cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inverse Agonist Up-Regulates the Constitutively Active D3.49(164)Q Mutant of the Rat μ-Opioid Receptor by Stabilizing the Structure and Blocking Constitutive Internalization and Down-Regulation

We demonstrated previously that D3.49(164) mutations resulted in constitutive activation of the rat mu-opioid receptor and abolished receptor expression unless cells were pretreated with naloxone, an inverse agonist. In this study, we investigated the properties of the D3.49(164)Q mutant and the mechanisms underlying the effect of naloxone. Naloxone pretreatment up-regulated [(3)H]diprenorphine binding and protein expression of the D3.49(164)Q mutant in a time- and dose-dependent manner without affecting its mRNA level. After naloxone removal, binding and protein expression of the mutant declined with time with no effect on its mRNA level. Naloxone methiodide (a quaternary ammonium analog) caused a maximal up-regulation about 50% of the naloxone effect, indicating that naloxone acts extracellularly and intracellularly. Expression of the mutant was enhanced by inverse agonists, a neutral antagonist, and agonists, with inverse agonists being most effective. In membranes, the mutant was structurally less stable than the wild type upon incubation at 37 degrees C, and naloxone and [D-Ala(2),N-Me-Phe(4),Gly(5)-ol]-enkephalin stabilized the mutant. Coexpression of the dominant-negative mutants GRK2-K220R, arrestin-2(319-418), dynamin I-K44A, rab5A-N133I or rab7-N125I partially prevented the decline in binding of the mutant after naloxone removal. Chloroquine or proteasome inhibitor I reduced the down-regulation of the mutant. These results indicate that the D3.49(164)Q mutant is constitutively internalized via G protein coupled-receptor kinase-, arrestin-2-, dynamin-, rab5-, and rab7-dependent pathways and probably trafficked through early and late endosomes into lysosomes and degraded by lysosomes and proteasomes. Naloxone up-regulates the D3.49(164)Q mutant by stabilizing the mutant protein and blocking its constitutive internalization and down-regulation. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms involved in up-regulation of constitutively active mutants by an inverse agonist.
Echocardiographic endpoints in pediatric cardiomyopathy and heart failure trials

In clinical research, the desired result of an intervention typically involves improvement in one or more of the following clinically meaningful outcomes: increasing long-term survival, reducing risk of hospitalization/ re-hospitalization, improving quality of life, and improving functional status. The very nature of these long-term, clinically meaningful outcomes limits their use in the research setting, however, and many studies rely on surrogate endpoints or composite endpoints which combine the two. Echocardiography is a critical component in the clinical evaluation of patientswithcardiomyopathyandheart failure, atdiagnosis and fordetecting long-term trends. Assessment by echocardiography is also amainstay surrogate endpoint in trials to assess intervention efficacy in this population. A surrogate endpoint is a physical sign or laboratory measurement (e.g., imaging data, serum biomarkers, exercise parameters) that is used as a substitute for a clinically meaningful endpoint. Surrogate endpoints are selected because they can be reached in less time or using fewer resources. They are expected to directly reflect any change that occurs in a clinically meaningful endpoint, not merely to correlate with that change [1,2]. The relationship between the surrogate and the clinically meaningful endpoints must be well-established, ideally through studies which assess the actions of both on the system in question [e.g., the impact of and intervention on echocardiographically derived left ventricular (LV) mass (surrogate endpoint) and cardiovascular morbidity (clinically meaningful endpoint)]. In addition to this linkage, a good surrogate endpoint must be generalizable to a larger population. Importantly, it must have a measurement error that is small relative to the effect size. In other words it must be reproducible with repeated measure. Although several categories of surrogate markers have been used in heart failure trials, including neurohormonal markers [3], invasive hemodynamics [4], and exercise tolerance [5], this article will focus on echocardiographic surrogate endpoints.
The (De-)evolution of Evolution Games: A Content Analysis of the Representation of Evolution Through Natural Selection in Digital Games

Given the diversity and complexity of education game mechanisms and topics, this article contributes to a theoretical understanding of how game mechanisms “map” to educational topics through inquiry-based learning. Namely, the article examines the presence of evolution through natural selection (ENS) in digital games. ENS is a fundamentally important and widely misunderstood theory. This analysis of ENS portrayal in digital games provides insight into the use of games in teaching ENS. Systematic database search results were coded for the three principles of ENS: phenotypic variation, differential fitness, and fitness heritability. Though thousands of games use the term evolution, few presented elements of evolution, and even fewer contained all principles of ENS. Games developed to specifically teach evolution were difficult to find through Web searches. These overall deficiencies in ENS games reflect the inherent incompatibility between game control elements and the automatic process of ENS.
Hebi city AIDS sexually transmitted way analysis

objective to analyze the influence factors of the spread of AIDS, and to provide basis for controlling transmission. Method from China's disease prevention and control information system to download data from 2004 to 2011, the spread of HIV through carry out epidemiological analysis, analysis of high-risk mode. Results Hebi city the HIV transmission through sexual proportion is rising year by year, the male farmers still is the main pathogenesis crowd, cultural degree in elementary school and junior high school education is given priority to, at the age of 30- and sixty years old appeared two peak and spread ways to premarital sexual propagation is given priority to. Conclusion ……。
How Does Protein Disulfide Isomerase Get Into a Thrombus

Numerous studies have demonstrated a role for thiol isomerases (TI), such as protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), in thrombosis.1 Using antibodies, inhibitors, inactive recombinant proteins, and transgenic animals, several groups have convincingly shown that platelet and endothelial cell enzymes contribute to normal platelet activation and deposition at vascular lesions. On the basis of these data, anti-TI therapeutics are being developed for use in humans.2 Platelets and endothelial cells contain at least 7 thioredoxin-like TIs; some of which seem to have overlapping functions.3 PDI, ERp57, and ERp5 have been studied in the most detail. For PDI, it seems to be released into the vascular microenvironment and retained via interactions with β3 integrins.4 Although important for thrombosis, it is unclear what critical substrates are modified by these enzymes or how they get into the extracellular space. To address the second question, Crescente et al5 examined how 2 TIs, PDI and ERp57, are packaged into platelets and how they are released on platelet activation. See accompanying article on page 1164 Normally, TIs are present in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or of other compartments of the secretory pathway. They facilitate the reshuffling of disulfide bonds in …
Militarized Zones: The Thinking Machine, the Occupying Machine, the Intensive Machine [Last Word]

Examines advancements in military technologies and explores the ramifications for both militarized zones and areas that are targeted for protection. Man has been using technology o improve the precision, pace, and proximity of combat throughout time. Yesteryear, technology afforded man new delivery mechanisms for gunpowder. Today, we use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to eliminate specific threats in distant and isolated territories while military personnel remain at safer distances. Yet, we are now relinquishing far more influence and decision-making to thinking machines. Devices are now equipped to fix, track, target, assess, and engage in the dull, dirty, and dangerous missions. As artificial intelligence continues to progress, military personnel may no longer directly control the remotely-operated devices, but rather supervise independent actions of robots. Assesses how these new technologies equipped with smaller weaponry and artificial intelligence affect the societies that are military targets.
Drug interactions between hormonal contraceptives and psychotropic drugs: a systematic review.

Abstract Objective To examine whether the co-administration of hormonal contraceptives (HC) and psychotropic drugs commonly used to treat anxiety and/or depression results in safety or efficacy concerns for either drug. Methods We searched PubMed and Cochrane libraries for clinical or pharmacokinetic (PK) studies that examined co-administration of any HC with psychotropic drugs [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), oral benzodiazepines, bupropion, mirtazapine, trazadone, buspirone, hydroxyzine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), or atypical antipsychotics] in reproductive aged women. Results Of 555 articles identified, 22 articles (18 studies) met inclusion criteria. We identified 5 studies on SSRIs, four on TCAs, one on bupropion, three on atypical antipsychotics and five on oral benzodiazepines. No articles met inclusion criteria for SNRIs, mirtazapine, trazadone, buspirone, hydroxyzine or MAOIs. Overall, clinical studies did not demonstrate differences in unintended pregnancy rates when HCs were administered with and without psychotropic drugs or in psychotropic drug treatment outcomes when psychotropic drugs were administered with and without HCs. PK studies did not demonstrate changes in drug exposure related to contraceptive safety, contraceptive effectiveness or psychotropic drug effectiveness for most classes of psychotropic drugs. However, limited PK data raise concern for HCs increasing systemic exposure of amitriptyline and imipramine (both TCAs), theoretically posing safety concerns. Conclusion Limited quality and quantity evidence on use of psychotropic drugs and HCs suggests low concern for clinically significant interactions, though no data exist specifically for non-oral formulations of HC. Given the high frequency of use for both HCs and psychotropic drugs among reproductive-age women in the US, this review highlights a need for further research in this area.
The Australian Labor Party

In this chapter, I analyse the Australian Labor Party’s (ALP) embrace of neoliberal policies under the governments of Bob Hawke (1983–91) and Paul Keating (1991–96). The ALP of the 1980s had come to have a leadership committed to pro-market reform, much like the 1980s Labour government in New Zealand and the 1990s Labour government in Britain. However, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) maintained an influence within its historic party, which the unions of New Zealand and Britain both lost within theirs. I analyse how this influence affected policy outcomes, particularly within the realm of industrial relations. Through the relationship with Labor governments known as the Accord, the ACTU obtained a temporary ‘breathing space’ from the results of financial deregulation which New Zealand unions did not obtain during the 1980s and which British unions did not obtain under Tony Blair.
Field Performance Evaluations of Large Sized Unconventional and Recycled Aggregates for Subgrade Improvement

Illinois Department of Transportation has recently introduced new gradation bands to accommodate large sized unconventional and recycled materials in subgrade remedial applications. Existing standardized test protocols cannot characterize these materials properly. To this end, an accelerated pavement testing study was undertaken to evaluate rutting performance trends of pavements constructed with such aggregate materials. An advanced field image segmentation technique was implemented for the in situ characterization of aggregate size and morphological properties, i.e. shape, texture and angularity, texture. Four pavement working platform test sections were constructed with railway ballast or riprap sized virgin aggregates as well as large-sized concrete demolition waste capped with densely graded dolomite and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) materials. Construction quality control was achieved through nuclear gauge density checks and modulus measurements, the latter utilizing lightweight deflectometer and soil stiffness gauge. Next, the full scale test sections constructed over weak engineered subgrades were tested with unidirectional wheel loading in accelerated pavement testing. Periodic rut measurements were taken to quantify the rutting progression. Contributions of the subsurface layers to surface rut accumulation were assessed by the use of the following field equipment: variable energy lightweight penetrometer, ground penetrating radar (GPR), and geo-endoscopic probe for visualization of layer compositions and interfaces. Despite higher modulus properties obtained, RAP capped sections typically accumulated higher permanent deformation. Geo-endoscopic imaging revealed that presence of shallow water table led to early failure in one of the test sections. According to the study results, current Illinois subgrade stability design framework was found to be adequate for utilizing large sized unconventional and recycled materials in subgrade remedial applications.
All-Optical Multiorder Distortion Elimination in a Phase-Modulated Microwave Photonic Link

We experimentally demonstrate an all-optical architecture for the linearization of a phase-modulated interferometrically detected microwave photonic link. We couple off a small part of the phase-modulated signal and combine it with a pump lightwave to produce a comb of idlers in a cascaded four-wave mixing process. The phase-matching requirement of the cascaded process ensures that integer multiples of the original signal's temporal phase modulate each of the idlers. We accomplish the linearization by filtering, scaling, and recombining a subset of the idlers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a simultaneous third-order, fifth-order, and all even-order distortion free links in either intensity or phase-modulated architectures. We experimentally measure a 108.8-dB SFDR for the conventional link, 116.1 dB for the third-order distortion-free link, and 116.9 dB for the third-order and fifth-order distortion-free links, each in a 1-Hz bandwidth. We show that the experimentally measured SFDR improvement is primarily limited by an increased phase noise on the correction lightwaves. Specifically, we measure a 24.2-dB noise figure for the conventional link, 38.7 dB for the third-order distortion-free link, and 45 dB for the third-order and fifth-order distortion-free links. We discuss the source of this added noise and methods for mitigation in the future work, which could lead to a 134.8-dB SFDR in a 1-Hz bandwidth for a shot noise limited link with ∼1 mA per photodiode.
Clinical Characteristics and Outcome of Patients (pts) with T315I Mutation after Imatinib Failure.

Point mutations of the Bcr-Abl kinase domain are the most frequently identified mechanism of resistance in patients (pts) with CML who failed imatinib. T315I is an imatinib pocket binding mutation within the Bcr-Abl kinase domain that is highly resistant to imatinib as well as to the novel tyrosine kinase inhibitors (NTKIs) (eg, dasatinib, nilotinib) both in vitro and in vivo. It has thus been suggested that these pts have a very poor prognosis. To define the clinical characteristics and outcome of these pts, we reviewed all pts with this mutations identified at our institution after failure to imatinib. T315I was detected in 15 of 112 patients (13%) harboring kinase domain mutations. Median age was 49 years (range, 34-66 years). At the time imatinib was started, 12 pts were in chronic (CP) and 3 in accelerated (AP). Ten pts had received prior interferon therapy. The best response to imatinib was major molecular response in 1, major cytogenetic response in 5 (complete in 2), and complete hematologic response in 8. One patient was intolerant to imatinib. The median duration of response was 37 months (range, 10–60 months). T315I was identified after a median of 48 months (range, 10–83 months). At the time the mutation was identified, 9 patients had transformed (7 to AP, 2 to BP). Clonal evolution was observed in only 1 pt. Fourteen patients received subsequent NTKIs; 3 of them received both nilotinib and dasatinib. Among them, 1 patient achieved a partial hematologic response with nilotinib that lasted for 3 months and 1 other had T315I identified while in complete cytogenetic response induced by nilotinib that has been sustained for 16+ months. After a median follow-up of 27 months (range, 3–42 months), 11 pts (73%) are alive: 8 are alive with active disease, and 3 patients are alive with ongoing response: 1 in complete molecular remission following allogeneic stem cell transplantation, 1 in partial cytogenetic response following treatment with aurora kinase inhibtor MK0457, and one in sustained complete cytogenetic response with ongoing treatment with nilotinib. Four patients have died of disease progression. Except for previous treatment with interferon (more frequent in patients harboring the T315I mutation; p=0.024) and the lack of response to the NTKI (p=0.001), there was no difference in patients characteristics and previous response to imatinib compared to patients with other mutations. Similarly, there was no difference in overall survival among patients with T315I mutations or other mutations (p=0.71). In conclusion T315I is a highly resistant mutation to conventional tyrosine kinase inhibitors; however occasional responses can be observed and overall survival may not be as poor as previously reported.
Clinical Features of Giant Cell Arteritis

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) shares many clinical features with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Therefore, for a correct diagnosis of GCA, it is essential is to know clinical features of both PMR and GCA.
Associations between clinical diagnostic criteria and pretreatment patient-reported outcomes measures in a prospective observational cohort of patients with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome

Abstract Objective Neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS) is caused by dynamic compression of the brachial plexus at the level of the supraclavicular scalene triangle or the subcoracoid (pectoralis minor) space, or both. The purpose of this study was to characterize relationships between 14 clinical diagnostic criteria (CDC) and seven pretreatment patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) in a prospective cohort of patients with NTOS. Methods There were 183 new patient referrals between July 1 and December 31, 2015, with 150 (82%) meeting an established set of predefined CDC for NTOS. PROMs were evaluated across five domains: pain severity, functional disability, depression, quality of life, and pain catastrophizing. Linear regression and Pearson correlation statistics were used to analyze associations between CDC and PROMs. Results Mean ± standard error patient age was 37.1 ± 1.1 years (range, 12-66 years), and 107 (71%) were women. Five (3%) had a cervical rib, and 15 (10%) had recurrent NTOS. The most frequently positive CDC were neck or upper extremity pain (99%), upper extremity or hand paresthesia (94%), symptom exacerbation by arm elevation (97%), localized supraclavicular or subcoracoid tenderness to palpation (96%), and a positive 3-minute elevated arm stress test (94%; mean duration, 102.0 ± 5.1 seconds). The number of positive CDC (mean, 9.6 ± 0.1) correlated with the degree of tenderness to palpation and the duration of elevated arm stress test, as well as with PROMs for pain severity, functional disability, depression, physical quality of life, and pain catastrophizing (all P P Conclusions This study illustrates the relative strengths of 14 CDC and seven PROMs to evaluate patients with NTOS, helping validate the selected CDC and highlighting the potential role of pain catastrophizing in functional disability. This cohort will provide valuable information on the utility of different CDC and PROMs to predict treatment outcomes.
Effect of different optical codes on a W-band WDM-over-OCDMA system

The dramatic increase in demand for services that require high bandwidth and augmented bitrate to function properly has become a trend in recent years. In order to comply with the current demand, telecom companies struggle to enlarge the offered capacity as well as to minimize the latency and to enhance the reliability of the network. An effective technique to increase the capacity is to move to higher frequency bands, such as millimeter wave band, where the inherent features promise larger capacities and less interference. The other proven method to increase the capacity is to incorporate optical coding in conjunction with the guidelines of optical code division multiple access (OCDMA) where the number of users is increased based on the assignment of optical orthogonal codes to every user. Finally, through the application of multiple wavelengths to transmit optical encoded signals in multiple channels, as suggested by the wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) scheme, the capacity can be increased substantially. In this paper, a W-band WDM-over-OCDMA system is presented. The simulation results show the effect of various optical codes, profiled in a superstructure fiber Bragg grating (SSFBG) device as encoder/decoder, and wavelength channels on the BER versus the received optical power.
Pregnancy after endometrial ablation: a systematic review

Background Pregnancies have been reported after endometrial ablation but there is little data regarding subsequent pregnancy outcomes. Objective To review systematically the available evidence regarding pregnancy outcomes after endometrial ablation, in order to equip physicians effectively to counsel women considering endometrial ablation. Search strategy MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched through January 2017. Selection criteria Published and unpublished literature in any language describing pregnancy after endometrial ablation or resection was eligible. Data collection and analysis Data about preconception characteristics and pregnancy outcomes were extracted and analysed according to study design of source and pregnancy viability. Main results We identified 274 pregnancies from 99 sources; 78 sources were case reports. Women aged 26–50 years (mean 37.5 ± 5 years) conceived a median of 1.5 years after ablation (range: 3 weeks prior to 13 years after). When reported, 80–90% had not used contraception. In all, 85% of pregnancies from trial/observational studies ended in termination, miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. Pregnancies that continued (case report and non-case report sources) had high rates of preterm delivery, caesarean delivery, caesarean hysterectomy, and morbidly adherent placenta. Case reports also frequently described preterm premature rupture of membranes, intrauterine growth restriction, intrauterine fetal demise, uterine rupture, and neonatal demise. Conclusions An unexpectedly high rate of pregnancy complications is reported in the available literature (which may reflect publication bias) and high-quality evidence is lacking. However, based on the existing evidence, women undergoing endometrial ablation should be informed that subsequent pregnancy may have serious complications and should be counselled to use reliable contraception after the procedure. Tweetable abstract Systematic review – pregnancies reported after endometrial ablation have an increased risk of adverse outcomes.
Three variants in the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase complex are associated with HCV-related liver damage.

Approximately 71 million people are chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), a potentially lethal pathogen. HCV generates oxidative stress correlating with disease severity. HCV proteins increase reactive oxygen species production by stimulating nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NOX) activity. Reactive oxygen species are necessary for host defense and cell signaling; however, elevated NOX activity contributes to cancer, and NOX overexpression is associated with hepatic fibrosis. Our aim was to investigate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in NOX family members are associated with HCV-related liver damage. Three hundred and thirty-one individuals of European ancestry and 90 individuals of African ancestry, all diagnosed with HCV, were genotyped for 243 tagSNPs in NOX enzymes and their regulatory factors. Pathology scores were available for 288 Caucasians and 71 Africans, and mortality status was determined for all subjects. SNPs were tested for association with pathology scores and as predictors of mortality. In Africans, homozygosity for the A allele of rs12753665 (neutrophil cytosolic factor 2) and homozygosity for the T allele of rs760519 (neutrophil cytosolic factor 4) were associated with and predictive of higher rates of advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis compared to other genotypes after controlling for age and sex. In Caucasians, homozygosity for the T allele of rs2292464 (dual oxidase 1) was associated with and predictive of decreased periportal inflammation after controlling for age and sex. No SNPs were significant predictors of mortality. Conclusion: In this exploratory study, three NOX-related polymorphisms in two ethnic groups were significantly associated with hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Future studies investigating these SNPs in larger cohorts of patients with HCV are warranted. (Hepatology Communications 2017)
SRAM Circuits for True Random Number Generation Using Intrinsic Bit Instability

This paper describes a novel approach to a true random number generator (TRNG) using SRAM circuits. The principles of operation are described in the context of past work on integrated circuit TRNGs. The required modifications to standard SRAM arrays are minor and have little impact on the area. Experimental results from large 1-Mbit SRAM arrays fabricated on a 55-nm process using the foundry supplied SRAM cell layouts show good results. Simple helper functions, suitable for very small hardware implementation, allow improvement, including the ability for the resulting binary strings to pass all of the National Institute of Standards randomness tests. We describe the circuits, their principle of operation and statistical behavior, as well as the underlying physical mechanisms providing the entropy.
Assessment of improved rice varieties against the infestation of brown planthopper ( Nilaparvata Lugens Stal) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

Brown planthopper, (Nilaparvata lugens Stal) is the devastating pest of rice and distributed throughout the rice growing areas in worldwide. Though the resistant rice varieties have frequently been released globally, the seriousness of N.lugens is innumerable due to the coevolution strategy of N.lugens. It is also common to the Batticaloa district of Sri Lanka where the problem of N.lugens is recorded repeatedly. Thus the regular reevaluation of improved rice varieties is mandate for the proper management of N.lugens. Screening of sixty rice varieties including the varieties highly growing in the Batticaloa district was carried out at Rice Research and Development Institute, Batalagoda, Sri Lanka during yala 2017. The BPH resistance of different 60 rice varieties was assessed using conventional seed box test along with the resistant (Ptb 33) and susceptible check (Bg 380). The results showed that the rice varieties viz., Bg 94-1, Bg 366, Bg 357, Bg 374 and Bg 300 were mainly cultivated by the farmers at the Batticaloa district whereas almost all the varieties lost the unique characteristics in resisting the N.lugens. However Bg 357 and Bg 366 can fairly be recommended for the Batticaloa district as showed Moderately Resistant. Among the tested 60 rice varieties, 21 varieties viz., Bg 379/2, Bg 407H, Bg 359, Bg 304, Bg 305, Ld 371, At 306, At 405, Bg 403, Bg 310, At 354, At 309, At 311, Bg 745, Bg 38, H-4, H-10, Bg 369, H-7, Bw 453 and Bw 267-3 exhibited Moderately Resistant to BPH attack. These varieties can also be recommended to the Batticaloa district once after conducting a similar study at the Batticaloa district of Sri Lanka.
Relativistic treatment of (p,p' gamma ) reactions.

We establish the formal connection between the spin difference function and the loss of symmetry of the correlation function in (p,p'..gamma..) experiments. The same sensitivity to relativistic effects present in (p-arrow-right,p-arrow-right ') spin observable differences is also found in (p,p'..gamma..) reactions. We performed a relativistic distorted wave calculation of the asymmetry and found sizable effects.
Molecular Pathology of Pediatric Tumors of the Lung

Primary lung tumors, both benign and malignant, are overall rare in the pediatric population. Among 166 cases seen at the Armed Forces Institute between 1950 and 1989, malignant tumors were more frequent than benign tumors, with a ratio of 1 : 1.68. Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, also known as inflammatory pseudotumor or plasma cell granuloma, is the most common benign pediatric lung tumor and is discussed later. Epithelial lung malignancies are rare in childhood. Although histologic subtypes are similar to those that occur in adults, the frequencies of types differ, with carcinoid tumors being the most common.1 There is no known association of environmental or genetic factors and the development of epithelial malignancies in children. Pleuropulmonary blastoma, discussed later, is truly a tumor of childhood and never occurs in adults. Thoracopulmonary small round cell tumor, also called Askin’s tumor, is not restricted to childhood but is most common in adolescents and young adults and will therefore be discussed here as well.
Societal Constraints in Decision Making

This chapter examines theories and concepts of decision making and outlines how the context within which decisions are made affect the result. It stresses significant nonquantifiable factors which may receive little or no careful appraisal. Treatises on engineering and economics usually recognize the importance of human values, environmental concerns, community preferences and expectations, and similar socio-political and administrative factors. Systems models seek to provide for such inputs. Yet difficulties in identifying these factors and giving them appropriate weights often result in their being minimized or ignored—with possible subsequent consequences for the operation of the primary water system. This paper seeks to analyze inherent limitations of so-called “rational-comprehensive models” and outlines the more pragmatic “incremental” approach to decision making.
Properties of Superfluid Fog Produced by an Ultrasonic Transducer

A dense fog consisting of superfluid 4 He droplets can be generated in helium vapor up -to a height of a few cm from the helium surface by driving a piezo transducer plate immersed under the liquid. The average droplet size is measured with a long-distance microscope and CCD camera, and ranges from about 100 μm at a drive frequency of 1 kHz to 10 μm at 100 kHz. The dependence of the droplet size on frequency is quite consistent with the capillary-wave dispersion relation of the helium surface, with the droplets ejected from the surface being about one wavelength in diameter. The initial vertical velocity of the droplets emerging from the surface is found to increase linearly with the driving voltage being applied to the piezo.
A Comparison of the Guide Dog Movements of England and the United States

In comparing the guide dog movements in the United States and England, there are several similarities. Among these are the charitable and non-governmental nature of the enterprise, techniques of tr...
The Four A’s of Marketing

In this chapter, the authors present a powerful and tested approach that helps managers see a business’s every action through the eyes of its customers. This approach is organized around the values that matter most to customers: Acceptability, Affordability, Accessibility and Awareness. Taken together, these attributes are called the “4A’s.” The 4A framework derives from a customer-value perspective based on the four distinct roles that customers play in the market: seekers, selectors, payers and users. For a marketing campaign to succeed, it must achieve high marks on all four A’s, using a blend of marketing and nonmarketing resources.
"Mirror of Patients": A Reflection on the Honor of Serving as a Male Obstetrician-gynecologist

Physicians' work challenges them to learn and grow from their experiences with patients. Male obstetrician-gynecologists are uniquely blessed and challenged by their experiences in women's health care. The following is a reflection by one male obstetrician-gynecologist who considers the role of Saint Joseph in the holy family in contemplating his own role in providing women's health care. Summary: One hundred twenty-five men who underwent therapy trying to change sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual were asked about negative and positive experiences. About two-thirds recorded changes of varying extent. There was also much decrease in suicidality, depression, and substance abuse, and increases in social functioning and self-esteem. Almost all harmful effects were none to slight and comparable to therapies for other unwelcome conditions.
College Student Financial Wellness: Student Loans and Beyond

Financial wellness is multidimensional, incorporating all aspects of a person’s financial situation, including their awareness of their financial situation, goal setting to maintain or improve their current financial situation, and the capability to put these goals into action. This review explores key aspects of college student financial wellness and financial behavior including use of credit cards and student loans, financial literacy, financial stress, and financial self-efficacy. This review also incorporates new information from the multi-institutional Study on Collegiate Financial Wellness, which adds depth to understanding of college student financial wellness in unique ways. Colleges and universities can and should contribute to the ongoing development of the financial capability of the college student population. To effectively plan and implement financial wellness initiatives on campus, understanding the needs of students on our campuses and how finances influence the day-to-day lives of students is critical.
Microfluidic long DNA sample preparation from cells

A number of outstanding problems in genomics, such as identifying structural variations and sequencing through centromeres and telomeres, stand poised to benefit tremendously from emerging long-read genomics technologies such as nanopore sequencing and genome mapping in nanochannels. However, optimal application of these new genomics technologies requires facile methods for extracting long DNA from cells. These sample preparation tools should be amenable to automation and minimize fragmentation of the long DNA molecules by shear. We present one such approach in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) device, where gel-based high molecular weight DNA extraction and continuous flow purification in a 3D cell culture-inspired geometry is followed by electrophoretic extraction of the long DNA from the miniaturized gel. Molecular combing reveals that the device produces molecules that are typically in excess of 100 kilobase pairs in size, with the longest molecule extending up to 4 megabase pairs. The microfluidic format reduces the standard day-long and labor-intensive DNA extraction process to 4 hours, making it a promising prototype platform for routine long DNA sample preparation.
Simulation-Predictive Control for Manufacturing Systems

The data revolution is having a remarkable impact over the management and design of manufacturing systems. While data are fruitfully used for diagnosis and monitoring of complex manufacturing processes, the optimization and control of manufacturing systems still rely on heuristics rules when a large set of cooperating machines is considered. In this paper, we explore an alternative way to extend the intelligence of local control to the system level, while explicitly accounting for the inherent system complexity. In particular, we propose the simulation-predictive control framework and we discuss how, according to the proposed approach, simulation has to be performed to allow the control of complex systems. In this direction, we show how simulation should be thought for control purposes and how the optimization/control routines should be seamlessly integrated within the simulation procedure. In order to show the advantage of the proposed approach, we test our control framework against a traditional simulation optimization algorithm and against a retrospective optimizer, which chooses the optimal actions with awareness of the future events. The promising results motivate us to further investigate the family of the approaches proposed herein.
The Frontolateral Approach to Adult Craniopharyngiomas

Abstract Craniopharyngiomas in adults are complex lesions. The majority of tumors can be removed completely, or nearly completely, with the preservation or the improvement of patients’ vision. This chapter mainly discusses the lesions in adults, although it is applicable to children also. Different operative approaches have been proposed, depending on the experience of the surgeon, the patient’s age and gender, and the extension of the tumor. The frontolateral, transpetrosal, and endoscopic transsphenoidal are the current preferred operative approaches of the senior authors. The frontolateral approach, described in this chapter, can be utilized for most tumors, offering a short distance to the suprasellar region and an optimal visualization of the anatomical structures. Meticulous endocrinological management is required in both the pre-operative and post-operative phases. Complications are discussed as well, along with a brief overview of the results of our series.
Epithelioid sarcoma: half a century later

Background and objectives: Epithelioid sarcoma (ES) is an aggressive malignancy scarcely reported on due to its rarity. This study is a review of its traits and features of prognosis and survival by analyzing both the literature and a national cancer database.Methods: Data were acquired from both the Survival, Epidemiology, and End Results database and literature. 1, 5, and 10-year Disease Specific Survival rates and hazard ratios (HR) were determined. Data were split into pre-2000 ( 2000) groups. Overall survival, recurrence, and metastasis rates were obtained.Results: Ninety hundred and ninety eight and 992 cases of ES were identified from the database and literature, respectively. Age, anatomical site, grade, TNM staging, treatment modality and year of diagnosis were demonstrated to be independent predictors of survival. Overall 5- and 10-year survival were 60.4% and 50.2%, respectively. Overall recurrence and metastasis rates were 63.4% and 40.3%. Using cases diagnosed prior to 2000 as reference, those diagnosed after 2000 had a worse prognosis (HR: 1.55).Conclusions: We report using the largest cohort of ES to date. Despite ES's often dismal prognosis, there are factors associated with better outcomes. A worsening survival over the years warrants further investigation into this sarcoma.
Collaborating to Move the Laboratory Findings into Public Health Domains: Maxims for Translational Research

Temporal discounting describes the devaluation of behavioral outcomes when their receipt is delayed. This chapter reflects on the authors’ collective experience in the study of temporal discounting, how our laboratory research findings with human and nonhuman species have influenced our understanding of public health-related behaviors. This reflection was conducted in the context of Skinner’s (1956) paper in which he provides several practical maxims for conducting research. Here we evaluate those maxims in light of our collective experience and offers a few more the reader might find useful. We conclude by outlining practical ways to encourage future advances in translational research.
The role of public administration in wealth creation

Poverty has always been acknowledged as the number one problem facing the developing countries in general, and Africa, in particular. The attention given to “development planning” and administration in the post-independence period was itself an acknowledgement of the fact that poverty contributes to human suffering, and undermines the dignity of nations and their peoples. In effect, poverty was, and remains, an adversary that no government could afford to ignore or underrate. Yet, as central planning became discredited, the role of government (and, to that extent, of public administration) in poverty alleviation gradually receded. By the time “planning” returned under different guises (structural adjustment and short-term economic recovery programmes, PRSPs, CAAs, MDGs) poverty had become too firmly entrenched to be wished away in strategy documents or vanquished in open, hand-to-hand combat.
A case of Parkes-Weber syndrome accompanied by pseudo-Kaposi's sarcoma

A girl who aged eight years and seven months presented with prunosus patches on the right buttock for 8 years,gradual unilateral enlargement of the right lower limb for more than 7 years,and multiple vegetations for 1 year.Dermatological examination showed nevus flammeus and multiple malodorous vegetations over the right lower limb with high skin temperature.The right lower limb was thicker and longer than the left lower limb.X-ray examination,magnetic resonance imaging and Doppler ultrasound examination revealed high-flow vascular malformations.Pathological examination of the vegetations showed vascular proliferation,fibroblast proliferation and erythrocyte extravasation.She was diagnosed as Parkes-Weber syndrome accompanied by pseudo-Kaposi's sarcoma. Key words: Parkes-Weber syndrome; Pseudo-Kaposi's sarcoma; Arteriovenous fistula
Flow: a generative exploration of organic form

I write computer code to simulate nature, explore abstract mathematical systems and create art. My background is in computational astrophysics where I developed computer simulations to study the dy...
High prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms in patients with lung cancer.

Abstract Background Lung cancer and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) possess multiple shared risk factors. Whereas both have screening guidelines in place, they vary in methodology despite having significant overlap in populations of patients screened. Methods Our hospital system's Lung Cancer Program database was used to identify patients diagnosed with primary lung cancer within the past 15 years. Demographic and risk factor data were obtained, and patients' original positron emission tomography-computed tomography scans were re-read for measurements of the abdominal aorta (aortic diameter ≥3.0 cm). A cancer-free control group was obtained for comparison. Multilinear regression modeling was used to evaluate the independent associations of multiple variables on the presence of AAA. Results Among 814 patients with primary lung cancer, 90 (11.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.9%-13.3%) had AAA compared with 4 of 200 (2%; 95% CI, 0.1%-3.9%) in the control group (P = .0001). Patients who smoked were more likely than nonsmokers to have AAA (11.9% [95% CI, 9.8-14.6] vs 2.2% [95% CI, 0.1-8.1]; P = .0021). In patients with AAA, 12% (11/90) had aneurysms that required treatment, and 76.6% had early-stage lung cancer. Women in our study also had a high prevalence of AAA (4.6%). Logistic regression analysis showed male sex (odds ratio [OR], 3.70; P Conclusions Patients with lung cancer have a high prevalence of AAA. If future studies can demonstrate a reduction in AAA mortality by screening for AAA and lung cancer simultaneously, it may prove worthwhile to extend the low-dose computed tomography scan through the lower abdomen in select patients.
The health sphere beyond borders: Coverage portability and justice in a global space

Medical coverage often stops at borders, for both travellers and long-term migrants. Such patchiness imposes a de facto limit on free movement. This article considers this phenomenon not as a mere policy choice or technical matter, but as a form of territorial discrimination that is incoherent and even unjust. This legacy of nationally bounded social citizenship rests on a mistaken version of solidarity. Moreover, with growing mobility and rising expectations of medical coverage around the world, the fragmenting of safety nets by the political honeycomb of statehood will become a vexing problem in coming decades. A proper understanding of the health sphere not only can justify incremental reforms that lessen territorial discrimination, without impairing either solidarity or sustainability. It also foreshadows a radically different vision of how social provision might work in a future global space beyond the nation-state.
Aerobic capacity and fatigability are associated with activity levels in women with hip osteoarthritis

Physical activity is important for physical function and pain relief in people with lower extremity osteoarthritis (OA). Unfortunately, people with OA are not as active as their peers without OA. The objective of this study was to determine whether aerobic capacity and fatigability are associated with physical activity in women with hip OA. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 36 women with hip OA. We assessed aerobic fitness as predicted VO2 max from a 6-min walk test. We assessed fatigability using a treadmill test. Finally, we assessed self-reported physical activity using the UCLA activity scale and quantified steps per day and activity intensity using accelerometers. We used Pearson correlations to determine associations. We used regression analysis to determine whether fatigability mediated the association between aerobic fitness and physical activity. On average, subjects were moderately active via the UCLA score (5.2 ± 1.3 out of 10). Aerobic fitness (R = 0.582, p < .001) and fatigability (R = 0.516, p =.003) were significantly correlated with UCLA scores. However, aerobic fitness was the best predictor of UCLA scores, as well as sedentary time, and time spent in light activity. Fatigability was not a mediator between aerobic fitness and UCLA scores. Aerobic fitness and fatigability may be modifiable barriers to physical activity in people with OA. Future interventional studies should examine whether improving aerobic fitness improves physical activity or fatigability.