cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dual Repression of the Multidrug Eﬄux Pump CmeABC by CosR and CmeR in Campylobacter jejuni

During transmission and intestinal colonization, Campylobacter jejuni, a major foodborne human pathogen, experiences oxidative stress. CosR, a response regulator in C. jejuni, modulates the oxidative stress response and represses expression of the CmeABC multidrug eﬄux pump. CmeABC, a key component in resistance to toxic compounds including antimicrobials and bile salts, is also under negative regulation by CmeR, a TetR family transcriptional regulator. How CosR and CmeR interact in binding to the cmeABC promoter and how CosR senses oxidative stress are still unknown. To answer these questions, we conducted various experiments utilizing electrophoretic mobility shift assays and transcriptional fusion assays. CosR and CmeR bound independently to two separate sites of the cmeABC promoter, simultaneously repressing cmeABC expression. This dual binding of CosR and CmeR is optimal with a 17 base pair space between the two binding sites as mutations that shortened the distance between the binding sites decreased binding by CmeR and enhanced cmeABC expression. Additionally, the single cysteine residue (C218) of CosR was sensitive to oxidation, which altered the DNA-binding activity of CosR and dissociated CosR from the cmeABC promoter as determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Replacement of C218 with serine rendered CosR insensitive to oxidation, suggesting a potential role of C218 in sensing oxidative stress and providing a possible mechanism for CosR-mediated response to oxidative stress. These findings reveal a dual regulatory role of CosR and CmeR in modulating cmeABC expression and suggest a potential mechanism that may explain overexpression of cmeABC in response to oxidative stress. Differential expression of cmeABC mediated by CmeR and CosR in response to different signals may facilitate adaptation of Campylobacter to various environmental conditions.
Retinal Imaging for Pediatric Patients

Retinal imaging is useful in diagnosis, prognosis, medicolegal documentation, and medical decision making for treatment. Imaging can also provide structural and functional information not discernable solely by physical examination, especially in patients with unexplained vision loss or hereditary retinal diseases. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography can reveal macular ultrastructural defects via an in vivo “optical biopsy.” Scanning laser ophthalmoscope-based imaging platforms are gaining popularity over traditional flash fundus photography for ease of use, speed of image acquisition, simultaneous multimodal imaging, and ultra-wide-field capabilities. Patients 3 years and older can usually cooperate with outpatient imaging not requiring intravenous access. Most kinds of retinal imaging and full-field electroretinography can be obtained during examination under anesthesia if the procedures are too invasive and painful, or preclude cooperation of an awake patient. Although imaging is a powerful tool, it is intended to supplement, not replace, a thorough history and physical examination for medical decision making.
Is nanotech failing casual learners

How easy is it for people to learn about nanotechnology through the Internet? Andrew D. Maynard looks at some of the challenges and opportunities.
Associated effects of automated essay evaluation software on growth in writing quality for students with and without disabilities

The present study examined growth in writing quality associated with feedback provided by an automated essay evaluation system called PEG Writing. Equal numbers of students with disabilities (SWD) and typically-developing students (TD) matched on prior writing achievement were sampled (n = 1196 total). Data from a subsample of students (n = 655) was used to investigate evidence of transfer to improved first-draft performance on a follow up writing prompt. Three-level hierarchical linear modeling was used. Findings indicated that SWD produced first drafts of lesser quality than TD students, but grew at a faster rate and were able to close the gap in writing quality after five revisions. However, these effects were moderated by school quality and the availability of internet-connected devices in schools. There was no evidence of transfer for either group of students. Results document a positive association between the use of PEG Writing and growth in writing quality for SWD, and underscore the importance of having sufficient technology resources for maximizing this growth.
Gender and contextual differences in social responsibility in Thai schools: a multi-study person versus situation analysis

AbstractSocial responsibility has been linked to the moral development of students, but little prior research has examined how personal and situational variables influence students’ willingness to show care and concern for social issues that reflect higher levels of moral development. We theorised and tested the hypotheses that females would endorse social responsibility to a greater extent than males, and that school/programme context would moderate this relationship. In Study 1, levels of social responsibility were greater for girls than boys and in academic versus vocational high schools, and school type moderated levels of social responsibility for boys. Study 2 replicated the male–female difference in social responsibility, and demonstrated greater differences in social responsibility across university academic programmes for female than male students. These studies expand the understanding of personal versus situational influences on social responsibility and their implications for moral education i...
A Setup for Depression

Wimberley provides a theological framework for understanding how ritual practices prevalent in African American evangelical religion might contribute to depression in black clergy. She indicates there are cultural hermeneutics specific to black evangelical religion that offer clues as to how God imagery emerges in relation to the black preacher. From a Black pastoral theological perspective, she utilizes Paul Tillich’s theology of Spiritual Presence to explain how the embodiment of the Spirit in the black preacher during the preaching moment contributes to the “cultural sacramentalization” of the black preacher.
Thermoradiotherapy for Eye Tumors

The most common primary intraocular tumors are retinoblastoma in children and uveal melanoma in adults. Enucleation (removal of the eye) was the standard treatment until radiotherapy techniques were found to offer patients “eye and vision-sparing” alternatives (STALLARD 1962, 1966, 1968; ZIMMERMAN et al. 1978)
Characterization of the Tumor Microenvironment and Tumor–Stroma Interaction by Non-invasive Preclinical Imaging

Tumors are often characterized by hypoxia, vascular abnormalities, low extracellular pH (pHe), increased interstitial fluid pressure, altered choline phospholipid metabolism, and aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect). The impact of these tumor characteristics has been investigated extensively in the context of tumor development, progression and treatment response, resulting in a number of non-invasive imaging biomarkers. More recent evidence suggests that cancer cells undergo metabolic reprogramming, beyond aerobic glycolysis, in the course of tumor development and progression. The resulting altered metabolic content in tumors has the ability to affect cell signaling and block cellular differentiation. Additional emerging evidence reveals that the interaction between tumor and stroma cells can alter tumor metabolism (leading to metabolic reprogramming) as well as tumor growth and vascular features. This review will summarize previous and current preclinical, non-invasive, multimodal imaging efforts to characterize the tumor microenvironment, including its stromal components, and understand tumor-stroma interaction in cancer development, progression and treatment response.
Use and Nondisclosure of Complementary Health Approaches Among US Children with Developmental Disabilities.

OBJECTIVES Many US children use complementary health approaches (CHAs), including some modalities that may be ineffective, unsafe, and/or costly. Yet, little is known about the prevalence and correlates of CHA use among children with developmental disabilities (DDs), as well as parent nondisclosure of CHAs used for children with DDs to health care providers. We, therefore, aimed to profile the use and nondisclosure of CHAs among US children with DDs. METHODS We analyzed data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, which included the most recent Child Complementary and Alternative Medicine Supplement. The study sample was comprised of 2141 children with DDs aged 4 to 17 years. RESULTS Nearly one-quarter (23%) of US children with DDs used CHAs. Among those with a personal health provider, 42% of parents did not disclose some or all CHAs used to the child's provider. The adjusted odds ratios of using CHAs were greater among those with female sex, higher household income, residences not in the South, difficulty accessing care, or comorbid conditions. CHA was most commonly used because "it is natural." Nondisclosure was associated with female sex, older age, having no functional limitations, less conventional services use, and use of fewer CHAs. The most common reason for nondisclosure was that the child's provider did not ask. CONCLUSION Complementary health approach use is prevalent among US children with DDs, and nondisclosure is likely among those who use CHAs. Future intervention targeting education and communication about CHAs for parents of children with DDs and their health care providers may promote disclosure.
Overview of endogeneity

As discussed in chapter 2, managers actively make production-investment, choices. These choices are intertwined and far from innocuous. Design of accounting (like other information systems) is highly dependent on the implications and responses to accounting information in combination with other information. As these decisions are interrelated, their analysis is inherently endogenous (Demski [2004]). Endogeneity presents substantial challenges for econometric analysis. The behavior of unobservable (to the analyst) components and omitted, correlated variables are continuing themes.
Comparison of chronic physical and emotional social defeat stress effects on mesocorticolimbic circuit activation and voluntary consumption of morphine

Chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) is a well-established rodent model of depression that induces persistent social avoidance. CSDS triggers molecular adaptations throughout the mesocorticolimbic reward circuit, including changes in the activity of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), that may also influence drug reward. One limitation of traditional, physical CSDS (PS) is that injury complicates the study of opiate drugs like morphine. Thus, we sought to characterize a variation of CSDS, termed emotional CSDS (ES), that eliminates this confound. We assessed the effect of PS and ES on mesocorticolimbic circuit activation, VTA gene expression, and morphine intake. We found that PS and ES similarly induced ΔFosB in the hippocampus, but only PS significantly increased ΔFosB expression in the prefrontal cortex and striatum. In contrast, cFos expression was similarly reduced by both PS and ES. Interestingly, we found that PS and ES similarly increased voluntary morphine consumption immediately following stress, despite differences in the magnitude of the depressive phenotype and striatal ΔFosB expression at this time point. Combined, these data suggest that both stress paradigms may be useful for investigation of stress-induced changes in drug behavior.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEMBRANE TRANSPORT AND METABOLISM CONCLUDING REMARKS

Publisher Summary This chapter presents evidence of the ways by which membrane transport and cellular metabolism are interrelated. Three basic ionic pumps, that is, the (Na+–K+)-activated ATPase, the proton pump, and the Ca2+ pump, appear to be operative in practically all eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. These pumps are responsible for intracellular homoeostasis. The electrochemical ionic gradients established across the cell membrane and membranes of intracellular organelles represent a direct link to cell metabolism and the driving force for cell function. The rapidly advancing knowledge of the molecular properties of these enzymes also enhances understanding of how the function of these membrane-bound enzymes may be regulated. The application of nonequilibrium thermodynamics to active transport processes reveals some of the energy aspects of coupling between transport and metabolism. The coupling mechanisms may be a target of regulatory agents since they are not impermeable.
Drug-Drug Interactions (DDIs) Detection from On-Line Health Forums: Bi-Submodular Optimization (BSMO)

With the growth of mobile Internet, online health forums become more accessible for patient to health related discussions, subsequently host rich resources of drug-drug interactions (DDIs). However, traditional methods are not feasible for the large volume online data. They are designed for highly structured data sources such as clinical trials and spontaneous reporting systems, whose inherent limitations include low coverage and under-reporting. In this paper, we propose a bi-submodular optimization (BSMO) method to detect DDIs using the forum data collected online. The relationships between co-mentioned drugs and symptoms can be modeled with a conditional (predefined thresholds) graph, where a vertex represents either a drug or a symptom, and an edge represents the co-occurrence among drugs and/or symptoms. A connectedsub-graph consists of both symptom and drug vertexes reveals the occurrence of DDIs. A novel score function is proposed to characterize the degree of DDIs within a connected subgraph. Therefore the DDIs detection using on-line health forum data is then formulated as a sub-graph detection problem. An approximated algorithm was proposed based on bi-submodular optimization, then showed the complexity of the algorithm is nearly linear. Extensive experiments on the health forum data demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed approach.
Lasing from high-quality lead halide perovskite single-crystal microparticles

We have synthesized CsPbBr 3 and CH 3 NH 3 PbBr3 single-crystal microplates with improved surface quality and obtained whispering-gallery-mode lasing from a size of 2 μm. The method can produce high-quality perovskite microlasers in large quantity within minutes.
Skin Performance in the Rollover Crashworthiness Analysis of Cutaway Bus

Rollovers are recognized as the most dangerous type of road accident. Among all accidents, they are the most challenging to analyze due to the complex nature of rollover accidents. The aim of this paper is to analyze the influence of the structural components, more specifically skin parts, on the safety of occupants during rollover crashes. Full scale experiments and components testing are needed to evaluate the safety of the passengers. As part of this study, full rollover test according to ECE R66 test procedure was conducted. Additionally, series of Finite Element (FE) analyses using LS-Dyna were performed to evaluate capabilities of skin parts to absorb the crash energy and its influence on the crush mechanism. Along with structural assessments, Anthropometric Test Devices (ATD) were used to evaluate the severity of the rollover crashes. Injury parameters such as Head Injury Criteria (HIC), chest acceleration, pelvic acceleration, and neck forces were measured for different rollover scenarios. The results showed that for the bus with high deformation of skin-cage structure the injury outcomes were lower than the injuries from the stiffer passenger compartment. Preliminary Results of this study are in conflict with the of UN ECE R66 safety assessment results, which indicate that stiffer buses are safer. Hence, further work needs to be carried out to find the links between an intrusion of skin and cage, and severity of injuries.
Automated Terminology Networks for the Integration of Heterogeneous Databases

As cross-disciplinary research escalates, researchers are facing the challenge of linking disparate biomedical databases that have been developed without common indexes. Manually indexing these large-scale databases is laborious and often impractical. Solutions involving mediating terminologies have been proposed, but coordination of terms from the databases of interest to these mediating terminologies is also laborious, and regular synchronization between indexes is an additional problem. In this study we describe a novel method of linking heterogeneous databases using terminology networks constructed with automated mapping methods. Linkage was established between two disparate biomedical databases (SNOMED-CT and HDG), using two relevant intermediating databases (UMLS and OMIM). One gold standard of 514 distinct matches is used as proof-of-principle. In conclusion, as hypothesized, 1) Manually curated pathways provide high precision, but offer low recall, 2) the automated terminology pathways can significantly increase recall at acceptable precision. Taken together, our conclusion may suggest the combined manual and automated terminology networks could offer recall and precision in an incremental manner.
Energy, Resilience, and Responsibility in Post-Hurricane Maria Dominica: Ethical and Historical Perspectives on ‘Building Back Better’

In the wake of the 2017 hurricane season, discussions across the Caribbean have turned to the need to develop more resilient energy systems, particularly through the deployment of renewable energy ...
The Manifestation of Spirituality in Special Education Leaders

The challenges of special education leadership require both inspiration and capacity. This qualitative study of a purposeful sample of members of a Midwestern special education professional organiz...
Flow based single cell analysis of the immune landscape distinguishes Barrett's esophagus from adjacent normal tissue

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is metaplasia of the squamous epithelium to a specialized columnar epithelium. BE progresses through low- and high-grade dysplasia before developing into esophageal adenocarcinoma. The BE microenvironment is not well defined. We compare 12 human clinical BE and adjacent normal squamous epithelium biopsies using single cell immunophenotyping by flow cytometry. A cassette of 19 epithelial and immune cell markers was used to detect differences between cellular compartments in normal and BE tissues. We found that the BE microenvironment has an immunological landscape distinct from adjacent normal epithelium. BE has an increased percentage of epithelial cells with a concomitant decrease in the percentage of immune cells, accompanied by a shift in the immune landscape from a predominantly T cell rich microenvironment in normal tissue to a B cell rich landscape in BE tissue. Hierarchical clustering separates BE and normal samples into two discrete groups based upon our 19-marker panel, but also reveals unexpected, shared phenotypes for three patients. Our results suggest that flow based single cell analysis may have the potential for revealing clinically relevant differences between BE and normal adjacent tissue, and that surface immunophenotypes could identify specific subpopulations from dysplastic tissue for further investigation.
Abstract 1575: DNA methylation-derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and survival among pediatric medulloblastoma patients

Background/Objectives: Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor diagnosed in children. Current risk-stratification methods of pediatric medulloblastoma do not fully explain the observed variability in clinical outcomes. Methylation-derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (mdNLR) captures immune-specific information and has been identified as a potential prognostic biomarker of outcomes in various cancers, including adult brain tumors. Therefore, we evaluated the association between blood-derived mdNLR and overall survival in a cohort of patients with pediatric medulloblastoma. Design/Methods: We identified pediatric patients diagnosed and treated for medulloblastoma at Texas Children’s Cancer Center between 1995 and 2015. Peripheral blood DNA methylation was measured using the Infinium Human Methylation 450K Beadchip. Methylation data underwent quality control, including beta-mixture quantile normalization and batch correction. Immune cell proportions (CD4+ T-Cells, CD8+ T-Cells, B-cells, natural killer cells, monocytes, and granulocytes) were estimated using cellular deconvolution methods and used to estimate mdNLR, which was then log-transformed to improve normality. Cox regression models were estimated to evaluate the association between mdNLR and overall survival. Results: Of the 78 eligible patients include in this analysis, 83% (n=65) were alive at last follow-up (median follow-up=7.8 years). Deceased patients (n=13; median follow-up=2.6 years) had a higher mean mdNLR than patients who were alive at last contact (12.3 vs. 4.0, P = 0.046). Elevated log-transformed mdNLR was associated with an increased risk of death in both unadjusted models (HR=1.68, 95%CI: 1.11-2.55) and models accounting for age, sex, race, and clinical risk group (HR=1.97, 95%CI: 1.12-3.45). Conclusion: We identified a significant association between peripheral blood mdNLR and survival in pediatric medulloblastoma. As a promising prognostic biomarker of outcomes, mdNLR captures immune-specific information and is a potential avenue of research in settings where cytologic determination of NLR may not be possible. Future work should investigate the relationship between elevated mdNLR and specific pediatric medulloblastoma molecular subtypes. Citation Format: Vidal M. Arroyo, Philip J. Lupo, Michael E. Scheurer, Surya P. Rednam, Jeffrey C. Murray, M F. Okcu, Murali M. Chintagumpala, Austin L. Brown. DNA methylation-derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and survival among pediatric medulloblastoma patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1575.
‘Sport as a Resource Caravan’: Understanding How Adults Utilize Sport as a Developmental Tool

Sport-for-development research consistently focuses on studies of macro level policy, meso level community development, and micro level individual development. However, individual development has l...
Circulating Tumor Cells Exhibit Metastatic Tropism and Reveal Brain Metastasis Drivers

Hematogenous metastasis is initiated by a subset of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) shed from primary or metastatic tumors into the blood circulation. Thus, CTCs provide a unique patient biopsy resource to decipher the cellular subpopulations that initiate metastasis and their molecular properties. However, one crucial question is whether CTCs derived and expanded ex vivo from patients recapitulate human metastatic disease in an animal model. Here, we show that CTC lines established from breast cancer patients are capable of generating metastases in mice with a pattern recapitulating most major organs from corresponding patients. Genome-wide sequencing analyses of metastatic variants identified semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D) as a regulator of tumor cell transmigration through the blood-brain-barrier and MYC as a crucial regulator for the adaptation of disseminated tumor cells to the activated brain microenvironment. These data provide the direct experimental evidence of the promising role of CTCs as a prognostic factor for site-specific metastasis.
Who Comes to Mind? Dynamic Construction of Social Networks:

Much remains unknown about moment-to-moment social-network cognition—that is, who comes to mind as we go about our day-to-day lives. Responding to this void, we describe the real-time construction ...
Should a Drain Be Routinely Required After Transperitoneal Robotic Partial Nephrectomy

Introduction: Closed drains have traditionally been placed after partial nephrectomy because of risks of bleeding and urine leak. We sought to study the safety of a nonroutine drain (NRD) approach ...
Active Apex Correction: An overview of the modified SHILLA technique and its clinical efficacy

Abstract Objective Provide current overview of Active Apex correction as a new technique for surgical management for Early Onset Scoliosis by dynamically remodulating the apex of the deformity and mitigate loss of correction and presents a comparative correction data against the long-established systems. Method Summary of the surgical technique and review of the existing retrospective data on APC surgical technique and its comparison against other existing techniques. Results Retrospective clinical results showed the efficiency of the APC technique in active remodulation of the apex of the curve with lower incidence of implant related complications in comparison to SHILLA and Magnetically Controlled Growing Rods (MCGR). APC also showed similar results with traditional growing rods without the need for repeated distraction surgeries for 4 years. Conclusion Active Apex Control is safe and viable option in surgical management for Early Onset Scoliosis patients even in areas with limited resources.
Liver Function Enzymes are Potential Predictive Markers for Kidney Allograft Dysfunction.

Introduction Biopsy of the allograft is the gold standard for assessing kidney allograft dysfunction. The aim of our pilot study was to identify serum biomarkers that could obviate the need for biopsy. Materials and methods We conducted a study to identify the biomarkers in the serum from different groups of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and kidney transplanted patients vs. healthy individuals. The four groups (n=25 in each group) were as follows: 1) Patients with unstable kidney allograft transplants requiring biopsy for cause, 2) Patients with stable kidney allograft transplants, 3) Patients with CKD not on immunosuppressive therapy and, 4) healthy subjects. We measured the activity and level of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and other liver enzymes (alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST)) as potential serum biomarkers in acute allograft dysfunction. Results We found that ALP correlated with allograft biopsy findings, liver function, and clinical outcomes and possibly graft survival. Additionally, AST and ALT were higher in patients with graft rejection compared to non-rejected and stable kidney transplants. Moreover, the low Pearson correlations (r- values) between ALP level with age (r=0.179), gender, body mass index (r=0.236), creatinine (r=0.044) or estimated glomerular filtration rate (r=0.048) suggest that ALP may be an independent biomarker which is relatively unaffected by other individual-level variables. Conclusion ALP may be a putative biomarker to predict kidney allograft function and rejection. Data also indicated that liver function plays an important role for the overall success of kidney transplantation.
All in the Family: How Parental Criticism Impacts Depressive Symptoms in Youth

Despite a strong connection between family environment and mood symptoms in youth, little research to date has examined potential underlying mechanisms. We propose an etiological model investigating how parenting (i.e., expressed emotion, or EE) affects youth depression by shaping their emotion regulation abilities. Forty-six youth and caregivers participated in this cross-sectional study. Family environment was assessed using the Five-Minute Speech Sample (FMSS) and the Levels of Expressed Emotion Scale (LEE). The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R) were used to assess youth emotion regulation and depressive symptoms, respectively. Analyses demonstrated no significant relationships between type of reporter (i.e., independent rater, parent, youth) of parental EE and criticism. Mediation analyses suggested that youth-reported parental EE predicted greater levels of youth depressive symptoms, and that this association was mediated by emotion regulation. This study has direct clinical implications, elucidating the importance of strengthening positive parent-child communication to support the development of emotion regulation skills and psychological well-being for youth.
Abstract PO-030: The harmala alkaloid harmine as a novel cancer cell radiosensitizer

Radiation therapy resistance remains a persistent clinical challenge in the treatment of multiple different cancer types. Better appreciation of novel molecular targets to improve radiation therapy efficacy is needed. TWIST1 is an epithelial-mesenchymal transcription factor whose expression is linked to therapy resistance, including radioresistance, in cancer. We have shown previously that the harmala alkaloid harmine degrades TWIST1 and possess anti-tumor activity. We hypothesized that harmine may radiosensitize cancer cells via downregulation of TWIST1. We examined the effects of harmine combined with radiation (RT) on two TWIST1 overexpressing tumor cell lines, A549 human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and the LMT mouse-derived hepatocellular cancer cell line (HCC), both with doxycycline-inducible Twist1 expression. We also used the LM mouse-derived HCC cell line without Twist1 expression as a control. In vitro assays for clonogenic survival, apoptosis, cell cycle distribution, γH2AX foci kinetics, and protein expression in pathways important for cancer cell survival and radioresistance were performed. Harmine alone exhibited anti-cancer activity irrespective of Twist1 expression as shown by decreased clonogenic survival. Harmine caused a supra-additive radiosensitization in all cancer cell lines with radiation enhancement ratios between 1.05 – 3.04. In vivo we are evaluating tumor growth delay and effects of combined harmine and RT treatment in a NSCLC hind-flank tumor growth model. Mechanistic elucidation of these results, studies on normal cells, and in vivo validation are ongoing. Citation Format: Caleb R.P. Smack, Audrey Lafargue, Christine Lam, Francesca A. Carrieri, Ismaeel Siddiqui, Hailun Wang, Phuoc T. Tran. The harmala alkaloid harmine as a novel cancer cell radiosensitizer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference on Radiation Science and Medicine; 2021 Mar 2-3. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2021;27(8_Suppl):Abstract nr PO-030.
Factors Influencing Barriers and Facilitators to In-home Video Telehealth for Dementia Management.

Objectives: Quality dementia care, which recognizes caregivers as vital care partners, is a scarce resource. Innovative solutions like video telehealth may increase the reach of extant clinicians; however, little is known about perceived barriers and facilitators to in-home video telehealth for dementia management from the perspectives of caregivers.Methods: Twenty-four caregivers of community-dwelling Veterans with dementia participated in semi-structured interviews. Questions gathered perceived facilitators and barriers to in-home video telehealth for dementia management through experience with related technology. Transcripts were analyzed using directed content analysis which was guided by factors previously identified as influencing older adults' adoption of technology.Results: Caregiver experience with related technology was mostly facilitative to video telehealth, which was thought best suited for follow-up care. Increased access and decreased patient-caregiver stress were potential benefits. Barriers included perceived limitations of video and the belief that persons with dementia would have limited ability to manage technological aspects and to engage in video telehealth on their own.Conclusions: This study improves our understanding of the factors that caregivers perceive as barriers and facilitators to in-home video telehealth for dementia management.Clinical Implications: Strategies to optimize video telehealth include capitalizing on caregivers' social network and providing targeted training.
Culture and visual perspective in mental time travel: the relations to psychological well-being

Current understanding of visual perspectives (i.e., first person vs third person) in mental time travel and their relations to psychological well-being is largely based on research with Western pop...
Comparative assessment of transvenous versus subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy outcomes: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Background Subcutaneous (S-ICD) and transvenous (TV-ICD) implantable cardioverter-defibrillator devices effectively reduce the incidence of sudden cardiac death in patients at a high risk of ventricular arrhythmias. This study aimed to evaluate the safe replacement of TV-ICD with S-ICD based on updated recent evidence. Methods We systematically searched EMBASE, JSTOR, PubMed/MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library on 30 July 2021 following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results We identified 26 studies that examined 7542 (58.27%) patients with S-ICD and 5400 (41.72%) with TV-ICD. The findings indicated that, compared to patients with TV-ICD, patients with S-ICD had a lower incidence of defibrillation lead failure (odds ratio [OR], 0.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01–0.98; p = 0.05), lead displacement or fracture (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.12–0.86; p = 0.0003), pneumothorax and/or hemothorax (OR: 0.22, 95% CI 0.05, 0.97, p = 0.05), device failure (OR: 0.70, 95% CI 0.51, 0.95, p = 0.02), all-cause mortality (OR: 0.44 [95% CI 0.32, 0.60], p Conclusions The S-ICD algorithm was safer and more effective than the TV-ICD system as it minimized the incidence of pocket complications, lead displacement or fracture, inappropriate sensing, defibrillation lead failure, pneumothorax/hemothorax, device failure, lead erosion, and all-cause mortality. Future studies should explore the scope of integrating novel algorithms with the current S-ICD systems to improve cardiovascular outcomes.
Optimum aeroelastic control via iterative neural network training for wind-resistant cyber–physical buildings

Abstract This research presents iterative optimum training (IOT), which integrates deep neural networks (DNNs) and population-based optimization techniques such as genetic algorithms (GAs). The proposed technique reduces the number of experiments needed for training without adding complexity compared with non-iterative DNN-GA techniques commonly used in the literature. In this work, IOT is used to train an optimal controller for minimizing wind-induced vibration (WIV) using distributed aerodynamic actuators. Wind tunnel experiments of a scaled cyber–physical aeroelastic building model are used to demonstrate a novel application of the technique. IOT trains a DNN to approximate building vibration at different wind conditions and actuator orientations using an initial set of experiments. After this initial training, a GA uses the DNN to predict actuator orientations that minimize WIV for the given wind condition. A group containing best orientations from the GA and uniform random orientations is used to perform additional experiments and training of the DNN to enhance exploitation and exploration. This process is repeated until the stopping criteria is achieved. This paper includes results of a benchmark study comparing IOT to GA and DNN-GA techniques. Experimental results show that IOT-based online control of the aeroelastic model reduces WIV acceleration amplitudes by up to 90% within 9.8 s upon controller activation.
Intracellular siderophore but not extracellular siderophore is required for full virulence in Metarhizium robertsii

Efficient iron acquisition mechanisms are fundamental for microbial survival in the environment and for pathogen virulence within their hosts. M. robertsii produces two known iron-binding natural products: metachelins, which are used to scavenge extracellular iron, and ferricrocin, which is strictly intracellular. To study the contribution of siderophore-mediated iron uptake and storage to M. robertsii fitness, we generated null mutants for each siderophore synthase gene (mrsidD and mrsidC, respectively), as well as for the iron uptake transcriptional repressor mrsreA. All of these mutants showed impaired germination speed, differential sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide, and differential ability to overcome iron chelation on growth-limiting iron concentrations. RT-qPCR data supported regulation of mrsreA, mrsidC, and mrsidD by supplied iron in vitro and during growth within the insect host, Spodoptera exigua. We also observed strong upregulation of the insect iron-binding proteins, transferrins, during infection. Insect bioassays revealed that ferricrocin is required for full virulence against S. exigua; neither the loss of metachelin production nor the deletion of the transcription factor mrsreA significantly affected M. robertsii virulence.
Attention Foreign Companies: The Fifth Circuit Is Armed with Authority to Deny Enforcement of a Foreign Reorganization Plan

In December 2010, Vitro, S.A.B. de C.V. (“Vitro”) filed a voluntary concurso proceeding, which is the Mexican version of a United States bankruptcy proceeding. In February 2012, the Mexican court approved Vitro's concurso plan (the “Plan”), which released Vitro's nondebtor subsidiaries' guaranty of Vitro's prepetition billion dollar note obligations. Shortly thereafter, Vitro invoked Chapter 15 of the Bankruptcy Code (the “Code”) to enforce its Plan in the United States. This action eventually presented the Fifth Circuit with an issue: Whether a U.S. bankruptcy court should enforce a foreign reorganization plan that was inconsistent with United States public policy. The Fifth Circuit constructed a framework (the “Framework”) to make this determination. Applying its Framework, the Fifth Circuit concluded that a non-consensual release of nondebtor subsidiaries' guaranty obligations is (1) not permissible under § 1521 of the Code; and (2) not allowable as “additional assistance” under § 1507 of the Code. Furthermore, the Fifth Circuit ruled that Vitro did not show the requisite extraordinary circumstances that would support such relief. In support of its holding, the Fifth Circuit emphasized that United States law generally precludes non-consensual nondebtor releases.
Convex hulls of superincreasing knapsacks and lexicographic orderings

We consider bounded integer knapsacks where the weights and variable upper bounds together form a superincreasing sequence. The elements of this superincreasing knapsack are exactly those vectors that are lexicographically smaller than the greedy solution to optimizing over this knapsack. We describe the convex hull of this n -dimensional set with O ( n ) facets. We also establish a distributive property by proving that the convex hull of ? - and ? -type superincreasing knapsacks can be obtained by intersecting the convex hulls of ? - and ? -sets taken individually. Our proofs generalize existing results for the 0 ? 1 case.
Quantification of ciliary beat frequency and metachrony by high-speed digital video.

Publisher Summary The quantification of ciliary activity depends on the detection and analysis of the rhythmic variation in light intensity of a microscope image induced by ciliary movement. This approach requires the simplification and optimization of signal contrast and waveform and its success depends on the photo-detection method, the microscope optics, and the type of cell preparation used. For beat frequency measurements, a single detector system consisting of a photomultiplier, phototransistor, or fiberoptic device is sufficient. For the analysis of ciliary metachrony, spatial information is essential and a system requires a multipoint detector such as a digital video camera. This chapter highlights the advantages and limitations of earlier techniques for measuring ciliary activity and describes the principles and methodology of an advanced high-speed digital video technique. Large light signal amplitude can be obtained from coordinated groups of active cilia of isolated or cultured cells with phase-contrast optics. The signal waveform needs to be simple and easily interpretable; however, cilia of isolated cells or epithelial sheets generally beat in a metachronal manner and this can result in a complicated signal waveform because of the orientation of the ciliary beat cycle with respect to the detector and the number of cilia simultaneously contributing to the signal. An improvement in signal waveform can be achieved by monitoring only the effective stroke by recording close to the ciliary tips. The chapter discusses quantification of ciliary metachronism and video techniques for measuring ciliary activity. The high-speed digital video photodetection technique discussed has a high temporal and spatial resolution that can be used for the measurement of ciliary beat frequency and metachrony. The combination of this technique with a fluorescence imaging system that can simultaneously measure intracellular ions or messengers provides a unique opportunity for investigation of the physiological control of ciliary activity.
Diameter determinations of radio supernovae and the distance scale

A new method of determining extragalactic distances and inferring Ho is presented. The method combines the determinations of radial expansion velocities of supernovae via optical spectroscopy and the determinations of angular expansion velocities via Very Long Baseline Interfer ometry (VLBI). The data of two recent supernovae, SN 1979c in the galaxy M100 and SN 1980k in the galaxy NGC 6946, have been analyzed. We obtained an estimate of the distance, D, to M100 of 11.4αv ≲ D [Mpc] ≲ 24.4αv and a lower limit of the distance to NGC 6946 of D > 2.3αv [Mpc] with the factor av coupling the expansion velocities of the “radiosphere” and the photosphere and being most likely ≲ 1. These distances are equivalent to 100x,1' Ho [km s−1 Mpc−1] ≲ 40α v −1 and Ho < 230α v t-1 1 km s−1 Mpc−1 for the two measurements, respectively.
Effects of Nephrotic Syndrome on the Family: A Controlled Study

The hypothesis that the parents and siblings of children with nephrotic syndrome are more likely to develop psychosocial problems than those of healthy children was tested. Seventy-nine siblings from 36 such families were compared with 79 healthy children from closely matched families using interviews, parent rating scales, teachers' reports, and psychological tests. Although few striking differences were found between the two groups, the findings suggest several areas of increased vulnerability among the parents and siblings of children with nephrosis. Parents often denied the existence of apparently stressful events, but the personality profiles of the siblings suggested decreased social confidence and a lesser degree of self-acceptance. Evidence of inhibition, such as less aggression and poorer academic performance, were also described in response to questions in the interview. These results should prove useful to clinicians in the management of families of children with this or other chronic illnesses.
Metastable structures in the initial stages of Si homoepitaxy

We discuss the growth of the first six atoms of an epitaxial Si island on Si(001). The nucleation of a six-atom island is observed to rely on a conversion between two metastable four-atom structures. These results suggest that metastable configurations play an important role in epitaxial growth.
Mechanism of Cake Buildup in Crossflow Filtration of Colloidal Suspensions

Abstract Experimental results are presented for the crossflow filtration of concentrated bentonite suspensions. It is proposed that the hydrodynamic forces acting on the suspended colloids determine the rate of cake buildup and, therefore, the fluid loss rate. A simple model is proposed that predicts a power law relationship between the filtration rate and the shear stress at the cake surface (q γ τ1/nw). This is found to be consistent with experimental data at different filtration times at various suspension flow rates using three different suspensions. The model shows that the cake formed will be inhomogeneous with smaller and smaller particles being deposited as filtration proceeds. An equilibrium cake thickness is achieved when no particles small enough to be deposited are available in the suspension. The cake thickness as a function of time can be computed from the model. It is also shown that for a given suspension rheology and flow rate there exists a critical permeability of the filter below which no cake will be formed. This critical permeability has been computed for our experiments. The model suggests that the equilibrium cake thickness can be precisely controlled by an appropriate choice of suspension flow rate and filter permeability. These observations have important implications in cross-flow filtration and in slip-casting of inorganic membranes.
Response-reinforcer relations and the hippocampus

The operant performance of intact rats is guided by response-reinforcer contingency but that of animals with hippocampal lesions is not. Despite this impairment, lesioned animals perform a number of tasks without difficulty. This experiment examines the possibility that response-reinforcer contiguity is the relationship upon which the operant performance of hippocampals is exclusively based. This hypothesis is tested in a yoked-control design where pellets are dispensed freely and responses are without effect on pellet delivery rate. The temporal patterning of deliveries is rearranged such that they become unpaired, paired, or random with respect to lever presses. Thus, contiguity is manipulated independently of contingency. The behavior of rats with hippocampal lesions was robustly superstitious, and contiguity effects were strong. Pairing channeled superstition into the lever press topography, while noncontiguity displaced the activities away from the lever. Random delivery resulted in intermediate rates of lever pressing.
Critical Role of Klf5 in Regulating Gene Expression during Post-Eyelid Opening Maturation of Mouse Corneas

Background: Klf5 plays an important role in maturation and maintenance of the mouse ocular surface. Here, we quantify WT and Klf5-conditional null (Klf5CN) corneal gene expression, identify Klf5-target genes and compare them with the previously identified Klf4-target genes to understand the molecular basis for non-redundant functions of Klf4 and Klf5 in the cornea. Methodology/Principal Findings: Postnatal day-11 (PN11) and PN56 WT and Klf5CN corneal transcriptomes were quantified by microarrays to compare gene expression in maturing WT corneas, identify Klf5-target genes, and compare corneal Klf4and Klf5-target genes. Whole-mount corneal immunofluorescent staining was employed to examine CD45+ cell influx and neovascularization. Effect of Klf5 on expression of desmosomal components was studied by immunofluorescent staining and transient co-transfection assays. Expression of 714 and 753 genes was increased, and 299 and 210 genes decreased in PN11 and PN56 Klf5CN corneas, respectively, with 366 concordant increases and 72 concordant decreases. PN56 Klf5CN corneas shared 241 increases and 98 decreases with those previously described in Klf4CN corneas. Xenobiotic metabolism related pathways were enriched among genes decreased in Klf5CN corneas. Expression of angiogenesis and immune response-related genes was elevated, consistent with neovascularization and CD45+ cell influx in Klf5CN corneas. Expression of 1574 genes was increased and 1915 genes decreased in WT PN56 compared with PN11 corneas. Expression of ECMassociated genes decreased, while that of solute carrier family members increased in WT PN56 compared with PN11 corneas. Dsg1a, Dsg1b and Dsp were down-regulated in Klf5CN corneas and their corresponding promoter activities were stimulated by Klf5 in transient co-transfection assays. Conclusions/Significance: Differences between PN11 and PN56 corneal Klf5-target genes reveal dynamic changes in functions of Klf5 during corneal maturation. Klf5 contributes to corneal epithelial homeostasis by regulating the expression of desmosomal components. Klf4- and Klf5-target genes are largely distinct, consistent with their non-redundant roles in the mouse cornea.