cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling Movie Life Cycles and Market Share

We examine box-office sales in the context of a market share model. This is accomplished by developing a combination of a sliding-window logit model and a gamma diffusion pattern in a hierarchical Bayes framework. We show that accounting for the full choice set available every week not only increases the fit of weekly movie sales but also leads to parameter estimates that depict a richer picture of the movie industry. We show that movie studios appear to have a good understanding of the products they produce, knowing when to support them and when not to. We also show that the effect of the number of opening week screens is overestimated in traditional models. Our research indicates that actors have a direct and directors an indirect effect on consumers' movie choice. Releasing a movie contemporaneously with other movies of the same genre adversely affects box-office performance all around. Releasing a movie against movies of the same Motion Picture Association of America MPAA rating hurts its sales in the beginning, but there is a displacement effect, which leads to a less severe sales loss in the long run.
The complementary roles of fast spin-echo MR imaging and double-phase 99m Tc-sestamibi scintigraphy for localization of hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands.

OBJECTIVE. Our purpose was to evaluate and compare prospectively fast spin-echo MR imaging and double-phase technetium-99m-sestamibi scintigraphy for preoperative localization of hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands in high-risk surgical patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Twenty-five patients, including 17 with a history of neck surgery, underwent preoperative MR imaging and technetium-99m-sestamibi scintigraphy. Initial interpretation of each study was made independently by two radiologists and then done in combination. At surgery, the location, weight, and dimensions, as well as detailed histopathologic evaluations, of all excised glands were recorded. RESULTS. All but two patients became normocalcemic after surgery. MR and sestamibi imaging revealed 31 of 37 (84%) and 29 of 37 (79%) of all abnormal glands, respectively. Sensitivities of MR and sestamibi imaging were higher for adenomas (17 of 18 [94%] and 16 of 18 [89%], respectively) than for hyperplastic glands (14 of 19 [74%] and 13 of 19 [68%], respectively). The specificity of sestamibi imaging (94%) exceeded that of MR imaging (75%). All ectopic glands (n = 8) were correctly localized by both techniques. Glands with atypical MR imaging characteristics (isointense or hyperintense to normal thyroid on T1-weighted spin-echo and fast spin-echo images) were more likely to have increased fat, chronic hemorrhage, or sclerosis and fibrosis (p <.05). When MR imaging and sestamibi studies were interpreted together, their sensitivities for adenomas and for hyperplastic glands were 94% (17 of 18) and 84% (16 of 19), respectively. Overall sensitivity of MR imaging and sestamibi studies interpreted together was 89% ; overall specificity was 95%. CONCLUSION. The greater specificity and anatomic coverage of sestamibi scintigraphy coupled with the greater anatomic detail provided by MR imaging and its improved sensitivity over sestamibi imaging in specific patients may justify using both techniques in high-risk surgical patients who have hyperparathyroidism, particularly patients undergoing repeat surgery.
Maximum-likelihood wideband direction-of-arrival estimation

The specific problem that was addressed is one in which there is limited data in both the temporal and spatial dimensions, so that one cannot assume the use of ordinary Fourier transforms on the time domain outputs of each sensor. Rather, zero-mean Gaussian statistics were assumed, and the likelihood of the observed data was directly maximized with respect to the parameters which enter into the covariance matrix of the multivariate distribution. Two models were pursued. The first is a parametric model in which it is assumed that there are a fixed number of independent, wide-sense-stationary, plane-wave signals. The second model is one in which there is energy impinging upon the array from a spatial continuum. EM (expectation-maximization) algorithms appropriate for these two problems were derived. >
Differential Expression of Two O-Methyltransferases in Lignin Biosynthesis in Zinnia elegans'

Caffeic acid 3–O-methyltransferase (CAOMT) and caffeoyl-coenzyme A 3–O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) are involved in different methylation pathways in lignin biosynthesis. We previously showed that only the CCoAOMT was markedly induced during lignification in in vitro differentiating tracheary elements (TEs) of Zinnia elegans. To further examine the expression patterns of CAOMT in lignification, we isolated a cDNA clone for Zinnia CAOMT. RNA gel blot analysis showed that the expression of the CAOMT gene did not correlate well with lignification during in vitro TE differentiation from Zinnia-isolated mesophyll cells. Tissue-print hybridization showed that, in the young internodes, the CAOMT mRNA signal was much more evident in phloem fibers than in xylem, whereas the CCoAOMT mRNA signal was predominantly present in differentiating xylem regions. In the older internode, both the CAOMT and CCoAOMT mRNAs markedly accumulated in phloem fibers and differentiating xylem regions. Immunocytochemical localization showed that the CAOMT protein staining was much more evident in phloem fibers and xylem fibers than in xylem TEs. These results indicate that the expression of these two O-methyltransferases is differentially regulated during lignification in different cell types in Zinnia. We suggest that all the intermediates in the CAOMT-mediated methylation pathway might become substrates for the CCoAOMT-mediated methylation pathway after coenzyme A ligation when these two pathways occur in the same lignifying cell types.
A distributed multicast routing scheme for multi-layered satellite IP networks

In this paper, a distributed multicast routing scheme is introduced for multi-layered satellite IP networks, which include GEO, MEO, and LEO layers. This scheme aims to minimize the total cost of multicast trees in the satellite network. Multicast trees are constructed and maintained in the dynamic satellite network topology in a distributed manner. Simulation results are provided to evaluate the performance of the new scheme in terms of end-to-end delay and multicast tree cost.
Diagnosis of Chiari I malformation and related syringomyelia: radiological and neurophysiological studies.

Introduction The diagnosis of Chiari I malformation relies mainly on the anatomical demonstration of the abnormal position of the cerebellar tonsils below the foramen magnum, and of the associated bony anomalies of the posterior cranial fossa and craniocervical junction, as well as of the eventually-associated spinal cord cavitations. Consequently, the neuroradiological work-up plays a fundamental role in the definition of the malformation and in the follow-up of operated patients.
A timing model incorporating the effect of crosstalk on delay and its application to optimal channel routing

Crosstalk is generally recognized as a major problem in integrated circuit design. This paper presents a novel approach to the efficient measurement of the effect of crosstalk on the delay of a net using an algorithm whose worst case complexity is polynomial-time in the number of nets. The cost of the algorithm is seen to be O(n log n) in practice, where n is the number of nets, and it is amenable to being incorporated into the inner loop of a timing optimizer. To illustrate this, the method is applied to reduce the effects of crosstalk in channel routing, where it is seen to give an average improvement of 23% in the delay in a channel as compared to the worst case, as measured by SPICE.
Molecular-modeling based design, synthesis, and activity of substituted piperidines as γ-secretase inhibitors

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a debilitating disease widely thought to be associated with the accumulation of beta amyloid (Aβ) in the brain. Inhibition of γ-secretase, one of the enzymes responsible for Aβ production, may be a useful strategy for the treatment of AD. Described below is a series of γ-secretase inhibitors designed from a scaffold identified by a ROCS [J. Comput. Chem. 1996, 17, 1653] search of the corporate database.
Mental health implications and consequences following sport-related concussion

Concussion is a heterogeneous injury involving a myriad of physical (eg, dizziness, headache), cognitive (eg, memory problems, difficulty concentrating), sleep-related and affective (eg, depression, anxiety) symptoms, and impairment (eg, cognitive, vestibular, oculomotor). Consequently, clinical researchers have advocated for a more comprehensive and targeted approach to assessing and treating sport-related concussion (SRC).1 Some athletes experience mood-related consequences including anxiety and depression following SRC.2 In the extreme, these consequences if ignored or improperly managed can lead to clinical depression, anxiety, and even suicidal ideation and intent. As such, it is important to assess mood-related changes following SRC in all athletes and to properly treat those athletes who may be experiencing more pervasive affective symptoms. In this paper, we aim to highlight the current research on the mental health consequences of SRC and explore their implications for assessment and treatment of SRC. We also discuss potential directions for future research on mental health-related outcomes following SRC. Affective symptoms (eg, depression, anxiety) following traumatic brain injuries including concussion are common.2 However, it is estimated that only 6% of patients experience some form of depression following the concussion.3 Recent consensus statements on SRC have called for more research exploring the emotional sequelae that may accompany SRC as well as appropriate assessment and treatment approaches.2 ,4 Researchers have indicated that affective responses, particularly depression, are common following concussion.5–9 However, it is important to note that most affective responses occur at a subclinical level that does not meet diagnostic criteria for a clinical disorder. Additionally, it is important for the clinician to be aware of any pre-existing psychological conditions that may affect the emotional responses following SRC. Both psychosocial and neurobiological factors may help to explain affective responses following SRC. For example, individuals with clinical depression have been found …
Whole-Task And Part-Task Training In Dual Motor Tasks

Whole-task and part-task training procedures were contrasted for the particular case of tapping conflicting rhythms with the left and right hands. Performance was improved only by whole-task training which emphasized conception of the task as a unified response conducted with two hands. Training which emphasized independent responses of the two hands was not effective. The discussion considers the extent to which this conclusion might generalize to other situations.
Prostacyclin in the Treatment of Atherosclerosis Obliterans and Other Vascular Diseases

Prostacyclin is the main arachidonic acid metabolite produced by the arterial walls (2,3,7) and released into circulation (1,4). In man, prostacyclin acts as a powerful vasodilator and anti-platelet agent (13). Resistance vessels are most susceptible for prostacyclin vasodilatory action, while capacitance vessels show little, if any change, even during administration of high doses of prostacyclin (18). The profound anti-platelet effects induced by prostacyclin can be devided into anti-aggregatory and disaggregatory (5,12,13). The former are reflected by a marked inhibition of ADP — or collagen — induced platelet aggregation, the latter by dispersion of both circulating platelet aggregates and platelet thrombi formed on the collagen surface.
Improvements in Markov State Model Construction Reveal Many Non-Native Interactions in the Folding of NTL9

Markov State Models (MSMs) provide an automated framework to investigate the dynamical properties of high-dimensional molecular simulations. These models can provide a human-comprehensible picture of the underlying process and have been successfully used to study protein folding, protein aggregation, protein ligand binding, and other biophysical systems. The MSM requires the construction of a discrete state-space such that two points are in the same state if they can interconvert rapidly. In the following, we suggest an improved method, which utilizes second order Independent Component Analysis (also known as time-structure based Independent Component Analysis, or tICA), to construct the state-space. We apply this method to simulations of NTL9 (provided by Lindorff-Larsen et al. Science2011, 334, 517–520) and show that the MSM is an improvement over previously built models using conventional distance metrics. Additionally, the resulting model provides insight into the role of non-native contacts by reveal...
AN EXTENSION OF THE MOI FORMULA

The application of the Moi Formula is extended to cover integrable odd and even functions on (—∞, +∞).
How accurate is information about diagnosis and management of temporomandibular disorders on dentist websites

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of information provided on websites of dental practices about the diagnosis and management temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) because patients often use the Internet to get information about their condition and to seek a practitioner for treatment. Study Design A web search was done to identify the types of dental providers who advertise themselves on the Internet as “specialists” in the management of TMDs. Issues that were analyzed included their classification of these disorders, the presumed etiology of such problems, and the types of treatment offered. Results Over two-thirds of the 255 dental providers identified who advertised management of TMDs on their websites were general dentists. TMDs were attributed to occlusal problems or malocclusion on 66.7% of the websites and were labeled as a single disorder rather than a group of disorders on 38.8% of the websites. Recommendations to treat occlusal problems or malocclusion to alleviate TMDs were made by 54.5% of the providers. Conclusions Since these findings are not in line with current concepts about TMDs, significant inaccuracies exist with regard to the diagnosis and management of TMDs on dental practice websites. Therefore, patients need to be concerned about the dentists they may select to get their treatment, and practitioners need to be prepared to deal with the issues raised by misinformed patients.
RECOGNITION AND INTERPRETATION OF WATER ENCROACHING IN THIN AND POOR-QUALITY PAY ZONES

Currently, most of the oil fields in eastern China are going into the development period of high water cut. In the period of high water cut, detailed subdivision of the reservoir is required before the technology of tertiary oil recovery is put into effect, and the thin and poor quality layers become the aim of secondary infill and adjustment well. In fact, the recognition and interpretation of water encroaching in thin and poor quality pay zones become a critical issue in the oil field development. Theoretically speaking, variations of lithological, petrophysical and oil bearing property of the strata can be interpreted and identified with the log curves. As a result of small thickness of single thin beds, high clay content and frequent intercalations of snadstones and claystones, however, it becomes difficult for log curves to reflect the characters of the single thin beds. In this work, the log curves are preprocessed by using the response function to improve the discrimination accuracy of the well logs, so as to improve the accuracy in the interpretation of thin and poor quality pay zones that are under water encroaching.
Mutual coupling effect and compensation in non-uniform arrays for direction-of-arrival estimation

In this paper, we investigate the effect of mutual coupling on direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation using non-uniform arrays. We compare and contrast the DOA estimation accuracy in the presence of mutual coupling for three different non-uniform array geometries, namely, minimum redundancy arrays (MRAs), nested arrays, and co-prime arrays, and for two antenna types, namely dipole antennas and microstrip antennas. We demonstrate through numerical simulations that the mutual coupling, if unaccounted for, can, in general, lead to performance degradation, with the MRA faring better against mutual coupling than the other two non-uniform structures for both antenna types. We also propose two methods that can compensate for the detrimental effects of mutual coupling, leading to accurate and reliable DOA estimation. Supporting numerical simulation results are provided which show the effectiveness of the proposed compensation methods.
Microbial Community Patterns Associated with Automated Teller Machine Keypads in New York City

In densely populated urban environments, the distribution of microbes and the drivers of microbial community assemblages are not well understood. In sprawling metropolitan habitats, the "urban microbiome" may represent a mix of human-associated and environmental taxa. Here we carried out a baseline study of automated teller machine (ATM) keypads in New York City (NYC). Our goal was to describe the biodiversity and biogeography of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes in an urban setting while assessing the potential source of microbial assemblages on ATM keypads. Microbial swab samples were collected from three boroughs (Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn) during June and July 2014, followed by generation of Illumina MiSeq datasets for bacterial (16S rRNA) and eukaryotic (18S rRNA) marker genes. Downstream analysis was carried out in the QIIME pipeline, in conjunction with neighborhood metadata (ethnicity, population, age groups) from the NYC Open Data portal. Neither the 16S nor 18S rRNA datasets showed any clustering patterns related to geography or neighborhood demographics. Bacterial assemblages on ATM keypads were dominated by taxonomic groups known to be associated with human skin communities (Actinobacteria, Bacteroides, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria), although SourceTracker analysis was unable to identify the source habitat for the majority of taxa. Eukaryotic assemblages were dominated by fungal taxa as well as by a low-diversity protist community containing both free-living and potentially pathogenic taxa (Toxoplasma, Trichomonas). Our results suggest that ATM keypads amalgamate microbial assemblages from different sources, including the human microbiome, eukaryotic food species, and potentially novel extremophilic taxa adapted to air or surfaces in the built environment. DNA obtained from ATM keypads may thus provide a record of both human behavior and environmental sources of microbes. IMPORTANCE Automated teller machine (ATM) keypads represent a specific and unexplored microhabitat for microbial communities. Although the number of built environment and urban microbial ecology studies has expanded greatly in recent years, the majority of research to date has focused on mass transit systems, city soils, and plumbing and ventilation systems in buildings. ATM surfaces, potentially retaining microbial signatures of human inhabitants, including both commensal taxa and pathogens, are interesting from both a biodiversity perspective and a public health perspective. By focusing on ATM keypads in different geographic areas of New York City with distinct population demographics, we aimed to characterize the diversity and distribution of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes, thus making a unique contribution to the growing body of work focused on the "urban microbiome." In New York City, the surface area of urban surfaces in Manhattan far exceeds the geographic area of the island itself. We have only just begun to describe the vast array of microbial taxa that are likely to be present across diverse types of urban habitats.
Science Fiction and Administrative Truths: The Short Story and Novella as Administrative Cases

Pre-service and in-service MPA students share a common desire for hands-on, real world instruction related to their professional career goals, leading to a pedagogic discounting of fiction as an appropriate tool for analyzing and "solving" problems. However, several factors weigh heavily in favor of using science fiction short stories and novellas in the MPA classroom setting. These include the need for interesting case scenarios exploring various administrative issues; leveling the playing field between the two types of students by de-emphasizing the use of "contemporary" cases; access to literature that explores the future shock of increasing organizational complexity; and the desirability of Rorschach type materials that facilitate discussion of. values and administrative truths. The discussion proceeds by tracing the development of the case study technique, its advantages and disadvantages in the classroom, addressing the utility of "fiction" as an educational resource, and showing how the science fiction literature has matured to the point where it can be applied in all of the major sub-fields of public administration. Several outstanding examples are detailed, and a thorough bibliography is provided.
The cloning of Grb10 reveals a new family of SH2 domain proteins

SH2 domains function to bind proteins containing phosphotyrosine and are components of proteins that are important signal transducers for tyrosine kinases. We have cloned SH2 domain proteins by screening bacterial expression libraries with the tyrosine phosphorylated carboxyterminus of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. Here we report the identification of a new SH2 domain protein, Grb10. Grb10 is highly related to Grb7, an SH2 domain protein that we have previously identified. In addition to an SH2 domain, Grb7 and Grb10 have a central domain with similarity to a putative C. elegans gene likely to be involved in neuronal migration. At least three forms of Grb10 exist in fibroblasts apparently due to alternate translational start sites. Grb10 undergoes serine but not tyrosine phosphorylation after EGF treatment resulting in a shift mobility in a large fraction of Grb10 molecules. However Grb10 appears to bind poorly to EGF-Receptor and the true binding partner for the Grb10 SH2 domain is unclear. Grb10 maps to mouse chromosome 11 very close to the EGF-Receptor which is remarkably similar to Grb7 that maps near the EGF-Receptor related HER2 receptor. The finding of multiple family members with evolutionarily conserved domains indicates that these SH2 domain proteins are likely to have an important, although as of yet, unidentified function.
Effects of Seed Treatments, Delayed Planting and Groundwater Levels on the Restoration of Sedge Meadows

Using a complete factorial, randomized block design, the effects of seed density (430 or 860 seeds/m2), seed stratification (stratified, non-stratified), split planting (complete seed mix planted in spring vs. non-aggressive species in spring and aggressive species in fall), and distance to groundwater (−5 or − 30 cm) were studied in a mesocosm complex in central Iowa. All 16 treatment combinations were replicated 5 times for a total of 80 mesocosms. The seed mix sown contained 25 species. At the end of the study, groundwater levels had the greatest effect on species richness, total shoot density, and total biomass. Seed stratification, seed density and delayed planting all had a significant impact on species richness and total shoot density. Delaying the planting of aggressive species significantly increased total shoot densities and biomass of non-aggressive species. Of the 20 species actually found in the mesocosms, 12 had higher shoot densities in the delayed planting, 11 in the high groundwater, 7 in the stratified seed, and 3 in the high seed density treatment. Overall, groundwater level and delayed planting of aggressive species had the largest impact on species diversity and shoot density.
Transitional Justice in Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Transitional justice concepts have hitherto paid little to no attention to gender as an important consideration in addressing sexual and gender-based violence after traumatic conflicts and wars. In this article, which was given at a Pan-African conference on Transitional Justice and Sexual and Gender-based Violence in Nairobi, Kenya, in July 2008, I explore the reasons for the invisibility of women and gender in transitional justice vehicles such as truth commissions and judicial and other adjudicatory processes. I argue that legal, political, cultural, and moral regimes must demarginalize women and gender at the national and international levels, including in the home to raise gender-sensitive progeny and to combat misogyny. I call for a concerted legal and political approaches and commitments on the part of families, states, civil society, intergovernmental organizations, and the market in both the public and private squares to put gender and women at the center of law and policy in general, and in transitional justice arrangements, in particular.
Sextortion Among Adolescents: Results From a National Survey of U.S. Youth:

Sextortion is the threatened dissemination of explicit, intimate, or embarrassing images of a sexual nature without consent, usually for the purpose of procuring additional images, sexual acts, money, or something else. Despite increased public interest in this behavior, it has yet to be empirically examined among adolescents. The current study fills this gap by exploring the prevalence of sextortion behaviors among a nationally representative sample of 5,568 U.S. middle and high school students. Approximately 5% of students reported that they had been the victim of sextortion, while about 3% admitted to threatening others who had shared an image with them in confidence. Males and nonheterosexual youth were more likely to be targeted, and males were more likely to target others. Moreover, youth who threatened others with sextortion were more likely to have been victims themselves. Implications for future research, as well as the preventive role that youth-serving professionals can play, are discussed.
Design of Light-Emitting Diodes and Photovoltaic Cells for Electroluminescent Refrigeration

Electroluminescent refrigeration is the intrinsic self-cooling effect that accompanies light emission from a lightemitting diode (LED). As LEDs and photovoltaic cells become more ideal, electroluminescence potentially becomes a viable alternative to existing solid-state cooling technologies. Here, we propose and model a device structure for the LED and photovoltaic cell that attains the requisite high external luminescence efficiency $\eta_{{\mathrm {ext}}}$ for efficient electroluminescent refrigeration. We find that continued improvements in material quality, leading to a lower value for the low-voltage saturation current density $J_{02}$, will be critical in enabling this application.
Does a Recent Urinary Tract Infection Increase the Risk of Postprocedure Urinary Tract Infection After Onabotulinum Toxin A

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to evaluate the risk of postprocedure urinary tract infection (UTI) after injection of onabotulinum toxin A (BTX-A) in women who had a UTI within 30 days before procedure. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of women who underwent their first injection of BTX-A from 2010 to 2016. Two cohorts were identified: (1) recent UTI (within 30 days before injection) and (2) no recent UTI. Our primary outcome was UTI within 90 days after BTX-A. Continuous variables were analyzed using the Wilcoxon rank sum test, and categorical variables were analyzed using Fisher exact or χ2 tests. RESULTS One hundred sixty-six women underwent their first BTX-A injection. Twenty-five (15%) had a recent UTI and 141 (85%) did not. Women with a recent UTI were more likely to have a subsequent infection (52% vs 26%, P < 0.01). However, in a logistic regression model, controlling for history of recurrent UTI, age, history of diabetes mellitus, periprocedural antibiotics, and urinary retention requiring catheterization, the association between having a recent UTI, and a subsequent UTI was no longer significant (adjusted odds ratio, 1.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.60-6.50; P = 0.26). CONCLUSIONS Performing a first injection of BTX-A within 30 days of a UTI does not increase the odds of postprocedure UTI. Therefore, BTX-A therapy does not need to be delayed after a recent UTI.
Implementation of an ICU Recovery Clinic at a Tertiary Care Academic Center

Post-ICU clinics may facilitate the care of survivors of critical illness, but there is a paucity of data describing post-ICU clinic implementation. We sought to describe implementation of our ICU recovery clinic, including an assessment of barriers and facilitators to clinic attendance. Design Adults admitted to the medical ICU of a large tertiary care academic hospital with shock and/or respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation were screened for participation in a newly formed ICU recovery clinic. Participant selection and attendance rates were tracked. Reasons for nonattendance were assessed by phone call in a subset of patients. Setting A newly formed ICU recovery clinic of a large tertiary care academic hospital. Patients All patients admitted to the medical ICU were screened. Interventions ICU recovery clinic appointments were scheduled for all eligible patients. A subset of nonattenders were called to assess reasons for nonattendance. Measurements and main results Over 2 years, we admitted 5,510 patients to our medical ICU. Three hundred sixty-two were screened into the recovery clinic. One-hundred sixty-six were not scheduled for clinic; major reasons included discharge to hospice/death in the hospital (n = 55) and discharge to a facility (n = 50). One-hundred ninety-six patients were scheduled for a visit and of those, 101 (52%) arrived to clinic. Reasons for nonattendance in a surveyed subset of nonattenders included patient's lack of awareness of the appointment (50%, n = 9/18), financial concerns (17%, n = 3/18), and transportation difficulty (17%, n = 3/18). Conclusions ICU recovery clinics may address the needs of survivors of critical illness. Barriers to clinic attendance include high mortality rates, high rates of clinic appointment cancelations and nonattendance, and discharge to locations such as skilled nursing facilities or long-term acute care hospitals. Improved communication to patients about the role of the clinic may facilitate attendance and minimize canceled appointments.
Impaired phagocytic function in CX3CR1+ tissue-resident skeletal muscle macrophages prevents muscle recovery after influenza A virus-induced pneumonia in aged mice

ABSTRACT Skeletal muscle dysfunction in survivors of pneumonia is a major cause of lasting morbidity that disproportionately affects older individuals. We found that skeletal muscle recovery was impaired in aged compared with young mice after influenza A virus-induced pneumonia. In young mice, recovery of muscle loss was associated with expansion of tissue-resident skeletal muscle macrophages and downregulation of MHC II expression, followed by a proliferation of muscle satellite cells. These findings were absent in aged mice and in mice deficient in Cx3cr1. Transcriptomic profiling of tissue-resident skeletal muscle macrophages from aged compared with young mice showed downregulation of pathways associated with phagocytosis and proteostasis, and persistent upregulation of inflammatory pathways. Consistently, skeletal muscle macrophages from aged mice failed to downregulate MHCII expression during recovery from influenza A virus induced pneumonia and showed impaired phagocytic function in vitro. Like aged animals, mice deficient in the phagocytic receptor Mertk showed no macrophage expansion, MHCII downregulation or satellite cell proliferation and failed to recover skeletal muscle function after influenza A pneumonia. Our data suggest that a loss of phagocytic function in a CX3CR1+ tissue-resident skeletal muscle macrophage population in aged mice precludes satellite cell proliferation and recovery of skeletal muscle function after influenza A pneumonia.
Does implementation of a surgical fellowship program increase productivity? A retrospective analysis using operating room management metrics and statistical process control

Abstract Background In 2016, our institution implemented a 5 + 2 year vascular surgery fellowship program, providing graduates of general surgery residencies two years of advanced training in open vascular and endovascular surgery. In this study, we use statistical process control to evaluate the clinical performance of the vascular surgery service, before and after implementation of the fellowship program, within an operating room (OR) block utilization framework. Study Design Using WiseOR, we extracted monthly vascular surgery operating room utilization data for the fifteen months before and after the implementation of the fellowship. Monthly block productivity was calculated: Productivity = (workload)/(allocated hours + 1.75 * over-utilized time). From financial reports, we obtained monthly work Relative Value Units (wRVUs) and clinical Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) for faculty of the vascular surgery service for the same 30-month study period. I-control charts were used to analyze changes in productivity and wRVU/FTE ratio across implementation of the fellowship. We visualized changes in block utilization and productivity by constructing a novel three-dimensional chart plotting under-utilized time vs. over-utilized time for each month of the study, while representing productivity via a color gradient based on Delaunay triangulation. Results The vascular surgery service saw a significant increase in both normal-hours and after-hours case time after implementation of the fellowship. Under-utilized OR block time decreased (p = 0.002) and over-utilized time increased (p Conclusion Implementation of the fellowship training program marked an upward shift in block productivity and revenue generation of the vascular surgery service, with the additional workload compensating for an increase in over-utilized block time.
Relationship of Nocturnal Wakefulness to Suicide Risk Across Months and Methods of Suicide

Objective Insomnia is a risk factor for suicide, and the risk of suicide after accounting for population wakefulness is disproportionately highest at night. This study investigated whether this risk varied across months and/or methods of suicide. Methods Time, date, method (eg, firearm, poisoning), and demographic information for 35,338 suicides were collected from the National Violent Death Reporting System for the years 2003-2010. Time of fatal injury was grouped into 1-hour bins and compared to the estimated hourly proportion of the population awake from the American Time Use Survey for 2003-2010. Negative binomial modeling then generated hourly incidence risk ratios (IRRs) of suicide. Risks were then aggregated into 4 categories: morning (6:00 am to 11:59 am), afternoon (noon to 5:59 pm), evening (6:00 pm to 11:59 pm), and night (midnight to 5:59 am). Results The risk of suicide was higher at night across all months (P .05). Conclusions Regardless of month or method, the incidence risk of suicide at night is higher than at any other time of day. Additionally, demographic subgroups did not differentially experience higher risks across months or mechanisms at night.
Image-Based Markers Predict Dynamic Instability in Lumbar Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

OBJECTIVE To identify possible radiographic predictors markers of dynamic instability including disc height (DH), disc degeneration, and spondylosis in the setting of degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS). METHODS A retrospective review with prospectively collected data was performed on 125 patients with L4-5 DS who underwent decompression and fusion. Patients were divided into groups with dynamic instability and those without. Radiographs of the lumbar spine in neutral, flexion, and extension were used to determine degree of slip, DH, translational motion, angular motion, spondylotic changes, and lumbar lordosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were reviewed to assess disc degeneration. RESULTS Thirty-one percent of the patients met criteria for dynamic instability. Significant correlations (p < 0.05) were found between preserved DH and dynamic instability; increased spondylotic changes and decreased translational motion; as well as advanced MRI-based disc degeneration scores with decreased angular motion, respectively. Six radiographic parameters were utilized to create a predictive model for dynamic instability, and a receiver operating characteristic curve was able to validate the predictive model (area = 0.891, standard error = 0.034, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION In DS patients, preserved DH was significantly related to dynamic instability. This finding may represent a greater potential for slip progression over time in these patients. In contrast, disc degeneration on MRI, and spondylotic changes were inversely related to dynamic instability and may represent restabilization mechanisms that decrease the chance of future slip progression in DS.
Abstract A12: Expression of GPR41, GPR43, and GPR109A in breast tissue in relation to breast cancer development

Introduction: There is evidence to suggest that the human microbiome may play a key role in the development of breast cancer. There is a unique microbial signature in mammary tissue that is associated with breast cancer. Further, there is mounting evidence to support the role of the gut microbiome in promoting or preventing breast cancer. Consequently, specific compositional and/or functional shifts in either of these microbiomes may promote the growth of breast tumors. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are microbial metabolites produced in the large intestine by bacterial fermentation of complex carbohydrates. These metabolites exit the gut and interact with many different cell types throughout the human body, including those in the breast, via g-protein coupled receptors; GPR41, GPR43, and GPR109A. These metabolites have been identified as a potential functional connection between the gut microbiome and breast cancer but have not been studied in breast tissue in the context of breast cancer. To assess the interaction between the microbiome and breast tumor development, we analyzed the expression of these receptors in tissue collected from women who donated healthy, prediagnostic, or cancerous tissue to the Susan G. Komen and Indiana University Simon Cancer Center Tissue Banks. Methods: DNA and RNA (n=60, n = 15 for each tissue subset: healthy, prediagnostic, adjacent normal, and tumor tissue) was copurified from these tissues using the Qiagen AllPrep® PowerFecal® DNA/RNA Kit. The RNA was then reverse transcribed into complementary DNA. Quantitative PCR was performed on the cDNA using four validated primer sets: GPR41, GPR43, GPR109A, and ribosomal 18S (housekeeping gene). Results/Cconclusions: We did not identify any significant differences in expression levels of these receptors between the participant groups, suggesting that cancer status is not associated with increased metabolic activity of the microbiome. We are currently conducting sensitivity analyses to determine the role of clinical factors such as age, menopausal status, BMI, etc., on the expression of these receptors in breast tissue. We are also investigating the expression of enzymes and transporters in breast tissue related to host cell metabolism of the most bioactive SCFAs (acetate, propionate, and butyrate). This work will yield valuable information regarding the interaction between the human microbiome and breast tumor development. Ultimately, it may be possible to target SCFA-producing bacteria or SCFA catabolic pathways in breast tissue to prevent or treat breast cancer. Citation Format: Annie Kump, Daniel Herrera, Leah T. Stiemsma. Expression of GPR41, GPR43, and GPR109A in breast tissue in relation to breast cancer development [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Microbiome, Viruses, and Cancer; 2020 Feb 21-24; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(8 Suppl):Abstract nr A12.
Understanding the role of salvage lymphadenectomy in node only recurrences after nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma.

Abstract Purpose To investigate oncological outcomes and relapse patterns in retroperitoneal lymph node (LN)-only recurrences with salvage retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (S-RPLND). Materials and Methods We reviewed records of 19 patients undergoing RPLND for RCC recurrences between 2011 and 2018. All patients initially had primary non-metastatic RCC, with subsequent recurrence restricted to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes (LN). LN recurrence sites after nephrectomy and relapses after S-RPLND were assessed. The primary outcomes were post-RPLND Relapse-Free Survival (RFS), and Cancer-Specific Survival (CSS). Results The median age of our cohort was 60 years at RPLND. Right and left nephrectomies were performed in 14 (73.7%) and 5 (26.3%), respectively. Clear cell carcinoma was found in 10 (52.6%) patients, followed by papillary in 4(21.1%), chromophobe in 2(10.5%), and ‘other’ in 3 (15.8%). The extent of lymphadenectomy during nephrectomy and S-RPLND varied based on surgical approach. The median follow-up time after S-RPLND of the entire cohort was 31.53 months, and the median RFS was 9.63 months. Overall, 4 patients died of cancer, of which 3 (75%) were N1 at time of nephrectomy. The CSS after RPLND at 3 and 5 years was 81.5% and 61.1%, respectively. The RFS after RPLND at 2 and 5 years was 44.4% and 29.6%, respectively. Conclusions Our results suggest that aggressive surgical management provides satisfactory CSS with acceptable complication rates. Moreover, we believe this subset of patients with node-only recurrence showed an unpredictable pattern of lymphatic spread, with predilection for regional dissemination warranting surgical resection of LN recurrences in a bilateral template fashion when feasible.
The interstellar communication relay

The paper describes the architecture for a data repository and distribution system to be used in the case of a SETI detection event. This system is conceptually modelled after the Deep Space Network, although the hardware and infrastructure involved are different and substantially less expensive to operate. The system is designed to accommodate a large number of users from a variety of fields who wish to contribute to the analysis and comprehension effort that would follow the detection of an information-bearing signal.
Drinking to Cope in the COVID-19 Era: An Investigation Among College Students

Objective:The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in abrupt, drastic changes to daily life in many nations. Experiences within the United States have varied widely. In the State of Oregon in the early m...
Kinematics of Nose Landing Gear for RLGS Mechanism of MALE UAV

Electrical linear actuators reduce the weight of landing gear retraction / extension mechanism which helps in keeping the gross takeoff weight of aircraft weight low. Reduction in weight of the aircraft has manifold advantages in which noticeable are increased endurance, range, climb performance, acceleration performance and fuel efficiency. Use an electrical linear actuator in landing gear system is a simplification in the kinematics of landing gear retraction / extension sequence. In this research, a retraction / extension mechanism for nose landing gear (NLG) of a MALE UAV has been designed and tested according to FAR CFR 25.729. The design process of a Retractable Landing Gear System Mechanism (RLGS) started with selection of pivot point on NLG and axis for the rotation in free space available which resulted in least power requirement. Pivot point was selected such that no part of gear posed hindrance to other part of an aircraft. Next, the path of rotation about pivoting axis and position kinematics were calculated using vector loop closure equation. Essential parameters regarding retraction / extension sequence were calculated from trigonometry. Forces and power required for complete retraction / extraction sequence were calculated. During the research, it was found that retraction force on NLG depended upon the aerodynamic drag, inertial loads and gravitational force. In this research analysis of these forces is presented with much detail. Effect of velocity variation of linear actuator on the retraction force is commented upon. Computational analysis is carried out using multibody dynamics MSC ADAMS® software. The research concluded with experimental validation of a planner triangular retraction mechanism of NLG actuated by electrical linear actuator.
Dynamic Time Delay Models for Load Balancing. Part I: Deterministic Models

Parallel computer architectures utilize a set of computational elements (CE) to achieve performance that is not attainable on a single processor, or CE, computer. A common architecture is the cluster of otherwise independent computers communicating through a shared network. To make use of parallel computing resources, problems must be broken down in to smaller units that can be solved individually by each CE while exchanging information with CEs solving other problems.
Smooth muscle cell surface tissue factor pathway activation by oxidized low-density lipoprotein requires cellular lipid peroxidation

Tissue factor, which is expressed in vascular lesions, increases thrombin production, blood coagulation, and smooth muscle cell proliferation. We demonstrate that oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) induces surface tissue factor pathway activity (ie, activity of the tissue factor:factor VIIa complex) on human and rat smooth muscle cells. Tissue factor messenger RNA (mRNA) was induced by oxidized LDL or native LDL; however, native LDL did not markedly increase tissue factor activity. We hypothesized that oxidized LDL mediated the activation of the tissue factor pathway via an oxidant-dependent mechanism, because antioxidants blocked the enhanced tissue factor pathway activity by oxidized LDL, but not the increased mRNA or protein induction. We separated total lipid extracts of oxidized LDL using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This yielded 2 major peaks that induced tissue factor activity. Of the known oxysterols contained in the first peak, 7α- or 7β-hydroxy or 7-ketocholesterol had no effect on tissue factor pathway activity; however, 7β-hydroperoxycholesterol increased tissue factor pathway activity without induction of tissue factor mRNA. Tertiary butyl hydroperoxide also increased tissue factor pathway activity, suggesting that lipid hydroperoxides, some of which exist in atherosclerotic lesions, activate the tissue factor pathway. We speculate that thrombin production could be elevated via a mechanism involving peroxidation of cellular lipids, contributing to arterial thrombosis after plaque rupture. Our data suggest a mechanism by which antioxidants may offer a clinical benefit in acute coronary syndrome and restenosis.