cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thromboembolism in patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP): a meta-analysis of observational studies

This meta-analysis describes the incidence rate of arterial and venous thromboembolism (ATE and VTE) in patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), and the relative risk of ATE and VTE in patients with ITP and comparable populations without ITP. MEDLINE and EMBASE were systematically searched for observational studies reporting incidence rates of ATE and VTE in populations with and without ITP between 1996 and 2013 [follow-up completed before thrombopoietin receptor (TPOr) agonists were commercially available]. Three large, population-based studies were identified from Denmark, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The incidence of ATE per 100 patient-years among patients with ITP ranged from 1.0 to 2.8, and among populations without ITP ranged from 0.7 to 1.8; the summary relative risk adjusted for matching factors (aRR) was 1.5 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.3, 1.8]. The incidence of VTE per 100 patient-years among patients with ITP ranged from 0.4 to 0.7, and among populations without ITP ranged from 0.1 to 0.4; the summary aRR (95 % CI) was 1.9 (1.4, 2.7). The risk of ATE and VTE among patients with ITP, based on evidence from three large, population-based observational studies, should be considered when evaluating the risk of thromboembolism attributed to ITP treatments, such as TPOr agonists.
Density Functional Theory Study of Methanol Steam Reforming on Co(0001) and Co(111) Surfaces

We report a periodic density functional theory (DFT) study of the methanol steam reforming (MSR) reaction on the Co(0001) and Co(111) surfaces. Thermochemistry and activation barriers for all elementary steps of two commonly accepted mechanisms, CH2O decomposition and H2COOH formation, were calculated along with the water gas shift (WGS) reaction. The adsorption energies on Co(0001) and Co(111) are within 0.05 eV for all the MSR intermediates examined, which suggests the same catalytic activity for both surfaces. On the basis of both the thermochemistry and barriers, CH2O decomposition into CHO and CO is favored over H2COOH formation on the Co(0001) surface. The strong CO binding on Co(0001) limits its WGS activity to convert CO into CO2. Our results of the MSR and WGS pathways suggest that Co will not show high selectivity toward CO2 for MSR, which matches the limited experimental data available. A simple Langmuir equilibrium model was applied to study the surface coverages on Co. The results show that O...
On modern distance education

Introduces the distance education' s status,characteristics,some functions which are needed and re-alization.
Application of ARIMA model on forecasting HFMD in Wuhan City

Objective To explore the application of auto regressive integrated moving average( ARIMA) on forecasting hand-footmouth disease( HFMD). Methods ARIMA model was fitted with the monthly incidence rate of HFMD from 2009- 2013,and the monthly incidence rate from January to August,2014 for HFMD was predicted. Results The model of ARIMA( 1,0,0) ×( 1,1,0)12fitted well with the incidence series in the past period of time,and the results were basically similar to the actual incidence.Conclusion ARIMA model can be used to fit the trends,and make forecasts of HFMD on time series.
Study on Trip Caused by Lightning of Anhui Power Grid 220kV Transmission Lines

This paper makes statistic of the lightning faultily tripping of Anhui 220kV transmission lines and analyzes the reason of faultily tripping,also it puts forward the rationalization suggestion for operating and maintenance of transmission lines.
Wearing a cap, thermoregulation, and thermal sensation during running in a hot environment.

AIM The aim of this study was to determine if wearing a cap negatively alters thermoregulation or thermal sensation during prolonged running in the heat. METHODS Nine well-trained runners ran for 1 hour at 67% VO(2)max in a hot environment (T(a) =31 degrees Celsius, RH=41%) wearing (CAP) or not wearing (NOCAP) a white cotton/polyester running cap. During both running trials, subjects consumed 2 mL x kg(-1) of cold water every 15 minutes. Thermal balance was assessed using rectal (T(re)) and skin temperatures (T(sk)) as well as measurement of whole-body sweat loss and thermal sensation of the head and of the overall body (8-point scale). RESULTS There were no significant differences in T(re), T(sk) or whole-body sweat loss between conditions. When compared to NOCAP, forehead skin temperature increased more during CAP (P<0.05). Although there were no differences in ratings of thermal sensation of the overall body between treatments, ratings of thermal sensation of the head were higher (P<0.05) during CAP. There were no differences in heart rate or rating of perceived exertion between conditions. CONCLUSIONS. Despite higher ratings of thermal sensation of the head and higher forehead skin temperatures when wearing a cap during prolonged running in the heat, thermoregulation was not otherwise negatively altered.
Clinicians' Adherence to Guidelines on Evaluation of Hypertension in Children and Adolescents.

Background:Hypertension is increasingly prevalent among children. We sought to review provider adherence to the National High Blood Pressure Education Program (NHBPEP) recommendations at a single a...
The neodymium-yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser in urology.

SUMMARY As an exciting and powerful new modality, the Nd:YAG laser already has an established place in the urologic armamentarium. Its uses are limited and its advantages over conventional therapy yet to be convincingly established in some areas of application, but the laser spans open and endoscopic applications and is revolutionizing the craft of surgery. Urology is at the forefront of this pioneering effort.
Background and Origin of the Washington Group: Improving the State of Disability Data

The purpose of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics (WG) is to develop standard forms of population-based disability measures, comparable across cultures and countries, for individual country use and for use in international comparisons. This chapter reviews how the WG was started, including the original U.N. meeting which resulted in the creation of the WG, the content of the group’s first meeting, and the early decisions made by the group that have guided the WG work since its inception in 2001.
Vaccination practices in patients with inflammatory bowel disease among general internal medicine physicians in the USA

Background Increasing prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) poses significant challenges to medical community. Preventive medicine, including vaccination against opportunistic infections, is important in decreasing morbidity and mortality in patients with IBD. We conduct first study to evaluate general awareness and adherence to immunisation guidelines by primary care physicians in the USA. Methods We administered an electronic questionnaire to the research panel of the American College of Physicians (ACP) assessing current vaccination practices, barriers to vaccination and provider responsibility for administering vaccinations and compared responses with the European Crohn9s and Colitis Organization consensus guidelines and expert opinion from the USA. Results All of surveyed physicians (276) had experience with patients with IBD and spent majority of their time in direct patient care. 49% of physicians took immunisation history frequently or always, and 76% reported never or rarely checking immunisation antibody titres with only 2% doing so routinely. 65% of physicians believed that primary care providers (PCPs) were responsible for determining patient9s immunisation. Vaccine administration was felt to be the duty of primary care doctor 80% of the time. 2.5% of physicians correctly recommended vaccinations all the time. Physicians were more likely to recommend vaccination to immunocompetent than immunocompromised patients. Up to 23% of physicians would incorrectly recommend live vaccine to immunocompromised patients with IBD. Conclusions Current knowledge and degree of comfort among PCPs in the USA in preventing opportunistic infections in IBD population remain low. Management of patients with IBD requires structured approach to their healthcare maintenance in everyday practice, including enhanced educational policy aimed at primary care physicians.
Effects of an integrated geriatric group balance class within an entry-level Doctorate of Physical Therapy program on students’ perceptions of geriatrics and geriatric education in the United States

This study was aimed at determining the effect of an integrated group balance class for community-dwelling older adults within entry-level physical therapist coursework on student perceptions of geriatric physical therapy and geriatric physical therapy education. Twenty-nine Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students, 21-33 years old, in their second year of coursework in 2012, participated in an integrated clinical experience with exposure to geriatric patients at an outpatient facility at the Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Akron, Ohio, USA. Student perceptions were collected before and after participation in the 8-week balance class. The Wilcoxon sign-ranked test was used to identify differences in perceptions after participation in the group balance class. Cohen's d values were calculated to measure the size of the pre-participation to post-participation effect for each measure. At the conclusion of the group class, the DPT students demonstrated an increase in positive perceptions of geriatric physical therapy in 8 measures, with small effect sizes (d=0.15-0.30). Two perceptions of geriatric physical therapy demonstrated a significant positive increase (P<.05) with moderate effect sizes (d=0.47 and d=0.50). The students' perceptions of geriatric education in the curriculum demonstrated a large positive effect for quality (d=1.68) and enjoyment (d=1.96). Positive changes were found in most of the perceptions of geriatrics and geriatric education after participation, suggesting that integrated clinical experiences with geriatric patients are an effective way to positively influence perceptions of physical therapist practice with older adults.
Early recurrence in glioblastoma.

e13032 Background: Current standard treatment for glioblastoma (GBM) consists of surgical resection, radiotherapy of 6000 cGy to the tumor bed and concomitant then adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ). Median survival on this regimen is 14 months. Early recurrence on imaging studies can be conflicted with treatment effect. Six patients are presented who recurred locally within 7 months of diagnosis despite optimal treatment, in an effort to determine molecular characteristics of patients with early progression. Methods: Three patients underwent gross total tumor resection, 3 underwent subtotal resection. All received IMRT totaling 6000 cGy with concomitant TMZ, followed by adjuvant TMZ. Ages ranged from 23 to 71, median 56. Time to radiographic recurrence was 3 to 7 months, median 4.8 months. There are 5 males and one female. Tumor methylation status and other markers are presented. Results: Three of the 6 patients were re-operated and pathology consistent with recurrent GBM. The remaining 3 progressed neurologica...
Hypertext versus footnotes: High School English Learners’ Online Reading Recall

This study considers forty adolescent English Language Learners who read a passage online containing additional information available through either hypertext links or footnotes. Participants were attending a special high school for English learners at the time of the study. Two versions of the text were offered, one with hypertext and the other with footnotes, and participants were randomly assigned to the footnote or hypertext condition. Answers to multiple choice questions showed no significant difference between groups in recall of the reading under the two conditions, in contrast with an earlier study of learners in higher education settings whose recall of reading with hypertext was significantly lower than with footnotes. Learners’ ratings of perceived comprehensibility of the 2 texts was also not significantly different. Additional interpretive data came from focus group interviews involving all of the participants.
Toward Useful Assessment and Evaluation of Heritage Language Learning.

With a growing population of heritage language speakers in the United States and an increasing enrollment of heritage language learners (HLLs) in language classrooms (Beaudrie & Ducar, 2012; Carreira & Kagan, 2011), heritage language (HL) education has become a special concern within the language acquisition research community. Although there has been a proliferation of studies in this field, research oriented toward assessment and evaluation in HL education has been limited. This article addresses three major areas of research on the design and implementation of assessment for adult HLLs and the evaluation of the programs that serve them. First, the article examines the considerable ongoing discussion of appropriate HL assessments, in particular the applicability of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines (ACTFL, 2012). Next, it examines investigations of different sociocultural factors that may predict HL proficiency. Finally, the article considers the small but growing line of research on the evaluation of HL programs, often conducted through national-level surveys or through the systematic evaluation of HL programs. Developing from these existing lines of inquiry, the review offers a number of recommendations to improve future research in this area.
Effect of Root-Applied IBA on Root and Shoot Growth of Dwarf Peach Trees

Roots of 1-year old dwarf (Prunus persica ‘July Elberta’ budded on Prunus tomentosa) peach trees were dipped in solutions of 100 ppm indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) with and without starch-polyacrylate gel in the treatment solution prior to planting in beds of 1:1 peat:perlite or in the field. Four weeks after treatment, plants treated with 100 ppm IBA with or without gel had 4 to 5 × the dry weight of new roots as did controls. Treatment with 100 ppm IBA plus gel increased the number of new roots by 62% over controls. During the first season in the field, plants treated with gel with or without IBA produced longer shoots than controls. During the second season, plants originally treated with 100 ppm IBA alone produced significantly longer shoots than any other treatment while those treated with IBA/gel were not different from controls. In a separate expenment, DMSO (dunethyl sulfoxide) and DMF (dimethyl formamide) at 0.4% in the treatment solution had no apparent influence on IBA-induced root initiation.
Unraveling Binding Interactions between Human RANKL and Its Decoy Receptor Osteoprotegerin

Recent studies have revealed the importance and the active contribution of the RANKL/OPG/RANK pathway in many bone diseases including different forms of common osteoporosis. In this study, we present an extensive atomistic molecular dynamic study of the OPG/RANKL system. Within the molecular models, we varied the number of OPG molecules bound to the RANKL trimer and carried out a study to determine how the binding affinity of the OPG/RANKL system changes as a function of OPG concentration. The molecular mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann surface area method was used to analyze binding free energies. It is shown that the binding affinity decreases with increasing numbers of OPG molecules. Additionally, conformational changes of RANKL, interactions between the N-terminus outlier module of OPG with RANKL, and residues that play an important role in the binding of OPG to RANKL trimer were investigated. A probable cause for unfavorable binding for a third OPG molecule was found. Along with the currently available exp...
COMPARISON OF THE TALK TEST AND PERCENT HEART RATE RESERVE FOR EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION

Exercise intensity is traditionally prescribed using %HRmax, %HRR, %VO2max, or %VO2R. Recently,the Talk Test (TT) has been proposed as an alternative method to guide exercise intensity. However, it is unknown if prescribing exercise intensity solely using the TT can provoke training responses that are comparable to traditional guidelines. This study compared the responses to training using either the TT or %HRR. Forty-four subjects (17 males and 27 females: age=20.4±3.02 years; body height=170.5±9.79 cm; body weight=71.9±13.63 kg) completed an incremental maximal cycle ergometer test, were stratified by VO2max and gender, and randomly assigned to training groups guided by either %HRR (n=20) or the TT (n=24). Both groups completed 40-minute training sessions three days per week for 10 weeks. In the HRR group, exercise intensity was targeted (per ACSM guidelines) at 40-59% HRR for weeks 1-4, 50-59% HRR for weeks 5-8, and 60-79% HRR for weeks 9-10. In the TT group, exercise intensity was targeted at the highest power output (PO) that still allowed for comfortable speech. Changes in VO2max, peak power output (PPO), VO2 at ventilatory threshold (VT), and PO at VT were compared between the groups using two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. There were significant (p 0.05) interaction effect. Guiding exercise prescription using the TT is a simple and effective method for prescribing exercise intensity and elicits improvements in exercise performance that are comparable to the traditional %HRR guidelines.Key words: training, ventilatory threshold, aerobic capacity, session RPE, enjoyability
Abnormal Screening Mammogram

A 40-year-old woman sees her doctor for an annual physical exam. She is healthy and does not take any medications. She has a family history of breast cancer. Her physical examination is normal with no palpable breast masses. Her doctor recommends that she gets a screening mammography as part of her routine health maintenance screening, which she agrees to do. A week later, she gets a call from her doctor to inform her that she had an abnormal mammogram (BI-RADS 4). Her left breast was found to have multiple clusters of fine linear microcalcifications, with the largest cluster measuring 2 mm in diameter.
Abstract P414: The Interrelations Between Serum Uric Acid, Silent Myocardial Infarction and Mortality in the General Population

Background: Whether elevated uric acid (UA) is associated with silent myocardial infarction (SMI) or whether their joint association predicts an increased risk of mortality has not been explored. M...
O CURSO "FAVELAS: LAW, MARGINALIZATION, AND DEVELOPMENT” – UM EXPERIMENTO PEDAGÓGICO

O curso “Favelas: Law, Marginalization, and Development” foi desenvolvido no ano de 2014 para a graduacao da Escola de Direito da Fundacao Getulio Vargas do Rio de Janeiro (FGV Direito Rio). Trata-se de um curso interdisciplinar cujo objetivo e discutir como o direito molda discursos e praticas relacionados a comunidades urbanas em situacao de vulnerabilidade. O curso propoe fazer isso a partir da realidade da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, em suas especificidades historicas e sociologicas locais e sob uma perspectiva global. Enquanto parte de um projeto pedagogico inovador, o curso inclui ângulos disciplinares variados e foi ministrado em ingles, como parte do esforco de internacionalizacao da FGV Direito Rio. Neste artigo, descrevo o programa e seus objetivos, apontando desafios teoricos e praticos, e mostro como o curso contribuiu para aquele projeto pedagogico.
GRASP‐Pro: imProving GRASP DCE‐MRI through self‐calibrating subspace‐modeling and contrast phase automation

PURPOSE To propose a highly accelerated, high-resolution dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) technique called GRASP-Pro (golden-angle radial sparse parallel imaging with imProved performance) through a joint sparsity and self-calibrating subspace constraint with automated selection of contrast phases. METHODS GRASP-Pro reconstruction enforces a combination of an explicit low-rank subspace-constraint and a temporal sparsity constraint. The temporal basis used to construct the subspace is learned from an intermediate reconstruction step using the low-resolution portion of radial k-space, which eliminates the need for generating the basis using auxiliary data or a physical signal model. A convolutional neural network was trained to generate the contrast enhancement curve in the artery, from which clinically relevant contrast phases are automatically selected for evaluation. The performance of GRASP-Pro was demonstrated for high spatiotemporal resolution DCE-MRI of the prostate and was compared against standard GRASP in terms of overall image quality, image sharpness, and residual streaks and/or noise level. RESULTS Compared to GRASP, GRASP-Pro reconstructed dynamic images with enhanced sharpness, less residual streaks and/or noise, and finer delineation of the prostate without prolonging reconstruction time. The image quality improvement reached statistical significance (P < 0.05) in all the assessment categories. The neural network successfully generated contrast enhancement curves in the artery, and corresponding peak enhancement indexes correlated well with that from the manual selection. CONCLUSION GRASP-Pro is a promising method for rapid and continuous DCE-MRI. It enables superior reconstruction performance over standard GRASP and allows reliable generation of artery enhancement curve to guide the selection of desired contrast phases for improving the efficiency of GRASP MRI workflow.
Research on an algorithm for delay time of aircraft ground refueling system

On the basis of network algorithm and time differential method,a calculation model applied to solve the simulation problem of refueling delay time for ground refueling System was established,In view of the actual demands,a numerical solution is given for a certain aircraft ground pressure refueling system.The calculation method has been successfully applied to solve the simulation problem of refueling delay time.The result validates that the calculation model presented in this thesis satisfies the design standard and it is approved to be available.
Eccentric training with a powered rowing machine

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of eccentric workloads generated by a powered rowing machine on the cardiorespiratory, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. It was hypothesized that beneficial physiological effects would result by training with high eccentric workloads. Conventional rowing machines are utilized for performance improvements through concentric workloads alone; however for this research, a conventional machine was modified with an electric motor and an advanced control system to allow the machine to also include eccentric capabilities. The ability to combine concentric and eccentric actions in any exercise has the potential to improve training effectiveness. The study followed an experimental design, exposing ten subjects (5 male, 5 female) to multiple eccentric workloads generated by the powered rowing machine. Each subject participated in two 12-min exercise trials corresponding to full body row (FBR) and low body row (LBR). Each of these trials included four 3-min stages that gradually increased the eccentric workload. Increased eccentric muscle contractions and metabolic cost were confirmed in the experiments. The results on oxygen consumption reveal a significant increase between stages 1 and 2 for both exercises (FBR p = 0.0001 and LBR p = 0.004 ) with no significant increases between the remaining stages. Results on heart rate reveal a significantly increase with each stage for both exercises ( p 0.05 ). Results on muscle activation also reveal an overall increase for all muscle groups as eccentric workload is increased.
Release of Anterior Longitudinal Ligament in Setting of Unfavorable Vascular Anatomy for Anterior Column Realignment—Technical Note: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

Anterior column realignment (ACR) with anterior longitudinal ligament (ALL) release from a lateral transpsoas approach is increasingly being used as a minimally invasive technique to restore lordosis. Safe execution requires a plane between the ALL and the anterior vasculature. An unfavorable plane on preoperative imaging is a contraindication to using the technique. We describe a patient undergoing multistage minimally invasive correction of a flat-back deformity who had an unfavorable plane between the ALL and vasculature at L4-5. Patient consent was provided, and Institutional Review Board approval was not required. To safely complete the ALL release and ACR, we elected to sharply incise the lateral aspect of the ligament at L4-5 with direct control of the vessels during the anterior approach for an L5-S1 anterior lumbar interbody fusion. We then moved to the lateral transpsoas approach and used controlled distraction techniques to complete the ALL release and then to complete the ACR in a standard fashion. We ultimately achieved excellent realignment with correction of the patient's flat-back deformity using minimally invasive surgical techniques while minimizing vascular risk. Used with permission from Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona.
Incidence and Survival by Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Status in Young Women With Stage I-III Breast Cancer: SEER, 2010-2016.

Abstract Background Young premenopausal women with breast cancer often experience more aggressive disease biology and poorer survival than older women. Diagnostic and therapeutic advances, including human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-directed therapy, may lessen treatment burden and improve survival for these young women, but contemporary incidence and survival data by HER2 status are limited. Patients and Methods We identified women aged 20-49 years (n = 68,530) diagnosed with stage I-III breast cancer during 2010-2016 from the United States Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 registries database. Age-adjusted average annual percent changes in incidence (diagnosis 2010-2016) and 5-year Kaplan-Meier survival curves (diagnosis 2010-2015) were estimated by HER2 and hormone receptor (HR) status and stratified independently by cancer stage and race/ethnicity. Results With increasing age decade, proportions of HER2−/HR+ cancer increased, whereas proportions of HER2+/HR+, HER2+/HR−, and HER2−/HR− decreased. The greatest increases in incidence during 2010-2016 were observed for HER2+ among women aged 20-49 years and HER2−/HR− among women aged 20-29 years. Incidence decreased for HER2−/HR− among women aged 40-49 years. Five-year survival was lowest for HER2−/HR− status compared to other receptor-based subtypes among women aged 20-49 years. HER2+ status was more beneficial for 5-year survival than HR+ status among women aged 20-29 years, with the opposite observed among women aged 30-49 years, particularly those aged 40-49 years. Conclusion HER2+ breast cancer increased among premenopausal women and was also associated with higher early survival within each HR status. HER2−/HR− cancer also increased among women aged 20-29 years and was associated with lower early survival. Our contemporary data provide important insights to help inform preventive and therapeutic strategies for premenopausal women.
Hydrating the Respiratory Tract: An Alternative Explanation Why Masks Lower Severity of COVID-19 Disease

Abstract Seasonality of respiratory diseases has been linked, among other factors, to low outdoor absolute humidity and low relative humidity in indoor environments, which increase evaporation of water in the mucosal layer lining the respiratory tract. We demonstrate that normal breathing results in an absorption-desorption cycle inside facemasks, where super-saturated air is absorbed by the mask fibers during expiration, followed by evaporation during inspiration of dry environmental air. For double-layered cotton masks, which have considerable heat capacity, the temperature of inspired air rises above room temperature, and the effective increase in relative humidity can exceed 100%. We propose that the recently reported, disease-attenuating effect of generic facemasks is dominated by the strong humidity increase of inspired air. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Facemasks are the most widely used tool for mitigating the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Decreased disease severity by the wearer has also been linked to the use of cloth facemasks. This well-documented finding is surprising considering that such masks are poor at filtering the smallest aerosol particles, which can reach the lower respiratory tract and have been associated with severe disease. We show that facemasks strongly increase the effective humidity of inhaled air, thereby promoting hydration of the respiratory epithelium which is known to be beneficial to the immune system. Increased humidity of inspired air could be an alternate explanation for the now well-established link between mask wearing and lower disease severity.
Next-Generation Immunotherapies to Improve Anticancer Immunity

Checkpoint inhibitors are widely used immunotherapies for advanced cancer. Nonetheless, checkpoint inhibitors have a relatively low response rate, work in a limited range of cancers, and have some unignorable side effects. Checkpoint inhibitors aim to reinvigorate exhausted or suppressed T cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, the TME contains various other immune cell subsets that interact to determine the fate of cytotoxic T cells. Activation of cytotoxic T cells is initiated by antigen cross-presentation of dendritic cells. Dendritic cells could also release chemokines and cytokines to recruit and foster T cells. B cells, another type of antigen-presenting cell, also foster T cells and can produce tumor-specific antibodies. Neutrophils, a granulocyte cell subset in the TME, impede the proliferation and activation of T cells. The TME also consists of cytotoxic innate natural killer cells, which kill tumor cells efficiently. Natural killer cells can eradicate major histocompatibility complex I-negative tumor cells, which escape cytotoxic T cell-mediated destruction. A thorough understanding of the immune mechanism of the TME, as reviewed here, will lead to further development of more powerful therapeutic strategies. We have also reviewed the clinical outcomes of patients treated with drugs targeting these immune cells to identify strategies for improvement and possible immunotherapy combinations.
Socially Distanced: A Keepsake Journal: by Robert Stern, Henderson, NV, SOCIALLYDISTANCEDJOURNALcom (self-published), 2020, 32 pp., $9.95 (softcover), ISBN: 9780980 198881

Socially Distanced: A Keepsake Journal is just what its title describes. This short paperback is a timely tool in today’s pandemic that is dedicated to the health-care providers and those others wh...
HLA Gene Expression Mediates Tumor Immunogenicity and Escape

Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) expression contributes to the activation of anti-tumor immunity through interactions with T cell receptors. However, pan-cancer HLA expression in tumors has not been systematically studied. In a retrospective analysis using the Cancer Genome Atlas, we quantified HLA class I and class II expression across 33 tumor types, which strongly correlated with infiltration of various immune cell types, expression of pro-inflammatory genes, and immune checkpoint markers. Patients with high HLA allelic diversity and gene expression had better survival. Immune microenvironments could be predicted using a neural network model trained on HLA expression data with varied survival outcomes. Furthermore, we identified a subset of tumors which upregulated HLA class I but not class II genes and exploited HLA-mediated escape strategies. Our results suggest the potential of using HLA expression data to predict immunogenicity. Taken together, we emphasize the crucial role of HLA upregulation in shaping prolonged anti-tumor immunity. HighlightsO_LISystematic analysis of HLA gene expression across 33 cancer types. C_LIO_LIA machine learning model trained on HLA expression data predicts immunogenicity. C_LIO_LIHLA upregulation correlates with cell-mediated immunity and improved survival. C_LIO_LIA subset of highly immunogenic tumors exhibit HLA-mediated tumor escape. C_LI
A Climbing Robot for Steel Bridge Inspection

As an effort of automating the bridge inspection process, this paper presents a new development of an adaptable tank-like robot, which can climb on steel structures to collect data and perform inspection. While most current steel climbing mobile robots are designed to work on flat steel surface, our proposed tank-like robot design is capable of climbing on different steel structural shapes (e.g., cylinder, cube) by using reciprocating mechanism and magnetic roller-chains. The developed robot can pass through the joints and transition from one surface to the other (e.g., from flat to curving surfaces). A prototype robot integrating multiple sensors (hall-effects, IR, IMU, Eddy current and cameras), has been developed by coping with variety of strict concerns including tight dimension, effective adhesive and climbing adaptation. Rigorous analysis of robot kinematics, adhesive force, sliding and turn-over failure and motor power has been conducted to certify the stability of the proposed design. The theory calculations can serve as an useful framework for designing future steel climbing robots. The cameras and Eddy current sensor is integrated on Robot for visual and in-depth fatigue crack inspection of steel structures. Experimental results and field deployments on more than twenty steel bridges confirm the adhesive, climbing, inspection capability of the robot. Video of this deployment can be seen in this link: https://youtu.be/1Wl9Trd3EoM .
Testing Whether Suicide Capability Has a Dynamic Propensity: The Role of Affect and Arousal on Momentary Fluctuations in Suicide Capability.

To prevent suicidal behaviors, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms and processes that enable an individual to act on suicidal thoughts. Suicide capability, which involves an increased pain tolerance and fearlessness of death, is a critical factor that enables an individual to endure the physical pain necessary to make a lethal suicide attempt (Joiner, 2005; Klonsky & May, 2015). Extant research has largely conceptualized suicide capability as developing linearly in response to painful and provocative experiences, but the emerging literature on the temporal dynamics of suicide has been challenging the notion of linearity in suicide risk. Few studies have directly measured and compared changes in suicide capability in response to rumination on different affective states. We sought to experimentally test if rumination in the context of low vs. high arousal emotions will prompt distinct changes in two core components of suicide capability: pain tolerance and fearlessness of death on two undergraduate student samples. In both studies, participants provided measures of subjective emotional state as well as pain threshold, tolerance, and persistence before and after completing experimental manipulations which included both emotion and rumination induction procedures. In the second study, measures of fearlessness about death and physiological arousal (heart rate) were added to the experimental procedures. We found significant decreases in pain threshold, tolerance, and persistence following the experimental manipulations but found no main effects of rumination or suicide risk. These findings suggest that suicide capability can fluctuate but these changes may occur through a different mechanism and/or differ between individuals at varying levels of suicide risk.
Design and characterization of a fluorogenic substrate selectively hydrolyzed by stromelysin 1 (matrix metalloproteinase-3)

Members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family have been implicated in disease states such as arthritis, periodontal disease, and tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Stromelysin 1 (MMP-3) has a broad substrate specificity and participates in the activation of several MMP zymogens. We examined known sequences of MMP-3 cleavage sites in natural peptides and proteins and compared sequence specificities of MMP-3 and interstitial collagenase (MMP-1) in order to design fluorogenic substrates that (i) would be hydrolyzed rapidly by MMP-3, (ii) would discriminate between MMP-3 and MMP-1, and (iii) could be monitored continuously without interference from MMP amino acid residues. Designed substrates were then screened for activity toward MMP-1, gelatinase A (MMP-2), MMP-3, and gelatinase B (MMP-9). The first of these substrates, NFF-1 (Mca-Pro-Lys-Pro-Gln-Gln-Phe-Phe-Gly-Leu-Lys-(Dnp)-Gly, where Mca is (7-methoxycoumarin-4-yl)acetyl and Dnp is 2,4-dinitrophenyl), was hydrolyzed equally well by MMP-3 and MMP-2 (kcat/Km approximately 11,000 s-1 M-1). MMP-1 had 25% of the activity of MMP-3 toward NFF-1. The second substrate, NFF-2 (Mca-Arg-Pro-Lys-Pro-Tyr-Ala-Nva-Trp-Met-Lys(Dnp)-NH2, where Nva is norvaline), was hydrolyzed 60 times more rapidly by MMP-3 (kcat/Km = 59,400 s-1 M-1) than MMP-1. Unfortunately, NFF-2 showed little discrimination between MMP-3, MMP-2 (kcat/Km = 54,000 s-1 M-1), and MMP-9 (kcat/Km = 55,300 s-1 M-1). The third substrate, NFF-3 (Mca-Arg-Pro-Lys-Pro-Val-Glu-Nva-Trp-Arg-Lys(Dnp)-NH2), was hydrolyzed rapidly by MMP-3 (kcat/Km = 218,000 s-1 M-1) and very slowly by MMP-9 (kcat/Km = 10,100 s-1 M-1), but there was no significant hydrolysis by MMP-1 and MMP-2. NFF-3 is the first documented synthetic substrate hydrolyzed by only certain members of the MMP family and thus has important application for the discrimination of MMP-3 activity from that of other MMPs. Although NFF-3 was designed by assuming that substrate subsites were independent and hence free energy changes derived from single mutation experiments were additive, we found discrepancies between predicted and experimental kcat/Km values, one on the order of 2000-5000. Thus, the design of additional discriminatory MMP substrates may require approaches other than assuming additive free energy changes, such as screening synthetic libraries and consideration of secondary and tertiary structures of substrates and the enzyme.
A WKB-Type Approximation to the Schrödinger Equation

A method of approximating solutions of the one-dimensional Schr\"odinger equation is presented in this paper. The method closely resembles the usual WKB approximation. Whereas in the ordinary WKB method the exponential function is used as the basis of the approximation, in this paper the solutions of an arbitrary Schr\"odinger equation are used. The general advantage is that by proper choice of the arbitrary equation an improved approximation can be obtained. The method is illustrated by treating the potential well and potential barrier problems when there are two turning points. The approximations to the wave functions are continuous even across the turning points. The barrier transmission problem is treated uniformly for energies above and below the peak of the barrier.
"The function of role-playing games," by Sarah Lynne Bowman

Review of Sarah Lynne Bowman, The functions of role-playing games: How participants create community, solve problems, and explore identity. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2010. $35.00 (216p) ISBN 978-0786447107.
Gallium nitrate as a novel agent for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma: Targets and mechanisms of action

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 5879 Background: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a clinically aggressive malignancy characterized by an overexpression of cyclin D1. Since effective treatment options for MCL are limited, we examined the potential of the drug gallium nitrate (GaN) as a therapeutic agent for this disease. Methods and Results: Our studies revealed that over a 48-h incubation, GaN inhibited the proliferation of MCL cell lines HB12, JVM2, Z138C, and Granta with IC50s of 50, 85, 100, and 400 μM, respectively. Cellular transferrin receptor (TfR) expression, a known target for Ga uptake, was measured by transferrin (Tf) binding assay and found to be lower in Granta cells (least sensitive to GaN) and higher in the other cell lines more sensitive to GaN. TfR affinity for Tf, as determined by Scatchard analysis, was similar in all cell lines. Radiogallium (Ga-67) uptake by individual MCL cell lines did not correlate with their relative differences in sensitivity to GaN, suggesting that gallium’s cytotoxicity is ultimately determined by its action on intracellular targets rather than its uptake per se . In all cell lines, GaN, at concentrations of 100 and 200 μM, inhibited cellular iron uptake over 24 h by 26-36% and 35-47% respectively. However, this effect on iron uptake did not explain the differences in Ga-induced growth inhibition among the cell lines. Analyses with Western blotting, flow cytometry and functional assays revealed that GaN produced a dose-dependent decrease in cyclin D1 expression, an increase in proapoptotic Bax expression and an activation of caspase-3. No effect of GaN on Bcl-2 levels was noted, nor was a correlation found between endogenous steady-state Bcl-2 expression and cell sensitivity to GaN. Cells exposed to GaN displayed an increase in their ability to generate fluorescent dichlorofluorescein (DCF) from nonfluorescent carboxy-H2DCF diacetate, consistent with the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within these cells. Bortezomib, a proteosome inhibitor with clinical activity in MCL, significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of GaN in Granta cells but not in the other cell lines more sensitive to GaN. After a 48-h incubation, Granta cell growth inhibition was 18% with GaN 200 μM, 36% with bortezomib 4 nM, and 76% with the combination of both drugs. The addition of bortezomib to cells incubated with GaN also increased cellular ROS production and caspase-3 activity. Conclusions: Our studies indicate that GaN induces apoptosis in MCL cells through mechanisms that involve an increase in Bax levels, the generation of ROS, and a downregulation of cyclin D1. Since cyclin D1 plays a key role in the pathogenesis of MCL, the ability of GaN to decrease its level suggests that this drug may have preferential clinical activity against MCL. Furthermore, since the cytotoxicity of GaN can be enhanced by bortezomib, clinical trials using these two drugs in combination to treat MCL should be considered.
Escape Time Weighting of Unstable Stationary Solutions of Spatiotemporal Chaos

By computing 254 unstable stationary solutions of the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation in the extensive chaos regime (Lyapunov fractal dimension D=8.8), we find that 30% satisfy the symmetry of the time-average pattern of the spatiotemporal chaos. Using a symmetry pruning of unstable stationary solutions, the escape-time weighting average converges to the time-average pattern of the chaotic attractor as O(1/N), where N is the total number of unstable stationary solutions and unstable periodic orbits in the average.
The Effect of Local Baroclinic Instability on Zonal Inhomogeneities of Vorticity and Temperature

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the effect of local baroclinic instability on zonal inhomogeneities of vorticity and temperature. The summary of a storm track as deduced from the linear local baroclinic instability theory is presented. The peak amplitude of the eddies is situated well downstream of the region of maximum baroclinicity of the basic-state flow. Although the maximum westward vertical phase shift occurs at the point of maximum baroclinicity and decreases monotonically with downstream distance, the greatest meridional heat flux occurs in the diffluent region of the jet, somewhat upstream of the site of maximum eddy amplitude. The heat fluxes tend to weaken the large-scale thermal wind in the diffluent region. The vorticity fluxes act to accelerate the barotropic component of the jet at the beginning of the storm track and decelerate it at the downstream end. It is found that the weakened westerlies or low-level easterlies typically found in blocking regions serve to enhance the localization of eddy activity in the block with attendant enhancement of the diffluent pattern.
Plumage-based phylogenetic analyses of the Merops bee-eaters

I review previous systematic work on the family Meropidae and present phylogenetic hypotheses derived from my analyses of colour, pattern and shape variation in 30 plumage regions among species and subspecies in this family. Consistent patterns are seen across shallow portions of the trees. Uncertainty remains concerning the placement of several deep branches within this group's phylogeny. In particular, the phylogenetic placement of Meropogon forsteni and Merops breweri, M. ornatus, M. hirundineus and M. boehmi remains uncertain. The biogeographical patterns in the resultant trees are similar with either a Southeast Asian or African origin for the family, with most of the early diversification occurring in Africa, and with multiple independent subsequent invasions of non-African areas.
Trellis coded quantization

Trellis coded quantization (TCQ) is an efficient form of multidimensional quantization that achieves portions of the possible point density, space filling, and granular gains promised by vector quantization. For memoryless sources, the combination of TCQ and a suitable entropy code can provide performance within 0.5 dB of the rate-distortion limit.
Pharmacokinetics of nitroglycerin and its dinitrate metabolites over a thirtyfold range of oral doses

The pharmacokinetics of nitroglycerin and the formation of its dinitrate metabolites (1,2-glyceryl dinitrate and 1,3-glyceryl dinitrate) were determined in six healthy volunteers after administration of six oral solution doses ranging from 0.4 mg to 13 mg. ANOVA analysis indicated significant differences between subjects for all Cmax/dose and AUC/dose measurements. No significant difference between doses were noted for these parameters except for AUC/dose for 1,3-glyceryl dinitrate. The ratio of metabolites (1,2-metabolite/1,3-metabolite) for the 0.4 mg dose was significantly different from the ratios for the doses of 1.6 mg or higher. Measurements of the combined residence time parameter suggest nonlinearity in nitroglycerin absorption and metabolism processes of AUMC/AUC between the 0.4 and the 13 mg doses. Consistent results were observed in the AUC ratios of metabolites for 0.4 mg doses of nitroglycerin between oral and sublingual administrations, suggesting that the increased metabolite ratio noted for sublingual nitroglycerin may reflect differences in dose, rather than differences in route of administration.
Absolute X-Ray Yields from Laser-Irradiated Ge-Doped Aerogel Targets

Summary form only given. We have measured the production of 10 keV X-rays from low-density Ge-doped aerogel targets at the OMEGA laser. The targets were 1.2 mm long by 1.5 mm diameter beryllium cylinders filled with Ge-doped (20 atomic percent) SiO2 foam. The doped-foam density was 5 or 7 mg/cc. These targets are a major advance over previous doped aerogels: instead of suspending the dopant in the SiO2 matrix, the Ge atoms, with chemistry similar to Si, are incorporated directly in the matrix. Thus, the level of dopant is increased by more than a factor of six. Forty beams of the OMEGA laser (351 nm) illuminated the two cylindrical faces of the target with a total power that approached 20 TW. The laser interaction strongly ionizes the target (ne/ncrit = 0.15-0.20), and allows the laser-bleaching wave to supersonically ionize the high-Z emitter ions in the sample. The heating of the target was imaged with a gated (200 ps time resolution) X-ray framing camera, filtered to observe >8 keV. 2-D radiative-hydrodynamic calculations predict rapid and uniform heating over the whole target volume with minimal energy losses into hydrodynamic motion. Ge K-shell X-ray emission was spectrally resolved with a two-channel crystal spectrometer and recorded with temporal resolution with a set of calibrated photoconductive devices (PCDs). The calculations predict 150-200 J of X-ray energy output with 10 keV. The effect of shaping and delaying the laser pulse is studied. A full description of the experiment and the preliminary results of our analysis will be presented.