cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Light-Impermeable Feeding Chamber for Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae)

A verifiable, light-impermeable feeding chamber (LIFC) for ticks that can be constructed on a host is described. The chamber is glued to the host skin and consists of three layers, an outer sleeve of black rubberized material, a middle layer of black fabric, and an inner layer of surgical stockinette. Air is pumped inside the LIFC through plastic tubing. No differences ( P > 0.10) were detected in percentage of drop-off or percentage of molt in Amblyomma americanum (L.) nymphs fed in the LIFC compared with nymphs fed in a standard stockinette chamber (STC). Temperatures were higher ( P < 0.05) in the LIFC on day 4 of the feeding period and the average weight of engorged nymphs was greater ( P < 0.05) in STC than LIFC on day 5. Nymphs fed in the LIFC molted in significantly less time ( P < 0.05) than ticks fed in the STC. This chamber creates a light-tight feeding environment for ticks. It is suitable for use in studies of exogenous factors that may control behavior and biology in feeding ticks.
Hygienic situation of central air conditioning ventilation system in public buildings of Wuhan in 2007- 2012

Objective To analyze the contaminative situation of central air conditioning ventilation system in public buildings of Wuhan in 2007- 2012,and provide technical support for Hygienic Specification of Air Conditioning Ventilation System in Public Building( WS 394- 2012). Methods From 2007 to 2012,ten large scale supermarkets in Wuhan were selected randomly in August and October each year,and five outlets were detected in each supermarket,sampling and testing were based on the Hygienic Specification of Air Conditioning Ventilation System in Public Building( 2006). Detection indexes included the content of dust and the total number of bacteria,supplement of the total number of fungi in 2010- 2012; supplement of the total number of bacteria in wind sending outlet and particle matter( PM10) in 2007 and 2010. Results In 2007- 2012,qualified rates of total number of bacteria in dust of inner surface were 100. 00%,100. 00%,98. 00%, 92. 00%,96. 00% and 100. 00%,respectively; The qualified rates of the content of dust were 94. 00%,94. 00%, 100. 00%,100. 00%,98. 00% and 100. 00%,respectively; From 2010 to 2012,the qualified rates of the total number of fungi in dust of inner surface were 86. 00%,72. 00% and 82. 00%. In 2007 and 2010,passing rates of the total number of bacteria in the air supply system were 22. 00% and 94. 00%,there was significant difference,χ2=- 8. 18,P 0. 05. Passing rates of PM10 were 90. 00% and 92. 00%. There was no signifcant difference,P 0. 05. The total number of fungi results showed the degree of pollution in 2010 2012 2011,the total number of bacteria pollution levels of the air supply system in 2010 2007. Conclusion From carrying out the standards to now,the hygienic situation of ventilation systems of centralized air conditioners in public areas of Wuhan has improved,but the pollution situation repeats fluctuations. Health surveillance and monitoring should be maintained to promote the improvement of indoor air quality.
Histopathology and Nuclear Grading in Renal Cell Neoplasms

In most series of renal adenocarcinomas the overall ten year survival rate is between 18 and 27% (1). Considering that nephrectomy is frequently performed under adverse circumstances and in spite of metastasis at the time of surgery, the overall survival is still very high as compared to many other cancers with a similar clinical stage. This supports the belief that these tumors are usually slow growing. The poor prognosis is usually not solely attributable to aggressiveness but rather to the large sizes that these tumors can attain, the frequency of metastases being responsible for the presenting symptomatology, and the extensive delay before the patient seeks medical aid (2).
Plasticity of bat's central auditory system evoked by focal electric stimulation of auditory and/or somatosensory cortices.

Recent findings indicate that the corticofugal system would play an important role in cortical plasticity as well as collicular plasticity. To understand the role of the corticofugal system in plas...
Tetrahydrobiopterin reverses the inhibition of nitric oxide by high glucose in cultured murine mesangial cells.

Alterations of intrarenal nitric oxide (NO) synthesis play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of diabetic nephropathy. We tested the hypothesis that hyperglycemia modulates intrarenal NO synthesis, which might mediate the mesangial cell proliferation and matrix production. Murine mesangial cells were grown in media containing varying glucose concentrations, and cytokine-induced NO synthesis was assayed by chemiluminescence using an NO analyzer. High media glucose (25 mM) inhibited NO synthesis in a time-dependent fashion. This inhibition was posttranslational as revealed by analysis of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene and protein expression. l-Arginine supplementation partially reversed the inhibition whereas addition of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), a cofactor for NOS, restored the inducibility of NO synthesis. The in vitro [3H]citrulline assay for iNOS activity indicated that high glucose decreased BH4 availability whereas examination of the BH4synthetic pathway suggested decr...
Abstract LB-369: Dietary patterns and cancer mortality among African Americans and Whites in the REGARDS cohort

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether dietary patterns measured at baseline among a large cohort of racially diverse, community-dwelling adults were associated with overall cancer mortality, and to examine whether there were differences by race. METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort analysis among 22,041participants from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort. Dietary patterns were the primary exposures of interest and were determined via factor analysis among REGARDS participants: “Convenience” (Chinese and Mexican foods, pasta, pizza, other mixed dishes), “Plant-based” (fruits, vegetables), “Southern” (added fats, fried foods, organ meats, sugar-sweetened beverages), “Sweets/Fats” (sugary foods) and “Alcohol/Salads” (alcohol, green-leafy vegetables, salad dressing). Using Cox regression, we examined the association between quartiles of dietary pattern and cancer mortality, adjusted for sociodemographics, health behaviors, and comorbidities. We then performed analysis stratified by race. RESULTS: Among eligible REGARDS participants there were 14,724 White (66.8%) and 7,317 African American (33.2%) participants. There were a total of 873 cancer deaths over the 10-year observation period: 582 (66.7%) among Whites and 291 (33.3%) among African Americans. Among all participants, and after adjustment for sociodemographics, health behaviors, and comorbidities both the “Convenience” (HR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.64 - 0.98) and “Plant-based” (HR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.65 - 0.99) dietary patterns were associated with reduced risk of cancer mortality, while the “Southern” (HR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.38 - 2.23) dietary pattern was associated with a nearly with a 2-fold increased risk of cancer mortality. Among African American participants alone, the “Southern” dietary pattern was associated with cancer mortality in unadjusted analysis (HR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.18 - 3.65), however this association attenuated after adjustment for confounders. Among White participants, and after adjustment for confounders, greater adherence to the “Southern” (HR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.28 - 2.23) dietary pattern increased risk of cancer mortality, while the “Convenience” (HR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.56 - 0.94) and “Plant-based” (HR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.55 - 0.93) dietary patterns were associated with up to a 28% reduced risk of cancer mortality. CONCLUSION: In the REGARDS cohort, and specifically among White participants, the “Southern” diet increased the risk of cancer mortality, while the “Convenience” and “Plant-based” diets reduced the risk of cancer mortality. Citation Format: Tomi Akinyemiju, Justin X. Moore, Suzanne E. Judd, Maria Pisu, Susan Lakoski. Dietary patterns and cancer mortality among African Americans and Whites in the REGARDS cohort. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-369.
Environmental scare: the case of anthropogenic climate change

There are many who regard anthropogenic, global climate change as the most urgent problem facing humankind. There are also critics who dismiss the whole idea as a hoax, who remain deeply sceptical of even the basic scientific conclusions and who therefore feel no motivation to even consider policies that would reduce carbon emissions. Polls indicate that public attitudes are decidedly mixed. A 2010 study revealed that 61 per cent of Americans believed that the planet is getting warmer, but 45 per cent agreed that ‘[t]here is a lot of disagreement among scientists about whether or not global warming is happening’. With almost half the population supposing that there exists a genuine scientific controversy, it is worth exploring the accuracy of that judgement. Is the appearance of controversy a reflection of genuine scientific disagreement, or is this appearance better explained in terms of public ignorance of the relevant evidence, cognitive biases, poor argument evaluation and the agenda of groups that feel threatened by a scientific consensus? The chapter is not designed as an authoritative overview of the state of the science nor as an attempt to answer the many particular criticisms that have been levelled against the sciences surrounding climate change. We might nevertheless each hope to become better informed on the issue. Our framing concept of a created controversy will also prove instructive. The first two sections of the chapter will survey the history of our understanding of the climate, then offer a greatly condensed argument for why scientists accept that human activity is responsible for recent unusual climate change. Providing even a brief overview will help us recognize that many of the objections raised against climate change are simply beside the point. For example, once we grasp even a shred of the science we'll realize that it is entirely irrelevant, for purposes of understanding anthropogenic climate change, that carbon dioxide is a natural gas, just as it's irrelevant that CO 2 comprises only a tiny fraction of Earth's atmosphere. Unfortunately, despite their utter irrelevance, prominent individuals have offered both these observations as apparent challenges to climate science. In the third section, we'll consider influences on public attitudes towards climate science, including what appear the most common given reasons for remaining agnostic.
Co-sublimation of CdSexTe1−x layers for CdTe solar cells

Abstract CdTe thin film solar cells have demonstrated efficiencies over 20%, but CdTe has a somewhat higher band gap than optimal for single-junction terrestrial solar-cell power generation. A reduction in the band gap could therefore result in an overall improvement in performance. To reduce the band gap, selenium was alloyed with CdTe using a novel co-sublimation extension of the close-space-sublimation process. Co-sublimated layers of CdSeTe with various selenium concentrations were characterized for optical absorption and atomic concentrations, as well as to track changes in their morphology and crystallinity. The lower band-gap CdSeTe films were then incorporated into the front of CdTe cells. This two-layer band-gap structure demonstrated higher current collection and increased quantum efficiency at longer wavelengths.
Sparse Causal Temporal Modeling to Inform Power System Defense

Abstract The accurate estimation of system state variables at buses in the power-grid is crucial for determining the operational state of the power system. Spoofing attacks on meters at buses can bypass bad data detectors in Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and undetectably manipulate state estimates. Existing methods for protection of the state estimate of critical buses against spoofing attacks assume the existence of a given set of set of critical buses/meters to be protected. Given budget constraints, determining the critical set of meters/buses to be protected against spoofing attacks is a crucial problem. In this paper, we address the issue of how best to determine the set of meters to be protected. We suggest the use of two sparse temporal modeling methods from the machine learning literature to evaluate the influence of each meter measurement on the power grid network. Based on the influence distribution as indexed by these methods we can populate a set of meter measurements which serves a dual purpose. First, this set can serve as the initial collection of nodes that is a required input for methods developed to defend against false injection attacks on power system state estimation. Second, the high influential power of meters in the set incentivizes their protection since they are pivotal for making real-time prediction in the absence of complete real-time data from other meters. Thus, we introduce influence as one of the primary criteria to be considered in the process of selecting nodes to protect. We also suggest a novel way to measure influence based on sparse structure learning. We provide results on a publicly available simulated dataset and discuss how to use the notion of the N50 statistic to calibrate the number of meter measurements that should be protected under a specified budget.
Estimating the Derivative Coupling Vector Using Gradients

The difference gradient and derivative coupling vectors span the branching planes of conical intersections between electronic states. While gradients are commonly available in many electronic structure methods, the derivative coupling vectors are not always implemented and ready for use in characterizing conical intersections. This Letter shows how the derivative coupling vectors can be computed to high accuracy (direction and magnitude) using energy and gradient information. The new method is based on the combination of a linear-coupling two-state Hamiltonian and a finite-difference Davidson approach for computing the branching plane. Benchmark cases are provided showing these vectors can be efficiently computed near conical intersections.
Android App Permission and Users’ Adoption: A Case Study of Mental Health Application

The prevalent use of mobile devices makes mobile applications (apps) a promising approach to enhance mental healthcare. However, at the same time, users’ information privacy and security becomes a serious concern due to the ubiquitous data collection of mobile device, especially when it comes to mental health information. With the exponential development of the current Android app market, hundreds of mental health apps are available to users. We are interested in how app permission, as the only information available about app privacy, is related to users’ adoption of mental health apps. Considering that mental health is a broad field, this study focuses on one mental health condition: anxiety. A systematic search of anxiety apps was conducted on the Android app store. A total of 274 apps were collected and analyzed. In this study, we revealed the relationship between app permission and users’ anxiety app adoption. We found that anxiety apps with more app permissions have higher installs. Also, certain app permissions are significantly related to the installation and rating of apps, such as the permission of in-app purchases, cameras, and location. This study provides a big picture of how app permission is connected with mental health app adoption. We believe this is an important step before we can identify which apps may pose higher risks for compromising users’ information privacy and security.
Death: We can’t live without it

Mark Krigbaum is an award-winning filmmaker with over 35 years of experience as a writer, producer, director, and editor on a wide variety of projects including PBS Television. He is the co-founder...
Using robots to improve the accessibility of online videos

People who are blind often learn spatial information and concepts through tactile and tangible representations. These representations offer an accessible low-cost solution, but often require large amounts of time to author or print. However as educational videos and animations become a primary medium for conveying educational concepts, this means that an author must spend time representing important key frames in an animation to make it accessible. In my thesis, I will be addressing this issue using techniques from computer vision, and leveraging inexpensive educational robot toys. My work aims to demonstrate how these existing devices often found around the home, can be used to increase access to online media for individuals with vision-impairments. Throughout this work I will learn how to use and design robots for accessible communication of motion, examine the use of these representations in educational environments, and create toolkits which enable other end-users to author accessible videos online.
Unsettling the Resettled: An Intersectional Analysis of Autism in the Somali Diaspora

This multiple case study uses intersectionality and neurodiversity as frameworks to understand the experiences of Somali American families and the educators working with their children. Three primary themes emerged—parenting: intersections among race, disability, and gender; cultural assumptions and family/educator communication; and diversity and agency among mothers. Practical implications for educating students with autism from non-dominant racial/ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural backgrounds are discussed.
Highlights of 40 Years of SQUID-Based Brain Research and Clinical Applications

A brief review of early MEG milestones, basic and clinical, conducted during the past 40 years is presented. Studies capturing the attention of the general audience via Science/Nature publications are highlighted as well as findings that could not have been discovered through the use of other functional neuroimaging techniques.
Measuring and Evaluating Reciprocal Journalism as a Concept

Building on research proposing reciprocal journalism as a concept underlying participatory practices and norms in journalism, this study examines how reciprocity might meaningfully be measured in a...
Impact of office-based laboratories on physician practice patterns and outcomes after percutaneous vascular interventions for peripheral artery disease

Abstract Background Percutaneous vascular interventions (PVIs) for peripheral artery disease have shifted from hospital-based facilities to office-based laboratories (OBLs). The transition to OBLs is due to a variety of factors such as technology advancement, increased efficiency, and financial incentives. We evaluated the impact of physicians switching to OBLs use from hospital-based facilities on procedure volume, procedure type, and patient outcomes. Methods We identified patients with PVI for lower extremity peripheral artery disease from 2006 to 2013 in a 20% Medicare sample and identified physicians who transitioned from predominantly hospital-based facilities to OBLs (switch physicians) and compared them with those who did not use OBLs (control physicians). The main outcomes investigated were average number of PVIs at 30 days and 1 year and atherectomy usage. Patient outcomes included above-ankle amputation, major adverse limb events, and death. We used a difference-in-difference model to control for time effects in a multivariate regression model, reported as an odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results The cohort comprised 292 switch physicians, who treated 7134 patients (3888 before OBL use and 3246 after transitioning to OBLs), and 3715 control physicians treating 54,213 patients (36,327 in the preperiod and 17,886 in the postperiod). Switch and control physicians both treated more patients with lower extremity wounds during the study period; however, this increase was greater for control physician (0.7% vs 5.5%, P P P P = .002) more atherectomy procedures at 30 days and 0.03 (95% CI, 0.01-0.05; P = .008) more atherectomy procedures at 1 year. Transitioning to OBLs was also associated with a decreased risk in above-ankle amputation at 30 days (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.38-0.97; P = .009) and 1 year (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.60-0.95; P = .01). However, no statistical difference was observed for major adverse limb events and mortality rates at 30 days and 1 year because patients treated by switch and control physicians experienced similar decreases. Conclusions Transitioning to OBLs was associated higher 30-day and 1-year PVI rates and atherectomy rates. Although transitioning to OBLs was associated with lower rates of above-ankle amputations, switch physicians treated a lower number of patients with lower extremity wounds.
Identification and isolation of mice and human hematopoietic stem cells

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are multipotent cells capable of differentiating into all types of blood cells. The important feature of the HSCs is their ability to repopulate the complete blood cells after BM ablation. For clinical application, cord blood derived HSCs and G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood HSCs are good alternative to bone marrow HSCs. For immunological and hematological studies the obvious choice of model organism is Mouse. Therefore, understanding HSCs in murine model is important. In this chapter, we describe the common/currently used methods to isolate and identify human and mouse HSCs.
GPR158 in the Visual System: Homeostatic Role in Regulation of Intraocular Pressure.

Abstract Purpose: GPR158 is a newly characterized family C G-protein-coupled receptor, previously identified in functional screens linked with biological stress, including one for susceptibility to...
Student Pharmacists' Perspectives on Service-Learning Experiences in Free Clinics

Objective. To explore student pharmacists' perspectives on the value of pharmacy-related service-learning experiences focused on caring for underserved populations. Methods. Student pharmacists were required to complete a three-hour volunteer experience at a free clinic in western Pennsylvania. Reflective essays from all second- and third-year student pharmacists who participated in the required service-learning experience were deidentified. Essays were thematically analyzed to formulate a list of codes that represent dominant conceptual categories. Two independent coders read and coded all essays submitted from September 2015 to May 2017 using qualitative data analysis. Codes were evaluated for intercoder variability and discrepancies were mediated through discussion. Results. Four hundred twenty-two students submitted reflective essays: 222 essays were submitted by second-year students and 200 by third-year students. The prevailing themes reflected the professional obligation students felt to provide care to the underserved, empathy for underserved patients, perspectives on equitable health resource distribution, the value of service-learning experiences, growth in interprofessional awareness, and self-reported empowerment from the experience. Themes were consistent in the reflective essays of both second-year and third-year students. Third-year students' essays reflected a greater sense of self-assurance and confidence in their role at the free clinics. Students made connections between their didactic learning and experiential education. Conclusion. Student pharmacists valued their experiences working in underserved settings. Free clinics provide opportunities for student pharmacists to develop hands-on training as well as gain a broader perspective on underserved populations, health resource distribution, and the role of pharmacists.
Delayed-type skin hypersensitivity reaction (DTH) to Thomsen-Friedenreich (T) antigen as diagnostic test for human breast adenocarcinoma.

One intradermal (i.d.) injection of human erythrocyte T antigen in the upper outer arm contralateral to any breast lesion elicits a delayed tuberculin-type hypersensitivity reaction (DTH) in breast carcinoma patients. It is necessary to inject simultaneously but separately the same quantity of MN antigen (about 6–8 cm apart), from which the T Antigen has been prepared, since particularly patients with Stage I breast carcinoma (Internatl. nomenclature) and those with benign breast disease may significantly react to it. The extent of reaction to MN antigen must be subtracted from the reaction to T antigen before interpreting results. DTH response to T antigen was 85% accurate among 67 patients with ductal breast carcinoma of all Stages (including non-invasive), 95% accurate (5% so far falsely positive) among 95 patients with benign breast disease and it was 100% accurate (no false positives) among 36 “healthy” persons tested. Among 18 patients with the comparatively rare and less ominous lobular and tubular breast carcinomata, the DTH reaction was positive in 8 of 16 (50%) patients with lobular, and in none of 2 patients with tubular breast carcinoma.
Control of a GaN-Based High-Power-Density Single-Phase Online Uninterruptible Power Supply

This paper presents a GaN based high-power-density high-frequency single-phase online uninterruptible power supply (UPS) with a common neutral between the input and output. The proposed online UPS utilizes GaN half-bridge structures that operate with zero-voltage switching (ZVS) throughout the line cycle, thus maintaining high efficiency while operating at MHz frequencies. A novel control strategy for the proposed online UPS is also presented. The proposed control scheme utilizes a dual-mode operation for the input power factor correction (PFC) rectification stage of the UPS, enabling soft-switching by operating in boundary conduction mode. The inversion (dc-ac) stage is also operated in dual mode, wherein a digital controller regulates the output voltage of the converter across both resistive and reactive loads. A GaN based 1-kVA prototype online UPS, utilizing the proposed UPS topology and control technique, is designed, built, and tested. The prototype UPS operates up to 2 MHz switching frequency achieving a power density of 26.4W/in3.
Mild hyperthermia enhances drug accumulation and photodynamic therapy efficacy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumors relies on the delivery of a photosensitizer to the tumor site followed by external laser activation. The effectiveness of the therapy is determined by the fluence and irradiation of the laser, intratumoral photosensitizer retention, and availability of molecular oxygen. We hypothesized that retention and resulting therapeutic response may be improved with local hyperthermia. Tumors were grown in the rear limb then locally heated for 1 hour at 42.5 °C immediately following i.v. injection of the photosensitizer in an immunocompetent murine model. Laser exposure was applied at 2 h or 24 h after the heating session. Administration of heating caused a significant growth delay when a single laser treatment was applied only 2 hours following injection. However, in animals given photosensitizer only and irradiated 2 h later there was no measurable anti-tumor effect observed. The marked anti-tumor effects obtained with prior local hyperthermia were observed even as the dose was lowered from 10 mg/kg to 1.3 mg/kg. Additionally, histological analysis of our intial studies revealed that the majority of the tumor tissue (~75%) was necrotic after two days when heat was combined with PDT, while PDT alone resulted in only ~25% necrotic tissue. Additionally, a significant, though less notable, increase in the efficacy was observed if the laser treatment was applied 24 hours after hyperthermia and photosensitizer administration. This increase is in part ascribed to the increased retention of the photosensitizer in the tumor tissue and likely lasting effects on tumor blood flow and oxygenation in the heated vs. control groups.
Design Study of a Dedicated Head and Neck Cancer PET System

The tumor-involved regions of head and neck cancer (HNC) have complex anatomical structures and vital physiological roles. As a consequence, there is a need for high sensitivity and high spatial resolution dedicated HNC PET scanner. The purpose of this article is to evaluate and optimize system design that includes detecting materials and geometries. For the detecting material, two scanners with the same two-panel geometry based on cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) and lutetium–yttrium oxyorthosilicate (LYSO) were evaluated. For the system geometry, four CZT scanners with two-panel, lengthened two-panel, four-panel, and full-ring geometries were evaluated. A cylinder phantom with sphere lesions and an XCAT phantom in the head and neck region were simulated. The results showed that the sensitivity of the 40-mm thickness CZT system and the 20-mm thickness LYSO system were comparable. However, the multiple interaction photon events recovery accuracy of the CZT system was about 20% higher. The in-panel and orthogonal-panel spatial resolutions of CZT are 0.58 and 0.74 mm, while those of LYSO are 0.70 and 1.40 mm. For system geometry, the four-panel and full-ring scanners have a higher contrast recovery coefficient (CRC) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) than the two-panel and lengthened two-panel scanners. However, a 5-mm lesion in the XCAT phantom was visualized within 6 min in the two-panel system.
Engine EGR Valve Modeling and Switched LPV Control Considering Nonlinear Dry Friction

Exhaust gas recirculation valves used in internal combustion engines are highly nonlinear due to its nonlinear mechanism and dry friction dominated at low valve speed that could lead to large steady-state displacement errors. A multiple friction factor model is adopted in this article using a switched linear parameter-varying (LPV) modeling approach, where the scheduling parameter is the friction coefficient as a function of valve speed. Switched gain-scheduling LPV controllers are designed based on the hysteresis switching logic with guaranteed ${\mathscr{H}}_{\infty }$ performance, where parameterized linear matrix inequality (LMI) conditions are relaxed to a set of LMI conditions for synthesizing the switched LPV controllers by convex optimization. The LPV control performance is compared with that of proportional–integral–derivative controllers through both simulation and experimental studies, showing a notable improvement in the system response performance and robustness.
Assessment in elementary-level drama education: Teachers’ conceptualizations and practices

This study is a phenomenological exploration of assessment practices in elementary-level drama education. Through analysis of interviews with fourteen drama educators, it describes how elementary d...
Thoracic duct lymphatic fluid harbors phenotypically naive T cells for use in adoptive T-cell therapy.

Abstract Background aims: Manufacturing of potent chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells requires phenotypically naive and early memory T cells. We hypothesized lymphatic fluid collected from the thoracic duct of children would serve as a unique reservoir for early T cells, which could then be used for CAR T-cell therapy. Methods: We evaluated lymphatic fluid collected from 25 pediatric patients undergoing thoracic duct cannulation for other clinical indications. Results: Lymphatic fluid in the thoracic duct was rich in T cells, with higher percentage of naive and stem central memory T-cell subsets compared with paired blood samples. T cells from lymphatic fluid showed decreased negative checkpoint regulators on the surface and increased rapid expansion with bead activation. Creation of CD19-directed CAR T cells from blood and lymphatic T cells showed similar lentiviral transduction properties, but CAR T cells generated from lymphatic fluid produced superior cytotoxicity in a murine leukemia model because they were able to achieve equivalent tumor eradication at lower doses. Conclusions: These results are the first characterization of T cells from the thoracic duct of pediatric patients and suggest an alternative approach for manufacturing of cellular therapy that will improve both expansion and cytotoxic effect.
Microvascular Dysfunction and Kidney Disease: Challenges and Opportunities?

Kidneys are highly vascular organs that despite their relatively small size receive 20% of the cardiac output. The highly intricate, delicately organized structure of renal microcirculation is essential to enable renal function and glomerular filtration rate through the local modulation of renal blood flow and intraglomerular pressure. Not surprisingly, the dysregulation of blood flow within the microvessels (abnormal vasoreactivity), fibrosis driven by disordered vascular-renal cross talk, or the loss of renal microvasculature (rarefaction) is associated with kidney disease. In addition, kidney disease can cause microcirculatory dysfunction in distant organs such as the heart and brain, mediated by mechanisms that remain to be elucidated. The objective of this review is to highlight the role of renal microvasculature in kidney disease. The overview will outline the impetus to study renal microvasculature, the bidirectional relationship between kidney disease and microvascular dysfunction, the key pathways driving microvascular diseases such as vasoreactivity, the cell dynamics coordinating fibrosis, and vessel rarefaction. Finally, we will also briefly highlight new therapies targeting the renal microvasculature to improve renal function.
Performance and techno-economic evaluations of co-processing residual heavy fraction in bio-oil hydrotreating

Abstract Fast pyrolysis of biomass followed by hydrotreating can contribute to renewable fuel by producing hydrocarbon fuel blendstocks. Upgrading bio-oil via hydrotreating technology can be both capital and operating cost intensive. This study provides an approach to improve the process economics by eliminating the separate hydrocracking step that converts the heavier-than-diesel fraction (residue with boiling point >338 °C) and recycling the residue and co-processing it with stabilized bio-oil in the hydrotreating reactor. We report here the performance of co-processing a pine bio-oil residue with stabilized oak and pine bio-oil in a continuous flow hydrotreater. With the residue co-processing ratios (6/100 to 13.5/100 g/g residue to bio-oil ratio) used in this research, 30–50 % of the residue was converted to lighter products (diesel, jet, and gasoline range products) with no effect on bio-oil conversion. This suggests that parallel hydrotreating and hydrocracking reactions were occurring in the hydrotreater during co-processing with potential synergy between the two components. The study determined economic impact of the improved process, in which the separate hydrocracker was eliminated, and the residue fraction that was recycled to the hydrotreating reactor. The results showed a 6% reduction in the conversion cost. Approximately 57 % of the cost reduction was due to elimination of capital equipment and 43 % was due to lowering operating costs, including decreases in chemical consumption, utilities, and labor.
Resolution of tardive tremor after bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation placement.

Background Tardive tremor (TT) is an underrecognized manifestation of tardive syndrome (TS). In our experience, TT is a rather common manifestation of TS, especially in a setting of treatment with aripiprazole, and is a frequent cause of referrals for the evaluation of idiopathic Parkinson disease. There are reports of successful treatment of tardive orofacial dyskinesia and dystonia with deep brain stimulation (DBS) using globus pallidus interna (GPi) as the primary target, but the literature on subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS for tardive dyskinesia (TD) is lacking. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reports on DBS treatment of TT. Case description A 75-year-old right-handed female with the medical history of generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder had been treated with thioridazine and citalopram from 1980 till 2010. Around 2008, she developed orolingual dyskinesia. She was started on tetrabenazine in June 2011. She continued to have tremors and developed Parkinsonian gait, both of which worsened overtime. She underwent DBS placement in the left STN in January 2017 with near-complete resolution of her tremors. She underwent right STN implantation in September 2017 with similar improvement in symptoms. Conclusion While DBS-GPi is the preferred treatment in treating oral TD and dystonia, DBS-STN could be considered a safe and effective target in patients with predominating TT and/or tardive Parkinsonism. This patient saw a marked improvement in her symptoms after implantation of DBS electrodes, without significant relapse or recurrence in the years following implantation.
Cannabis in Pregnancy and Lactation - A Review

Cannabis (marijuana) is now legal for either medicinal use or recreational use in 33 states with more states considering legalization for medicinal and/or recreational use. More women planning pregnancy, pregnant, or breastfeeding will present with exposure to marijuana. A familiarity with the pharmacology and potential effects for pregnancy and lactation is important for the obstetrical care provider to permit optimal counseling for the gravida. This paper provides a pertinent review of cannabis for the obstetrical care provider. The literature available for review concludes that no amount of marijuana and associated product use in pregnancy and lactation is safe. Cannabis and associated product use has the potential for adverse maternal, fetal, and long-term childhood development and its use should be discouraged during pregnancy and lactation.
Asymptomatic Obstructive Ureterolithiasis Due to a Periureteral Venous Ring.

Background: Periureteral venous rings are a rare congenital anomaly involving the inferior vena cava (IVC) and the right ureter, where the ureter courses through a venous ring made by the duplicati...
Network Meta-Analysis on the Mechanisms Underlying Alcohol Augmentation of COVID-19 Pathologies.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a worldwide crisis caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Many COVID-19 patients present with fever in the early phase, with some progressing to a hyperinflammatory phase. Ethanol (EtOH) exposure may lead to systemic inflammation. Network meta-analysis was conducted to examine possible relationships between EtOH consumption and COVID-19 pathologies. METHODS: Molecules affected by EtOH exposure were identified by analysis with QIAGEN Knowledge Base. Molecules affected by COVID-19 were identified from studies in MEDLINE, bioRxiv, and medRxiv reporting gene expression profiles in COVID-19 patients, QIAGEN Coronavirus Network Explorer, and analysis of the RNA-sequencing data of autopsied lungs of COVID-19 patients retrieved from the GEO database. Network meta-analysis was then conducted on these molecules using QIAGEN Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). RESULTS: Twenty-eight studies reporting significant gene expression changes in COVID-19 patients were identified. One RNA-sequencing dataset on autopsied lungs of COVID-19 patients was retrieved from GEO. Our network meta-analysis suggests that EtOH exposure may augment the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on hepatic fibrosis signaling pathway, cellular metabolism and homeostasis, inflammation, and neuroinflammation. EtOH may also enhance the activity of key mediators including cytokines, such as IL-1s, IL-6, and TNF, and transcription factors, such as JUN and STAT, while inhibiting the activity of anti-inflammatory mediators including glucocorticoid receptor. Furthermore, IL-1s, IL-6, TNF, JUN, and STAT were mapped to 10 pathways predicted to associate with SARS-CoV-2 proteins, including HMGB1, IL-1, and IL-6 signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analyses demonstrate that EtOH exposure may augment SARS-CoV-2-induced inflammation by altering the activity of key inflammatory mediators. Our findings suggest that it is important for clinicians to caution patients about the risk of alcohol consumption, which has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings also call for further investigation into how alcohol exposure affects viral infections.
Facial Injuries Due to Cycling are Prevalent: Improved Helmet Design Offering Facial Protection is Recommended.

Purpose Safety equipment for recreational cycling is commonly designed to protect the calvarium, but not the face, in the event of a crash. The purpose of this study is to identify the prevalence of facial injuries and their most common subcategories due to cycling injuries and to serve as an anatomical guide of what facial structures most need protection. Methods We report a cross-sectional study of consecutive patients reported to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019. Patients were included in our study if they were evaluated in the emergency department (ED) for an injury due to cycling trauma. Primary outcome was injury to the face. Other variables of interest include age, sex, race, ED disposition, type of facial injury, location of facial injury, and presence of additional injuries. Descriptive and univariate statistics of the primary outcome were computed with these variables. Results There were 138,078 total patients injured due to cycling trauma reported by National Electronic Injury Surveillance System -participating EDs during the study period and, of those, 14,326 patients experienced injury to the face, revealing a 10.4% prevalence of facial injury due to cycling trauma (14,326/138,078). Thirteen percent (1,987/14,326) of facial injuries were fractures, and the most involved structures were the nose (786/1987; 40%), orbit (459/1987; 23%), and mandible (405/1987; 20%). Compared to children, adults demonstrate a greater risk of facial fracture (23.5% versus 6.5%, P Conclusions The prevalence of facial injury in the setting of cycling trauma is over 10%, and 13% of these injuries were facial fractures. With this high prevalence, there is a need for cycling helmets that include facial protection or faceguards, and we outline the commonly fractured anatomical areas that need the most protection.
Prognostic utility of pretreatment neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in survival outcomes in localized non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy: Selection of an ideal clinical cutoff point.

Abstract Background and purpose Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been associated with overall survival (OS) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to assess the utility of NLR as a predictor of lung cancer-specific survival (LCS) and identify an optimal, pretreatment cutoff point in patients with localized NSCLC treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) within the Veterans Affairs’ (VA) national database. Materials and methods In the VA database, we identified patients with biopsy-proven, clinical stage I NSCLC treated with SBRT between 2006 and 2015. Cutoff points for NLR were calculated using Contal/O’Quigley’s and Cox Wald methods. Primary outcomes of OS, LCS, and non-lung cancer survival (NCS) were evaluated in Cox and Fine-Gray models. Results In 389 patients, optimal NLR cutoff was identified as 4.0. In multivariable models, NLR > 4.0 was associated with decreased OS (HR 1.44, p = 0.01) and NCS (HR 1.68, p = 0.01) but not with LCS (HR 1.32, p = 0.09). In a subset analysis of 229 patients with pulmonary function tests, NLR > 4.0 remained associated with worse OS (HR 1.51, p = 0.02) and NCS (HR 2.18, p = 0.01) while the association with LCS decreased further (HR 1.22, p = 0.39). Conclusion NLR was associated with worse OS in patients with localized NSCLC treated with SBRT; however, NLR was only associated with NCS and not with LCS. Pretreatment NLR, with a cutoff of 4.0, offers potential as a marker of competing mortality risk which can aid in risk stratification in this typically frail and comorbid population. Further studies are needed to validate pretreatment NLR as a clinical tool in this setting.
Improving Compliance With Revised Newborn Hepatitis B Vaccination Policy.

BACKGROUND In September 2017, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued guidance recommending hepatitis B vaccine be administered to well newborns with birth weight ≥2000 g within 24 hours after birth. At that time, ∼85% of well newborns were vaccinated before discharge at our center; however, only 35% were vaccinated within 24 hours after birth. Our aim was to vaccinate 70% of eligible newborns within 24 hours after birth by June 2018 while maintaining the overall rate of vaccination. METHODS A multidisciplinary improvement team analyzed existing vaccine administration processes in the well-newborn nursery. From October 2017 to January 2018, changes were made to activation of vaccine orders and to obtaining and documenting the consent processes. Vaccine administration was bundled with routine care given ≤24 hours after birth, and parent scripting was changed from offering vaccine as an option to stating it as a recommendation. From November 2016 to June 2019, we determined the overall rate and timing of vaccination using statistical process control methods. RESULTS Among 10 887 eligible infants, the proportion administered hepatitis B vaccine ≤24 hours after birth increased from 35.5% to 78.8% after process changes with special-cause variation on process control charts. Proportion of infants receiving vaccine any time before discharge also increased from 86.5% to 92.3%. CONCLUSIONS Specific process changes allowed our birth center to comply with the recommended timing for hepatitis B vaccination of ≤24 hours after birth among eligible newborns.