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Objectives: NKG2D is an activating receptor expressed by natural killer (NK) and CD8+ T cells and activation intensity varies by NKG2D expression level or nature of its ligand. An NKG2D gene polymorphism determines high (HNK1) or low (LNK1) expression. MICA is the most polymorphic NKG2D ligand and stronger effector cell activation associates with methionine rather than valine at residue 129. We investigated correlation between cord blood (CB) NKG2D and MICA genotypes and haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplant outcome. Methods: We retrospectively studied 267 CB HSC recipients (178 adult and 87 paediatric) who underwent transplant for malignant disease between 2007 and 2018, analysing CB graft DNA for NKG2D and MICA polymorphisms using Sanger sequencing. Multivariate analysis was used to correlate these results with transplant outcomes. Results: In adult patients, LNK1 homozygous CB significantly improved 60‐day neutrophil engraftment (hazard ratio (HR) 0.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.4–0.9; p =.003). In paediatrics, HNK1 homozygous CB improved 60‐day engraftment (HR 0.4; 95% CI 0.2–0.7; p =.003), as did MICA‐129 methionine+ CB grafts (HR 1.7 95% CI 1.1–2.6; p =.02). Conclusion: CB NKG2D and MICA genotypes potentially improve CB HSC engraftment. However, results contrast between adult and paediatric recipients and may reflect transplant procedure disparities between cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NKG2D is a natural killer cell activating receptor recognising ligands on infected or tumorigenic cells, leading to their cytolysis. There are eight known genes encoding NKG2D ligands: MICA, MICB and ULBP1‐6. MICA and MICB are highly polymorphic and well characterised, whilst ULBP ligands are less polymorphic and the functional implication of their diversity is not well understood. Using International HLA and Immunogenetics Workshop (IHIW) cell line DNA, we previously characterised alleles of the RAET1E gene (encoding ULBP4 proteins), including the 5′ UTR promoter region and exons 1–3. We found 11 promoter haplotypes associating with alleles based on exons 1–3, revealing 19 alleles overall. The current study extends this analysis using 87 individual DNA samples from IHIW cell lines or cord blood to include RAET1E exon 4 and the 3′ UTR, as polymorphism in these regions have not been previously investigated. We found two novel exon 4 polymorphisms encoding amino acid substitutions altering the transmembrane domain. An amino acid substitution at residue 233 was unique to the RAET1E*008 allele whereas the substitution at residue 237 was shared between groups of alleles. Additionally, four haplotypes were found based on 3′ UTR sequences, which were unique to certain alleles or shared with allele groups based on exons 1–4 polymorphisms. Furthermore, putative microRNAs were identified that may interact with these polymorphic sites, repressing transcription and potentially affecting expression levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal (ES) speech, tracheoesophageal (TE) speech, and the electrolarynx (EL) are common methods of communication following the removal of the larynx. Our recent study demonstrated that intelligibility may increase for Cantonese alaryngeal speakers using clear speech (CS) compared to their everyday "habitual speech" (HS), but the reasoning is still unclear [Hui, Cox, Huang, Chen, and Ng (2022). Folia Phoniatr. Logop. 74, 103–111]. The purpose of this study was to assess the acoustic characteristics of vowels and tones produced by Cantonese alaryngeal speakers using HS and CS. Thirty-one alaryngeal speakers (9 EL, 10 ES, and 12 TE speakers) read The North Wind and the Sun passage in HS and CS. Vowel formants, vowel space area (VSA), speaking rate, pitch, and intensity were examined, and their relationship to intelligibility were evaluated. Statistical models suggest that larger VSAs significantly improved intelligibility, but slower speaking rate did not. Vowel and tonal contrasts did not differ between HS and CS for all three groups, but the amount of information encoded in fundamental frequency and intensity differences between high and low tones positively correlated with intelligibility for TE and ES groups, respectively. Continued research is needed to understand the effects of different speaking conditions toward improving acoustic and perceptual characteristics of Cantonese alaryngeal speech. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on John R. Brinkley's controversial run as an independent candidate in the 1930 Kansas gubernatorial race, driven by his motivation to regain his medical license suspended due to unconventional medical practices. Topics include Brinkley's goat-gland transplantation procedure for treating impotence, the quackery surrounding his practices, and his use of radio broadcasting to promote his political and medical agendas in the Midwest.

Background/Aim: The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary data concerning the effect of clear speech (CS) on Cantonese alaryngeal speakers' intelligibility. Methods: Voice recordings of 11 sentences randomly selected from the Cantonese Sentence Intelligibility Test (CSIT) were obtained from 31 alaryngeal speakers (9 electrolarynx [EL] users, 10 esophageal speakers and 12 tracheoesophageal [TE] speakers) in habitual speech (HS) and CS. Two naïve listeners orthographically transcribed a total of 1,364 sentences. Results: Significant effects of speaking condition on speaking rate and CSIT scores were observed, but no significant effect of alaryngeal communication methods was noted. CS was significantly slower than HS by 0.78 syllables/s. Esophageal speakers demonstrated the slowest speech rate when using CS, while EL users demonstrated the largest decrease in speaking rate when using CS compared to HS. TE speakers had the highest CSIT scores in HS (listener 1 = 81.4%; listener 2 = 81.3%), and esophageal speakers had the highest CSIT scores in CS (listener 1 = 87.5%; listener 2 = 89.7%). EL users experienced the largest increase in intelligibility while using CS compared to HS (9.1%) followed by esophageal speakers (8.9%) and TE speakers (1.4%). Conclusion: Preliminary data indicate that CS may significantly affect Cantonese alaryngeal speakers' speaking rate and intelligibility. However, intelligibility appeared to vary considerably across speakers. Further research involving larger, heterogeneous groups of speakers and listeners alongside longer and more refined CS training protocols should be conducted to confirm that CS can improve Cantonese alaryngeal speakers' intelligibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diseases and injuries that compromise the ocular surface cause considerable patient distress and have long term consequences for their quality of life. Treatment modalities that can address the delicate balance of tissue regeneration, inflammation and maintenance of corneal transparency are therefore needed. We have recently formulated two novel eye drops from placental tissues: cord blood platelet lysate (CBED) and amniotic membrane extract eye drops (AMED), which can be used to treat severe ocular disorders. Here we characterise these two preparations by measuring: (a) growth factors (GF) and cytokines composition, (b) promotion of human corneal epithelial cell (HCEC) growth and (c) effects on immune cells in a lymphocyte culture assay. Finally, their bioavailability was assayed in an ex vivo porcine corneal model. We show that both preparations contain GF and cytokines that were able to promote the in vitro growth of HCEC and support repair in an in vitro scratch test. When assessed in a lymphocyte culture, both favoured immune suppression reducing the cellular expression of NKG2D and CD107a as well as the production of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in natural killer, NKT and T cells. Regarding bioavailability, CBED active molecules were found mainly in the pre-corneal fraction with some penetration into the corneal fraction, in an ex vivo model. In summary, both placental-derived allogeneic preparations, CBED and AMED, display regenerative and immunomodulatory capabilities. These results will help define mechanisms of action and the best indications and doses of each product for use in a particular patient and support the development of off-the-shelf therapies for ocular surface pathologies in which wound healing defects and inflammatory events are contributing factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report the variability of electrolarynx (EL) users’ speech intelligibility in quiet and in multitalker babble. Method: Ten EL users (five Servox® Digital, five TruTone™) who were at least 2 years postlaryngectomy provided recordings of five sentences from the 1965 Revised List of Phonetically Balanced Sentences. Recordings were judged by two groups of naïve listeners in quiet and in the presence of multitalker babble. Fifteen listeners orthographically transcribed a total of 750 sentences containing 3,750 key words in quiet, and another 15 listeners orthographically transcribed the same sentences mixed with multitalker babble. Results: Significant differences in speech intelligibility were observed between listening conditions; 17.9% more key words were correctly identified in quiet compared to multitalker babble. Significant differences in fundamental frequency (F0) standard deviation and range but not speech intelligibility were observed between EL device types. A positive correlation of moderate significance was observed between F0 standard deviation and intelligibility for TruTone users in multitalker babble. Conclusions: Findings suggest that listeners are able to identify a significantly higher percentage of EL users’ speech in quiet compared to multitalker babble, but a large variability in EL users’ speech intelligibility exists. Continued investigation involving a larger number of EL users is necessary to confirm this study’s findings. Future research should explore the relationships among F0 measures, speaker characteristics (e.g., rate of speech, articulatory precision), and speech intelligibility, in addition to improving alaryngeal rehabilitation training protocols for EL users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: This study examined the effect of clear speech on vowel productions by electrolaryngeal speakers. Method: Ten electrolaryngeal speakers produced eighteen words containing /i/, /ɪ/, /ɛ/, /æ/, /eɪ/, and /oʊ/ using habitual speech and clear speech. Twelve listeners transcribed 360 words, and a total of 4,320 vowel stimuli across speaking conditions, speakers, and listeners were analyzed. Analyses included listeners' identifications of vowels, vowel duration, and vowel formant relationships. Results: No significant effect of speaking condition was found on vowel identification. Specifically, 85.4% of the vowels were identified in habitual speech, and 82.7% of the vowels were identified in clear speech. However, clear speech was found to have a significant effect on vowel durations. The mean vowel duration in the 17 consonant-vowel-consonant words was 333 ms in habitual speech and 354 ms in clear speech. The mean vowel duration in the single consonant-vowel words was 551 ms in habitual speech and 629 ms in clear speech. Conclusion: Finding suggests that, although clear speech facilitates longer vowel durations, electrolaryngeal speakers may not gain a clear speech benefit relative to listeners' vowel identifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Informatics tools to support the integration and subsequent interrogation of spatiotemporal data such as clinical data and environmental exposures data are lacking. Such tools are needed to support research in environmental health and any biomedical field that is challenged by the need for integrated spatiotemporal data to examine individual-level determinants of health and disease.Results: We have developed an open-source software application-FHIR PIT (Health Level 7 Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources Patient data Integration Tool)-to enable studies on the impact of individual-level environmental exposures on health and disease. FHIR PIT was motivated by the need to integrate patient data derived from our institution's clinical warehouse with a variety of public data sources on environmental exposures and then openly expose the data via ICEES (Integrated Clinical and Environmental Exposures Service). FHIR PIT consists of transformation steps or building blocks that can be chained together to form a transformation and integration workflow. Several transformation steps are generic and thus can be reused. As such, new types of data can be incorporated into the modular FHIR PIT pipeline by simply reusing generic steps or adding new ones. We validated FHIR PIT in the context of a driving use case designed to investigate the impact of airborne pollutant exposures on asthma. Specifically, we replicated published findings demonstrating racial disparities in the impact of airborne pollutants on asthma exacerbations.Conclusions: While FHIR PIT was developed to support our driving use case on asthma, the software can be used to integrate any type and number of spatiotemporal data sources at a level of granularity that enables individual-level study. We expect FHIR PIT to facilitate research in environmental health and numerous other biomedical disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Special Collections and University Archives in the school library which contain several key collections and books with prominent socialist, freethought, and radical publishers and figures of the region. It mentions Big Blue Books did not acquire the popularity or circulation of the Little Blue Books and format allowed for the publication of longer manuscripts. It also mentions important role in the social and intellectual history of the U.S.

Purpose: For many transgender individuals, medical intervention is necessary to live as their desired gender. However, little is known about Contextual Factors (i.e., Environmental and Personal) that may act as facilitators and barriers in the health of transgender individuals. Therefore, this paper sought to examine Contextual Factors of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health that may facilitate or negatively impact the physical, psychological, and social functioning of transgender individuals.Methods: A literature review was conducted to identify Environmental and Personal Factors that may influence transgender individuals' physical, psychological, and social functioning. Seven electronic databases were searched. In total, 154 records were reviewed, and 41 articles and other records met inclusion criteria.Results: Three general themes emerged for Environmental Factors: family and social networks, education, and health care. Three general themes also emerged for Personal Factors: socioeconomic status, race, and age.Conclusions: Transgender individuals benefit from gender-affirming services, improved family and social support systems, and competent provider care. Educational training programs, including medical curricula or workshops, might provide the greatest benefit in improving transgender health by increasing the knowledge and cultural competency of health professionals working with this population. Given the diversity of gender expression, differences in lived experiences, and potential for enduring persistent "double discrimination" due to the intersectional relationships between socioeconomic status, race, and/or age, health professionals must approach transgender health using a holistic lens such as the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected the health and well-being of marginalized communities, and it brought greater awareness to disparities in health care access and utilization. Addressing these disparities is difficult because of their multidimensional nature. Predisposing factors (demographic information, social structure, and beliefs), enabling factors (family and community) and illness levels (perceived and evaluated illness) are thought to jointly contribute to such disparities. Research has demonstrated that disparities in access and utilization of speech-language pathology and laryngology services are the result of racial and ethnic differences, geographic factors, sex, gender, educational background, income level and insurance status. For example, persons from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds have been found to be less likely to attend or adhere to voice rehabilitation, and they are more likely to delay health care due to language barriers, longer wait times, a lack of transportation and difficulties contacting their physician. The purpose of this paper is to summarize existing research on telehealth, discuss how telehealth offers the potential to eliminate some disparities in the access and utilization of voice care, review its limitations, and encourage continued research in this area. A clinical perspective from a large volume laryngology clinic in a major city in northeastern United States highlights the use of telehealth in the provision of voice care by a laryngologist and speech-language pathologist during and after the COVID19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epistaxis is a common cause for emergency department visits for both children and adults. In particular, posterior bleeds can be difficult to identify and treat. In adults, endoscopic sphenopalatine artery (SPA) ligation has been shown to be safe, cost-effective, and curative. Conversely, very few studies have delved into the safety and efficacy of SPA ligation in children. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of SPA ligation for treatment of recalcitrant epistaxis in children. A retrospective analysis of outcomes in pediatric patients who underwent SPA ligation at a tertiary academic center was performed. Patients with coagulopathies or other underlying conditions were excluded from the study. Data obtained from 5 patients demonstrated 60% of the population were female, with ages ranging from 2 to 13 years. 7 SPA ligations were performed among the 5 patients, with 3 undergoing unilateral SPA ligation only. The remaining 4 underwent contralateral SPA ligation subsequently. No postoperative complications were observed, and all patients experienced resolution of significant epistaxis. Although additional studies are necessary to further support our findings, SPA ligation in the pediatric population appears to be a safe and effective treatment to control persistent posterior bleeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MICA and MICB genes encode ligands that interact with the natural killer (NK) cell activating receptor, NKG2D. These ligands display a highly polymorphic allelic repertoire, although the true functional significance of this polymorphism remains elusive. We previously reported additional polymorphism in the 5' untranslated region (UTR) proximal promoter region of these genes by sequencing international histocompatibility workshop (IHW) cell line DNA promoter and coding regions. The present study extends this analysis by further characterising the 3'UTR region of the same IHW reference panel to achieve a more complete understanding of MICA and MICB haplotype diversity and possible functional relevance. We found 17 extended MICA haplotypes encompassing the coding region and 3'UTR, including four novel haplotypes identified in IHW cell line DNA. This increased to 21 when also considering the 5'UTR proximal promoter region. Analysis of the MICB 3'UTR revealed two novel sequences in cell lines KLO and WIN designated MICB‐UTR8 and UTR9, respectively. A total of 11 MICB haplotypes were identified in this study and five were unique. The present study, characterising MICA/B 3'UTR polymorphism utilising IHW reference cell lines, could be useful for future studies investigating the role of microRNA in post‐transcriptional repression of gene expression and for immunotherapy strategies to combat cancer progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Electrolaryngeal speakers reduce their speaking rate while using clear speech. • Clear speech does not negatively influence listener comfort. • Listeners perceive electrolaryngeal speech to be less acceptable in clear speech. • Clinical considerations warrant subjective and objective indices. Abstract Purpose To determine the influence of clear speech on auditory-perceptual judgments of speech acceptability and listener comfort for electrolaryngeal speech. Method Voice recordings were obtained from 10 electrolaryngeal speakers. Each speaker read the Rainbow Passage in two conditions: habitual speech and clear speech. Speakers were encouraged to speak as clearly as possible and over-articulate in the clear speech condition. Auditory-perceptual rating tasks were completed by 20 normal-hearing adults who evaluated 20 randomized voice recordings. Two counterbalanced listening sessions were used to gather ratings of speech acceptability and listener comfort. Results A significant effect of speaking condition was found on listener judgments of speech acceptability, but not listener comfort. However, listener scores for speech acceptability and listener comfort were found to be significantly related. For all speakers, objective temporal measures indicated reduced speaking rates in the clear speech condition. Conclusions These findings suggest that volitional attempts to improve electrolaryngeal speech using clear speech might negatively impact listener judgments of speech acceptability, but not listener comfort. Further, the data suggest that speech acceptability and listener comfort might address unique perceptual entities. Overall, the strong relationship between these auditory-perceptual dimensions provide support for the use of scaled measurements to assess the impact of speech rehabilitation on individuals who use the electrolarynx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is the third in a series of studies measuring the impact of cultural diversity on human development. We disaggregate cultural diversity into three components: ethnicity, language, and religion. The first study examined the impact of diversity internationally. We found that countries are worse off with greater diversity, especially religious diversity; however, we found that more-prosperous countries with strong institutions benefited from increased diversity. We concluded that strong institutions are essential to maximize the benefits of diversity while mitigating the associated costs. The second study examined the impact of diversity within the United States, where institutional strength was assumed to be relatively great and similar between states. We found an overall negative impact from diversity. Ethnic diversity was negatively associated with human development, while religious and language diversity had a positive impact. We concluded that in the United States, there is more tolerance for religious and language differences compared to ethnic differences. In this third study, we examine the impact of diversity within the state of Indiana. As with our national results, we find a generally negative relationship between human development and diversity. Ethnic diversity has a negative impact, while religious and language diversity are generally positive influences. Strong political and legal institutions may not be sufficient to extract net benefits from diversity if social attitudes that guide behavior are not supportive. The results suggest that net benefits from diversity in Indiana may depend on improvement of social attitudes and in commitment to social services that support historically disadvantaged minority groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-managed irrigated pasture production can be optimized without nitrogen (N) fertilizer. The objective was to determine mixture and planting ratios of tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinacea Schreb.) (TF), meadow brome (Bromus riparius Rehm.) (MB), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) (OG), timothy (Phleum pratense L.) (TIM), and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) (PRG) with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) (ALF), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) (BFTF), or cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer L.) (CMV) that maximize productivity. Planting ratios were 0:100 (grass:legume), 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and three 100:0 grass monocultures fertilized at 0, 67, and 134 kg N ha-1. Seasonal production of TF-ALF was 12.69 Mg ha-1, equal to TF fertilized at 134 kg N ha-1. ALF mixtures with MB, OG, TIM, and PRG produced 12.57, 10.97, 11.77, and 10.74 Mg ha-1, respectively, and 8 to 40% more than grasses receiving 134 kg N ha-1. Production of BFTF mixtures with TF, MB, and OG were 11.69, 11.45, and 9.95 Mg ha-1, respectively, equal to their respective grass monoculture receiving 134 kg N ha-1. The BFTF-TIM and BFTF-PRG mixtures averaged 12% more forage than grass monocultures receiving 134 kg N ha-1. Production of CMV-grass was similar to that of grasses receiving 67 kg N ha-1. Seasonal forage distribution was more uniform in ALF- and BFTF-grass mixtures, averaging 30% more at the second and third harvests than fertilized grasses. The TF and MB legume mixtures averaged 7% more production in the 50:50 planting ratios than the other two grass-legume mixtures, while the 50:50 and 25:75 ratios of OG and TIM-legume mixtures averaged 12% more than the 75:25 and the 25:75 PRG-legume planting ratio averaged 9% more than the 50:50 and 75:25. Forage production of grass-legume mixtures can equal or exceed fertilized grass monocultures and with more uniform distribution over the growing season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Bile duct injury (BDI) is an infrequent but morbid complication of cholecystectomy. High-grade BDI repairs requiring hepaticojejunostomies are complex and associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This study sought to establish the increased risk associated with complex bile duct repair at a multi-institutional level in the United States. Methods Using the ACS-NSQIP Participant Use File, all patients who underwent a hepaticojejunostomy for bile duct repair between 2005 and 2012 were identified. Clinical data, perioperative risk factors and morbidity and mortality rates were calculated. Results Of the 293 BDI patients, 102 (65.2%) were female and the mean age was 49.8 years. The 30-day morbidity and mortality rates were 26.3% and 2%, respectively. Univariable analysis identified male gender, ASA class, functional status, diabetes, hypertension and chronic steroid use to be associated with increased morbidity. A higher ASA class was associated with increased postoperative sepsis and chronic steroid use was associated with increased overall morbidity on multivariable analysis. The morbidity rates for BDI repair within 30 days of injury vs. later repair were similar (24% vs. 23%), but the mortality rate was higher for the earlier repair group (5% vs. 0%, p = 0.012). Conclusions Within the largest multi-institutional analysis of 30-day outcomes after hepaticojejunostomies for BDI in the US, morbidity and mortality rates were established at 26.3% and 2% respectively. ASA class and preoperative functional status remain the main risk factors for surgery. Earlier repair in the face of ongoing sepsis and disability is associated with worse outcomes. A multidisciplinary approach at a specialized center aimed at controlling infection and improving functional status prior to surgical reconstruction is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoscale cerium oxide is used as a diesel fuel additive to reduce particulate matter emissions and increase fuel economy, but its fate in the environment has not been established. Cerium oxide released as a result of the combustion of diesel fuel containing the additive Envirox, which utilizes suspended nanoscale cerium oxide to reduce particulate matter emissions and increase fuel economy, was captured from the exhaust stream of a diesel engine and was characterized using a combination of bulk analytical techniques and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The combustion process induced significant changes in the size and morphology of the particles; ~15 nm aggregates consisting of 5-7 nm faceted crystals in the fuel additive became 50-300 nm, near-spherical, single crystals in the exhaust. Electron diffraction identified the original cerium oxide particles as cerium(IV) oxide (CeO2, standard FCC structure) with no detectable quantities of Ce(III), whereas in the exhaust the ceria particles had additional electron diffraction reflections indicative of a CeO2 superstructure containing ordered oxygen vacancies. The surfactant coating present on the cerium oxide particles in the additive was lost during combustion, but in roughly 30% of the observed particles in the exhaust, a new surface coating formed, approximately 2-5 nm thick. The results of this study suggest that pristine, laboratory-produced, nanoscale cerium oxide is not a good substitute for the cerium oxide released from fuel-borne catalyst applications and that future toxicity experiments and modeling will require the use/consideration of more realistic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on society's expectations of what defines the norms for what is deemed “masculine” and “feminine”, and a propensity for society's members to adhere to these expectations, women may face a unique set of circumstances and pressures following surgical treatment for laryngeal cancer. This is primarily due to the changes that occur to women's physical, psychological, and social functioning when dealing with cancer diagnosis and treatment outcomes. Because of concerns related to physical disfigurement, acoustic and perceptual changes to one's voice, and threat of the psychological sequelae associated with total laryngectomy (TL) (or, the surgical removal of one's voicebox and surrounding structures), there is an increased potential for violation of social expectations that cross these areas of functioning. As such, efforts that seek to better understand the potentially differential impact of TL on women and identify the specific needs they may have leading up to and after such treatment pursuant to contemporary societal expectations are warranted. Thus, this paper provides an examination of the potentially differential impact of TL on women. In addressing this position, this paper examines the unique challenges women may face postlaryngectomy through the framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). Through the use of the ICF, this paper will provide an expanded perspective related to the interactions between body functioning, active participation in daily activities, and contextual factors that may act as facilitators or barriers to women's societal reintegration secondary to TL. Learning outcomes: Readers will be able to describe the multiple factors that may contribute to the differential impact of total laryngectomy (TL) on women. More specifically, readers will gain an understanding about women's physical, psychological, and social functioning secondary to TL. This paper also provides readers with exposure to the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework. This framework provides readers with an expanded perspective related to the interactions between body functioning, active participation in daily activities, and contextual factors that may act as either facilitators or barriers to the societal reintegration of women secondary to TL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have yielded mixed results on the impact of cultural diversity on economic performance. We find a positive relationship in the United States between cultural diversity and a comprehensive measure of human development that incorporates health, education, and income. We also disaggregate cultural diversity into three components including ethnicity, language, and religion. We find a positive relationship between human development and both religious and language diversity, and a negative relationship with ethnic diversity. These relationships are robust, using several alternative mathematical measures of diversity. Our results are consistent with diversity generating benefits from exposure to a variety of experiences, ideas, and skills while introducing costs due to difficulty in communication, difference in preferences, and conflict between polarized groups. We conclude that strong institutions are essential to maximize the benefits of diversity while mitigating the associated costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its environmental ubiquity and concern over its potential toxicity, the mass-transfer characteristics of formaldehyde are of critical importance to indoor air quality research. Previous studies have suggested that formaldehyde mass transfer in polymer is partially irreversible. In this study, mechanisms that could cause the observed irreversibility were investigated. Polycarbonate and four other polymeric matrices were selected and subjected to formaldehyde sorption/desorption cycles. Mass transfer of formaldehyde was partially irreversible in all cases, and three potential mechanisms were evaluated. First, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) analysis was used to investigate possible formaldehyde polymerization on polymer surfaces. ATR-FTIR showed no detectable paraformaldehyde or formaldehyde on the film surfaces that had been exposed to formaldehyde and air. ATR-FTIR did detect aliphatic acids suggesting oxidation had occurred on film surfaces as a result of exposure to formaldehyde. However, additional study suggested that air is not the primary cause for irreversibility. Second, statistical physics theory was tested as a possible explanation. According to this theory, reversible and irreversible sorption could be taking place simultaneously. The irreversible fraction should be constant during sorption and the fraction could be determined by performing a complete sorption/desorption test. The sorption/desorption data was consistent with this theory. Third, chemisorption was considered as another possible cause for irreversibility. Extraction/fluorimetry testing of post-sorption and post-desorption polymer films showed measurable quantities of formaldehyde suggesting that some of the chemisorbed formaldehyde was reversible at the higher extraction temperature. Further quantitative study on chemical reaction products is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present two stochastic failure models for the reliability evaluation of manufacturing equipment that degrades due to its complex operating environment. The first model examines the case when the environment is a temporally nonhomogeneous continuous-time Markov chain, and the second assumes the environment is a temporally homogeneous semi-Markov process on a finite space. Derived are transform expressions for the lifetime distributions. A few examples are provided to illustrate the main results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium is the most important of the brain's second messengers. Thanks to engineered fluorescent indicators and caged compounds we have an excellent qualitative picture of its regulation and impact. With the advent of new scanning technology that permits one to observe the calcium signal throughout a highly branched neuron the potential exists for functional, single cell, quantitative calcium imaging. To help realize that potential we analyze a sequence of four inverse problems that infer the parameters of the cytosolic calcium buffers and plasma membrane calcium pumps and channels from the light shed by fluorescent indicators following specific stimulus protocols. Our analyses lead in each case to practical algorithms that we illustrate and test on synthetic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: NK cell cytolysis of infected or transformed cells can be mediated by engagement of the activating immunoreceptor NKG2D with one of eight known ligands (MICA, MICB and RAET1E-N) and is essential for innate immunity. As well as diversity of NKG2D ligands having the same function, allelic polymorphism and ethnic diversity has been reported. We previously determined HLA class I allele and haplotype frequencies in Kolla South American Indians who inhabit the northwest provinces of Argentina, and were found to have a similar restricted allelic profile to other South American Indians and novel alleles not seen in other tribes. In our current study, we characterized retinoic acid early transcription-1 (RAET1) alleles by sequencing 58 unrelated Kolla people. Only three of six RAET1 ligands were polymorphic. RAET1E was most polymorphic with five alleles in the Kolla including an allele we previously described, RAET1E∗009 (allele frequency (AF) 5.2%). Four alleles of RAET1L were also found and RAET1E∗002 was most frequent (AF=78%). Potential functional diversity only affected RAET1E and RAET1L, which were in linkage disequilibrium indicating a selective advantage. The results suggest that limited RAET1 polymorphism in the Kolla was not detrimental to human survival but still necessary and may affect disease susceptibility or severity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To what extent do the vibrations of a mechanical system reveal its composition? Despite innumerable applications and mathematical elegance, this question often slips through those cracks that separate courses in mechanics, differential equations, and linear algebra. We address this omission by detailing a classical finite dimensional example: the use of frequencies of vibration to recover positions and masses of beads vibrating on a string. First we derive the equations of motion, then compare the eigenvalues of the resulting linearized model against vibration data measured from our laboratory's monochord. More challenging is the recovery of masses and positions of the beads from spectral data, a problem for which a variety of elegant algorithms exist. After presenting one such method based on orthogonal polynomials in a manner suitable for advanced undergraduates, we confirm its efficacy through physical experiment. We encourage readers to conduct their own explorations using the numerous data sets we provide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Even when kidney allografts are well matched for human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and anti-HLA antibodies are not detected, graft rejection can still occur. There is evidence that some patients who lose their graft have antibodies specific for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I–related chain A (MICA) antigens. We investigated whether mismatching MICA alleles associates with MICA antibody production and graft rejection or dysfunction. MICA and HLA antibody screening in 442 recipients was performed, and specificities were confirmed in a subgroup of 227 recipients using single-antigen multiplex technology. For assignment of MICA antibody specificity, we used three independent assays. In addition, MICA alleles of 227 recipients and donors were determined by DNA sequencing. In all, 17 patients (7.5%) had MICA antibodies, and 13 patients (6%) developed MICA donor-specific antibodies (DSA). Multivariate analysis revealed MICA mismatching, as an independent significant factor associated with the presence of MICA antibodies (p = 0.009), and 14 mismatched MICA residues significantly correlated with MICA antibody production. MICA and HLA antibodies significantly associated with acute rejection (AR) and MICA DSA and HLA DSA correlated with decreased graft function by univariate and multivariate analysis. We conclude that mismatching for MICA epitopes in renal transplantation is a mechanism leading to production of MICA antibodies that associate with AR and graft dysfunction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

One may produce the qth harmonic of a string of length π by applying the 'correct touch' at the node π/q during a simultaneous pluck or bow. This notion was made precise by a model of Bamberger, Rauch and Taylor. Their 'touch' is a damper of magnitude b concentrated at π/q. The 'correct touch' is that b for which the modes, that do not vanish at π/q, are maximally damped. We here examine the associated spectral problem. We find the spectrum to be periodic and determined by a polynomial of degree q - 1. We establish lower and upper bounds on the spectral abscissa and show that the set of associated root vectors constitutes a Riesz basis and so identify 'correct touch' with the b that minimizes the spectral abscissa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The currents measured during voltage clamp of a non-isopotential neuron reflect axial as well as membrane conductances. One wishes to remove the former in the hope that the latter will reveal quantitative information on the nature of the voltage gated channels at the clamp site. We here show that Cole’s theorem can be used to directly remove the axial component from simulated voltage clamp recordings. It is direct in the sense that it requires neither simulation nor fitting. As it comes down to squaring the clamp current and then differentiating with respect to clamp voltage it may indeed be implemented in real time. When applied to synthetic potassium currents in straight fibers we find that our method accurately and robustly recovers both non-uniform conductances and non-uniform channel kinetics. We indicate the degree to which such accuracy is diminished for cells that taper and/or branch. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An interview with Professor Kittrell Rushing, chair of the Communications Department at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is presented. As he was looking at the many unprocessed collections in the Special Collections and came across a manuscript in the unprocessed Andrews Family Papers collection. It was a section of a nineteenth century journal, a sequel to a previously published account of a young Southern lady, from a well-to-do family from Washington, Georgia.

Abstract: Recent experimental work has identified the principal components arrayed by Escherichia coli in its sensing of, and response to, varying levels of oxygen. This apparatus may be leveraged/modified by the metabolic engineer to identify nonuniform oxygen and glucose regimens that deliver better yields than their uniform counterparts. Toward this end we build and analyse a mathematical model that captures the role played by oxygen in the regulation of cytochrome production in E. coli. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Single cells learn by tuning their synaptic conductances and redistributing their excitable machinery. To reveal its learning rules, one must therefore know how the cell remaps its ion channels in response to physiological stimuli. We here develop an adjoint approach for discerning the non-uniform distribution of a given channel type from knowledge of the time course of membrane potential at two distinct locations following a prescribed injection of current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We have developed a pathway design and optimization scheme that accommodates genetically and/or environmentally derived operational constraints. We express the full set of theoretically optimal pathways in terms of the underlying elementary flux modes and then examine the sensitivity of the optimal yield to a wide class of physiological perturbations. Though the scheme is general it is best appreciated in a concrete context: we here take succinate production as our model system. The scheme produces novel pathway designs and leads to the construction of optimal succinate production pathway networks. The model predictions compare very favorably with experimental observations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Significant progress has been made in using existing metabolic databases to estimate metabolic fluxes. Traditional metabolic flux analysis generally starts with a predetermined metabolic network. This approach has been employed successfully to analyze the behaviors of recombinant strains by manually adding or removing the corresponding pathway(s) in the metabolic map. The current work focuses on the development of a new framework that utilizes genomic and metabolic databases, including available genetic/regulatory network structures and gene chip expression data, to constrain metabolic flux analysis. The genetic network consisting of the sensing/regulatory circuits will activate or deactivate a specific set of genes in response to external stimulus. The activation and/or repression of this set of genes will result in different gene expression levels that will in turn change the structure of the metabolic map. Hence, the metabolic map will automatically “adapt” to the external stimulus as captured by the genetic network. This adaptation selects a subnetwork from the pool of feasible reactions and so performs what we term “environmentally driven dimensional reduction.” The Escherichia coli oxygen and redox sensing/regulatory system, which controls the metabolic patterns connected to glycolysis and the TCA cycle, was used as a model system to illustrate the proposed approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Our aim is to optimize the damping of a linear vibrating system. The penalty function is the average total energy, which is equal to the trace of the corresponding Lyapunov solution. We prove the existence and the uniqueness of the global minimum, if the damping varies over the set of all possible positive definite matrices. The minimum is shown to be taken on the so-called modal critical damping, thus confirming a long existing conjecture. We also give some preliminary results concerning dampings which depend linearly on the viscosity parameters whereas the damper positions are kept fixed. We produce physical examples on which the minimum is taken on a negative viscosity or which have several local minima. Both phenomena seem to be a consequence of a bad choice of the damper positions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Discusses the issues faced by librarians in relation to accepting gifts and donor relations. Reasons of donors for giving gifts and donations to libraries; Psychology of giving; Ways to address donor problems.

Analyzes the maximum and minimum values of the fundamental mode of vibration of a drum that is free except along a specified fraction of its boundary. Approaches to minimization and maximization; Relationship between the limiting design values between 0 and 1; Description of the maximal fastening of convex and nonconvex solids.

Our objective is to determine the time course of exocytotic fusion pore opening ( P) in mast cells of the beige mouse from the measured efflux of the spike phase of exocytotic release ( J). We show that a pore whose meridian or radius grows linearly with time cannot reproduce the efflux. We also show that a pore that opens very quickly [relative to the diffusivity of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] and completely (P = π) also does not mimic the experimental efflux, and estimate maximum pore angles of 70( ± 20)∘. We show that a larger class of opening functions reproduces the rising phase and part of the decay phase and calculate pore expansion rate, pore radius and pore angle, none of which can be readily measured. In the initial stages of the spike phase (50–200 ms) when the gel matrix has not expanded significantly, this model suggests that the pore radius increases exponentially with a time constant of 82( ± 62) ms with pore expansion reaching its maximum velocity of 20( ± 7) nm ms − 1. We conclude that the release process is dynamic and suggest that the velocity of pore opening ( V) and the diffusivity of 5-HT ( D), in addition to the size of the vesicle (R , radius), vary with time. We discuss assumptions and improvements to the model and propose that this methodology is applicable for determining P from measured J in other endocrine cells and neurons when D within the secretory vesicle is much less than D within the pore neck. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Determines the emission rates of volatile organic compounds from vinyl flooring. Determination of gas-phase concentrations; Comparison of mass emitted from gas and material-phase concentrations; Role of diffusion in emission processes.

The initial solid-phase concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a key parameter influencing the emission characteristics of many indoor materials. Solid-phase measurements are typically made using solvent extraction or thermal headspace analysis. The high temperatures and chemical solvents associated with these methods can modify the physical structure of polymeric materials and, consequently, affect mass transfer characteristics. To measure solid-phase concentrations under conditions resembling those in which the material would be installed in an indoor environment, a new technique was developed for measuring VOC concentrations in vinyl flooring (VF) and similar materials. A 0.09-m² section of new VF was punched randomly to produce ∼200 0.78-cm² disks. The disks were milled to a powder at -140°C to simultaneously homogenize the material and reduce the diffusion path length without loss of VOCs. VOCs were extracted from the VF particles at room temperature by fluidized-bed desorption (FBD) and by direct thermal desorption (DTD) at elevated temperatures. The VOCs in the extraction gas from FBD and DTD were collected on sorbent tubes and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Seven VOCs emitted by VF were quantified. Concentration measurements by FBD ranged from 5.1 µg/g VF for n-hexadecane to 130 µg/g VF for phenol. Concentrations measured by DTD were higher than concentrations measured by FBD. Differences between FBD and DTD results may be explained using free-volume and dual-mobility sorption theory, but further research is necessary to more completely characterize the complex nature of a diffusant in a polymer matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We exhibit a sequence of viscous dampings for the fixed string that yields arbitrarily fast attenuation of any and all initial disturbances. The limit case produces extinction of all solutions in finite time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. We show that the first five moments of the soma potential and soma current uniquely and stably determine the soma conductance and capacitance and the dendritic electrotonic length, conductance, and capacitance in the so-called somatic shunt model of the passive behavior of a neuron. We test our resulting input admittance algorithm on synthetic data and demonstrate the regularizing effect of knowledge of the ratio of soma to dendrite surface areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which examined whether the level of cooperative behavior by individuals differs according to career choice and corresponding major area of study in college. Survey method; Results; Discussion of results.

Assesses the outcome of management of ischiorectal abscesses (IA) using the aggressive approach of performing incision and drainage (I&D) and concomitant anal fistulotomy (F). Materials and methods used in the study; History of prior treatment and bowel control pre- and post-ischirectal abscess surgery; Outcome of fistulotomy for ischiorectal abscess; Result of the study; Conclusion.

The height at which an unloaded column will buckle under its own weight is the fourth root of the least eigenvalue of a certain Sturm-Liouville operator. We show that the operator associated with the column proposed by Keller and Niordson [J. Math. Mech., 16 (1966), pp. 433-446] does not possess a discrete spectrum. This calls into question their formal use of perturbation theory, so we consider a class of designs that permits a tapered summit yet still guarantees a discrete spectrum. Within this class we prove that the least eigenvalue increases when one replaces a design with its decreasing rearrangement. This leads to a very simple proof of the existence of a tallest column. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

States that under a simple none nondegeneracy condition, the displacement and edge traction of a planar, isotropic, linearly elastic solid determine its Lame Moduli. What happens when these moduli are constant; Information on a stable finite difference scheme for solving this system.

Sequencing-based protocols for studying the human microbiome have unearthed a wealth of information about the relationship between the microbiome and human health. But these microbes cannot be leveraged as therapeutic targets without culture-based studies to phenotype species of interest and to establish culture collections for use in animal models. Traditional sample collection protocols are focused on preserving nucleic acids and metabolites and are largely inappropriate for preserving sensitive anaerobic bacteria for later culture recovery. Here we introduce a novel microbiome preservation kit (BIOME-Preserve) that facilitates recovery of anaerobic bacteria from human stool. Using a combination of culture recovery and shallow whole-genome shotgun sequencing, we characterized the anaerobes cultured from fresh human stool and from human stool held at room temperature in BIOME-Preserve for up to 120 hours. We recovered several species of interest to microbiome researchers, including Bifidobacterium spp., Bacteroides spp., Blautia spp., Eubacterium halii (now Anaerobutyricum hallii), Akkermansia muciniphila, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. We also demonstrated that freezing at -80°C did not adversely affect our ability to culture organisms from BIOME-Preserve, suggesting that it is appropriate both as a transport medium and as a medium for longer-term ultra-cold storage. Together, our results suggest BIOME-Preserve is practical for the collection, transport, and culture of anaerobic bacteria from human samples and can help enable researchers to better understand the link between the microbiome and human health and how to leverage that link through novel microbiome-based therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The accuracy of smartphone sound levelmeter applications (SLMAs) has been investigated with varied results, based on differences in platform, device, app, available features, test stimuli, and methodology. Purpose This article determines the accuracy of smartphone SLMAs with and without calibration of external and internalmicrophones formeasuring sound levels in clinical rooms. Research Design Quasi-experimental research design comparing the accuracy of two smartphone SLMAs with and without calibration of external and internal microphones. Data Collection and Analysis Two iOS-based smartphone SLMAs (NIOSH SLM and SPL Meter) on an iPhone 6S were used with and without calibrated external and internal microphones. Measures included: (1) white noise (WN) stimuli from20 to 100 dB sound pressure level in a sound-treated test booth and (2) sound levels in quiet in four nonsound-treated clinical rooms and in simulated background sound conditions using music at 45, 55, and 80 dBA. Chi-square analysis was used to determine a significant difference (p _ 0.05) in sound measures between the SLMAs and a Type 1 SLM. Results Measures of WN signals and room sound level measures in quiet and simulated background sound conditions were significantly more accurate at levels _ 40 dBA using the SLMAs with calibrated external and internal microphones. However, SLMA measures with and without calibration of external and internal microphones overestimated sound levels < 40 dBA. Conclusion The SLMAs studied with calibrated external or internal microphones are able to verify the room environment for audiologic screening at 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz at 20 dB hearing level (American Academy of Audiology and American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) using supra-aural earphones (American National Standards Institute S3.1-1999 [R2018]). However, the tested SLMAs overestimated low-level sound < 40 dBA, even when the external or internal microphones were calibrated. Clinicians are advised to calibrate the microphones prior to using measurement systems involving smartphones and SLMAs to measure room sound levels and to monitor background noise levels throughout the provision of clinical services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]