cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elimination of the Roux stasis syndrome using a new type of "uncut Roux" limb.

Background: The Roux stasis syndrome, a syndrome of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and postprandial fullness that follows Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy, is thought to result from the jejunal transection performed during the construction of a conventional Roux limb. The purpose of this study was to test a new type of “uncut” Roux limb construction, in which a neuromuscular bridge maintains neuromuscular continuity between the proximal jejunum and the Roux limb, while a jejunojejunostomy provides distal diversion of pancreaticobiliary secretions. Methods: After a distal hemigastrectomy, 5 dogs underwent the uncut Roux operation, while 5 others had a Billroth II reconstruction (controls). Three weeks later, recordings of jejunal myoelectrical activity and assessment of gastric emptying and bile reflux were performed in fully conscious dogs. Results: In the dogs with uncut Roux limbs, jejunal pacesetter potentials propagated aborally across the neuromuscular bridge, although their frequency was slightly slower distal to the bridge (proximal 19.5 ± 0.7 cpm versus distal 18.8 ± 1.1 cpm; P<0.05). No frequency change occurred across the comparable area of jejunum of the controls. Both groups had similar rates of gastric emptying. Only small amounts of bile acids were found in gastric aspirates from dogs with uncut Roux limbs. Conclusions: A new uncut Roux operation eliminated the Roux stasis syndrome by preserving neuromuscular continuity between the proximal jejunum and the Roux limb, and yet provided near-total diversion of bile from the gastric remnant.
Size-Dependent Bacterial Growth Inhibition and Mechanism of Antibacterial Activity of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

The antibacterial properties of zinc oxide nanoparticles were investigated using both Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. These studies demonstrate that ZnO nanoparticles have a wide range of antibacterial activities toward various microorganisms that are commonly found in environmental settings. The antibacterial activity of the ZnO nanoparticles was inversely proportional to the size of the nanoparticles in S. aureus. Surprisingly, the antibacterial activity did not require specific UV activation using artificial lamps, rather activation was achieved under ambient lighting conditions. Northern analyses of various reactive oxygen species (ROS) specific genes and confocal microscopy suggest that the antibacterial activity of ZnO nanoparticles might involve both the production of reactive oxygen species and the accumulation of nanoparticles in the cytoplasm or on the outer membranes. Overall, the experimental results suggest that ZnO nanoparticles could be developed as antibacterial agents agai...
Digitized voice distribution using XTP and FDDI

The feasibility of distributing digitized voice over FDDI using the Xpress Transfer Protocol (XTP) is examined. The requirements of such a system, the role of a communications protocol, and the overall experimental design are studied. A basic configuration is developed to measure the system throughput, latency, and jitter, and from these data the number of voice channels that a given configuration would support is computed. The basic system is then perturbed by adding up to 75 Mb/s of background synchronous load to the FDDI network, and by artificially dropping up to 10% of the transmitted packets to force retransmissions. Whether XTP's reliable transport multicast, which provides a 1-to-m transmission capability, provides a latency reduction when compared to m serial unicasts is investigated. Conclusions regarding the utility of a transport protocol for both single segment and multiple-segment LANs are presented. >
Invasive Group A Streptococcus Infection Presenting as Purulent Pericarditis With Multiple Splenic Abscesses: Case Report and Literature Review

Purulent pericarditis is a localized infection of the pericardium producing an effusion that is both microscopically and macroscopically purulent. Purulent pericarditis is most frequently caused by Staphylococcus, although rarely Streptococcus and other organisms are implicated. This article describes a case of invasive group A streptococcal disease presenting as purulent pericarditis with multiple splenic abscesses in a 4-year-old boy.
Intraepithelial Vibrio Associated with Acute Typhlitis of Young Rabbits

A retrospective morphologic study was conducted on tissues from weanling laboratory rabbits with diarrheal disease of unknown cause. The consistent lesion was in the cecum and consisted of exaggerated degeneration and loss and replacement of surface absorptive cells. This was accompanied by hyperplasia of crypt epithelial cells and acute diffuse inflammation of the lamina propria and submucosa. Numerous bacteria, identified morphologically as vibrio sp., were in surface epithelial cells in the cecum of affected rabbits. This was demonstrated in 10 of 12 affected rabbits via light microscopic examination of Levaditi-stained histologic sections. The occurrence, intraepithelial location, and identification of the vibrio, as well as the associated cytopathology, was confirmed in four of the six ceca from affected rabbits examined by electron microscopy. Lesions were not seen in cecal mucosa of six healthy weanlings from the colony. Vibrio was seen in the intestinal and cecal lumina of one control by both Leva...
Breaking the Bank & Taking to the Streets: How Protesters Target Neoliberalism*

This paper analyses a set of 467 local protests that took place against neoliberalism on 5 global days of action between 1998 and 2001 and ?nds that the targets of protest di?er on each continent. The majority target either the global institutions of neoliberalism, such as the IMF, World Bank, World Trade Organization or the Group of 8, or neglect to identify a single institutional target. However, the most popular local target in Africa and Asia is national or local government. In Latin America protests are most likely to target banks or stock exchanges, and in the US, Canada and Europe, corporations. The sources of such variation lie in pre-existing political repertoires, transnational organizational networks, and processes of structural equivalence that underlie di?usion patterns.
Near Real-Time Orthorectification and Mosaic of Small UAV Video Flow for Time-Critical Event Response

A method for real-time mosaic of video flow acquired by a small low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been presented in this paper. The basic procedures of real-time mosaic are as follows: (1) Each video frame is resampled and orthorectified using a developed mathematical model, which can simultaneously solve the video camera's interior orientation parameters and the exterior orientation parameters of each video frame; (2) each orthorectified video frame is mosaicked at real time. A test field located in Picayune, Mississippi, has been established for testing our method. Sixty-minute video data were collected using the UAV and were processed using the proposed method. The results demonstrated that each video frame can be geo-orthorectified and mosaicked together to produce a 2-D planimetric mapping at near real time. Accuracy of the mosaicked video images (2-D planimetric map) is approximately 1-2 pixels, when compared to 55 checkpoints, which were measured by differential GPS surveying.
Tibetan Fraternal Polyandry: A Test of Sociobiological Theory

This paper tests sociobiological hypotheses regarding the way practitioners of fraternal polyandry in a Tibetan population in Nepal may enhance their inclusive fitness. Demographic data demonstrate higher mortality and lower survivorship of offspring in fraternal polyandry than monogamy. Moreover, the probability of allele transmission for an ego is lower in fraternal polyandrous unions than in monogamous unions. On the basis of the measured parameters, Tibetan fraternal polyandry does not appear to enhance the fitness of individuals who practice it and, in fact, seems to entail substantial reproductive sacrifice. [sociobiology, fraternal polyandry, inclusive fitness, demography, Tibet]
Gas turbine upgrading and renovation with respect to pollution and degradation

The process industry has to deal with three main issues regarding gas turbines: high fuel prices, high level of reliability, and growing sensitivity for environmental issues. Many existing gas turbines need upgrading to deal with these issues. A new renovation study method for gas turbines involving the optimization process with respect to a full array of turbine details is presented. The main concern is optimum renovation solutions considering pollution and degradation. A case study for a major gas company gas turbine fleet is discussed.
Designing of pv rural electrification for small model of tourism village in egypt

Based on the conditions of Egypt & other developing countries, a series of types of small scale PV systems has been developed. The potentiality of utilizing solar energy to supply families scattered in remote areas with electricity in Egypt is briefly discussed in this paper. A design small PV system with inverter & controller are introduced. Some results getting from Operation, generation and load demand. PV systems have developed into a reliable source of energy with wide variety of applications. It is provided a detailed analysis of having PV powered modular power sources for a small village on the beach. This paper introduces a proposed algorithm to estimate the solar irradiance received on a standard PV array. The application of PV in rural areas is proving to be both technically and economically reliable. PV systems show excellent potential to become a major force in the drive for socioeconomic development in Egypt. The purpose of this paper is to offer suggestions for the promotion and expansion of PV usage in Egypt with new tourism cities as a case study.
Spoilage of Washed Eggs 2. Laboratory versus Ranch Washing

Abstract IN THE first paper of this series (Lorenz and Starr, 1952; referred to hereafter as 1) the results of a study of washing eggs by different methods in the laboratory were discussed and pertinent literature was reviewed. The experiment reported here was intended to obtain more extensive information on some of the variables discussed in that paper and to compare washing in the laboratory with washing on the ranch. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eggs from a single nearby poultry ranch only were used in this trial. Three days each week during 4 consecutive weeks the entire day’s production of this ranch was brought to the laboratory immediately after the final collection for that day. These eggs were then segregated at once according to cleanliness, and eggs that had checked or grossly imperfect shells were removed. The sound shelled eggs were then cleaned at once, except for two instances in which washing . . .
Vehicle detection algorithm based on horizontal/vertical edges

This paper presents a vehicle detection algorithm for driver assistance system based on embedded vision architecture. Before generating the hypothesis, we propose to delimiter the search area. The Hough transform is used to detect the lines that delimit the search area. By doing so we can reduce the computation time and the false detection rate during the hypothesis generation phase. The search area is determined by the Hough transform and can be tracking in the following frames. The generation of hypothesis is based on horizontal edges, due to bumper, rear window, plate, etc. and detected by a Sobel filter. The verification of the hypothesis consists to find the “U” shape. For that we verify the presence of two vertical edges, left and right, each connected to a horizontal edge. Satisfactory results have been obtained, representing 90% of correct detection in different situations and with a good rate of 11 frame/s. The algorithm can be implemented on embedded DSP platform.
Revising the Weakest Failure Detector for Uniform Reliable Broadcast

Uniform Reliable Broadcast (URB) is a communication primitive that requires that if a process delivers a message, then all correct processes also deliver this message. A recent paper [HR99] uses Knowledge Theory to determine what failure detectors are necessary to implement this primitive in asynchronous systems with process crashes and lossy links that are fair. In this paper, we revisit this problem using a different approach, and provide a result that is simpler, more intuitive, and, in a precise sense, more general.
Use of behavioural stochastic resonance by paddle fish for feeding

Stochastic resonance is the phenomenon whereby the addition of an optimal level of noise to a weak information-carrying input to certain nonlinear systems can enhance the information content at their outputs1,2,3,4. Computer analysis of spike trains has been needed to reveal stochastic resonance in the responses of sensory receptors5,6,7 except for one study on human psychophysics8. But is an animal aware of, and can it make use of, the enhanced sensory information from stochastic resonance? Here, we show that stochastic resonance enhances the normal feeding behaviour of paddlefish (Polyodon spathula)9,10, which use passive electroreceptors11,12 to detect electrical signals from planktonic prey13. We demonstrate significant broadening of the spatial range for the detection of plankton when a noisy electric field of optimal amplitude is applied in the water. We also show that swarms of Daphnia plankton are a natural source of electrical noise. Our demonstration of stochastic resonance at the level of a vital animal behaviour, feeding, which has probably evolved for functional success, provides evidence that stochastic resonance in sensory nervous systems is an evolutionary adaptation14.
Improving the assessment of vancomycin-resistant enterococci by routine screening

Author(s): Huang, Susan S; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L; Pottinger, Jean M; Herwaldt, Loreen A; Zembower, Teresa R; Noskin, Gary A; Cosgrove, Sara E; Perl, Trish M; Curtis, Amy B; Tokars, Jerome L; Diekema, Daniel J; Jernigan, John A; Hinrichsen, Virginia L; Yokoe, Deborah S; Platt, Richard; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epicenters Program | Abstract: BackgroundAs infection with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) increases in hospitals, knowledge about VRE reservoirs and improved accuracy of epidemiologic measures are needed. Many assessments underestimate incidence by including prevalent carriers in at-risk populations. Routine surveillance cultures can substantially improve prevalence and incidence estimates, and assessing the range of improvement across diverse units is important.MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study using accurate at-risk populations to evaluate the range of benefit of admission and weekly surveillance cultures in detecting unrecognized VRE in 14 patient-care units.ResultsWe assessed 165 unit-months. The admission prevalence of VRE was 2.2%-27.2%, with admission surveillance providing 2.2-17-fold increased detection. Medical units were significantly more likely to admit VRE carriers than were surgical units. Monthly incidence was 0.8%-9.7%, with weekly surveillance providing 3.3-15.4-fold increased detection. The common practice of reporting incidence using the total number of patients, rather than patients at risk, underestimated incidence by one-third. Overall, routine surveillance prevented the misclassification of 43.0% (unit range, 0%-85.7%) of "incident" carriers on the basis of clinical cultures alone and increased VRE precaution days by 2.4-fold (unit range, 2.0-2.6-fold).ConclusionsRoutine surveillance markedly increases the detection of VRE, despite variability across patient-care units. Correct denominators prevent the substantial underestimation of incidence.
Comparative Molecular Phylogeography of North American Softshell Turtles (Apalone): Implications for Regional and Wide-Scale Historical Evolutionary Forces

We use a comparative analysis of partial cytochrome b sequences to evaluate the evolutionary forces shaping wide-scale phylogeographic patterns of all three North American softshell turtles (Apalone ferox, A. mutica, and A. spinifera). The overall phylogeographic patterns are concordant with results from both extensive regional studies of southeastern species, implicating historical vicariant processes during the Pliocene and Pleistocene, and investigations of more northerly distributed species, indicating a bottleneck effect of recent dispersal into postglacial habitat. We also resolved a novel, shared genetic break between northern-western and southeastern populations within both A. mutica and A. spinifera, demonstrating the value of using widespread taxa to evaluate both regional and wider scale phylogeographic patterns. The extensive phylogenetic structure and sequence divergences within both A. mutica and A. spinifera contrast sharply with most previous studies of turtles and with the hypothesis that turtles in general have slow rates of mtDNA evolution.
Describing the Early Childhood Policy Landscape in the USA

Unlike many countries throughout the world, USA is relatively new to the scene in early childhood education as a federal and state policy. It is only in recent years that policymakers have turned to early childhood as a critical factor in children’s education. This chapter attempts to describe the current state of affairs in our policy efforts, and to reflect on our challenges in establishing a better safety net for our children at risk. To do so, I briefly describe our current policy priorities. I then move to examine the major types of programs serving our young children and then offer recommendations for the future.
Enhancement of Nonspecific Resistance to Infection

Bacterial lipopolysaccharides are able to stimulate the defense mechanism of the host against infection (Rowley, 1956). Several other natural products given in properly dispersed form and in the proper doses may also show similar effects. This protection is nonspecific. For example, if animals receive injections of a lipopolysaccharide extracted from one species of bacterium, their resistance will be raised to subsequent infection not only with the homologous organism, but also with immunologically unrelated strains.
Al Qaeda and the Global Salafi Jihad

The al Qaeda suicidal skyjackers of 9/11 differed strikingly from the youthful Palestinian suicide bombers operating in Israel. Older, they were in their late 20s to early 30s; Mohammad Atta, the ringleader, was 33. A number of them had higher education; Atta and two of his colleagues were in graduate training at the Technological Institute in Hamburg. And, for the most part, they came from comfortable middle-class families in Saudi Arabia and Egypt (15 of the 19 were Saudis). As fully formed adults, they had internalized their values. They were “true believers” who had subordinated their individuality to the group. They had uncritically accepted the directions of the destructive charismatic leader of the organization, Osama bin Laden, and what he declared to be moral was moral and indeed was a sacred obligation.
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in social phobia: preliminary findings.

Proton localized magnetic resonance spectroscopy was studied in 20 social phobics and 20 age-and sex-matched controls. Stimulated Echo Acquisition Mode volume element localization was used with chemical shift imaging. Choline and creatine signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) were significantly lower in social phobia than in controls in subcortical, thalamic, and caudate areas. In the social phobic group, N-acetylaspartate (NAA) SNR was significantly lower in cortical and subcortical regions, and ratios of NAA to other metabolites were lower in social phobia. Choline, creatine, and NAA SNRs were inversely correlated to total social phobia and fear symptoms, as measured by the Brief Social Phobia Scale, in the thalamic and noncortical gray areas
The Association Between the Medical Home and Pediatric Developmental Screening Among US Children Five Years and Younger: Results From the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health.

OBJECTIVES The medical home is associated with key healthcare services. We assessed its association with the pediatric developmental screening among United States (US) children less than or equal to five years. METHODS The 2007 national survey of children's health data was analyzed using state clusters, and pediatric developmental screening probability was modeled as a function of the medical home. RESULTS Only 19.5% of US children received pediatric developmental screening, and crosstabs showed a null medical home association. Based on medical home status, adjusted state models showed much variation in pediatric developmental screening odds. A random intercept and slope model had the best fit. The medical home increased pediatric developmental screening odds by 24% (1.10, 1.38). CONCLUSIONS The pediatric developmental screening rate and the medical home association are partially influenced by an individual's state. A multilevel model including state level predictors will help illuminate factors that promote healthcare service acquisition. This knowledge will enhance policy development in public and private sector health programs.
Salman Rushdie: The Satanic Verses (1988)

The Satanic Verses, Rushdie’s first novel to depict English society from an immigrant’s point of view, has received a distorted reception from the moment that it was banned in India on October 5, 1988, nine days after it was first published. What has become known as the “Rushdie affair” uncannily lived out much of what happened to its two protagonists in the book, including the demonization of Rushdie and the rioting. The ensuing worldwide controversy pitted Western liberal defenders of unlimited free speech against fundamentalist Muslims demanding that the book be banned because it was blasphemous. As Andrzej Gasiorek rightly remarks, “One could hardly find a better example of Orientalism at work” — or Occidentalism, he might have added (171). One of the consequences of critics’ focus on the novel’s treatment of the founding of Islam and the lives of some of its more absolutist followers has been to draw disproportionate attention to its four alternating even-numbered chapters in which Gibreel dreams about the life of Muhammed (derogatively named Mahound in the novel), the Imam (modeled on then Iranian President Khamene’i), and Ayesha (modeled on Naseem Fatima), a follower of the Islamic faith who does and does not work a miracle.
Vico’s Intellectual Development

Virtually all recent work on Vico is based on the premise that there was an epistemological break in his thought in 1710, at which point he became suddenly and dramatically anti-Cartesian.1 One reason for this is that most previous studies have restricted themselves to an analysis of the third and final version of Vico’s best known work, La scienza nuova (1744). Little effort has been made to trace the development of his ideas not only in the important first (1725) and almost unknown second (1730) editions of La scienza nuova, but also throughout his autobiographical and earlier theoretical writings. The exception to this practice is the attention given to De antiquissima italorum sapientia, the publication of which in 1710 is held to mark his supposed intellectual conversion. Quite to the contrary, however, it can be argued that no such major shift in his thought occurred at any point. Yet this is not to deny Vico’s anti-Cartesian stance. The year 1710 was not a dramatic turning point in Vico’s intellectual development; rather, it was the year that he wrote the first of his works which was to receive significant attention.
Free Radical Chemistry Enabled by Visible Light-Induced Electron Transfer

ConspectusHarnessing visible light as the driving force for chemical transformations generally offers a more environmentally friendly alternative compared with classical synthetic methodology. The transition metal-based photocatalysts commonly employed in photoredox catalysis absorb efficiently in the visible spectrum, unlike most organic substrates, allowing for orthogonal excitation. The subsequent excited states are both more reducing and more oxidizing than the ground state catalyst and are competitive with some of the more powerful single-electron oxidants or reductants available to organic chemists yet are simply accessed via irradiation. The benefits of this strategy have proven particularly useful in radical chemistry, a field that traditionally employs rather toxic and hazardous reagents to generate the desired intermediates.In this Account, we discuss our efforts to leverage visible light photoredox catalysis in radical-based bond-forming and bond-cleaving events for which few, if any, environme...
Reasoning About Race and Pedagogy in Two Preservice Science Teachers: A Critical Race Theory Analysis

ABSTRACTThis study describes the experiences of two preservice science teachers as they progress through their respective teacher education programs and uses critical race theory to examine the manner in which conceptions about race and its pedagogical implications change over time. Using a longitudinal case study method, participants' conceptual ecologies of race and pedagogy are mapped both before and after student teaching, and each case is analyzed for evidence of conceptual change in these areas. Findings show that conceptions about race and the pedagogical implications of race changed in ways that likely would have gone undetected in earlier studies because they did not result in wholesale changes in beliefs or teaching practice. This study suggests that the difficulty of fostering an understanding of structural racism and difference may often be underestimated, as revising one's model about race is mitigated strongly by learners' existing conceptual ecologies.
Prions and prion diseases: fundamentals and mechanistic details.

Prion diseases, often called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), are infectious diseases that accompany neurological dysfunctions in many mammalian hosts. Prion diseases include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, "mad cow disease") in cattle, scrapie in sheep, and chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer and elks. The cause of these fatal diseases is a proteinaceous pathogen termed prion that lacks functional nucleic acids. As demonstrated in the BSE outbreak and its transmission to humans, the onset of disease is not limited to a certain species but can be transmissible from one host species to another. Such a striking nature of prions has generated huge concerns in public health and attracted serious attention in the scientific communities. To date, the potential transmission of prions to humans via foodborne infection and iatrogenic routes has not been alleviated. Rather, the possible transmission of human to human or cervids to human aggravates the terrifying situation across the globe. In this review, basic features about prion diseases including clinical and pathological characteristics, etiology, and transmission of diseases are described. Based on recently accumulated evidences, the molecular and biochemical aspects of prions, with an emphasis on the molecular interactions involved in prion conversion that is critical during prion replication and pathogenesis, are also addressed.
Deep UV photon-counting detectors and applications

Photon counting detectors are used in many diverse applications and are well-suited to situations in which a weak signal is present in a relatively benign background. Examples of successful system applications of photon-counting detectors include ladar, bio-aerosol detection, communication, and low-light imaging. A variety of practical photon-counting detectors have been developed employing materials and technologies that cover the waveband from deep ultraviolet (UV) to the near-infrared. However, until recently, photoemissive detectors (photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) and their variants) were the only viable technology for photon-counting in the deep UV region of the spectrum. While PMTs exhibit extremely low dark count rates and large active area, they have other characteristics which make them unsuitable for certain applications. The characteristics and performance limitations of PMTs that prevent their use in some applications include bandwidth limitations, high bias voltages, sensitivity to magnetic fields, low quantum efficiency, large volume and high cost. Recently, DARPA has initiated a program called Deep UV Avalanche Photodiode (DUVAP) to develop semiconductor alternatives to PMTs for use in the deep UV. The higher quantum efficiency of Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode (GM-APD) detectors and the ability to fabricate arrays of individually-addressable detectors will open up new applications in the deep UV. In this paper, we discuss the system design trades that must be considered in order to successfully replace low-dark count, large-area PMTs with high-dark count, small-area GM-APD detectors. We also discuss applications that will be enabled by the successful development of deep UV GM-APD arrays, and we present preliminary performance data for recently fabricated silicon carbide GM-APD arrays.
Evaluation of the impact of once weekly dulaglutide on patient-reported outcomes in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: comparisons with liraglutide, insulin glargine, and placebo in two randomized studies

Standardized patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires can be utilized to evaluate treatment satisfaction (subjective evaluation of treatment) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). These outcomes are important because they may affect patient adherence and overall study results. PROs were evaluated in two randomized 26-week clinical trials in Japanese patients with T2D taking dulaglutide 0.75 mg (dulaglutide) once weekly; comparators were once-daily liraglutide (0.9 mg/day) and once-weekly placebo in one study and once-daily insulin glargine (glargine) in the other study. The Perceptions About Medications-Diabetes 21 Questionnaire - Japanese version (PAM-D21-J) and the Injectable Diabetes Medication Questionnaire - Japanese version (IDMQ-J) were completed by patients in both studies. These measures were both considered exploratory endpoints. All scale scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores reflecting better outcomes. Patients reported that dulaglutide was more convenient and flexible than liraglutide (PAM-D21-J Convenience/Flexibility subscale: dulaglutide least-square mean [LSM], 84.58; liraglutide LSM, 78.94; p = .026), and that they were more satisfied with dulaglutide than with liraglutide (IDMQ-J Satisfaction subscale: dulaglutide, 75.24; liraglutide, 69.53; p = .012). Patients also reported that dulaglutide was more convenient and flexible than glargine (PAM-D21-J Convenience/Flexibility subscale: dulaglutide, 87.89; glargine, 79.22; p < .001), and that they were more satisfied with dulaglutide than with glargine (IDMQ-J Satisfaction subscale: dulaglutide, 78.86; glargine, 69.66; p < .001), and felt dulaglutide was more effective than glargine, with fewer symptoms and adverse events (PAM-D21-J Perceived Effectiveness subscale: dulaglutide, 77.61; glargine, 67.22; p < .001; Emotional Effects subscale: dulaglutide, 93.02; glargine, 89.55; p = .017; IDMQ-J Blood Glucose Control subscale: dulaglutide, 76.33; glargine, 67.57; p < .001). In addition, patients responded that dulaglutide was superior to placebo in the PAM-D21-J Convenience/Flexibility, Perceived Effectiveness, and Emotional Effects subscales and all IDMQ-J subscales (Satisfaction, Ease of Use, Lifestyle Impact, Blood Glucose Control). Overall, after 26 weeks of once-weekly dulaglutide administration in Japanese patients with T2D, PROs were generally positive versus the three comparator treatments (liraglutide, glargine, and placebo), suggesting increased treatment satisfaction through better blood glucose control and convenience/flexibility and reduced negative emotional effects of diabetes. ClinicalTrials.gov (monotherapy study: NCT01558271 , registered March 12, 2012; combination therapy study: NCT01584232 , registered April 23, 2012).
Meaningful Collaboration in the Inclusive Music Classroom: Students with Severe Intellectual Disabilities:

Most music educators have little experience or preparation in teaching students with severe intellectual disabilities. Increasing diversity in our schools will require music educators to teach stud...
Prior Knee Arthroscopy Does Not Influence Long-Term Total Knee Arthroplasty Outcomes and Survivorship.

Abstract Background Arthroscopic knee surgery frequently precedes total knee arthroplasty (TKA). There have been mixed data on the effect of prior arthroscopic surgery on results of TKA. The purpose of this study was to compare the 10-year Knee Society Score (KSS), survivorship, and complications of TKA in a cohort of patients who had a previous knee arthroscopy to a control cohort. Methods A retrospective review of 1315 TKAs who underwent a primary TKA between 2003 and 2004 was performed. Of these, 160 TKAs had previous arthroscopy (excluding ligamentous reconstruction). A matched cohort study 2:1 was carried out with a group of 320 controls (no prior surgery). Outcomes were assessed with the original KSS, range-of-motion, complications, and survivorships. Mean follow-up was 9 years. Results The mean KSS increased from 36-84 in the arthroscopy group vs 35-86 in the control group (P = .5). The mean preoperative and postoperative range-of-motion was not different between groups (P = .2). The survivorship free of complication at 5 years was similar in both groups (94.3% in arthroscopy group vs. 95.3% in the control; P = .7) with infection in 2 controls and 3 arthroscopy cases (P = .2). The survivorships free of revision for aseptic loosening, revision for any reason, and reoperation were similar at 10 years (96.5%, 94.6%, and 89.2%, respectively, in the arthroscopy group vs 96.2%, 95.9%, and 91.5% in the control group). Conclusion There were no significant differences between both groups. These data are reassuring and valuable in an era in which many candidates for TKA will have had previous arthroscopic knee surgery.
Implicit ligand theory for relative binding free energies

Implicit ligand theory enables noncovalent binding free energies to be calculated based on an exponential average of the binding potential of mean force (BPMF)-the binding free energy between a flexible ligand and rigid receptor-over a precomputed ensemble of receptor configurations. In the original formalism, receptor configurations were drawn from or reweighted to the apo ensemble. Here we show that BPMFs averaged over a holo ensemble yield binding free energies relative to the reference ligand that specifies the ensemble. When using receptor snapshots from an alchemical simulation with a single ligand, the new statistical estimator outperforms the original.
Safety and efficacy of self-expanding metal stents for biliary drainage in patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy for pancreatic cancer.

Background and study aims Durable biliary drainage is essential during neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) in patients with pancreatic cancer who present with biliary obstruction. Plastic stents (PS) tend to occlude readily, resulting in delay/interruption of treatment. Our aim was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) for biliary drainage in patients receiving NAT for pancreatic cancer. Patients and methods From 2009 to 2014, all consecutive patients with resectable pancreatic cancer at one tertiary center had SEMS placed for biliary drainage before NAT was started. Data on biliary drainage efficacy, stent malfunction rates and procedural adverse events were collected. Results One hundred forty-two consecutive patients with pancreatic cancer (mean age 66 ± 9 SD years; 81 male, 61 female; 67 resectable, 75 borderline resectable) were enrolled. Eight-seven patients (61 %) had prior PS exchanged to SEMS and 55 (39 %) had SEMS placed upfront. Median duration from SEMS placement to the end of NAT/surgery was 111 days (range 44 – 282). During NAT, SEMS malfunction requiring reintervention occurred in 16 patients (11.2 %): tissue ingrowth 11, stent occlusion from food 6, stent migration 3, incomplete expansion 1, “tissue cheese-cutter” effect 1, and cystic duct obstruction 1. On subgroup analysis, no correlation between SEMS malfunction and stage of disease, prior PS, or duration of NAT was found (r2 = 0.05, P = 0.34). Presence of SEMS in situ did not affect pancreaticoduodenectomy. Conclusion SEMS provide safe, effective and durable biliary drainage during NAT for pancreas cancer. Previously placed PS can be exchanged for SEMS. SEMS do not require removal prior to surgery. Meeting presentations: Digestive Disease Week 2015 and 2017
Female-directed aggression in free-ranging Ateles geoffroyi

In a study of the reproductive biology and behavior of black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, 107 instances of female directed male aggression (male attacks) occurred during >1,000 h of observation. Two hypotheses might explain this behavior. First, males may attack to induce defecation/urination by target females, from which they can gain reproductive information. Rates of defecation and urination did not increase subsequent to attacks; however, there was an association between attacks and investigative behaviors such as place sniffing. Alternatively, the attacks might be a form of sexual coercion. My results indicate that female reproductive state, as determined by fecal steroid metabolites (E1C and PdG), had an inconsistent effect on the frequency of attacks received. In addition, when females were in the peri-ovulatory period of the ovarian cycle they did not receive more attacks than at other times. Nor were attacks associated with observed copulations, suggesting that sexual coercion does not sufficiently explain the behavior. Some support is provided for the notion that the attacks allow males to dominate equally-sized females.
Auditory Memories and Feedback Processing for Vocal Learning

Vocal learning is an ability shared by humans and songbirds, among few others species. The processes involved in acquiring speech or song share similarities based on generating an internal representation of auditory cues. Both innate mechanisms and environmental inputs can influence song learning and speech acquisition. In songbirds a specific neural network for vocal motor control, perception and song learning has been described, which makes this system suitable for studying the formation and representations of song memories. These representations interact with auditory feedback during vocal acquisition and maintenance of adult vocalizations. This mechanism for processing auditory feedback has both online and offline components. In this chapter we attempt to provide a thematic organization identifying limitations of our knowledge and posing questions for future studies.
Abstract 3665: Longitudinal monitoring of prostate cancer evolution by plasma genome sequencing

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is associated with poor survival and frequent metastasis to the bone. Disease progression and evolution of therapy resistance have been challenging to study, in part due to the difficulty in collecting invasive core biopsy samples longitudinally over time. While liquid biopsy methods hold great potential for longitudinal monitoring, they are currently limited to targeted measurements of single genes, or small cancer gene panels. To address this challenge, we developed an unbiased whole-genome sequencing method called PEGASUS (Plasma Exome and Genome Analysis by Size-Selection and Unbiased Sequencing) that enables the detection of copy number aberrations and exome mutations from circulating-tumor DNA (ctDNA). We applied PEGASUS to 15 CRPC patients, which identified common driver mutations and copy number aberrations in plasma DNA including AR, MYC, RB1 and PTEN. We compared matched ctDNA and metastatic tumor samples in 8 CRPC patients, which showed a high correlation (r=0.79) of copy number profiles and moderate concordance of exome mutations (~56%), but also revealed a number of ctDNA and metastasis-specific mutations. We further applied PEGASUS to analyze longitudinal samples from 10 prostate cancer patients that were treated with chemotherapy or androgen inhibition to delineate clonal evolution in response to therapy. Clonal subpopulations and dynamics were inferred from mutation frequencies, revealing both chemoresistant and chemosensitive clones. These data showed that while a subset of point mutations were under positive and negative selection; most copy number aberrations remained stable and did not change in response to therapy. Our data show the technical feasibility of performing whole-genome and exome profiling of plasma DNA and pave the way for future clinical applications in biomarker discovery and informing clinical treatment decisions in prostate cancer patients. Citation Format: Naveen Ramesh, Emi Sei, Ruli Gao, Pei Ching Tsai, Christopher Logothetis, Amado J. Zurita, Nicholas E. Navin. Longitudinal monitoring of prostate cancer evolution by plasma genome sequencing [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3665.
Risk of polysubstance use among sexual minority and heterosexual youth

Abstract Background Relative to heterosexual youth, sexual minority youth exhibit increased substance use. Risk for polysubstance use, which magnifies drug-related harms, remains largely unexamined for sexual minority youth. This investigation used a nationally-representative dataset to compare polysubstance use patterns between sexual minority and heterosexual youth. Methods The cross-sectional 2015 CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (N = 15,624) was utilized. Latent mixture modeling empirically identified subgroups of youth based on self-reported past-month use of alcohol, cigarettes, chewing tobacco/snus/snuff, cigars/cigarillos/little cigars, e-cigarettes, marijuana, and past-month binge drinking (all dichotomized: 0 = none; 1 = at least once). Adjusting for race/ethnicity, sex, and age, the risk for being in each substance-using class, was compared between youth who self-identified as heterosexual and gay/lesbian, bisexual, or “not sure.” Results Five classes were supported: “non-users” (68.19%), “alcohol users” (13.08%; elevated alcohol use and binge drinking probabilities), “nicotine/marijuana co-users” (5.80%; elevated nicotine and marijuana use), “poly-substance/e-cigarette users” (5.35%; elevated on all substances except tobacco-containing products), and “polysubstance/tobacco users” (7.59%; elevated for all substances). Relative to heterosexual youth, gay/lesbian-identified youth were at risk of being “nicotine and marijuana co-users”, bisexual youth were at risk of being in all four substance-using classes, and the “not sure” youth were at risk of being “polysubstance/tobacco users.” Select disparities were larger for youth who were also female or a minority race/ethnicity. Conclusions Sexual minority youth, particularly bisexual youth, were at increased risk relative to heterosexual youth for polysubstance use. Polysubstance use warrants attention in substance use interventions, including interventions tailored for sexual minority youth.
Prediction of potential pseudo-symmetry issues in the indexing of electron backscatter diffraction patterns

A new methodology to predict potential pseudo-symmetric or systematically mis-indexed orientations for an arbitrary crystal structure is presented. The method leverages the recently proposed spherical indexing algorithm to index electron backscatter diffraction patterns. Potential pseudo-symmetric orientations are interpreted as secondary peaks in the autocorrelation of the Kikuchi sphere. The generality of the method is illustrated using a number of crystal systems, ranging from nickel, where no significant pseudo-symmetric issues are expected, to SrTiO3, with mild occurrence of such issues, to the olivine series, γ-TiAl and U-6%Nb systems, where the traditional Hough method systematically mis-indexes the pseudo-symmetric variants. Furthermore, the method predicts the severity of potential pseudo-symmetric matches and ranks all variants using a normalized autocorrelation coefficient.
An Update on Microinvasive Glaucoma Surgery Concurrent With Cataract Extraction

In this article, we review the current options for microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) combined with cataract extraction in the USA and the efficacy of the various approaches. MIGS is a rapidly growing area of research and clinical interest. Available surgeries aim to reduce intraocular pressure by improving aqueous outflow through the trabecular or subconjunctival pathways or by reducing aqueous production. Multiple approaches to MIGS are utilized in clinical practice. On average, these surgeries are safe and modestly effective in reducing intraocular pressure. Future research will demonstrate which surgical approaches are most efficacious, whether and how to combine MIGS, and the role of MIGS in improving patient quality of life.
Primary Extranodal Lymphomas of the GI Tract, Lung, CNS, and Skin with Common Mimics

Lymphomas that arise at extranodal sites comprise about a fourth to third of all lymphomas. The types of lymphoma vary from one extranodal site to another and also differ from those seen in lymph nodes. Many types of extranodal lymphomas are associated with underlying autoimmune disease, infection, or immunodeficiency syndrome. For example, in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, Helicobacter pylori infection or celiac disease predisposes an individual to the development of certain types of lymphomas. Different chromosomal translocations can be associated with lymphomas of the same histologic type at different sites. For example, the t(11;18) (q21;q21) translocation is more commonly found in marginal zone lymphomas arising in the lung and stomach than those occurring in other sites. The disease progression of lymphomas of the same histologic type can differ, depending on the site of origin. For example, primary central nervous system diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has much worse prognosis than DLBCL at other extranodal sites. The diagnosis of lymphomas at extranodal sites can be challenging. Many of the specimens are small biopsies with crush artifact. The lymphoid infiltrate usually lacks the architectural features seen in the lymph node. Flow cytometry studies might not be performed because lymphoma can be an unexpected finding. In addition, many inflammatory conditions at the tissue site can mimic lymphomas. Familiarity with the types of lymphomas and their mimics that occur at different extranodal sites is helpful for establishing a diagnosis. In this chapter, we will discuss the most common lymphomas and mimics at four common extranodal sites: the gastrointestinal tract, lung, CNS, and skin. Among GI tract lymphomas, gastric and intestinal lymphomas are discussed separately.