cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leiomyoma at the site of esophageal atresia repair

Abstract Esophageal leiomyomas are rare in the pediatric population. They frequently occur in association with other anomalies, such as Alport's syndrome, osteoarthropathy, and leiomyomas elsewhere in the body. The authors describe the case of a focal esophageal leiomyoma in a 12-month-old girl with a history of long-gap esophageal atresia. The patient initially underwent bouginage of the proximal pouch while awaiting definitive repair. After esophageal repair, the patient required multiple dilatations for anastomotic strictures. A segmental resection of the esophagus was performed because of recurrent strictures. A leiomyoma, arising from the site of the previous esophageal atresia repair, was noted on histologic evaluation. Esophageal leiomyomas have not been reported previously in a child with esophageal atresia. J Pediatr Surg 36:1832-1833. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Crack Bridging by Inclined Fibers/Whiskers in Ceramic Composites

Crack bridging by inclined fibers has been studied in a brittle fiber-brittle matrix model ceramic composite. Results of the fiber bridging force vs the crack opening displacement have been obtained for different fiber inclination angles using a fracture mechanics approach. Localized matrix cracking has been observed for inclined fibers and related to fiber inclination angle. The experimental results showing the influence of fiber inclination angle are discussed and compared with theoretical analyses to provide insight into crack bridging by inclined fibers/whiskers. Implications for toughening by whisker bridging are also discussed.
Cervical juxtafacet cysts: case report and literature review

Abstract Background Juxtafacet cysts of the cervical and thoracic spine are rare and often present with myelopathy. Juxtafacet cysts are well recognized entities found commonly in the lumbar spine but are unusual in the cervical and thoracic spine. We present a case of a patient with gait disturbance and early myelopathy who was found to have a juxtafacet cyst at the cervico-thoracic junction. We further review the literature. Purpose To describe a case of a cervico-thoracic juxtafacet cyst and review the literature. Study design Case report and subject review. Methods One patient presenting with early myelopathy and pain underwent surgery for resection of the lesion. Pathologic analysis revealed a juxtafacet cyst. Results The patient recovered uneventfully with relief of his pain. Pubmed review revealed less than 30 similar cases in the literature. Conclusion Juxtafacet cysts of the cervical spine are rare entities. These lesions comprise both synovial cysts and ganglion cysts. The benign lesions present with myelopathy and should be considered in patients with cystic lesions in the cervical spinal canal.
An error probability analysis of the optimum noncoherent multiuser detector for multipath and multiantenna diversity communications over Rayleigh-fading channels

The optimum noncoherent multiuser detector is obtained for generalized diversity symbol-synchronous communication systems that employ nonorthogonal multipulse modulation. A unified approach is adopted to simultaneously address various forms of diversity such as time, frequency, multipath, and/or receiver-amenna diversity. Upper and lower bounds on the average bit-error probability of the optimum noncoherent detector are derived. While these bounds are numerically computable, they are too complicated to give insights about the relative influence of system parameters on the essential behavior of the bit-error rate. To address this issue, an asymptotic (low noise) analysis of the bit-error probability is undertaken. It is shown that the upper and lower bounds are indeed asymptotically convergent. A formula for the asymptotic efficiency of the optimum noncoherent detector is thereby derived. Interestingly, the asymptotic efficiency is found to be positive, and independent of the signal strengths of the interfering users.
Shiga toxin-induced tumor necrosis factor alpha expression : Requirement for toxin enzymatic activity and monocyte protein kinase C and protein tyrosine kinases

Infections with Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing bacteria cause bloody diarrhea which may progress to life-threatening complications, including acute renal failure and neurological abnormalities. The precise mechanism of disease progression is unclear, although evidence suggests that the localized production of the host proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 may exacerbate toxin-mediated vascular damage. Purified Stxs have been demonstrated to elicit proinflammatory cytokine synthesis from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and monocytic cell lines in vitro. To understand toxin-monocyte interactions required for cytokine synthesis, we have treated differentiated THP-1 cells with purified wild-type toxins, enzymatic mutants, or B subunits and measured TNF-α production. Our data suggest that A subunit enzymatic activity is essential for cytokine production. THP-1 cells were treated with a series of protein kinase C (PKC), PKA, and protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors to examine the role of intracellular signaling molecules in Stx-mediated cytokine production. Treatment of cells with PKC and tyrosine kinase inhibitors blocked TNF-α secretion by Stx-stimulated THP-1 cells. Stx treatment directly activated PKC, which occurred at a point upstream of transcriptional activation of the gene encoding TNF-α.
Simulation 101 software: workshop and beyond

The C source code associated with the Simulation 101 pre-conference workshop (offered at the 2006 and 2007 Winter Simulation Conferences) is presented here. This paper begins with general instructions for downloading, compiling, and executing the software. This is followed by sections on four groups of the software, categorized by functionality: libraries, Monte Carlo simulations, discrete-event simulations, and utilities. The libraries contain code to generate random numbers, code to generate random variates, and code to evaluate probability density functions, cumulative distribution functions, and inverse distribution functions. The Monte Carlo simulations consist of six programs that estimate various probabilities associated with simple probability problems, some with known analytic solutions and others without analytic solutions. The discrete-event simulations consist of various applications from queueing and inventory systems. Finally, the utilities are used to calculate various point and interval estimators from data sets.
Assisted venous drainage presents the risk of undetected air microembolism.

Abstract Objectives: The proliferation of minimally invasive cardiac surgery has increased dependence on augmented venous return techniques for cardiopulmonary bypass. Such augmented techniques have the potential to introduce venous air emboli, which can pass to the patient. We examined the potential for the transmission of air emboli with different augmented venous return techniques. Methods: In vitro bypass systems with augmented venous drainage were created with either kinetically augmented or vacuum-augmented venous return. Roller or centrifugal pumps were used for arterial perfusion in combination with a hollow fiber oxygenator and a 40-μm arterial filter. Air was introduced into the venous line via an open 25-gauge needle. Test conditions involved varying the amount of negative venous pressure, the augmented venous return technique, and the arterial pump type. Measurements were recorded at the following sites: pre-arterial pump, post-arterial pump, post-oxygenator, and patient side. Results: Kinetically augmented venous return quickly filled the centrifugal venous pump with macrobubbles requiring continuous manual clearing; a steady state to test for air embolism could not be achieved. Vacuum-augmented venous return handled the air leakage satisfactorily and microbubbles per minute were measured. Higher vacuum pressures resulted in delivery of significantly more microbubbles to the “patient” ( P P =.02). Conclusions: Some augmented venous return configurations permit a significant quantity of microbubbles to reach the patient despite filtration. A centrifugal pump has air-handling disadvantages when used for kinetic venous drainage, but when used as an arterial pump in combination with vacuum-assisted venous drainage it aids in clearing air emboli. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;120:856-63)
Differential Effect of TEA on Long-Term Synaptic Modification in Hippocampal CA1 and Dentate Gyrus in vitro

The effectiveness of tetraethylammonium (TEA) and high-frequency stimulation (HFS) in inducing long-term synaptic modification is compared in CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG) in vitro. High-frequency stimulation induces long-term potentiation (LTP) at synapses of both perforant path-DG granule cell and Schaffer collateralCA1 pyramidal cell pathways. By contrast, TEA (25 mM) induces long-term depression in DG while inducing LTP in CA1. The mechanisms underlying the differential effect of TEA in CA1 and DG were investigated. It was observed that T-type voltagedependent calcium channel (VDCC) blocker, Ni 2+ (50 mM), partially blocked TEAinduced LTP in CA1. A complete blockade of the TEA-induced LTP occurred when Ni 2+ was applied together with the NMDA receptor antagonist, D-APV. The L-type VDCC blocker, nifidipine (20 mM), had no effect on CA1 TEA-induced LTP. In DG of the same slice, TEA actually induced long-term depression (LTD) instead of LTP, an effect that was blocked by D-APV. Neither T-type nor L-type VDCC blockade could prevent this LTD. When the calcium concentration in the perfusion medium was increased, TEA induced a weak LTP in DG that was blocked by Ni 2+ . During exposure to TEA, the magnitude of field EPSPs was increased in both CA1 and DG, but the increase was substantially greater in CA1. Tetraethylammonium application also was associated with a large, late EPSP component in CA1 that persisted even after severing the connections between CA3 and CA1. All of the TEA effects in CA1, however, were dramatically reduced by Ni 2+ . The results of this study indicate that TEA indirectly acts via both T-type VDCCs and NMDA receptors in CA1 and, as a consequence, induces LTP. By contrast, TEA indirectly acts via only NMDA receptors in DG and results in LTD. The results raise the possibility of a major synaptic difference in the density and/or distribution of T-type VDCCs and NMDA receptors in CA1 and DG of the rat hippocampus. q 2001 Academic Press
Implementing the Nelder-Mead simplex algorithm with adaptive parameters

In this paper, we first prove that the expansion and contraction steps of the Nelder-Mead simplex algorithm possess a descent property when the objective function is uniformly convex. This property provides some new insights on why the standard Nelder-Mead algorithm becomes inefficient in high dimensions. We then propose an implementation of the Nelder-Mead method in which the expansion, contraction, and shrink parameters depend on the dimension of the optimization problem. Our numerical experiments show that the new implementation outperforms the standard Nelder-Mead method for high dimensional problems.
Signal transduction via G protein coupled receptors: a personal outlook.

Intense research continues to address transmembrane signal transduction. Here we recall seven fundamental concepts governing this field. Only signal transduction via G protein coupled receptors (GPCR), is explicitly considered. But the fundamental concepts apply also to other transmembrane receptors such as receptor protein kinases. Although elements of the signal transduction complexes are readily exchangeable, it appears very likely that these complexes are highly organized in situ; how such organization is achieved remains puzzling, and an important question to be answered. Research in signal transduction can continue to explore with ‘reductionist’ approaches the fine details of individual molecular properties of signaling proteins and sub-cellular events. Attempts of comprehensive description of the biology of signal transduction cannot—at the present time—take into account the whole complexity of the systems involved. Nevertheless, it appears worthwhile to attempt more wholesome approaches, the resul...
An evidential extension of the MRII training algorithm for detecting erroneous MADALINE responses

This paper integrates the evidential reasoning methodology with the parallel distributed learning paradigm of artificial neural networks (ANN). As such, this work presents an algorithm for the detection and, if possible, subsequent correction of the errors in the neuron responses in the output layer of the multiple adaptive linear element (MADALINE) ANN. A geometrical perspective of the MADALINE ANN processing methodology is provided. This perspective is then used to formulate a statistical specification to identify and quantify the sources of uncertainties in the MADALINE processing methodology. A new algorithm, EMRII, is then developed as an extension to the original MRII (MADELINE rule II) algorithm, to formulate support and plausibility measures based on the statistical specification. The support and plausibility measures, thus formulated, are indicative of the degree of confidence of the ANN, in regards to the correctness of its outputs. Based on the support measure, a scheme utilizing two thresholds is proposed to facilitate the interpretation of the support values for error prediction in the ANN responses. Finally, simulation results for the application of the EMRII algorithm in the prediction of erroneous responses in an example problem is presented. These simulation results highlight the error detection capabilities of the EMRII algorithm. >
SSB transceiver for vital sign detection

An integrated remote wireless sensor to measure respiration and heart rate without any contact is presented. The low-power wireless sensor system uses RF transceiver with embedded DSP algorithm to monitor cardiac and respiratory activities. The prototype system is implemented using a quadrature Low-IF Bluetooth transceiver at 2.4 GHz with a 30 KHz single-side band reference tone. The low-IF signal is digitized at 100 KHz and the embedded DSP algorithm estimates the Doppler phase shift, while reducing the system noise, LO phase noise, 1/f noise, DC offset, and minimizes the clutter, multi-path and echo signals. A new Pattern Search in Noise Subspace (PSNS) algorithm is used to estimate the sub-HZ phase shift due to heart and respiratory movement. The prototype system is tested in the lab with multiple individuals at 5–20 ft distance with less than 5% error.
Neurovascular compression syndromes.

As I have indicated in the foregoing discussion, there are several syndromes that with various degrees of proof seem to be caused by unilateral vascular compression of a cranial nerve at the brain stem. Jannetta has summarized this concept as follows: "As we age, our arteries elongate and our brains 'sag'. As a consequence of these processes, redundant arterial loops and bridging or intrinsic hindbrain veins may cause cross-compression of cranial nerve root entry zones in the cerebellopontine angle. This pulsatile compression can be seen to produce hyperactive dysfunction of the cranial nerve. Symptoms of trigeminal or glossopharyngeal neuralgia (somatic sensory), hemifacial spasm (somatic motor), tinnitus and vertigo (special sensory), and some cases of 'essential' hypertension are caused by these vessels compressing cranial nerves V, IX-X, VII, VIII, and left X and medulla oblongata. Using microsurgical techniques, the symptoms may be relieved by vascular decompression. . .".
Principles of Classification as Applied to Paddy Soils

Soils used for paddy have been difficult to classify in older systems of soil classification, not only because of the dominantly genetic orientation of those systems but also because of the strong effects of management on soil properties, the complexity of soil patterns due to land shaping, and the strong influence of water management and water quality on crop response.
Transport properties of KTaO3 from first-principles.

The transport properties of the perovskites KTaO3 are calculated using first-principles methods. Our study is based on Boltzmann transport theory and the relaxation time approximation, where the scattering rate is calculated using an analytical model describing the interactions of electrons and longitudinal optical phonons. We compute the room-temperature electron mobility and Seebeck coefficients of KTaO3, and SrTiO3 for comparison, for a range of electron concentrations. The comparison between the two materials provides insight into the mechanisms that determine room-temperature electron mobility, such as the effect of band-width and spin–orbit splitting. The results, combined with the efficiency of the computational scheme developed in this study, provide a path to investigate and discover materials with targeted transport properties.
Availability, Contributions, Account Balances, and Rollovers in Account-Based Health Plans

This paper presents findings from the 2008 EBRI Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey and the 2006 and 2007 EBRI/Commonwealth Fund Consumerism in Health Care Surveys. It examines the availability of HRA and HSA-eligible plans (so-called consumer-driven health plans or CDHPs), as well as employer and individual contribution behavior, time enrolled in such plans, account balances, and rollover behavior. In 2008, 3 percent of the adult population with private health insurance was enrolled in a health reimbursement account (HRA) or had a high-deductible plan with a health savings account (HSA). An additional 3.6 percent were eligible for an HSA but did not have such an account. Overall, 6.6 percent of adults with private insurance were either in a consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) or were in a high-deductible plan that was eligible for an HSA, but had not opened an account. Workers with employee-only coverage and an employer contribution have seen their annual employer contributions increase, and a majority of workers with family coverage receive a contribution of $1,000 or more. The percentage of individuals with employee-only coverage contributing nothing to an HSA was 19 percent in 2008. Persons both with and without health problems are about equally likely to contribute to an HSA, and their contribution levels are about the same. The amount of money that individuals have accumulated in their accounts has grown. The percentage of individuals reporting that they had nothing in their account declined from 14 percent in 2006 to 9 percent in 2008. The percentage of individuals reporting an account balance of at least $1,000 increased from 25 percent in 2006 to 44 percent in 2007, and remained at 43 percent in 2008. The percentage of persons reporting no rollover fell from 23 percent to 16 percent between 2006 and 2008. The percentage reporting a rollover of $1,500 or more increased from 13 percent in 2006 to 27 percent in 2008.
Common core, bilingual and English language learners: a resource for educators, edited by G. Valdés, K. Menken, and M. Castro

Though the USA remains a country committed to balancing local, state, and federal involvement in public education, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) have been incentivized at the national leve...
Behavioral and biochemical effects of chronic delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol in rats.

In an attempt to identify the possible role of brain biogenic amines and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) release in the behavioral and physiological effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the time course of drug action was studied. THC (20 mg/kg) was administered daily for 1, 4, 21, or 42 days to Sprague-Dawley rats that were examined for changes in body temperature, food and water intake, rearing and walking activity, compulsive motor routines, and mouse killing. Four hours after the last THC administration the animals were killed and concentrations of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and serotonin (5-HT) in telencephalon, striatum, diencephalon, mesencephalon, and cerebellum, corticosterone in blood plasma, and epinephrine in the adrenal glands were determined. After initial THC administrations a marked hypothermia, anorexia, adipsia, and depression in locomotion were observed, all of which disappeared within 1 week of treatment. The reduced growth rate and decreased rearing activity persisted throughout the 42-day THC treatment. Compulsive motor routines and mouse killing were induced in a significant proportion of rats treated with THC for more than 3 weeks. Level of 5-HT was increased by 16–37% in all brain regions of rats given THC for 21–42 days. Plasma corticosterone was greatly increased after a single THC injection and remained elevated, to a lesser degree, for 42 days. Adrenal epinephrine was decreased after a single THC administration and increased after 42 days. None of the currently investigated biochemical changes correlated with the marked behavioral and physiological changes after initial THC administration to which tolerance develops. The syndrome of compulsive motor routines after prolonged THC treatment might be mediated by elevated brain 5-HT activity.
The effect of media system diversity on intercultural communication competence under one-way media flow

One-way media flow describes the process by which media products are exported from developed countries to developing countries but seldom the other way around. One possible outcome from this unbalanced trend is the difference in media diversity of countries on two ends -exporting countries will result in a more homogenized media environment consisting of similar messages from the dominant culture while importing countries will result in a more heterogeneous media environment comprised of messages from various cultural backgrounds. Using cultivation theory and the transportation-imagery model as foundations, this study posits that individuals cultivated in importing countries will be able to become transported into a wider range of narratives, leading to differences in intercultural communication competence due to long-term media exposure. The U.S. was chosen to represent an exporting media environment while China was chosen to represent an importing media environment. Results confirm that Chinese audiences are exposed to a greater amount of foreign content than U.S. audiences, although that foreign content as a whole originates from fewer countries than what is consumed in the U.S. Yet, outside of the media environment, U.S. participants have higher intercultural sensitivity and significantly more interpersonal interaction with people from other cultures than the Chinese participants. No significant difference was found on transportation or identification when participants read narratives emphasizing characters from different cultures.
Comparative persistence of the ovicidal activity of thiodicarb, chlordimeform, and methomyl against Heliothis spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on cotton

A 2-yr study was conducted to determine ovicidal effectiveness of thiodicarb against Heliothis spp. in cotton in North Carolina, and to compare it with two standard ovicides, methomyl and chlordimeform. At 0.14 kg (AI)/ha, all materials caused high mortality to eggs collected 2 h after spray, with chlordimeform showing the most activity and greatest persistence, and methomyl persisting the shortest time. Higher rates of thiodicarb up to 0.67 kg (AI)/ha caused greater mortality and longer residual activity, but not at consistent levels both years. Under proper field conditions, ovicidal activity of thiodicarb should persist up to 4 d after application.
Pathology interface for the molecular analysis of tissue by mass spectrometry.

Background: Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) generates molecular images directly from tissue sections to provide better diagnostic insights and expand the capabilities of clinical anatomic pathology. Although IMS technology has matured over recent years, the link between microscopy imaging currently used by pathologists and MS-based molecular imaging has not been established. Methods: We adapted the Vanderbilt University Tissue Core workflow for IMS into a web-based system that facilitates remote collaboration. The platform was designed to perform within acceptable web response times for viewing, annotating, and processing high resolution microscopy images. Results: We describe a microscopy-driven approach to tissue analysis by IMS. Conclusion: The Pathology Interface for Mass Spectrometry is designed to provide clinical access to IMS technology and deliver enhanced diagnostic value.
SWOT Analysis and Development Countermeasures of Cruise Ship Tourism in Qingdao

Cruise ship tourism,as a new fashionable tourism,has been playing more and more important role in the development of port city,and it has also become one of the cores of the tourism development in Qingdao.On the premise of the actuality analysis of Qingdao cruise ship tourism,this paper analyzes the strengths,weaknesses,opportunities and threats of Qingdao cruise ship tourism development through SWOT analysis,and puts forward some corresponding suggestions to develop Qingdao cruise ship tourism.
The Determination of Blowdown Percentage of Drum Boiler

The conventional equation,which is used to evaluate the blowdown percentage of a drum boiler with the constant conditions of the boiler water,has obvious disadvantage.The figures of the blowdown percentage of a drum boiler might be quite different from the actual results,and even with negative value.An equation is established,which is distinguished from the conventional one,because it contains the variable concentration of a mineral,i.e.SiO2,in boiler water.With the help of the new equation,the blowdown percentage of a drum boiler can be calculated accurately.
Identification of Candida Species and the Hemolytic Activity Isolated from Endometritis Cattle

Candida stain is a conditional pathomycete that could be isolated from the bovine with the disease of endometritis.The 183 Candida strains were isolated from the uterus mucus of bovine with disease endometritis were used to identified at the level of generic by API20CAUX.The most commonly could be isolated were Candida krusei which accounted for 33.9%,followed by Candida rugosa were 17.5%,and the Candida kefyr,Candida albicans,Candida tropicalis were 13.1%,11.5%,8.7%.The seldom could be isolated were Candida zeylanoides,Candida parapsilosis,Candida guilliermondi,Candida fanata,Candida glabrata were 5.5%,4.4%,3.3%,1.1%,1.1%.In addition,we had also tested the active of hemolyzation in vitro of the Candida stain.Candida krusei,Candida kefyr,Candida albicans,Candida tropicalis,Candida zeylanoides and Candida glabrata display α and β haemolysis post inoculation 48 h.Candida rugosa,Candida guilliermondi,Candida fanata only display α haemolysis,Candida parapsilosis didn't display any haemolysis after incubation 72 h.Candida albicans and Candida kefyr had a higher haemolysis than others.This study lays the foundation for future study of clinical prevention and treatment of fungal endometritis and pathogenesis.
A possible role for phospholipase A2 in the action of general anesthetics

General anesthetics inhibit Ca(2+)-activated potassium (BK) channels at clinically relevant concentrations. This study examined the possibility that general anesthetics produce their effect on BK channels by disrupting the phospholipase A2 (PLA2)-arachidonic acid signal transduction pathway. Treatment of excised patches with exogenous arachidonic acid (2.5 microM) resulted in a 3.6 +/- 1.3-fold increase in BK channel activity. Subsequent exposure of these patches to concentrations of halothane (0.6 mM), ketamine (100 microM), or etomidate (10 microM) that would normally block the channel by approximately 60-80% in the absence of arachidonic acid did not reduce the channel activity. Arachidonic acid resulted in a significant increase in the 50% effective concentration for the ketamine dose-response curve from 3.4 +/- 0.4 to 693 +/- 379 microM (P < 0.001) as well as a significant decrease in slope from 1.40 +/- 0.21 to 0.59 +/- 0.05 (P < 0.001). The PLA2 inhibitors quinacrine (1 microM), aristolochic acid (250 microM), and octadecylbenzoylacrylic acid (7 microM) inhibited BK channels by 61 +/- 6, 47 +/- 2, and 30 +/- 9%, respectively, and in a manner indistinguishable from general anesthetics inhibition. Aristolochic acid and ketamine significantly inhibit the PLA2-mediated production of arachidonic acid in GH3 cells.
Pre-Event Trading Based on Value Line’s Weekly Rank-Change Announcements

This article investigates pre-event trading behaviors and investment returns surrounding Value Line’s weekly Timeliness rank-change announcements. The findings indicate that pre-event trading is accompanied by abnormal returns and volumes that are subject to rank changes. However, pre-event trading is not detected for stocks given Value Line Initial Reviews. Performance tests show that abnormal returns for pre-event trader portfolios are unexplained by a conventional four-factor asset-pricing model. Additional tests attest that pre-event traders generate superior performance, robust to adjustments for earnings shocks, transactions costs, size effect, and market conditions. With simultaneous upgrade and downgrade information, pre-event hedging strategies are further shown to be feasible and profitable. The authors contend that Value Line’s weekly Timeliness rank-change announcements generate abnormal returns for pre-event traders, exploiting an information asymmetry.
Update on Post-mastectomy Lymphedema Management

Lymphedema is a chronic, progressive condition caused by an imbalance of lymphatic flow. Upper extremity lymphedema has been reported in 16-40% of breast cancer patients following axillary lymph node dissection. Furthermore, lymphedema following sentinel lymph node biopsy alone has been reported in 3.5% of patients. While the disease process is not new, there has been significant progress in the surgical care of lymphedema that can offer alternatives and improvements in management. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive update and overview of the current advances and surgical treatment options for upper extremity lymphedema.
Inflammatory biomarkers, aspirin, and risk of colorectal cancer: Findings from the physicians’ health study

Background Chronic inflammation has been implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis. However, the associations between plasma inflammatory markers and risk of colorectal cancer have been inconsistent.
Heart Rate Variability and Sports.

The article presents a review of the literature and some of their own data on the problem of the possibilities of using the method of the study of heart rate variability in the practice of sports and sports Miedicine.
Role of orbital filling on nonlinear ionic Raman scattering in perovskite titanates

The linear and nonlinear phononic interactions between an optically excited infrared (IR) or hyper-Raman mode and a driven Raman mode are computed for the ${d}^{0} ({\mathrm{CaTiO}}_{3})$ and ${d}^{1} ({\mathrm{LaTiO}}_{3})$ titanates within a first-principles density functional framework. We calculate the potential energy surface expanded in terms of the ${A}_{g}$ or ${B}_{1g}$ mode amplitudes coupled to the ${A}_{u}$ or the ${B}_{3u}$ mode and determine the coupling coefficients for these multimode interactions. We find that the linear-quadratic coupling dominates the anharmonicities over the quadratic-quadratic interaction in the perovskite titanates. The IR and Raman modes both modify the electronic structure with the former being more significant but occurring on a different time scale; furthermore, the coupled-mode interactions lead to sizable perturbations to the valence bandwidth ($\ensuremath{\sim}100\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\text{meV}$) and band gap ($\ensuremath{\sim}50$ meV). By comparing the coupling coefficients of undoped ${\mathrm{CaTiO}}_{3}$ and ${\mathrm{LaTiO}}_{3}$ to those for electron-doped $({\mathrm{CaTiO}}_{3})$ and hole-doped $({\mathrm{LaTiO}}_{3})$ titanates, we isolate the role of orbital filling in the nonlinear coupling process. We find that with increasing occupancy of the $d$ manifold, the linear-quadratic interaction decreases by approximately 30% with minor changes induced by the cation chemistry (that mainly affect the phonon mode frequencies) or by electron correlation. We identify the importance of the Ti-O bond stiffness, which depends on the orbital filling, in governing the lattice anharmonicitiy. This microscopic understanding can be used to increase the nonlinear coupling coefficient to facilitate more facile access of nonequilibrium structures and properties through ionic Raman scattering processes.
Galactic outflows, star formation histories, and time-scales in starburst dwarf galaxies from STARBIRDS

Winds are predicted to be ubiquitous in low-mass, actively star-forming galaxies. Observationally, winds have been detected in relatively few local dwarf galaxies, with even fewer constraints placed on their timescales. Here, we compare galactic outflows traced by diffuse, soft X-ray emission from Chandra Space Telescope archival observations to the star formation histories derived from Hubble Space Telescope imaging of the resolved stellar populations in six starburst dwarfs. We constrain the longevity of a wind to have an upper limit of 25 Myr based on galaxies whose starburst activity has already declined, although a larger sample is needed to confirm this result. We find an average 16% efficiency for converting the mechanical energy of stellar feedback to thermal, soft X-ray emission on the 25 Myr timescale, somewhat higher than simulations predict. The outflows have likely been sustained for timescales comparable to the duration of the starbursts (i.e., 100's Myr), after taking into account the time for the development and cessation of the wind. The wind timescales imply that material is driven to larger distances in the circumgalactic medium than estimated by assuming short, 5-10 Myr starburst durations, and that less material is recycled back to the host galaxy on short timescales. In the detected outflows, the expelled hot gas shows various morphologies which are not consistent with a simple biconical outflow structure. The sample and analysis are part of a larger program, the STARBurst IRregular Dwarf Survey (STARBIRDS), aimed at understanding the lifecycle and impact of starburst activity in low-mass systems.
High power, harmonic gyro-TWTs

An extremely high power, second harmonic TE 21 gyro-TWT utilizing a MIG is described along with a moderately high power, fourth harmonic gyromagnetron-TWT employing a cusp gun. Self-consistent simulation results of a 500 kW, 20p efficient, 7p bandwidth, 100 kV, 25 A, second harmonic, two-stage gyro-TWT and a 40 kW, 15p efficient, 6p bandwidth, 50 kV, 5 A, π mode, fourth harmonic gyro-TWT will be presented.
Early Metabolic Change after Induction Chemotherapy Predicts Histologic Response and Prognosis in Patients with Esophageal Cancer: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Trial

Early metabolic response after preoperative induction chemotherapy (IC) appears to predict histologic response and prognosis in esophageal cancer (EC), but the usefulness of this approach needs further development. We evaluated metabolic response after one cycle of IC using positron emission tomography (PET) to correlate PET response and outcomes. We retrospectively analyzed PET data from a randomized phase 2 trial (NCT00525915) of chemoradiation and surgery with or without IC for the treatment of EC. PET was performed at baseline, after one cycle of IC, and 5–7 weeks after chemoradiation. The relationship between PET response (≥35% reduction in standardized uptake value [SUV]) after IC and treatment response was analyzed. In 63 patients who received IC, the mean initial SUVmax prior to treatment was 11.9 ± 8.04 and mean SUVmax after one cycle of IC was 6.47 ± 4.45. The mean SUV reduction after IC was 39.3%. Eleven of 37 PET responders achieved a pathologic complete response (pCR), but only two of 22 PET non-responders did (univariate logistic regression; odds ratio: 4.25, 95% confidence interval: 0.83–21.77; p = 0.08). PET responders to IC had significantly longer overall survival (OS) than PET nonresponders (log-rank p = 0.009). PET response after chemoradiation was not correlated with OS (log-rank p = 0.15). Early PET response after IC is prognostic, but subsequent PET changes (for example, after chemoradiation) are not prognostic. Early PET response might have the potential of predicting pCR.
Abstract 18859: Staphylococcus aureus Infective Endocarditis is Associated with Worsened Clinical Characteristics than Non-Staphylococcus aureus Organisms

Background: Staphylococcus aureus remains a leading cause of IE, but it is unknown whether S. aureus is associated with more severe infections or worsened outcomes compared to other bacterial organisms. The primary purpose of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics and mortality in S. aureus (SA) versus non-S. aureus (NSA) IE patients undergoing valvular surgery. Methods: All patients undergoing valvular surgery for bacterial IE between 1995 and 2013 at our institution were included in this study. Clinical data were retrospectively collected from chart review. Patients were categorized according to causative organism: 1) SA: n=85, and 2) NSA: n=238, composed of coagulase-negative staphylococci (23%), streptococci (12% viridans; 19% non-viridans), enterococci (17%), and other (51%). Results: SA patients had a higher severity of illness compared to NSA patients due to higher rates of preoperative vascular complications (58.8% vs. 39.4%, p = 0.002), preoperative septic shock (23.5% vs. 13.9%, p = 0.039), preoperative embolic events (33.3% vs. 20.7%, p = 0.02), preoperative stroke (27.1% vs. 13.5%, p = 0.004), and annular abscess (44.7% vs. 27.3%, p = 0.003). There were no statistically significant differences in 30-day (9.4% vs. 8.0%, p = 0.68, OR = 1.20) or 1-year (20% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.22, OR = 1.50) post-operative mortality between SA and NSA IE patients, respectively. However, length of hospital stay, and 30-day post-operative development of new renal failure were higher in SA patients. There was a trend to more post-operative embolic events in SA patients. Conclusions: SA IE is associated with higher morbidity on presentation, such as pre-operative embolic events, stroke and annular abscess, compared to IE caused by other bacterial organisms, but does not lead to increased mortality after surgery. Further research is needed to investigate the differences in post-operative complications among patients.
Seeking Comfort: How and Why Preservice Teachers Use Internet Resources for Lesson Planning.

This study examined 158 lesson plans at one institution across two teacher education programs, inclusive early childhood and elementary education, to determine the impact of Internet usage as inspi...
Evaluation of an avatar-based training program to promote suicide prevention awareness in a college setting

ABSTRACTObjective: Training programs exist that prepare college students, faculty, and staff to identify and support students potentially at risk for suicide. Kognito is an online program that trai...
1283 Gene expression analysis of blood cells in radiation health care workers occupationally exposed to ionising radiation

Introduction Ionising radiation (IR) is a ubiquitous environmental agent whose effects on organism are well established. A direct interaction of IR with human cells causes a variety of biological effects including neoplastic transformation. In this context, physical and biological dosimetry could be a key tool for individual monitoring of the absorbed IR. However, since the current dosimetry approaches are not tailored to distinguish the early response and long-term pro-oncogenic effects of low-dose (LD)IR the discovery of inherent biomarkers represents a priority area. We hypothesised that changes of gene expression profiles in blood cells may occur during occupational exposure to LDIR and that the identification of these changes could be potentially useful in the early recognition of pro-oncogenic phenotypes. Methods We included 9 workers exposed to IR and 3 non-exposed workers, all equipped with dosimeter. Exclusion criteria were smoking, history of cancer diagnosis before occupational exposure, high blood pressure medication and intake of paracetamol. Blood cells were collected from each worker and used to evaluate transcriptional expression of a panel of 624 cancer-related genes by using the Real-Time PCR OpenArray technology. Results The analysis in radiation workers exposed showed the over-expression of some genes involved in the progression of certain types of tumours and an evident alteration in the expression of the gene involved in a way of regulation, known to predispose to genomic instability and tumorigenesis induced by IR. Intriguingly, we also found that among radiation workers 3 subjects, with occupationally recognised thyroid cancer displayed an up-regulation of the rearranged during transfection (RET) gene, which has been found previously overexpressed in subjects with radiation-induced thyroid cancers. Discussion Our preliminary data would indicate that exposure to LDIR is able to alter the expression of pro-tumour genes in blood cells, posing questions and opening new scenarios towards a ‘personalised radioprotection’ model.
Recognized as the Best: The ACM\/SIGDA TCFPGA Hall of Fame for FPGAs and Reconfigurable Computing

The TCFPGA Hall of Fame for FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays) and Reconfigurable Computing recognizes the most significant peer-reviewed publications in the field, highlights key contributions, and represents the body of knowledge that has accumulated over the past 30 years. The ACM SIGDA Technical Committee on FPGAs and Reconfigurable Computing is a technical committee of the Design Automation Special Interest Group, which was formed to promote the FPGA and reconfigurable computing community.
Eliminating concurrency bugs in multithreaded software: an approach based on control of petri nets

We describe the Gadara project, a research effort whose goal is to eliminate certain classes of concurrency bugs in multithreaded software by controlling the execution of programs at run-time. The Gadara process involves three stages: modeling of the source code at compile time in the form of a Petri net, feedback control synthesis, and control logic implementation into the source code. The feedback control logic is synthesized using techniques from supervisory control of discrete event systems, where the specification captures the avoidance of certain types of concurrency bugs, such as deadlocks. We focus on the case of circular-wait deadlocks in multithreaded programs employing mutual exclusion locks for shared data. The application of the Gadara methodology to other classes of concurrency bugs is briefly discussed.
Gender Differences for Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: Complications and Healthcare Utilization

Abstract Introduction The influence of patient gender on complications and healthcare utilization remains unexplored. The purpose of the present study was to determine if patient gender significantly affected outcomes following total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods Retrospective cohort study of THA and TKA patients was performed using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2002 to 2011. Only patients who underwent elective procedures and those with complete perioperative data were included. Multivariate logistic regression was used to compare the rates of adverse events between male and female cohorts while controlling for baseline characteristics. Results A total of 6,123,637 patients were included in the study (31.2% THA and 68.8% TKA). The cohort was 61.1% female. While males had a lower rate of any adverse event (odds ratio [OR] = 0.8, P Conclusion Males had increased rates of many individual adverse events. Females had higher rates of urinary tract infection, which translated to an overall higher rate of adverse events in females because of the rarity of the other individual adverse events.
How trait distributions evolve in populations with parametric heterogeneity.

Abstract We consider the problem of determining the time evolution of a trait distribution in a mathematical model of non-uniform populations with parametric heterogeneity. This means that we consider only heterogeneous populations in which heterogeneity is described by an individual specific parameter that differs in general from individual to individual, but does not change with time for the whole lifespan of this individual. Such a restriction allows obtaining a number of simple and yet important analytical results. In particular we show that initial assumptions on time-dependent behavior of various characteristics, such as the mean, variance, or coefficient of variation, restrict severely possible choices for the exact form of the trait distribution. This fact must be taken into account for both model formulation and, especially, for testing theoretical models against available real world data. We illustrate our findings by in-depth analysis of the variance evolution and specific examples from population ecology and mathematical epidemiology. We also reanalyze a well known mathematical model for gypsy moth population and show that the knowledge of how trait distributions evolve allows producing oscillatory behaviors for highly heterogeneous populations.
Hitting the sweet spot: exploiting HIV-1 glycan shield for induction of broadly neutralizing antibodies.

Purpose of review The surface of the HIV-1 Env glycoprotein, the target of neutralizing antibodies, is extensively covered by N-linked glycans that create a glycan shield. Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs), the primary targets of HIV-1 vaccine design, have to negotiate this glycan shield. Here, we review the barriers and opportunities that the HIV-1 glycan shield presents for vaccine induction of bNAbs. Recent findings Glycan shields can impact the nature of the antibody response and influence the development of neutralization breadth in HIV-1 infections. The architecture of the glycan shield arising from glycan interactions and dynamics have been modeled, and its fine structure, that is, the site-wise glycan heterogeneity, has been determined for some isolates. Although the extent of glycan shielding is conserved, the precise number, location and processing of glycans, however, is strain-dependent. New insights continue to reveal how such differences can impact bNAb activity and development. Novel approaches have exploited the glycan shield for designing immunogens that bind the germline precursors of bNAbs, a critical roadblock for vaccine-induction of bNAbs. Summary The HIV-1 glycan shield can significantly impact the induction and maturation of bNAbs, and a better understanding of how to manipulate it will improve immunogen design.
When Doing Good Backfires: The Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility Fit on Long- and Short-Term Investors

We investigate how the fit of a company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to its business operations affects the investment willingness of long- and short-term investors. While prior research shows several positive outcomes associated with CSR, we predict and find that low-fit CSR activities can backfire by reducing the investment willingness of long-term investors when companies are involved in controversial “sin” industries (e.g., alcohol, tobacco, gambling). Conversely, both low- and high-fit CSR increase long-term investor willingness to invest in firms involved in industries aimed at doing good for society (i.e., “virtue firms”). Importantly, our study also shows that CSR fit only affects long-term investors. Short-term investors view all types of sin firm CSR negatively. Our findings inform the ongoing debate regarding whether to regulate CSR reporting, and help managers better design CSR initiatives to maximize the return on their investment while still having a positive impact on society.