cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Renal Cystic Diseases and Renal Neoplasms: A Mini-Review

The past two decades have witnessed recognition of several new types of renal cell carcinoma, each with distinct cytogenetic abnormalities. Included are several genetic and acquired cystic kidney diseases associated with development of renal cell carcinoma, the topic of this review. The risk in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is not accurately known but may be slightly increased. The risk for patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease is substantial, and death from renal cancer is common. For patients with tuberous sclerosis complex, the challenge is recognition of the occasional malignancy arising in a field of many benign tumors. Patients with end-stage kidney disease and acquired cystic kidney disease may develop a variety of renal cell carcinoma types. Progress in understanding the molecular basis of renal cyst formation and neoplastic disease has fostered development of targeted therapies that now hold promise for a group of neoplasms whose cure was traditionally dependent on surgical approaches.
Probabilistic Continuous Constraint Satisfaction Problems

Constraint programming has been used in many applications where uncertainty arises to model safe reasoning. The goal of constraint propagation is to propagate intervals of uncertainty among the variables of the problem, thus only eliminating values that assuredly do not belong to any solution. However, to play safe, these intervals may be very wide and lead to poor propagation. In this paper we present a framework for probabilistic constraint solving that assumes that uncertain values are not all equally likely. Hence, in addition to initial intervals, a priori probability distributions (within these intervals) are defined and propagated through the constraints. This provides a posteriori conditional probabilities for the variables values, thus enabling the user to select the most likely scenarios.
Pharmacist-Physician Collaboration for Diabetes Care: The Diabetes Initiative Program

BACKGROUND:Multiple complications can arise secondary to poor control of glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol in a patient with diabetes.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effect of a pharmacist-physician collaboration on attainment of diabetes-related measures of control.METHODS:This was a prospective, multicenter, cohort study. Patients were enrolled from 7 practice sites throughout Tennessee if they had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, were aged 18 years or older with a life expectancy greater than 1 year, and were English speaking. Pregnant women were excluded. Patients were followed for 12 months following enrollment by informed consent. The pharmacist-physician collaboration method was established prior to study initiation. Primary outcomes included hemoglobin A1c (A1C), number of patients with A1C less than 7%, and percentage of patients with A1C greater than 9%.RESULTS:Of the 206 patients enrolled, the mean age was 59.73 years, and most were male (59.71%) and white (66.02%). The A1C was reduced by ...
The Impact of Founder Events on Chromosomal Variability in Multiply Mating Species

In species with heterogametic males, the relative levels of X chromosome versus autosome diversity hold key information about the evolutionary forces at work in a population. It has been shown that population size changes alter the ratio of X linked to autosomal (X/A) variation, with population size reductions and recent bottlenecks leading to decreased X/A diversity ratios. Here we use theory and simulation to investigate a separate demographic effect-that of founder events involving multiply mated females-and find that it leads to much stronger reductions in X/A diversity ratios than are produced by simple population size changes. Investigating the potential of this process to account for sharply reduced X-linked diversity in European Drosophila melanogaster, we find that this model yields predictions that are compatible with the empirical data.
Tracking controllers for small UAVs with wind disturbances: Theory and flight results

This work outlines two approaches for small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) performing surveillance with fixed cameras. Small UAVs present significant control challenges, due to relatively low-bandwidth actuation and significant disturbances due to wind. This work features implementations of a spatial sliding mode controller and a receding-horizon kinodynamic controller. The spatial sliding mode controller is designed to follow a desired aircraft path which places the camera-footprint on the desired locations, while the kinodynamic controller is designed to directly track a camera-footprint path. Since our objective is surveillance, we aim to compare the effectiveness of each controller in tracking a desired sensor path. Discussion of each controller is followed by simulation and flight test results.
Gender Differences in Criminal Sentencing: Do Effects Vary Across Violent, Property, and Drug Offenses?*

Objective. Many studies find that females benefit from their gender in sentencing decisions. Few researchers, however, address whether the gender-sentencing association might be stronger for some crimes, such as minor nonviolent offending, and weaker for other offenses, such as serious violent crime. Method. Using a large random sample of convicted offenders in Texas drawn from a statewide project on sentencing practices mandated by the 73rd Texas Legislature, logistic regression and OLS regression analyses of likelihood of imprisonment and prison length illustrate the importance of looking at sentencing outcomes not only in terms of gender but also in terms of crime type. Results. Specifically, we find that the effect of gender on sentencing does vary by crime type, but not in a consistent or predicted fashion. For both property and drug offending, females are less likely to be sentenced to prison and also receive shorter sentences if they are sentenced to prison. For violent offending, however, females are no less likely than males to receive prison time, but for those who do, females receive substantially shorter sentences than males. Conclusions. We conclude that such variation in the gender-sentencing association across crime type is largely due to features of Texas’ legal code that channel the level of discretion available to judges depending on crime type and whether incarceration likelihood or sentence length is examined. The sentencing of criminals has been the subject of repeated exploratory inquiry by social scientists, particularly sociologists. Since the work of Nagel and Weitzman (1971) and Pope (1975), who found that women appear to receive preferential treatment in sentencing over males, efforts to explain this disparity have centered around two theories: chivalry and the more recent focal concerns. As our literature review highlights, efforts to decipher how the sentencing process may benefit females are, at times, inconsistent. We view our study as additional fuel to the sentencing dialogue and, in par
Cost-Efficient Topology Design Problem in Time-Evolving Delay-Tolerant Networks

In this paper, we study the cost efficient topology design (CETD) problem in a predictable delay tolerant networks (DTN) where the time-evolving network topology is known a priori or can be predicted. We model such time-evolving network as a weighted space-time graph which includes both spacial and temporal information. The aim of CETD is to build a sparse structure from the original space-time graph such that (1) the network is still connected over time between any two nodes, (2) the cost of the least cost path for any two nodes in this constructed structure is at most δ times of that in the original graph, i.e., cost efficient DTN routing is possible between any two nodes; and (3) the total cost of the structure is minimized. We first show that classic topology control methods for static graph do not work for this new problem and then propose three efficient topology control methods which can significantly reduce the total cost of topology while maintain the connectivity and cost-efficiency over time. Extensive simulations have been conducted on random DTN networks and results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed methods.
Lofexidine, an α2-Receptor Agonist for Opioid Detoxification

Objective:To review the pharmacology, toxicology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, adverse effects, drug interactions, and dosage guidelines for lofexidine, an α2-agonist, for opioid detoxification.Data Sources:Primary literature was identified through a MEDLINE search (1950–September 2009), EMBASE (1988–Juty 2009), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970–September 2009), and the Cochrane Library (1996–September 2009) using the key words lofexidine and opioid withdrawal. Abstracts were included in the absence of published results of studies.Study Selection and Data Extraction:Studies published in English-language literature reporting on animal and human pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmacokinetics were included in addition to clinical trials using lofexidine for opioid detoxification in comparison to placebo or active controls.Data Synthesis:Lofexidine is an α2-agonist structurally related to clonidine. It is not an effective antihypertensive agent; however, it decreases the sympathetic outflow responsi...
Electronic nanostructures templated on self-assembled DNA scaffolds

We report on the self-assembly of one- and two-dimensional DNA scaffolds, which serve as templates for the targeted deposition of ordered nanoparticles and molecular arrays .T he DNA nanostructures are easy to reprogram, and we demonstrate two distinct conformations: sheets and tubes. The DNA tubes and individual DNA molecules are metallized in solution to produce ultra-thin metal wires. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)
Teachers respond functionally to student gender differences in a technology course

This study examines teacher–student interactions and selected student gender differences with volunteer boys and recruited girls in a technology class. The participants were teachers and triads of girls and boys in single-gender sections of a technology course where the students built, designed features for, and programmed Lego robots. We analyzed transcripts of videotapes of instruction; teacher, parent, and student interviews; student questionnaires; and final programs. Girls and boys differed in a number of ways, and teachers explained their differing interactions with boys and girls as functional responses to those differences. At the end of the course, volunteer boys and recruited girls did not differ in achievement or interest in the course. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 45: 322–345, 2008
D L P Nucleus Mathematical Model

The description of the D L P nucleus model of Chapter 2 is enlarged in this chapter. In particular, we formulate a linear programming model that is mathematically equivalent to it. This equivalent LP model is tot generated explicitly by the D L P system, but serves as an intermediary that is very useful for clarifying the description of the D L P nucleus model in this chapter, and for describing the techniques used to solve it in the next.
Legitimacy After Violence: Evidence from Two Lab-in-the-Field Experiments in Liberia

Despite its importance to both the theory and practice of statebuilding, legitimacy remains notoriously difficult to measure. I posit conditions under which legitimacy is distinguishable from other forms of political suasion and control, then develop two lab-in-the-field experiments to isolate those conditions in Liberia, one of the world’s weakest states. I show that when a legitimate authority instructs them to do so, citizens will make costly contributions to a public good even in the absence of sanctions or rewards, and even when they know others will not do the same. I also show that the de-legitimizing consequences of abuse of power are more severe for “alien” authorities (like United Nations peacekeepers) than for their “native” counterparts. Finally, I show that exposure to violence is associated with higher rates of compliance with authority, but that the strength of the relationship varies by authority and by type of violence.
Historically unprecedented erosion from tropical storm Irene due to high antecedent precipitation

Lacustrine sediment archives indicate that flooding during Tropical Storm Irene (2011) in the north-eastern United States caused the most severe erosion of any flood in the historic record, surpassing that of events with greater precipitation and peak discharges. Compared to deposition from historic floods, Irene's event layer was more massive and more enriched in unweathered upland sediments, indicating an anomalously high incidence of mass wasting and sediment entrainment. Precipitation records indicate that neither precipitation intensity nor total accumulation distinguished Irene from less erosive historic floods. However, cumulative precipitation prior to Irene exceeded the 95th percentile of all days in the record. When allowing for non-stationarity in the twentieth century background precipitation, we find a four-fold increase in the probability of Irene-like conditions, where impacts of extreme rainfall are enhanced by high antecedent precipitation. We conclude that irrespective of increases in extreme precipitation, the risk of highly erosive flooding in the region is increasing due to the influence of wetter baseline conditions associated with a changing climate. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol, menthol and propofol on 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 eeceptors--a computational approach

This study investigates the function of 5-HT type 3 (5-HT3) receptors using a computational approach. Antagonists of the 5-HT3 receptor are currently one of the most effective therapeutic agents in treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, and irritable bowel syndrome. Several experimental studies have shown the effect of pharmacological agents such as 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of Cannabis, Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive ingredient of Cannabis plant, Menthol, Propofol, and etc. on the functional human 5-HT3 receptors expressed in Xenopus oocyte as well as rat nodose ganglion neurons [1,2]. 5-HT evoked currents recorded by a two-electrode clamp technique were inhibited by ligands in a concentration dependent manner. Simulations of allosteric inhibition were modeled using Vina docking techniques with the 5-HT3 structure (see Tables ​Tables11 and ​and22 for results). The 5-HT3 structure was found using homology sequence similarity techniques with the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nACH) and inhibitory neurotransmitter receptor for GABA(A). Results of studies with other members of the superfamily of ligand gated ion channels signified key residues involved in ligand binding sites within the transmembrane region of 5-HT3 [3]. Flexible and rigid docking simulations around key residues resulted in a number of low-energy (high affinity) configurations of ligand binding (Figure ​(Figure2).2). The predicted residues TYR and THR may constitute a naturally occurring binding site for 5-HT3. Table 1 Docking of Ligands on lower (THR361) binding sites of 5-HT3A Table 2 Docking of Ligands on upper (TYR346) binding sites of 5-HT3A Figure 2 Interaction diagrams of Propofol with lower binding site (THR361) of 5-HT3A. A. 2-D Ligand interaction diagram. Residues are annotated with their 3-letter amino acid code, and their position classification. Hydrophilic interactions: include the hydroxyl ... Figure 1 Experimental comparison [3]of the effects of compounds structurally related to menthol on the 5-HT3 receptors.
Nurse Educators and the Demands of Research

The purpose of this research was to study perceptions of baccalaureate nursing faculty regarding the pressures to publish and conduct research. The research was a nonexperimental, correlational, retrospective study. One hundred baccalaureate nurse educators completed a questionnaire that assessed their beliefs regarding the pressure to publish and their preferences between teaching and research. The majority of participants reported the perception of high to intense pressure to publish, the belief that they could remain current in nursing without a major focus on research, and the belief that the increased emphasis on research diminishes the quality of classroom instruction. The majority of participants would select a teaching-only career track if they could still be promoted and achieve tenure. Recommendations included broadening the definition of research to include the teaching and application of research, and the implementation of two career tracks with promotion and tenure opportunities.
Calorimetry of ignition sparks

The thermal energy transferred to noncombusting gases by a spark at pressures from 1 to 7 atmospheres was measured using a pressure-rise calorimeter. The energy transfer efficiency (from electrical to thermal energy) was determined for conventional coil ignition systems, a plasma jet ignitor, and an ultra-short pulse (USP) ignitor
Brain-liver connections: role of the preautonomic PVN neurons

Diabetes mellitus and the coexisting conditions and complications, including hypo- and hyperglycemic events, obesity, high cholesterol levels, and many more, are devastating problems. Undoubtedly, there is a huge demand for treatment and prevention of these conditions that justifies the search for new approaches and concepts for better management of whole body metabolism. Emerging evidence demonstrates that the autonomic nervous system is largely involved in the regulation of glucose homeostasis; however, the underlying mechanisms are still under investigation. Within the hypothalamus, the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is in a unique position to integrate neural and hormonal signals to command both the autonomic and neuroendocrine outflow. This minireview will provide a brief overview on the role of preautonomic PVN neurons and the importance of the PVN-liver pathway in the regulation of glucose homeostasis.
Screening and Evaluation of Materials for Microturbine Recuperators

The effects of stress, temperature and exposure to microturbine exhaust gases on the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of candidate materials for microturbine recuperators were investigated. Results are presented for 347 stainless steel metallic foils after 500-hr exposure to temperatures between 620°C and 760°C at a tensile stress of 50 MPa. It was found that the material experienced accelerated attack at the highest temperature and that the corrosion products consisted of mixed oxides of iron and chromium. It was also found that exposure at the highest temperatures resulted in significant decrease in both tensile strength and ductility. ORNL’s microturbine recuperator test facility, where the exposures were carried out, is also described.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Pollution Source Automatic Monitoring System Based on UV-spectro-photometry for Yangxi Power Plant

The features and functions of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) with UV-spectro-photometry are introduced. It is emphasized that this method for determination COD featured low investment,low operation cost,non-chemical pollution,fast monitoring,easy operation and so on. Besides,the application of UV-spectro-photometry for determination of COD to pollution source monitoring system in Yangxi Power Plant,Guangdong province is described. Combined the pH meter with flow meter monitoring,it is achieved the total amount control of pollution for the local environmental protection department.
Coupling Interactions and Performance: Predicting Team Performance from Thin Slices of Conflict

Do teams show stable conflict interaction patterns that predict their performance hours, weeks, or even months in advance? Two studies demonstrate that two of the same patterns of emotional interaction dynamics that distinguish functional from dysfunctional marriages also distinguish high from low-performance design teams in the field, up to 6 months in advance, with up to 91p accuracy, and based on just 15minutes of interaction data: Group Affective Balance, the balance of positive to negative affect during an interaction, and Hostile Affect, the expression of a set of specific negative behaviors were both found as predictors of team performance. The research also contributes a novel method to obtain a representative sample of a team's conflict interaction. Implications for our understanding of design work in teams and for the design of groupware and feedback intervention systems are discussed.
Reduced beta-agonist sensitivity in single atrial cells from failing human hearts

Human myocytes were isolated from right atrial appendage, and contractile responses to inotropic agents were studied. Responses to inotropic agents of cells isolated from patients with mild heart disease [New York Heart Association (NYHA) classes I and II] were compared with those of myocytes from rabbit atria. Maximally effective concentrations of calcium, forskolin, and isoproterenol increased contraction amplitude to a similar extent (11.9, 11.5, and 11.3% change in cell length, respectively), but histamine produced a smaller effect (7.1%). The maximum responses of rabbit atrial cells to calcium (18.5%) and isoproterenol (15.0%) were significantly greater than human. In human cells, the velocity of contraction or relaxation was accelerated more by isoproterenol (P less than 0.05) or forskolin (P less than 0.01) than by high calcium. Only relaxation velocity was increased by isoproterenol in rabbit cells (P less than 0.05). Rabbit myocytes contracted and relaxed 10-30% faster than human (P less than 0.05). Cells from the atria of patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) heart failure class III or IV were less responsive to isoproterenol than those from class I or II (P less than 0.01). Omitting data from patients who had been taking calcium-channel blockers or beta-adrenoceptor agonist or antagonist drugs did not affect the conclusions. Analysis of variance revealed a significantly greater between-patient than within-patient variation (P less than 0.001), indicating that cells from the same patient have a tendency to respond in a similar way. Responses to high calcium did not differ among NYHA classes. The effect of forskolin was not reduced in NYHA class III, although there was a decreased response in cells from two patients in NYHA class IV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Effects of Phenylhydrazine on Human Red Cell Membrane Aminophospholipids: A Fluorescamine Study

Phenylhydrazine was used as a peroxidative probe for studying human red cell membrane aminophospholipid peroxidation. A fluorescamine labeling method for aminophospholipids (1) was modified for direct measurement of the labeled aminophospholipids by fluorescence spectroscopy following separation of the phospholipid derivatives by thin layer chromatography. Phenylhydrazine-treated red cells had a significant decrease of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) labeling by fluorescamine. This finding is consistent with our previous results in which we observed a significant degradation of PE associated with alterations in red cell membrane surface lipid packing (2). Further experiments indicated that the decreased labeling of PE was due to degradation of PE to lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) and other oxidized lipids (CL). In seven persons studied, four degraded PE to LPE and three degraded PE to oxidized lipids other than LPE. These results indicate that individual variation may exist in the degradation of PE under oxidative conditions.
Transdisciplinarity, Community-Based Participatory Research, and User-Based Information Design Research

This paper will discuss how the confluence between community-based participatory research and user-based information design is an effective approach to researching science in the public interest as seen through their application to the conceptual and methodological frameworks of two projects by the transdisciplinary research team D•VERSE (Detroit Integrated Vision for Environmental Research through Science and Engagement). D•VERSE, an example of team science, tackles complex scientific issues with community residents working as “citizen scientists.” One project assesses the health and environmental effects on residents of the southwest Detroit community of storing open piles of petcoke (a by-product of the shale oil fracking process) on the Detroit River; the second project focuses on the impact of air quality on asthmatic Detroit teenagers. This paper will also suggest a set of guidelines that other researchers might use to create research clusters similar to D•VERSE.
Studies on Water Slip Casting for fine Ceramic Powders

The slip casting of the fine ceramic powders by using the organic solvent and binder voluminously has a lot of problems in respects of the cost and the environmental pollution, etc. To solve the above problems, water slip casting technique for fine ceramic powders has been constructed by substituting water for organic material. Technological details to solve the problems in establishing water slip casting technique for fine ceramic powders, mainly high purity alumina, are described in this review.
Attachment, Self-Esteem and Subjective Well-Being Among Survivors of Childhood Sexual Trauma

The current study is a quantitative exploration of the relationships between attachment security, childhood sexual trauma, sexual self-esteem, and subjective well-being. It was predicted that higher levels of secure attachment, lower presence of childhood sexual trauma and higher levels of sexual self-esteem would contribute to higher levels of subjective well-being. Participants were 213 undergraduate students at a Midwestern university. Theories of attachment (Bowlby, 1973) and well-being (Lent, 2004) provided a framework to guide the hypotheses of the present study. We hypothesized that higher attachment security would be related to higher sexual self-esteem and higher subjective well-being, and that participants who scored higher on a scale measuring childhood sexual trauma would have lower sexual self-esteem and lower subjective well-being. It was found that high levels of attachment security and sexual self-esteem predicted high levels of subjective well-being, whereas presence of childhood sexual t...
Commentary on development and assessment of a digital X-ray software tool to determine vertebral rotation in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Commentary on Eijgenraam SM, Boselie TF, Sieben JM, Bastiaenen CH, Willems PC, Arts JJ, Lataster A. Spine J 2015;September 26. pii: S1529-9430(15)01449-7.
Ethylene production via Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethane using M1 catalyst

Abstract Ethylene is the top petrochemical produced worldwide with continuously growing production capacity. Steam Pyrolysis of straight run hydrocarbons is the conventional technology for producing ethylene for more than 50 years. Currently the feedstock of choice domestically is ethane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethane (C2-ODH) is an alternative catalytic technology for producing ethylene using a natural gas feedstock. North American olefin plants have switched from a heavy petroleum feedstock to a light ethane feedstock due to the shale revolution. The M1 catalyst, advanced by co-author, Dr. Anne M. Gaffney, selectively and exothermically transforms ethane to ethylene under mild conditions (300–400 °C, 4–7 atm). A comparison of the two technologies shows the energy and cost savings of C2-ODH along with the promising future for oxidative dehydrogenation technology.
Staging Ford in New York, 2015: An Interview with Jesse Berger, Artistic Director of the Red Bull Theater

2015 was a good year for John Ford in New York City. Three years after Theatre for a New Audience staged The Broken Heart and Cheek by Jowl brought ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore to BAM, the Red Bull Theater celebrated Ford with not only a full production of ’Tis Pity (April 14-May 16, 2015, but also accompanying staged readings of Perkin Warbeck (March 9, 2015) and Love’s Sacrifice (May 4, 2015). In conversation with Tanya Pollard (Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center, CUNY), Jesse Berger discussed the process of developing a season of Ford, and the experience of directing ’Tis Pity .
Oxorhenium Complexes for Catalytic Hydrosilylation and Hydrolytic Hydrogen Production: A Multiweek Advanced Laboratory Experiment for Undergraduate Students.

An effective way of teaching undergraduates a full complement of research skills is through a multiweek advanced laboratory experiment. Here we outline a comprehensive set of experiments adapted from current primary literature focusing on organic and inorganic synthesis, catalysis, reactivity, and reaction kinetics. The catalyst, bis(2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxazoline)oxorhenium(V) tetrapentafluorophenylborate (1) is isolated through a multistep reaction starting with the formation of the ligand, 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxazoline (2), followed by complexation of a Re–oxo precursor to form chlorobis(2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxazoline)oxorhenium(V) (3). Both Re(V)–oxo complexes are diamagnetic and allow for NMR analysis. Complex 1 is an air-stable and highly active catalyst for two reactions: (1) hydrosilylation of carbonyls and (2) hydrolysis of Et3SiH to form Et3SiOH and H2 gas. Students monitor the evolution of hydrogen gas in the second reaction and use the data to investigate the reaction kinetics in order ...
Mining Visual Evolution in 21 Years of Web Design

The web contains a treasure trove of design data, with many web pages being the product of careful thought about layout, font, and color scheme. Not only does the current web document current design trends, historical snapshots of the web are a lens into past fashions. The Internet Archive cite{internetarchive} has captured snapshots of the public Internet each year going back to 1996. In this paper, we present a curated dataset of 21 years of web design, scraped from the Internet Archive. We report initial analysis of design trends apparent in this data, and we demonstrate how the data can be modeled with deep neural networks to enable novel design applications, such as predicting the apparent year of a web design. The novelty of our work is two-fold: (1) mining the long-term temporal evolution of designs on the Internet, and (2) using deep neural networks as a tool for discovering design elements, which can complement the hand-curated features so far used in data-driven design mining.
Comparison of unilateral versus bilateral intensity‐modulated radiotherapy for surgically treated squamous cell carcinoma of the palatine tonsil

BACKGROUND The authors hypothesized that unilateral intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) would decrease toxicity compared with bilateral IMRT for patients with lateralized palatine tonsillar cancer and a neck classification of N0 to N2b, with similar oncological outcomes. METHODS A total of 154 patients were treated with postoperative IMRT from 1997 through 2013. Data were collected prospectively from 2005 to 2013 and retrospectively collected before 2005. Of those patients with lateralized primary and N0 to N2b disease, 48 received unilateral IMRT (group 1) and 59 received bilateral IMRT (group 2); a total of 47 patients had nonlateralized primary or N2c to N3 disease and received bilateral IMRT (group 3). RESULTS The median follow-up was 5.5 years. The 5-year locoregional control rates were similar in group 1, group 2, and group 3 (100%, 96%, and 94%, respectively; pooled comparison: P = .39 and group 1 vs group 2 comparison: P = .19). The 5-year overall survival rates were similar in group 1, group 2, and group 3 (85%, 79%, and 76%, respectively; pooled comparison: P = .60 and group 1 vs group 2 comparison: P = .25). There were no contralateral neck recurrences noted among unilaterally treated patients. Unilateral IMRT reduced acute toxicity and improved patient-reported quality of life compared with bilateral IMRT. CONCLUSIONS Unilateral IMRT appears to reduce acute toxicity and achieves oncological outcomes similar to those of bilateral IMRT in selected patients with lateralized palatine tonsillar cancer with a neck classification of N0 to N2b. Cancer 2017;123:4594-4607. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Accentuated vagal antagonism paradoxically increases ryanodine receptor calcium leak in long-term exercised Calsequestrin2 knockout mice

Background Long-term aerobic exercise alters autonomic balance, which may not be favorable in heart rate (HR)–dependent arrhythmic diseases including catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) because of preexisting bradycardia and increased sensitivity to parasympathetic stimulation. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether long-term exercise-induced autonomic adaptations modify CPVT susceptibility. Methods We determined exercise-induced parasympathetic effects on HR, arrhythmia incidence, and intracellular sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca 2+ leak in atrial (ACM) and ventricular (VCM) cardiomyocytes, in exercised (EX) calsequestrin knockout (CASQ2 –/– ) mice, a model of CPVT. Results Although 8-week treadmill running improved exercise capacity in EX CPVT mice, the incidence and duration of ventricular tachycardia also increased. HR variability analyses revealed an increased high-frequency component of the power spectrum and root mean square of successive differences in R-R intervals indicating accentuated vagal antagonism during β-adrenergic stimulation resulting in negligible HR acceleration. In EX CASQ2 –/– VCM, peak amplitude of Ca 2+ transient (CaT) increased, whereas SR Ca 2+ content decreased. Aberrant Ca 2+ sparks occurred at baseline, which was exacerbated with isoproterenol. Notably, although 10 μM of the cholinergic agonist carbachol prevented isoproterenol-induced Ca 2+ waves in ACM, CaT amplitude, SR Ca 2+ load, and isoproterenol-induced Ca 2+ waves paradoxically increased in VCM. In parallel, ventricular ryanodine receptor (RyR2) protein expression increased, whereas protein kinase A– and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II-mediated phosphorylation of RyR2 was not significantly altered, which could imply an increased number of "leaky" channels. Conclusion Our novel results suggest that long-term exercise in CASQ2 –/– mice increases susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias by accentuating vagal antagonism during β-adrenergic challenge, which prevents HR acceleration and exacerbates abnormal RyR2 Ca 2+ leak in EX CASQ2 –/– VCM.
Low Power and Trusted Machine Learning

In this special discussion session on machine learning, the panel members discuss various issues related to building secure and low power neuromorphic systems. The security of neuromorphic systems may be discussed in term of the reliability of the model, trust in the model, and security of the underlying hardware. The low power aspect of neuromorphic computing systems may be discussed in terms of adaptation of new devices and technologies, the adaptation of new computational models, development of heterogeneous computing frameworks, or dedicated engines for processing neuromorphic models. This session may include discussion on the design space of such supporting hardware, exploring tradeoffs between power/energy, security, scalability, hardware area, performance, and accuracy.
Some advances in decomposition methodsfor stochastic linear programming

Stochastic programming problems have very large dimension and characteristic structureswhich are tractable by decomposition. We review some new developments in cutting planemethods, augmented Lagrangian and splitting methods for linear multi‐stage stochasticprogramming problems.
Pre-treatment testosterone levels: significance in androgen deprivation therapy.

From June 1982 to February 1985, 53 patients with stage D2 carcinoma of the prostate confirmed by tissue biopsy, elevated prostatic acid phosphatase and a positive bone scan were initiated on androgen deprivation therapy. Before commencement of treatment all patients underwent determination of serum testosterone levels at 8 a.m. Of the patients 23 received 200 mcg. buserelin per day, 17 received 1 mg. diethylstilbestrol 3 times daily, 6 received 40 mg. megestrol acetate 4 times daily, 2 received 1 mg. leuprolide per day and 5 underwent bilateral orchiectomy. Evaluation of the best response in each patient revealed 3 (6 per cent) complete and 17 (32 per cent) partial responses, while 22 patients (41 per cent) remained stable and 11 (21 per cent) had progression. Pre-treatment serum testosterone levels ranged from 150 to 879 ng. per dl. The mean serum testosterone level in patients having a complete response was 524 +/- 18.04 ng. per dl. The mean in the progression group was 279.4 +/- 110.1 ng. per dl. This difference was not statistically significant owing to the large standard deviation in the progression group. However, of the 15 patients who had a pre-treatment serum testosterone level of more than 500 ng. per dl. only 1 (7 per cent) had progression. None of the patients whose pre-treatment testosterone level was less than 200 ng. per dl. had objective tumor regression. Our study suggests that pre-treatment serum testosterone levels may predict the probability of a satisfactory response to androgen deprivation therapy.
Evolution and Negative Reciprocity

We offer a theoretical explanation of negative reciprocity or vengeance, i.e., the human desire to harm those who have harmed us. Our model shows how negative reciprocity can be sustained by the coevolution1 of genes that determine the capacity for vengeance and group memes (e.g., social norms) that regulate its expression. The model begins with a standard free-rider game that captures, simply and directly, a personal cost incurred to reap social gains. The model shows that a taste for vengeance realigns incentives and supports a socially efficient equilibrium, but that by itself the taste for vengeance is not evolutionarily viable. We then show how groups of individuals can use low-power sanctions (or simply status changes) to enforce a particular norm on the proper degree of vengeance. The main result is that actual behavior will typically fall short of the norm, but selection across groups will adjust the norm so that actual behavior maximizes the fitness of group members.
Community Pharmacists' Perceptions of Care Following the Implementation of a Transitions-of-Care Program.

Background:Pharmacist-led collaborative interventions can support improved medication use and adherence during transitions of care (TOC). Community pharmacists are not always actively connected with other health-care team professionals, however, and their confidence in having necessary information may vary.Objective:To assess community pharmacists’ perceptions of information, care provided, and communication, before and after a postdischarge intervention designed to increase communication between inpatient and community pharmacists.Methods:A survey assessing 4 domains related to pharmacists’ perceptions of information and care of hospital discharge patients was developed and distributed to 106 community pharmacists before and after a TOC interventional study.Results:Based on 151 responses (77 baseline, 74 followup) from 84 participants, community pharmacists have high confidence in their ability to counsel and feel that they are an important part of the healthcare team. They are less confident that they h...
"Well, this is awkward": Autism spectrum disorder in medical trainees

Interpersonal communication can be a significant career stumbling block for medical trainees, even when they have exceptional knowledge and technical ability. If physicians have difficulty accurately reading verbal and nonverbal cues in patient encounters, they will likely be perceived as detached or lacking in empathy. Similarly, if trainees do not regulate their physical distance or the intensity of their speech, they may unintentionally alarm or anger patients. In this chapter, drawing on her extensive experience as a psychologist and healthcare management coach who works with students and residents referred for poor clinical skills, the author explores the common issues facing medical trainees with awkward interpersonal communication. Based on her experience, she recommends utilizing remedial skills-building strategies recently developed for adults with autism spectrum disorders (also referred to as neuro-atypicals) to work with such trainees. Strategies for partnering with trainees to ensure a successful remediation are discussed.
Characterizing divergent spin-orbit coupling effects on ultrafast nonradiative decay in transition-metal compounds

Two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy reveals divergent, spin-orbit coupling mediated, electronic relaxation dynamics in iridium(IV) hexa-bromide ([IrB6 ]2- ) and the ruthenium(II)-based DSSC dye N719.
Experiences of Economic Abuse in the Community: Listening to Survivor Voices:

Economic abuse (EA) comprises tactics of intimate partner violence (IPV) which undermine survivors’ economic self-sufficiency and self-efficacy. Evidence is strong that survivors of IPV who have ac...
Executive Functions and Decoding in Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analytic Investigation.

Previous meta-analyses highlight the role of executive functions (EF), encompassing working memory updating, task-switching, and inhibitory control, in reading comprehension, but have not established their role in decoding. Decoding is defined as the use of orthographic patterns to access oral pronunciations. According to the dual route model, decoding involves parallel activation of lexical and phonological routes, which places cognitive demands on EF. We used multivariate meta-analyses to examine associations between decoding, assessed via nonword and word reading tasks, and EF across 65 studies involving children and adolescents (162 effect size estimates, 22,806 observations from 10,173 participants, weighted mean age = 8.8 years). Meta-regression analyses examined a broad set of potential moderators of correlational effect size estimates, including variables related to sample characteristics, task features, and study design. Results indicated significant small-to-moderate correlations between EF constructs and decoding tasks (rz ranged from .28 to .34), with little evidence of moderation. The observed associations between EF and decoding skills in children and adolescents appear to be relatively consistent, even when accounting for moderators related to the sample, task, and study design.
Multimodal Composing and Traditional Essays: Linguistic Performance and Learner Perceptions.

Over the past decade, digital multimodal composing (DMMC) in the language learning context has received growing attention. DMMC entails teaching writing as the social practice of meaning making usi...
Determining Risk Factors for Endovenous Heat-induced Thrombosis after Radiofrequency Ablation.

Background The objective of this study was to evaluate risk factors, incidence, management, and outcome of endovenous heat-induced thrombosis (EHIT) related to radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods This was a single-center retrospective analysis of patients over the age of 18 who underwent RFA between 2016 and 2019. Demographics, comorbidities, medications, severity scores, vascular anatomy, procedural details, and outcome data were collected. EHIT-related data included occurrence, grade, laterality, management, and outcome. Results During the study period, 672 RFA procedures were performed at our institution. Of these, 642 (median age 57 (21–93), 62.3% female) met study inclusion criteria. EHIT was observed in 43 (6.6%) cases. Concurrent left common femoral vein (CFV) or right femoral vein (FV) incompetence was found to be more prevalent in the EHIT group (P = 0.024 and P = 0.011, respectively). Compared with performing RFA alone, concurrent performance of stab phlebectomy and sclerotherapy with RFA on the left side was found to be associated with possible increased risk for EHIT (P = 0.021). Furthermore, patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) (P = 0.05) and those with median diameter of the treated left vein of 1.2 cm (P = 0.02) were more likely to have a higher EHIT grade (III and IV) than those without DM and those with smaller vein diameter, respectively. Management included aspirin (44%), anticoagulant (28%), both (10%), or neither (18%). EHIT either resolved or regressed (64%), did not change (5%), or propagated (8%) at follow-up. Conclusions Left CFV or right FV incompetence was found to be more prevalent in the total EHIT group. Furthermore, DM and the median size of the treated vein on the left (1.2 cm) were more prevalent in the high (III-IV) versus low grade (I-II) EHIT group. More than 50% of EHIT improved (regressed or resolved) at follow-up regardless of the management option. Further analysis with larger patient samples are needed to confirm the association between these variables and the development of EHIT.
The limits of DeCSS posting: a comparison of internet posting of DVD circumvention devices in the European Union and China

This study explored differences in DeCSS posting between EU member nations, the PRC, Hong Kong, and Macau. DeCSS is a software program that circumvents DVD copy and access protection systems. The study investigated the number of websites in each nation that posted DeCSS. The study also examined the degree to which website authors included political speech on their websites referring to changes in copyright law brought about by World Intellectual Property Organization Treaty requirements. It also examined whether or not websites made reference to Free/Open Source software. Results found no DeCSS posting websites in the PRC, Macau, Luxembourg, Spain or Portugal; and results found few DeCSS posting websites in Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy and Greece. Results show more DeCSS posting websites in northern EU nations, especially the Netherlands, Germany, the UK and France. The paper draws on institutional theory and collective action theory to suggest explanations for the observed differences in DeCSS posting.
“I don’t think you belong in here:” The impact of gender segregated bathrooms on the safety, health, and equality of transgender people

The current study presents reflections from transgender youth regarding experiences with toilet access, both in isolated gender-neutral facilities and standard gender segregated facilities in North...
The ball bearing as a rheological test device

An angular-contact ball bearing provides an easily obtainable, precise mechanical system for rheological tests on thin films under high pressure. The test conditions are by definition similar to those found in practice. Accessible independent variables include size, pressure, bulk temperature, roughness, adsorbed surfactant, fluid type, fluid quantity, fluid supply rate, film thickness, entrainment velocity, transit time, and combined strain. Easily measured or inferred variables include slip, changes in film thickness with time (transients), strain rate, lubricant elastic modulus (thin film, high pressure), tractive force, lubricant chemical degradation rate, and lubricant degradation product. Methods for setting and obtaining these quantities in a bearing are discussed, together with experimental limitations on them.
Queer & Trivial Tidbits: The Role of LGBT History in Self-Recognition and Cultural Acquisition

In this essay, I raise questions regarding the role of LGBT/queer history in projects of self-recognition for LGBT/queer youth. I am particularly concerned with the LGBT/queer history that comes in the form of lists of famous historical LGBT/queer people and is easily accessible in the form of print and digital media. I grapple with the question of what work these pieces of history are doing. If they are providing LGBT/queer people opportunities for self-recognition, how are they also limiting opportunities? I contend that these opportunities are limited by the ways the information is commonly presented. When we get tidbits of information in the form of lists or trivia, statements are decontextualized and presented as simple facts without acknowledging the complexities of the lives and events themselves, or discussing how identities intersect to impact lived experience.