cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Designing for elders: exploring the complexity of relationships in later life

We present a review of literature from the fields of gerontology, HCI and human factors, which focus on the nature of family and peer relationships in old age. We find both simplistic, prevailing models of what it means to be old, as well as deeper insights which often belie these models. In addition, we discover that new technologies are often also based on quite simple assumptions, but that their deployment points to a more complex reality. This paper considers a number of perspectives on relationships in later life, critiques the assumptions underscoring them, and presents an alternative view which we believe is more in line with the perspective of elderly people themselves. We end by discussing what this means in terms of designing new technologies for older people.
Synchronization of nonlinear circuits in dynamic electrical networks

Synchronization of coupled oscillators is a pervasive theme of multi-disciplinary research. Focused on circuit-theoretic applications, in this paper, we derive sufficient conditions for global asymptotic synchronization in a system of identical nonlinear circuits coupled through linear time-invariant (LTI) electrical networks. The nonlinear circuits are composed of a parallel combination of passive LTI circuit elements and a nonlinear voltage-dependent current source with finite gain. The terminals of the nonlinear circuits are coupled through LTI networks characterized by either identical per-unit-length impedances or identical effective impedances between any two terminals. This setup is motivated by a recently proposed control strategy for inverters in microgrids. We analyze synchronization by means of an input-output analysis of a coordinate-transformed system that emphasizes signal differences. To apply the synchronization analysis to a broad class of networks, we leverage recent results on Kron reduction-a circuit reduction and transformation procedure that reveals the interactions of the nonlinear circuits. We illustrate our results with simulations in networks of coupled Chua's circuits.
Effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy on blood pressure and peripheral edema

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used drugs with potential effects on systemic blood pressure. NSAIDs act by inhibiting synthesis of prostaglandins (PGs) from arachidonic acid via cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2, the 2 isoforms of COX. NSAIDs may affect blood pressure via the renin-angiotensin pathway, alterations in sodium and water retention in the kidneys, inhibition of vasodilating PGs, and production of various vasoconstricting factors, including endothelin-1 and P450-mediated metabolites of arachidonic acid. In 2 meta-analyses, it was found that NSAIDs have small but significant effects on blood pressure, most notably in hypertensive patients on antihypertensive medication. NSAIDs cause small ( 9% of patients. The incidence and levels of hypertension associated with COX-2 inhibitors are within the range of those observed with nonspecific NSAIDs. Apparent differences between the COX-2 inhibitors celecoxib and rofecoxib may be functions of differences in study population susceptibilities to NSAID-mediated hypertensive effects. Patients at risk for hypertension should be monitored for changes in blood pressure during NSAID treatment.
CYPROTERONE ACETATE IN TREATMENT OF POST-ORCHIDECTOMY HOT FLUSHES: Double-blind Cross-over Trial

12 patients with troublesome hot flushes after orchidectomy (as a primary treatment for prostatic carcinoma) were treated with cyproterone acetate or placebo in a double-blind cross-over trial. The frequency of hot flushes was significantly reduced during the three weeks that cyproterone acetate (100 mg three times a day) was given. 5 patients complained of lassitude while on cyproterone acetate, but in none was it necessary to discontinue treatment.
Exoskeletal Thinning in Cephalotes atratus Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Parasitized by Myrmeconema neotropicum (Nematoda: Tetradonematidae)

abstract: Some parasites modify the color of their arthropod hosts, presumably to facilitate transmission to a new host. Mechanisms for such changes often are unknown, but altered exoskeletal color in adult insects typically occurs via structural modifications or redistribution of pigments. Here, we examine the cuticle structure of workers of the Neotropical canopy ant Cephalotes atratus infected with the nematode Myrmeconema neotropicum. We hypothesized that the conspicuous red color of the gaster (the globular posterior body region) of infected ants results from structural changes, specifically localized exoskeletal thinning. We used scanning electron microscopy to quantify the thickness of gaster cuticle in healthy and infected ants. For comparison, we also measured the cuticle thickness of the head of each ant, which is black in both infected and healthy individuals. The gaster cuticle was 23% thinner in infected ants (average ±SE: 14.8 ± 1.02 µm) versus healthy ants (19.2 ± 0.65 µm) after correcting...
Directing the film structure of organic semiconductors via post-deposition processing for transistor and solar cell applications

The morphology of thin films of molecular and polymeric semiconductors, which is structurally complex and heterogeneous across multiple length scales, is known to significantly affect the device performance. Yet, controlling the film structure is challenging, typically requiring chemical modification of the organic semiconductors, substrates, or the conditions under which the films are formed. Post-deposition processing offers an opportunity to decouple film formation from structural development, providing greater control over molecular ordering in organic semiconductor thin films. This review highlights recent advances in post-deposition processing, focusing specifically on methods that control three important aspects of the film structure – the in-plane and out-of-plane molecular orientations and molecular packing – and correlating these structural changes with device performance in organic thin-film transistors and solar cells.
Prevalence of and factors contributing to missing lymph tissue in uterine cancer staging surgery.

Abstract Objective We wished to investigate the prevalence of missing lymph nodes (MLN), factors contributing to MLN, and the effect of MLN on progression free survival (PFS). Methods Patients with uterine cancer undergoing abdominal hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy were recruited. All surgeries adhered to the Gynecologic Oncology Group protocol in collecting all the lymph node tissues in paraaortic, common iliac, obturator fossa, and external and internal iliac bilaterally. Data regarding race, age, body mass index (BMI), lymph node counts, staging, location of missing lymph nodes, length of surgery, and estimated blood loss were collected and analyzed in reference to missing lymph nodes. The definition of missing lymph node was an incomplete nodal specimen obtained without actual lymph node tissue. Results Between April 2003 and January 2010, 235 consecutive patients were enrolled prospectively; 108 patients had missing lymph nodes post-operatively (46%), and 127 patients had complete lymph nodes. We found no correlation between MLN relative to race ( P =0.97), age ( P =0.25), BMI ( P =0.09), estimated blood loss ( P =0.38), American Society of Anaesthesiologist physical status classification system ( P =0.18), surgery time ( P =0.22), hospital stay ( P =0.05), nodes without cancer ( P =0.12), nodes with cancer ( P =0.99), stage ( P =0.90), grade ( P =0.17), or PFS ( P =0.29). Conclusion In our study, although prevalence of missing lymph nodes seems relatively high, none of the perioperative variables studied appeared to contribute to missing lymph nodes. Finally, missing lymph nodes did not affect progression free survival.
Shouldering the Risk Factor Burden Infection, Atherosclerosis, and the Vascular Endothelium

The healthy endothelium maintains vascular homeostasis via production of paracrine factors that promote vasodilation and inhibit thrombosis, inflammation, and cellular proliferation in the blood vessel.1 Atherosclerosis is associated with a loss of the biological activity of endothelium-derived nitric oxide and other alterations of endothelial phenotype that may contribute to plaque rupture and subsequent thrombosis and vasospasm.2 Indeed, the severity of impairment of endothelium-dependent vasodilation in the coronary circulation predicts the risk for future cardiovascular disease events.3,4⇓ The ability to reverse endothelial dysfunction is a common property of otherwise diverse interventions that have been proven to reduce cardiovascular risk, including lipid lowering therapy, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition, smoking cessation, and exercise.1 These observations support the concepts that endothelial dysfunction contributes to the clinical expression of cardiovascular disease and is a clinically useful surrogate for cardiovascular disease risk. See p 184 In addition to its role in advanced disease, there is strong evidence that endothelial dysfunction is important in the early stages of atherogenesis.5 For example, pharmacological inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis promotes atherogenesis,6 and the endothelial nitric oxide synthase null mouse is more susceptible to lesion formation than its wild type counterpart.7 Endothelial dysfunction is present in patients with coronary risk factors before the development of coronary atherosclerosis, as detected by angiography or intracoronary ultrasound.1,8⇓ Endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation is impaired in young children with hypercholesterolemia before any clinical evidence of disease is seen.9 In general, the degree of endothelial dysfunction correlates with the number and severity of coronary risk factors.1,8⇓ Thus, measurement of endothelial function may serve as an index of the cumulative effects of risk factors on the vasculature.10 Traditional risk factors account for not more than half of cardiovascular disease risk. For this reason, cardiovascular …
Whole genome amplification and de novo assembly of single bacterial cells.

Background: Single-cell genome sequencing has the potential to allow the in-depth exploration of the vast genetic diversity found in uncultured microbes. We used the marine cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus as a model system for addressing important challenges facing high-throughput whole genome amplification (WGA) and complete genome sequencing of individual cells. Methodology/Principal Findings: We describe a pipeline that enables single-cell WGA on hundreds of cells at a time while virtually eliminating non-target DNA from the reactions. We further developed a post-amplification normalization procedure that mitigates extreme variations in sequencing coverage associated with multiple displacement amplification (MDA), and demonstrated that the procedure increased sequencing efficiency and facilitated genome assembly. We report genome recovery as high as 99.6% with reference-guided assembly, and 95% with de novo assembly starting from a single cell. We also analyzed the impact of chimera formation during MDA on de novo assembly, and discuss strategies to minimize the presence of incorrectly joined regions in contigs. Conclusions/Significance: The methods describe in this paper will be useful for sequencing genomes of individual cells from a variety of samples.
Surface modifying substances that reduce apparent yeast cell hydrophobicity.

Objective. To determine whether several topical compounds and other chemical entities are able to diminish the surface hydrophobicity of yeast cells. Method. Hydrophobicity of yeast cells was determined by binding styrene microspheres to the surface of untreated yeast or yeast pre-incubated with various substances with potential for cell surface modification. The degree of microsphere adherence to yeast cells was measured by flow cytometry. Results. A significant reduction in cell surface hydrophobicity was observed when yeast was incubated in protein-containing media. Other compounds that effectively reduced microsphere binding were various formulations of K-Y 1 and heparin. Divalent cations (Ca ++ ,M g ++ ,Z n ++ ,C u ++ ) were also potent inhibitors of microsphere adherence. It was possible to remove substances contributing to microsphere binding by chemical extraction of the yeast. Yeast having reduced microsphere binding activity also showed diminished binding of concanavalin A. Conclusions. Several commercially available compounds were able to block binding of styrene microspheres to yeast. Some of the binding activity appeared to be attributable to mannose-containing surface components. These findings have implications for formulating therapeutic products that might block yeast binding to tissues.
Mechanism of glutamate receptor desensitization

Ligand-gated ion channels transduce chemical signals into electrical impulses by opening a transmembrane pore in response to binding one or more neurotransmitter molecules. After activation, many ligand-gated ion channels enter a desensitized state in which the neurotransmitter remains bound but the ion channel is closed. Although receptor desensitization is crucial to the functioning of many ligand-gated ion channels in vivo, the molecular basis of this important process has until now defied analysis. Using the GluR2 AMPA-sensitive glutamate receptor, we show here that the ligand-binding cores form dimers and that stabilization of the intradimer interface by either mutations or allosteric modulators reduces desensitization. Perturbations that destabilize the interface enhance desensitization. Receptor activation involves conformational changes within each subunit that result in an increase in the separation of portions of the receptor that are linked to the ion channel. Our analysis defines the dimer interface in the resting and activated state, indicates how ligand binding is coupled to gating, and suggests modes of dimer–dimer interaction in the assembled tetramer. Desensitization occurs through rearrangement of the dimer interface, which disengages the agonist-induced conformational change in the ligand-binding core from the ion channel gate.
Relationship of Stress, Distress, and Inadequate Coping Behaviors to Periodontal Disease

Background: The association of stress, distress, and coping behaviors with periodontal disease was assessed. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 1,426 subjects between the ages of 25 and 74 years in Erie County, New York, was carried out to assess these relationships. Subjects were asked to complete a set of 5 psychosocial questionnaires which measure psychological traits and attitudes including discrete life events and their impact; chronic stress or daily strains; distress; coping styles and strategies; and hassles and uplifts. Clinical assessment of supragingival plaque, gingival bleeding, subgingival calculus, probing depth, clinical attachment level (CAL) and radiographic alveolar crestal height (ACH) was performed, and 8 putative bacterial pathogens from the subgingival flora measured. Results: Reliability of subjects' responses and internal consistencies of all the subscales on the instruments used were high, with Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.88 for financial strain to 0.99 for job strain, uplif...
Motivation in Project Management: The Project Manager's Perspective:

Project motivation is a key aspect to a successful project, yet few studies exist that shed light on this important subject. This article reviews the current literature and theoretical aspects of motivation and provides an analysis of the data. A survey was conducted by soliciting project managers to tell how they perceive their ability to influence motivation. In total, 115 certified project managers responded to the survey. A discussion and suggestions for future research follow the data.
Viral non-coding RNA inhibits HNF4α expression in HCV associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an established cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, it is unclear if the virus plays a direct role in the development of HCC. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) is critical determinant of epithelial architecture and hepatic development; depletion of HNF4α is correlated with oncogenic transformation. We explored the viral role in the inhibition of HNF4α expression, and consequent induction of tumor-promoting genes in HCV infection-associated HCC.
An exploration of features for SAR classification

Summary form only given. Classification of SAR images usually is constrained by the choice of features to use. Often the powers, in dB, for several frequencies and polarizations are used. However, there are very many other features one could use, some that include the spatial variability between neighboring pixels. This paper explores the utility of using some of these non-standard features in a standard Bayesian classification framework. Some features make the frequency relationships explicit by forming gradients of the standard powers in the frequency domain. Others use the differences between the polarizations and the same or different frequencies. Still others form statistics based on some small neighborhood surrounding each pixel. One such is called texture which is the standard-deviation without the contribution from speckle. Others use the geometrical relationship between the pixels, examples are: lacunarity, grey-level co-occurrence matrices, others?... . For full-polarimetric data there is also available the co-pol phase-difference statistics, which are known to correlate well with the scattering mechanisms associated with the target. There are also less well-known features: (1) polarization for maximum power, (2) polarization for minimum power, (3) power image calculated based on maximum separability between 2 classes, (4) Eigenvalues and vectors of the scattering matrix. For interferometric data there are also some other features: (1) Coherence, (2) Statistics of height information, (3) Differences in height information between different polarizations and frequencies. Each of these features will be evaluated for its usefulness to classification and various optimum scenarios will be presented for different sensor combinations.
Multi-sensor data fusion using the influence model

System robustness against individual sensor failures is an important concern in multi-sensor networks. Unfortunately, the complexity of using the remaining sensors to interpolate missing sensor data grows exponentially due to the "curse of dimensionality". In this paper, we demonstrate that the influence model, our novel formulation for combining evidence from multiple interactive dynamic processes, can efficiently interpolate missing data and can achieve greater accuracy by modeling the structure of multi-sensor interaction.
Parents’ Choices and Rationales for Alternative Vaccination Schedules: A Qualitative Study

Background. A growing number of parents adopt alternative vaccination schedules for their children. A better understanding of parents’ rationales for these choices is needed to guide vaccine decision making. Methods. We conducted 24 semistructured telephone interviews with parents of 12- to 36-month-olds and analyzed data using an inductive approach. Results. We identified 5 alternative vaccination approaches: “Dr Sears” schedule, shot-limiting approach, selective delay or decline, visit-by-visit decisions, and refusal of all vaccines. Parents who adopted alternative approaches expressed a desire for more control of exposure to vaccine ingredients; vaccine safety, immune system burden, and perceived disease risk were articulated as concerns. Conclusions. Parents who adopt alternative vaccination schedules can be classified in defined subgroups based on their decision-making approaches, and many describe considered reasons to support their actions. Communications that acknowledge and address those reasons ...
The Netroots Narrative: The Evolution of Liberal Candidates from 2004 to the Present

Approximately twelve years after its debut in political campaigns, many still question the implications of the Internet on social capital. Despite the proliferation of unique political communication and interactivity dubbed “Web 2.0”, cyber-pessimists fear that the Internet inhibits the growth of meaningful face-to-face interactions. Based various case studies present in the evolution of the liberal blogosphere from 2004 through 2008, this paper argues that the Internet can and does lead to meaningful social capital and offline social networking. It describes the Web as an agent of social change for the Democratic Party, and identifies social capital as an important part of the party’s digital timeline. Drawing on seventeen in-depth interviews with campaign staff members and volunteers participating in the Howard Dean, Ned Lamont and Barack Obama campaigns, as well as Republican bloggers, this work illuminates how the intersection of offline and online social networking has become a hallmark of Democratic Party digital strategy.
O-H stretch overtone excitation of ethyl hydroperoxide conformers.

We present laser photoacoustic spectra of ethyl hydroperoxide (EHP) for 3–6 quanta of O–H stretch. Spectra are consistent with ab initio spectral simulations that take into account the influence of...
Correlated Percolation, Fractal Structures, and Scale-Invariant Distribution of Clusters in Natural Images

Natural images are scale invariant with structures at all length scales.We formulated a geometric view of scale invariance in natural images using percolation theory, which describes the behavior of connected clusters on graphs.We map images to the percolation model by defining clusters on a binary representation for images. We show that critical percolating structures emerge in natural images and study their scaling properties by identifying fractal dimensions and exponents for the scale-invariant distributions of clusters. This formulation leads to a method for identifying clusters in images from underlying structures as a starting point for image segmentation.
The Longevity of Attractiveness of the Commercially Available Pheromone Septa of the Peach Twig Borer (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

The commercially available pheromone septa of the peach twig borer, Anarsia lineatella Zeller, attracted significantly ( P < 0.05) fewer moths after 2 weeks of aging in the field. This trend occurred in trials in both the summer of 1981 and the spring of 1982, conducted in almond orchards of the San Joaquin Valley in California.
A Review of Semantic Research on V-Directional Compounds

Research on directional verbs or v-directional compounds quite a lot,from emergence to development,from nature to semantic,from the structure to sentence,all parts,but the semantic problem should be of the core issues.In many scholars,and pushed by the cognitive theory and method of the guidance,the research on v-directional compounds is incessantly deepened.However,in the connotation of the concept of "direction",semantic types and judgment standard,and semantic frame and expansion of path of V-Directional Compounds,are also questionable or to know again.
Design and Analysis Control System of Electric Inspection Mobile Manipulator

To improve the real-time and operability of electric inspection mobile robot,the software and hardware architecture of electric inspection mobile manipulator control system based on embedded Linux are introduced.A simplified dynamic model is developed for the mobile manipulator,and based on D-H method and formula method,inverse kinematics analysis for electric inspection mobile manipulator with redundant degrees of freedom is presented.In these experiments,based on the information of the target position and orientation obtained from an on board CCD camera,the mobile manipulator is controlled to catch the target by utilizing the proposed inverse kinematics analysis strategy.The example results show the validity and feasibility of the designed architecture.
Clinical Significance of Spontaneous Echo Contrast on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Background Spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) is known to be a predisposition to thromboembolism and cerebrovascular accident. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors and the consequences of SEC in patients who were placed on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) because of cardiogenic shock. Methods Between January 2011 and December 2014, 98 patients underwent the insertion of VA-ECMO because of cardiogenic shock in our institution. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography was performed and interpreted by National Board of Echocardiography certified cardiologists. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the presence or absence of SEC. Clinical data, echocardiographic measurements, and outcomes were compared between the 2 groups. Results Of the 98 patients, 22 patients (22%) had SEC on echocardiography. Patients in the SEC group had a lower ejection fraction (8.0% versus 29%; p p = 0.009). The SEC group had a higher rate of intracardiac thrombus (46% versus 13%; p = 0.002) and stroke (36% versus 7.9%; p = 0.002). On univariate analysis, intracardiac thrombus, SEC, and low pulsatility were significant risk factors for the development of stroke. On multivariate analysis, SEC was the only independent risk factor for stroke. Conclusions SEC on VA-ECMO resulted in an increased risk of intracardiac thrombus and stroke. Maintaining pulsatility while the patient is on ECMO may result in a decreased chance of developing SEC and stroke.
Taking account of the ‘part of those that have no part’:

In this commentary, I argue that Ranciere’s concept of the ‘part of those that have no part’ is a valuable and overlooked intervention in how the constitution of ‘the political’ can be understood. ...
Innovative device source/drain and channel implantation for MOS transistors in ultra low power subthreshold circuit applications

This paper introduces a new comprehensive doping scheme for the transistors in subthreshold circuits. The proposed doping is characterized by the absence of halos at the source and drain ends. We propose a Gaussian doping distribution inside the source and drain regions, and a low-high-low distribution across the depth of the transistor from the channel surface towards the body region. It also has a low-high-low doping distribution along the length of the transistor below the channel region. The analysis is performed by changing the doping densities, body bias and gate-source voltage (V gs ) to observe the variations of off-current (I off ), threshold voltage and I on /I off ratio. Results show that the optimized device with the proposed doping profile would provide higher drain current (I on ) and I on /I off at a certain body bias.
CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOME TRIALS OF THE INCRETIN-BASED THERAPIES: WHAT DO WE KNOW SO FAR?

ABSTRACT Objective: Diabetes is a well-established pro-inflammatory state with an increased risk for cardiovascular (CV) diseases. In recent years, the number of different classes of agents for the treatment of type 2 diabetes has increased substantially, and while glycemic control is the major focus of these medications, CV safety has become of interest. Two incretin-based therapies are currently available: glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (RAs) and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. Methods: The literature was reviewed for information regarding the incretin-based therapies and their effects on the CV system. Results: Independent of their glucose-lowering action, incretin-based therapies may have incretin-dependent mechanisms that positively affect blood pressure, weight, and other markers of CV disease risk, and, in the case of DPP-4 inhibition, nonincretin-dependent actions such as improving endothelial function. Several CV outcomes trials (CVOTs) with incretin-based therapies have recently completed with no excess CV risk observed, and positive effects have been reported in at least 1 trial of GLP-1 RAs, with more studies ongoing. Results for the risk for heart failure with DPP-4 inhibitor use are mixed, but no increase has been demonstrated with GLP-1 RAs. Conclusion: Future CVOTs will need to be redesigned to help address these questions in the context of the emerging scope of the underlying mechanisms of cardio-metabolic disease in populations with diabetes. Abbreviations: A1C = hemoglobin A1C; ACS = acute coronary syndrome; CHD = coronary heart disease; CI = confidence interval; CV = cardiovascular; CVOT = Cardiovascular Outcome Trial; DPP-4 = dipeptidyl peptidase 4; FDA = U.S. Food and Drug Administration; GIP = glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide; GLP-1 = glucagon-like protein 1; GLP-1 RA = glucagon-like protein 1 receptor agonist; HF = heart failure; HR = hazard ratio; LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction; MACE = major adverse cardiovascular events; MI = myocardial infarction; T2D = type 2 diabetes
Mission Interference: How Competition Confounds Accountability for Environmental Nongovernmental Organizations

Kramarz and Park (2016) claim that global environmental governance's increased accountability mechanisms are not matched with environmental gains. I assert that this “accountability paradox” develops for environmental nongovernmental organizations (ENGOs) due to a convergence of trends: ENGOs’ increased governance roles coupled with competition for funding and agenda space produces a field riddled with opposing or diverging views. These organizations cannot fully satisfy other actors’ demands and achieve “balanced accountability” because of their differentiated and conflicting approaches to environmental problem-solving. Instead, ENGOs face an accountability dilemma: let the various demands of accountability interfere with their ability to achieve mission or let their missions interfere with their efforts to be accountable. This constrained choice is delineated by Koppell's multiple accountabilities disorder and the new concept “single accountability disorder.” The qualitative case of the International Marinelife Alliance demonstrates how an ENGO moves through the multiple accountability states that constitute this paradox.
11-C acetate in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Management

1329 Objectives To evaluate clinical contribution of C11 ACETATE PET/CT in managing hepatocellular cancer, in cases where there was high clinical suspicion but negative or indeterminate findings on conventional imaging (CT/MR). HCC is unique in the manner that imaging may be used as a final diagnosis instead of pathology. Therefore in cases where CT or MR is indeterminate another modality such as C11-acetate PET/CT may be useful for tumor confirmation. Methods 12 patients received 11-acetate from 9/13/13 through 3/17/2014. One patient had two exams. The indication in all except one patient was prior diagnosis of HCC with suspicion for recurrent disease because of rising AFP and indeterminate CT and MRI findings. One patient had rapidly rising AFP but no radiologic abnormality on CT or MRI. Most subjects had had prior treatment with either 90-Y radio embolization, external beam therapy, or DEB. All patients were on waiting list for liver transplant. Results There were five patients with a True + exam result that showed focal uptake of 11-C acetate that was consistent with recurrent, persistent HCC. One patient had two exams separated by 3 months that showed rapidly progressive disease and no definitive action has been taken at this time. Following the 11-C acetate exam the following actions were initiated in the other patients: radio embolization with 90Y for recurrent disease (1); treatment of recurrent disease with SBRT (1); removal from transplant program list due to unsuspected distant skeletal metastases (1) There were two patients with probable True - exam results. In spite of rising AFP and suspicious other radiologic imaging results continued follow up over 3-5 months has shown no evidence of disease. There likely was one False - exam in a patient whose AFP went from 148 to 9,000 in five months. Neither CT nor MRI were able to demonstrate location of disease. Conclusions C11-Acetate PET/CT may be a useful problem solving diagnostic test in the management of Hepatocellular Cancer.
4. IMPERIAL SOVEREIGNTY IN MUGHAL AND BRITISH FORMS

Azfar Moin's recent work on millennial sovereignty in Mughal India prompts a consideration of the evolution of sovereignty in modern South Asia more broadly. Although the sovereign principles of the Mughals differed from those of the British Indian empire, which ultimately succeeded it, these empires shared important similarities in their linking of sovereign authority to visions of a cosmos in immanent interaction with human affairs. This article explores these similarities and differences and speculatively considers their implications for both similarities and differences in Mughal and British principles of statecraft. These similarities and differences provide an important backdrop for thinking about the meanings attached to popular sovereignty in modern India as well.
A preliminary study to design a floating treatment wetland for remediating acid mine drainage-impacted water using vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides).

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is extremely acidic, sulfate-rich effluent from abandoned or active mine sites that also contain elevated levels of heavy metals. Untreated AMD can contaminate surface and groundwater and pose severe ecological risk. Both active and passive methods have been developed for AMD treatment consisting of abiotic and biological techniques. Abiotic techniques are expensive and can create large amounts of secondary wastes. Passive biological treatment mainly consists of aerobic or anaerobic constructed wetlands. While aerobic wetlands are economical, they are not effective if the pH of the AMD is < 5. Anaerobic wetlands use organic-rich substrates to provide carbon source to iron- and sulfate-reducing bacteria. The efficiency of these systems declines overtime and requires continuous maintenance. Our objective is to develop an alternative, low-cost, and sustainable floating wetland treatment (FWT) system for AMD for the abandoned Tab-Simco coal mining site in Illinois using vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides). Tab-Simco AMD is highly acidic, with mean pH value of 2.64, and contains high levels of sulfate and metals. A greenhouse study was performed for a 30-day period in order to screen and optimize the necessary parameters to design a FWT system. Water quality and plant growth parameters were continuously monitored. Results show significant SO4 2− removal, resulting in increased pH, particularly at higher planting densities. Vetiver also helped in metal removal; high amounts of Fe, Zn, and Cu were removed, with relatively lower amounts of Pb, Al, and Ni. Iron plaque formation on the root was observed, which increased metal stabilization in root and lowered root to shoot metal translocation. Vetiver was tolerant of AMD, showing minimal change in biomass and plant growth. Results obtained are encouraging, and a large scale mesocosm study is now in progress, as the next step to develop the vetiver-based system for AMD treatment.
Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation: Are We in a New Age?

See Article by Vakil et al Since the first electrocardiographic recordings, ventricular tachycardia (VT) has been associated with both significant morbidity and mortality.1 VT most commonly occurs in the presence of structural heart disease that produces myocardial fibrosis, such as myocardial infarction, nonischemic cardiomyopathy, sarcoidosis, and many other diseases. As such, the prognosis of a patient with VT mainly mirrors the extent of underlying heart disease. The prevalence of coronary artery disease in the US population has been shown to increase with age, reaching 20% in subjects >75 years of age.2 Prior to implantable cardioverter defibrillators, the overall downward trajectory of patients with VT proved insurmountable (and at times accelerated) by antiarrhythmic pharmacological therapies in those with structural heart disease.3 The era of revascularization and neurohormonal blockade has seen significant improvement in long-term morbidity and mortality for patients with heart failure.4 With modern medical therapy, patients are living longer and competing risks begin to emerge. VT remains a shadow in the dark—an ever-present threat that often presents itself during significant clinical deterioration but can …
Joining the resistance

The effect of antibiotic resistance genes on the gut microbiome is examined in preterm infants before and after antibiotic administration.
Mitigating the Challenges of Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in Nursing Education: A Phenomenological Research Study.

Abstract Background Objective evaluation of clinical competencies is a key component of undergraduate nursing education programs. Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), widely used in nursing education internationally has limited utilization in undergraduate nursing programs in the United States. The efficacy of OSCE as a valuable method of objective evaluation of students' clinical competencies is not so much the problem for the nursing faculty; overcoming the impediments of its implementation is a much greater challenge. Objective To explore the strategies for mitigating the challenges of OSCE in baccalaureate nursing education program. Design/Participants/Setting In this descriptive phenomenological research study, 10 undergraduate nursing faculty participated in semi-structured interviews at a public university in the North-Eastern region of United States. Method Observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Colaizzi seven steps analysis framework was used to identify major themes in the collected data. The clear, detailed, and sequential procedural processes in both data collection and analysis ensured rigorous and trustworthy results. Results Five mitigating OSCE strategies utilized by the faculty included: administrative and technical supports, use of clinical instructors during evaluation, faculty OSCE education, limitation of validation to the required skills essential for professional practice, and collaboration among all course faculty members. Conclusion Utilization of OSCE as an objective evaluation method is feasible in United States undergraduate nursing education programs if creative strategies are determined to mitigate its challenges.
Human pituitary growth hormone. XXVII. Reaction with tetranitromethane.

Abstract Six of the eight tyrosine residues in human pituitary growth hormone are found to react with tetranitromethane in pH 8.0 Tris buffer and the modified hormone retains full lactogenic activity but contains only 60% of the growth-promoting potency. In the presence of 5 M guanidine · HCl all eight tyrosines are nitrated by the reagent and there is a complete loss of both lactogenic and growth-promoting activities.
Do warranties influence perceptions of service quality? A study of the automobile repair and service industry

Abstract The relationship between customers' overall evaluation of service quality and five factors — perceived fairness, empathy, responsiveness, reliability, and convenience — was examined in the automobile repair and service industry. Specifically, the study explored whether a warranty influenced the evaluation of service quality. A survey was conducted. The findings indicate that the empathy demonstrated by the service provider was important only when the service was not under warranty. Fairness and reliability were found to be important when there was no warranty and their effects were heightened by the presence of warranty. The influence of responsiveness and convenience were significant and remained the same with or without warranty.
A Study of Abbreviations in Clinical Notes

Various natural language processing (NLP) systems have been developed to unlock patient information from narrative clinical notes in order to support knowledge based applications such as error detection, surveillance and decision support. In many clinical notes, abbreviations are widely used without mention of their definitions, which is very different from the use of abbreviations in the biomedical literature. Thus, it is critical, but more challenging, for NLP systems to correctly interpret abbreviations in these notes. In this paper we describe a study of a two-step model for building a clinical abbreviation database: first, abbreviations in a text corpus were detected and then a sense inventory was built for those that were found. Four detection methods were developed and evaluated. Results showed that the best detection method had a precision of 91.4% and recall of 80.3%. A simple method was used to build sense inventories from two different knowledge sources: the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) and a MEDLINE abbreviation database (ADAM). Evaluation showed the inventory from the UMLS appeared to be the more appropriate of the two for defining the sense of abbreviations, but was not ideal. It covered 35% of the senses and had an ambiguity rate of 40% for those that were covered. However, annotation by domain experts appears necessary for uncovered abbreviations and to determine the correct senses.
Scientific publication misrepresentation among orthopaedic residency applicants

Abstract Background The predictors of erroneous publication reporting among orthopaedic surgery residency applicants have not been established. Methods A retrospective analysis of the reported scholarly activity of candidates who applied to our orthopaedic surgery department for a first-year residency position in 2017 was conducted to determine the incidence of scientific publication misrepresentation and analyze its association with pre-residency criteria. Results Out of 510 candidates, 264 (51.8%) applicants included accepted, in-press, or published scholarly activity on their resumes. The incidence of misrepresentation was 20.5%, and did not differ statistically based on the candidates’ academic performance (United States Medical Licensing Examination – USMLE – steps 1 and 2 scores), Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) membership, immigration status, or or additional academic degrees (p > 0.05). Conclusions Misrepresentation is a persistent problem among residency training program applicants, and did not correlate with an applicant's academic performance, AOA membership, immigration status, or additional advanced academic degrees.
Delineating boundaries of feasibility between robot designs

Motivated by the need for tools to aid in the design of effective robots, we examine how to determine the role that particular sensing and actuator resources play in enabling a robot to achieve useful ends. Rather than merely asking “will this sensor suffice?” we classify general modifications to the set of sensors and actuators based on the feasibility of accomplishing given tasks using these sets. The goal is to probe the boundary between modifications that are destructive on a given planning problem, and modifications that are not. Since this boundary itself can be impractically large, classic search methods are of no avail to summarize discriminatory features on this boundary. Instead, we propose a decision tree learning method to efficiently construct a compact implicit representation of the boundary. The idea is to allow the designer to use prior knowledge to constrain the search, then use the tool to probe the boundary subject to those constraints, gaining insight into the information necessary for a robot to ensure task achievement. Ultimately we envision a interactive process where additional constraints are repeatedly included as new light is shed. We aim to pave the way for interactive tools that help the roboticist navigate the complexities of the design space. We describe an implementation of this approach along with experimental results that show that the method can construct decision trees with explanatory value. Our experiments suggest that some domain knowledge (specifically picking features that emphasize monotonicity) substantially improves running-time with only negligible reduction in accuracy.
Differences in Student Trajectories via Filtered Time Series Analysis in an Immersive Virtual World

To scaffold students' investigations of an inquiry-based immersive virtual world for science education without undercutting the affordances an open-ended activity provides, this study explores ways time-stamped log files of groups' actions may enable the automatic generation of formative supports. Groups' logged actions in the virtual world are filtered via principal component analysis to provide a time series trajectory showing the rate of their investigative activities over time. This technique functions well in open-ended environments and examines the entire course of their experience in the virtual world instead of specific subsequences. Groups' trajectories are grouped via k-means clustering to identify different typical pathways taken through the immersive virtual world. These different approaches are then correlated with learning gains across several survey constructs (affective dimensions, ecosystem science content, understanding of causality, and experimental methods) to see how various trends are associated with different outcomes. Differences by teacher and school are explored to see how best to support inclusion and success of a diverse array of learners.
DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMANCE OF HIGH SENSITIVITY TROPONIN IN CANCER PATIENTS

Recently introduced Gen 5 high sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) assay helps physicians diagnose or rule out myocardial infarction (MI). However, its diagnostic performance has not been studied in cancer patients. From the laboratory database of 779 hospitalized cancer patients, we identified 103
Vitamin A and vitamin D regulate the microbial complexity, barrier function, and the mucosal immune responses to ensure intestinal homeostasis

Diet is an important regulator of the gastrointestinal microbiota. Vitamin A and vitamin D deficiencies result in less diverse, dysbiotic microbial communities and increased susceptibility to infection or injury of the gastrointestinal tract. The vitamin A and vitamin D receptors are nuclear receptors expressed by the host, but not the microbiota. Vitamin A- and vitamin D-mediated regulation of the intestinal epithelium and mucosal immune cells underlies the effects of these nutrients on the microbiota. Vitamin A and vitamin D regulate the expression of tight junction proteins on intestinal epithelial cells that are critical for barrier function in the gut. Other shared functions of vitamin A and vitamin D include the support of innate lymphoid cells that produce IL-22, suppression of IFN-γ and IL-17 by T cells, and induction of regulatory T cells in the mucosal tissues. There are some unique functions of vitamin A and D; for example, vitamin A induces gut homing receptors on T cells, while vitamin D suppresses gut homing receptors on T cells. Together, vitamin A- and vitamin D-mediated regulation of the intestinal epithelium and mucosal immune system shape the microbial communities in the gut to maintain homeostasis.
Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling of α-phosphoryloxy enol ethers with arylboronic acids

Abstract The Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction of cyclic ketene acetal phosphates with arylboronic acids was found to be a convenient and highly efficient method for the construction of aryl vinyl ethers. A wide variety of differentially substituted electron-poor and electron-rich arylboronic acids smoothly underwent the coupling process to provide the desired dihydropyrans in moderate to excellent yields.