cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stability and resolution analysis of a linearized problem in electrical impedance tomography

The authors consider the linearized inverse problem in electrical impedance tomography in which they seek to determine conductivity perturbations in a medium from electrostatic boundary measurements. The input current patterns considered in this work are sinusoidal, corresponding to maximally distinguishing patterns for circular domain with a centred circular conductivity anomaly. Starting from an integral identity due to Calderon, they first reduce the inverse problem to a moment problem. The latter is solved by expanding the conductivity perturbations in an orthogonal basis involving Zernike polynomials. The expansion leads to a lower triangular system, which can be solved by backsubstitution. This scheme allows them to perform a stability analysis of the problem. They find that the linearized problem is extremely ill-conditioned, and conclude that any stable reconstruction must have limited resolution. The analysis described in this work may be viewed as an inversion procedure. They demonstrate its use in inverting data generated using the finite element method.
In the Margins: Flexibility as a Mode of Regulation in the Temporary Help Service Industry

As firms increasingly rely on temporary clerical workers, previous control mechanisms centred in the workplace no longer are sufficient to maintain labor discipline and ensure production quality and uniformity. Through participant observation of four U.S. temporary help service firms and two placement sites, this case study reveals forms of control that differ from those in place at more commonly studied manufacturing enterprises. Temporary help service firms have developed a flexible frontier of control which operates on two levels: (i) a bureaucratic level, whereby the THS firm rationalizes jobs in the organization's hierarchy delimiting a set of tasks, competencies, and responsibilities; (ii) a decentralized level, whereby the THS firms indirectly controls workers by decentering regulation and dispersing responsibility for control to individual workers. As such, flexibility appears to be a new post-Fordist strategy for increasing capital accumulation and worker regulation.
A multiscale approximation algorithm for the cardinality constrained knapsack problem

I develop a multiscale approximation algorithm for the cardinality constrained knap-sack problem. The algorithm consists of three steps: a rounding and reduction step where a hierarchical representation of the problem data ranging from coarse to fine is generated, a solution step where a coarse solution is computed, and a refinement step where the accuracy of the solution is improved by refining the problem representation. I demonstrate that the algorithm is fully polynomial with a runtime complexity that improves upon the previous best known fully polynomial approximation scheme. Through an extensive computational study, I show that the running times of the algorithm is less than or equal to that of a commercial integer programming package with little loss in solution accuracy. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Measurement of Aminotransferases: Part 1. Aspartate Aminotransferase

Aminotransferases are ubiquitous enzymes of mammalian cells and several are of important diagnostic use. The application of aspartate aminotransferase activity measurements in serum from individuals suffering from myocardial infarction brought about a new dimension in clinical laboratory testing in the 1950s. This review focuses on measurement techniques for aspartate aminotransferase and their application (a subsequent article will review other aminotransferases). Assay techniques measuring enzyme activity are direct spectrophotometric measurements, manometric techniques, assays using dye substances, coupled enzyme techniques, and radiometric procedures. Of these procedures, the one employing malate dehydrogenase and NADH is the most important and is covered in particular detail. The estimation of the mitochondrial isoenzyme of aspartate aminotransferase is also of clinical interest, in particular for estimating severity of disease or in specific applications (e.g., chronic alcoholism). Methods reviewed for estimation of this enzyme are electrophoresis, chromatography, differential kinetic behavior, and immunochemical separation. Determination of the enzyme protein by techniques independent of its catalytic activity are also reviewed.
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound findings of post- transplant lymphoproliferative disorder in a transplanted kidney: A case report and literature review

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder occurs in approximately one percent of kidney transplant recipients. We evaluated a seventy-seven year-old man with a solid mass in his transplant kidney. On contrast enhanced ultrasound, the mass enhanced but remained persistently hypovascular throughout exam. The enhancement pattern of the mass differed from that typical of clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the main differential diagnosis. Final pathology after partial nephrectomy confirmed post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder. This is the first report of contrast enhanced ultrasound findings in a renal mass diagnosed as post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder. Contrast enhanced ultrasound has a promising role in imaging of renal masses, particularly relevant in transplant patients due to the lack of nephrotoxicity.
Estimation of Groundwater Radon in North Carolina Using Land Use Regression and Bayesian Maximum Entropy.

Radon (222Rn) is a naturally occurring chemically inert, colorless, and odorless radioactive gas produced from the decay of uranium (238U), which is ubiquitous in rocks and soils worldwide. Exposure to 222Rn is likely the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking via inhalation; however, exposure through untreated groundwater is also a contributing factor to both inhalation and ingestion routes. A land use regression (LUR) model for groundwater 222Rn with anisotropic geological and 238U based explanatory variables is developed, which helps elucidate the factors contributing to elevated 222Rn across North Carolina. The LUR is also integrated into the Bayesian Maximum Entropy (BME) geostatistical framework to increase accuracy and produce a point-level LUR-BME model of groundwater 222Rn across North Carolina including prediction uncertainty. The LUR-BME model of groundwater 222Rn results in a leave-one out cross-validation r2 of 0.46 (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.68), effectively pr...
Within-species leaf trait variation and ecological flexibility in resprouting tropical trees

Plants have an inherent flexibility to respond to different environmental conditions. One axis of plant ecophysiological strategy is seen in the spectrum of leaf functional traits. Flexibility in these traits would be suggestive of plants' phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental changes. This research seeks to identify differences between leaves of sprout and non-sprout shoots of a broad ecological range of neotropical tree species. Using a functional-trait approach, this study assesses a large pool of species for within-species physiological flexibility. Leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf area were measured for plants of sprout and non-sprout origin for 26 tree species grown in a reforestation plantation in Panama. Sprouts had a consistently lower LMA than non-sprouts, but there was no consistent pattern for leaf area. These trends show that sprouts are more like pioneer species than conspecific saplings, a finding in general agreement with fast sprout growth seen in previous studies. Further, later-successional (high LMA) species showed a greater reduction of LMA in sprouts. These results show that tropical tree species adjust physiologically to changing ecological roles and suggest that certain species may be more resilient than realized to changing climate and disturbance patterns.
Retention in Care is More Strongly Associated with Viral Suppression in HIV-Infected Patients with Lower versus Higher CD4 Counts

Background Retention in care is important for all HIV-infected patients, but may be more important for people with advanced HIV disease. We evaluated whether the association between retention in care and viral suppression differed by HIV disease severity.
Abstract 3642: Profiles of DNA methylation in peripheral blood are associated with bladder cancer survival.

Bladder cancer is a common solid tumor, with greater than 71,000 cases diagnosed in the United States last year, and greater than 14,000 deaths attributable to this disease. In addition to this mortality, the morbidity of this disease can be great, as the non-invasive form of this disease, making up >75% of the incidence, recurs frequently, and therefore requires frequent invasive monitoring through cystoscopy at a great cost to the health care system. There are critical gaps in our understanding of the predictors of its recurrence and survival, and identifying molecular alterations associated with these outcomes is essential for improving patient morbidity and the care of patients with this disease. We have shown that profiles of DNA methylation in peripheral blood are associated with human bladder cancer and have recently demonstrated that much, but not all, of the variation in DNA methylation is attributable to disease-associated changes in the underlying proportion of immune cells in the peripheral blood sample. We also have devised a novel statistical strategy that utilizes DNA methylation profiles to quantify the proportion of blood cell subtypes in archival DNA. This is able to disentangle the variability in DNA methylation profiles attributable to blood cell population differences from epigenetic variation arising within a cell population. We sought to determine if variation in DNA methylation identified in peripheral blood, reflective, in part, of altered white blood cell proportions, is associated with bladder cancer recurrence and survival in a population-based study of incident bladder cancers in New Hampshire, USA. Illumina Infinium 27K DNA methylation arrays were performed on whole peripheral blood derived DNA samples from 223 cases of bladder cancer, having a median follow-up time of approximately 13 years. Array data was subjected to quality control procedures and normalization using the ComBAT methodology to account for plate/BeadChip effects. Fitting a series of Cox proportional hazards models, stratified by histology (carcinoma in-situ, low-grade non-invasive, high-grade non-invasive, and invasive) and controlled for patient age and gender revealed 6,873 high-confidence (q Citation Format: Devin C. Koestler, Megan A. Murphy, Eugene A. Houseman, Margaret R. Karagas, Karl T. Kelsey, Carmen J. Marsit. Profiles of DNA methylation in peripheral blood are associated with bladder cancer survival. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3642. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3642
The future of health communication: Innovating through partnerships

The Preamble of the Constitution of the World Health Organization reminds us that «Informed opinion and active cooperation on the part of the public are of the utmost importance in the improvement of the health of the people» (Grad, 2002). Nonetheless, nearly seven decades later, the conditions under which people can be informed and actively participate in their health management in a meaningful way are being globally challenged. Drawing from experience in a variety of areas that I will delve into in this article, I remain a believer that we can marshal the necessary forces to advance the communication of health issues and create a base for a health-literate population to make smart(er), healthier decisions that advance health and well-being.
Luminal perfusion of isolated gastric glands.

We have extended to rabbit gastric glands the technique for perfusing single isolated renal tubules. We isolated glands by hand dissection and used concentric glass pipettes to hold them and perfus...
Critical Factors for Stimulating Private Sector Sukuk Markets

Sukuk issuances remain the most rapidly growing area of Islamic finance, a trend that shows no signs of abating in the near future. True private sector sukuk issuances - particularly rated issuances - and those outside the financial services (particularly the banking) area - are rare. Those that exist are largely issuances by sovereign-controlled entities or are otherwise dependent upon sovereign credits somewhere in the structure. This paper identifies certain categories of factors that inhibit these private sector issuances. The factors discussed are (a) bankruptcy and insolvency issues, particularly pertaining to the use of special purpose entities, true sales, and substantive consolidation, (b) collateral security issues, and (c) systemic legal structures, processes and procedures. Suggestions are made for both longer-term reforms and, more immediately, reorientation of the private sector issuance process.
Analysis on the Aluminum content in flour-made food in Zhangjiagang during 2009-2011

Objective To investigate the aluminum contamination in commercial flour-made food sold in Zhangjiagang.Methods A total of 591 samples were randomly selected from the supermarket,manufacturing and selling store,group canteen and small restaurant in Zhangjiagang.The detection and evaluation were conducted for the samples with the national standard of GB/T 5009.182-2003 and GB 2762-2005.Results It showed that the under-standard rate of flour-made food has decreased from 55.00% to 28.26% for 3 consequent years.The total under-standard rate was 38.07%,of which twisted cruller was the highest(82.67%),and the following in order were steamed bread/steamed roll(38.16%),oil fried food(26.67%) and puffed food(2.36%).In addition,the samples collected from small restaurant and manufacturing and selling store with under-standard rates were 48.06%,47.90%,32.61% and 11.89%,respectively.It was shown that statistical significances existed between different categories of flour-made food and different places to collect samples.Conclusion The aluminum contamination in part of the commercial flour-made food in Zhangjiagang was serious,which means a potential risk of population over-dosed exposure,so supervision and management needed to be enhanced by relevant facilities.
Discovering the last free place: social identity and territorial conflict in the landscape of Slab City, California

AbstractThis study traces the transition of Slab City, California, from a military camp to a squatter settlement. It explores how the remnant slabs and roads of the former military base now serve as the spatial armature for a more fluid and individualistic definition of territory. To examine this historical developmental, it uses a combination of visual analysis, archival research, on-site interviews, and photographic documentation. Of interest, and what distinguishes this study from past scholarship on Slab City, is its emphasis upon the physical boundaries that demarcate the landscape. The emphasis, in turn, allows this study to illustrate the recursive relationship between landscape morphology and the social production of space, and thus how spatial form structures social relationships, and conversely how social relationships structure spatial form. Observations on landscape and boundary presented by cultural geographer J. B. Jackson in Discovering the Vernacular Landscape (1984) frame the discussion.
A comparison of renal damage induced by varying modes of shock wave generation

AbstractTo evaluate for the possible differences in the extent of pathologic injury occurring following treatment with various lithotripsy modalities, we subjected rabbits to treatment on either an electrohydraulic, electromechanical, or piezoelectric lithotripter. Functional evaluations by enzymuria failed to reveal any difference in the extent of damage between the lithotripters. Pathologic evaluation of the kidneys revealed that both electrohydraulic and electromechanical lithotripsy resulted in an increased instance of acute subcapsular hematoma and fibrosis when compared to piezoelectric treated kidneys (p <0.001). Despite the definitive differences noted in the acute animals, there was no significant variation in the area of permanent renal damage that occurred between the various lithotripters.
KANT ON ENDS THAT ARE AT THE SAME TIME DUTIES

Analyse de la doctrine kantienne des devoirs identifies a des fins. Selon l'A. c'est parce que les fins sont non personnelles que l'ethique kantienne peut etre purement formelle et ne pas etre derivee de devoirs naturels
Argumentativeness and Verbal Aggressiveness: A Review of Recent Theory and Research

A good deal of research on argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness has been conducted in the communication discipline in this and the previous decade. The research has been based on a personali...
Biomarkers and degree of atherosclerosis are independently associated with incident atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in a primary prevention cohort: The ARIC study.

Abstract Background and aims Biomarkers and atherosclerosis imaging have been studied individually for association with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, limited data exist on whether the biomarkers are associated with events with a similar magnitude in the presence of atherosclerosis. In this study, we assessed whether the presence of atherosclerosis as measured by carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) affects the association between biomarkers known to be associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a primary prevention cohort. Methods 8127 participants from the ARIC study (4th visit, 1996–1998) were stratified as having minimal, mild, or substantial atherosclerosis by cIMT. Levels of C-reactive protein, lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2, cardiac troponin T, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, lipoprotein(a), cystatin C, and urine albumin to creatinine ratio were measured in each participant. Hazard ratios were used to determine the relationship between the biomarkers and incident CHD, stroke, and CVD in each category of atherosclerosis. Results While each of the biomarkers was significantly associated with risk of events overall, we found no significant differences noted in the strength of association of biomarkers with CHD, stroke, and CVD when analyzed by degree of atherosclerosis. Conclusions These findings suggest that the level of atherosclerosis does not significantly influence the association between biomarkers and CVD.
American Pediatric Society's 2016 John Howland Award acceptance lecture: every newborn matters-progress and promise.

American Pediatric Society’s 2016 John Howland Award acceptance lecture: every newborn matters—progress and promise
Prognostic Factors for Allotransplantation in CML.

The role of hematopoietic cell transplantation in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) has changed dramatically as the effectiveness of Gleevec has become clearer. The use of transplantation as first-line therapy and the timing of transplantation in those who do not achieve cytogenetic remission varies between centers. In order to better understand the likelihood of success following transplantation, we have analyzed prognostic factors in 126 patients with chronic phase CML who underwent allogeneic transplantation between 1984 and 2004. Median age was 37 (range 14–66). There were 69 males and 57 females. The interval between diagnosis and transplantation was most closely associated with survival in multivariate Cox analysis (P 3 months and patients less than 1 year from diagnosis had better survival than those more than 1 year from diagnosis. (P Because interval between diagnosis and transplantation significantly affects outcome, allogeneic transplantation should be considered early in patients receiving Gleevec when an adequate cytogenetic response is not achieved or at the first sign of relapse. Earlier identification of failure, e.g. using quantitative PCR for Bcr-Abl, might improve outcome and should be studied.
The Japanese Approach to Developing Expertise in Using the Textbook to Teach Mathematics

Japanese teachers and educators distinguish between “teaching the textbook” and “using the textbook to teach mathematics.” In order to provide a better learning experience for their students, all teachers should be able to use the textbook to teach mathematics effectively. This means that teaching the textbook is not enough. But what is the knowledge and expertise that Japanese teachers are expected to develop, and when and how do Japanese prospective teachers and novice teachers acquire that knowledge and expertise? A study was conducted with selected Japanese prospective and practicing elementary school teachers to reveal the knowledge and expertise they use to design a lesson based on the contents of a textbook page. Using the findings from the study, I will discuss what this distinction between “teaching the textbook” and “using the textbook to teach mathematics” means in terms of teacher knowledge and expertise, and how Japanese teacher education programs help teachers develop that knowledge and expertise.
Comments on Freedman’s Paper

It is a pleasure to comment on Professor Freedman’s provocative paper on the foundations of statistical reasoning.
Lessons Learned from the Positive Minds—Strong Bodies Trial on Disability Prevention for Racial/Ethnic Minority Elders

Racial/ethnic minority elders (60+) have a higher prevalence of late life depression (LLD) and worse access to and quality of mental health care than their white counterparts. Past research has linked LLD to a decline in cognitive functioning and an increased risk of developing dementia and chronic physical conditions. Our Positive Minds-Strong Bodies (PM-SB) program aims to address the significant prevalence of physical and mental disability among racial/ethnic minority elders, a group that is projected to represent 40% of the US population by 2050. The intervention aimed to: (1) develop collaborative partnerships to evaluate the capacity of community-based organizations and clinics to provide disability prevention services; (2) evaluate the acceptability and efficacy of a combined behavioral health and disability prevention intervention; and (3) determine the organizational feasibility and sustainability of the intervention. The chapter begins with a background on the epidemiology of LLD and late-life anxiety, the difficulties in diagnosis and treatment engagement, and racial/ethnic disparities among elders. The background also highlights previous literature on the efficacy of mental health treatments and recent efforts to adapt culturally and linguistically community health worker (CHW) programs to improve mental health wellness among elders. Next, we describe the specific challenges in our CHW-based program related to participant recruitment and retention, including medical comorbidity and time commitments issues, as well as high staff turnover and logistical issues with intervention delivery. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future directions in mental health promotion with racial/ethnic minority elders in community-based settings.
A comparison of call volumes before, during, and after Hurricane Harvey.

Abstract Background There is currently minimal data regarding the demand placed on Emergency Medical Services in the wake of hurricanes and other natural disasters. This retrospective review provides an opportunity to analyze call volumes to EMS and their distribution before, during, and after Hurricane Harvey in one area on the Texas Gulf Coast. Objectives Call volumes from Galveston Area Ambulance Authority were reviewed to provide insights for allocation of resources during natural disasters, identifying weaknesses in the current EMS system, and recommending proactive changes for future disasters. Methods This study was conducted based on data gathered from the Galveston Area Ambulance Authority which records the call volumes to EMS as well as the paramedics' primary impression of the patients. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to calculate the differences in mean number of calls among the selected days for the periods before, during, and after the hurricane. Also, a paired t-test was used to calculate the difference in means for calls per day and the number calls during the peak days. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval. Results The 6 days prior to the storm had an average of 48 ± 6 calls, the 6 days during the storm had an average of 50 ± 15 calls, and the 6 days after the storm had an average of 49 ± 14 calls (p = 0.95). The peak number of calls between August 19–September 5 occurred the last 2 days of the storm, into the first 2 days after the storm. The average call volume for these four days was 65 ± 3 calls compared to the average number of calls for the total 18 days which was 49 ± 12 calls (p = 0.008). During the peak days, there were large percentages of calls due to: injury, general pain, respiratory distress, chest pain, and generalized weakness. Conclusions EMS and emergency departments can expect peak volumes in the last days of a natural disaster as well as the first few days after the event with increases in injuries, general pain, respiratory distress, chest pain, and generalized weakness. EMS education, proper hospital staffing, and increased telemedicine/community paramedicine usage presents opportunities to increase efficiency in community healthcare during natural disasters.
Incarcerated and Strangulated Hernia

A patient presenting with an acutely incarcerated hernia is a common consultation in general surgery. This algorithm provides an evidence-based approach for the management and (when needed) acute operative repair for incarcerated hernias. However, bedside reduction can be attempted for early presentation without skin changes and biochemical abnormalities. When successful, close clinical observation is necessary to ensure the underlying herniated bowel was not compromised. If bedside reduction is unsuccessful or not possible, this algorithm will help to identify the optimal approach for both incarcerated ventral and inguinal hernias.
Fecal microbiome, metabolites, and stem cell transplant outcomes: A single-center pilot study

Background Accumulating evidence suggests that the intestinal microbiome may dramatically affect the outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. Providing 16S ribosomal RNA based microbiome characterization in a clinically actionable time frame is currently problematic. Thus, determination of microbial metabolites as surrogates for microbiome composition could offer practical biomarkers. Methods Longitudinal fecal specimens (n = 451) were collected from 44 patients before HSCT through 100 days after transplantation, as well as 1-time samples from healthy volunteers (n = 18) as controls. Microbiota composition was determined using 16S ribosomal RNA V4 sequencing. Fecal indole and butyrate levels were determined using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Results Among HSCT recipients, both fecal indole and butyrate levels correlated with the Shannon diversity index at baseline (P = .02 and P = .002, respectively) and directly after transplantation (P = .006 and P < .001, respectively). Samples with high butyrate levels were enriched for Clostridiales, whereas samples containing high indole were also enriched for Bacteroidales. A lower Shannon diversity index at the time of engraftment was associated with increased incidence of acute intestinal graft-vs-host disease (iGVHD) (P = .02) and transplant-related deaths (P = .03). Although fecal metabolites were not associated with acute iGVHD or overall survival, patients contracting bloodstream infections within 30 days after transplantation had significantly lower levels of fecal butyrate (P = .03). Conclusions Longitudinal analysis of fecal microbiome and metabolites after HSCT identified butyrate and indole as potential surrogate markers for microbial diversity and specific taxa. Further studies are needed to ascertain whether fecal metabolites can be used as biomarkers of acute iGVHD or bacteremia after HSCT.
Epileptic spike functional networks best predict seizure onset zones

the infrequent nature of seizure events in epilepsy has engaged researchers to find alternative ways to accurately predict seizure onset regions. We implemented a hybrid approach combining the granger causality based network estimation with subsequent measurement of graph centrality measures in the interictal electrocorticography (ECoG) data to predict seizure onset zones. Critical to the success of this method was dividing analysis into two stages: first, detecting epileptic spikes and second, identifying their functional network. We analyzed interictal data from 8 epileptic patients and found that the epileptic spike functional network is a robust predictor of physician-identified seizure onset compared to the commonly used total ECoG network. Moreover, we discovered that PageRank, indegree and hub centrality measures best predict seizure onset regions. This establishes several features for automated detection of seizure onset zones, and can assist physicians in surgical planning and decisions.
Low Complexity Algorithm for Multi-path Video Streaming

In this paper, we propose a multi-path (e.g., WiFi, and LTE) video streaming algorithm for videos encoded using Scalable Video Coding (SVC) in which each chunk of the video is encoded into a single base layer and multiple enhancement layers. The multi-path SVC streaming subject to the available bandwidth of the different paths and the chunk deadlines is formulated as a non convex optimization problem. The objective is to optimize a Quality of Experience (QoE) metric that maintains a tradeoff between maximizing the average quality and minimizing the rebuffering duration and quality switching rate. A novel polynomial time complexity algorithm is developed to solve the proposed non convex optimization problem. Extensive emulated experiments with real SVC encoded videos and real bandwidth traces of public dataset reveal the robustness of our scheme and show its significant performance improvement compared to other multi-path algorithms.
Diplopia and Strabismus After Corneal Refractive Surgery.

INTRODUCTION Diplopia and strabismus are known complications after corneal refractive surgery (CRS). Within the U.S. Armed Forces, refractive surgery is used to improve the operational readiness of the service member, and these complications could cause significant degradation to their capability. This study was performed in order to identify the incidence of strabismus and diplopia following CRS within the U.S. Military Health System. METHODS A retrospective review of all patients who underwent photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in the Department of Defense from January 2006 through September 2013 was designed and approved by the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Institutional Review Board. The military health system data mart was queried for all patients who underwent one of these procedures and subsequently had an International Classification of Disease-9 code for any strabismus or diplopia through 2014 allowing at least 1 year of follow-up. We then calculated the incidence of both diplopia and strabismus for these procedures as the primary measure and the overall prevalence as a secondary measure. RESULTS A total of 108,157 patients underwent PRK or LASIK during our study period with 41 of these patients subsequently having a diagnosis of diplopia or strabismus. After chart review, 16 of these patients were excluded resulting in 25 patients for inclusion in either the strabismus (23 patients, 0.02%) or diplopia (3 patients, 0.003%) cohorts with one patient having both. Of the 23 patients with postoperative strabismus, 4 were new cases giving an incidence of 0.004% and 2 new cases of diplopia for an incidence of 0.002%. CONCLUSION Diplopia and strabismus are rare complications after CRS in the U.S. military population. These procedures continue to increase the operational readiness of our service members with minimal risk of these potentially debilitating complications. Overall, this study provides support for the continued use of PRK and LASIK despite study limitations related to the use of large databases for retrospective review. Future prospective studies using delineated preoperative and postoperative examinations with sensorimotor testing included may be able to resolve the limitations of this study.
Differential Host Gene Signatures in Response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

ABSTRACT Tuberculosis (TB) represents a global public health threat and is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Effective control of TB is complicated with the emergence of multidrug resistance. Yet, there is still a fundamental gap in understanding the complex and dynamic interactions between different Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains and the host. In this project, we investigated the host immune response to different M. tuberculosis strains, including avirulent or virulent and rifampin-resistant or isoniazid-resistant strains in THP-1 cells. We identified major differences in the gene response profiles in response to infection with these strains. The expression of IDO1 and IL-1β in the infected cells was stronger in all virulent M. tuberculosis strains. The most striking result was the overexpression of many interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) in cells infected with the isoniazid-resistant strain, compared to the rifampin-drug resistant strain and the drug-sensitive strain. A transcription regulation analysis of the differentially expressed genes in infected THP-1 cells implicated two major transcription factors, NF-κB and STAT1. The differentially expressed ISGs in response to the isoniazid-resistant M. tuberculosis strain were associated with STAT1 signaling, while the expression of many cytokines, such IL-1β, was associated with NF-κB signaling. Our data suggest that the isoniazid-resistant M. tuberculosis strain preferentially activates STAT1 in response to cGAS-STING activation and induces a host immune response signature that is characteristic of isoniazid resistance. This study has a potential to provide important new insights into TB pathogenesis and to characterize host gene signatures specifically involved in isoniazid-resistant TB.
Infertility and Cryptorchidism

Cryptorchidism is a condition in which one or both of the testes become arrested somewhere along their path of migration from the posterior abdominal wall to the scrotum. It is one of the most frequent congenital birth defects in male children and represents an important risk factor for infertility and testicular cancer. Approximately 2–4% of full-term newborns are born with at least one cryptorchid testis. In preterm births, the rate increases to about 30%. Normal testicular descent is a process largely governed by a carefully orchestrated hormonal symphony. The transabdominal phase is characterized by the descent of the testes into the lower abdominal position, which is primarily governed by INSL3. The inguinoscrotal phase describes the passage of the testes through the inguinal canal and into the scrotum and is largely governed by androgens. By understanding the normal physiology of testicular descent, the location of the undescended testes can shed light on which processes were interrupted. There are a variety of genetic and environmental risk factors that can impact the precise timing and coordination of these processes, resulting in cryptorchidism. Understanding the pathophysiology is important because the main complications associated with cryptorchidism are infertility and cancer. Timely treatment can minimize the risk of developing these complications. Current treatment focuses on hormonal and surgical methods in order to direct the testes in the favorable environment of the scrotum.
Late and very late relapses in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Relapse of disease after an initial remission is achieved remains a major issue in the care of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Most relapses occur early, usually within the first 12–18 ...
Designing Your Company: Creating, Delivering, and Capturing Value

The practice and teaching of business strategy today exist largely as a set of alternative views and frameworks not entirely connected to one another. These teaching notes provide a basic set of steps for creating or evaluating a strategy, and associated company design — drawing clear lines to quantitative and evidence-based evaluation of enterprise performance and to financial valuation. Thus, these notes attempt to narrow the gaps between popular books, and standard graduate academic training, and practical application in introducing basic ideas. The notes are geared to practical use by managers and instructors of MBAs and executive MBAs.
Surgical Approaches to Pontine Tumors

Surgical management of pontine tumors requires a high-level skill and knowledge set to achieve maximally safe surgery in a deeply eloquent region. Thorough anatomical knowledge of the trajectory towards and the neurovascular structures surrounding the pons as well as the intrapontine architecture allows the surgeon to anticipate encountering the next critical structure that should be cautiously preserved. The anterior pontine surface can be visualized directly through an endoscopic endonasal transclival approach, where the superior ventral pontine entry zone permits relatively safe access to intrapontine lesions, or through the orbito-fronto-zygomatic approach, which exposes the upper anterior pons. The transpetrosal and retrosigmoid approaches are utilized to visualize the anterolateral surface of the pons; safe entry zones through the anterolateral surface include the peritrigeminal, supratrigeminal, and lateral pontine (middle cerebellar peduncle). The dorsal pons is best targeted by a classical median suboccipital telovelar route; the floor of the fourth ventricle allows access to the posterior pontine surface through the suprafacial collicular (suprafacial triangle), infrafacial collicular (infrafacial triangle), superior foveal (lateral sulcus limitans) and medial sulcal (interfacial) safe entry zones. This chapter provides an overview of the anatomy, safe entry zones, and surgical approaches utilized to tackle pontine lesions.
Scaffolding protein IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 2 (IQGAP2) regulates glycogen metabolism

The liver is critical in maintaining metabolic homeostasis, regulating both anabolic and catabolic processes of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. The IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 2 (IQGAP2) is a member of the IQGAP family. Of the three homologous isoforms, the IQGAP2 scaffolding protein is predominantly found in the liver. To characterize its role in regulating metabolism, Iqgap2-/-female and male mice, and their WT controls, were fed ad libitum or fasted for 24 hours. Hepatic gene expression, protein levels, and the metabolic response were compared between WT and Iqgap2-/-mice, using RT-qPCR, western blot analysis, and histological stains. We found that loss of IQGAP2 alters the phosphorylation of active glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) expression, a known regulator of glycogen synthesis and lipogenesis. Consistent with this result, Iqgap2-/-female mice displayed depletion of periportal glycogen even in the fed state. We also observed blunted expression of genes involved in glycogenesis and lipogenesis when IQGAP2 was deleted. Since GSK3 is known to regulate the activity of -catenin, we examined and found it to be reduced in Iqgap2-/-mice. Our findings demonstrate that IQGAP2 plays an important role in regulating glycogen synthesis.
Investigating the association between the urinary microbiome and bladder cancer: An exploratory study.

Abstract Introduction We sought to investigate the association between the urinary microbiome and bladder cancer, including the difference between nonmuscle-invasive (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive (MIBC) bladder cancer, and Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) responsive vs. BCG-refractory NMIBC. Methods Urine specimens were collected from consecutive patients with bladder cancer and healthy volunteers. Urine samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing to identify and compare any present bacteria. Alteration in the urinary microbiome was described in terms of alpha (diversity of populations within a sample) and beta diversities (differences between populations among different samples). Analyses were corrected for age, sex, method of sample preservation, and method of collection (mid-stream catch vs. catheterized urine). Results Fifty-three samples (43 patients with bladder cancer, and 10 controls) were included. For bladder cancer patients, mean age was 70 years, 7 (16%) were females; and 29 (67%) had NMIBC. Among patients with NMIBC, 11 (38%) patients received BCG, 6 of which had recurrence or progression after a median follow up of 13 months. Comparing the microbiome of bladder cancer patients vs. healthy controls, beta-diversity was significantly different, with Actinomyces, Achromobacter, Brevibacterium, and Brucella significantly more abundant in urine samples of bladder cancer patients. Comparing NMIBC and MIBC, Hemophilus and Veillonella were significantly more abundant in urine of MIBC patients, while Cupriavidus was significantly more abundant in NMIBC patients. Among NMIBC patients, Serratia and Brochothrix, Negativicoccus, Escherichia-Shigella, and Pseudomonas were significantly more abundant in patients who responded to BCG in comparison to those who did not. Conclusion Urinary microbiome varied between patients with bladder cancer and healthy controls. Moreover, urinary microbial profiles differed among patient with NMIBC vs. MIBC, and among BCG responsive vs. BCG refractory NMIBC.
Affective Factors and Their Mediating Effects in User Technology Acceptance

Affect factors have gained researchers’ attention in a number of fields. The Information Systems (IS) literature, however, shows some gaps and inconsistencies regarding the role of affect factors in human-computer interaction. Building upon prior research, this study aims at a better understanding of affect factors by clarifying their relationships with each other and with other primary user acceptance factors. Two affect variables that are different in nature were examined: computer playfulness (CP) and perceived enjoyment (PE). We theoretically clarified and methodologically verified their mediating effects and causal relationships with other primary factors influencing user technology acceptance, namely perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), and behavioral intention (BI). Quantitative data were analyzed using R.M. Baron and D. Kenny’s (1986) method for mediating effects and P.R. Cohen, A. Carlsson, L. Ballesteros, and R.S. Amant’s (1993) path analysis method for causal relationships.These analyses largely supported our hypotheses. Results from this research indicate that a PE→PEOU causal direction is favored, and PEOU partially mediates PE’s impacts on PU whereas PE fully mediates CP’s impact on PEOU. With the increased interest in various affect factors in user technology acceptance and use, our study sheds light on the role of affect factors from both theoretical and methodological perspectives. Practical implications are discussed as well.
Development of a veterinary trauma score (VetCOT) in canine trauma patients with performance evaluation and comparison to the animal trauma triage score: A VetCOT registry study.

OBJECTIVE To develop a population-derived, parsimonious, and objective risk stratification model for dogs following trauma and compare its predictive performance to the animal trauma triage (ATT) score. DESIGN Observational cohort study using data from the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Committee on Trauma (VetCOT) trauma registry acquired between September 2013 and October 2017. SETTING Nine Level I and Level II veterinary trauma centers. ANIMALS Nine hundred eighty-four dogs assessed within 24 h of traumatic injury. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Patient mortality was 10.8%. The VetCOT model was constructed based on 4 variables: plasma lactate and ionized calcium obtained within 6 h of admission, and presence or absence of clinical signs consistent with either head or spinal trauma. The VetCOT score had good discriminatory performance (AUROC = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.83-0.91) comparable to that of the 6 variable ATT score for the same population (area under the receiver operator characteristic [AUROC] = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.84-0.90). No statistical difference in discriminatory performance between the 2 scores was identified (P = 0.98). The VetCOT score showed good calibration on this population (Hosmer-Lemeshow test P = 0.93), whereas the ATT score failed to calibrate (P = 0.02) due to overprediction of mortality at low scores. Sensitivity and specificity for outcome of the VetCOT score at a risk probability cutoff of 0.5 for this population were 28.97% and 97.95%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The VetCOT score is a more parsimonious model with comparable discriminatory performance and superior calibration to the ATT score for risk stratification in dogs following trauma. Further prospective validation studies are required to confirm the discriminatory performance of the VetCOT score.
Genetic transformation in conifers

Several attempts at the genetic improvement of tree species have been made, but in comparison with crop plants the efforts as well as the results have been rather limited. The most commonly used approaches have involved selection of superior genotypes from natural outbred populations, mutations, and intra- and inter-specific hybridization under controlled conditions. While the conventional methods have proven remarkably successful in yielding improved genotypes that could be stabilized by back crossing, the techniques of cloning, marker-aided selection, and genetic engineering when integrated with the conventional breeding programs, will dramatically improve genetic gains. Conventional methods of genetic improvement involve a recombination of pre-existing gene pools within a limited range of sexually compatible taxa. The process of backcrossing and selection takes several generations before a desired set of genes can be transferred to a selected species. Genetic manipulation through recombinant DNA permits us to cross the barriers of incompatibility, not only among species and genera but also among kingdoms. Genetic engineering provides new tools for mixing genetic information in plants from a vast pool of existing genes as well as genes designed by human intervention, i.e. synthetic gene sequences. Furthermore, undesirable genes in the plant genome can be selectively silenced in the target tissues by the antisense approach (Bourque, 1995; Lee and Douglas, 1997). Site-specific mutagenesis, homologous recombination, and the use of specific promoters provide a precise means of controlling specific gene expression and its manipulation to achieve optimal genetic improvements.