cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Request Strategies: A Comparative Study in Mandarin Chinese and Korean. By Yong-Ju Rue and Grace Qiao Zhang. (Pragmatics & Beyond 177.) Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Philadelphia, PA: John Benjamins, 2008. Pp. xv, 320. ISBN 9789027254214.

Request Strategies: A Comparative Study in Mandarin Chinese and Korean (2008) represents one of the first attempts to systematically compare request strategies between two East Asian languages. The study is also methodologically significant, using naturally occurring conversational data rather than relying on written questionnaires, and taking multiple-turn sequences rather than isolated individual sentences, as the scope of analysis. However, while the goal of the study is to reveal real patterns and strategies in natural talk-in-interaction, some parts of the analysis are based solely on role-playing data. Given that communicational motivations in artificial role-playing can hardly be considered to be 'real,' this review concludes that more analysis should be based on natural conversation to ensure authenticity in the discussion of request strategies.
Kruskal's permutation lemma and the identification of CANDECOMP/PARAFAC and bilinear models with constant modulus constraints

CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) analysis is an extension of low-rank matrix decomposition to higher-way arrays, which are also referred to as tensors. CP extends and unifies several array signal processing tools and has found applications ranging from multidimensional harmonic retrieval and angle-carrier estimation to blind multiuser detection. The uniqueness of CP decomposition is not fully understood yet, despite its theoretical and practical significance. Toward this end, we first revisit Kruskal's permutation lemma, which is a cornerstone result in the area, using an accessible basic linear algebra and induction approach. The new proof highlights the nature and limits of the identification process. We then derive two equivalent necessary and sufficient uniqueness conditions for the case where one of the component matrices involved in the decomposition is full column rank. These new conditions explain a curious example provided recently in a previous paper by Sidiropoulos, who showed that Kruskal's condition is in general sufficient but not necessary for uniqueness and that uniqueness depends on the particular joint pattern of zeros in the (possibly pretransformed) component matrices. As another interesting application of the permutation lemma, we derive a similar necessary and sufficient condition for unique bilinear factorization under constant modulus (CM) constraints, thus providing an interesting link to (and unification with) CP.
Secretion of recombinant human fibrinogen by the murine mammary gland

Transgenic animals secreting individual chains and assembled fibrinogen were produced to evaluate the capacity of the mammary gland for maximizing assembly, glycosylation and secretion of recombinant human fibrinogen (rhfib). Transgenes were constructed from the 4.1kbp murine Whey Acidic Protein promoter (mWAP) and the three cDNAs coding for the Aα, Bβ and γ fibrinogen chains. Transgenic mice secreted fully assembled fibrinogen into milk at concentrations between 10 and 200 μg/ml, with total secretion of subunits approaching 700 μg/ml in milk. Partially purified fibrinogen was shown to form a visible and stable clot after treatment with human thrombin and factor XIII. The level of assembled fibrinogen was proportional to the lowest amount of subunit produced where both the Bβ and γ chains were rate limiting. Both the Bβ and γ chains were glycosylated when co-expressed and the degree of saccharide maturation was dependent on expression level, with processing preferred for γ chains over Bβ chains. Also, the subunit complexes γ2, Aαγ2 and the individual subunits Aα, Bβ and γ were found as secretion products. When the Bβ was secreted individually, the glycosylation profile of the molecule was of a mature complex saccharide indicating recognition of the molecule by the glycosylation pathway without association with other fibrinogen chains. To date secretion of Bβ chain has been not observed in any cell type, suggesting that the secretion pathway in mammary epithelia is less restrictive than that occurring in hepatocytes and other cells previously used to study fibrinogen assembly.
The Pacinian Corpuscle

The structure of the Pacinian corpuscle was described by Pacini (1835). It is widely distributed in mammals and is similar to the Herbst corpuscles found in birds. The Pacinian corpuscle is an ovoid structure about 1 mm in length and is easily seen by the naked eye in a number of locations such as the mesentery. On microscopic examination, the lamellar structure of the corpuscle is evident, the lamellae giving an appearance which has been likened to a section through an onion. The corpuscle is innervated by a myelinated sensory axon of medium diameter which terminates within the center of the corpuscle. There it loses its myelin and terminates as an unmyelinated axon. Pacinian corpuscles are highly sensitive mechanoreceptors which respond only to rapid mechanical changes. They are particularly responsive to vibration and appear to subserve the type of sensibility known as vibration sense in man. The corpuscle has been extensively studied as to its morphology, its functional characteristics, and its projection to the central nervous system. The discrete nature and large size of this receptor have made it particularly attractive for the study of receptor mechanisms.
Molecular Orientation Effects on Thermal Conductivity and Thermal Diffusion

The effects of molecular angular momentum (spin polarization) on diffusion and thermal diffusion in a multicomponent polyatomic gas mixture are considered. Formal results for the diffusion and thermal diffusion coefficients are obtained. An expression for the thermal conductivity coefficient, λ∞, when diffusion is independent of spin polarization but thermal diffusion depends on spin polarization is also obtained. The Wang Chang-Uhlenbeck approach to the kinetic theory of gases with internal states is used in the work presented here.
ND-YAG Monitoring for DGV Application (Keynote Paper)

Doppler Global Velocimeters (DGV) requires a narrow bandwidth laser beam which can be accurately tuned to a desired frequency. One laser used for this application is an ND-YAG which is seeded using a laser diode. By adjusting the laser diode output, the frequency of the ND-YAG laser beam can be modified. This technique also narrows the bandwidth of the laser frequency to below 100 MHz. Monitoring this output is difficult due to the 9 ns pulse duration which makes normal interferometry techniques ineffective for the 10 to 20 MHz frequency resolution required. This paper will describe a system constructed to monitor the frequency in real time which can be used in conjunction with a DGV system to correct for laser frequency drift. The particular ND-YAG system response and stability will be presented and discussed in relationship to DGV system accuracy.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Magnetic Field Alignment of a Diblock Copolymer Using a Supramolecular Route

Large-area uniform magnetic alignment of a self-assembled diblock copolymer has been achieved by the selective sequestration of rigid moieties with anisotropic diamagnetic susceptibility within one block of the system. The species is based on a biphenyl core and is confined in the acrylic acid domains of a poly(styrene-b-acrylic acid) block copolymer by hydrogen bonding between an imidazole headgroup and the acrylic acid units. Microphase separation produces hierarchically ordered systems of smectic layers within lamellae and smectic layers in the matrix surrounding hexagonally packed poly(styrene) cylinders, as a function of imidazole/acrylic acid stoichiometry. The magnetic field aligns the smectic layers as well as the block copolymer superstructure in a manner dependent on the anchoring condition of the biphenyl species at the block copolymer interface. Surprisingly, this is found to depend on the composition of the system. This approach is synergistic with recent efforts to engineer functional supram...
Population Parameters for Oryzaephilus surinamensis and O. mercator: Effect of Relative Humidity

Life-tables and tables of age-specific fecundity were constructed for the sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.), and the merchant grain beetle, O. mercator (Fauvel), at a temperature of 30°C and relative humidities of 12, 33, 56, and 74%. These tables were used to calculate the gross rate of reproduction, the net rate of reproduction, the innate capacity for increase, the finite rate of increase, and the generation time. The results indicated that in both species the rate of population growth increases rapidly with humidity between 12 and 56% RH and then remains nearly constant up to at least 74% RH. Neither species was able to complete development at 96% RH.
The quest for cyber norms

Major changes in technology, especially military technology, almost always challenge the norms that govern our behavior. The mustard gas of World War I made the great powers more averse to chemical...
Protecting Students’ Sexual Identity in Private Schools

Throughout the United States, thousands of adolescents attend private schools. Over 80 % of students who attend private schools attend schools that are religiously affiliated. Students attend those schools for a variety of reasons, some of which are not for religious. As a result, at any school run by a religious organization, tension may exist when the values of the students, parents, teachers, administration, or religious organization conflict. It must be decided what role, if any, the government should have in protecting the rights of students against the private schools which they voluntarily attend. To understand the nature of these issues, this chapter examines, as an example, issues that lesbian, gay, and transgender students may face when they attend Catholic schools. It will focus on not only how courts historically have addressed these issues but also why and how a new legal approach to these issues can start to better protect the civil rights of youth.
Models for early prediction of at-risk students in a course using standards-based grading

Using predictive modeling methods, it is possible to identify at-risk students early and inform both the instructors and the students. While some universities have started to use standards-based grading, which has educational advantages over common score-based grading, at-risk prediction models have not been adapted to reap the benefits of standards-based grading in courses that utilize this grading. In this paper, we compare predictive methods to identify at-risk students in a course that used standards-based grading. Only in-semester performance data that were available to the course instructors were used in the prediction methods. When identifying at-risk students, it is important to minimize false negative (i.e., type II) error while not increasing false positive (i.e., type I) error significantly. To increase the generalizability of the models and accuracy of the predictions, we used a feature selection method to reduce the number of variables used in each model. The Naive Bayes Classifier model and an Ensemble model using a sequence of models (i.e., Support Vector Machine, K-Nearest Neighbors, and Naive Bayes Classifier) had the best results among the seven tested modeling methods. Seven different prediction models for identifying at-risk students were compared.Only in-semester performance factors (i.e., grades) were used in the models.Models were created based on standards-based grading.Feature selection method resulted in higher accuracy of the models.
The Use of Probiotics in the Prevention of Clostridium Difficile Infection

Despite advances in the diagnosis and treatment of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), the prevention of CDI, particularly in the inpatient hospital setting, remains a challenge. Clostridium difficile now rivals methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as the most common pathogen to cause hospital acquired infections (HAI) in the United States. Hospitalized patients are considered to be especially high risk for CDI, and among inpatient cases, antibiotic treatment, especially with Fluoroquinolones has been an almost universal factor in the development of CDIs. One preventative measure that is incontinently used in the prevention of CDI is oral probiotics. Probiotic consumption is reported to exert a myriad of beneficial effects including enhanced immune response, balancing of colonic microbiota, treatment of diarrhea associated with travel and antibiotic therapy, control of rotavirus and clostridium difficile induced colitis. The American College of Gastroenterology recognizes the role of probiotics and included probiotics as a level B recommendation for the treatment of CDI. It has been hypothesized that the use of probiotics, as an adjunctive therapy in patients receiving antibiotics, may provide a key intervention in reducing primary CDI. The purpose of this study was to conduct a retrospective chart review to explore healthcare providers prescribing trends regarding Fluoroquinolone antibiotics and adjunctive probiotics in patients with hospital acquired CDI. The Synergy model was used to guide the study. Results indicated that probiotics are not frequently prescribed for hospitalized patients on Fluoroquinolones and when they are it is with inconsistency. Additional research is recommended to further assess the use of probiotics in conjunction with other classes of commonly used antibiotics; this study solely looked at Fluoroquinolones.
Nuer Dilemmas: Coping with Money, War, and the State

Drawing on twenty-four months of field research among the Nuer of southern Sudan, this book examines how the Nuer have experienced the last six decades of turbulent history and have incorporated that experience into their contemporary culture. More specifically, it shows how Nuer men and women have been actively reassessing local forms of power and sociality in their efforts to keep pace with the expansion and contraction of State and market structure between, roughly, 1930 and 1992. It explores the roots of contemporary Nuer debates over the'interchangeability' of cattle and money as everyday media of exchange; describes the gradual intermeshing of State and local power networks in the Nuer region; analyses the shifting bases of power and authority between Nuer men and women, with particular reference to the impact of government chiefs' courts on local patterns of courtship, marriage and divorce; explores Nuer rethinking of incest and exogamic prohibitions with respect to apparent changes in their definitions of the transgenerational reach of various kinship connections; traces the development, from the late 1940s, of the debate on male initiation; shows how the sacrificial role of cattle in Nuer social life was steadily being undermined during the 1980s and early 1990s; and demonstrates how orthodox forms of evangelical Protestantism contributed to the secularization of vast areas of contemporary Nuer social and moral life.
Terminal NiII−OH/−OH2 complexes in trigonal bipyramidal geometries derived from H2O

Abstract The preparation and characterization of two Ni II complexes are described, a terminal Ni II –OH complex with the tripodal ligand tris[(N)- tert -butylureaylato)-N-ethyl)]aminato ([H 3 buea] 3− ) and a terminal Ni II –OH 2 complex with the tripodal ligand N , N′ , N″ -[2,2′,2″-nitrilotris(ethane-2,1-diyl)]tris(2,4,6-trimethylbenzenesulfonamido) ([MST] 3− ). For both complexes, the source of the –OH and –OH 2 ligand is water. The salts K 2 [Ni II H 3 buea(OH)] and NMe 4 [Ni II MST(OH 2 )] were characterized using perpendicular-mode X-band electronic paramagnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, UV–vis spectroscopies, and its electrochemical properties were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry. The solid state structures of these complexes determined by X-ray diffraction methods reveal that they adopt a distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry, an unusual structure for 5-coordinate Ni II complexes. Moreover, the Ni II –OH and Ni II –OH 2 units form intramolecular hydrogen bonding networks with the [H 3 buea] 3− and [MST] 3− ligands. The oxidation chemistry of these complexes was explored by treating the high-spin Ni II compounds with one-electron oxidants. Species were formed with S = 1/2 spin ground states that are consistent with formation of monomeric Ni III species. While the formation of Ni III –OH complexes cannot be ruled out, the lack of observable O–H vibrations from the putative Ni–OH units suggest the possibility that other high valent Ni species are formed.
A triangle phase-shift control strategy for interleaved critical-mode power converters

Due to its high conversion efficiency and high power density, interleaved critical-mode converter is widely employed by modern power converters. This topology is utilized in ac-dc, dc-dc, and dc-ac converters. Because of the variable switching-frequency operation, phase-shift control is a challenge in the design of critical-mode power converters. This paper presents a triangle phase-shift control strategy for interleaved critical-mode power converters. Based on circuit parameters of the topology and current information of the master phase, a control ramp is derived to control the current phase of slave phase. Based on the proposed control ramp, triangle phase-shift control is proposed. The proposed control strategy is experimentally verified on a dual-phase interleaved dc-dc converter.
Impacts of Fungal Stalk Rot Pathogens on Physicochemical Properties of Sorghum Grain.

Stalk rot diseases are among the most ubiquitous and damaging fungal diseases of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) worldwide. Although reports of quantitative yield losses to stalk rots are available, the impact of stalk rot on grain quality attributes is unknown. This study was conducted to test whether stalk rot diseases could affect grain mineral (N, P, K; Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) and macronutrient (protein, fat, and starch) content, ash content, and physical traits (unit grain weight, hardness, and diameter). A field experiment was conducted in 2013 and 2014 with four sorghum genotypes (two hybrids and two lines). Plants from each genotype were inoculated with four stalk rot pathogens (Fusarium andiyazi, F. proliferatum, F. thapsinum, and Macrophomina phaseolina) and mock-inoculated with phosphate-buffered saline (control). Grains collected from infected and control plants were analyzed for macronutrient and ash content using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy, grain hardness and diameter u...
Dynamic Network Modeling of Diurnal Genes in Cyanobacteria

Many important processes in a living cell are controlled by DNA, RNA, proteins and dynamic interactions between them. Responding to various external conditions, such as the amount of incident light, presence or absence of nutrients and regulators (a protein complex), the genetic information stored in the DNA is decoded. This process is known as ‘transcription’, and it produces RNA molecules. The DNA subsequences that have the capability to generate different RNA molecules are called ‘genes’. The resulting RNA molecules in turn induce the production of corresponding proteins via a process called ‘translation’. Proteins perform many of the biological functions in the cell, which also include the function of ‘cell regulation’. As a result, the entire process of transcription and translation can be viewed as ‘gene interactions’, where the product of one gene controls the activity levels of some others. Identifying the dynamic interaction between various genes would immensely help us understand the associated processes that these genes control. The problem, however, is that these interactions take place at various time scales; the chemical reactions have an inherent randomness and the dynamic equations are often nonlinear. In this paper, we would argue that simple dynamic models can capture dynamic interactions between genes locally in time resulting in a dynamic ‘gene regulatory network’. We present a feed forward dynamical systems model, to identify interactions between diurnal genes in Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142, a unicellular cyanobacterium, under regular day/night cycles and altered light patterns. With the selection of appropriate parameters in the model, we can explain various gene expressions observed in the data. We construct a gene regulatory network and show how the network interconnections change under different ‘light conditions’. The model is shown to be sufficient to capture many biologically meaningful interactions between genes including, co-regulation of genes that are located in close proximity in the genome, time delays involved between regulator-target activities, increased level of interactions under transient input conditions, etc. The resultant network consists of various known network motifs. We validate some of the predicted links by showing the presence of common sequences in their corresponding conserved regulatory regions.
Heavily doped silicon electrode for dielectrophoresis in high conductivity media

A hemispherically shaped, heavily doped (N++) silicon electrode is proposed to overcome the challenges of dielectrophoretic (DEP) manipulation using a conventional metal electrode operating in high conductivity media. An N++ electrode decouples the strong electric field region from the electrode interface and provides a large interface capacitance to prevent surface charging in high conductivity media, thereby effectively suppressing electrochemical reactions. Compared to a conventional metal electrode, an N++ electrode can provide 3 times higher threshold voltage and a corresponding 9-fold enhancement of maximum DEP force in 1× phosphate-buffered saline buffer with an electrical conductivity of 1 S/m. Furthermore, an N++ silicon electrode has excellent thermal conductivity and low electrical impedance, ideal for powering massively parallel DEP manipulation in high conductivity media across a large area.
A Bilaterally Partitioned Colour Variant of an Appalachian Brook Crayfish ( Cambarus bartonii bartonii ) from eastern Pennsylvania

This observation of a bilaterally partitioned colour phenotype of an Appalachian Brook Crayfish ( Cambarus bartonii bartonii ) from Fishing Creek, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA, appears to be the first report of such an aberrant phenotype for this species. The pattern is similar to that reported previously in Papershell Crayfish ( Orconectes immunis ) and Ameri can Lobster ( Homarus americanus ). Although the cause of the colour pattern in the specimen of C. b. bartonii could not be determined, hypotheses related to previous cases in aquatic crustaceans include bilateral partition of primary and secondary sexual characteristics (bicoloured gynandromorphy) and mutation during embryogenesis.
Kernels for edge dominating set: simpler or smaller

A kernelization for a parameterized computational problem is a polynomial-time procedure that transforms every instance of the problem into an equivalent instance (the so-called kernel) whose size is bounded by a function of the value of the chosen parameter. We present new kernelizations for the NP-complete Edge Dominating Set problem which asks, given an undirected graph G=(V,E) and an integer k, whether there exists a subset D⊆E with |D|≤k such that every edge in E shares at least one endpoint with some edge in D. The best previous kernelization for Edge Dominating Set, due to Xiao, Kloks and Poon, yields a kernel with at most 2 k2+2 k vertices in linear time. We first describe a very simple linear-time kernelization whose output has at most 4 k2+4 k vertices and is either a trivial "no" instance or a vertex-induced subgraph of the input graph in which every edge dominating set of size ≤k is also an edge dominating set of the input graph. We then show that a refinement of the algorithm of Xiao, Kloks and Poon and a different analysis can lower the bound on the number of vertices in the kernel by a factor of about 4, namely to $\max\{\frac{1}{2}k^2+\frac{7}{2}k,6 k\}$.
JAK3 inhibition as a new concept for immune suppression

Although current immunosuppressive drugs are effective, they have numerous severe side effects that mandate the search for new agents. Mutations in the gene for janus kinase (JAK)3 result in severe combined immune deficiency with severely impaired humoral and cellular immunity, an observation that has prompted the development of JAK3 inhibitors. Due to its central role in lymphocyte activation, proliferation and homeostasis, targeting the JAK/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway may provide the required efficacy, without the toxicities associated with current therapies. Several studies conducted in rodents have validated the proof-of-concept, with a variety of JAK3 inhibitors demonstrating efficacy for immune suppression. In addition, the selective JAK3 inhibitor CP-690550 (Pfizer Inc) significantly improved allograft survival in a stringent preclinical model in primates and exhibited a good safety profile in non-human primates. This, along with studies of protein kinase inhibitors for cancer treatment, could demonstrate that development of effective, safe and selective kinase inhibitors for immunosuppression is possible.
Some Practical Problems in Interest Measurement

(1968). Some Practical Problems in Interest Measurement. Measurement and Evaluation in Guidance: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 56-63.
Elementary Grade Intervention Approaches to Treat Specific Learning Disabilities, Including Dyslexia

Purpose The purpose of this narrative review of the literature is to provide a description of intensive interventions for elementary grade students with dyslexia, students with learning disabilitie...
Aggregation and Allocation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Oil and Gas Production: Implications for Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas Burdens

Methods used for emission aggregation and allocation have significant impacts on life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission estimates for oil and gas products; however, because of limited data availability for upstream and mid-stream oil and gas operations, the influence of the allocation technique has not been extensively explored in previous studies. GHG emissions associated with oil and gas production and processing in the Eagle Ford Shale (with 34 gas processing plants and classified into 12 production regions) are estimated, using data from 2013, at three different scales of spatial aggregation (production region, gas plant and basin levels), to characterize the spatial variabilities in GHG emissions within the Eagle Ford Shale. GHG emissions per energy content of oil and gas products vary from 3.4 to 14 g CO2e/MJ among the regions within the Eagle Ford Shale, and from 3.5 to 23 g CO2e/MJ when assigned at the individual gas processing plant level, with a basin average of 6.8 g CO2e/MJ. GHG emissions ar...
Idiopathic Postprandial Syndrome

Reactive or postprandial hypoglycemia is a nonspecific term referring to hypoglycemia (glucose <55 mg/dL) that occurs up to 4 hours after a meal (Brun et al. Diabetes Metab 26:337–351). This terminology is purely a description of the timing of a hypoglycemic event; an evaluation for a possible etiology should subsequently be pursued. Patients with hypoglycemic symptoms but without chemical hypoglycemia are often erroneously characterized as having reactive or postprandial hypoglycemia. Idiopathic postprandial syndrome refers to hypoglycemic symptoms that occur without chemical evidence of hypoglycemia. Once other etiologies for hypoglycemic symptoms are excluded, it is then appropriate to identify hypoglycemic symptoms without chemical hypoglycemia as idiopathic postprandial syndrome.
Role of HSP90 Inhibitors in the Treatment of Cancer

The 90-kDa heat shock protein HSP90 is a member of a highly evolutionarily conserved class of molecular chaperone proteins indispensable for the development of cancer; when activated by cellular stress, HSP90 stabilizes oncogenic substrate “client” proteins involved in cellular processes that promote tumorigenesis. HSP90 inhibition attenuates this stabilization of aberrant client proteins in tumor cells, allowing for simultaneous targeting of multiple pathways involved in cancer cell survival. HSP90 inhibitors have been assessed as potential oncologic therapies in several preclinical and clinical studies. Although preclinically promising results have been measured, these results have not translated yet into major clinical efficacy. Combinations of HSP90 inhibitors with approved and investigational oncology drugs may represent further opportunities for the use of these agents in patients with cancer. This chapter reviews some of the important early clinical milestones observed in studies of first- and second-generation HSP90 inhibitors used as single agents and in combination. In the conclusion, possible reasons for the lack of therapeutic benefit in clinical studies are considered.
Incorporation of whole pelvic radiation into treatment of stage IVB cervical cancer: A novel treatment strategy

Abstract Objectives Chemotherapy is the standard treatment in stage IVB cervical cancer (CC). However, given that many women have a significant pelvic disease burden, whole pelvic radiation (WPR) in addition to chemotherapy for primary treatment may have utility. The aim of this study was to compare the overall survival (OS) and complication rates between women who received both WPR and chemotherapy (CT) versus CT alone in the management of stage IVB CC. Methods A multi-institutional, IRB-approved, retrospective review of patients (pts) with stage IVB CC, diagnosed between 2005 and 2015, was performed. Descriptive statistics of the demographic, oncologic, and treatment characteristics were performed. OS was estimated using the Kaplan Meier method. Results A total of 126 pts met inclusion criteria. Thirty one patients elected for hospice care at diagnosis and were excluded from further analysis. In the remaining population, median age was 53 yrs. The majority (72%) had squamous cell carcinoma and 82% had FIGO grade 2 or 3 tumors. Thirty four patients (35.8%) received WPR in addition to CT as a part of planned primary therapy and 64.2% (n = 61) received CT alone, with 88.2% and 80.3% receiving a cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimen, respectively. The OS was significantly longer in the WPR with CT group (41.6 vs 17.6 mo, p 0.05). Conclusion This study found WPR in addition to CT gives a significant OS benefit. Further study is warranted to determine which subgroups may benefit the most from this novel treatment strategy.
Interpretable Deep Temporal Structure Learning Model for Early Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease

In Alzheimer9s research, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is an important intermediate stage between normal aging and Alzheimer9s disease. How to distinguish MCI samples that finally convert to AD from those do not is an essential problem in the prevention and diagnosis of Alzheimer9s. Traditional methods use various classification models to distinguish MCI converters from non-converters, while the performance is usually limited by the small number of available data. Moreover, previous methods only use the data at baseline time for training but ignore the longitudinal information at other time points along the disease progression. To tackle with these problems, we propose a novel deep learning framework that uncovers the temporal correlation structure of the longitudinal neuroimaing data in the disease progression. In the meantime, we formulate our new deep learning model in an interpretable style such that it provides insights on the important features Alzheimer9s research. We conduct extensive experiments on the ADNI cohort and outperform the related methods with significant margin.
Abstract PO-076: miR-181a initiates and perpetuates ovarian cancer transformation through inhibition of the tumor suppressors RB1 and stimulator of interferon genes (STING)

Genomic instability predisposes cells to malignant transformation, however the molecular mechanisms that allow for the propagation of cells with a high-degree of genomic instability remains unclear. Here we report that miR-181a is able to transform fallopian tube secretory epithelial cells (FTSECs, the precursor cell type for the majority of high-grade serous ovarian cancers) through the inhibition of RB1. Increased miR-181a expression simultaneously drives cell protective inhibition of the stimulator-of-interferon-genes (STING) in order to maintain a microenvironment conducive to the propagation of cells with a high-degree of genomic instability. We found that miR-181a inhibition of RB1 leads to profound nuclear defects, genomic instability, and nuclear rupture resulting in a persistence of genomic material in the cytoplasm. Normally, this persistence of genomic material in the cytoplasm induces a cell-intrinsic interferon response through STING to drive cell death. However, miR-181a directly downregulates STING and prevents interferon induction and cell death in the FTSECs. The most common mechanism by which oncogenic miRNAs promote tumorigenesis is through the direct inhibition of tumor suppressor genes. However, our studies highlight a new mechanism of oncomiR transformation through the combination of tumor suppressor gene and intrinsic interferon signaling inhibition that initiates and propagates tumor cell survival. Importantly, we found that miR-181a induction in ovarian patient tumors is tightly associated with decreased IFNγ response and downregulation of lymphocyte infiltration and leukocyte fraction. Our findings are the first to identify a miRNA, miR-181a, that can downregulate STING expression and suppress activation of cell-intrinsic innate immune signaling in precursor cells undergoing oncogenic transformation to create a survival advantage. Our studies support the notion that the induction of STING-mediated signaling in developing cancer cells could lead directly to cancer cell death, and that these effects can be inhibited by miR-181a. Given the recent interest in the development of STING agonists as a strategy to harness the immune system to treat cancer, this study introduces miR-181a as a novel patient selective biomarker as well as potential therapeutic target for HGSOC treatment. Citation Format: Matthew Knarr, Rita Avelar, Sreeja Sekhar, Lily Kwiatkowski, Michele Dziubinski, Jessica McAnulty, Stephanie Skala, Stefanie Avril, Ronny Drapkin, Analisa DiFeo. miR-181a initiates and perpetuates ovarian cancer transformation through inhibition of the tumor suppressors RB1 and stimulator of interferon genes (STING) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference on Tumor Heterogeneity: From Single Cells to Clinical Impact; 2020 Sep 17-18. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(21 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-076.
Abandoning the Term “Voodoo” in Medicine

* Abbreviation: EBM — : evidence-based medicine Spend enough time around medical practitioners here in the United States and you will definitely hear the word “voodoo.” In medicine, the term is used to denote an absence of evidence or a superstitious practice, either as an apology for one’s own medical choices in the face of limited or contentious evidence or often as a disdainful dismissal of the medical choices of others. When my medical career began in the mid-to-late 90s, the term was already in use. I suspect it had been in use for some time, but it took on particular relevance in the evidence-based medicine (EBM) era. In the EBM context, it often signifies practices that lack sufficient evidence by EBM standards.1 I suggest we abandon this use of the term “voodoo” to refer to medical practices of unsure or poor quality of evidence. The problem with the use of the term “voodoo” in this dismissive or derogatory way is that Voodoo, also written Vodou, Vodun, or Vodu, is a religion. This religion grew out of the inheritances, beliefs, and experiences of mostly West African people who were enslaved and brought to the island of Quisqueya, present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as from the dynamic experiences of their descendants as they navigated a changing world of colonial power, slavery, revolution, occupation, and dictatorship. Voodoo has direct connections to several West African and Central African religious systems and practices, including the Vodun practices of the Fon people of Benin, Togo, … Address correspondence to Nathan Luna, MD, Department of Pediatrics, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, 3600 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611. E-mail: nathan.luna{at}kp.org
Efficacy of Statin Therapy in Patients with Hospital Admission for COVID-19.

COVID-19 is characterized by dysfunctional immune responses and metabolic derangements, which in some, lead to multi-organ failure and death. Statins are foundational lipid-lowering therapeutics for cardiovascular disease and also possess beneficial immune-modulating properties. Because of these immune-modulating properties, some have suggested their use in COVID-19. We sought to investigate the association between statin use and mortality in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Five thousand three hundred seventy-five COVID-19 patients admitted to Mount Sinai Health System hospitals in New York between February 27, 2020, and December 3, 2020, were included in this analysis. Statin use was classified as either non-user, low-to-moderate-intensity user, or high-intensity user. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate in-hospital mortality rate. Considered covariates were age, sex, race, and comorbidities. Compared to non-statin users, both low-to-moderate-intensity (adjusted hazard ratio; aHR 0.62, 95% confidential intervals; CI 0.51–0.76) and high-intensity statin users (aHR 0.53, 95% CI 0.43–0.65) had a reduced risk of death. Subgroup analysis of 723 coronary artery disease patients showed decreased mortality among high-intensity statin users compared to non-users (aHR 0.51, 95% CI 0.36–0.71). Statin use in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 was associated with a reduced in-hospital mortality. The protective effect of statin was greater in those with coronary artery disease. These data support continued use of statin therapy in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Clinical trials are needed to prospectively determine if statin use is effective in lowering the mortality in COVID-19 and other viral infections.
Hemostatic shape memory polymer foams with improved survival in a lethal traumatic hemorrhage model.

Abstract Although there are many hemostatic agents available for use on the battlefield, uncontrolled hemorrhage is still the primary cause of preventable death. Current hemostatic dressings include QuikClot® Combat Gauze (QCCG) and XStat®, which have inadequate success in reducing mortality. To address this need, a new hemostatic material was developed using shape memory polymer (SMP) foams, which demonstrate biocompatibility, rapid clotting, and shape recovery to fill the wound site. SMP foam hemostatic efficacy was examined in a lethal, noncompressible porcine liver injury model over 6 h following injury. Wounds were packed with SMP foams, XStat, or QCCG and compared in terms of time to bleeding cessation, total blood loss, and animal survival. The hemostatic material properties and in vitro blood interactions were also characterized. SMP foams decreased blood loss and active bleeding time in comparison with XStat and QCCG. Most importantly, SMP foams increased the 6 h survival rate by 50% and 37% (vs. XStat and QCCG, respectively) with significant increases in survival times. Based upon in vitro characterizations, this result is attributed to the low stiffness and shape filling capabilities of SMP foams. This study demonstrates that SMP foams have promise for improving upon current clinically available hemostatic dressings and that hemostatic material properties are important to consider in designing devices for noncompressible bleeding control. Statement of significance Uncontrolled hemorrhage is the leading cause of preventable death on the battlefield, and it accounts for approximately 1.5 million deaths each year. New biomaterials are required for improved hemorrhage control, particularly in noncompressible wounds in the torso. Here, we compared shape memory polymer (SMP) foams with two clinical dressings, QuikClot Combat Gauze and XStat, in a pig model of lethal liver injury. SMP foam treatment reduced bleeding times and blood loss and significantly improved animal survival. After further material characterization, we determined that the improved outcomes with SMP foams are likely due to their low stiffness and controlled shape change after implantation, which enabled their delivery to the liver injuries without inducing further wound tearing. Overall, SMP foams provide a promising option for hemorrhage control.
Entrepreneurial effectiveness and achievement in Arab culture: New evidence to rekindle interest in an old predictor.

Abstract The relationship between need for achievement (n-Ach), entrepreneurial effectiveness, and satisfaction are examined for a sample of 220 Jordanian entrepreneurs in the context of a conceptual framework formulated based on existing literature. The results are discussed in the context of McClelland's (1961) economic growth framework. Finally, policy implications for Jordan and businesses seeking a global competitive advantage are explored.
l-Arginine supplementation 0.5% of diet during the last 90 days of gestation and 14 days postpartum reduced uterine fluid accumulation in the broodmare

L-Arginine is an essential amino acid in many species that has been shown to influence reproduction. However, in horses a dose of 1% L-arginine of total dietary intake impaired absorption of other amino acids, whereas a dose of 0.5% did not. The objectives of this experiment were to evaluate postpartum parameters on mares supplemented with 0.5% L-arginine through the last 90d of gestation and 14d postpartum. Sixteen light-horse mares were randomly divided in two groups: 8 mares supplemented with 0.5% L-arginine and 8 mares fed an isonitrogenous equivalent. Gestation length, days to uterine clearance and days to first ovulation were compared. Uterine body depth, diameter of uterine horns, and length of largest pocket of uterine fluid were recorded daily via transrectal ultrasound. Measurements of foal weight, height, and cannon bone circumference were recorded for 9 weeks. Arginine treatment had no effect on gestation length (P=0.58). Supplemented mares cleared fluid quicker postpartum (6.8±0.53d; P=0.026) compared to control (9.0±0.38d). Mares supplemented with L-arginine had smaller diameter of fluid present in the postpartum uterus (P≤0.05). Days to first postpartum ovulation were not affected by treatment nor any influence on uterine involution. Finally, treatment had no effect on any foal's measured parameters. L-Arginine supplementation fed at 0.5% of daily intake during the last 90d of gestation and early postpartum in mares decreased uterine fluid accumulation, yet did not appear to have any effect on any other parameters measured.
A Consumer Perspective on Foreign Market Entry

Abstract Firms seeking to enter their brands in another country's market may face large expenditures in order to build brand awareness and brand image. Often co-branding is used in strategic alliances or joint ventures, however, it may benefit firms across all modes of market entry. We define a brand alliance as the renting of a brand name from another firm. In experiments with Japanese and U.S. subjects, we show that consumer evaluations of an unknown brand from another country were more positive when a brand ally was used. Alliances also increased subject evaluation of the parent firm. Brand alliances, while apparently effective, did not eliminate the effects of country of origin stereotyping.
A novel fluoroscopic-assisted balloon thrombectomy: technique for thrombosed hemodialysis prosthetic grafts

BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown that stenosis of the arterial anastomosis of thrombosed hemodialysis (HD) grafts, unmasked after conventional thrombectomy, very often necessitate subsequent arterial angioplasty. The aim of this study was to describe a novel fluoroscopic-assisted balloon thrombectomy technique which permits simultaneous arterial angioplasty (should this is required) for thrombosed HD grafts. METHODS Thirty patients with 36 thrombotic episodes of their prosthetic HD grafts participated in this study. A balloon angioplasty catheter is placed beyond the arterial anastomosis, over a guidewire; the balloon is inflated with contrast solution under fluoroscopy and pulled back to remove the arterial thrombus from the anastomosis. Any coexisting stenosis revealed by balloon indentation is completely dilated at that time, rather than after the thrombectomy. Mechanical thrombolysis of the graft and venous outflow is then performed with the AngioJet catheter (Possis Medical, Inc). RESULTS Technical and clinical success rates (the latter defined as one subsequent HD session) of the procedure were 100% and 94%, respectively. No complications, including arterial embolism, vessel rupture or pulmonary embolism, were encountered. Primary assisted patency at 3 and 6 months was 51% and 32%, respectively, while functional secondary patency at the same follow-up points was 78%. CONCLUSIONS Our technique is safe and also effective in both short- and long-term follow-up. Because it offers convenience, since the treatment of arterial anastomotic stenoses is accomplished in one (rather than two) steps, this method deserves further investigation.
Worsening renal function in patients with baseline renal impairment treated with intravenous voriconazole: A systematic review

The objective of this paper was to review the risk of worsening renal function in patients with pre-existing renal impairment receiving intravenous voriconazole (IVV). Controversy exists regarding the cause and risk of renal dysfunction in patients treated with IVV. Whilst some studies implicate renally excreted cyclodextrin, a pharmaceutical formulation stabiliser, as the cause of renal dysfunction following voriconazole administration, others provide contradicting evidence. Here we analyse the available literature to gain an insight into the significance of renal toxicity in patients treated with IVV. PubMed was searched for relevant studies to December 2014. To account for publication bias, abstracts from the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, the Infectious Diseases Society of America/ID Week, and the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases from 2008-2014 were reviewed. Bibliographies of all identified articles were reviewed and cross-referenced for additional sources. Seven retrospective studies were identified for inclusion in the review; no prospective studies were identified. Based on the available evidence, we conclude that there is no strong evidence suggesting an increased incidence of worsening renal function with IVV use. No study thus far has provided direct conclusive evidence for cellular and physiological renal toxicity due to IVV at clinically prevalent doses.