cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Esophageal function testing using multichannel intraluminal impedance.

Multichannel intraluminal impedance (MII) is a new technique for evaluation of bolus transport. We evaluated esophageal function using bolus transport time (BTT) and contraction wave velocity (CWV) of liquid, semisolid, and solid boluses. Ten healthy subjects underwent MII swallow evaluation with various boluses of sterile water (pH 5), applesauce, three different sized marshmallows, and iced and 130°F water. The effect of bethanechol was also studied. There was no difference in BTT or CWV for all water volumes from 1 to 20 ml. There was significant linear increase of BTT with progressively larger volumes of applesauce, and BTT of applesauce was longer than for water. BTT was significantly longer with large marshmallows vs. small and medium and was longer than for water. BTT for iced water was similar to 130°F water. Applesauce showed a significant linear decrease of CWV with progressively larger volumes and was slower than water. Marshmallow showed significantly slower CWV with the large vs. small, and CWV for ice water was significantly slower than 130°F water. Therefore, BTT of liquid is constant, whereas BTT of semisolid and solid are volume dependent and longer than liquids. CWV of semisolids and solids are slower than liquids. CWV of cold liquids is slower than warm liquids. MII can be used as a discriminating test of esophageal function.
Social Psychological Processes that Facilitate Sexual Assault within the Fraternity Party Subculture

Rape on the college campus has gained increasing amounts of attention in higher education, mainstream news, and public policy. The prevalence rates of rape are especially high among students who frequent campus parties, such as those hosted by fraternities. Researchers have described this increased risk by focusing on individual attitudes and behaviors of fraternity members or on the organizational norms and practices within the fraternity party subculture. To incorporate these studies into a single theoretical framework, this essay uses a social psychological approach to connect individual-level attitudes, (sub)culture, and behavior. I describe and apply identity theory and affect control theory, two structural symbolic interactionist theories, to explain why certain men are drawn to high-risk fraternities and how membership reinforces hostility toward and abuse of women. In doing so, I suggest several avenues for future research that would increase social psychological understanding of the heightened prevalence of sexual victimization within the fraternity party subculture.
Evaluating the demographic significance of genetic homogeneity using a coalescent-based simulation: a case study with gag (Mycteroperca microlepis)

Gag (Mycteroperca microlepis) from the eastern Gulf of Mexico and northwestern Atlantic are managed as separate stocks, although evidence for their demographic isolation remains equivocal. Several ...
Social Experiences in Infancy and Early Childhood Co-Sleeping.

Infancy and early childhood sleep–wake behaviours from current and retrospective parental reports were used to explore the relationship between sleeping arrangements and parent–child nighttime interactions at both time points. Children (N=45) from educated, middle-class families, mostly breastfed in infancy, composed a convenience sample that was recruited from a university preschool in the Northeast US. Parents responded to the Sleep Habits Inventory, a 19-item Likert-style inventory measuring sleep-related behaviours during the last week, and the Sleeping Arrangements Questionnaire, a 30-question, open-ended, short-answer-style instrument which queries both retrospective infancy and current sleep location, bedtime routine, night waking and parent–child interactions during the sleep period. Co-sleeping in early childhood was associated with sleep location in infancy (i.e. proximity to the mother's bed) during wake–sleep transitions and night feedings. Security object use during infancy was inversely related to early childhood co-sleeping (calling for the parents, night waking, poor bedtime routine and fear of the dark). Results showed that early childhood co-sleeping in this sample was reactive, i.e. associated with current parent-seeking, night waking and social contact during wake–sleep transitions. These findings suggest that co-sleeping in early childhood is related to social experiences during infancy, particularly the amount of parent social contact and security object use. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multiple transcription factor binding sites mediate adenovirus E1A transactivation.

Abstract We studied the response of simple synthetic promoter regions to transactivation by the adenovirus early region 1A (E1A) protein. Binding sites for one or two host cell transcription factors were substituted for the E1B promoter region in reconstructed virus mutants, and the response to E1A transactivation was assayed during the early phase of infection. We found that a single CREB/ATF binding site resulted in a surprisingly strong promoter which responded to E1A. A CREB/ATF binding site placed upstream of the E1B TATA box behaved much like the wild-type E1B promoter, which is composed of a single Sp1 binding site plus a TATA box. A single E2F binding site resulted in an extremely weak promoter which did not respond to E1A, much like a single Sp1 site. Two E2F sites in an inverted orientation with the same spacing as in the adenovirus type 2 E2 early promoter produced a strong, E1A-responsive promoter. Substitution of the E4 TATA box region for the E1B TATA box region produced a promoter about five times stronger than the wild-type E1B promoter in the absence of E1A. However, the E4 TATA box substitution did not respond significantly to E1A transactivation. These results directly demonstrate that many different transcription factor binding sites, including the E1B TATA box, a CREB/ATF binding site, and two E2F sites, can mediate E1A transactivation. Other transcription factor binding sites cannot mediate an E1A response; these other sites include the E4 TATA box, a single Sp1 binding site, and a single E2F binding site. Implications of these findings for the mechanism of E1A transactivation are discussed.
Psychosocial issues in the assessment and management of patients undergoing lung transplantation

This review examines psychosocial issues among lung transplant patients from the time of assessment through the posttransplant period. Although psychological factors are recognized as being important in the transplant evaluation, no standard approach to psychological assessment currently exists. Lung transplant candidates often experience high levels of psychological distress while awaiting transplant, and both pretransplant and posttransplant psychological functioning have been found to predict posttransplant quality of life, adherence to treatment, and, in some cases, medical outcomes. Given the limited long-term survival following transplantation, improving psychosocial functioning is essential for enhancing outcomes among lung transplant recipients. This review summarizes the extant literature on the psychosocial factors in lung transplantation and highlights several innovative efforts to improve psychological outcomes in this challenging patient population.
Motor fuel taxation, energy conservation, and economic development: A regional approach ☆

Abstract Combustion of motor fuels has a variety of environmental impacts on local, regional and global scales. Taxing motor fuels more heavily would mitigate those environmental impacts. However, many governments are reluctant to increase motor fuel taxes because they fear that the tax incidence will be regressive and that economic development will be impeded. Using data for the New England region of the United States, this paper argues that an oil-importing region can conserve energy, avoid regressive impacts and encourage economic development by taxing motor fuels more heavily and rebating the incremental revenues to owners of motor vehicles.
The Role of Ethics in Food and Beverage Marketing to Children

Few doubt that childhood obesity is a serious threat to our nation’s health; however, there is a huge debate over who is responsible and what should be done. One aspect of the debate involves significant disagreement over food and beverage marketing and advertising targeting children (Research, 2011, Williams, 2005). What does ethical and responsible food and beverage marketing to children look like? Depending on where one goes to find the answer, either to food and beverage companies (and the supporting marketing communications industry), or to the public health community, the answer may vary dramatically. To some extent, the degree to which certain marketing tactics are considered unethical may be in the eye of the beholder. What might be considered good business practice by some marketers might be considered bad ethics by the public health community. In this chapter, we will attempt to highlight the intricacies of these complicated issues by examining perceptions of different groups of the ethics of marketing food and beverage products to children. As such, the purpose of the chapter is not to establish or identify “right” or “wrong” practices, or “ethical” or “unethical” behavior. Our focus will be on stepping back as academic marketing communications researchers and applying our lenses to elucidate more fully the complexities of this often heated debate over issues of the ethics of food and beverage marketing to children. In doing so, we will first review and examine the self-regulatory efforts of the food and beverage industry during the past few years. We will then report the findings of two studies that we conducted. The first study uses in-depth interviews to investigate the perspectives of the various parties engaged in the debate regarding ethics and food and beverage marketing—the industry, the public health community, and the academic community. The second study is an analysis of websites of marketing communication associations regarding content related to targeting children generally and specific issues related to childhood obesity or children’s health. We conclude with a discussion of our findings.
Trampoline fracture of the proximal tibia in children. Report of cases and review of the literature.

It was interesting to see the report by Bruyeer et al about trampoline fracture of the proximal tibia (1). I had the opportunity to publish a report of 7 cases with similar fracture few months following your report (2).
Binding Water Clusters to an Aromatic-Rich Hydrophobic Pocket: [2.2.2]Paracyclophane–(H2O)n, n = 1–5

[2.2.2]Paracylcophane (tricyclophane, TCP) is a macrocycle with three phenyl substituents linked by ethyl bridges (−CH2CH2−) in the para-position, forming an aromatic-rich pocket capable of binding various substituents, including nature’s solvent, water. Building on previous work [Buchanan, E. G.; et al. J. Chem. Phys. 2013, 138, 064308] that reported on the ground state conformational preferences of TCP, the focus of the present study is on the infrared and ultraviolet spectroscopy of TCP–(H2O)n clusters with n = 1–5. Resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI) was used to interrogate the mass selected electronic spectrum of the clusters, reporting on the perturbations imposed on the electronic states of TCP as the size of the water clusters bound to it vary in size from n = 1–5. The TCP–(H2O)n S0–S1 origins are shifted to lower frequency from the monomer, indicating an increased binding energy of the water or water network in the excited state. Ground state resonant ion-dip infrared (RIDIR) spectra of TCP–(H2...
Rapid methods and automation in microbiology: 25 years of trends and predictions to the future

Rapid methods and automation in microbiology is a dynamic area in applied microbiology dealing with the study of improved methods in the isolation, early detection, characterization, and enumeration of microorganisms and their products in clinical, food, industrial, and environmental samples. Many national and international meetings on the subject were held regularly. A “handson” workshop was developed by the author in 1980. About 4,000 scientists from 60 countries participated in the workshop in that past 29 years (1981-2009).
Vicryl mesh in expander/implant breast reconstruction: long-term follow-up in 38 patients.

Background:Acellular dermal matrix has proven to be a useful adjunct in tissue expander or direct-to-implant breast reconstruction. Although versatile, acellular dermal matrix adds considerable cost. Vicryl (polyglactin) mesh has an established track record in many fields of surgery, and is consider
A new urinary assay for separate normetanephrine and metanephrine with application for the diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma.

1. A new, specific and sensitive urinary assay for separate normetanephrine (NM) and separate metanephrine (M) is described. 2. This test employs high-voltage paper electrophoresis after passage of the urine through a resin column. 3. There is no difference in the urinary excretions of either separate NM or separate M in normotensive or hypertensive subjects. 4. Phaeochromocytoma patients excrete significantly larger amounts of separate NM and separate M than normotensive or hypertensive subjects. 5. Incorrect results are occasionally obtained with other urinary assay tests which measure either the combined metanephrines or different urinary catecholamine metabolites for the diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma.
Abstract 148: Stat2 Deficiency Does Not Protect From Atherosclerosis in Ldlr Knockout Mice Fed a Western Diet

Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription ( Stat2 ) is a transcription factor that plays a critical role in type I interferon (IFN) signaling. Recent evidence supports a role for the type I IFN pathway in atherosclerosis, since recombinant IFN alpha and IFN beta both promote atherosclerosis in mice. We tested the hypothesis that constitutive type I IFN signaling through STAT2 may promote atherosclerotic lesion formation. Male Ldlr KO and Stat2/Ldlr DKO mice on a C57BL6/J background were fed a western diet for 16 weeks. Total cholesterol levels were indistinguishable at baseline ( Ldlr KO: 232 ± 24 vs. Stat2/Ldlr DKO: 239 ± 36 mg/dl, p=0.39), but significantly higher in the Stat2/Ldlr DKO mice after 16 weeks of western diet ( Ldlr KO: 856 ± 203 Vs Stat2/Ldlr DKO: 1015 ± 176 mg/dl, p=0.004). Despite consuming less food than Ldlr KO controls, the Stat2/Ldlr DKO animals weighed significantly more than controls and had greater fat mass in the inguinal subcutaneous and perigonadal depots respectively ( Ldlr KO: 0.45±0.23 Vs Stat2/Ldlr DKO: 0.69 ± 0.27 g, p=0.003 and Ldlr KO: 0.89 ± 0.50 Vs Stat2/Ldlr DKO: 1.39 ± 0.56 g, p=0.003). Surprisingly, no significant differences were observed in percent lesional area of aortae ( Ldlr KO: 9.7% ± 5.6% Vs Stat2/Ldlr DKO: 12.5% ± 6.8%, p=0.156). In conclusion, STAT2 does not appear to have a major impact on atherosclerosis in the absence of exogenous type I IFNs or other agonism of the pathway.
Wrongful Discrimination? Religious Freedom, Pluralism, and Equality

This chapter is a contribution to a volume addressing the tension between claims of equal rights and claims of religious freedom. More specifically, the volume treats the potential for, and the reality of, conflict between the enterprise of promoting equality through anti-discrimination laws and that of vindicating religious freedom by limiting the reach of such laws.In the United States and in many other countries and communities, this tension is real. It is also unavoidable and ineradicable because of here-to-stay and non-trivial disagreements among people of good will about the foundations and implications of human equality, dignity, and freedom, and also about the appropriate aims and reach of governments’ power. True, it is sometimes declared that, in fact, there is no conflict between religious liberty and non-discrimination law. It is said that claims that there is such conflict — claims that there is conflict presume or present a “false choice.” However, such declarations usually involve an attempt to dissolve the conflict by assuming and imposing a contested definition of or boundary on “real” religious liberty. Certainly, if “religious liberty” does not and cannot include a right, in some cases, to discriminate then there is very little chance of for conflict between religious liberty and anti-discrimination laws. However, religious liberty does sometimes include a right to discriminate in ways that would otherwise violate such laws. The tension between religious liberty and (other) civil rights — between religious liberty and the aspirations of equality legislation and anti-discrimination laws — is, sometimes, real, but this fact is unremarkable and should be unsurprising. After all, the right to religious freedom is not the only civil right the exercise of which sometimes bumps up against the exercise of others.It is suggested in this chapter that this tension might be lessened, or at least better managed, if citizens and lawmakers thought more carefully about when and why “discrimination” is wrong and about the moral and constitutional limits on governments’ efforts to prevent and remedy, in the name of equality, wrongful discrimination. It will also be proposed that what some have called “healthy secularity” provides a way of thinking about these matters that is attractive, promising, and appropriately appreciative of pluralism.
Financing emergency healthcare in China: International experience and current situations

China is experiencing increasing demand for emergency care,yet the cost of this care is still being borne by private out-of-pocket payments and bad debts. Lack of organized financing for emergency healthcare is seriously affecting people in need,and providers are unwilling to accept uninsured or underinsured patients. This study analyzes the feasibility of establishing a new emergency healthcare security system in China,which would have significant implications for China's health system performance and social stability. We propose setting up an emergency healthcare mutual fund that is incorporated into the overall design of the social healthcare insurance system that pays emergency healthcare providers in part ahead of time to ensure universal access to emergency care.
Recent advances in the treatment of non-obstructive urinary tract infection in infants and children.

In infants and children urinary tract infections are common and reccurent. For the first urinary tract infection elimination of bacteriuria with chemotherapeutic drugs is usually simple and effective. The long-term treatment of patients with urinary tract infection should reflect the individual risk to develop renal damage. Therefore, individual therapy must be picked out of several therapeutic schedules. Observation without chemotherapy, chemotherapy of active urinary tract infection, chemotherapeutic prophylaxis, suppressive chemotherapy, and surgery.
Anisotropy of the Metamagnetic Transition in UPt3

The angular dependence of the magnetic moment of the heavy fermion compound UPt3 has been measured near the metamagnetic transition by using a vibrating sample magnetometer for angles between an external magnetic field and the basal plane in the range 0°–50°. The value of magnetic field at which the metamagnetic transition occurs increases with the angle between the applied field and the basal plane. A planar geometry of the transition explains this behavior.
Morphology of Hotspots

Oceanic volcanoes are composed of basaltic lava flows from shallow magma chambers. The process of volcano build-up is poorly understood. In general, smooth rounded shapes are produced by summit eruptions, while complex ridges are produced by flank eruptions.
Electroolfactogram (EOG) Recording in the Mouse Main Olfactory Epithelium

Olfactory sensory neurons in the main olfactory epithelium (MOE) are responsible for detecting odorants and EOG recording is a reliable approach to analyze the peripheral olfactory function. However, recently we revealed that rodent MOE can also detect the air pressure caused by airflow. The sensation of airflow pressure and odorants may function in synergy to facilitate odorant perception during sniffing. We have reported that the pressure-sensitive response in the MOE can also be assayed by EOG recording. Here we describe procedures for pressure-sensitive as well as odorant-stimulated EOG measurement in the mouse MOE. The major difference between the pressure-sensitive EOG response and the odorant-stimulated response was whether to use pure air puff or use an odorized air puff.
Harmonized authentication based on ThumbStroke dynamics on touch screen mobile phones

Abstract The pervasive and prevalent use of touch screen mobile phones in both work and daily life has generated more and more private and sensitive information on those devices. Accordingly, there is an ever-increasing need to improve the security of mobile phones. Recent advances in mobile user authentication technologies mainly focus on entry-point authentication. Although post-log-in continuous authentication has attracted increasing attention from researchers, none of the previous studies addressed mobile user authentication at both stages simultaneously. In addition, extant authentication systems are subject to the common trade-off between security and usability. To address the above limitations, we propose Harmonized Authentication based on ThumbStroke dynamics (HATS) that supports both entry-point and post-log-in mobile user authentication. HATS integrates password, gesture, keystroke, and touch dynamics-based authentication methods to address the vulnerabilities of individual methods to certain security attacks. Moreover, HATS supports one-handed thumb stroke-based interaction with touch screen mobile phones to improve the usability of authentication systems. We empirically evaluated HATS through controlled lab experiments. The results provide strong evidence that HATS improved both security and usability of mobile user authentication compared with keystroke dynamics based user authentication.
CANVAS: clock analysis, visualization, and archiving system - a new software package for the efficient management of clock/oscillator data

Few software packages exists which address the particular needs of the time and frequency community in analyzing and simulating clocks or oscillators. None is open source. We offer the source code for a set of tools which aims to incorporate commonly used clock analysis and simulation algorithms. The goal of this release is to promote further development of the package by distributing the effort
Factor Xa Inhibitors Can Be Differentiated in Xa, IIa and Microparticle Generation and Other Whole Blood Based Assays.

Currently used oral anticoagulants such as Vitamin K antagonists have drawbacks, which reportedly limit their safety and efficacy. Oral Factor Xa and IIa inhibitors are claimed to overcome these limitations. Factor Xa inhibitors provide more complete suppression of thrombin generation than Factor IIa inhibitors. Four Factor Xa anticoagulant agents, both direct and indirect, namely A,B,C and D with Ki values 6–200 nM, were studied in various assays at equigravimetric final concentration of 10 ug/ml to determine their relative potencies. Apparent differences in their biochemical profiles were noted in thrombin generation, Factor Xa generation and microparticle generation inhibition assays. Furthermore, the anticoagulant potential of these Xa inhibitors was studied in celite activated clotting time (ACT) and modified celite ACT system using different concentrations of tissue factor. Microparticle generation was performed using agent- supplemented whole blood that was incubated for three minutes with varying concentrations of tissue factor. Following three minutes the reaction was stopped using EDTA stop solution. The functional assay for the determination of microparticle procoagulant activity in the plasma was performed using Zymuphen MP-Activity assay kit from Hyphen BioMed (Neuville-sur-Oise, France). While three of the Xa inhibitors studied showed microparticle generation inhibition levels of 31.37 nM, one agent provided a level of 17.87 nM compared to a saline control value of 39.28nM. Supplementation studies were also carried out in whole blood PT, APTT and Heptest assays in the concentration range of 0 to 10 ug/ml. The whole blood prothrombin time assay showed a maximum of 208.8, 61.3, 77.8 and 15.9 seconds at a final concentration of 10 ug/ml for the respective anticoagulant agents when compared to a normal value of 12.3 seconds. Similarly the whole blood APTT assay showed a maximum of 267.9, 161.8, >300 and 71.9 seconds respectively when compared to a control value of 46.8 seconds. The whole blood Heptest assay showed a varying maximum anticoagulant effect from >300, 42.7, >300 and >300 seconds respectively when compared to a control value of 13.8 seconds. In each of these assays Factor Xa inhibitors showed concentration-dependent effects and had varying potencies. In TF-mediated platelet activation assays the different Xa agents produced varying effects which were not proportionate to their Ki values. Differentiation of Factor Xa inhibitors have a clinical impact in dosage selection, dosage adjustment and their monitoring when given in large dosages. Synthetic factor Xa agents exhibit Ki values of 20–200 nM, while pentasaccharide -AT complex has a Ki value of 60 nM. However, these results do not translate into proportionate anticoagulant effects to their Ki values. Large-scale clinical studies are necessary to validate these preliminary results.
Microbiological Aspects of Certain Military Feeding Systems1

There are various types of feeding systems within the military services. This paper considers the microbiological safety of those systems involved in feeding the military consumer in garrison, missile sites, and in the field with and without an organized kitchen. Since food readily supports growth of infectious and toxigenic microorganisms, comprehensive food service sanitation guidelines are provided which emphasize proper food preparation, storage, and serving. When such guidelines are not enforced by adequate and effective supervision, a combination of abuses may occur and present a potential microbial health hazard. Proper control of the microbiological quality of foods becomes even more important with centralized preparation. In a central preparation operation food is prepared for use at some future time. Therefore, if food is mishandled and growth conditions are presented to contaminating microorganisms, there is adequate time for multiplication. This could result in widespread food poisoning since ...
Downregulation of Sp1 by Minnelide leads to decrease in HSP70 and decrease in tumor burden of Gastric cancer

Background Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer related mortality worldwide with poor survival rates. Even though a number of chemotherapeutic compounds have been used against this disease, stomach cancer has not been particularly sensitive to these drugs. In this study we have evaluated the effect of triptolide, a naturally derived diterpene triepoxide and its water soluble pro-drug Minnelide on several gastric adenocarcinoma cell lines both as monotherapy and in combination with CPT-11. Methods Gastric cancer cell lines MKN28 and MKN45 were treated with varying doses of triptolide in vitro. Cell viability was measured using MTT based assay kit. Apoptotic cell death was assayed by measuring caspase activity. Effect of the triptolide pro-drug, Minnelide, was evaluated by implanting the gastric cancer cells subcutaneously in athymic nude mice. Results Gastric cancer cell lines MKN28 and MKN45 cells exhibited decreased cell viability and increased apoptosis when treated with varying doses of triptolide in vitro. When implanted in athymic nude mice, treatment with Minnelide reduced tumor burden in both MKN28 derived tumors as well as MKN45 derived tumors. Additionally, we also evaluated Minnelide as a single agent and in combination with CPT-11 in the NCI-N87 human gastric tumor xenograft model. Conclusion Our results indicated that the combination of Minnelide with CPT-11 resulted in significantly smaller tumors compared to control. These studies are extremely encouraging as Minnelide is currently undergoing phase 1 clinical trials for gastrointestinal cancers.
TOP-M Chemotherapy (Thiotepa, Oncovin [Vincristine], Prednisone, Mitoxantrone) Plus Rituximab for Marginal Zone Lymphoma.

Although considered an indolent disease, marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) often requires treatment. No standard therapy has been clearly established. Mitoxantrone has been effective in combination for indolent lymphomas, and is associated with considerably less cardiotoxicity and alopecia than doxorubicin. Thiotepa likewise does not induce alopecia, and does not display the immunosuppressive properties of fludarabine, which is also frequently employed as therapy for indolent lymphoma. The combination of thiotepa, vincristine, prednisone and mitoxantrone chemotherapy, with a scope similar to CHOP, has been demonstrated to be useful in elderly patients with diffuse large cell lymphoma (Lichtman, et al, Am J Clin Oncol, 24(4):360–2, 2001). The TOP-M regimen consists of thiotepa 7.5 mg/m2, mitoxantrone 7.5 mg/m2, vincristine and prednisone as per the CHOP regimen, with rituximab 375 mg/m2 all given on day 1 with a 21–28 day cycle (in accordance with resolution of cytopenias). Thiotepa and mitoxantrone doses were escalated by a total of 2.5 mg/m2 to a maximum of 20 mg/m2, respectively, based on nadir blood counts. We have retrospectively reviewed data on 12 patients with disseminated MZL treated with TOP-M either alone (n=4) or with rituximab (n=8). All subjects had advanced stage disease (4 with stage III, 8 with stage IV), 4 had B symptoms, and all patients clinically required treatment. Median age was 69, and 4 (33%) had an elevated LDH. Myeloid growth factor support was routinely applied, and anti-emetics were generally unnecessary. Central venous access was not required since neither thiotepa nor mitoxantrone are associated with tissue injury in the event of extravasation. Treatment was well tolerated, with only two episodes of hospitalization for fever. There was no cardiac toxicity. Eleven of 12 patients (92%) demonstrated clinical responses, with 9 CR/CRu (75%) and 3 PR (17%). Median duration of response has not been reached at with a range of 11 to 40 months of followup. TOP-M with rituximab is an easily administered, well tolerated and active regimen for disseminated marginal zone lymphoma, and may have utility for other indolent lymphomas.
Prognostic value of mid-treatment total lesion glycolysis in p16+ oropharyngeal cancer.

6047 Background: To determine whether total lesion glycolysis (TLG) measured during radiation for locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) correlates with outcomes. Methods: Patients with Stage ...
A literature review on planning and analysis of accelerated testing for reliability assessment

Accelerated testing has been widely used for several decades. Started with accelerated life tests with constant-stress loadings, more interest has been focused prominently on accelerated degradation tests and time-varying stress loadings. Because accelerated testing is crucial to the assessment of product reliability and the design of warranty policy, it is important to develop an efficacious test plan that encompasses and addresses important issues, such as design of stress profiles, sample allocation, test duration, measurement frequency, and budget constraint. In recent years, extensive research has been conducted on the optimal design of accelerated testing plans, and the consideration of multiple stresses with interactions has become a big challenge in such experimental designs. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive review of important methods for statistical inference and optimal design of accelerated testing plans by compiling the existing body of knowledge in the area of accelerated testing. In this work, different types of test planning strategies are categorized, and their drawbacks and the research trends are provided to assist researchers and practitioners in conducting new research in this area.
AIDS-defining cancers (ADC) and non-AIDS defining cancers (NADC) in HIV-infected individuals and degree of immunosuppression.

e22096 Background: While AIDS-defining cancers (ADC) have been associated with greater immunosuppression in HIV-infected individuals, the relationship between non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADC) and i...
Distributed independent controls for managing short circuit faults in MVDC power systems

For Medium Voltage DC (MVDC) power systems, we greatly extend the coverage of local-information-based fault protection (LIFP), an approach defined for independent distributed management of short-circuit line-to-line faults that does not rely on any high-speed ship-wide communications, to arc faults under varying load conditions. The method for LIFP was previously developed for systems where all loads operate at steady state between each system reconfiguration [1][2]. But the power demand of system loads can be time varying and this characteristic complicates implementation of the LIFP method. On the other hand, emerging standards will ensure that power ramping rates will be limited for large loads and this provides the necessary means to extend the LIFP more broadly [3]. Using a reference system model, we demonstrate the effectiveness of an improved LIFP, which allows each system component to autonomously identify and appropriately react to the presence of a fault, without mis-tripping under the influence of load variations. For the load variation events with a ramping rate of 50A/ms, LIFP can successfully identify the incident and initiate adjustment of tripping thresholds within 4.5ms. Whereas for the arc faults tested, one at a time, throughout the system, LIFP is always true positive for disconnecting fault from the system.
Techniques for ceramic sintering using microwave energy

The use of microwave energy for ceramic sintering offers exciting new possibilities for materials processing. Based on experience gathered in microwave processing associated with the heating of fusion plasmas, we have developed hardware and methods for uniformly heating ceramic parts of large volume and irregular shape to temperatures in excess of 1600°C, in vacuum or pressurized atmosphere. Microwave processing at 28 GHz yields enhanced densification rates with a corresponding reduction in sintering temperatures.
Religion and Stress

Religion can be a cause, cure, or correlate of stress. Religion can relieve the very stress that it causes, and so achieves an even more tenacious hold on believers. Since religious sentiment and sectarianism rises during times of increased personal or societal stress, unusual religious movements have sprung up during the times of rapid social change and uncertainty. Individuals stressed by lifestyle shifts – such as adolescents who recently left home, the newly divorced or bereaved or relocated, people facing illness or impending death, poverty, isolation, war, or incarceration – are more likely to get involved with unusual or innovative or charismatic religious movements.
Expression and Regulation of Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, and Bax Correlate With p53 Status and Sensitivity to Apoptosis in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Bcl-2 and its homologue, Bcl-x1, encode membrane-associated proteins that protect neoplastic cells from DNA damage-induced apoptosis, whereas Bax is a Bcl-2 antagonist that promotes cell death. In the present study, we examined the expression and regulation of these genes at both the mRNA and protein level in 22 pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell lines, as well as their sensitivity to apoptosis after exposure to ionizing radiation (IR). Eleven of 22 lines expressed wild-type (wt) p53, 4 expressed mutant p53, and 7 did not express p53 (p53-null). Nine of 22 (41%) lines expressed Bcl-2; of these, 8 were wt-p53+ and 1 expressed mutant p53. Bcl-2 was not expressed in any p53-null lines. In contrast, all 22 lines were positive for Bcl-x1 and Bax, although expression level varied. Treatment with IR (10 Gy) induced both downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax at 2 to 5 hours post-IR in 5 of 8 (63%) wt-p53+ lines, leading to apoptosis. Conversely, lines that failed to both downregulate Bcl-2 and upregulate Bax after IR were resistant to apoptosis. Although levels of Bcl-x1 expression varied among the 22 lines, high levels of Bcl-x1 were observed in 5 of 7 (71%) p53- lines. There were no obvious changes in the expression of Bcl-x1 in these lines after IR. However, among the p53-null lines, resistance to IR was observed only in those expressing high levels of Bcl-x1. These results suggest that expression of Bcl-2 but not Bcl-x1 is p53-dependent and that IR-induced downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax occur in most wt-p53+ lines and are associated with radiosensitivity. Furthermore, high-level expression of Bcl-x1 occurs predominantly in p53-null lines and is associated with resistance to IR-induced apoptosis in these lines, indicating differential expression and regulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x1 in pediatric ALL.
Erratic Serum Creatinine Concentrations in a Cardiac Patient

A 68-year-old man with a history of ischemic cardiomyopathy presented with decompensated heart failure and acute kidney injury. He was admitted to the coronary care unit for dopamine-assisted diuresis via a central line. Serum creatinine testing was performed using an enzymatic creatininase method (Roche cobas c701; Roche Diagnostics), revealing erratic creatinine concentrations …
The Move to the Middle: The Enduring Threat of

This paper traces the evolution of thinking about the technical concept of the end-to-end principle and the legal concept of the regulation of the flow of packets across the Internet. We focus on the manner in which the state, in concert with private parties, has approached the tension between restricting the flow of certain packets and vindicating their citizens' interests, legal and otherwise, in free expression. We argue that the primary mode of legal regulation on the Internet has shifted from a focus on outlawing activities at the nodesend-points in the networkto a growing emphasis on regulating closer to the middle of the network. This trend is, on its face, good for the law enforcement officer but worrisome to the technologist and the democratic activist: the end-to-end principle, held dear for decades by those who built the Internet, is under threat. In the process, this shift also places corporations, often based in jurisdictions beyond those in which they are doing business, in the position of enforcing the rules of the regime in which they are doing business, but whose views on free expression and other civil liberties the corporations' officers and directors do not share. We argue that the end-to-end principle, once translated loosely into political speak as "net neutrality," is a forceful rhetorical concept - and, if done right, sound public policy - but that it no longer describes Internet on the ground, if it ever did.
Personal pollution monitoring: mobile real-time air quality in daily life

Researchers have learned much about the health impacts of air pollution, but it remains a challenge to provide people information for making healthy choices. The CitiSense air quality sensor and system enable individuals to identify when and where they are exposed to poor air in real time. We present a qualitative analysis of a 4-week field study of 29 commuters using CitiSense. We focus on how they reasoned about, acted on, and shared the new information. We found that CitiSense's mobile monitoring and real-time displays provided a bridge between sensing and understanding, as well as shifting how users reasoned about their world, how they assessed their personal choices, and how they impacted and connected with their communities. In a sub-study of 13 participants with public displays at their workplace, we found evidence that the displays helped non-sensor wearers engage with the data and contributed to feelings of community.
Some New Aspects of the Joint Effect of Rotation and Topography on Internal Solitary Waves

AbstractUsing a recently developed asymptotic theory of internal solitary wave propagation over a sloping bottom in a rotating ocean, some new qualitative and quantitative features of this process ...
Chronic rhinosinusitis in unified airway disease: surfactant proteins as mediators of respiratory immunity.

Purpose of review The aim of this review is to describe the co-occurrence of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with other inflammatory illnesses of the lower respiratory system characterised by airway obstruction and hyperresponsiveness, such as asthma, cystic fibrosis (CF), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the context of the unified airway disease (UAD). We also sought to discuss the novel role of surfactant proteins as mediators of innate immunity in the sinonasal epithelium and their potential as therapeutic interventions. Recent findings Different epidemiological and physiological studies in CRS and asthma have outlined that there are common clustering patterns in the phenotypes/endotypes of both diseases, reinforcing the notion of the UAD. Also, surfactant proteins A (SP-A) and SP-D have now emerged as novel innate immunity molecules in bacterial sinusitis and allergic fungal sinusitis patients, respectively. Summary CRS and asthma coexist and are interconnected. Therefore, management of CRS and asthma must be jointly carried out as one functional entity. SP-A and SP-D bridge the innate and adaptive immunity mechanisms of the sinonasal epithelium to bring together a well-orchestrated mechanism that effectively fights pathogens. The use of SP-A to ameliorate the innate immune responses in CRS is a new concept and is likely to lead to new horizons in CRS therapeutic regimens. &nbsp.
Ophthalmic and Otic Drug Delivery

This chapter introduces special considerations and formulation techniques for ophthalmic and otic drug delivery. Types of ophthalmic dosage forms are reviewed and placed in clinically relevant context. Commonly used excipients and their functions are also reviewed.
Labelling accuracy in low nicotine e-cigarette liquids from a sampling of US manufacturers.

OBJECTIVES To assess labelling accuracy for low nicotine concentration e-cigarette liquids. METHODS Nicotine concentration in twelve e-liquids, available in 3 and 6 mg/ml strengths, was assayed (5 replicates each) using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. KEY FINDINGS Average nominal concentrations of nicotine were lower than reported in 23/24 products tested, with 2/12 products labelled 3 mg/ml, and 3/12 of the 6 mg/ml products showing statistically significant differences from controls. CONCLUSIONS Despite the emergence of a global regulatory environment for e-cigarettes, inaccuracies still exist in nicotine concentration labelling, which may affect user habits and reliability of products used in smoking cessation.
Probing the binding modes and dynamics of histidine on fumed silica surfaces by solid-state NMR

Silica nanoparticles can be designed to exhibit a diverse range of morphologies (e.g. non-porous, mesoporous), physical properties (e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic) and a wide range of chemical and biomolecular surface functionalizations. In the present work, the adsorption complex of histidine (His) and fumed silica nanoparticles (FSN) is probed using thermal analysis (TGA/DTG) and a battery of solid-state (SS) NMR methods supported by DFT chemical shift calculations. Multinuclear (1H/13C/15N) one- and two-dimensional magic angle spinning (MAS) SSNMR experiments were applied to determine site-specific interactions between His and FSN surfaces as a function of adsorption solution concentration, pH and hydration state. By directly comparing SSNMR observables (linewidth, chemical shift and relaxation parameters) for His–FSN adsorption complexes to various crystalline, amorphous and aqueous His forms, the His structural and dynamic environment on FSN surfaces could be determined at an atomic level. The observed 13C and 15N MAS NMR chemical shifts, linewidths and relaxation parameters show that the His surface layer on FSN has a significant dependence on pH and hydration state. His is highly dynamic on FSN surfaces under acidic conditions (pH 4) as evidenced by sharp resonances with near isotropic chemical shifts regardless of hydration level indicating a non-specific binding arrangement while, a considerably more rigid His environment with defined protonation states is observed at near neutral pH with subtle variations between hydrated and anhydrous complexes. At near neutral pH, less charge repulsion occurs on the FSN surface and His is more tightly bound as evidenced by considerable line broadening likely due to chemical shift heterogeneity and a distribution in hydrogen-bonding strengths on the FSN surface. Multiple His sites exchange with a tightly bound water layer in hydrated samples while, direct interaction with the FSN surface and significant chemical shift perturbations for imidazole ring nitrogen sites and some carbon resonances are observed after drying. The SSNMR data was used to propose an interfacial molecular binding model between His and FSN surfaces under varying conditions setting the stage for future multinuclear, multidimensional SSNMR studies of His-containing peptides on silica nanoparticles and other nanomaterials of interest.
Towards Sonomyography-Based Real-Time Control of Powered Prosthesis Grasp Synergies

Sonomyography (ultrasound imaging) offers a way of classifying complex muscle activity and configuration, with higher SNR and lower hardware requirements than sEMG, using various supervised learning algorithms. The physiological image obtained from an ultrasound probe can be used to train a classification algorithm which can run on real time ultrasound images. The predicted values can then be mapped onto assistive or teleoperated robots. This paper describes the classification of ultrasound information and its subsequent mapping onto a soft robotic gripper as a step toward direct synergy control. Support Vector Classification algorithm has been used to classify ultrasound information into a set of defined states: open, closed, pinch and hook grasps. Once the model was trained with the ultrasound image data, real time input from the forearm was used to predict these states. The final predicted state output then set joint stiffnesses in the soft actuators, changing their interactions or synergies, to obtain the corresponding soft robotic gripper states. Data collection was carried out on five different test subjects for eight trials each. An average accuracy percentage of 93% was obtained averaged over all data. This real-time ultrasound-based control of a soft robotic gripper constitutes a promising step toward intuitive and robust biosignal-based control methods for robots.
Migranthood: youth in a new era of deportation: by Lauren Heidbrink, Stanford, Stanford University Press, 2020, xx + 213 pp., $25.00 (paperback), ISBN 9781503612075

Migranthood: Youth in a New Era of Deportation by Lauren Heidbrink makes key contributions to methodology and scholarly debates and is a must-read for scholars and students of international migrati...