while it is possible to multiply certain matrices of different orders. The chapter reviews as to which matrices can be multiplied together and how this operation is to be performed.
Novel Implementations of Optical Coherence Tomography for Clinical Applications in the Lower Gastrointestinal Tract

Endoscopic delivery of a low-cost OCT system has the potential to promote new diagnostic assessment of the lower gastrointestinal tract. We review current technologies and applications to highlight the direction of OCT in this region.
Concurrent Lateral Dorsal Cutaneous and Deep Peroneal Intraneural Ganglion Cysts in the Foot

Intraneural ganglion cysts are non-neoplastic collections of mucinous material within the epineurium of peripheral nerves. We present a rare case of 2 intraneural ganglion cysts in separate nerves of the foot, originating from different joints within the same joint complex. Our findings add to the large body of evidence supporting the unifying articular (synovial) theory. We emphasize the importance of delineating the cyst morphology and origins using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging before surgery and searching for and resecting the articular branch or branches during surgery.
PUBLIC TRANSIT RIDERSHIP ANALYSIS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

ABSTRACT This study investigates the effect of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on public transport ridership in Baltimore and nine other U.S. cities similar to Baltimore, in terms of population and service area, during the first five months of 2020. The analysis is based on ridership numbers, vehicle revenue hours, and vehicles operated in maximum service. A compliance analysis was done between 2020 and 2019, as well as a monthly analysis of 2020 by mode and type of services. In comparison to 2019, the ridership decreases from March, the start of the pandemic, while all ten cities experienced the most decrease in ridership in April.
Ozone-induced changes in oxidative stress parameters in brain regions of adult, middle-age, and senescent Brown Norway rats.

Abstract A critical part of community based human health risk assessment following chemical exposure is identifying sources of susceptibility. Life stage is one such susceptibility. A prototypic air pollutant, ozone (O3) induces dysfunction of the pulmonary, cardiac, and nervous systems. Long-term exposure may cause oxidative stress (OS). The current study explored age-related and subchronic O3-induced changes in OS in brain regions of rats. To build a comprehensive assessment of OS-related effects of O3, a tripartite approach was implemented focusing on 1) the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) [NADPH Quinone oxidoreductase 1, NADH Ubiquinone reductase] 2) antioxidant homeostasis [total antioxidant substances, superoxide dismutase, γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase] and 3) an assessment of oxidative damage [total aconitase and protein carbonyls]. Additionally, a neurobehavioral evaluation of motor activity was compared to these OS measures. Male Brown Norway rats (4, 12, and 24 months of age) were exposed to air or O3 (0.25 or 1 ppm) via inhalation for 6 h/day, 2 days per week for 13 weeks. A significant decrease in horizontal motor activity was noted only in 4-month old rats. Results on OS measures in frontal cortex (FC), cerebellum (CB), striatum (STR), and hippocampus (HIP) indicated life stage-related increases in ROS production, small decreases in antioxidant homeostatic mechanisms, a decrease in aconitase activity, and an increase in protein carbonyls. The effects of O3 exposure were brain area-specific, with the STR being more sensitive. Regarding life stage, the effects of O3 were greater in 4-month-old rats, which correlated with horizontal motor activity. These results indicate that OS may be increased in specific brain regions after subchronic O3 exposure, but the interactions between age and exposure along with their consequences on the brain require further investigation.
Composition control of high Ga Cu(In, Ga)(S, Se)2 using RTP reaction

CIGS absorbers are developed using Se-capped precursor films with increased Ga composition. Films are reacted using a rapid thermal process, which uses reaction times on the order of minutes. It is observed that Ga profiles can be controlled by adjusting the Se availability in the reaction. Additionally, it is shown that CIGS grain size increases with Ga content; however, morphology variability may be increased. Two different processes for introducing S to the reaction are investigated.