cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of Opuntia dillenii extracts on IL-2 and TNF-alpha in S180 mice

Objective To study the effect of Opuntia dillenii extracts on interleukin-2(IL-2) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha) in S180 tumor cells.Methods S180 ascites sarcoma mice models were made by transplanting the ascites sarcoma cell suspension in the mice left anterior subcutaneous part.Then the mice models were randomly allocated to an Opuntia dillenii extracts group,a GanFuLe tablet group,a blank model group and a normal control group.The first two groups were perfused orally with Opuntia dillenii extracts fluid and GanFuLe suspension,respectively.The rest two groups were filled with normal saline,0.2ml/10g·d~(-1),once every day for ten days.At the eleventh day,the mice serum IL-2 and TNF-alpha were measured.Results In the Opuntia dillenii extracts group,the mice serum IL-2 levels elevated significantly than that in the blank model group(P0.01);and TNF-alpha levels decreased significantly (P0.05).Conclusion The Opuntia dillenii extracts can elevate the IL-2 levels,lessen the TNF-alpha levels and have anti-tumor efficacy.
Histological and bacteriological findings in long-term ileocystoplasty and colocystoplasty in the rat

Abstract The long-term effects of bladder reconstruction using bowel were studied in rats. Bladder surgery consisted of cystotomy and closure, ileo- or colocystoplasty, or placement of a reverse serosal (Thal) patch of ileum. At least one-third of all groups received prophylactic cefaclor, postoperatively. Monthly urine cultures were obtained, and survivors were sacrificed at 1 year. Antimicrobial therapy markedly reduced the incidence of chronic colonization after cystoplasty. However, the majority of rats in the Thal patch group remained colonized because of acquired vesicoileal fistulae. Vesical stones were often present in this group and were also seen in 6 of 43 (14%) and 3 of 33 (9%) in the ileocystoplasty and colocystoplasty groups, respectively. Transitional cell papillomas and/or hyperplasia was seen at 20 of 42 (48%) uroileal and 20 of 31 (64%) urocolonic anastomoses (p = .15). Hyperplastic lesions could not be correlated with bacteriuria. Focal non-papillary transitional cell carcinoma was seen once in the colocystoplasty group, and low grade papillary transitional cell tumors were noted once in each of the cystostomy and ileocystoplasty groups and twice in Thal patch rats with ileovesical fistulae. These findings suggest that the rat uroenteric anastomosis is susceptible to proliferative change which is rarely malignant in nature and occurs in the presence or absence of bacteriuria.
Contractile Differences in Left and Right Ventricles of Healthy Human Hearts

Left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV) differ in embryology, structure and function. Left ventricle originates from the primary heart field while right ventricle originates from the secondary heart field. The two heart fields express different sets of transcription factors and signaling molecules. At the molecular level, the gene expression in response to the pressure loading and failure is different in both ventricles. They also exhibit differences in response to adrenergic stimulation. Adrenergic agonist increase LV contractility but RV contractility may be reduced. Performing different functions, these ventricles have differences in the resistance offered by the systems they pump blood to. The force and tension developed in each ventricle also varies. Although numerous studies have been performed at macroscopic (whole organ) level previously, none (to my knowledge) address the differences at a mesoscopic level, where only a few molecules are investigated. This becomes important, as in macroscopic studies there may be differences due to basic fiber structures, differences in orientation of fibers as well as molecular crowding. These differences were investigated at the level of few molecules by sparsely labeling the myosin lever arm with SeTau 647 Maleimide. The kinetics and distribution of cross-bridges were examined in healthy ex-vivo human ventricles and differences were compared in LV and RV. The results suggest that there is a significance difference in the cross bridge order of left and right ventricles. In particular, the cross bridges of left ventricles were better ordered when compared to those of right ventricles.
Data on the optimizations of expression and purification of human BiP/GRP78 protein in Escherichia coli.

Abstract Human BiP/GRP78 is involved in the folding and assembly of proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. The proteins for crystallization in good amount and quality are prerequisites for obtaining ideal crystals. To meet these requirements, different BiP/GRP78 constructs, competent cells, vectors, and concentrations of inducer were tested in order to obtain soluble BiP/GRP78 protein with the highest amount and best purity. The BiP–T229A–L 3,4′ –Smt3 fusion protein was expressed in a soluble manner and finally purified with the highest purity using size exclusion chromatography, which was suitable for further protein crystallization.
Clustering time-varying connectivity networks by riemannian geometry: The brain-network case

In response to the demand on data-analytic tools that monitor time-varying connectivity patterns within brain networks, the present paper introduces a framework for clustering (unsupervised learning) of dynamically evolving connectivity states of networks. This work advocates learning of network dynamics on Riemannian manifolds, capitalizing on the well-known fact that popular features in statistics enjoy that structure: (Partial) correlations or covariances can be mapped to the manifold of positive (semi-)definite symmetric matrices, while low-rank linear subspaces can be considered as points of the Grassmannian. Sequences of such features, collected over time and across a network, are mapped to sequences of points on a Riemannian manifold, and a sequence that corresponds to a specific state of the network forms a cluster or submanifold. Geometry is exploited in a novel way to demonstrate the rich potential of the proposed learning method for monitoring time-varying network patterns by outperforming state-of-the-art techniques on synthetic brain-network data.
David Oliver: Is NHS "candour" on a break for winter?

Winter seems more difficult each year in NHS acute care, and 2016-17 is no exception. Vocal public support from national leadership bodies would be a welcome New Year gift. It would certainly beat attempts at news management to limit reputational damage and appease politicians’ reported wishes to keep hospital crises out of the headlines.1 Looking at NHS performance statistics,2 media reports of clinicians’ tales from around the country,3 or statements from their medical colleges and societies,45 it’s been more like the Apocalypse than the Christmas story. Demand for urgent care is high, …
Women’s Colleges and Universities in a Global Context By Kristen A. Renn

Women’s Colleges and Universities in a Global Context by Kristen A. Renn summarizes a qualitative study of 13 women’s colleges in 10 countries (Australia, Canada, China, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya,...
A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review Evaluating Skin Closure After Total Knee Arthroplasty-What Is the Best Method?

Abstract Background Many cost drivers of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have been critically evaluated to meet the heightened quality-associated expectations of performance-based care. However, assessing the efficacy of the different modalities of skin closure has been an underappreciated topic. The present study aims to provide further insight by conducting a meta-analysis and systematic review evaluating the rates of common complications and perioperative quality outcomes associated with different suture and staple skin closure techniques after TKA. Methods The present study was conducted in accordance with both the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Statement and the Cochrane Handbook for meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Primary outcome measures evaluated rates of common complications associated with primary TKA. Secondary outcome measures evaluated wound closure time, direct surgical costs, and cosmetic and knee function outcomes. Results Our meta-analysis demonstrated that skin sutures had a higher likelihood of superficial and deep infections, abscess formation, and wound dehiscence. Conversely, staples had a higher tendency for prolonged wound discharge. A systematic review of wound closure times and overall resource utilization demonstrated that wound closure was faster and more cost-effective with skin staples than sutures. Conclusion Primary skin incision closure with staples demonstrated lower wound complications, decreased wound closure times, and an overall reduction in resource utilization. Given these outcomes, the use of staples after TKA may have several subtle clinical advantages over sutures.
Consumers’ Preferences for Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Product Features: A Structured Content Analysis

To inform potential governmental regulations, we aimed to develop a list of electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) product features important to U.S. consumers by age and gender. We employed qualitative data methods. Participants were eligible if they had used an ENDS at least once. Groups were selected by age and gender (young adult group aged 18–25, n = 11; middle-age group aged 26–64, n = 9; and women’s group aged 26–64, n = 9). We conducted five individual older adult interviews (aged 68–80). Participants discussed important ENDS features. We conducted a structured content analysis of the group and interview responses. Of 34 participants, 68% were white and 56% were female. Participants mentioned 12 important ENDS features, including: (1) user experience; (2) social acceptability; (3) cost; (4) health risks/benefits; (5) ease of use; (6) flavors; (7) smoking cessation aid; (8) nicotine content; (9) modifiability; (10) ENDS regulation; (11) bridge between tobacco cigarettes; (12) collectability. The most frequently mentioned ENDS feature was modifiability for young adults, user experience for middle-age and older adults, and flavor for the women’s group. This study identified multiple features important to ENDS consumers. Groups differed in how they viewed various features by age and gender. These results can inform ongoing regulatory efforts.
Functions of Positive Emotions: Gratitude as a Motivator of Self-Improvement and Positive Change:

Positive emotions are highly valued and frequently sought. Beyond just being pleasant, however, positive emotions may also lead to long-term benefits in important domains, including work, physical health, and interpersonal relationships. Research thus far has focused on the broader functions of positive emotions. According to the broaden-and-build theory, positive emotions expand people’s thought–action repertoires and allow them to build psychological, intellectual, and social resources. New evidence suggests that positive emotions—particularly gratitude—may also play a role in motivating individuals to engage in positive behaviors leading to self-improvement. We propose and offer supportive evidence that expressing gratitude leads people to muster effort to improve themselves via increases in connectedness, elevation, humility, and specific negative states including indebtedness.
On self-healing of grid-tied PV inverters considering current sensor inaccuracy and aging degradation

Coming with the reliability enhancement and the life extension for the Photovoltaic (PV) inverters modules, diagnostic techniques will be required to derive signature identification. The reliable operation of PV inverter is very crucial to get the highest performance for the long term. A new Smart Inverter Robustness Index (SIRI) is used for verifying the performance and robustness of the grid-tied PV inverter. The index considers the major operational PV characteristics as efficiency, Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), Power Factor (PF) compliance, and Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) effectiveness. The focus of this paper is to examine the impact of sensing inaccuracy and aging degradation over the long term and possible variations on the PV robustness. Since the initial simulation results show the significant reduction of system robustness, a state estimator was applied to modify the current sensor inaccuracy caused by the aging. During severe operation conditions, based on this local state estimation solution, an inverter can execute a corrective action to perform possible self-healing and increase its robustness.
The "What" and "Hows" of Mindfulness: Using DBT's Mindfulness Skills to Reduce Test Anxiety

Background: Many studies have shown the positive effects of extended mindfulness interventions on anxiety reduction in several different populations; however, few have yet to examine the effects of mindfulness interventions on test anxiety in a college student population. Aim: This study assesses the effects of overall test anxiety reduction through the use of Dialectical Behavior Therapy's (DBT's) mindfulness skills over an eight-week period among college students. Methods: Participants included 16 college students that were trained in mindfulness, which included an eight-week mindfulness training using DBT's "What" and "How" skills of the mindfulness module. Participants were assessed on text anxiety, general anxiety, and mindfulness at the beginning, mid-way point, and end of the study. A weekly schedule of mindfulness practices was given to participants to complete on their own at home. Results: Participants showed significant within-group reductions in test anxiety from the start of the study ( Mean = 56, SD = 11.47) to the end of the study ( Mean = 37.56, SD = 9.98). Conclusions: It is likely a mindfulness intervention that specifically teaches the “What” and “How” skills of DBT can help students reduce not only test anxiety, but overall anxiety, as well as increase individual levels of mindfulness based on the self-reported mindfulness questionnaire. Further research is needed to more definitively assess these results matched against a wait-list control group.
Total Synthesis of Sarpagine-Related Bioactive Indole Alkaloids.

Extension of the asymmetric Pictet-Spengler reaction to bulkier Nb -alkylated tryptophan derivatives resulted in an improved stereospecific access to the key bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane core of bioactive C-19 methyl substituted sarpagine/macroline/ajmaline indole alkaloids with excellent diastereoselectivity by internal asymmetric induction. Complete stereocontrol of the C-19 methyl function in either the α- or β-configuration was achieved, which enables the total synthesis of any member from this group of thirty alkaloids. We report herein, the total synthesis of macrocarpines (A-C) 1-3, talcarpine 4, N(4)-methyl-N(4),21-secotalpinine 5, dihydroperaksine 8 and deoxyperaksine 9.
Suicide Prevention Program on a Diverse College Campus: Examining the Effectiveness of a Peer-to-Peer Model

With the high prevalence of college students experiencing psychological distress, it is becoming increasingly important to provide prevention and early intervention programs in addition to traditio...
Translating Uncertain Sea Level Projections Into Infrastructure Impacts Using a Bayesian Framework

Author(s): Moftakhari, H; AghaKouchak, A; Sanders, BF; Matthew, RA; Mazdiyasni, O | Abstract: Climate change may affect ocean-driven coastal flooding regimes by both raising the mean sea level (msl) and altering ocean-atmosphere interactions. For reliable projections of coastal flood risk, information provided by different climate models must be considered in addition to associated uncertainties. In this paper, we propose a framework to project future coastal water levels and quantify the resulting flooding hazard to infrastructure. We use Bayesian Model Averaging to generate a weighted ensemble of storm surge predictions from eight climate models for two coastal counties in California. The resulting ensembles combined with msl projections, and predicted astronomical tides are then used to quantify changes in the likelihood of road flooding under representative concentration pathways 4.5 and 8.5 in the near-future (1998–2063) and mid-future (2018–2083). The results show that road flooding rates will be significantly higher in the near-future and mid-future compared to the recent past (1950–2015) if adaptation measures are not implemented.
Environmental Loading-Waves and Currents

This chapter is devoted to the formulation of the distributed transverse fluid load f (X, t) in an ocean environment. An offshore structure in an ocean environment is subjected to loadings due to wind, current, and waves. The Morison equation is used to model the in-plane fluid force. Random waves are modeled using the Airy linear wave theory and the Pierson-Moskowitz spectrum. A sample time history is generated using Borgman’s method. The out-of-plane fluid force due to vortex shedding is modeled as a simple sinusoid.
KANSAS CITY'S USE OF LIMESTONE MINES FOR BUSINESS, INDUSTRY, AND STORAGE

Urbanization intensifies occupance and use of land in a variety of ways. Thoroughfares increase the volume of traffic that may be accommodated. Skyscrapers create additional area by stacking floors of space over the busy surface of the metropolitan topography. Another space adjustment technique, too long ignored, is the use of the subsurface area beneath the city. Secondary use of mined-out space in underground limestone quarries 50–200 feet below the surface has emerged in Kansas City where for twenty-five years abandoned deep mine sites have been renovated into warehouses, factories, and offices. Mining techniques, ceiling heights, and pillar distribution are altered as planning for the secondary use of mined-out space is combined with the quarrying process. Mutual subsidization by dual sales of mined rock and added profit through leasing the created space is changing the economics of rock production. L'urbanisme rend l'utilisation de la terre de plusieures facons plus intense. Les arteres publiques augmentent le volume de la circulation. Les gratte-ciel creent d'advantage d'espace en entassant des etages au-dessus de la surface bondee de la topographie metropolitaine. Un autre moyen de readaptation de l'espace, longtemps ignore, est l'emploi de la surface souterraine de la ville. Un usaqe secondaire des carrieres calcaires (50–200 pieds de profondeur) a commence a Kansas City, oo, pendant les derniers 25 ans, les mines abandonnes ont ete transformees en entrepots, usines et bureaux. Les techniques du forage du calcaire, la hauteur des plafonds et la distribution des piliers subissent une mutation selon les plans d'usage secondaire de l'espace. La subvention mutuelle par la vente de la pierre minee et du profit obtenu de la location de l'espace cree, change l'economie de l'exploitation des mines. Der Effekt verbreiteter Verstadterung macht den okonomischen Gebrauch des Landes notwendig. Infolge dessen werden Hauptstrasen geplant, die sich dem wachsenden Verkehr anpassen. Ahnlich bieten aufgeschichtete Stockwerksgebaude mehr Raum uber der Oberflache der Stadt an. Die bisher meist unbeachtete Technik des unterirdischen Raumbenutzung verwendet man schon seit 25 Jahren in Kansas City, wo verlassene, 50–200 Fuss unter der Oberflache liegende Kalksteinbergwerke in Warenhauser, Fabriken und Buros verwandelt werden. Durch vorsichtige Planung der Deckenhohe und der Verteilung der Pfeiler wird der Gewinn fur die Bergsteinindustrie jetzt zweifach: primar ist der Verkauf des Kalksteins; aber genau so wichtig ist der sekundare Gebrauch und die Vermietung des ausgehohlten Raumes.
Evaluation of light collection in digital indirect detection x-ray imagers: Monte Carlo simulations with a more realistic phosphor screen model

We are performing simulation studies to investigate whether a microlens layer sandwiched between a phosphor screen and a photodetector will improve light collection in indirect-detection x-ray imagers. In this study, we examined the light collection efficiency after incorporating the spatial and angular spread of photons due to the phosphor screen in the model. Monte Carlo simulations of a uniform, planar x-ray source were conducted and the light collection efficiencies of two imager configurations were compared. Imager 1 had the screen in direct contact with the photodetector while Imager 2 had a microlens array sandwiched between the screen and the photodetector. A total of 72% of the scintillation light (31% in the “central” pixel directly below the x-ray interaction point and 41% in the 8 nearest neighbor pixels) was collected by the photodetector for Imager 2 compared with only 56% (28% in the central pixel and 28% by the nearest neighbor pixels) for Imager 1.
Idea: writing secure c programs with secprove

This paper describes SecProve, a prototype tool we are developing for checking application-specific security properties of C code, together with our vision of how such a tool can be used by a programmer to maintain security of code during its development.
The New Markets Tax Credit – The Path for Financial Institution Participation

In the United States, utilizing economic incentives to spur business growth and relocation are almost as old as the Country itself. The frequency of incentives to spur capital investment and job creation in low to moderate income communities has increased over the last 20 years. Congress established the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program as part of the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 to encourage investors to make investments in impoverished, low-income communities (LICs) that traditionally lack access to capital. In December 2010, Congress renewed the NMTC program for an additional two years based on intense lobbying by investors, lenders and non-profits. Based on the historical awards of the NMTC, financial institutions (especially those that coordinate efforts with local non-profits that cater to the economic stability of LICs) continue to maintain an advantage in receiving awards (directly or indirectly). The renewed program continues to insure support of financial institution and non-profit coordination. The last several years of the program has seen a concentrated effort by program administrators to award program benefits to those Applicants that coordinate LIC efforts in an attempt to revitalize and stabilize each local economy.With the extension of the NMTC program with additional compliance requirements, it appears financial institutions will continue to grab the lion’s share of NMTC allocations. Those financial institutions that partner with local or regional non-profits in pursuit of sustainable lending opportunities in LICs will be at a distinct advantage. This article addresses program background, the application process to receive a NMTC award and favorable conditions for financial institutions’ to receive a NMTC award.
Interaction in Rural Families

It has been frequently argued that the attitudes and behavior of rural families are responsible for perpetuating the relatively high levels of poverty in rural regions. These family characteristics include religious fundamentalism, fatalism, traditionalism, extreme familism, and a pervasive lack of long-range planning. Weiler (1965) has suggested that the strong emotional ties of Appalachian families limit the opportunities for family members to develop socialization skills in the greater community. Similarly, Looff (1971) has reported that parents in rural families often provide inadequate child supervision and socialization training. In sum, many writers have viewed the relations of rural families from a deficit perspective. Alternatively, this chapter suggests that the family unit is one of the more positive aspects of rural life and that investigators of rural families should emphasize their strengths, rather than focus on supposedly deviant cultural values.
CHAPTER 141 – Calpain

Much is known about this ubiquitous family of limited intracellular proteases. Many investigators have defined the extended family and begun to establish structural bases of calpain activation and regulation. In addition, a number of functional roles have been established by calpain family selective inhibitors, which in turn have provided potential target proteins. However, much remains to be learned about this complex family of enzymes. Four decades of study have provided much understanding of the calpain family of intracellular cysteine proteases. Due to the limitations of investigative tools, earlier work focused on in vitro regulation and activities of these proteases, primarily the two ubiquitous isoforms μ- (calpain I) and m-calpain (calpain II). Structure-function studies have culminated in elucidating the molecular structure of the two ubiquitous calpains and deciphering how these enzymes might be activated and modulated. More recently, investigators have focused on connecting calpain function to physiology and pathology, particularly in regard to motility during wound repair, injury-mediated apoptosis in stroke and ischemia, protein degradation in muscular dystrophies, and susceptibility for non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.
“Subversive, Unannounced Non-Compliance”: A Pacifist-Soldier’s Poetic (Auto) Ethnography of Experiences in the Israeli Defense Forces:

The current article presents the experiences of a pacifist-soldier who was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces in the 1980s. Using a poetic (auto) ethnographic mode of research, this article exp...
Ecological effects of cellular computing in microbial populations

Gene regulatory networks allow single cells to adopt a wide range of different phenotypes in response to changes in environmental conditions. The ecological implications of these cellular computations are poorly understood, and they are largely absent from models of microbial community assembly. Here, we highlight a number of examples where ecological interactions are or may be affected by cellular computations. Our review identifies specific opportunities for integrating cellular decision-making into mathematical models of microbe-microbe interactions and community assembly. We argue that incorporating cellular decision-making into microbial ecology will be critical in order to gain a quantitative understanding of microbial biogeography.
Multiscale characterization of irradiation behaviour of ion-irradiated SiC/SiC composites

Abstract The irradiation tolerance of SiC/SiC composites was studied using 10 MeV Au ion irradiations at 350 °C, for surface doses between 1 and 50 displacements per atom (dpa). Atomic force microscopy and optical profilometry revealed irradiation-induced axial and radial shrinkage of SiC-fibers. At 50 dpa, net fiber shrinkage reached 2.8 ± 0.3%. We conclude that the primary cause of SiC-fiber shrinkage in SiC/SiC composites is the irradiation-induced loss of pre-existing carbon packets, which had occupied 2–3% fiber volume in unirradiated state. A compelling evidence of the carbon packet loss was revealed using a combination of state-of-art conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution TEM, energy-filtered TEM and electron energy loss spectroscopy. The carbon packet volume fraction decreased with increasing dose, reaching near-complete loss after 50 dpa. Carbon packet loss was further confirmed using Raman spectroscopy where the carbon D and G peaks disappeared after irradiation. In contrast, irradiation-induced swelling of 1 ± 0.5% was observed in the matrix after 50 dpa. The study also shows that up to 50 dpa, the multilayer pyrolytic-carbon (PyC) interface in the composite is highly irradiation tolerant as it maintained its morphology, graphitic nature and showed no signs of amorphization. Additionally, Raman spectroscopy revealed a saturation of TEM invisible disorder at 1 dpa for both ultra-fine grains of the fiber and the larger SiC-matrix grains. However, TEM visible extended defect formation such as dislocation loops were only detected in the larger matrix grains, thereby revealing a potential role of grain size on defect accumulation in SiC.
What does the information paradox say about the universe

The black hole information paradox is resolved in string theory by a radical change in the picture of the hole: black hole microstates are horizon sized quantum gravity objects called `fuzzballs' instead of vacuum regions with a central singularity. The requirement of causality implies that the quantum gravity wavefunctional $\Psi$ has an important component not present in the semiclassical picture: virtual fuzzballs. The large mass $M$ of the fuzzballs would suppress their virtual fluctuations, but this suppression is compensated by the large number -- $Exp[S_{bek}(M)]$ -- of possible fuzzballs. These fuzzballs are extended compression-resistant objects. The presence of these objects in the vacuum wavefunctional alters the physics of collapse when a horizon is about to form; this resolves the information paradox. We argue that these virtual fuzzballs also resist the curving of spacetime, and so cancel out the large cosmological constant created by the vacuum energy of local quantum fields. Assuming that the Birkoff theorem holds to leading order, we can map the black hole information problem to a problem in cosmology. Using the virtual fuzzball component of the wavefunctional, we give a qualitative picture of the evolution of $\Psi$ which is consistent with the requirements placed by the information paradox.
Markerless tumor tracking using fast-kV switching dual-energy fluoroscopy on a benchtop system

Purpose To evaluate markerless tumor tracking (MTT) using fast-kV switching dual-energy (DE) fluoroscopy on a bench top system. Methods Fast-kV switching DE fluoroscopy was implemented on a bench top which includes a turntable stand, flat panel detector, and x-ray tube. The customized generator firmware enables consecutive x-ray pulses that alternate between programmed high and low energies (e.g., 60 and 120 kVp) with a maximum frame rate of 15 Hz. In-house software was implemented to perform weighted DE subtraction of consecutive images to create an image sequence that removes bone and enhances soft tissues. The weighting factor was optimized based on gantry angle. To characterize this system, a phantom was used that simulates the chest anatomy and tumor motion in the lung. Five clinically relevant tumor sizes (5-25 mm diameter) were considered. The targets were programmed to move in the inferior-superior direction of the phantom, perpendicular to the x-ray beam, using a cos4 waveform to mimic respiratory motion. Target inserts were then tracked with MTT software using a template matching method. The optimal computed tomography (CT) slice thickness for template generation was also evaluated. Tracking success rate and accuracy were calculated in regions of the phantom where the target overlapped ribs vs spine, to compare the performance of single energy (SE) and DE imaging methods. Results For the 5 mm target, a CT slice thickness of 0.75 mm resulted in the lowest tracking error. For the larger targets (≥10 mm) a CT slice thickness ≤2 mm resulted in comparable tracking errors for SE and DE images. Overall DE imaging improved MTT accuracy, relative to SE imaging, for all tumor targets in a rotational acquisition. Compared to SE, DE imaging increased tracking success rate of small target inserts (5 and 10 mm). For fast motion tracking, success rates improved from 23% to 64% and 74% to 90% for 5 and 10 mm targets inserts overlapping ribs, respectively. For slow moving targets success rates improved from 19% to 59% and 59% to 91% in 5 and 10 mm targets overlapping the ribs, respectively. Similar results were observed when the targets overlapped the spine. For larger targets (≥15 mm) tracking success rates were comparable using SE and DE imaging. Conclusion This work presents the first results of MTT using fast-kV switching DE fluoroscopy. Using DE imaging has improved the tracking accuracy of MTT, especially for small targets. The results of this study will guide the future implementation of fast-kV switching DE imaging using the on-board imager of a linear accelerator.
Restrictive lung disease in TNF-transgenic mice: correlation of pulmonary function testing and micro-CT imaging.

AbstractPurpose: Micro-computed tomography (µCT) is increasingly being used on animal models as a minimally-invasive longitudinal outcome measure of pulmonary disease progression. However, while im...
Peasants, Politics and Revolution: Pressures Toward Political and Social Change in the Third World

During the last quarter century, peasant participation in politics has increased markedly in parts of Latin America and Asia. Why the poor and vulnerable peasant population has chosen to leave the confines of the village for political activity and at times for sustained revolution is the question this book explores. The author draws on informal interviews and observation of peasants in Mexico and India and on fifty-one community studies of peasants in Asia and Latin America compiled by ethnographers in the last forty years. He suggests that severe economic crises have driven peasants to roles in the larger economy outside the village, where they are initially attracted to politics by material incentives. Originally published in 1975. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
REVIEW OF ANESTHETIC PROTOCOLS IN ANDEAN BEARS (TREMARCTOS ORNATUS), SLOTH BEARS (MELURSUS URSINUS), AND GIANT PANDAS (AILUROPODA MELANOLEUCA) AT THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION'S NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK, 1995-2016.

A review of anesthetic procedures used in Andean bears (Tremarctos ornatus), sloth bears (Melursus ursinus), and giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) housed at the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoological Park (NZP) from 1995 to 2016 was performed. A total of 146 anesthetic procedures (55 procedures on 12 Andean bears, 38 procedures on nine sloth bears, and 53 procedures on five giant pandas) occurred at NZP during this time frame. Induction protocols involved some combination of ketamine (K; n = 121), tiletamine–zolazepam (TZ; n = 91), medetomidine (M; n = 67), xylazine (X; n = 42), midazolam (Mid; n = 9), and butorphanol (B; n = 1). The most commonly used protocols were TZKM for both Andean bears (n = 29) and sloth bears (n = 12), and KX in giant pandas (n = 17). Supplemental injections of K, TZ, Mid, or M were required to complete inductions in 66 cases (45%). Anesthetic maintenance was most often completed with isoflurane, ketamine, or propofol. The most commonly reported complications included perianesthetic emesis (n = 47), ptyalism (n = 16), and seizure-like activity (n = 11). The most frequent physiologic findings included low pulse oximetry values (n = 95), bradycardia (n = 95), hypothermia (n = 74), and hypertension (n = 55). Dose ranges, induction, and recovery times, supplementation and complication rates, and physiologic values are reported for each protocol by species.
Midstance hamstring length is a better indicator for hamstring lengthening procedures than initial contact length.

Abstract Background Children with static encephalopathy often walk with excessive knee and hip flexion throughout the gait cycle. This crouch gait pattern can be debilitating. These children may undergo hamstring-lengthening procedures to correct this crouch gait. Some improve, while others remain in crouch gait or go into knee hyperextension postoperatively, which can ultimately be debilitating. Research question Hamstring muscle-tendon length models are frequently used as indicators when making recommendations for or against hamstring lengthening procedures. According to the literature, most clinicians use the length of the hamstring complex at the initial contact phase of the gait cycle as the primary deciding factor. We hypothesize that the length of this muscle-tendon complex at the midstance phase of the gait cycle is a more stringent criteria for lengthening procedures. Methods A simplified hamstring length model was applied retrospectively to the pre and postoperative three dimensional gait analysis kinematics of 152 subjects to assess preoperative surgical indications and postoperative outcomes. Results Of the limbs with short hamstrings at initial contact preoperatively, 15% went into knee hyperextension following hamstring lengthening procedures. Cases of hyperextension were even higher (19%) if the hamstrings were also normal to long at midstance. If the hamstrings were short at midstance, only 6 % went into hyperextension. Increasing the criteria to short hamstrings at initial contact and midstance reduced the number of limbs with hyperextension to 0%. Significance It appears that the length of the hamstrings at midstance is an additional predictor of the risk of post-op knee hyperextension from hamstring lengthening procedures, than utilizing the length at initial contact alone. Even though short hamstrings at midstance may be an additional predictor of positive outcomes, it also results in a more conservative approach to surgery by excluding almost half of the patients with short hamstrings at initial contact only, but who may benefit from surgery.
Learning a latent representation of human genomics using Avocado

In the past decade, the use of high-throughput sequencing assays has allowed researchers to experimentally acquire thousands of functional measurements for each basepair in the human genome. Despite their value, these measurements are only a small fraction of the potential experiments that could be performed while also being too numerous to easily visualize or compute on. In a recent pair of publications, we address both of these challenges with a deep neural network tensor factorization method, Avocado, that compresses these measurements into dense, information-rich representations. We demonstrate that these learned representations can be used to impute with high accuracy the output of experimental assays that have not yet been performed and that machine learning models that leverage these representations outperform those trained directly on the functional measurements on a variety of genomics tasks. The code is publicly available at https: //github.com/jmschrei/avocado.
Another Problem in Possible World Semantics

Author(s): Ding, Yifeng; Holliday, Wesley Halcrow | Abstract: In "A Problem in Possible-World Semantics," David Kaplan presented a consistent and intelligible modal principle that cannot be validated by any possible world frame (in the terminology of modal logic, any neighborhood frame). However, Kaplan's problem is tempered by the fact that his principle is stated in a language with propositional quantification, so possible world semantics for the basic modal language without propositional quantifiers is not directly affected, and the fact that on careful inspection his principle does not target the world part of possible world semantics---the atomicity of the algebra of propositions---but rather the idea of propositional quantification over a complete Boolean algebra of propositions. By contrast, in this paper we present a simple and intelligible modal principle, without propositional quantifiers, that cannot be validated by any possible world frame precisely because of their assumption of atomicity (i.e., the principle also cannot be validated by any atomic Boolean algebra expansion). It follows from a theorem of David Lewis that our logic is as simple as possible in terms of modal nesting depth (two). We prove the consistency of the logic using a generalization of possible world semantics known as possibility semantics. We also prove the completeness of the logic (and two other relevant logics) with respect to possibility semantics. Finally, we observe that the logic we identify naturally arises in the study of Peano Arithmetic.
Alarming levels of psychiatric symptoms and the role of loneliness during the COVID-19 epidemic: A case study of Hong Kong.

Public health strategies to curb the spread of the coronavirus involve sheltering at home and social distancing are effective in reducing the transmission rate, but the unintended consequences of prolonged social isolation on mental health have not been investigated. We focused on Hong Kong for its very rapid and comprehensive response to the pandemic and strictly enacted social distancing protocols. Thus, Hong Kong is a model case for the population-wide practice of effective social distancing and provides an opportunity to examine the impact of loneliness on mental health during the COVID-19. We conducted an anonymous online survey of 432 residents in Hong Kong to examine psychological distress in the community. The results indicate a dire situation with respect to mental health. An astonishing 65.6% (95% C.I. = [60.6%, 70.4%]) of the respondents reported clinical levels of depression, anxiety, and/or stress. Moreover, 22.5% (95% C.I. = [18.2%, 27.2%]) of the respondents were showing signs of psychosis risk. Subjective feelings of loneliness, but not social network size, were associated with increased psychiatric symptoms. To mitigate the potential epidemic of mental illness in the near future, there is an urgent need to prepare clinicians, caregivers and stakeholders to focus on loneliness.
Association of Medicaid Expansion Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act With Use of Long-term Care.

Importance Medicaid expansion is associated with increased access to health services, increased quality of medical care delivered, and reduced mortality, but little is known about its association with use of long-term care. Objective To examine the association of Medicaid expansion under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) with long-term care use among newly eligible low-income adults and among older adults whose eligibility did not change. Design, setting, and participants This difference-in-difference cohort study used data from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative longitudinal survey of persons 50 years or older. Long-term care use from 2008 to 2012 was compared with use from 2014 to 2016 among low-income adults aged 50 to 64 years without Medicare coverage residing in states in which Medicaid coverage expanded in 2014 and those living in states without expansion. Low-income adults who were covered by Medicare and were ineligible for expanded Medicaid were also included in the analysis. Data were analyzed from January 15, 2018, to December 31, 2019. Exposures Residence in a state with Medicaid expansion in 2014. Main outcomes and measures Any home health care use or any nursing home use in 2014 or 2016. All estimates are weighted to account for the Health and Retirement Study sampling design. Results Among the 891 individuals likely eligible for expanded Medicaid, the mean (SD) age was 55.2 (3.1) years; 534 (53.4%) were women, 482 (49.5%) were married, and 661 (45.9%) were White non-Hispanic. Before the ACA-funded Medicaid expansion, 0.4% (95% CI, -0.3% to 1.1%) in expansion states and 1.0% (95% CI, -0.1% to 2.2%) in nonexpansion states used nursing homes, and 1.9% (95% CI, 0.4%-3.4%) in expansion states and 7.1% (95% CI, 4.7%-9.5%) in nonexpansion states used any formal home care. The ACA-funded Medicaid expansion was associated with an increase of 4.4 percentage points (95% CI, 2.8-6.1 percentage points) in the probability of any long-term care use among low-income, middle-aged adults, with increases in home health use (3.8 percentage points; 95% CI, 2.0-5.6 percentage points) and in any nursing home use (2.1 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.9-3.3 percentage points). Conclusions and relevance In this study, ACA-funded Medicaid expansion was associated with an increase in any long-term care use among newly eligible low-income, middle-aged adults, suggesting that the population covered by the Medicaid expansion may have had unmet long-term care needs before expansion.
Outcomes of Esophageal Stent Therapy for the Management of Anastomotic Leaks.

The purpose of this study was to present the optimal patient selection for esophageal stenting after esophageal resection to investigate possible factors leading to treatment success or treatment failure in these patients. This was a prospective, observational study of patients from January 2005 to May 2019 with an esophageal anastomotic leak that were treated with a self-expandable stent (SES). A total of 34 patients were treated. All achieved technical success (100%); 33 (97%) achieved clinical success. No patient had to have reoperative surgery based on their leak management. The stenting in-hospital mortality was 0% with 1 patient (2%) with a 90-day mortality from possible leak-related death. Patients had their stents removed with a median of 106 days. Stenting for an anastomotic leak after resection offers a safe and effective method of treatment and is successful in the majority of cases. Critical to success is optimal patient selection, adequate leak drainage, and optimal stent selection and placement.
One Laptop Per Child 2.0 - The Lessons We Did Not Learn: Education, Technology, and COVID-19

The rapid onset of COVlD-19 brought unprecedented changes to K-12 schools throughout the United States, requiring many schools to immediately transition to distance learning COVlD-19 significantly altered the delivery and learning of core and entrepreneurial competencies and previous studies on distance learning showed a greater benefit to students who have more robust academic support systems. In addition, COVlD-19 required an increased reliance on technology to deliver education in ways that many educational infrastructures were ill-prepared to do. Some schools in the US distributed computers and WiFi hotspots to students to facilitate access to distance learning platforms. This distribution of computers to students during the pandemic harkens back to One Laptop Per Child This study peers into current achieivement gaps for core and entrepreneurial competencies, assessing whether the technology-reliant distance education prompted by COVlD-19 further entrenches existing, or creates additional gaps for students. The theoretical frameworks underpinning this research include principles of lnformation, Communication, and Technology (lCT); distance education, digital divide; technological determinism; technological optimism and entrepreneurial mindset The research leverages a secondary and thematic analysis of survey data that assessed the distance learning experiences of families in the Paradise Valley School District (Phoenix, Arizona) during CO VlD-19. Parent-guardian perceptions were intentionally selected for this study as this group now plays a different, more prominent role in students education.
Radical excision of inguinal condyloma acuminatum following 51 years of untreated growth, found to be squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract Giant condyloma acuminatum, caused by herpes simplex virus infection, is a large cauliflower shaped lesion that has a propensity to infiltrate surrounding tissues with paradoxically benign microscopic/histological appearance. This lesion is often benign, though it does have the potential for malignant transformation. Here we present a case that demonstrates this potential and describes the pathological and histological findings in detail. The report concludes with the clinical reasoning for considering surgical resection in these patients.